Best Family Style Restaurants in Hillcrest

This is a 5 star experience! Our party of four tried four different cocktails, 12 different dishes and three desserts. Impossible to pick a favorite and impossible to select anything that was not exceptional. Additionally, the chef and team were super sensitive to serving any dishes that would be an allergy issue. So the food was glorious, the chef and team brilliant…yet the staff is what elevated the experience. From our two servers, their assistant, the sommelier and the front of house - one word - Brilliant. Best meal of the year winner

Had an early lunch reservation for my birthday, seated on arrival. Given a cute birthday menu. Ordered a very strong & delicious Mai Tai, cup of chowder, and lobster rolls with fries. The chowder was very good, just thick enough and great flavor. The biscuit served with the chowed was still warm when it was served. The lobster roll was delicious, but the amount of lobster in the roll was skimpy compared to our previous visits to Ironside. Our server surprised me with a complimentary dessert to celebrate my birthday. My husband said he got a call prior to our reservation asking whose birthday it was and if they had any allergies. Thoughtful. Staff from the host to servers were all very welcoming.

Loved it! Brought a group of customers semi last minute and they were super accommodating- the food was fantastic, and I will definitely be back!

What an AMAZING evening! The service at Cesarina was impeccable. Every person that approached us was warm, friendly and went out of their way to accommodate us. From the focaccia to the soup to the pastas and Tiramisu everything was delicious. We enjoyed an early Valentine’s celebration and it was lovely. The ambiance is cozy and warm. I especially loved the little touches of the hot water bottle and blankets to keep us toasty warm. Irish was so friendly, making time to check in on us and share the story of the restaurant. A true gem, can’t wait to return.

Seneca is the perfect restaurant for a special celebration. I took my good friend there for her birthday and from the moment we were greeted by the smiling hostess until the very end of service, we were treated exceptionally well. The service was extremely professional, yet warm and friendly. The food was phenomenal and we took our time and savored every delicious bite. We never felt rushed, despite it being a very busy night. Our table had a view of San Diego Bay, the airport, and a northwesterly view of the city. It was beautiful. We started with the arancini and scampi, which were both so delicious. We shared two pasta dishes - Cavatelli All Sugo Di Angelo and the Cacio E Pepe. I was a little sad that they changed the style of the Casio E Pepe, it was more like a macaroni & cheese, but was still tasty. The Cavatelli was perfect though! We ordered a dessert and they brought over a complimentary cannoli with a birthday candle for my friend. I highly recommend Seneca to anyone looking for a special place for not only a celebration, but to celebrate a wonderful meal.