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Everything SD DECEMBER 5, 2023

Where to Get Takeout or Dine-in Christmas Dinner in San Diego 2023

Celebrate the season with these 25 restaurants offering holiday specials, prix-fixe menus, and more

Where to Get Takeout or Dine-in Christmas Dinner in San Diego 2023
Courtesy of A. R. Valentien

Sometimes the best Christmas dinner is one you don’t have to cook. Whoever you’re celebrating with this year, a prix-fixe meal or a fleet of takeout containers can save you from hours in front of the stove, leaving more time to fête the season with the people you love most. 

From classic festive fare (prime rib! candied yams!) to your new favorite tradition (hi, crab corn doughnuts), local eateries offer plenty of delicious bites for revelers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Let’s sleigh the holiday season and savor Christmas specials, prix-fixe menus, holiday cocktails, and takeout feasts from some of San Diego’s finest restaurants.  

Where to Get Takeout or Dine-In for Christmas

Adelaide

Head to the luxurious L’Auberge Del Mar for a Christmas Day buffet at Adelaide. The feast is fit for Santa himself, featuring a raw bar, prime rib, lamb, roasted chicken breast with porcini mushroom gravy, and crème fraîche mashed potatoes. After indulging, settle into a post-feast nap under a poolside cabana, treat yourself to a lemongrass spa session at Spa L’Auberge, or swing by the hotel’s family movie night, complete with a side of hot cocoa and sugar cookies.   

Price: $170 per adult | $40 per child
When: Dec. 25, 1–3 p.m.
Where: 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar

Christmas Dinner at Mister A's
Courtesy of Mister A’s

Mister A’s 

Elevate your holiday dinner with arguably the best view in San Diego. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day, Mister A’s in Bankers Hill offers an elegant, three-course, prix-fixe menu from its rooftop vantage point. The menu includes butternut squash soup, roasted rack of lamb, crispy Brussel sprouts, and gingerbread sticky toffee pudding. While you eat, sway to the soothing melodies of Spanish guitarist David Maldonado. 

Price: Christmas Eve – $105 per adult | $35 per child; Christmas Day – $97.50 per adult | $35 per child
When: Dec. 24, 4:30–9 p.m. | Dec. 25, 12–7 p.m
Where: 2550 Fifth Avenue, 12th Floor, Banker’s Hill

Matsu 

Ring in Christmas Eve with Matsu’s Karaage Night—an extravaganza of traditional Japanese fried chicken and strawberry shortcake. The six-course meal features a variety of fried chicken cuts infused with flavors like tenkasu, miso, caviar, and jalapeño. Sip selections from Matsu’s extensive sake list before a sweet holiday nightcap. Reserve your table here

Price: $125 per person
When: Dec. 24, 4–9 p.m.
Where: 626 South Tremont Street, Oceanside

Hotel Del Coronado 

Embrace the spirit of the season with a family dinner at the iconic Hotel Del Coronado, which transforms each year into a winter wonderland. Gather in the hotel’s Southpointe Ballroom for a festive Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas day brunch packed with holiday favorites, sweet treats, and a photo op with Santa. The Del also offers holiday packages like their Fire & Ice experience, which includes overnight accommodation, ice skating by the sea, a private fire pit with s’mores, and even your own personal holiday concierge.  

Price: Dinner – $175 per adult | $100 per child ages 4–10 | free for children 3 and under; Brunch – $165 per adult | $100 per child ages 4–10 | free for children 3 and under 
When: Dinner – Dec. 24, 2–8 p.m. | Brunch – Dec. 25, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Where: 1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado

Covewood 

Savor a Christmas feast at Mission Bay Resort’s Covewood. Nibble your way through executive chef Roy Hendrickson’s Christmas day prix-fixe menu from the comfort of the restaurant’s heated patio overlooking the bay. Feast on dishes like lobster bisque, pear salad, rack of lamb, wild sea bass, caramelized brussel sprouts, Dutch apple pie tartlets, and a chocolate yule log made with spiked eggnog ice cream and toffee brittle. 

Price: $113.67 per person
When: Dec. 25, 7 a.m.–9 p.m. 
Where: 1775 East Mission Bay Drive, Mission Beach

RustiCucina 

RustiCucina, one of Hillcrest’s chicest dining spots, is decking the halls with lavish Italian dishes and holiday cheer this Christmas. Dine on Dec. 24 or 25 with a Sicilian pre-fixe menu. Entrées include parmesan-stuffed roasted chicken, lobster ravioli, red wine–braised beef, and grilled salmon. You can also go big and order a wheel of cheese to share with family and add extra flavor to filet mignon pasta. 

Price: $55 per person
When: Dec. 24 & 25, 4–10 p.m. 
Where: 3797 Park Boulevard, Hillcrest

Provisional Kitchen 

Celebrate Christmas in style at Provisional Kitchen in the Gaslamp. The pre-fixe brunch will feature carving and dessert stations (complete with a chocolate fountain) and be set to the tune of live music to help make spirits bright. If you prefer an evening affair, stop by for a three-course dinner featuring hearty entrées including prime filet mignon and ravioli doppio. 

Price: Brunch – $85 per adult | $30 per child; Dinner – $105 per adult | $40 per child
When: Brunch – Dec. 25, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. | Dinner – Dec. 25, 4–9 p.m.
Where: 425 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter

Christmas dinner at The Marine Room San Diego
Photo Credit: John Dole

The Marine Room

Experience a picturesque sunset Christmas dinner on the sandy beaches of La Jolla at The Marine Room. Order their seasonal dinner specials like the Spindrift Trilogy, which includes lobster tail, diver scallops, and wild prawn. Or get the Norwegian halibut or lamb osso buco. On Christmas Day, the oceanfront restaurant is offering festive blackberry cider, brined turkey, elk medallions, and roasted branzino sure to bring you waves of joy. 

