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17 San Diego Restaurants That Are Open on Mondays

Start your week off by dining out

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With prevailing staffing shortages across San Diego, finding a restaurant open on Mondays can be a difficult prospect. While it’s typically the slowest day of the week for restaurants, it’s also sometimes the only night off for many hospitality industry workers. Whether Monday is your “weekend” or you’re just too tired to cook at the start of the week, there are still some restaurants here to answer your cravings, serving everything from seafood and pasta to fried chicken and tacos. While not a comprehensive list, here’s a sampling of 17 restaurants open on Mondays.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Valentina Restaurant

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Influenced by European bistros, this casual neighborhood restaurant and wine bar is located along the 101 in Leucadia. Its eclectic menu has something for everyone, from fresh oysters to steak tartare, paella, and braised lamb.

Beeside Balcony

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Dine on its heated and covered balcony overlooking downtown Del Mar while enjoying a menu of Mediterranean and California cuisine that includes escargot, shrimp linguini, fried chicken, and seared scallops.

Pacific Catch

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This new addition to the UTC area is a Bay Area transplant that specializes in fresh seafood. Offering a full bar, the restaurant’s menu spans the gamut from sushi and tacos to poke, ceviche, and grilled fish plates.

Park Social

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Kearny Mesa is a bit of a mix of offices and light industry with a few residences in the vicinity. For those in the area looking for something to eat, consider Park Social. Attached to the Vive on the Park apartments, the restaurant serves tacos, avocado toast, grain salads, burgers, and sandwiches at the beginning of the week starting at 7 am.

RAKIRAKI Ramen & Tsukemen

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Most Japanese restaurants are notorious for being closed Mondays. If you’re craving ramen and other dishes, Rakiraki breaks tradition and is open at the beginning of the week with normal operating hours from 11 am to 11:30 pm for both their Convoy and Mira Mesa locations.  

Cross Street Chicken and Beer

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If the hankering for Korean fried chicken is strong, visit either of Cross Street’s Convoy or Carlsbad locations to get your fill. Monday service for both locations includes the lunch time and dinner hours. 

Great Maple - Hillcrest

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Diners have a reputation for being open 24/7, even on Mondays. If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, head to Great Maple at either their Hillcrest or La Jolla locations. Open on Monday for breakfast and lunch, the restaurant still garners a bit of a wait so reservations are recommended.

OB Noodle House & Sake Bar

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Finding a spot serving pho on Mondays isn’t too hard but you’ll be hard pressed to find one that was also featured on The Food Network. Aside from pho, the menu also includes wings, spring rolls, fried dumplings and a good-sized cocktail menu. 

Fort Oak

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Among the Trust Restaurant Group, Mission Hills’ Fort Oak is their only restaurant open on Mondays. It seems to be busy every night of the week but there’s a delicious reason to head in on Mondays. Starting from 5-7 pm, the restaurant features an Oyster Monday Happy Hour with $1 oysters, $8 glasses of rose or Spanish gin and tonic, and $15 half bottles of Prosecco. 

Encontro North Park

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If you’re near North Park, know that Encontro is open every day of the week for lunch and dinner. The specialities are grilled items like burgers and sausages complemented by 24 craft beers on tap. Even on a Monday, parking in the area can be tight. To help with that, validation is free at Ace Parking when you eat at the restaurant.

Cesarina

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Cesarina is open Monday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, meaning if you eat there for a week, you can mix and match the restaurant’s 12 different types of pasta (including a shape-of-the-day) plus eight different sauces without repeating. Given its popularity, reservations for Monday are recommended just in case.

Pali Wine Co.

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Unwind from a long weekend with a glass of wine from this Santa Barbara-based winery whose Little Italy tasting room and wine bar offers a menu of shareable snacks that includes Spanish-style tapas, cheese and charcuterie boards, and compelling salads.

People sitting on the front patio of Pali Wine Co. at night. Pali Wine Co.

Bencotto

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Bencotto is open for lunch every day of the week except on Mondays when they open a bit later at 4 pm, just in time for after-work drinks and snacks, and great time to grab coveted street parking in Little Italy. Reservations even for Mondays are still highly recommended.

Buona Forchetta - South Park

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Finding a pizzeria open on Mondays is an easy feat but a notable place that serves pizza, pasta, osso bucco and more is entirely different. All locations (South Park, Liberty Station, Encinitas) except for San Marcos are open on Mondays for your Italian cravings.

Turf Supper Club

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If you prefer grilling your own meats but having someone else do the cleaning, visit this Golden Hill institution on Mondays. Aside from Monday, it’s open every night of the week until 2 am except Wednesdays.

Werewolf

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Unless there’s a convention in San Diego that extends past the weekend, Mondays in the Gaslamp area tend to be quiet except at Werewolf American Pub. Open every day from 8 am until 2 am the next day, Werewolf slings out cocktails and serves popular dishes like bourbon burgers and wonton sliders.

