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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.7
4.7
1899 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 24 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Romantic
  • Great for fine wines
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.

Order delivery or takeout

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
    (858) 560-1747
  • 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 1,899 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
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Godfather Restaurant offers a charming old-school Italian dining experience with "fabulous food" and "very friendly waiters." Long-time patrons praise its "superb Italian food" and "wonderful atmosphere." Despite recent ownership changes, the restaurant maintains its "classic Italian service" and "delicious meals," making it a popular choice for special occasions and romantic dinners.

1,899 Reviews
  1. Lynn

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    47 reviews

    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service were wonderful . We were in a back room which was very noisy when the tables were all full. But otherwise a great dinner and fun restaurant!

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  2. JAN

    VIP

    San Diego

    40 reviews

    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Fabulous to know still as good as ever . Yeah we will be back again

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  3. Marcia

    VIP

    San Diego

    31 reviews

    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Eric was a fantastic server. Food was delicious and good portion sizes. Outstanding classy restaurant that never disappoints. Thank you for continuing to be a favorite for special occasions.

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  4. wayne

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent service food and a nice atmosphere. Parking is a problem and the only negative about going here

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  5. Bianca

    VIP

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    They were perfect from start to finish and the food is impeccable

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  6. Chris

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Had a lovely time. Food and service were excellent.

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  7. Brad

    VIP

    San Diego

    79 reviews

    4.0

    79 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The Godfather is a classic. Beautiful, great menu & service. The linguine & clams are excellent. Go!

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  8. Craig

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 12 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant is iconic for a very good reason. Everything was over the top spectacular: the cocktails, food, service. And, they have a piano bar! Out of all the restaurants in San Diego, I chose this place to celebrate my birthday… that’s saying something!

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  9. James

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 11 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent as always! Food was 10/10 as was the service!

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  10. Tom

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 11 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great Experience … Food, Service, Drinks, a must go to outside of little Italy for some Quality Italian food. 

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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 4.7 stars by 1899 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 24 times today

Order delivery or takeout

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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