Books + Records

Name: Books + Records
Address: 2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA, United States, 92101
Telephone: (619) 795-1000
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

376 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Make a booking

2 people

21 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 50 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighbourhood gem
Great for creative cocktails
Charming

Global inspired American cuisine, craft cocktails, and weekend brunch in an upbeat atmosphere, with live music.

Chef Ryan Stickel is serving up San Diego's freshest food takes in an art deco meets mid-century mod warehouse space. With a tenured run on both Eater's Heat Map and list of San Diego's Hottest Cocktail Bars, the food and drinks are both guaranteed to delight your senses.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Cocktail Bar, Californian
Hours of Operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 17:00–21:00 Fri, Sat 17:00–22:00
Phone number
(619) 795-1000
Website
http://booksandrecordsbar.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Sam Deckman
Catering
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
Private party facilities
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.

Location
2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Area
Banker's Hill
Cross Street
Ivy St & Fourth Ave in Bankers Hill
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

NYE "Studio 54" Dinner + Mirror-Ball-Drop Party
US$25.00 per person
Prepaid
31 Dec 2024 only
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Studio 54 style at Books & Records! Step into the glitz and glam of the disco era with an elegant four-course dinner ($75) featuring bold, modern flavors inspired by the 1970s, as you groove to a live three-piece band. Dress in disco chic or 1970s cocktail attire. Enhance your evening with Disco Sips ($50), a curated pairing perfectly matched to each course. Your night also includes access to the Mirror-Ball-Drop Party for $25 ($10 below door price) featuring a live DJ, passed hors d'oeuvres, and a complimentary midnight toast! Party starts at 10PM. A $25 deposit secures your reservation, refundable with 48 hours’ notice. A 20% gratuity will be added for a seamless experience. Don’t miss this night—book now!
New Year's Eve "Studio 54" Dinner
US$25.00 per person
Prepaid
31 Dec 2024 only
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Studio 54 style at Books & Records! Step into the glitz and glam of the disco era with an elegant four-course dinner ($75) featuring bold, modern flavors inspired by the 1970s, as you groove to a live three-piece band. Dress in disco chic or 1970s cocktail attire. Enhance your evening with Disco Sips ($50), a curated pairing perfectly matched to each course. A $25 deposit secures your reservation, refundable with 48 hours’ notice. A 20% gratuity will be added for a seamless experience. Don’t miss this night—book now!
NYE Mirror-Ball-Drop Party
US$45.25 per person
Prepaid
31 Dec 2024 only
Celebrate the new year with us in true Studio 54 fashion at the Mirror-Ball-Drop Party at Books and Records! Dance into 2025 with a live DJ spinning disco hits, savor passed hors d’oeuvres, and enjoy a complimentary sparkling midnight toast! The party starts at 10PM! Dress in disco chic or 1970s cocktail attire—sequins, shimmer, and bold looks encouraged—for a glamorous finish to your night. Please note purchases are non-refundable with less than 48 hours notice of cancellation. Come join the party and ring in the new year with style!

What 376 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Books + Records in San Diego is a vibrant culinary destination offering inventive dishes and creative cocktails. Guests rave about the "exceptional service" and lively atmosphere, often featuring live music. Signature dishes like the duck Benedict and short rib hash shine, while the ambience is described as "wonderful" and "fabulous." Perfect for brunch or a special dinner, this spot is a must-visit.

376 Reviews

K
Kim
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a lovely time. The service was top notch as everyone was friendly and attentive. The local sea-bass was amazing! The drinks were creative and stiff! Would definitely go back again!
Is this helpful?
B
Bernardo
VIP
Dallas
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
2nd time here, still awesome. Burger is incredible and drinks top notch!
Books + RecordsResponded 2 days ago
Hi! Thanks so much for such kind review. We can't wait to see you again soon, please do say hello next time you join us. Brooke Chief of Staff :)
Is this helpful?
n
nichole
VIP
San Diego
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 12 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love this place! Service is always amazing. Went for brunch for the first time and will for sure be back. The Turkish eggs and short rib hash were awesome. A nice difference from the typical brunch items. Joey took great care of us! Was also here for dinner earlier in the week with friends and as always, it was amazing. I love sharing all of the different plates. Alex was as always the best!
Books + RecordsResponded 2 days ago
Nichole, Thanks for taking the time to leave this wonderful review! Joey and Alex are both incredible and key parts of our team so hearing this makes me so happy. I'm glad you were able to swing by for both our Brunch and Dinner offerings. You'll just have to try our Happy Hour and $9 after 9PM menu next. Please say hello when you're here again :)
Is this helpful?
A
Angela
Los Angeles
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 8 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service, wonderful and creative food, bottomless mimosas
Is this helpful?
S
Shez
Atlanta Metro
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 6 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Ryan served an amazing tasting menu. 10/10 would come back
Is this helpful?
D
Daniel
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 6 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Chef's Tasting Experience was one of the best dining experiences we've had. There was so much thought and creativity put into each dish, and the drink pairing was a solid 10/10. Our favorite was the Beef Carpaccio paired with a Davis Bynum wine, it was simply remarkable ! Food aside, the staff here are very personable and give a lot of attention to detail. Brooke was very welcoming at the front and set a tone of hospitality that would continue to grow throughout the night. Our server Dalton was friendly and passionate about the menu, even giving us a bit if background about our favorite drink, the Tea's Knees. Chef Ryan also came by to ask about our experience at the end, where we had nothing but compliments to give. And if you ever get the chance to talk with the owner, Anderson, you'll find he has a wealth of knowledge on anything you would want to know about your dish !
Is this helpful?
A
Ana Paula
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 5 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My server was super friendly and totally in top of it! She let us talk when we were talking and offered amazing recommendations! I’ve been wanting to try Books and Records in a long time and had a lot of expectations built up! Guess what! Above and beyond! Loved my server, the food and ambiance! Last, but not the least, loved the playlist it was in tonight! Easy listening, 2000’s fun jams. I will definitely return for more ❤️
Is this helpful?
B
Bernardo
VIP
Dallas
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 1 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What an incredible restaurant!! Food is magazine worthy and mixology as well! Incredible flavors to share with people. Will definitely go back soon!
Books + RecordsResponded on 2 December 2024
Bernardo! I can't tell you how much we appreciate this review, I can't wait to pass it along to our Chef's and Bar team who all work hard to deliver offerings we are so proud of! Can't wait to see you again soon :)
Is this helpful?
D
Daniela
San Diego
23 reviews
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on 30 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent brunch! Loved the atmosphere and service.
Is this helpful?
M
Margaret
VIP
Los Angeles
17 reviews
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on 28 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food. Great service!!!! Excellent Happy hour menu. Also tried several regular menu items.
Books + RecordsResponded on 2 December 2024
Margaret, Thanks so much for leaving such a kind review. I am pleased our happy hour offerings were a hit! Can't wait to welcome you back into the space soon :)
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Books + Records is rated 4.7 stars by 376 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

21 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 50 times today

Experiences are available.

2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

Cross Street
Ivy St & Fourth Ave in Bankers Hill
Area
Banker's Hill
Hours of Operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 17:00–21:00 Fri, Sat 17:00–22:00
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Cocktail Bar, Californian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Sam Deckman
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://booksandrecordsbar.com/
Phone number
(619) 795-1000
Catering
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
Private party facilities
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.

Books + Records

Make a booking

Additional information

Experiences

NYE "Studio 54" Dinner + Mirror-Ball-Drop Party

New Year's Eve "Studio 54" Dinner

NYE Mirror-Ball-Drop Party

Menu

What 376 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Books + Records restaurant rated?

Is Books + Records currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information