Price: $150 per person
When: Dec. 24, 5–9 p.m. | Dec. 25, 12–7 p.m.
Where: 2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla

Arlo

Join Arlo this Christmas Eve for a tantalizing three-course prix-fixe dinner, or enjoy a bountiful Christmas Day buffet with loads of locally sourced dishes. The Mission Valley eatery’s offerings include salt-crusted prime rib, pan-roasted duck breast, and brown butter sage gnocchi that you can enjoy on the restaurant’s heated, outdoor patio. The Christmas Day buffet includes performances from local musicians. Jason Mann takes the stage from 1 to 4 p.m., followed by Natalie Aley from 4:30 to 8 p.m. 

Price: Christmas Eve Dinner – $80 per person; Christmas Day Buffet – $85 per adult | $35 per child ages 6–12 | free for children 5 and under
When: Dinner – Dec. 24, 5–10 p.m. | Buffet – Dec. 25, 1–8 p.m. 
Where: 500 Hotel Circle North, Mission Valley

Quixote 

The LaFayette Hotel’s Oaxacan enclave, Quixote, is moonlighting as the ultimate spot to celebrate Christmas with friends and family this year. Chow down on fusion Mexican cuisine like crab corn doughnuts, fried chicken tacos, and golden snapper ceviche in North Park—plus plenty of mezcal-based cocktails to rock your stockings. Can you say “Feliz Navidad” again?

When: Dec. 25, 12 p.m–12 a.m. 
Where: 2223 El Cajon Boulevard, North Park

Coasterra

Journey to Coasterra on Shelter Island for their annual Christmas Day buffet. The bayfront Mexican restaurant presents an array of charcuterie cheeses and meats and a carving station packed with roasted turkey, ham, and New York strip loin. Pair your cuts with classic Christmas sides like cornbread stuffing, candied yams, and roasted rosemary carrots. Cap off the feast with an assortment of pies, cakes, cookies, and tarts.

Price: $89.95 per adult | $19.95 per child
When: Dec. 25, 12–7 p.m. 
Where: 880 Harbor Island Drive, Shelter Island

Nine-Ten  

Savor the holiday spirit at the elegant Nine-Ten restaurant in La Jolla, offering a three-course, prix-fixe Christmas Eve dinner, complemented by an amuse-bouche appetizer and a decadent dessert selection. On Christmas Day, stop by for brunch delights, including pitaya bowls, pastries, avocado toast, and huevos rancheros. Secure your spot through Open Table.

Price: Christmas Eve Dinner – $105 per person
When: Dinner – Dec. 24, 5–9 p.m. | Brunch – Dec. 25, 7 a.m.–2 p.m.
Where: 910 Prospect Street, La Jolla

Et Voilà!

Say “joyeux noël” at French bistro Et Voilà! in North Park. This adorable spot offers special three-course menus on Dec. 24 and 25. Feast on smoked salmon, braised beef short ribs, and strawberry shortbread. Voilà, a holiday celebration to remember!

Price: $75 per adult | $28 per child 
When: Dec. 24, 4:30–9:30 p.m. | Dec. 25, 12–7 p.m.
Where: 3015 Adams Avenue, North Park

Christmas dinner at Callie San Diego
Courtesy of Callie

Callie

Prepare for a sleigh ride of flavors as chef Travis Swikard creates a five-course holiday feast at Callie. This Michelin-recognized restaurant offers a prix-fixe menu with Mediterranean-inspired dishes on Christmas Eve. Secure your spot online at Tock.

Price: $95 per person
When: Dec. 24, 5–9 p.m.
Where: 1195 Island Avenue, East Village

Fort Oak

Fort Oak chef Brad Wise concocted a December menu based on his personal festive favorites. While the Mission Hills restaurant is closed on Christmas Day, Fort Oak is expanding its hours to serve holiday lunches ahead of the big day. Try Fort Oak’s on-theme cocktails, including their Wish List Spritz, made with kumquat aperitif, prosecco, soda, and star anise. The Home for the Holidays is a mixture of hot apple cider, bourbon, and warming spice. 

When: Dec. 14–16 & 21–23, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Where: 1011 Fort Stockton Drive, Mission Hills

A.R. Valentien

Got a fresh set of clubs for Christmas? Head to the Lodge at Torrey Pines for a round of golf before sitting down for a holiday dinner at A.R. Valentien afterwards. The luxurious restaurant, which overlooks the links, offers an extravagant prix-fixe menu curated by executive chef Kelli Crosson. Though Santa can’t gift you a better short game, at least you can dine like a pro. 

Price: $165 per adult | $90 per child
When: Dec. 25, 4–8:30 p.m.
Where: 11480 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla

Costa Brava 

If tapas are on your Christmas wishlist this year, head to Costa Brava, a family-owned Spanish restaurant in Pacific Beach. Enjoy Christmas Eve dinner on their charming garden patio and relish in bacon-wrapped dates, lamb skewers, and patatas a la brava.

When:  Dec. 24, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Where: 1653 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach

Christmas dinner at Ciccia Osteria in San Diego
Courtesy of Ciccia Osteria

Ciccia Osteria

For a cozy, pasta-packed Christmas dinner, venture to Michelin-recognized restaurant Ciccia Osteria in Barrio Logan. Alongside their classic Italian menu, chefs Francesca Penoncelli and Mario Casineri are cooking up Christmas specials like beef Wellington and osso buco with saffron risotto, paired perfectly with a smoked old fashioned. 

When: Dec. 24, 12–2pm & 4:30–9:15 p.m. | December 25 4:30–9:15 p.m.
Where: 2233 Logan Avenue, Barrio Logan

JRDN

Celebrate Christmas with a sunset feast at JRDN, the oceanfront rooftop restaurant offering stunning views of Pacific Beach and Crystal Pier. Indulge in a three-course Christmas meal featuring appetizers like seafood chowder; entrées such as prime rib, scallops, and roasted mushroom risotto; and desserts that will make your taste buds jingle with joy.

