Special Occasion Restaurants

CLOSED - This location has closed. Please visit the Gaslamp location. After the recent move from its UTC location, La Jolla's premier steakhouse is now overlooking the famous La Jolla Cove. In addition to picturesque views, Donovan’s Steak and Chop house offers a refined setting filled with upscale class and elegance. The menu showcases a variety of cuts of succulent USDA Prime steak, while offering a variety of other options from Australian rack of lamb to North Atlantic Salmon. Appetizers and salads tantalize the palate before the main course, while potatoes and vegetables—always complimentary—accompany each entrée. An award-winning wine list … Learn More »

Nestled on cozy India Street in picturesque Little Italy, Indigo Grill has been a gem of San Diego’s culinary scene for years. While many diners may be familiar with one of the Cohn Family’s finest restaurants, they haven’t seen anything like the recent transformation that has elevated the grill to the next plateau of dining experiences. Head Chef Deborah Scott, one of the finest chefs in all of San Diego, finally has a spectacular venue in which to showcase her phenomenal dishes that combine old world charm with modern culinary flare. Close to the Gaslamp, Convention Center, Seaport Village, and … Learn More »

Step into the main dining room of Humphreys Restaurant and understand how opulence is mastered. The large multileveled room is bathed in soft light and flowing panels of pale gray and ice blue upholstery. Juxtaposed against the whimsical softness of the colors are massive exposed beams that lend an anchor to a bay-side view that threatens to draw you in completely. The menu is thoughtful and inventive in the way it continues this balance between the ethereal and masculine – the Mirin Sesame Shrimp appetizer positions two large shrimp atop a bed of mango-mint relish that is refreshingly cool against … Learn More »

Settled on the penthouse level of the luxurious shopping district, The Centre at Lexus Escondido, is Cohn Restaurant Group’s newest venture, Vintana Wine + Dine. The restaurant showcases a modern rendition of California cuisine melded with a breathtaking panoramic view of local mountains and the city of Escondido in a semi-casual setting. Executive Chef Deborah Scott has conceived a sensational menu that offers a wide variety of notable dishes that guests can relish. Overwhelm your senses with Vintana’s fresh sustainable seafood options including Clear Spring Rainbow Trout and Mano De Leon Sea Scallops. Or satisfy your palate with one of … Learn More »

Perched atop an ocean bluff, Crab Catcher in La Jolla overlooks Seals Beach, a little sublet that thousands of tourists come by to visit annually. With a spectacular view and sensational food that is procured straight from the sea, Crab Catcher serves only the best fresh dishes. Keeping to the 100-mile radius philosophy, Chef Jon Burwell hires local commercial fishermen and harvests only the freshest ingredients from local farms and farmers markets to create the kind of dishes that will project surprise and wonder onto diner’s faces. With that in mind, the relaxed and quiet ambiance of Crab Catcher creates … Learn More »

Located on the edge of Harbor Island, just out of earshot of the airport, Island Prime’s stilt-supported structure extends out over the bay, giving diners the sense that they are floating along on a dinner cruise. Chef Deborah Scott's retro, yet sophisticated menu features metro steaks, seafood, and other diversely decadent dishes that will make your jaw drop. Between the nostalgic cuisine and the breath-taking view, Island Prime will keep you coming back for more. Learn More »

Cohn Restaurant fans take note: the San Diego restaurateur powerhouse has brought their fine dining expertise to Oceanside with their restaurant, 333 Pacific. It is an ode to Southern California, with breath-taking views of its seaside setting, innovative California cuisine, and a faultlessly stylish design aesthetic. Located on the first floor of the Wyndham Oceanfront Pier Resort, diners can feast on clever creations like Bleu Cheese Crusted Kobe Beef Meatloaf and Maine Diver Scallops seared in apple cider, while enjoying a stunning, panoramic view of the Oceanside Pier and beach. 333 Pacific promises a welcome invigoration of the North County … Learn More »

Our mission is to: brew great beer, create wonderful food and mix sublime cocktails. CAVU (ka-voo) brings these aspects together for a truly unique experience that you will find nowhere else. CAVU is an acronym used in aviation circles meaning “Ceiling and Visibility Unrestricted”. Commonly used by pilots as slang to describe, the Perfect Day. San Diego is full of Perfect Days and is truly CAVU, this is why we live in this wonderful community and others visit our home. Learn More »

