Chris Is Visiting So Cal Some Advice Please

[Chris_H]

I’ll be heading out to Southern California for vacation in the next few weeks.  We will be staying in Santa Monica for 3 nights, San Diego for 2 nights and then back to Beverly Hills for a night.  

We will be checking out a Dodgers game, the San Diego Zoo, and Jimmy Kimmel.  

Any one got any good ideas for restaurants in the cities I have mentioned?  I don’t mind to drive a little bit.  Looking for a some good breakfast joints for locals.

So this stays on the main board, anyone have any recommendations on where I can test soak a Haven Spa in the Southern California area?

[Vinny]

I went to Santa Monica about 18 years ago and we went to a great fish place, it was a grilling place that had a grill in the center of the room. I don't know if it is still in existance as things change but if there's someone here who knows of it and it is still there (and great) I would recommend it.

[Johnny D]

Two suggestions:
Planet Raw http://www.planetraw.com/
If you haven;t tried raw food, you're in for a treat if you are up for something totally different.  Check out their website.

More traditional and one of my favorites, just north in Mailbu is Gladstone's 4 Fish
http://www.gladstones.com/
It's right on the beach, great seaford and very casual.  Lunch and early dinner are my faorite times. Be sure and order the She Crab soup.  It's to die for.  After your meal, take a leisurely stroll along the beach.  Just there a couple of weeks ago and saw dolphins.

Let me know how it works out, PM me.

[Brookenstein]

Sorry I just live here... I never go out.  Never even been to LA.

[geekd]

Breakfast in San Diego: Kono's in Pacific Beach: 704 Garnet Ave, 92109.  Take Garnet Ave all the way to the ocean, walk out to the beach at the pier, and look right.  Get one of the breakfast sandwiches.

Dinner in San Diego: South Beach in Ocean Beach: http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/profiles/places/258279 The best seafood and fish tacos I've ever had, anywhere. Ice cold beer.  Reasonable prices.  Get the grilled Mahi taco.  Can be really hard to get a table after 6.  If you go, and can't get a table, go to Hodad's for burgers, it's half a block east, on the other side of the street.  Afterwards, go to Bud's Ice Cream for dessert, 3 doors down from South Beach.  Get the waffle sandwich with cinnamon ice cream.  mmm mmm.

(I live in Ocean Beach and go to those places weekly).


-edit-
Here's a google map of the OB places:  http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=32.74741,-117.24982&spn=0.00647,0.014881&z=17&om=1&msid=104320988807548606182.000001134bd636eea690a


Also, I guess the ice cream place is called "Lighthouse".  My bad.

-geekd

[D.P. Roberts]

For good fast food, try In and Out. If you're driving and need a quick stop, In and Out is light years beyond McDonalds, Burger King, or anything else.

One more suggestion - I'm not sure what your plans are for transportation, but I've found the drive from LA to San Diego to be a nightmare, every single time. The last time we were out there we took an Amtrak train, which worked out really well. From the Amtrak station in San Diego you can take a trolley to the Zoo or just about anywhere else.

[stuart]

For good fast food, try In and Out. If you're driving and need a quick stop, In and Out is light years beyond McDonalds, Burger King, or anything else.

One more suggestion - I'm not sure what your plans are for transportation, but I've found the drive from LA to San Diego to be a nightmare, every single time. The last time we were out there we took an Amtrak train, which worked out really well. From the Amtrak station in San Diego you can take a trolley to the Zoo or just about anywhere else.

Do yourself a favor and don't leave SoCal without trying an IN and OUT burger! 8-)

It's kind of a ritual when you visit there....

[Chris_H]

I probably won’t try the raw food, but thanks for the suggestion.  I will probably try that place on the beach for breakfast.  

I have been to In and Out Burger in Vegas and will probably hit the place up on the drive to San Diego.  

Come on, I know there are tons of residents of Southern California here.

[hotubinn]

Mission Beach San Diego, go the the boardwalk cafe for breakfast- fantastic!

[D.P. Roberts]

Well, this is now my FAVORITE thread on the forum! I was looking up BJ's Pizza, which is somewhat of a ritual for us when we go out to California. I was looking up their locations, and I saw that they now have one about 15 miles from me in Ohio!! Keep in mind that the next nearest location is in Oklahoma - I NEVER thought they'd be here! I'm going to have to get me some deep dish pizza and a Pizzookie ASAP!

[Mendocino101]

Chris,

Call me if you want I live So Cal and lived in Santa Monica for 7 years....I can hear what you want to do and hopefully help you see that things that interest you....

[Mendocino101]

Forget In and Out....don't get me wrong they make a great burger but the real spot to get you to since you will be in the area would be Pinks.....it has been the Hot Spot for years since like 39.....they are down near Beverly Hills and well here check them out....  http://www.pinkshollywood.com/pgz/letters.htm
 In and Out is cool but Pinks is part of LA history....

[Chris_H]

Pink's is actually on the list with Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles and Canter's Deli.  Hopefully we will get to one of the three.

[Mendocino101]

Canters is another place I would share with you to hit, Canters and pinks are close to each other. Stop by Pinks for Dogs and than Hit Canters for the Bakery some old school stuff that is great.

[Chris_H]

The places I mentioned were more tourist type places, but I was hoping for a local grease joint where the cook has a can of lard on the grill.