Price: $69–89 per adult
When: Dec. 25, 2–7 p.m.
Where: 723 Felspar Street, Pacific Beach

Antica Trattoria

Treat yourself to a Sicilian dinner at this La Mesa hotspot known for its delectable pastas and seafood. Order a round of appetizers for the table (the bruschetta is great) and try entrées like gnocchi and lasagna. Pair it all with a bottle from the restaurant’s vast wine collection.

When: Dec. 24, 4:30–10 p.m. | Dec. 25, 4:30–9:30 p.m.
Where: 5654 Lake Murray Boulevard, La Mesa

The Pony Room

Head to The Pony Room at Rancho Valencia and revel in a Christmas Day buffet accompanied by live music and delightful activities for the whole family. Horse-drawn carriage rides, arts and crafts, and cookie decorating will add an extra sprinkle of joy to your festivities.

Price: $195 per adult | $55 per child aged 4–11 | free for children under 3
When: Dec. 25th, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Where: 5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe

Grand Ole BBQ

Oversized roasted meats are synonymous with Christmas Eve dinner. Visit this Texas BBQ spot for smoked brisket, beef short ribs, pork chili, mac n’ cheese, and other savory bites. Come with a red jumpsuit, a large belt, and an appetite. Leave with the ultimate Santa cosplay. 

When: Dec. 24, 12–9 p.m.
Where: 15505 Olde Highway 80, El Cajon & 3302 32nd Street, North Park

Christmas Dinner Take-Out 

The Plot 

Dine on a plant-based, zero-waste Christmas dinner from The Plot this year from the comfort of your home. Savor smoky maple-butter roasted parsnips; a squash, wild rice, and lentil roast; gluten-free cornbread stuffing; and more. All the holiday goodness, none of the climate guilt.

Price: $40 per person 
When: Pre-order by December 22 & pick up on December 24 
Where: 1733 South Coast Highway, Oceanside

Christmas Dinner in San Diego at Ranch 45
Courtesy of Ranch 45

Ranch 45

Ranch 45 in Solana Beach has your Christmas feast covered! Order some of San Diego’s finest meats and treats—including herb-crusted prime rib, smoked turkey legs, aged ribeye, pecan pie, and apple crisp—à la carte by Sunday, December 17.

When: Order by December 17 at 4 p.m. | Pickup on December 24 between 10 a.m and 4 p.m.
Where: 512 Via De La Valle, Suite 102, Solana Beach

Golden Mandarin

Invite the whole squad over for a family-sized Chinese takeout dinner from Chula Vista’s Golden Mandarin this Christmas. Dive into sweet-and-sour pork, shrimp fried rice, and the restaurant’s coveted salt-and-pepper chicken wings.

When: December 24 & 25, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Where: 45 Broadway, Chula Vista

Cole Novak

About Cole Novak

Cole Novak is an award-winning writer with a passion for highlighting local figures, small businesses, and nonprofits. Born and raised in San Diego, Cole is passionate about photography, surfing, art, the local food scene, and the great outdoors.

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Arts & Culture SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

Fall Arts Preview 2026

Your checklist for the best stage performances, museum exhibits, and one-night-only cinematic events hitting San Diego this autumn

Fall Arts Preview 2026
Courtesy of the San Diego Opera | Photo Credit: Karli Cadel

Fall Arts Preview presented by SDFC Playmakers

September

Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World

Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art

Now through Jan. 10, 2027

Sift through over 200 photographs, sketches, letters, and costumes from “The King of Vogue,” who photographed World War II, modernized royal portraits, and created the aesthetic for 1920s socialites in London.

Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea

Natural History Museum

Now through Feb. 28, 2027

Walk through an 18-foot whale ribcage (and a couple dozen other marine-creature sculptures) made entirely of plastic bottles, flip-flops, lighters, rope, and other plastic detritus found on the beach in the Nat’s 3,000-square-foot second-floor gallery.

Forging a Legacy: 15 Years of Landmark Acquisitions

San Diego Museum of Art

Now through May 31, 2027

Part of SDMA’s centennial, “Forging a Legacy,” highlights artists from the past (Picasso, Monet) and modern day (Hugo Crosthwaite) who contributed to the museum’s collection.

ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Fleet Science Center

Now through 2027

See the stars (without the smog) at their best from the winners of the world’s largest astrophotography competition—all in the Fleet Science Center’s new basement gallery, specifically dimmed to let the cosmos shine.

Begin Again

The Old Globe

Sept. 6–Oct. 11

From the 2013 silver screen to this year’s The Old Globe stage, you can “Begin Again” (again) with a world-premiere musical adaptation featuring new songs—courtesy of Train—and a story overflowing with hope.

Dear Evan Hansen

Cygnet Theatre

Sept. 9–Oct. 4

“On the outside, always looking in…” marks the emotional crux of the Tony-, Grammy-, and Emmy-award winning musical coming to the Cygnet Theatre.

Kumeyaay Comics by the Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project

Museum of Us

Opening Sept. 12

Learn the history of the Kumeyaay Nation from the perspective of the members themselves in an immersive exhibit inspired by graphic novels “Our Past, Present, and Future,” and “Beyond Gaming.”

Good Night, Oscar

North Coast Repertory Theatre

Sept. 16–Oct. 11

During Oscar Levant’s appearances on “The Jack Paar Show,” he explained his reality with mental illness—the institutionalizations, electroshock therapies, nothing was too taboo for him. “Good Night, Oscar” takes us backstage in the raw moments before his 1958 television appearance.

Visiones Nocturnas: Queer Nightlife in Contemporary Art

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Sept. 19–Jan. 10, 2027

A disco ball isn’t just a disco ball. It’s a symbol of where queer communities can finally exhale and be their fullest selves. “Visiones Nocturnas” uses paintings, sculptures, textiles, performances, photos, and videos from Latin American artists to explore what’s at stake when nightclub lights shut off.

Silent Movie Mondays

Balboa Theatre

Sept. 21, Oct. 26, Dec. 7

Guest organists from across the country will come to the Balboa Theatre to accompany a new silent film for each performance. This year closes out with The Headless Horseman (1922), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920), and a holiday triple feature of Laurel and Hardy films.

Oh, Mary!

