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Island Prime, San Diego, CA
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Island Prime

$30 and under
Steakhouse

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 42 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for scenic views
  • Romantic
Resting on stilts atop San Diego Bay, Island Prime overlooks the city skyline and Coronado.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Deborah Scott

From the OpenTable editors: Meet San Diego’s only waterfront steakhouse: Island Prime’s unique location propped up on wooden stilts above San Diego Bay is reason enough to splurge here. And so is the premium surf-and-turf menu by award-winning chef Deborah Scott, featuring signatures like a filet trio with blue cheese, wild mushrooms, and Alaskan king crab.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Unspecified, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 17:00–21:00 Fri 17:00–21:30 Sat 16:00–21:30
  • Phone number
    (619) 298-6802
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Private party facilities
    Private dining room for up to 65 guests, with waterfront views.
  • Area
    Downtown / Gaslamp
  • Cross Street
    Harbor Island Dr
  • Parking details
    Valet parking is unavailable at this time.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Christmas Day Celebration

    US$94.95 per person

    25 Dec 2024 only
    Celebrate the joyous season while taking in views of the San Diego skyline. Island Prime and C-Level will be open from 12-7:30pm serving a special 3-course menu on Christmas Day. Try favorites such as Lobster Bisque Soup and Filet Mignon. Don't forget the Eggnog Cheesecake for dessert! Menu is priced at $94.95 for adults and $23.95 for kids, excluding tax, gratuity and surcharge. This reservation will be for indoor seating at Island Prime as well as the indoor section of C-Level Lounge. C-Level happy hour will not be offered on Christmas Day.
  • New Year's Eve Celebration

    US$99.95 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Ring in 2025 at Island Prime and C-Level! Celebrate the New Year with Chef Deborah Scott's delicious 3 course menu. Indulge in the Center Cut Filet Mignon or Cirtus Herb Crusted Salmon. Don't forget the Creme Brulee Cheesecake for dessert! Our NYE menus priced at $99.95 per person, $24.95 per child excluding tax, gratuity and surcharge. This reservation will be for indoor seating at Island Prime as well as the indoor section of C-Level Lounge. C-Level happy hour will not be offered on New Years Eve.

What 8,363 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Steakhouse

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Island Prime is a standout dining destination on Harbor Island, San Diego, offering "stunning ocean views" and a "panoramic view of the downtown skyline." Renowned for "great food and service," this steakhouse excels with "top-quality steaks" and delightful dishes. Enjoy a memorable meal in an "inviting and comfortable" ambiance.

8,364 Reviews
  1. Jim

    San Diego

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Many restaurants are cutting staff at the expense of customer service. Island Prime has an ample number of employees, all well trained, attentive, and efficient.

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  2. DavidH

    VIP

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Xmas eve family dinner Food quality was 5 stars highlights ahi tuna, fillets, lobster bisque, expresso martinis, Service 10 stars Scotty and crew were amazing . He/ they made the experience really special thanks to all Highly recommended Island Prime

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  3. Rachel

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went for Christmas Eve dinner. Exceeded expectations! Everything we ordered drinks and food wise was amazing. The service was super fast and attentive. We had Seth as our waiter :) Will definitely be back soon!

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  4. Brian

    San Diego

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Only thing I would complain about is that we had a 7:45 pm reservation and we didn’t sit till nearly 8:10 PM, that’s hard when you have a party of 13 standing in a small waiting area. Food prices have gone up quite a bit since I was there last, not sure if you’re really getting your moneys worth for the amount of food you get.

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  5. Robert

    E. Tennessee

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service, the food, the view…everything was extraordinary!! Be prepared to drop a couple hundred bucks or more, but it’s worth every cent for an incredible experience!

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  6. Albert

    VIP

    Palm Springs

    23 reviews

    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was outstanding. We had the surf and turf lobster meal. The lobster was great but the steak was dry.

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  7. Megan

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    AMAZING!!! From food to service!! Definitely doing another date night here

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  8. Elizabeth

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Thank you so much to the staff at Island Prime for making our night special. Food is always top notch. Shout out to Scotty!

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  9. Rob

    VIP

    San Diego

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server Chris was amazing. WE had the filet and main lobster special and it was delicious. I felt like I was back in New England. WE celebrated our anniversary and it was wonderful!

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  10. Kenneth

    VIP

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    3.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We have gone to Island Prime for the past 10 years or so to celebrate the holidays and December birthdays. I really look forward to our celebration. Generally, you can count on a steak place to at least meet expectations with regards to cooking requests. I think one time in the past, one steak wasn't cooked to our liking. This time, we ordered (4) filllet mignon's and the halibut catch of the day. The fish was dry and really not that good (should have gotten the tuna rare which we have gotten before). The steaks are excellent cuts and tasty, but when you pay for $60-$75 a steak you figure they would get most if not all of the steaks cooked right? We ordered (3) rare plus and (1) medium rare. The rare +'s were more like a medium rare + (closer to medium than to rare). The medium rare cut was cooked more like a rare cut and I found my self envying my sister's selection since she ordered the most well done of the quartet and got the least well done. Did our waiter ask, yes. Did we complain, no? Should we have expected more, yes? I just can't bring myself to complain when the staff were working hard and nor could I bring myself to dock my waiter and server when it comes to tipping, because the kitchen couldn't get it right and it is the holidays. I really like the ambiance and view at Island Prime and have eaten at nearly all of the Cohen restaurants multiple times over the past 20+ years and have nearly always had a great experience. However, it might be time to change to Ruth's Chris next year which is unfortunate. Not the same level of ambiance, but they always get the steaks done right.

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FAQs

Island Prime is rated 4.6 stars by 8363 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 42 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Island Prime

880 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Harbor Island Dr
  • Area
    Downtown / Gaslamp
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 17:00–21:00 Fri 17:00–21:30 Sat 16:00–21:30
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Unspecified, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet parking is unavailable at this time.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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