The freedom you will experience when you become a member of the Carefree Boat Club is almost indescribable, but you have to know we will try! After throwing the financial pitfalls of owning your own boat out the window and signing up to enjoy whichever boat grabs your interest, spending your free time on the waters of San Diego will be your new addiction. Although you could pack sandwiches or other picnic style food to enjoy out on the bay when hunger pangs strike, we have compiled this guide to our favorite waterfront San Diego restaurants for that all-important midday meal!
Water Grill San Diego, 615 J Street
This is the second Water Grill in California— the original is based in LA—so you have to expect this peaceful water spot to have a hip vibe that is normal to its home town, and you would be right! Offering leather banquets, comfy bar stools, and the occasional leather “reading” chair, the décor is as stylish as its seafood-centric menu is delicious, and if you don’t feel like staying and enjoying the views, they offer take out you can devour on the deck of your Carefree Boat Club watercraft.
Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill, 3667 India Street & 5083 Santa Monica Avenue 1B
Open for lunch and dinner, the Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill is deservedly proud of its Mexican style seafood menu, offering dishes that will soon be your favorites, including seafood cocktails, jumbo shrimp tacos, and even sashimi appetizers. Blue Water actually has two waterfront locations, so depending on where your boat journey is taking you, you can visit either one of these tasty spots and not feel like you are missing out!
C Level Lounge, 880 Harbor Island Drive
Also open for lunch and dinner, the C Level Lounge is known for its refreshing blend of surf and turf dishes, but our favorite meal they have to offer is the Lobster & Fontina BLT. We are creatures of habit, and the seafood is so sweet in Southern California that we never get tired of eating it! The views from C Level overlook Coronado Island, and there are no bad seats, but this is a popular spot, so you might want to make reservations and not just drop in unexpectedly—unless you are willing to wait a while, that is! If you are still out and about at dinner, Island Prime Dinner is open Wednesdays through Sunday from 5 PM until 9 PM; try their steak and lobster dinner and you will never go anywhere else!
Waterfront Bar & Grill, 2044 Kettner Boulevard
Every restaurant we feature in this article promises to offer something special for lunch and dinner, but the Waterfront Bar & Grill does not stop at those two meals; they offer breakfast and brunch on the weekends! Serving your favorite pub foods anytime of the day and breakfast choices that include country fried steak and a Deluxe Burrito stuffed full of eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, cheese, hash browns, avocado, and honey chipotle sauce, this unique restaurant is the oldest tavern in town. They also offer take out if you want to bring it back to the boat, but we think the dining experience you will enjoy at the Waterfront Bar & Grill is as important as the meals they serve, so why not stay a while? Your Carefree Boat Club cabin cruiser will be right there, waiting for you upon your return!
Water Bar, 4325 Ocean Boulevard
The delicious lunch stories keep coming, and Water Bar, another local favorite that serves brunch on the weekends, has everything you dreamed a great bar and restaurant could have! Enjoy their daily specials (Tuesdays are all about tacos, taps, and tequilas!) or just stop by for a warm and gooey Warm Brown Butter Blueberry Tart when the urge for sweets can no longer be resisted. Famous for their lobster rolls on the lunch and dinner menu and loved for their Hangover Burger on their weekend brunch menu, we have pretty much tried every dish they offer and can honestly say they know what they are doing in the kitchen!
Mitch’s Seafood, 1403 Scott Street
The boating life is addictive, and if you are curious about the work those who make their living off the sea, lunch at Mitch’s Seafood is the best way to do so! Offering a strong seafood-centric menu and the opportunity to watch the fishing boats bring in their catch’s, you might want to dock a little early, just to watch the show! After the last boat trails in and empties its bags of fish, clams, or other sea creatures they have caught, you can head to Mitch’s patio and enjoy a sample of what you just saw. The seafood offered here is locally caught and more than likely arrived via one of the boats you were just watching earlier in the day!
You Could Drive to All These San Diego Restaurants
Manning the helm of one of our Carefree Boat Rentals water vessels is much more fun than driving, and if you aren’t a member yet, what’s keeping you? Sign up with us today!
