Best restaurants near me in University Heights, San Diego

Price

$$
$$$
$$$$

Cuisine

American

Italian

Steakhouse

Seafood

French

Mexican

Top Rated

Charming

Dog-friendly

Fancy

Good for business meals

Good for groups

Good for special occasions

Dining Options

All dining options

Delivery only

Takeout only

Seating Options

Bar

Counter

Standard

High Top

Outdoor

Award-winning

MICHELIN

Accessibility

Wheelchair access

656 restaurants available nearby

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A photo of Sonny’s Pizza & Restaurant restaurant

1. Sonny’s Pizza & Restaurant

4.6

Exceptional(117)

$$$$

• Pizzeria • University Heights

Booked 24 times today

Sonny’s Pizza & Fine Foods is a Brooklyn-inspired pizzeria in San Diego’s University Heights, serving 12-inch pies that blend Neapolitan and New York styles. Housed in a 100-year-old former auto shop, the space features vintage decor, a mezzanine dining area, and a lively outdoor patio. The menu includes signature pizzas, Italian-American classics like chicken Francese, and creative amaro-forward cocktails. With its nostalgic vibe and high-quality ingredients, Sonny’s offers a fresh take on the neighborhood pizza joint.

2. Humili

new

5.0

Exceptional(1)

$$$$

• Pizzeria • University Heights

Booked 5 times today

Discover Roman-style pizza crafted with carefully selected ingredients, fresh seasonal salads, and thoughtfully prepared small plates made for sharing. Complement your meal with a curated wine list highlighting organic and sustainably produced selections. Rooted in quality, simplicity, and the pleasure of gathering around the table, our menu celebrates honest ingredients, vibrant flavors, and the art of enjoying good food together

3. LEILA

4.7

Exceptional(3109)

$$$$

• Middle Eastern • North Park

Booked 161 times today

A tribute to the Middle East by CH Projects. Reservations recommended , walk-ins welcome at the bar. Leila welcomes you.858-SAFFRON

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4. Quixote

4.6

Exceptional(2072)

$$$$

• Mexican • North Park

Booked 99 times today

La Única Manera De Hacer Cara Cruz Es A Través DeLa Intuición

5. Bacari North Park

4.7

Exceptional(833)

$$$$

• Mediterranean • North Park

Booked 155 times today

Bacari North Park is a Venetian-inspired small plates restaurant featuring Mediterranean-influenced dishes by Chef Lior Hillel. We are the 9th restaurant of Kronfli Brothers, a family-owned, growing group of restaurants in Southern California. Alongside our delicious tapas, we offer a rotating curation of small-production wines and eclectic beers, unique craft cocktails & mocktails, and we are also known for our one-of-a-kind 90-minute open bar special. Our team provides warm hospitality in our comfortable, indoor dining room marked with rustic mediterranean decor. You will feel like home when dining at Bacari North Park. We welcome but do not require reservations — we love to accommodate walk-ins and large parties, even on busy nights. Bacari North Park is the go-to spot for our neighbors, and we look forward to hosting you!

6. insideOUT

4.7

Exceptional(3394)

$$$$

• Californian • Hillcrest

Booked 132 times today

STRICTLY 18+ VENUE. We are thrilled to invite you to experience the return of Spring Oasis, an immersive dining event running from March 4th through May 31st at InsideOUT!Step into a breathtaking transformation of our restaurant, where you'll find yourself beneath a canopy of life-size, lush cherry blossom trees. Our space has been completely reimagined to capture the ethereal beauty of a spring garden, offering a truly stunning and unique atmosphere for your next meal.The experience extends far beyond the decor. Executive Chef has meticulously crafted a new menu, featuring inspired culinary creations that celebrate the fresh flavors of the season. Each dish is designed to be a vibrant counterpart to the blooming ambiance.To perfectly complement your dining journey, our mixologists have created an array of amazing themed cocktails, each designed to fit the serene, vibrant vibe of the Spring Oasis. Sip on refreshing, artfully prepared drinks as you soak in the beauty around you.

7. A L’ouest

4.7

Exceptional(477)

$$$$

• French • North Park

Booked 83 times today

French in spirit yet distinctly California, this nouveau brasserie builds on the foundation that has made TRUST Restaurant Group one of the city’s most lauded: cooking over charcoal, vibrant flavors, simple techniques, and a willingness to take risks. The energy inside the restaurant is immediate - refined without feeling formal, polished but never stiff, with an easy sense of grandeur that feels grounded and lived-in. This is North Park, after all.

