21 Best Family Restaurants in San Diego (Kids Love!)

For delicious food and entertaining eateries, lick your lips as you read my picks for the best family restaurants in San Diego. As a travel writer, former longtime San Diego resident, and self-proclaimed foodie — I am excited to share my dining recommendations in America’s Finest City. These 21 San Diego restaurants for kids will please palates of all ages, including picky parents. These eateries span San Diego County from Coronado Island and San Diego’s Gaslamp District to Carlsbad in North County, so you’re sure to find something tasty nearby. Let’s dig in!

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1. Corvette Diner – Retro American Fun

The best kid-friendly restaurants offer not only great food but also entertainment. If dancing servers doling out thick milkshakes and tempting diner fare sounds like your family’s jam, then you’ll love Corvette Diner at Liberty Station near downtown San Diego.

This restaurant features themed dining areas representing the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. You’ll often spot birthday parties here with kids dolled up in poodle skirts and other retro garb.

Delicious burgers and other American classics are the specialties here. When you’re feeling adventurous, go for the Rory Burger, topped with peanut butter, bacon, lettuce, and mayo. Splurge with shake flavors like Butter “Hop” Scotch and Peppermint Twist. For those under age 10, the kids’ menu offers classics like sliders, a hot dog, or a grilled cheese sandwich.

As though that weren’t enough, kids will go gaga for the Gamer’s Garage. This play area features video games and arcade games galore for a chance to win prizes.

2. The Fish Market – Seafood for Families

Of course, you’ll want to eat fresh seafood during your San Diego vacation. The Fish Market is the perfect choice for fish-loving families. Dine at The Fish Market along the waterfront near the Maritime Museum or choose the Del Mar/Solana Beach location. Children enjoy watching chefs cooking entrees on a flaming grill from behind a wall of glass. (Look, don’t touch!)

An interactive kids’ menu entertains young diners with mazes, puzzles, and coloring pages. Children under 10 can order charbroiled fish and rice, panko-crusted fish, fried shrimp with fries, or land-based choices. Picky eaters will be pleased with pasta or pizza offerings, too.

3. Urban Plates – Healthy Dining with Kids

It can be difficult to find delicious AND healthy food when traveling. Not so at Urban Plates! This chain has expanded beyond San Diego County, but it all started in Del Mar. Choose from two other nearby locations in Carlsbad and La Jolla.

At this freshly made, cafeteria-style café, every family member will find something to enjoy. The diverse menu includes salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and plates made from local ingredients. You’ll love their sides, like roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze or gourmet macaroni and cheese. The kids’ menu offers six plates with protein options like steak, salmon, or chicken strips with two sides.

Save room for desserts, too. My family’s picks are their pretty mango tart and rich chocolate flourless cake.

4. Harumama Noodles + Buns – Cute Character Buns

Parents and kids alike will get a kick out of the darling character buns at Harumama Noodles + Buns. Not only are these pillowy steamed buns super Instagrammable, but they’re also delicious! With half a dozen Harumama locations in San Diego, you’ll find one close by.

Harumama Character Bun Designs and Fillings

• Chicken – Ground chicken, onion, and cheese
• Cow – Ground barbecue beef with carrot and mushroom
• Pig – Pulled pork and onion
• Bunny – Nutella
• Koala – Strawberries and cream
• Unicorn – Ube (purple yam)
• Seasonal Characters

In addition to their famous bao bao buns, Harumama serves yummy ramen, available in seven flavors with various proteins, veggies, and broths. Gluten-free and vegan options are available.

Teriyaki plates, chicken katsu, pan-fried noodles, and Asian appetizers are also on the menu. I didn’t see a children’s menu, but you could get a 2-piece character bun order or something small (like fried rice) from the Bites Menu.

5. The Crack Shack – Fantastic Fried Chicken

For im-peck-able fried chicken, The Crack Shack will not disappoint. Crispy, delicious, and made with free-range poultry, this counter-service eatery is memorable indeed. A playful patio complete with corn hole and a giant rooster statue add to the fun. Scratch your chicken itch at locations in San Diego’s Little Italy or in Encinitas in North County.

In addition to their signature Jidoori fried chicken, choose from a variety of chicken sandwiches (like the Coop Deville or Firebird), chicken bowls, and other chicken fare. The Lil Cluckers kids’ meal comes complete with fries or carrots, juice box, and cookie. Be sure to load up on housemade sauces for dipping.