Havana 1920

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Why not celebrate the start of the work week by visiting Havana 1920 for its happy hour specials? While the specials are available during the rest of the work week, the $2 croquetas, $3 papa rellanas and $6 for daiquiris and mojitos make it a must after-work visit if you’re anywhere near the Gaslamp.

Valentina Restaurant

Influenced by European bistros, this casual neighborhood restaurant and wine bar is located along the 101 in Leucadia. Its eclectic menu has something for everyone, from fresh oysters to steak tartare, paella, and braised lamb.

Beeside Balcony

Dine on its heated and covered balcony overlooking downtown Del Mar while enjoying a menu of Mediterranean and California cuisine that includes escargot, shrimp linguini, fried chicken, and seared scallops.

Pacific Catch

This new addition to the UTC area is a Bay Area transplant that specializes in fresh seafood. Offering a full bar, the restaurant’s menu spans the gamut from sushi and tacos to poke, ceviche, and grilled fish plates.

Park Social

Kearny Mesa is a bit of a mix of offices and light industry with a few residences in the vicinity. For those in the area looking for something to eat, consider Park Social. Attached to the Vive on the Park apartments, the restaurant serves tacos, avocado toast, grain salads, burgers, and sandwiches at the beginning of the week starting at 7 am.

RAKIRAKI Ramen & Tsukemen

Most Japanese restaurants are notorious for being closed Mondays. If you’re craving ramen and other dishes, Rakiraki breaks tradition and is open at the beginning of the week with normal operating hours from 11 am to 11:30 pm for both their Convoy and Mira Mesa locations.  

Cross Street Chicken and Beer

If the hankering for Korean fried chicken is strong, visit either of Cross Street’s Convoy or Carlsbad locations to get your fill. Monday service for both locations includes the lunch time and dinner hours. 

Great Maple - Hillcrest

Diners have a reputation for being open 24/7, even on Mondays. If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, head to Great Maple at either their Hillcrest or La Jolla locations. Open on Monday for breakfast and lunch, the restaurant still garners a bit of a wait so reservations are recommended.

OB Noodle House & Sake Bar

Finding a spot serving pho on Mondays isn’t too hard but you’ll be hard pressed to find one that was also featured on The Food Network. Aside from pho, the menu also includes wings, spring rolls, fried dumplings and a good-sized cocktail menu. 

Fort Oak

Among the Trust Restaurant Group, Mission Hills’ Fort Oak is their only restaurant open on Mondays. It seems to be busy every night of the week but there’s a delicious reason to head in on Mondays. Starting from 5-7 pm, the restaurant features an Oyster Monday Happy Hour with $1 oysters, $8 glasses of rose or Spanish gin and tonic, and $15 half bottles of Prosecco. 

Encontro North Park

If you’re near North Park, know that Encontro is open every day of the week for lunch and dinner. The specialities are grilled items like burgers and sausages complemented by 24 craft beers on tap. Even on a Monday, parking in the area can be tight. To help with that, validation is free at Ace Parking when you eat at the restaurant.

Cesarina

Cesarina is open Monday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, meaning if you eat there for a week, you can mix and match the restaurant’s 12 different types of pasta (including a shape-of-the-day) plus eight different sauces without repeating. Given its popularity, reservations for Monday are recommended just in case.

Pali Wine Co.

Unwind from a long weekend with a glass of wine from this Santa Barbara-based winery whose Little Italy tasting room and wine bar offers a menu of shareable snacks that includes Spanish-style tapas, cheese and charcuterie boards, and compelling salads.

People sitting on the front patio of Pali Wine Co. at night. Pali Wine Co.

Bencotto

Bencotto is open for lunch every day of the week except on Mondays when they open a bit later at 4 pm, just in time for after-work drinks and snacks, and great time to grab coveted street parking in Little Italy. Reservations even for Mondays are still highly recommended.

Buona Forchetta - South Park

Finding a pizzeria open on Mondays is an easy feat but a notable place that serves pizza, pasta, osso bucco and more is entirely different. All locations (South Park, Liberty Station, Encinitas) except for San Marcos are open on Mondays for your Italian cravings.

Turf Supper Club

If you prefer grilling your own meats but having someone else do the cleaning, visit this Golden Hill institution on Mondays. Aside from Monday, it’s open every night of the week until 2 am except Wednesdays.

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Werewolf

Unless there’s a convention in San Diego that extends past the weekend, Mondays in the Gaslamp area tend to be quiet except at Werewolf American Pub. Open every day from 8 am until 2 am the next day, Werewolf slings out cocktails and serves popular dishes like bourbon burgers and wonton sliders.

Havana 1920

Why not celebrate the start of the work week by visiting Havana 1920 for its happy hour specials? While the specials are available during the rest of the work week, the $2 croquetas, $3 papa rellanas and $6 for daiquiris and mojitos make it a must after-work visit if you’re anywhere near the Gaslamp.

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