A photo of Great Maple San Diego restaurant

8. Great Maple San Diego

4.7

Exceptional(4843)

$$$$

• American • Hillcrest

Booked 72 times today

We Serve Dinner, Lunch, Brunch and Weekday Breakfast. We are a modern American eatery featuring seasonal fare, fresh house made pies, and local produce cocktails. We have a full bar and a social wine list. Open for Outdoor dining!

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9. Born & Raised

4.7

Exceptional(8147)

$$$$

• Steakhouse • Little Italy

Booked 122 times today

The American steakhouse is an iconic restaurant institution. We’d wanted to tell that story for years, but waited until we had the skill, talent and ability to execute it properly, and the right space to be our canvas, an important corner in Little Italy, a neighborhood where we have deep roots. We brought an almost academic appreciation for steakhouse history and tradition to Born & Raised, while trying to stay relevant and authentic to ourselves and our city. Our dry-aged beef pays tribute to earlier, earthier, pre-government grading practices and is the centerpiece of a meal best savored at a slow pace. A timeless celebration of everything that makes restaurants so special. - Consortium Holdings. A 4% surcharge is added to all guest checks.

A photo of Rare Society - University Heights restaurant

10. Rare Society - University Heights

4.8

Exceptional(346)

$$$$

• Steakhouse • North Park

Booked 35 times today

Sink your teeth into Rare Society - a modern homage to the golden age of the American steakhouse. Chef and owner Brad Wise reimagines vintage upscale dining with a bold, contemporary edge: a wood-fired grill fueled by red oak, an in-house dry-aging program, sustainably sourced seafood, and a progressive cocktail menu that nods to the classics while pushing boundaries.The space hums with energy - smoke curling from the grill, the scent of fire and flavor wafting through the air. It’s easy to picture a Rat Pack-era dinner party in full swing: elegant, indulgent, just a little unruly. Rare Society doesn’t just pay tribute to steakhouse tradition - it revives it, reinvents it, and serves it with just a little bit of swagger.

Dining near University Heights, San Diego at a glance

Updated on 11/6/2026

Sake Bar Ikkon

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Exceptional reviews

Italian

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$30 and under

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From verified diners like you

W
WillGold
Chicago / Illinois •2 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
Everything about it was amazing, food, service, etc!
More info
LEILA$$$$• Middle Eastern• North Park
•
4.7
H
Hiroko
San Diego •4 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
It was an amazing experience 💝we loved it!! Everything was so beautiful and foods were delicious 🤤 Price was good I’ll for sure go back there again! Sea bass was my favorite I can eat 2 orders all by myself 😝
More info
Bacari North Park$$$$• Mediterranean• North Park
•
4.7
B
Becky
Los Angeles •1 review
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
It was amazing!!! Me and my partner were celebrating our 2nd anniversary for dinner and it was such a great experience! Great food and good music too!! They gave us a custom candle with our names on it we were so shocked and amazed. Honestly the best dining experience we had in awhile!!!!
More info
Quixote$$$$• Mexican• North Park
•
4.6
V
VeronicaGold
San Diego •5 reviews
5.0
Dined on Oct 28, 2026
EXCELLENT food, environment, and service!! Probably one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had!! The ratio of the toppings, and sauce were spot on. But the crust!!!! The crust was 1000000/10! Thank you for a wonderful experience! Can’t wait to go back to our new favorite neighborhood spot!
More info
Humili$$$$• Pizzeria• University Heights
•
5
B
Ban
San Diego •1 review
5.0
Dined on Oct 18, 2026
Food was amazing, the atmosphere was great. Would definitely go back
More info
Sonny’s Pizza & Restaurant$$$$• Pizzeria• University Heights
•
4.6

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Best restaurants near me in University Heights, San Diego

Price

Cuisine

Top Rated

Dining Options

Seating Options

Award-winning

Accessibility

656 restaurants available nearby

1. Sonny’s Pizza & Restaurant

2. Humili

3. LEILA

4. Quixote

5. Bacari North Park

6. insideOUT

7. A L’ouest

8. Great Maple San Diego

9. Born & Raised

10. Rare Society - University Heights

Dining near University Heights, San Diego at a glance

Sake Bar Ikkon

Italian

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