6. Pizza Port – Pizza by the Beach

Who doesn’t love pizza? Especially when it’s scrumptious and served with a selection of tempting brews for parents and video games for kids! Stand in line at Pizza Port to order your pie. Then, pull up a stool and make friends with your neighbors.

My family’s preferred location is the original, a block from the Pacific in North County’s Solana Beach, where you can order your pizza to-go for a delicious oceanfront picnic. There are additional Pizza Port pizzerias in Carlsbad, Ocean Beach, and elsewhere in California.

7. Burger Lounge – Gourmet Burgers

Burger lovers rejoice: San Diego County is home to nine Burger Lounge locations! Their signature sandwich is made from organic, grass-fed, never-frozen beef. Burgers come topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, homemade Thousand Island dressing, grilled or raw onions. They’re served between two buttery buns (with a gluten-free option). The Kids Lounge Menu offers children’s portions with fries, drink, and scoop of ice cream.

You can also choose a turkey burger, salmon burger, crispy chicken sandwich, Alaskan cod sandwich, or a surprisingly good quinoa veggie burger. Wash it all down with a housemade lemonade, batch craft soda, local craft beer, premium wine, or creamy milkshake.

8. Extraordinary Desserts – Dessert Lover’s Dream

I remember when this was a tiny shop with a line stretching out the door filled with diners seeking their scratch-made European-inspired cakes, tarts, pastries, ice creams, and sorbets.

Now, there are two expansive Extraordinary Desserts locations, one in Bankers Hill near downtown and one in Little Italy. Make reservations, or you can still expect to wait in a long queue, especially on weekend nights.

Lunch and dinner options have been added to the menu. Think paninis, charcuterie boards, soups, and salads. There is no children’s menu, but you can order kid-friendly items like grilled cheese, a BLT, or tomato basil soup.

Dessert remains the main draw. Citrus fans will love my favorite: the tangy yet sweet and fluffy Blood Orange Ricotta Cake. My husband is bananas for their flakey strudels and danishes. Of course, there are options for chocoholics, too, like the flourless, gluten-free Au Chocolat Cake topped with dark chocolate ganache. There are even vegan treats available. Wear your stretchy pants!

9. Filippi’s Pizza Grotto – Family-friendly Italian Fare

No list of the best family restaurants in San Diego would be complete without Filippi’s Pizza Grotto. When the kids crave Italian food, you can’t go wrong with a meal at this casual restaurant run by an Italian family from New York.

This is a great spot for simple pasta dishes or Italian sandwiches like meatball or capicola. You can order a children’s portion of spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna, or fettuccine alfredo. But their delectable pizzas are the real reason the whole family will flip for Filippi’s.

There are several locations throughout San Diego County. Pop in to peruse Filippi’s Cash & Carry Italian Foods mini grocer attached to the original restaurant in Little Italy. You’ll find all sorts of Italian goodies like dried pastas, sauces, candies, cookies, and giant hanging cheeses.

10. The Prado – Pretty Garden Dining

Treat your family to upscale outdoor dining in Balboa Park at The Prado. You’ll love the dog-friendly patio in a pretty garden setting.

Splurge on dinner options like Pan Roasted Sea Bass or Mustard Crusted Pork Prime Rib. For a more affordable option, come for a lunch salad or sandwich. My preferred pick is the Prado Pressed Salad with strawberries, figs, candied walnuts, asiago cheese, and sherry-shallot vinaigrette.

A children’s menu is available for both lunch and dinner with the usual options plus a kiddie grilled fish taco. For a special treat, splurge on a sparkling lemonade flavored with strawberry, passion fruit, pink guava, or raspberry.

11. Richard Walker’s Pancake House – Best Pancakes in Town

Besides my mom’s pancakes, Richard Walker’s Pancake House in San Diego’s Gaslamp District makes the best flapjacks I’ve ever had. And let me tell you, my mama makes one heckuva pancake! Look for locations in Del Mar, La Jolla, and Carlsbad, too. Expect a line on weekends for this popular option, as reservations are not accepted.

If you’re looking for thick, garbage can lid-sized cakes — go somewhere else. These cakes are thin and light with ever-so-slight golden crispiness.

For a carb-laden delight, get the massive Apple Pancake with Granny Smith apples and cinnamon glaze. The omelets, waffles, and crepes are also quite good. There is a Children’s Corner Menu with a few kid-friendly options, including chocolate pancakes with whipped cream.

