Top Best American Restaurants in Hillcrest

"Located in downtown San Diego, just west of Balboa Park, this may very well be the best place in the city to combine fine dining with views to die for. Long time runner and famous for it’s attentive service, fantastic food and beautiful views, the terrace at Mister A's also offers a chance to catch the airplanes landing and taking of from San Diego airport. Serving crafted cocktails, a top-rated wine list and modern American cuisine for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, Mister A's is a great spot for celebrating special occasions."

"A's just might be one of the best places to enjoy a skyline view of downtown San Diego, Coronado, Balboa Park and Point Loma, with the occasional plane landing or taking off from the airport. The sunsets are spectacular and part of the reason why this restaurant is perpetually voted one of the most romantic places to eat in the city. Modern American cuisine is on the menu though dishes change based on seasonality of locally-sourced ingredients."

"An elegant dining room is enhanced by jaw-dropping city views that peer out over to the harbour. At night, you can sip on champagne and watch the city light up in a twinkling display of beauty. Crisp white linen and high-backed chairs ensure the entire evening is an elegant affair."

"Crack Shack is one of San Diego’s most popular family-friendly restaurants for fried chicken on an otherworldly level. Celebrity Chef Richard Blais developed “Crack Spice” which is a proprietary blend of spices that he adds to locally raised, free-living, antibiotic-free chicken. Opt straight for the fried chicken with dipping sauces or one of the decadent sandwiches."

"With an all-star chef at the helm, nearly every menu item features free-range, organic chicken marinated to juicy perfection. You’ll also find sides like deviled eggs, Schmaltz fries, and mini biscuits. If you have time, you can hang out and play a game of bocce ball, or pull up to the bar for a craft beer."

"That's right, Juniper + Ivy is owned by the winner of Bravo TV's Top Chef, none other than Richard Blais. If you've seen him on TV you know that Richard is the molecular gastronomical guy - you know, the guy who likes to deconstruct and transform ingredients into new forms. Just saying because if you see things like Corn Dog or Mac N Cheese on the menu you should know upfront that the food they bring out might not exactly match your experience from the past."

"The food here is delicate and unique, with flavors meant to be slowly enjoyed just like your experience there. Fish and other high end meats are the top selections here for one of the best dinner spots in San Diego ."

"Proprietor Bertrand Hug's French restaurant is the kind of place, even in the days of more casual dining, that you still want to get dressed up for. A favorite with visiting Hollywood stars and world-renowned chefs, it offers unabashed elegance, irresistible gourmet dishes, intimate rooms with warmly-lit fireplaces, exquisite hand-woven tapestries, and starched white linens. The menu's delicacies change with the seasons and can include short ribs with heirloom carrots, morels and polenta; and scallops with sprouting cauliflower, kohlrabi and Champagne beurre blanc."

"Whether you’re on a casual date night out or celebrating a milestone anniversary, Mille Fleurs offers elegant and casual dining. The daily changing menu offers surprises every time you visit, as do the surroundings. Dining in the main room, the courtyard patio or the fountain room will change the atmosphere to suit the occasion."

"This Rancho Santa Fe favorite features elegant, intimate dining perfect for special occasions and celebrations. The French-Californian cuisine, highly regarded wine list, and piano bar should make whoever you brought with you swoon."

"Located at 675 W Beech Street, Craft & Commerce is Taxidermy & old books line the walls of this hip gastropub, serving seasonal eats & craft cocktails. Craft & Commerce is a pioneer in San Diego’s craft cocktail movement when it first debuted in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood in 2009. You may not be an immediate fan of the eclectic, taxidermy-filled bar, which has a library and African safari vibe to it, but the drinks are instant classics and way more exotic and delicious than your expectations."

"Craft & Commerce‘s Executive Chef Kyle Pierce recently launched a new “comfort-themed” menu with a Southern flair. So of course, bae and I decided this would be perfect for a cozy rainy date night. The new flavors as always pack a punch and are the perfect mix of elevated and comforting."

"San Diego is known for two main things: great weather and amazing beaches. Generally, the latter is what attracts the most number of people to this beautiful paradise. What people generally do not consider one of their main attractors is probably San Diego’s best attribute—the food!"

"Draft Republic is a great place for beer-loving moms and dads who need a place where their kids can have fun too. They have the largest beer selection, awesome food and happy hour options, as well as arcade games, ping pong tables and a huge tv screen. View this post on Instagram"

"San Diego's monument to sports and fitness, this 4,600-acre aquatic park has 27 miles of shoreline including 19 miles of sandy beaches."

"This plant-based bakery and cafe based in San Diego’s Hillcrest offers an entirely vegan menu with a few gluten-free options. They serve coffee, pastries and cakes seven days a week. Order a custom cake for a special event, and you may collapse at the sight of its magnificence or the splendor of its taste."

"You can choose to customize a crepe, waffle, or their original "brick toast." They also offer a variety of drinks ranging from coffee to Nutella banana shakes, and you can add boba to any of them. After tasting your food, Up2you will make you feel like a professional pastry chef."

"Visit this Clairemont Mesa hang out to sip milk tea from a mason jar and munch on brick toast. It’s a buttery and sweet block of toast served with various toppings like ice cream and fruits. Frequented by local college students, Up2You has funky lounge seating and games to play."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by UP 2 YOU CAFE + DESSERTS 🍡 (@up2youcafe) on Mar 28, 2019 at 10:26am PDT"

"Within Old Town don’t miss Casa de Estudillo, which is one of the few original buildings (many are reproductions), Whaley House and Museum, which is believed to be haunted and Junípero Serra Museum, literally the place where California began. You can get more information here."

"The Whaley House is a museum and California Historical Landmark, situated in the Old Town, San Diego, California. It is administered by the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO). The Whaley House was the home of Thomas Whaley and his family."

"Seen as the entrance point for control of the west by Europeans, Presidio Park remains a place of history amidst the city of San Diego. Interpreting the entire site for guests is the Junipero Serra Museum which houses many artifacts dealing with Spanish and Mexican heritage, colonization, the beginnings of customs within California and showcasing the lives of those who began it all. The presidio, first built to protect colonists from attack, later took on roles as military headquarters and a central outdoor space to remember history."

"You will find grassy greenfields, attractive architecture plus columns. There is also a wooded hilltop overlooking the San Diego Bay from that perfect angle where you can catch the sun setting about everything. What a gorgeous place to have your landscape photography!"

"A historical fort established on May 14, 1769, the Presidio was the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific Coast."