Civic Theatre

Sept. 29–Oct. 4

“What if Abe’s assassination wasn’t such a bad thing for Mary Todd Lincoln?” was the question that inspired Cole Escola’s play “Oh, Mary!” In the production, Mary Todd desperately tries to return to the cabaret stage, but her husband (President Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War) keeps getting in the way.

Photo Credit: Anja Koehler

October

Payare Leads Strauss’ A Hero’s Life

Jacobs Music Center

Oct. 3–4

Conductor Rafael Payare opens the San Diego Symphony’s 2026-2027 season with a three-part concert featuring composers Sofia Gubaidulina, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Richard Strauss.

Emily–No Prisoner Be

Baker-Baum Concert Hall

Oct. 8

Two dozen of Emily Dickinson’s poems are turned into songs—composed by Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts and performed by Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato—for a one-night-only exploration of love, loss, loneliness, and mortality.

Ripcord

The Roustabouts Theatre Co.

Oct. 8–Nov. 1

Roommate beef has no age limit. The latest play from Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire turns that experience into a comedy through retirement home roommates Marilyn and Abby and the bet between them to see who will break first and move out.

Des Canyons aux Étoiles

La Casa del Zorro

Oct. 12

Composer Olivier Messiaen has chromesthia, so for him, sound evokes a visual connotation. His work “Des Canyons aux Étoiles” brings desert rock and the night sky to mind. See what he means from La Casa del Zorro in the Anza-Borrego Desert, in this performance immersed within nature.

San Diego International Film Festival

Locations Vary

Oct. 13–18

San Diego International Film Festival salutes the silver screen for a 25th time, now with a sixth day adding extra time for parties, screenings, and movie-star tributes.

Rigoletto

Civic Theatre

Oct. 23–25

Considered one of the masterpieces from opera great Giuseppe Verdi, San Diego Opera’s “Rigoletto” sees what happens when the prurient Duke of Mantua and his sharp-tongued court jester become entangled in a fatal curse.

Grim

La Jolla Playhouse

Oct. 27–Nov. 29

When the Grim Reaper’s job becomes too…grim…and he retires after 300,000 years, his daughter picks up the family business. But when she falls for a human and finds beauty in the souls she’s meant to reap, she questions her purpose.

Photo Credit: Ron Kerner

November

Skate Craft

Mingei International Museum

Nov. 21–May 9, 2027

San Diego is nothing without skate culture. Mingei’s “Skate Craft” portrays skateboarding as “living folk art” via its DIY roots (skateboards built in garages) and shows how that ethos shapes the future.

Emma Veidt

About Emma Veidt

Emma Veidt is an editor at San Diego Magazine. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism. She loves running, hiking, and rock climbing, but really, she mostly loves encounters with the street cats around North Park.

Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.

Food & Drink SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

Hako Hako Will Bring Japanese Konbini Culture to Hillcrest

San Diego entrepreneur Kenji Blouin-Ito is turning a tiny Uptown Inn space into a destination for bentos, coffee, snacks, and more

Hako Hako Will Bring Japanese Konbini Culture to Hillcrest
Courtesy of Hako Hako

Tokyo unquestionably holds the title as one of the best, if not the best, food cities of the world. But despite the plethora of Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurants and hole-in-the-wall ramen joints, you’d be remiss in walking past glowing signs beckoning you to enter one of the 56,000-plus konbini across the country.

Konbini cafes like Lawson’s, FamilyMart, and 7-Eleven may look like run-of-the-mill convenience stores, but convenience store culture is a completely different animal there. Absent are the sad, floppy hot dogs sizzling sweatily on a rotating wheel of misery. Instead, konbini are stocked with a bevy of hot and cold drinks in every imaginable flavor, meals like tamago sandos (Japanese egg salad sandwiches) and prepacked bento boxes, snacks like onigiri (handheld triangles of rice and seaweed, often filled with fish or pickled plum), and even limited-edition merchandise (not unlike Wawa’s line of merch). 

Soon, Hillcrest will get a taste of konbibi culture. Hako Hako opens in front of Uptown Inn by Vantaggio, next to Ramen Ryoma, in early 2027.

Kenji Blouin-Ito, a half-Japanese, half-French San Diego native grew up eating Japanese food at home and during trips across the Pacific. “I remember looking forward to eating bentos on the train,” he says, grabbing quick items to munch on without sacrificing quality or succumbing to cost. When in France, he saw a rise of appreciation for casual Japanese cuisine, “long before it happened here.” 

Courtesy of Hako Hako | Photo Credit: @josh_walker.26_genteel

So he decided to bring it here. After AB 626 passed in 2018 to allow different jurisdictions to permit Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs), Blouin-Ito launched Foodnome, the first legal marketplace for homemade food in the US. Eventually, the national nonprofit The Cook Alliance took over the project, leaving him open to the next new idea but with the experience of running a food-based business. 

“That experience changed how I think about food, not just what makes it good but what makes it work,” he explains. Bento boxes felt affordable in a time of inflation, convenient in a bustling world, and versatile to a variety of palates. When he got the chance to open a konbini himself, he went for it. 

His family runs Uptown Inn, a mix of apartments and hotel rooms that’s seen increased food traffic over the past few years. “We had a small space in front of the building that wasn’t being used, and it just made sense,” he says. Hako means “box” in Japanese, a reference to both bentos and small space from where he’ll sling freshly made bentos, coffee, drinks, pastries, snacks, and a small retail selection.

Hako Hako will initially open for morning and afternoon hours, but you don’t have to wait until next year to get a taste of Japanese culture. Blouin-Ito’s concept is popping up at various coffee shops around San Diego, with a few coming up: Easy Does It on September 19 and Cafe Moto on October 17. Until then, practice the art of gaman: patience with grace. 

Hako Hako opens at 819 University Avenue in Hillcrest in early 2027.

