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Where to Eat Steak in San Diego

These are the best steakhouses in town

by Jackie Bryant
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by Jackie Bryant

With a slew of new openings during 2018, it’s safe to say that San Diego is having a steakhouse revival. With a revolving door of tourist crowds, late-night crowds, conference-goers and old school fine dining fans in town, there’s a steakhouse for every kind of carnivore in town. Whether one is looking for more of a party atmosphere or just wants to stick to the classics, here are the best places to eat steak in San Diego.

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Larsen's Steakhouse

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New to UTC during 2018 was Larsen’s Steakhouse, an upscale steakhouse chain that opened its first San Diego location in Westfield UTC.

4301 La Jolla Village Dr # 1050, San Diego, CA 92122
(858) 886-7561
(858) 886-7561
Yelp

Donovan's Steak & Chop House

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One of the OGs of eating steak in San Diego, Donovan’s has two locations in La Jolla and the Gaslamp. Fire pits and an outdoor patio round out the La Jolla location, providing the best ambiance about of the two.

1250 Prospect St C10, La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 450-6666
(858) 450-6666
donovan’s

The Butcher Shop

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When one walks through the doors of this old-school restaurant, serenaded by 1950’s hits and enveloped into the dark interior, it feels like a step back into time. This classic Chicago-style steakhouse is perfect for both a decadent family meal or a special night out. Regulars know the prime rib is the thing to order.

5255 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-2272
(858) 565-2272
Yelp

Also featured in:

Dae Jang Keum Korean BBQ

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In a section of the city awash in Korean barbecue places, Dae Jang Keum is the best for the high quality of meat served as well as the charcoal grill—everywhere else uses gas grills.

7905 Engineer Rd, San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 573-2585
(858) 573-2585
Saska’s

Saska's

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After a massive interior renovation, which was completed in early 2017, The Patio Group’s Mission Beach steakhouse is back and swankier than ever. The menu serves a variety of dishes, but the main focus are its steaks.

3768 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 488-7311
(858) 488-7311

Bully's East Prime Bistro Sports Bar

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Bully’s is a true stalwart in San Diego’s restaurant scene—it’s been open since 1967 and is still going strong. The interior is mix of cocktail lounge and sports bar and the extensive menu offers a good variety of meat dishes, like the filet mignon, top sirloin, prime rib, rib eye steaks, and porterhouse steaks in cuts ranging from 8 oz. to 38 oz.

2401 Camino del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 291-2665
(619) 291-2665

Born and Raised

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The flashiest steakhouse in town is undoubtedly Consortium Holdings’ Born and Raised, which opened to great fanfare during the end of 2017. Known for its high-end cocktails and dry-aged steaks, this is one of the places to see and be seen in San Diego, as well.

1909 India St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 202-4577
(619) 202-4577

Also featured in:

Island Prime

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With tables that look across to the downtown skyline, this bayfront spot wins best steakhouse with a view by a mile. Bonus feature: Their “Dock & Dine” program allows guests to conveniently dock their boats at the adjacent Sunroad Marina and head over to the restaurant to eat.

880 Harbor Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 298-6802
(619) 298-6802
Island Prime

Also featured in:

Turf Supper Club

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Steeped in history, the Turf Supper Club is San Diego’s original DIY steakhouse with its self-service communal grill. The place oozes old school charm and serves potently classic drinks alongside food specials like a $14.75 marinated garlic New York Strip steak, top sirloin for $8.75, and Surf and Turf for $13.25. 

1116 25th St, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 234-6363
(619) 234-6363
Turf Club

Also featured in:

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse

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Del Frisco’s is an east coast upscale steakhouse chain that opened its first west coast location in San Diego during 2018. The flashy, two-level restaurant is in the new Intercontinental San Diego hotel and is particularly known for its Double Eagle chop, which comes with a numbered medallion.

901 Bayfront Ct Suite 105, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 272-5060
(619) 272-5060
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle dining room Heartwork Hill

Also featured in:

Rei Do Gado Brazilian Steak House & Seafood

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With such a large Brazilian community in San Diego it’s no surprise that the city has a number of solid Brazilian steakhouses. Rei Do Gado is the oldest and consistently earns high marks for its high quality cuts.

939 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 702-8464
(619) 702-8464
Yelp

STK San Diego

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With a years-long anticipated opening, STK finally opened in the Gaslamp during 2018. The lounge-slash-steakhouse concept arrived to San Diego via New York, Los Angeles and other locations around the country.

600 F St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 354-5988
(619) 354-5988
A row of sliders at STK J Public Relations

Also featured in:

Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop

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Many steak-lovers in town will unabashedly claim Cowboy Star as their favorite for their high quality chops, creative cocktails and top notch butcher shop, which is inside the restaurant.

640 Tenth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 450-5880
(619) 450-5880
Facebook

Also featured in:

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

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Flemings is one of the core old school San Diego steakhouses—this location, right near Petco Park in the Gaslamp, is ideal for business dinners.

380 K St at, #4th, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-1155
(619) 237-1155

Lou & Mickey's

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Lou & Mickey’s has added a state-of-the-art dry-aging room to allow it to dry-age its primals on-site. The Gaslamp steakhouse is now aging cuts onsite for 30, 45 and 60 days in its pink Himalayan salt block-lined, temperature controlled room. The meat is also now butchered daily on premises, with three butchers employed at the restaurant to do so. The steaks are from Double R Ranch, located in the Okanogan region of Washington State.

