Pacific Beach
Loud, young, sunburned — with fish counters, surf breaks, and late nights.
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31 in total
Neighborhood DiningThe 8 Best Restaurants in Pacific Beach, Ranked8
Neighborhood GuidesThe 6 Best Things to Do in Pacific Beach, Ranked6
MexicanThe 10 Best Breakfast Burritos in San Diego10
RestaurantsThe 15 Best Restaurants in San Diego Right Now15
Pizza, Burgers & SandwichesThe 12 Best Burgers in San Diego, Ranked12
Bars & NightlifeThe 10 Best Cocktail Bars in San Diego10
Every list that covers Pacific Beach
Updated as places change- 8 rankedNeighborhood DiningThe 8 Best Restaurants in Pacific Beach, RankedUpdated Jul 27
- 6 rankedNeighborhood GuidesThe 6 Best Things to Do in Pacific Beach, RankedUpdated Jul 27
- 10 rankedMexicanThe 10 Best Breakfast Burritos in San DiegoUpdated Jul 19
- 15 rankedRestaurantsThe 15 Best Restaurants in San Diego Right NowUpdated Jul 31
- 12 rankedPizza, Burgers & SandwichesThe 12 Best Burgers in San Diego, RankedUpdated Aug 2
- 10 rankedBars & NightlifeThe 10 Best Cocktail Bars in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
6 rankedBars & NightlifeThe 6 Best Dive Bars in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
13 rankedMarketsThe 13 Best Farmers Markets in San Diego, by Day of the WeekUpdated Aug 2
14 rankedBars & NightlifeThe 14 Best Happy Hours in San Diego, RankedUpdated Aug 2
10 rankedThings to DoThe 10 Best Hotel Pool Day Passes in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
9 rankedThings to DoThe 9 Best Spas in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
12 rankedSushi & JapaneseThe 12 Best Sushi Restaurants in San Diego, RankedUpdated Aug 2
10 rankedOutdoors & Views10 Things to Do at Mission Bay ParkUpdated Aug 2
12 rankedBreakfast, Bakeries & SweetsThe 12 Best Breakfast and Brunch Spots in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 31
9 rankedBeachesThe 9 Best Family Beaches in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 30
8 rankedBeachesThe 8 San Diego Beaches With the Easiest Parking, RankedUpdated Jul 27
11 rankedBreakfast, Bakeries & SweetsThe 11 Best Bagels in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 27
7 rankedSurfing & WaterThe 7 Best Beginner Surf Spots in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 27
12 rankedPizza, Burgers & SandwichesThe 12 Best Pizzas in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 27
8 rankedOutdoors & ViewsThe 8 Best Sunset Spots in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 27
7 rankedSurfing & WaterThe 7 Best Surf Schools in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 27
9 rankedMexicanThe 9 Best Tacos in San DiegoUpdated Jul 27
10 rankedOutdoors & ViewsThe 10 Best Views in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 27
7 stopsItinerariesOne Perfect Day in San DiegoUpdated Jul 27
12 stopsItinerariesThe Perfect 3 Days in San DiegoUpdated Jul 27
11 stopsItinerariesThe Budget Weekend: San Diego for Under $150 a DayUpdated Jul 27
7 rankedSeafoodThe 7 Best Oyster Happy Hours in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 24
9 rankedSeafoodThe 9 Best Seafood Restaurants in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 24
10 rankedMexicanThe 10 Best Fish Tacos in San DiegoUpdated Jul 19
12 rankedBreakfast, Bakeries & SweetsThe 12 Best Ice Cream Shops in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 19
10 rankedSeafoodThe 10 Best Mariscos in San DiegoUpdated Jul 19
The neighborhood itself
27 verified places · 18 eat & drink and 13 things-to-do listsPacific Beach is San Diego at its loudest — a beach-bar town where the boardwalk runs on cruiser bikes and the party starts at brunch. Locals roll their eyes at Garnet Avenue, then quietly line up at Oscar's anyway. Come for the fish counters and the pier, stay for sunset at Kate Sessions, and know exactly what you signed up for after 10pm.
If you only do 5 things
1Oscar's Mexican Seafoodeat2The Grass Skirtdrink3Crystal Pierpier4Kate Sessions Parksunset5Kono's CafemorningKnow before you go
Parking: beach lots fill by mid-morning in summer — budget a residential-block hunt or bike in
Water: Tourmaline catches advisories after rain — check the county Beach & Bay status page first
Transit: Bus 30 from Old Town · stops at Crystal Pier
Where they are — 27 verified places
The index
Ranked places pulled from all 31 listsThe smoked fish taco is the whole reason to be here.
One burger, half a pound of it, packed loosely so the middle stays juicy, plus fries.
Milanese pizza is its own category: the crust rolled thin and crisp, one pie sized for one person.
A working market sits at the front, and the kitchen buys from it before anyone else gets a look.
Enormous burritos for almost no money, which is why the line reaches the sidewalk by mid-morning on a Saturday.
The entrance is hidden, and finding it is the first good thing that happens to you all night.
You walk out over the surf with a row of white cottages standing on the water right beside you.
The lawn tips downhill and the whole city is laid out underneath it: Mission Bay, the ocean, downtown, the Coronado Bridge, all from one blanket.
This is where PB keeps its longboarders. The waves come in slow, the lineup is full of people who have been surfing this same corner for generations, and the bl…