12. Ghirardelli’s Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop – Chocolove

Ghirardelli’s old-fashioned soda fountain in the Gaslamp offers shakes, malts, cones, and sundaes galore. My standard dessert choice is the Seasalt Caramel Sundae, but you can’t go wrong with a classic World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae or Golden Gate Banana Split.

After dessert, peruse the Ghirardelli chocolate shop at this San Francisco native to purchase a sweet souvenir of your California vacation. Their chocolate bars and squares are always a hit.

13. Cafe Coyote – Old Town Favorite

San Diego borders Mexico. Therefore, this beachside city serves some of the best authentic Mexican food in the U.S. Mexican restaurants abound in San Diego’s Old Town, but my family’s go-to is Cafe Coyote. Kids menu items (quesadilla, burrito, taco, nuggets, cheeseburger) come with a side of rice.

On the restaurant’s patio, children enjoy watching señoras in traditional dress make flour tortillas by hand. The outdoor seating is great for people-watching, too. Bonus: diners can park for free in their own underground parking garage, a rarity in Old Town.

14. Bali Hai Restaurant – Polynesian Cuisine with Bay Views

Located on Shelter Island, Bali Hai Restaurant offers tasty Hawaiian-inspired dining with incredible 180-degree views of San Diego Bay. Make a reservation in advance to be seated near the windows.

My family thinks the best things on the menu are the Local Greens Salad (goat cheese, macadamia nuts, seasonal berries, vinaigrette), Coconut Shrimp from the Pu Pu Menu (with ginger lime dipping sauce), and a side of fried rice (get it with SPAM for Hawaiian flair). There’s a Keiki Menu for kids, too, with American standards plus a teriyaki beef bowl.

Parents may want to indulge in one of Bali Hai’s tropical cocktails. Be warned, however, this restaurant serves its drinks STRONG. This is especially true of their World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai, which they brag is made with zero fruit juice. Order a virgin piña colada or daiquiri for the kiddies or teetotalers.

15. World Famous – Beachfront Bar Bites

For the best deals on happy hour dining, World Famous in Pacific Beach can’t be beat. As a huge bonus, the restaurant and bar patio display a great view of Pacific Beach. The main dining area serves a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu, but the bar menu is where it’s at.

There is a kids menu for children aged 12 and younger with options for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Plus, children can dine in the bar area as long as they’re not seated at high-top seats.

Come on Monday evenings when the entire bar menu is half off. Look for other deals in the bar the rest of the workweek. Seafood is the specialty here, so order California crab cakes, World Famous lobster bisque, crab stuffed mushrooms, or grilled oysters. Best of all is their crispy shrimp tacos, which are also on special every Taco Tuesday in the bar area.

World Famous doesn’t offer any drink specials. Ever. But they serve an array of tempting cocktails, including the incredible Biarritz Pear Martini made with pear-flavored vodka, elderflower, and Champagne, served with a sugar rim. Cheers!

16. OB Surf Lodge – Best Doggone Beachside Patio

If traveling with your dog, bring your furry family member to dine on the pet-friendly patio at OB Surf Lodge in the Ocean Beach area of San Diego. This restaurant even offers a Pup Menu with five items for canines. We got the dog we were pet-sitting the Plain Hamburger Patty (with pre-approval from her owners), and she was in heaven.

It’s not just Fido who will love OB Surf Lodge, though. In addition to beachy views, human diners will dig an egg-straordinary brunch menu featuring chilaquiles, avocado toast, carnitas eggs Benedict, and more. There’s a dinner menu with gourmet comfort foods, too, like Smoked Ahi Tacos and a Falafel Burger. Kids 13 and younger can choose from their own menu any time of day.

17. Duke’s La Jolla – Island-Inspired Dining

I fell in love with Duke’s Restaurants in Hawaii, and I bet you will fall for Duke’s La Jolla, too. The restaurant chain is named for Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic gold surf champion often regarded as the father of modern surfing.

Overlooking La Jolla Cove, Duke’s La Jolla serves fresh Hawaii-inspired dishes like their Seared Ahi Bowl, Huli Huli Chicken, Kalua Pork Sandwich, and Mango BBQ Chicken Salad. Their signature cocktail is Duke’s Mai Tai, made with fresh Hawaiian juices and two types of rum, but I loved my pale purple Virgin Lavender Colada. The Keiki Menu features kid-friendly standards plus a teriyaki chicken dish.

