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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.6
4.6
1948 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

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2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
  • Romantic
The Godfather, a Balistreri restaurant, is an Italian monument in downtown San Diego providing authentic cuisine from the hills of Italy. Established in 1974, The Godfather is a sophisticated and classy establishment that centers around generational recipes from both Northern and Southern Italy. Over the years, the quality of food and standard of service has never declined and thus garnered The Godfather a national recognition as one of the top twenty-five Italian restaurants in the entire nation. The menu is filled with classic favorites based in steak, chicken and pasta. For an intimate evening for two, try the Sicilian kiss prix fixe meal that includes a bottle of champagne.

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00–14:30 Dinner Tue–Thu 17:00–21:30 Fri 17:00–22:00 Sat 16:00–22:00 Sun 16:00–21:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Isidoro Balistreri
  • Area
    Kearny Mesa
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,948 people are saying

The Godfather Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Romantic

  • San Diego

    Great for fine wines

  • San Diego

    Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Godfather Restaurant offers "impeccable service" and "delicious food" in a charming "old school" Italian setting. Guests rave about the "phenomenal service" and "fantastic" menu, with standout dishes like calamari and lasagna. The ambiance, complemented by live piano music, delivers an "authentic Italian experience," making it a must-visit.
1,948 Reviews
  1. Amber VIP

    Nashville13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a wonderful restaurant with superb food and service. The live piano music was a very nice addition. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great Italian meal

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  2. Patrick

    San Diego35 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 25 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Impeccable service, delicious food with ample portions, and an elegant "old school" environment.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 22 March 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our server Juan is the best. He was great. Even the owner was there. 50 years and even better than I remember. The food was better than Rome. My only complaint are the $75 specials and the $50+ wine selection. We'd come back weekly but can't afford it. The bill was $228. And Tony Soprano would be disappointed because of the dress code. I saw a couple characters in the cowboy hats on and some guy walking in with shorts.

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  4. Kathy VIP

    San Diego43 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 16 March 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    So DISAPPOINTED :( We have been going to the Godfather Restaurant since 1986 and tonight was such a disappointment. They reduced their menu, took off all of our favorite items and the entrees we chose were not the same! The chicken Florentina was rubbery, the Bolognese pasta was greasy and the Alfredo was tasteless. The special was ribeye, and it had a lot of gristle. I'm not sure what happened to the food here, this was always our "go to" for a great night out. It pains me to say we probably won't go back. Thanks for the memories. Waaaaah....

    1 person found this helpful

  5. OpenTable Diner VIP

    San Diego6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 15 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was great. Dessert was fresh. Music was great. Cozy environment.

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  6. Janel

    San Francisco10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and delicious food. Piano is a lovely touch. Really wonderful experience.

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  7. Chris VIP

    San Diego31 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 14 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great Italian ambience. Incredible service. Menu is incredible and the Fettuccine Alfredo was great. Reasonable pricing. Only minor complaint was the music was a bit loud for an uncrowded early lunch. We’ll be back for dinner soon.

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  8. John VIP

    San Diego47 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 14 March 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The Chicken Parma, vegetables, and pasta side were barely warm.

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  9. Jackie

    Kansas City8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 12 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A little slow on taking drink orders and getting us menus but our waiter apologized and made the experience better. The Blue Crab ravioli was incredible.

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  10. Kathleen VIP

    San Diego15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 11 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A very pleasant experience. Excellent service, menu and drink selection. All our meals were exceptional. The tiramisu was amazing and the best we ever tasted.

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FAQs

The Godfather Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (858) 560-1747.

The Godfather Restaurant is rated 4.6 stars by 1948 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Kearny Mesa

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for The Godfather Restaurant

7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Area
    Kearny Mesa
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00–14:30 Dinner Tue–Thu 17:00–21:30 Fri 17:00–22:00 Sat 16:00–22:00 Sun 16:00–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Isidoro Balistreri
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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