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Beth’s Bites

  • Sushi Tadokoro held on to its Michelin star for three years—no mean feat for anyone. But now, the Old Town restaurant is changing things up, eliminating lunch and à la carte service at the end of September before transforming into an omakase-only experience in October. The dining room will close from October 1 through October 22 to make the change, but promises it will be “more intimate. More personal. More focused on each guest and every piece we serve.” Sounds worth the wait.
  • Bock brought new life to South Park when the German-inspired beer bar opened after a long construction process by owner Brian Jensen (Vino Carta, Bottlecraft). Now, Bock is getting its own shot in the arm with a new in-house kitchen from the people behind Majorette, Love Letters Pizza, and Scrimshaw Coffee. Kurz, or “quick” in German, is already open, serving European-inspired bites like the requisite currywurst, Bavarian pretzel, and schnitzel, along with some newcomers like a pierogi and famous “Majorette burger.” (I can confirm it’s a damn good burger.) Reminder: Bock and Kurz are 21+, so leave the kinders at home.
  • The popular Japanese dessert chain Warabimochi Kamakura already has 70-plus locations in Japan, Australia, China, Thailand, and the U.K. (to name a few), but is finally opening a location in Convoy District at 8322 Clairemont Blvd. After a successful pop-up test run at Asa Bakery, Warabimochi Kamakura will bring its signature warabimochi (a traditional simple, jelly-like dessert), plus tea like matcha and hojicha, as well as soft serve as soon as October, but possibly November. (Although warabimochi is sometimes considered a summer treat, I’m pretty sure I can make an exception for autumn.)

Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.

Food & Drink SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

Two San Diego Wine Pros Are Betting Big on Tinned Fish

With Sosal Line, Heidi Greenwood and Juerie Masters are importing traceable seafood from small producers and building a global pantry business along the way

Two San Diego Wine Pros Are Betting Big on Tinned Fish
Courtesy of Sosal Line | Photo Credit: Madison Daube

No matter your job, it’s helpful to find some sort of joy in it to avoid going completely insane. Some people savor the variety of personalities when dealing with customers. Others find comfort in the predictability of closing a bar after last call, counting tips and wiping counters. Perhaps achieving Inbox Zero really gets your blood pumping, or shipping a new product design sparks joy.

For Heidi Greenwood and Juerie Masters, work doesn’t get better than logistics and operations.

“[We] both love all the unsexy parts of supply chain and backend management,” laughs Greenwood. Tracking outbound orders? Ensuring compliance? Managing inbound freight? Stop me if this is getting too hot for you!

Not enough people think about the unsexy reality of running a business before launch, but effectively and consistently keeping an eye on operations separates successful companies from out-of-business ones. Both Masters and Greenwood already own their own businesses—Greenwood is behind the wine zine Campestre Mag and runs the online wine shop Esquina, and Masters co-owns Clos Wine Shop and Fintastic Provisions in University Heights with her husband Paul. Apparently, these gigs weren’t enough to satisfy their collective yearning for spreadsheets and inventory maintenance. 

So, they decided to start another business together—Sosal Line, a San Diego-based import and distribution company specializing in global pantry items. The pair launched Sosal Line at the beginning of 2025 and currently only sell three brands of tinned fish, but Greenwood says they plan to expand their offerings as they discover other small or family-run businesses that share their values.

“We want to work with brands and with products that really have a sense of place and actually tell a story—not just the product, but the people behind it too,” she says. 

Masters and Greenwood are both Korean-American and named this burgeoning business after Haenyeo, the legendary free-diving women of Jeju Island in South Korea. Traditional Haenyeo equipment and garb include oribal (swim fins), yeoncheol (lead belts to help them sink), and the company’s namesake sosal, a hand-held fishing spear (sometimes called jaksal)

The average person, if sitting completely still, can stay underwater for up to a minute and a half at most. Haenyeo can hold their breath for up to three minutes while actively foraging, harvesting, and swimming. Scientists say these diving women spend more time underwater than any other group of humans on earth. Not badass enough for you? The average age of Haenyeo is around 70.

Courtesy of Sosal Line | Photo Credit: Luke Schmuecker

“Fishing is a strong heritage for Koreans, and it’s the same here in San Diego with the Portuguese settlers,” Greenwood explains. (We aren’t the tuna capital of the US for no reason.) 

Sosal Line carries 100 percent traceable, wild caught fish from Galicia in Northern Spain and the Pacific Northwest, all family-owned companies who don’t compromise on sustainable practices. Tinned fish has never been more popular—or more debated—but there’s more to it than cute labels designed for maximum Instagram reach. “I want to know who I’m purchasing from,” says Greenwood. One of their suppliers, Craft Fish Co., which is based in San Diego but fishes in the PNW, is run by JJ and Jessica Gerritsen. JJ catches, Jessica packages, and it’s a business relationship on a first-name basis. “You can’t find that when you’re working with some nameless brand.”

San Diegans can find Sosal Line products at local retailers like Clos/Fintastic (obviously), allmine in Oceanside, Always Hungry Grocery & Goods in Carlsbad, J. Brix Wines in San Marcos, Collins & Coupe/Tablespoon in North Park, and Green Acre in La Jolla. They’re also available in select retailers in Northern California, Oregon, Arizona, and strangely enough, South Carolina. Expanding its client base is, of course, a goal. But not at the expense of quality or joy of discovery.

“I would love to see people try food from different cultures and be excited about it,” says Greenwood. “Maybe make them want to travel to experience different areas of the world.” 

San Diego Restaurant News & Events

Manna Coffee Co. Is A Family Affair  

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.

Studio S FEBRUARY 26, 2026

Chef Aidan Owens Thinks Your Fish is Boring

The 29-year-old culinary director at Herb & Sea is making seafood sexy (and approachable) again

Implementing a farm-to-table model hardly deserves acknowledgement these days. It’s not a stretch. It’s not innovative. “It’s the bare f**king minimum,” says Herb & Sea‘s executive chef Aidan Owens.  

When I arrive at the Encinitas restaurant, I’m ready to talk sustainability, farm-to-table stuff, with Owens. “Did you see the chin on that?” he says of the extra big jiggly chin on the sheephead that just arrived with the day’s fresh catch. I did. It was Jay Leno adjacent.

