It’s a first date… you’re nervous. Your outfit: fire. Your hair: on point. Cologne/perfume: not too strong. The last thing you should be stressing about is whether or not you chose the right place for a first date. With countless restaurants, neighborhoods, and bars to choose from, how can you possibly pick the perfect place? That’s where we have you covered.

For our purposes, we have attempted to break down the first date scene in San Diego into three distinct categories: Swanky, Standard, and Simple.

Before we begin this “choose your own adventure” of a date night, we need to assess the vibe. Making sure you nail the tone of the date is the best way to ensure there is a second one! My advice would be the following:

Swanky

This category is for the showstopper. Swanky dates should be reserved for the man/woman you are trying to IMPRESS. I’m talking that white whale… the one that got away. That cutie from algebra who you recently reconnected with and now he/she runs a Fortune 500 company and you have one shot, one opportunity like Eminem in that final rap battle in 8 Mile.

Standard

This category is for the classic date night connoisseur. This is you standard “I’m going to let my charm and wit win me a second date” kind of date night. Save these date night ideas for that person you’ve been vibing with on Hinge or Bumble for the past 3 weeks. Save these date night ideas for that friend of a friend that you got set up with.

Simple

This category is for the “the vibes were kinda cool, but also not quite there so I’m going to give it a shot because I’m only young once, right?” kind of date night. This category is reserved for the people who want the option of a clean getaway in case things go south, or the option to graduate up the ladder to a standard or swanky kind of engagement in the future.

Date Night Neighborhoods San Diego

Just like real estate, date nights are all about location, location, location. Generally speaking, San Diego can be delineated among neighborhoods based on what kind of date night vibe you’re looking for. A couple things you want to think about are:

  • Are there things to do nearby? (other bars, restaurants, activities?)
  • Is it easy to get to? (Ubers/Lyfts are PRICEY nowadays)
  • What restaurants are generally in that area?

From swanky to simple, here is a breakdown of date night areas depending on the tone you’re trying to convey (again, see above for more). Obviously, every neighborhood has high-end and low-end establishments, but bear with me:

Born and Raised (Little Italy)
Swanky Date Night Neighborhoods in San Diego
Downtown San Diego

Downtown San Diego is a special place, an urban jungle where the hole you’re burning in your wallet is made up for by the experience and memories you’re making… or something like that. Downtown is filled with swanky date night staples like:

Little Italy

Hands down my favorite date night spot in San Diego. There are a multitude of fine dining options to choose from in this neighborhood adjacent to Downtown. Little Italy is an excellent pick because it’s always POPPIN’ and there are so many more bars and restaurants to keep the night going (looking at you Waterfront) Some of my favorite swanky picks include:

Coronado

Coronado, the crown jewel of the San Diego Bay, is no stranger to fine dining. Coronado is a little more difficult to get to (over the bridge), but worth the effort for an unforgettable date night. Some of my favorite picks include:

Del Mar

Costal enclaves and fancy restaurants just seem to go together, and Del Mar is proof of that. Del Mar has a little bit of everything you could ever want on a fancy date night: nice cars at every light, a plethora of fine dining options, and plenty of mealtime entertainment in the form of sugar daddies and botox baddies. In all seriousness, Del Mar has some knockout spots like:

Nearby at One Paseo (technically Carmel Valley), you’ll find:

And no fine dining list would be complete without the granddaddy of them all… Addison. One of San Diego’s few Michelin starred restaurants.

La Jolla

Much like its northern neighbor, La Jolla and Del Mar have a lot of date night commonalities. Clientele leans more touristy in this area, but there’s no shortage of locals to be found, scurrying down from their hillside homes for a nice dinner in the village. Some highlights include:

Rancho Santa Fe

If you take a drive east of Del Mar, you’ll end up in one of the priciest zip codes in all of California, the historic and illustrious Rancho Santa Fe. Home to celebrities, entrepreneurs, and a lot of old money, Rancho Santa Fe is worth a drive around if you’ve never been. If you’re going for a fancy date night, focus on:

Buona Forchetta (South Park)
Standard Date Night Neighborhoods in San Diego
South Park

