Best Diners in Santee

"This family-owned cafe has been deemed one of the best retro coffee spots in the nation, and it’s easy to see why. It has a vibe of nostalgia and community. You’ll look to the walls and see memorabilia, like newspaper clippings from when the San Diego Chargers made it into the Super Bowl (which feels like decades ago now!) It’s friendly for humans, dogs, and cars alike: pups are allowed – the restaurant even provides water bowls for them – and there’s a free one-hour parking lot for your car."

"Harry's Coffee Shop is popular with locals and tourists alike for an old-school, casual ambiance as well as enormous portions. Coffee is refilled quickly while the menu is varied featuring delicious omelettes and items with a Mexican flair. There's counter and booth seating as well as dog-friendly, al fresco dining in front."

"This La Jolla institution is renowned for their potato pancakes served with sour cream and applesauce but they've got everything from healthy egg white omelettes to throwbacks that include chipped beef on toast."

"Listed in "Gourmet" magazine as one of America's greatest hometown cafes, this local favorite has been around since 1944. Serves up such hearty breakfasts as smoked pork chops and eggs, eggs Benedict, French toast, pancakes, waffles, and much more. All their baked goods are packaged to go, so you can easily take something along with you for later in the day."

"A pure dose of dining nostalgia, this San Diego landmark has been serving up generous portions of classic American comfort food since the mid-1940s. With an expansive menu, dishes like the homemade roast beef hash and traditional eggs Benedict have kept customers coming back for more."

"It’s a diner that pays homage to every era time has gone by since diners were a thing. From a brightly colored 50s retro diner with a milk bar and vintage care behind the hostess, to the train room with a black and white film showing above each booth, to a modern red room dedicated to corvette car lovers. A radio DJ booth pumps out Frank Sinatra, New York, New York and other classic tunes like Wild Thing, which matches the 70s groove room we dined in."

"Corvette Diner is a San Diego institution now located in the Point Loma area of Liberty Station. It's a 50s diner the serves up shakes, burgers, fries and other comfort food by sassy wait staff dressed in poodle skirts. Kids love it not only for the retro decor, casual vibe and food, but there's a killer arcade called Gamer's Garage in the back with 50 games and opportunities to win prizes."

"A post shared by Corvette Diner (@corvettediner) on Dec 6, 2016 at 4:47pm PST. This 50s style diner is complete with waitresses in bouffant hairstyles and poodle skirts. If the cotton candy platter, root beer floats, handmade shakes, and malts are not enough of a draw for the children, the Corvette car in the middle of the diner should be!"

"Serving hungry locals for over 90 years, this café has been operating out of its current location since 1954!. Known for huge plates sure to fill any appetite, they serve breakfast all day and on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer months, they are open 24/7 for you to enjoy lunch and dinner too. The café still boasts its original diner décor, a 100-year old flat top grill and an iron hood that was salvaged from an old ship over 125 years ago!"

"In-N-Out Burger is just a classic fast food chain out West, it originated in California in 1948. It’s famous because the chain has barely changed since then. Stepping into an In-N-Out Burger will take you back to the 40’s with its interior design, same small menu, similar prices, and high quality!"

"If Rudford's had chrome instead of stucco, it would be a genuine diner, because it has the bay windows and mid-century signage. In any case, it's a landmark (and just down the street from the Chicken Pie Shop). Basic comfort fare here, which gets mixed reviews."

"Equally popular with the early bird special crowd and after-bar party goers; both sets agree that the biscuits and gravy and chicken fried steak at this 24-hour diner are first rate."

"Studio Diner is open late-night (round-the-clock from Thursday through Sunday and until midnight during the rest of the week) and set on a working studio lot in the Kearny Mesa business district. The menu features a wide array of great selections, made from only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Try the turkey Reuben sandwich, T-bone steak and eggs, patty melt or other hearty fare but be sure to save room for Yo Mama's apple pie or decadent carrot cake."

"You'll feel like you've gone back in time in this classic movie-themed diner-style restaurant when you walk into Studio Diner. Their menu consists of American classics and even an "East Coast Specials Menu.". So if you find yourself vacationing in SD (or if you already live here) and can't decide what to eat, take some advice from Guy Fieri himself and try out one of these San Diego restaurants."

"OK, now we're talking genuine diner: all steel and chrome and bay windows. Studio Diner is a true roadside diner, located off the beaten path on the grounds of the Stu Segall studios (Veronica Mars). Refurbished with a movie studio theme, Studio Diner is sleek and slightly upscale, featuring comfort food tweaked ever so slightly, in a delicious way."

"Admission to a number of these attractions are included on the Go San Diego® Card. Choose as you go from dozens of top attractions and save up to 55% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. Browse all available San Diego Multi-Attraction Passes."

"By day, the streamlined edifice looks like any other structure in the park; at night, outlined in blue neon, the round building appears—appropriately…"

"Barrio LoganWe’ve come a long way from when White Claw was the new big thing in hard beverages — now there’s more than 100 brands of hard seltzer alone, with hard lemonade, hard coffee, hard kombucha, and now, hard yerba mate entering the market as well. Barrio Logan’s brand new taproom, Kové Hard Yerba Mate, serves up the world’s first hard version of this popular South American tea-like brew in four different flavors; mojito, lemonade iced tea, mango colada, and passion berry. At a moderate 5% ABV, Kové’s version is organic, vegan, and gluten-free, making it practically a health food."

"Where: 1477 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92103Neighborhood: HillcrestThis employee-owned business launched by two brothers exists to experiment beyond the grapes, apples, potatoes, and starchy grains that make up the vast majority of their fermented and distilled alcoholic drinks. As such, this operation—a kombuchery, cidery, meadery, and distillery—makes suds from pineapples, pomegranates, cranberries, mangos, pumpkins, and blends thereof. Their Hillcrest digs are open Friday through Sunday, and appetizers, and other bites are available to supplement the brews."

"If you want a beach that’s bit more lively, you can head down to Pacific Beach and Mission Beach. Both beaches are great for people-watching on the boardwalk. Make sure to grab drinks at a beachy bar, and even perfect your surfing skills at The Wave House. Yep, at The Wave House, you can surf an artificial wave (or watch others do it)!"

"Catch a morning surf lessons from Surfari Surf School at north Mission Beach, and enjoy some prime people-watching on the Pacific Beach Boardwalk while you catch your breath. You’ll have worked up quite an appetite, so sate it the way a local surfer would—with fish tacos from Oscars Mexican Seafood."

"The perfect way to end your weekend at Coronado is with a Sunday afternoon concert in Spreckles Park. Located at the center of the island right on Orange Street, Spreckels park has a cute playground making it a great hang-out for families. You can also get a taste of the local art scene on the first and third Sundays of each month when the Coronado Art Association hosts Art-In-The-Park."