I learn quickly that he somehow oozes both charm and stone-cold honesty. Maybe he could construct a new dish with chin goo, like he did when he had a bunch of tuna scraps and voila’d it into a smooth and crowd-pleasing ‘nduja. “I want to know what’s in there,” he says.    

Courtesy of Herb & Sea

The instinct to look closer, to dig into what others might discard, says a lot about the chef’s approach. I guide him back to our topic, but he has something else on his mind. “We’re overcomplicating food—what happened to just cooking good food and having fun with it?”

Owens grew up on a farm in Byron Bay, Australia, where sustainability wasn’t a concept you chat about so much as a way of life. Think dirt roads, backyard chickens, pulling vegetables straight from the ground, and a mother who believed that if you couldn’t pronounce the ingredients on a package, you shouldn’t eat what was inside.

Food wasn’t precious or performative. Making it was what you did because you were hungry and that’s still what inspires Owens today. “I like to cook good food because I like to eat good food,” he says.

His approach to sustainability at Herb & Sea began so naturally that it felt just like instinct. “I was just like, ‘Let’s order food from the people who live and work here,’” he says.

Courtesy of Herb & Sea

And why wouldn’t he when lives in San Diego? Cities all over the world vie for our goods. Our tuna is sent overseas. Our spiny lobsters hit dinner plates in China and Japan. Not to mention California’s producing a third of the country’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts. 

“Why would we outsource when it’s all here?” Owens asks.

Sustainability, in this context, is about cooking what exists in abundance, nearby, right now. “I love the local fish here. It’s f**king delicious and San Diego citrus, I mean, it is so f**ing good,” he says.

Instead of importing ingredients, Owens also looks for nearby alternatives. “You can find really cool things in the local waters,” he says, pointing out that stingray cheeks taste similar to scallops.

Courtesy of Herb & Sea

Whatever he finds in that sheephead chin might just be the next substitute for marrow. But to make this work, it means getting diners amped up about the slightly unfamiliar. 

Tasting menus, where diners are completely in his hands, become an opportunity to gently push boundaries. “I’ll serve mackerel, because people think they hate it,” Owens says, noting that the abundant local fish can have some fishiness. “But when it’s fresh, it’s arguably one of the best fish in the ocean.”

He also tweaks the language on the menu so people might feel more compelled to give dishes a try without preconceived notions. He might use “lengua” instead of “tongue.” “Whelk” instead of “snail.” When he puts “stingray throat” on the menu, he disarmingly calls it “skate.” 

To reduce waste, scraps aren’t always discarded but rather turned into something new. Sometimes they’re smoked, cured or fermented. Apples going bad turn into apple ponzu. Lemons turn to marmalade, which stretches their usefulness far beyond peak season. “And it’s super tasty on our pizza,” he says.

What makes the food even richer, is the relationships he’s built with farmers. Though it didn’t always feel natural, Owens sought personal connection first. He recalls approaching a fisherman at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. “I was awkward,” he says. “I went up to him and said, ‘I like your fish.’”

Owen’s is now so close to his suppliers—like fishermen Ryan Sebo and Joe Daly—that he gets texted pictures of fresh catches right as they flop on the boat. The messages always ask if he wants first dibs. “I say yes to a lot of fish,” Owens says, noting that Herb & Sea can go through 2,000 pounds of seafood a week.

Courtesy of Herb & Sea

The next evolution of sustainability, in his view, will be chefs working directly with producers such as his alliance with Sebo, cutting out middlemen and purveyors where possible. “It will put more money in the pockets of the people doing the work,” he says.

It will mean that chefs can’t just know their local farmers and producers, but they’ll choose to work with the ones who have the best practices. Dining and sustainability will become much less about the final plate. “It will be more about the impact that plate has on the Earth,” he says.  

Ultimately, he believes sustainability doesn’t need to be loud. It doesn’t need hashtags. It just needs to be honest.

“We aren’t saving lives. We’re feeding people good food,” he says.

And yet, in feeding people well—simply, thoughtfully, responsibly—something meaningful happens. Guests leave satisfied. Ingredients are respected. Local ecosystems are supported and food returns to what it has always been at its core: nourishment, pleasure, and a quiet reflection of the place it comes from.

No buzzwords required.

Food & Drink SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

Something Big Is Brewing In La Mesa

The folks behind Oddish Wine and Lost Cause Meadery are partnering with Bica to open an all-day cafe, coffee shop, wine bar, and restaurant near La Mesa Village

Something Big Is Brewing In La Mesa
Courtesy of Oddish Wine

La Mesa: a bucolic, hill-dappled city long regarded as a somewhat frumpy, never quite trendy bridge between the urban cool of Mid-City and the rural sprawls of East County. La Mesa’s population clocks in at around 4 percent of the city of San Diego’s—fewer than Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, and Encinitas, in that order. It’s home to a killer Oktoberfest, one of the best charter high schools in the state, and a theatrical mayor who tools around town in a golf cart (and so far, hasn’t cut any arts funding or closed public bathrooms). 

But any area that’s only 20 minutes from downtown San Diego and under 20 miles to Mission Bay will only stay under the radar for so long. Slowly but surely, bits and bobs from San Diego’s cultural tastemakers have been popping up all over town. Dark Horse Coffee and the boutique Small Batch both opened in La Mesa in 2018. Stella Jean’s and Pop Pie are coming later this year. Native Poppy is building its new headquarters and studio this fall. After a year in business, the new owners of JK’s Greek have established themselves as one of the best Greek restaurants in the county. 

Next year, La Mesa will get one of its most ambitious projects yet. Billy and Suzanna Beltz, owners of Lost Cause Meadery and Oddish Wine, are pouring everything they have into renovating a 5,000-square-foot building between the Village and MacArthur Park to open a wine/beer bar, coffee shop, all-day cafe, and wine shop. 

