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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.6
4.6
1948 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM
Booked 19 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
  • Neighborhood gem
The Godfather, a Balistreri restaurant, is an Italian monument in downtown San Diego providing authentic cuisine from the hills of Italy. Established in 1974, The Godfather is a sophisticated and classy establishment that centers around generational recipes from both Northern and Southern Italy. Over the years, the quality of food and standard of service has never declined and thus garnered The Godfather a national recognition as one of the top twenty-five Italian restaurants in the entire nation. The menu is filled with classic favorites based in steak, chicken and pasta. For an intimate evening for two, try the Sicilian kiss prix fixe meal that includes a bottle of champagne.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Isidoro Balistreri
  • Neighborhood
    Kearny Mesa
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,948 people are saying

The Godfather Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Godfather Restaurant offers a classic Italian dining experience with "delicious food," "phenomenal service," and an "incredible atmosphere." Guests rave about the "superb food and service," and the "intimate, old-school environment" enhanced by live piano music. While some note high prices and occasional noise, the overall experience is praised for its authenticity and warmth.

1,948 Reviews
  1. Sasha

    San Diego3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went to celebrate Dad’s 77th bday. Staff is always so attentive, food delicious and resturant is clean. Had out 21 month old who loved the risotto. We had Caesar salad, lasagna and the special.. crab ravioli.

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  2. Amber VIP

    Nashville13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a wonderful restaurant with superb food and service. The live piano music was a very nice addition. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great Italian meal

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  3. Patrick

    San Diego35 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Impeccable service, delicious food with ample portions, and an elegant "old school" environment.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our server Juan is the best. He was great. Even the owner was there. 50 years and even better than I remember. The food was better than Rome. My only complaint are the $75 specials and the $50+ wine selection. We'd come back weekly but can't afford it. The bill was $228. And Tony Soprano would be disappointed because of the dress code. I saw a couple characters in the cowboy hats on and some guy walking in with shorts.

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  5. Kathy

    San Diego43 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    So DISAPPOINTED :( We have been going to the Godfather Restaurant since 1986 and tonight was such a disappointment. They reduced their menu, took off all of our favorite items and the entrees we chose were not the same! The chicken Florentina was rubbery, the Bolognese pasta was greasy and the Alfredo was tasteless. The special was ribeye, and it had a lot of gristle. I'm not sure what happened to the food here, this was always our "go to" for a great night out. It pains me to say we probably won't go back. Thanks for the memories. Waaaaah....

    1 person found this helpful

  6. OpenTable Diner VIP

    San Diego6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was great. Dessert was fresh. Music was great. Cozy environment.

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  7. Janel

    San Francisco10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and delicious food. Piano is a lovely touch. Really wonderful experience.

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  8. Chris VIP

    San Diego31 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great Italian ambience. Incredible service. Menu is incredible and the Fettuccine Alfredo was great. Reasonable pricing. Only minor complaint was the music was a bit loud for an uncrowded early lunch. We’ll be back for dinner soon.

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  9. John VIP

    San Diego47 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The Chicken Parma, vegetables, and pasta side were barely warm.

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  10. Jackie

    Kansas City8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 12, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A little slow on taking drink orders and getting us menus but our waiter apologized and made the experience better. The Blue Crab ravioli was incredible.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Godfather Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (858) 560-1747.

The Godfather Restaurant is rated 4.6 stars by 1948 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Kearny Mesa

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM
Booked 19 times today
Google Map for The Godfather Restaurant

7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Kearny Mesa
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Isidoro Balistreri
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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