Picture a romantic retreat in the French countryside where days conclude with glowing fireplaces and elegant meals, and you will have the essence of Mille Fleurs. The restaurant, which is located on a small estate off a windy road in Rancho Santa Fe, offers a warm and charming atmosphere that plays host to stunning haute cuisine. Chef Martin Wosele’s menu, which changes daily, delicately melds European culinary traditions with local California ingredients. The result is sensational and exquisite fine dining which, as evidenced by numerous awards and national recognition, makes Mille Fleurs one of the most significant dining establishments in … Learn More »

Unassuming elegance is paired with striking attention to detail at Bernard’O Restaurant, in Rancho Bernardo. The main dining room provides a cosmopolitan space lit with the glow of an Italian-tile fireplace. The patio that affords views of glistening stars most nights also has a fireplace to keep diners comfortable. The menu is a toast to fine French fare, and Chef Alain Delahaye plates dishes that are both complex in flavor and refreshingly direct in vision. The Californian Bouillabaisse is an ode to the ocean with seabass, scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, and potatoes, in a Rouille lobster sauce. Stop by for … Learn More »

The Studio Diner is a true local’s paradise; conveniently located in the Kearney Mesa Business District, this deliciously nostalgic eatery serves up heaping helpings of classic American fare with a gourmet twist 24-hours-a-day. Clad in chrome and gleaming with 1940s charm, film-making equipment graces the dining area and celebrates the restaurant’s ongoing relationship with television. The only thing that can steal the spotlight from the Diner’s cool décor is its impressively lengthy and satisfying menu. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be savored any time – from omelets to East Coast classics, the Diner aims to please. Menu favorites include the … Learn More »

With tropical décor and stunning views of Mission Bay, The Oceana Coastal Kitchen at the Catamaran Resort Hotel is a vacation for the senses. This esteemed restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch with California coastal cuisine from renowned Executive Chef Steven Riemer. Entrees feature an array of vegetarian entrees, poultry, steaks, and chops, like the Herb Crusted Baja Halibut, Roast Duck Breast, Filet Mignon with Red Wine and Gorgonzola Butter, and much more. Take a seat on the enchanting outdoor patio with uninterrupted views of the passing boats. For prime cuisine with first-rate service in the … Learn More »

Blue Wave Bar and Grill, tucked inside the Best Western Island Palms Hotel, boasts of all the delights coastal San Diego has to offer. Providing waterfront dining on picturesque Shelter Island, it serves as a tropically inspired destination with all the fitting accommodations. While selecting from any of the restaurant’s stunning breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, or visiting for its popular happy hour, diners can take in the pleasures of the restaurant’s lovely outdoor patio and views of the hotel’s private marina. Executive Chef Marc Brislin crafts a menu ranging from macadamia-crusted halibut to oven roasted Filet Mignon with shitake … Learn More »

Known and loved by many as a charming restaurant and bakery, The French Gourmet also boasts impressive credentials as a full-service catering business. This San Diego favorite has been conjuring up decadent and flavorful delicacies from scratch in its kitchen, and then serving them to loyal patrons inside and out of the dining room since 1979. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner become casual yet decadent holidays at The French Gourmet, where fresh pastries, classic hors d’oeuvres, and house-made specialties mingle with award-winning wines. Set in an intimate space bathed in natural light during the day and a romantic glow in the … Learn More »

What started off with an Eric Clapton Fender guitar being hung up in a quirky London bar to “hold” his table, turned into a world-wide phenomenon where food, memorabilia and music mix. Downtown in the heart of the Gaslamp District, the Hard Rock Café covers its walls in clothing from Elvis Presley, Stevie Nicks and Gwen Stefani while whisking out American fare from the kitchen. Familiar rock acoustics are pumped out of the reasonably priced restaurant’s speaker system and the exceptional appetizers are a good lead into classic entrees. The openers at the Café are Hickory Smoked Chicken Wings, Potato … Learn More »