Split one of their famous slices of Kimo’s Original Hula Pie for dessert. This sizeable frozen treat is made with a chocolate cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge, toasted nuts, and whipped cream.

18. Tartine – European Bakery and Café on Coronado Island

A longtime favorite, my husband and I have been bringing out-of-town friends and family members to Tartine on Coronado Island since before we became parents. Order food to-go from the counter or take a seat for full service.

Their salads, sandwiches, and quiches for lunch, or pastas and daily specials for dinner are lovely. I’ve always enjoyed the Mixed Spring Greens with sliced pears, Gorgonzola cheese, caramelized walnuts, and Champagne vinaigrette. There is no children’s menu, but kids should be able to find something appealing to eat, like their Margherita pizza.

The real reason you come to Tartine, however, is for their amazing baked goods and desserts. In particular, we love their individual-sized cheesecakes. Flavors rotate with two different offerings each week, such as coconut, vanilla bean, Champagne (the best!), Key lime, pumpkin, and more. Be sure to get one of their coffee drinks, too!

19. The Presley – S’mores and More Outdoors

Expect fire pits, swinging benches, and twinkling lights in the fun outdoor patio at The Presley in Point Loma’s Liberty Station. Hip American fare is served for brunch (Benedicts and beyond), lunch (salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads), and dinner (steaks and other mains). A kids’ menu for those 12 and under features the usual suspects (like pizza, burgers, and mac n’ cheese).

Most memorable, especially for kids, is the tableside Roast Your Own S’mores for dessert. It comes with marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate, and a mini tabletop firepit.

The Presley prides themselves on being pup-friendly, too. So bring your dog and pick from a 5-item menu just for diners with four paws.

20. Rubio’s – San Diego Classic

If you’re looking for a quick and reliable bite to eat, then stop into one of the many Rubio’s locations. Yes, it’s a Southwest chain. But this Mexican fast food joint originated in San Diego and some locations even offer fish tanks to entertain the kids.

Rubio’s is famous for its yummy beer-battered fish tacos served with cabbage, white sauce, and salsa. The kid’s menu features items sure to please young diners, like a cheese quesadilla, Build-Your-Own Tacos, or chicken nuggets.

21. Liberty Public Market – Dining Choices Galore

When your family can’t agree on a place to eat, head to Liberty Public Market in Point Loma for dining options galore. This dining and shopping Mecca is located in Liberty Station’s oldest barrack, once home to San Diego’s Naval Training Camp. It’s home to over two dozen eateries to choose from.

No matter the cuisine you crave, you’ll likely find it here. Wander through the stalls selling Thai food, barbecue, sushi, pasta, hamburgers, empanadas, and more. Everyone can order what they like and then pull up a chair at tables indoors or outside.

Save Money on Your San Diego Vacation

Want to save money on your San Diego vacation? Of course, you do! Use discount code TravelMamas to get $10 off any two-night or longer Southern California package (hotel and two-ticket minimum) when you book through our trusted partner, Get Away Today. Also, find San Diego deals, including attraction ticket discounts!

Those considering a fall visit are in luck! October is Kids Free San Diego Month, with over 100 deals just for children. Take a look at which attractions, hotels, and family restaurants offer freebies.

It’s well worth investing in a Southern California CityPass. Save a bunch when you bundle your attractions with a CityPass.

It makes good sense to check Groupon for discounts on fun activities and kid-friendly restaurants in your destination. San Diego is no exception. Take a look at Groupon San Diego deals now.

Explore San Diego with Kids

Find a great place to stay with this list of the top San Diego hotels for families.

Want to visit San Diego’s famous zoo? Read my San Diego Zoo tips and itinerary.

Connect with nature at one of my favorite attractions in Southern California, San Diego Botanic Garden.

Take in ocean views and learn about sea creatures at Birch Aquarium with kids.

Keep These Family Restaurants in San Diego

For future reference, keep this list of the best kid-friendly restaurants for families in San Diego. Simply save the image above to Pinterest. I hope you’ll follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest while you’re at it!

Do you want to recommend any additional San Diego restaurants for kids? What questions do you have about dining in this SoCal city? Let us know in the comments below!

A Note from The Travel Mama: I have personally dined at all of these San Diego restaurants, most of them numerous times. I paid for every morsel of food myself and received no hosting or monetary compensation related to this story. All opinions are mine, as always.

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