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Animae

Name: Animae
Address: 969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA, United States, 92132
Telephone: (619) 432-1225
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.8

$50 and over

Contemporary Asian

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 21, 2024

7:00 p.m.

Booked 65 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Fancy
Great for creative cocktails

ANIMAE’s eclectic West Coast cuisine, layered with Asian influences, comes to life under Celebrated Chef Brian Malarkey. Applying a California cooking style to ANIMAE’S traditional coal-fired oven and grill, Chef Malarkey’s menu is as thoughtful as it is refined, elevating local produce and seasonal ingredients to create a lively and progressive culinary program.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Brian Malarkey

MICHELIN Plate
2022

From the OpenTable editors: Filipino American chef Tara Monsod takes fusion food to the next level at this groovy Art Deco space. Expect opulent riffs on classics like crispy pig ears and kare kare—Monsod is one of the few chefs in the country putting Filipino food on the fine-dining stage. The approach earned her numerous awards, including a prestigious MICHELIN Plate.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Californian, Steakhouse
Hours of Operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(619) 432-1225
Website
https://animaesd.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Private party facilities
The Great Gatsby-meets-Madmen-meets-The Matrix interior is a fantastical futurist’s journey, transporting diners to the Shikoku firefly forest in Japan, an event venue that’s both ethereal and theatrical. ANIMAE is the perfect space to host and celebrate your special events.

Location
969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA 92132
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighbourhood
Downtown / Gaslamp
Cross Street
Pacific Highway and West Broadway
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Kamayan Christmas at Animae
US$123.27 per person
Dec 24, 2024 only
Join Chef Tara Monsod for an incredible Filipino tradition....a Kamayan feast! Every table will receive a beautiful spread of whole fish, pork tocino, grilled prawns, shortrib bistek and more, all served on banana leaves. We invite you to enjoy this one of a kind Christmas experience with Chef Tara at Animae. $110 per person. Please note the menu is fixed for this experience. Everyone will be receiving the same feast. Substitutions cannot be made. We hope to see you on Christmas Eve!
NYE at ANIMAE
US$128.87 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Enjoy a glamorous New Year's Eve celebration at ANIMAE! $115, 4 course prix fixe menu to be released soon. Parties of 2 - 5 have reserved the table for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Parties of 6+ have reserved the table for 2 hours and 15 minutes. We kindly ask that you keep your experience within this time frame in order to honor later bookings. Thank you!
LATE NIGHT NYE at ANIMAE
US$145.68 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Enjoy a glamorous New Year's Eve celebration at ANIMAE! $130, 4 course prix fixe menu from Chef Tara Monsod. Your experience includes a champagne toast to ring in the new year at midnight!

Popular dishes

Wonton
wagyu, chili garlic oil, soy vinaigrette
Taiwanese Chicken
schezuan peppercorn, hot honey, thai basil aioli
Sweet & Sour Cauliflower
strawberry, peppers, onion, sesame
Hunan Lamb Chops
cumin, szechuan peppercorn, cilantro cream
Crispy Pig Ear
sweet tamarind glaze, bean sprouts, tofu, peanuts
Mantou
chive steamed bun, soy glaze, sour cream butter

Cold Dishes

Hamachi
endive, radish, kimchi vinagrette, nori goma
Tuna Crispy Rice
charred chili ponzu, spicy aioli, turnip
A5 Wagyu Tartare
sesame cracker, wagyu aioli
Cucumbers
soy, fresno chili, sesame, cilantro
Ume Oysters
sour plum vinegar, strawberry, lemon
Beet Salad
asian pear, chicory, tofu "ricotta", yuzu kosho vinaigrette
Tuna Kinilaw
coconut, calamansi, cilantro oil

Sides

Coal Roasted Cabbage
brown butter miso, charred lime
Broccolini
gai lan, garlic chili oil, peanuts
Wagyu Fried Rice
maitake, trumpet mushrooms, garlic, egg
Crispy Potatoes
A5 fat, chinese sausage jam, koji sour cream
Crab Fried Rice
chino farms egg, lemon, old bay masago crisp
Mushroom Sisig
egg yolk, mustard seed, chili, pickled onion

Japanese A5

Miyazaki Strip Loin
Miyazaki Tenderloin

American Steaks

8 Oz Prime Filet
16 Oz Prime New York
38 Oz Dry Aged Ribeye

Other Plates

Grilled Half Chicken
lemongrass, nam jim jaew sauce, thai pickles
Short Rib Kare Kare
long beans, eggplant, bagoong peanut oil
Sambal Balado Clams
bacon, rice cakes, lime leaf, ginger
Dinuguan
braised beef cheek, coconut rice bread, shishito peppers
Pork Tomahawk Tocino
sweet beet glaze, mango sawsawan
Szechuan Spicy Seabass
cabbage, garlic chive, spicy broth, mala oil

Delectable Desserts

animae serves globally-inspired delectable desserts created with popular eastern flavors and ingredients

Sweets

Apple Yuzu Sorbet
sorrel cream, coconut crumble, green apple, yuzu meringue
Buko Pandan
young coconut mousse, pandan anglaise, pandan gelee
Chocolate Cremeux
miso sesame cream, chocolate crumble, korean chili cashew
Sakura Panna Cotta
feuilletine, fresh strawberry
Ube Profiteroles
ube pastry cream, coconut, cheese tuile

What 3,226 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Animae in San Diego offers a Michelin-worthy dining experience with "exquisite" dishes and a "stunning" ambiance. The restaurant excels in Filipino cuisine, with standout items like the Taiwanese chicken and Wagyu. Guests rave about the "excellent service," emphasizing attentive staff and memorable culinary adventures. Perfect for special occasions!

