Staff Blog Entries

The Red House: new name, same sexy flatbread

These happy hour mini pizzas work great when you’ve still got a corner of your gut to fill

So glad these guys changed their name to Red House. Before it was Park Boulevard Wine and Pizza…see? I can’t ...

Cheapest meal in Oceanside – if you like shukkin’ peanuts

Pierview Pub or Pier View Coffee Co.? Choice is peanuts you shuck (free), or BBQ chicken sammies (cheap)

It’s the first thing you notice. When you come up from Oceanside’s pier at Pierview Way, you look to your ...

Kabob House: Tabouleh or not tabouleh?

That isn't the only luscious question at Golden Hill's newest kabobbery

Dang. Thought I was pioneering this place. It’s a kinda shrinking violet in the wedge of a strip mall you’d ...

Café Madrid: Two Austrian gentlemen compare coffees

“Today, it’s not really important”

It’s a “where were you” moment. Me, I was hanging around the Café Madrid coffee cart (1029 Orange Avenue, Coronado), ...

Little Italy: Mezcal, corn dogs rule at Art & Commerce

The 90-year-old art of making corn dogs is revived for the after-work crowd

"St. Germain?" says Christian. "The ketchup of cocktails." So wow. You know you’re in sophisticated circles just from that. He's ...

Santa Fe Depot: Rush job

Silver Streak has Ramirez, fastest chef in the west

On the road again. Hands are trembling. Heading for that dreaded Coaster ticket machine. There's hair on the platform all ...

Tilted Kilt: Go for the beans!

Hot spot next to Petco gives Dragon's Den a run for its money

Across the road from Dragon’s Den, and right outside Petco Park’s main eastern gates sits the Tilted Kilt (310 10th ...

Padres Opening Day: Dragon’s Den Vs. Tilted Kilt

Baseball bar battles: Opening shots (Bourbon or Saktea?)

They’ve closed off J Street between 6th and 10th Avenues for the baseballs season’s opening day block party. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/09/43462/ And ...

Tater tots and a tipple: Happy hour at downtown’s Beer Co.

Best way to appreciate prize-winners like their “Manhattan Project” beer, is to chomp spudlets, too.

Last time I popped in here to The Beer Company (602 W. 6th Avenue, at Broadway, downtown San Diego, 619-398-0707) ...

Babbo's Bar & Grille, Uptown: Back from the brink?

Some talk about insurance has customers hoping fire-damaged Babbo’s may reopen after all

Oh no. I’d been hoping that things may be starting up again by now… But Babbo’s Bar and Grille looks ...

Industrial Grind, Park Boulevard: This place will wreck your schedule

The talkingest café in Uptown can make you late for the rest of the day

“This is San Diego’s first veteran women-owned and operated café,” says Kathy. We’re in the back patio, looking at a ...

Coronado street taco wars: Costa Azul steps up to the plata!

Getting on-the-spot tacos on Orange Avenue just got easier – on Taco Tuesday

Carla – here for hair – is late. I’m standing outside Bay Books when I hear “Tacos! Tacos! Tacos!” Then ...

La Fachada Logan Heights: Gordita vs. mulita

But what’s with the Health Department shutting down outside cooking at Mexican eateries?

“Used heart for sale,” sing Los Tigres del Norte. “Because I just don’t want to mend it…” Aah. I can ...

The Lobby: Happy hour in a museum?

This must be the most historic room downtown, and I’m munching $3 fish tacos in here.

You kinda hesitate before you come in here. The building’s this big-arched monumental pile of stone with brass historic plaques, ...

Baja nights: At Los Cristales you eat while you're riding the wave

The restaurant on the rock serves the rich, the famous, and Ed

I happened on this burger totally accidentally. Never meant to come here. Had never heard if it. I’m way down ...

Swordfish at a gas station? El Venado, Chula Vista

Down by the Otay river, swordfish plays with Ed’s taste buds

I mean, come on. It’s a gas station. So how come I’m eating the most scrumptious swordfish taco I can ...

Monkey see, monkey brew: Center City’s Monkey Paw

For Guinness’ sake: Straight burger and no monkey business!

Yeah yeah yeah. It was the Jewel Box and now it’s Monkey Paw. Apart from that, same crowd, same sunset ...

Snooze you can use: Ping Pong tonight at Snooze, Hillcrest!

The breakfast eatery is staging its 2nd annual ping pong face-off. No food, plenty of booze

Hot news tonite! 5:00 p.m. [Friday 3/22] at Snooze, the pretty-new Hillcrest breakfast place (3940 5th Avenue, Hillcrest, 619-500-3344)... http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/mar/22/42388/ ...

Golden Hill’s Kafe Sobaka: What size borscht? Communist or Socialist?

Mark Djugashvili’s latest Georgian eatery has a funny take on East Meets West.

The happy hour deals (5-7pm daily) at Mark Djugashvili’s latest Georgian eatery, Kafe Sobaka (2469 Broadway, Golden Hill, 619-297-4007) are ...

Coronado: Healthy burgers at the hospital?

Well, there is plenty of lettuce...

On the island a lot recently. Carla’s seeing somebody from her childhood who's been in hospital here a couple of ...