For a standard date night that checks all the boxes, look no further than South Park. This little, but mighty neighborhood has it all: walkable main street, knockout food and bar options, GREAT ambiance, and it’s centrally located in San Diego. Some of my favorites are:

Point Loma

I love Point Loma. It’s a melting pot of different people and personalities. You can find salty fishermen, military families, the suburban wealthy, and college kids all rolled into a neighborhood hugging the ocean. Some places to explore include:

Hillcrest

Hillcrest… the buzzing and diverse center of San Diego’s LGBT scene. Centrally located and teeming with different dining options, you could spend weeks exploring this neighborhood and not hit everything worthwhile. For all the options within walking distance, your best bets are:

Mission Hills

Sandwiched between Hillcrest and Old Town, Mission Hills is an oft-overlooked spot for a fun date night in San Diego. This neighborhood has all the perks of its neighbors, but with generally less congestion. A few Mission Hills restaurants to explore include:

Old Town

Got date night nerves? A little tequila never hurt… and tequila flows steadily in Old Town. There are countless restaurants, tequilarias, and bars, ready to make you a stiff margarita. For history buffs, Old Town is the birthplace of California and walking around the old adobe buildings is always a great post-dinner activity. Some highlights include:

La Mesa

La Mesa may not strike you as the most inspiring place to take a date (we’ve all heard the East County hate), but let me tell you: this place is a gem. Over the past 10 or so years, cheaper home prices have attracted a younger demographic in La Mesa and Spring Valley. With a younger demographic, the area has been revitalized with awesome restaurants and a sneaky good bar scene. Some places to consider are:

Encinitas

Encinitas is quintessential North County. From beautiful beaches to beautiful restaurants, to beautiful people… this place is, well, beautiful. Encinitas may strike some people as “sleepy” but it’s a lot more lively than you think. The demographics tend to trend younger (especially for restaurants on the 101) so there is always something happening. My favorite spots:

Carlsbad

Carlsbad is a bit of a wildcard. For many in San Diego, Carlsbad is merely a town you pass going north to LA or a place you visited to get your Lego fix as a kid. Yet, the recent resurgence of restaurants and bars in Downtown Carlsbad have made it worth the drive. If you decide to make the trek, you’ll be rewarded by the following:

Liberty Public Market (Liberty Station – Point Loma)
Simple Date Night Neighborhoods in San Diego
Pacific Beach

Pacific Beach! Known for dive bars, frat stars, and public intoxication, you’d be hard-pressed to find another area in San Diego so worthy for a simple date night. Pacific Beach is a choose your own adventure in itself. I can (barely) remember the times when a simple drink at Tavern turned into pounding vodka RedBull slushies at Shoreclub. Anyways, some simple and easy date spots in PB include:

Ocean Beach

Ahhh… Ocean Beach. The Woodstock of San Diego. If you look hard enough past the smoke clouds and gem sellers, you’ll find a fun and eclectic date night spot perfect for people watching. It goes without saying that the Ocean Beach Farmer’s Market is legendary, but their bar and restaurant scene isn’t half bad either. Some highlights include:

Liberty Station

Liberty Station, while technically in Point Loma, is almost a neighborhood in itself. The former Naval Training Center has been completely transformed into an arts, housing, and food district. The old buildings are a labyrinth fun to walk around and explore, giving you some options on extending the date… or escaping. Some highlights:

Convoy (Kearny Mesa)

If you have a craving for Asian food or want to relive your vacation/semester abroad in Japan, there is no better place in San Diego than Convoy. It’s personally been awesome to watch this place grow over the years. As a kid, it was mostly run-down warehouses and dingy strip malls, but now the area has absolutely blossomed. Some highlights include:

North Park

North Park! The home of hipsters and hops lovers. A neighborhood dedicated to craft beer, people who are dressed way cooler than you’ll ever be, and difficult parking. It’s nothing short of wonderful… and fun. For a date night, you can’t go wrong with:

Whew! That was a marathon of a post. I hope that this will help guide you on your next date night in San Diego. If worst comes to worst and none of these are inspiring enough, you can always take in a sunset and check out my picks for the best sunset spots in San Diego!

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