3,227 Reviews

M
Mel
VIP
San Diego
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We came here for our anniversary dinner and we LOVED it. I don’t remember our server’s name but he was amazing :) We had the lobster pasta, short rib Kare kare, Taiwanese chicken, wontons, for dessert we had the coconut mousse and the ube proditeroles- and everything was absolutely amazinnngggg!
Is this helpful?
M
Micah
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing experience. Food was good! My partner who are celebrating his birthday loved it thank you
Is this helpful?
R
RUTH
San Diego
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was out of this world delicious! We also had an excellent Ggrich Wine. Pricey but for a special occasion this is your go to restaurant!
Is this helpful?
E
Elizabeth
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
An upscale fusion restaurant with a nostalgic yet sophisticated ambiance. The quality of the food was amazing and is well worth the price. Will return!
Is this helpful?
X
XIMENA
VIP
Seattle
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicioso!!! Miy recomendable, fabuloso el menu… un ambiente muy agradablr
Is this helpful?
V
Vic
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Me and my wife celebrated our 1st anniversary here. I seriously was not expecting their food to be this good. This is hands down my new favorite restaurant in San Diego. All their dishes were so flavorful and unique. I cannot think of anything that could have made any dish better. My standouts were the tomahawk tocino, lemongrass chicken, and crispy pig ears, although you can’t go wrong with any dish. Their desserts were also so delicious by not being overly sweet and all of their flavors working together to create mouthwatering desserts. Hard off to the chef to one of the best meals I’ve had! Service: Nice and attentive staff. Our server didn’t have strong opinions on “must get” dishes as he said that everything was good and he was not wrong! Ambiance: Their high end decor was one of a kind. Great choice of music. Amazing for a special occasion and suitable for big parties.
Is this helpful?
J
John
VIP
Orange County
38 reviews
3.0
38 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Very unique decor. First impression: no self parking that’s convenient. Valet parking $20. Louder music than I like and it’s a rock dance style with rapid loud drums. Not conducive for a calm eating environment. Table tops are a very nice looking heavy granite stone. Easy to clean, but cold to the touch. Since none of the dinner plates are warm, the food tends to cool down quickly. This is a negative as I like my food hot! Waiter and service was excellent. Menu is not huge, but interesting. Food and wine and libations are steeply priced. Food presentation is elegant and very nice. The food was good, but in my view not excellent. Maybe my tastebuds were off that night, but all the dishes were missed some pizzazz. Examples: Caesar salad had fried anchovies but not enough so I could hardly taste it. Wontons could have the sauce a bit thicker so it would stick to the wontons more. The lemongrass chicken was prepared nicely however we could hardly taste the lemongrass. Our desert was a tart with a little ice-cream. The tart was rather dry. Eating it together with the tasty ice cream made it a good dish. However, not enough ice cream for the size of the tart resulting in an overall dry desert. Yes, these issues are little nuances that could have made the food and experience excellent instead of just good.
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C
Cristi
VIP
San Diego
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Beautiful restaurant and ambiance, food was incredible!!
Is this helpful?
G
Gary
San Diego
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of the best restaurants in San Diego! The food is amazing! The service is awesome! It’s a bit pricey, but if you have a special occasion to celebrate, this is the place to go.
Is this helpful?
C
Cliff
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Expensive, but never disappoints. Great food, great service, great drinks, great vibe.
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FAQs

Animae is rated 4.8 stars by 3226 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 21, 2024

7:00 p.m.

Booked 65 times today

Experiences are available.

969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA 92132

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Cross Street
Pacific Highway and West Broadway
Neighbourhood
Downtown / Gaslamp
Hours of Operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Californian, Steakhouse
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://animaesd.com/
Phone number
(619) 432-1225
Private party facilities
The Great Gatsby-meets-Madmen-meets-The Matrix interior is a fantastical futurist’s journey, transporting diners to the Shikoku firefly forest in Japan, an event venue that’s both ethereal and theatrical. ANIMAE is the perfect space to host and celebrate your special events.

Animae

Make a reservation

Why they're an Icon

MICHELIN Plate

Dining areas

Additional information

Kamayan Christmas at Animae

NYE at ANIMAE

LATE NIGHT NYE at ANIMAE

Short Rib Kare Kare

Taiwanese Chicken

Grilled Half Chicken

Hot Dishes

Wonton

Taiwanese Chicken

Sweet & Sour Cauliflower

Hunan Lamb Chops

Crispy Pig Ear

Mantou

Cold Dishes

Hamachi

Tuna Crispy Rice

A5 Wagyu Tartare

Cucumbers

Ume Oysters

Beet Salad

Tuna Kinilaw

Sides

Coal Roasted Cabbage

Broccolini

Wagyu Fried Rice

Crispy Potatoes

Crab Fried Rice

Mushroom Sisig

Japanese A5

Miyazaki Strip Loin

Miyazaki Tenderloin

American Steaks

8 Oz Prime Filet

16 Oz Prime New York

38 Oz Dry Aged Ribeye

Other Plates

Grilled Half Chicken

Short Rib Kare Kare

Sambal Balado Clams

Dinuguan

Pork Tomahawk Tocino

Szechuan Spicy Seabass

Delectable Desserts

Sweets

Apple Yuzu Sorbet

Buko Pandan

Chocolate Cremeux

Sakura Panna Cotta

Ube Profiteroles

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Animae restaurant rated?

Is Animae currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information