224 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-4900
(619) 237-4900

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Larsen's Steakhouse

4301 La Jolla Village Dr # 1050, San Diego, CA 92122

New to UTC during 2018 was Larsen’s Steakhouse, an upscale steakhouse chain that opened its first San Diego location in Westfield UTC.

4301 La Jolla Village Dr # 1050, San Diego, CA 92122
(858) 886-7561
(858) 886-7561
Yelp

Donovan's Steak & Chop House

1250 Prospect St C10, La Jolla, CA 92037

One of the OGs of eating steak in San Diego, Donovan’s has two locations in La Jolla and the Gaslamp. Fire pits and an outdoor patio round out the La Jolla location, providing the best ambiance about of the two.

1250 Prospect St C10, La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 450-6666
(858) 450-6666
donovan’s

The Butcher Shop

5255 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA 92123

When one walks through the doors of this old-school restaurant, serenaded by 1950’s hits and enveloped into the dark interior, it feels like a step back into time. This classic Chicago-style steakhouse is perfect for both a decadent family meal or a special night out. Regulars know the prime rib is the thing to order.

5255 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-2272
(858) 565-2272
Yelp

Dae Jang Keum Korean BBQ

7905 Engineer Rd, San Diego, CA 92111

In a section of the city awash in Korean barbecue places, Dae Jang Keum is the best for the high quality of meat served as well as the charcoal grill—everywhere else uses gas grills.

7905 Engineer Rd, San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 573-2585
(858) 573-2585
Saska’s

Saska's

3768 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109

After a massive interior renovation, which was completed in early 2017, The Patio Group’s Mission Beach steakhouse is back and swankier than ever. The menu serves a variety of dishes, but the main focus are its steaks.

3768 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 488-7311
(858) 488-7311

Bully's East Prime Bistro Sports Bar

2401 Camino del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108

Bully’s is a true stalwart in San Diego’s restaurant scene—it’s been open since 1967 and is still going strong. The interior is mix of cocktail lounge and sports bar and the extensive menu offers a good variety of meat dishes, like the filet mignon, top sirloin, prime rib, rib eye steaks, and porterhouse steaks in cuts ranging from 8 oz. to 38 oz.

2401 Camino del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 291-2665
(619) 291-2665

Born and Raised

1909 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

The flashiest steakhouse in town is undoubtedly Consortium Holdings’ Born and Raised, which opened to great fanfare during the end of 2017. Known for its high-end cocktails and dry-aged steaks, this is one of the places to see and be seen in San Diego, as well.

1909 India St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 202-4577
(619) 202-4577

Island Prime

880 Harbor Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92101

With tables that look across to the downtown skyline, this bayfront spot wins best steakhouse with a view by a mile. Bonus feature: Their “Dock & Dine” program allows guests to conveniently dock their boats at the adjacent Sunroad Marina and head over to the restaurant to eat.

880 Harbor Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 298-6802
(619) 298-6802
Island Prime

Turf Supper Club

1116 25th St, San Diego, CA 92102

Steeped in history, the Turf Supper Club is San Diego’s original DIY steakhouse with its self-service communal grill. The place oozes old school charm and serves potently classic drinks alongside food specials like a $14.75 marinated garlic New York Strip steak, top sirloin for $8.75, and Surf and Turf for $13.25. 

1116 25th St, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 234-6363
(619) 234-6363
Turf Club

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse

901 Bayfront Ct Suite 105, San Diego, CA 92101

Del Frisco’s is an east coast upscale steakhouse chain that opened its first west coast location in San Diego during 2018. The flashy, two-level restaurant is in the new Intercontinental San Diego hotel and is particularly known for its Double Eagle chop, which comes with a numbered medallion.

901 Bayfront Ct Suite 105, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 272-5060
(619) 272-5060
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle dining room Heartwork Hill

Rei Do Gado Brazilian Steak House & Seafood

939 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

With such a large Brazilian community in San Diego it’s no surprise that the city has a number of solid Brazilian steakhouses. Rei Do Gado is the oldest and consistently earns high marks for its high quality cuts.

939 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 702-8464
(619) 702-8464
Yelp

STK San Diego

600 F St, San Diego, CA 92101

With a years-long anticipated opening, STK finally opened in the Gaslamp during 2018. The lounge-slash-steakhouse concept arrived to San Diego via New York, Los Angeles and other locations around the country.

600 F St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 354-5988
(619) 354-5988
A row of sliders at STK J Public Relations

Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop

640 Tenth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Many steak-lovers in town will unabashedly claim Cowboy Star as their favorite for their high quality chops, creative cocktails and top notch butcher shop, which is inside the restaurant.

640 Tenth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 450-5880
(619) 450-5880
Facebook

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

380 K St at, #4th, San Diego, CA 92101

Flemings is one of the core old school San Diego steakhouses—this location, right near Petco Park in the Gaslamp, is ideal for business dinners.

380 K St at, #4th, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-1155
(619) 237-1155

Lou & Mickey's

224 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Lou & Mickey’s has added a state-of-the-art dry-aging room to allow it to dry-age its primals on-site. The Gaslamp steakhouse is now aging cuts onsite for 30, 45 and 60 days in its pink Himalayan salt block-lined, temperature controlled room. The meat is also now butchered daily on premises, with three butchers employed at the restaurant to do so. The steaks are from Double R Ranch, located in the Okanogan region of Washington State.

224 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-4900
(619) 237-4900

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