The concept doesn’t have a name (yet), and Bica in Normal Heights will come on as a partner to run the restaurant aspect and coffee program (which also won’t be called Bica. Still lots of naming decisions to be made). But the Beltz’s vision is to create something in La Mesa that doesn’t exist yet—a community gathering space open from morning until night that’s family-friendly, creatively designed, and well… cool

The building has been around since the 1940s, first operating as a neighborhood market, then butcher shop, secondhand children’s store, electronics store, dry cleaners, and bike shop. The Beltzses say they plan to keep the “soul and character” of the space as much as possible, highlighting original details like a barrel-shaped wooden roof, brightening up the corner building by utilizing the large front windows, and eventually building an outdoor dining/drinking space and kid-friendly area—a must for the neighborhood’s plethora of young families. They tapped all locals for the design and build: Tecscape Design, design consultant Carly Miller-Chen (who owns Ayi boutique in South Park) to create the space, and local contractor CLTVT. 

Courtesy of Oddish Wine

Starting in the morning, the space will offer coffee and light breakfast items before transitioning to lunch and dinner menus, plus a full bar that will feature Oddish and Lost Cause products as well as other local wines, beers, ciders, and other beverages alongside an aperitivo program and low-ABV cocktails and spritzes. Food-wise, they plan to install a wood-fired oven and rotisserie, but expect more menu details to be revealed closer to opening. 

There will also be a small retail space focused on natural wines and ciders from places like Raging Cider & Mead in San Marcos and other San Diego and Baja California makers. But don’t expect run-of-the-mill options from the guy who makes weird wines and mead, the oldest alcoholic beverage in human history (hardly TikTok trend material). “We have a unique perspective… Hopefully we can expand some palates and minds in the process,” says Billy.

Community is the heart of the project, more than food, more than drinks. “We have a young family. [Bica owners] Manny [Da Luz] and Charlie [Knowles] have families,” says Billy. Suzanna adds: “People want a space that they know they’re going to get really amazing food, really fun drinks, but they can also feel like they can bring their kids during the weeknights.” It won’t be North Park 2.0, although many families now living in La Mesa came from various neighborhoods across Mid-City (like the Beltzes). It’s filling a void. It’s something they can build from the ground up. And just maybe, it’s something that will surprise people who have yet to discover La Mesa’s potential. 

Oddish Wine/Lost Cause Meadery’s new concept is projected to open by the end of 2027 at 8495 La Mesa Blvd.

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Beth’s Bites

  • For as long as I can remember, my favorite animal in the world has been bunnies. (You’d think I would have been cured of the notion after adopting an adorable, but absolutely diabolical rabbit in my teens, but alas, it did not.) If you, too, love gazing at cute little cotton tails and velvety-soft ears, then join me for Bunnies & Brunch on Saturday, September 26 at Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter’s Wild Hare Bar Garden. (I had no idea that downtown San Diego was once home to a robust rabbit population in the mid-19th century, but today I learned!) Yes, there will be a bunny petting farm from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Take a number, pal.
  • Keeping with the animal theme, there’s a new snake in town. Serpent & Stone, a Greek-inspired restaurant and lounge opened this weekend at 750 Front Street with Mediterranean classics like falafel, Greek meatballs, skewers, Greek salads, and mythology-inspired cocktails like “The Aphrodite” (pea-flower-infused Ketel One vodka with passion fruit, Madagascar vanilla, Passoã, lime and champagne). If you didn’t make it to Mykonos this summer, this sounds like a decent alternative. 
  • Mat Robar, Jesse Pine, and Winslow Sawyer launched Pure Project in 2016 with the idea of centering a brewery around sustainability, rather than leaving it as an afterthought or bonus. Most recently, they released Closed Loops, a collaborative murky IPA with Societe Brewing Company and Dalum Beverage Equipment, the latter of which installed CO2 capturing machines at both breweries earlier this year. Since February, Pure Project has recaptured and reused over 74,500 pounds of CO₂ emissions, keeping all of that out of the air and staying on track to hit over 119,000 pounds by the end of the year. The hazy IPA brewed with Tropical Fusion, Mosaic, and Strata Cryo hops is now on draft and in to-go four-packs at all five Pure Project locations, and I’ve got to say, it’s really nice to see environmental enthusiasts doing their part. 
  • Cheerio, California English. The Sorrento Valley British restaurant launched by celebrity chef Richard Blais will close permanently at the end of September. May your prime rib “proper roast” and Scotch eggs live on in another realm somewhere.

Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.

Food & Drink SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

A Gluten- and Dairy-Free Bakery Is Popping Up Across San Diego

At The Delicate Squash, Shannon English is rethinking cookies, cakes, and pastries with seasonal ingredients and natural sweeteners

A Gluten- and Dairy-Free Bakery Is Popping Up Across San Diego
Courtesy of Shannon English

Midway through my phone conversation with Shannon English, owner of The Delicate Squash, I hear an alarm shrilling in her background. 

“Sorry, I’ve got to pull some cookies out of the oven right now!” she apologizes. After a few beats, she picks the phone back up and laughs. “I feel like I’m bouncing around all over the place.”

After hearing her run through a list of her professions and current hobbies, I’d have to agree. English runs The Delicate Squash, a gluten- and dairy-free bakery; teaches cooking demos; pops up at farmers markets; wrote a book of poetry (Deep Water came out this month from Beyond the Veil Press); hosts a monthly open mic night; dipped her toe into ballet; recently joined a running club; volunteers at local farms; and finally, teaches at a play-based, nature-based preschool.

I’m tired just talking to her. 

Surprising no one, English seems to have unlimited energy and enthusiasm for all this work, notably in education. Early childhood education is one of the most pivotal times for nurturing lifelong learning, but she also aims to educate the public on how to eat cleaner, feel better, and support your local food systems. She started The Delicate Squash in late 2023 after discovering she has a chronic illness, going through the typical standards of care and even strict elimination diets, to no avail. 

Courtesy of Shannon English

“I’m not going to say I found a diet that has ‘cured’ me, but I have found that taking a more mindful approach to a lot of things, including diet, has made symptoms far more manageable for me,” she says. 

