Top 15 Budget-Friendly Restaurants Near You in San Diego, CA

Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor One of San Diegos best kept secrets is La Gran Terraza at The University of San Diego Campus. What a lovely university to stroll around and and wonderful restaurant. We enjoyed our first visit here this week with tasty 5 star quality food! We were fortunate to experience Restaurant Week Menus when we dined here, so I ate off menu and it was amazing. My bride enjoyed the Crab/Shrimp Louie and their mocktails were delicious. The service can be spotty, attentive overall and polit, but sometimes long gaps of waiting to be checked on. Warning, no alcohol is served at lunch, we did not know that and we were there to celebrate a birthday, so if you like to have wine or cocktails, dinner service is better for that. The students seem to make up the staff and they are professional and polite. The views are amazing out to the bay and ocean and much of Tecolote Canyon. Parking is easy with a short walk, cutting through the student union. 2024 Note: There is a lot of construction on campus right now so we did see a lot of temporary eyesores due to that and there was no sense of valet parking mentioned on the website due to construction detours. The food was delicious, the service overall wonderful and the experience has us discussing our next trip there; I highly recommend it! I cant believe it took us 20 years of living here to discover this gem!

BSM Great little traditional Italian spot nestled in Little Italy, San Diego. It was my first time in the city and while exploring the area for dinner, I came across this place through Google reviews — so glad I did. The restaurant is very cute and classic, with a pizza parlour downstairs serving authentic Italian pizza. I had the seafood pasta, which was excellent. The complimentary bread was fresh, and I also ordered the bruschetta, served on a perfectly toasted crouton — delicious. The rosé paired really well with the meal. My server was fantastic — very attentive and helpful, especially when recommending seafood options. Overall, I had a very good experience. Not too busy, very authentic, and quality food. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Little Italy.

Sam Williams Such a fun vibe. The restaurant/hotel is so cute and hip. The food is also really good too. The outdoor movie night was so fun and all the guests were really into it. Beetle juice was a perfect screening to get into to the Halloween spirit!

Rodney Regala Almost like a spot across the border without going into Mexico. Freshly made tortillas made and you can watch them make. Margaritas were kinda too good so beware! Food is always great and staff were nice. Great spot to take visitors!

Shelby Riley BEST BURRITO OF MY LIFE. genuinely all the food was so good, lots of flavor perfectly cooked and portion sizes. I got the california burrito and my mom got the chimichanga and we both loved our meals. big portions enough to share. Very nice service, worth the wait but it was definitely busy for a reason!

elham mojadedi This place is great. Its on the base off Barnett and midway. Ive ordered a few different items during their lunch hours and its been good each time. The people who work there are so nice and they remember you by name. Ive attended weddings there, and their venue is beautiful. The bay is right outside the venue so the pictures come out amazing. Anyway, its a nice little place with a lot of charm. Update ** I actually ended up having my wedding here. And it was absolutely amazing. They did a fantastic job. The coordinators were on point with every little detail, even the flower person they referred me to did a breath taking job.

gc ortiz Visited Filippis Pizza today for our dinner. Upon entering the establishment, you would think it was a grocery store. You would be mistaken. I must say they have a large assortment of Olive Virgin Oil. As you progress into the place, you will run into the Hostess who will show you your table. Our waiter was Derrick, he did an excellent job in providing quality service. This place filled up fast after we arrived. The food was on point. We had the chicken parmesan with spaghetti, salad, and bread. Salad lettuce was super fresh and crispy. Bread had just the right amount of butter and some basil. The chicken and spaghetti was very flavorable. We also had their Tiramasu for dessert. It was ok, but we have had better. Missing a shot of espresso coffee. I intend to come back.

Rafael T I went to The Red Door in Mission Hills about two weeks ago with my uncle Ramón. I ordered the Wellington steak and a banana cream pie, and everything was absolutely delicious! The service was great and the staff was super friendly. The Wellington steak was exactly what I was recommended — perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Definitely worth the visit!

Jack Wolfe Fantastic! The food was amazing, as was the ambiance and service. The falafel & hummus appetizer and lamb shish kabob plate were both delicious. I accidentally left my camera behind at the restaurant, and the owner went above and beyond in getting it back to me. Parking was easy to find in the very cute Gaslamp Quarter, and it is a short walk from waterfront hotels. Highly recommended!

Julie Acomb This place has such fun ambiance. We ate on the patio and it was all decorated for Dia de Muertos. We went for my mom’s birthday and this is one of her favorite places. The food was good but not over the top delicious. This place is definitely all about the ambiance. We had the fajitas, enchiladas, and a chicken salad. My sister had a peach margarita and ended up ordering two, it was so good.

Dave R Came in for dinner and was not disappointed. We enjoyed our caprese and the fired zucchini blossom appetizers. Pasta dishes were excellent and the lamb shank was nice and tender. Wine selection was good, with prices so suit different budgets. Saw another table order the cheese wheel pasta and had it prepared by their table which is very interesting and entertaining to watch. Will definitely be back when in the area.

Tony Genco Best prime rib I’ve ever had. Hands down. All the food was fantastic with unique takes on classic comfort food, with elevated ingredients and style. Chef Josh was a delight and came out to the table to explain the inspiration for each dish. 10/10 coming back to try some of the rest that we didn’t get a chance to this time around.

Mariana Vega The picture makes no justice to the food. I love it here!! Been here a couple of times and loved everything I’ve tried. The drinks are pretty good and the chips/totopos are freshly made. The sides are so good!! Is rare to see rajas as a side (besides beans and red rice). They were super nice to my service dogs and brought him treats. 5/5 stars 5/5 paws

James Camacho The atmosphere and the food here make for a great night out. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, the bacon mac and cheese, and the buttuery buns. Everything was delicous! At this time of year this restaurant embraces the Christmas spirit, which I really appreciate. The customer service was great as well. Everyone was friendly and helpful. As is the case for any downtown eating experience, the parking can be tough to find. Park 20-30 minutes before you want to eat because you may have to walk several blocks. Overall, a great experience with some delicious food. Eat up!!!

Connor McMorrow Fort Oak absolutely crushed it. The drinks? Dangerous in the best way. The lamb kefta and pork chop were the stars of the show - flavor bombs that we’re still thinking about - but let’s be real, everything we ate was ridiculously good. The vibe is dialed, the service is on point, and we left full and very, very happy. Already plotting our return.