Best Open Kitchen Restaurants in Ocean Beach

The Whaling Bar is hands down our favorite local spot, whether it’s for a cozy date night or an evening out with friends. The atmosphere is fantastic, the cocktails are exceptional, and the food never disappoints. We love everything on the menu, but our personal favorites are the celery salad, Caesar salad, the baos, and the chicken—each dish is perfectly executed. We’re also lucky enough to have George as our server every time we dine here. He’s simply the best, making every visit even more memorable with his friendly demeanor and excellent service. And don’t forget to save room for dessert! The burger dessert is an absolute must-try. We can’t wait to come back again soon!

Rarely do we find a restaurant we can say was perfection on every level. Marisi is just that place. We were greeted with warmth upon our arrival for our reservation and were seated immediately, despite a long line of walk-ins. Our table was set beautifully and our server(s) were professional and knowledgeable. From cocktails through dessert every dish exceeded our expectations. The cocktails were beautifully crafted, the dishes beyond delicious and the homemade pasta to die for! We had an opportunity to meet Assistant General Manager, Karley Maes, and thanked her for the training of staff and the noted attention to detail that was notable. Upon speaking with staff, everyone acknowledged admiration and respect for the organization. We also had a moment to chat with the bartender. He was proud of the set-up and proliferation of high-end brands that were even in the well. Can’t wait to return.

Get the Japanese sweet potatoes, I promise you will not be disappointed! So amazing! The drinks were great, my BF loved his oysters. Their bread is next level. The grouper with mis soy sauce was just ok for us. Not very flavourful, and it's not fully cooked, which for my BF was fine, but for me was inedible, just bc the texture was not pleasing on top of the lack of flavor. Everything else those exceeded our expectations! Can't wait to go back!

Our favorite Italian restaurant for more than 40 years. We like the seafood linguine and veal piccata the best.

A perfect experience. From the ambiance on the back patio, the great service from Joe, Eduardo, the sommelier and the busser to the amazing food! Everything was amazing. Truly a treat to dine here. Thank you to the whole staff