Even people with dietary restrictions deserve a little treat from time to time, but she had a hard time finding anything that tasted good and made her feel good. Thus, The Delicate Squash was born.

All of her baked goods avoid gluten and dairy, and use natural sweeteners like coconut sugar or maple syrup as well as herbs, fruits, foraged flowers, and other natural flavorings. Her signature cookie, the “Delicate” cookie, is a sea salt dark chocolate cookie that’s soft, a little salty, a little sweet, and made with oatmeal to keep it gluten-free. Other crowd favorites are thumbprint jam cookies with jams made from scratch with change seasonally; breakfast pastries like orange, dark chocolate and cardamom scones; brownies; orange and black sesame banana bread; seasonal pies; and custom and seasonal cakes (currently, the late summer flavor is a dark chocolate coconut milk ganache with berry jam).

English says some people are surprised she can produce such a variety of goods with the dietary restrictions she adheres to. “A lot of feedback I get is ‘I could never do that,’” she says. But if she can do it, she assures me that anyone can. “I like to say ‘practice makes progress, not perfection.’” 

Her advice? Focus more on being present than presentation, and don’t be afraid to experiment to keep things interesting. And if that doesn’t work, you can always hit her open mic night to ask for tips.

Customers can order from The Delicate Squash’s online store, check her upcoming schedule of pop-ups, or find her goods at various independent retailers around San Diego.

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Vinyl Listening Room Opening Inside Escondido’s Distinction Gallery

Escondido is getting in on the listening bar phenomenon. On September 5, musicians Mat Rakers, Kevin Capacia, and Billy Petty will open Plot Armor, a Japanese-style vinyl listening bar that Rakers says they aim to feel “curated and intelligent.” 

“Currently, there are not a lot of ‘cool’ spots in Escondido,” he says. Backed by The San Diego Music And Art Company and The Escondido Music And Art Company, Plot Armor will soon offer sake, wine, beer, and soju cocktails, plus Japanese non-alcoholic options and cold brew. Eventually, they’ll add Japanese-inspired snacks, but the focus will be creating a small place (very small—the seating capacity is 20) where vinyl junkies can come listen, linger, and libate. 

Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar

Beth’s Bites

  • Ocean Beach has a new watering hole. The Jetty opened in July at 4934 Voltaire Street (where Voltaire Beach House used to be), and while I don’t think OBceans were hurting for where to get a drink, the more the merrier. 
  • Chinese restaurant powerhouse Chef Fei is finally making it to the U.S., opening a spot at Westfield UTC mall on September 5. Known for Hunan-style stir fry dishes, it’s often lauded as one of the most consistently solid chains in the world—in fact, in 2018 chef Fei Lianghui took home the highest honor a Chinese chef can earn, the China Golden Chef Award. Again, I don’t think mallgoers were hurting for great places to slurp some noodles, but there’s always room in my heart for more stir fry.
  • In past years, Fairmont Grand Del Mar didn’t exactly jump to mind when I looked for different Día de Muertos celebrations around San Diego. That changes this year, when the five-star resort will debut its first Día de Muertos celebration on November 1. Michelin-recognized chefs like Javier Plascencia (Erizo, Animalon), Roberto Alcocer (Valle), Drew Deckman (Deckman’s En El Mogor), and more will come from both sides of the border for one night only, with proceeds going to Fundación Tijuana Sin Hambre. Get ready for what will undoubtedly be San Diego’s most upscale take on the Mexican holiday.

Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.

Partner Content JUNE 25, 2026

Summer Nights at SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld dazzles with a drone show, big-name entertainers, new animal adventures and more 

Summer Nights at SeaWorld San Diego

Nights are heating up at SeaWorld San Diego. The quintessential summertime staple on Mission Bay is transforming into a destination for unforgettable day-to-night adventures, bringing back some of its most popular Summer Nights programming and introducing exciting new experiences sure to delight both kids and adults alike. 

The 2026 Summer Day to Night at SeaWorld San Diego is the park’s most ambitious season yet. SeaWorld has planned a highly anticipated entertainment lineup that features nine weeks of throwback concerts featuring R&B and hip‑hop favorites from the ‘90s and early 2000s, including Jordin Sparks, Too $hort and Warren G, Ashanti, and an array of boy band heartthrobs performing together as part of the Pop 2000 Tour. 

New this season is perhaps the park’s most visible update: a nightly drone show, Ocean of Dreams, which illuminates the sky with hundreds of synchronized sparklers. Drones form sea otters, sharks, dolphins, and a majestic orca that tell a breathtaking 12-minute story of marine life and underwater ecosystems. The show culminates with a spectacular electric neon finale celebrating hope, wonder, and ocean stewardship.

Nighttime visitors are also in store for animal adventures that fuse education with high-energy fun and the dreamy ambiance of nighttime. The park has launched two all-new animal presentations: Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up the Night and Dolphins: Touch the Sky. Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up the Night features vibrant lighting, music, and dynamic choreography that celebrates the power and beauty of killer whales. Dolphins: Touch the Sky showcases playful bottlenose dolphins and the special connection between humans and the natural world. And back by popular demand is fan-favorite Sea Lions Tonite. See the charming pinnipeds splash, play, and parody pop culture in this refreshed crowd-pleaser. 

More must-sees: a newly reimagined Shark Encounter, one of the country’s more immersive exhibits highlighting 11 different species up close, SeaWorld’s beloved BMX Blast! stunt show, and high-seas escapade, Pirates Ahoy! The Battle for Mermaid Cove. And don’t miss the park’s all-new Deep Sea Disco, which encourages guests to dance the night away under the glow of the SkyTower, and vibrant closing time laser light display Laser Reef Summer Spectacular. 

Amp up the nighttime vibe with local craft beers, curated cocktails, and nostalgic theme park treats with $1 beer all summer long. SeaWorld is the place for day to night summer fun. When the sun goes down, SeaWorld lights up, and inspires guests of all ages to embrace their inner whimsy and see why generations of San Diegans head to SeaWorld to make memories they’ll never forget. 

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