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What is it? A buzzy restaurant with a lively after-dinner bar scene for the 30 and up crowd. The restaurant’s award-winning architecture and design pays tribute to late congressman William Kettner, known as the founding father of modern San Diego.
Why we love it: This scene-y Little Italy restaurant draws a fashionable young crowd with daybeds, cocktails and shareable plates. The handsome bi-level space features a ground-floor dining room and an upstairs lounge linked by a towering indoor tree, but the best seats in the house are the semi-private cabanas on the rooftop terrace. Wherever you get settled, you’ll find an upbeat crowd swaying to tunes from a live DJ and mingling over tables strewn with spicy shrimp, tuna sashimi, and duck meatballs.
Time Out tip: Make a dinner reservation here and when you’re finished eating, head to the rooftop for cocktails with a view of the busy street below. Note: A dress-code is enforced after 9pm. Be sure to check their website for special events like KEX Fest, an all-inclusive food and drink festival with photo booths, silent disco, pop-up bars and other cool activations.
Address: 2001 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101
Opening hours: Mon–Wed 5pm–midnight; Thu 5pm–“late;” Fri, Sat 5pm–1am; Sun 11am–midnight
Expect to pay: Most small plates are around $20. Plan for two to three small plates per person.