4. The Palm - San Diego

The Palm - San Diego

$50 - $75 Recommended New Editor's Pick Special Offer

New York’s prized seafood and steakhouse is now in San Diego’s posh East Village. Still family owned and 30 locations strong, The Palm continues to follow tradition as instilled by its founders. Exceptional service and quality American cuisine with signature Italian dishes make The Palm a familiar destination that diners around the country have enjoyed for over 80 years. Centrally located downtown near the ballpark and the convention center, guests can enjoy dinner among friends and family in a warm nostalgic setting. No matter what the occasion – The Palm is a prime choice for great food and hospitality.

Made in New York. Built on Tradition.

Much of San Diego’s landscape is made up of restaurants – particularly steak and seafood houses. For many, this poses a dilemma when trying to decide where to eat. Diners certainly have their pick of elegant, trendy, and family steak houses, but The Palm Restaurant in East Village is a rare breed; it lends itself to tradition – carrying on a family legacy that spans over 80 years.

Two chief ingredients attribute to The Palm Restaurant chain’s longevity – their products and the dining experience. They stand behind their prime-aged USDA beef from their own wholesale meat company and their gargantuan 3-to-10 lb. lobsters from Nova Scotia, Canada. Just like the food, prime hospitality is also an order.

The origin of this reputation dates back to the restaurant’s beginning in 1926 New York. Founders, John Ganzi and Pio Bozzi from Parma, opened their first Italian restaurant on Second Avenue in Manhattan. Not part of their initial plan was naming the restaurant The Palm. Due to the language barrier, the intended name, Parma, was mispronounced when the owners acquired their business license. Despite their initial disappointment, they kept the name.

Another part of the owners’ original plan was to serve traditional Italian cuisine. But after one request for a steak led to multiple requests, the owners decided it was time to stop running down the street to the local butcher; it made more sense to just add steak to the menu. Today, Italian cuisine remains an essential part of the restaurant legacy, but steak is The Palm Restaurant’s claim to fame.

The visual style of The Palm started to take shape in the late 20s when cartoonists and caricature artists from the local press started creating wall art in exchange for meals – a pretty fair quid pro quo even by today’s standards. Before long, cartoons such as “Popeye,” comic book characters such as “Batman,” and caricatures of regulars, businessmen, politicians, and celebrities were plastered all over The Palm Restaurant walls.

Since The Palm San Diego opened – a year after the nearby Petco Ballpark opened in 2004 – foot traffic in the neighborhood has gradually gained momentum. Considered a stylish, vibrant part of downtown San Diego, The Palm has been an integral part of what has made the East Village become such a desirable destination. The restaurant’s close proximity to the Convention Center is also ideal. Previously a large warehouse, the restaurants upstairs is devoted entirely to banquet seating. Multiple rooms with multi-media capabilities are able to accommodate groups from 10 to 300 – making it easy for convention related events to carry over to the restaurant. Another major advantage – The Palm has no room rental fees.

The Palm serves dinner nightly starting at 4 p.m. The busiest times are from 7 - 9 p.m. and reservations are recommended. Valet parking is also available.

We dined on a Thursday evening just before 6 p.m. To our immediate left when we entered was the staircase leading to the upstairs banquet space. As we proceeded forward, the long diagonally shaped walk way led us directly to the host desk. Along the wall on the right were plush brown leather seats with caricatures and cartoon sketches directly above them. Behind the host desk was the main dining room facing J Street. The room had a warm masculine charm with its dark wood chairs, booths, and wall panels, and the white table cloths added a classy panache.

The managers were well-dressed in suits and the servers wore long white bistro-style aprons with white shirts beneath. The general manager, Bryan Lytle, graciously received us at the host desk. He gave us a choice of dining in the quieter main dining room or in the lively dining area near the bar; lively sounded good, so Bryan led the way to our booth overlooking 6th Avenue. Past the extensive oblong bar with tall leather bar stools was a well stocked full-bar manned by Anthony the bartender.

As we were seated, a restaurant regular on his way out stopped Bryan to thank him for a great meal. Bryan then presented us with the dinner menu and described each pre-selected dish that Executive Chef John Reynolds was preparing for us. Our objective was to taste the signature Surf ‘n Turf and the most popular dishes from each course.

Our attentive server Brooks then came-by to introduce himself and leave the wine and cocktail menu for perusing. Saturated with playfully named alcoholic beverages, it was hard to decide.

Since baseball season was in the air – quite literally with the Padres vs. Dodgers game on the multiple flat screen TVs overhead – I ordered the “Spring Fever” cocktail. It was more than the name that won me over, it was the ingredients. Muddled fresh basil and cucumber with lemon juice and agave nectar, plus a shot of Prairie Organic Vodka served up was just what the doctor ordered. The thick slice of English cucumber wedged on top of the martini glass was a nice visual touch; it also served as a refreshing amuse-bouche.

Since the Padres were in town that night, a large enthusiastic group of Padres fans, with kids too, were there to enjoy a meal from the special Game Day Menu (offered on Wednesday and Thursday game days starting at 2 p.m. in the bar).

The Palm also has its own Happy Hour called “Prime Time” on weekdays in the bar from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. “Prime Bites,” consisting of Kobe Beef Sliders, Mini Broiled Crab Cakes, and several other dishes are available for only $3.50 per plate. Best of all – the offer is ongoing.

Before getting started, we ordered a large bottle of sparkling Pellegrino to help cleans our palette after each course. Our first dish of the night was the Sesame Encrusted Seared Ahi. Beautifully presented, the thin, lightly seared Ahi slices were fanned out over a lightly dressed seaweed salad with a finely sliced swirl of pickled ginger and a wafer size dollop of wasabi beside it. The soy vinaigrette beneath the fresh delicate Ahi also added just the right amount of salty contrast. A dish this size could easily fill one person. Sharing between two or three people, to save room for more courses, is recommended.

The popular Shrimp Bruno appetizer is a dish you might want to keep all to yourself, as most shrimp lovers would have no trouble finishing three jumbo prawns. When the dish arrived, a pungent mustard aroma swept in from the lightly sautéed prawns (a la Française) in a rich Dijon mustard sauce. The pale yellow sauce was somewhat deceiving. We imagined a mild creamy sauce. Instead, there was an explosion of bold mustardy, lemon zesty flavors that lingered in the mouth long after each luscious bite. Ingredients such as the white wine and chicken stock were excellent smoothing components to help tame the robust flavors. Extra lemon wedges were also served on the side.

By the glass, there are nearly a dozen white wines and over a dozen reds to choose from. To complement our steak on the way, we each decided to sample different wines. Per our server Brooks’ recommendation, I tried the ‘08 Fourteen Hands Merlot from Washington. My guest ordered the ‘08 Tierra Secreta Mendoza Malbec. The medium bodied Merlot I tried was nice and earthy, packed with fruit. The Malbec from Argentina, also very good, was spicy and full-bodied with hints of oak.

Our 16 ounce New York Strip arrived solo on a plate lightly speckled with parsley. Starved in anticipation for our first taste of the house specialty, we prepared our minds, and our mouths, for something wonderful. Once placed before us, we could now see for ourselves what the rest of country has been raving about for decades. The end result of this highly anticipated dish was a mouth-watering vision of glistening char-broiled deliciousness prepared to a perfect medium-rare – the preferred temperature when tasting any cut of prime beef. The tender buttery flavor from the marbling and aging of the USDA prime beef sent our taste buds adrift. While we shared this generous portion of quality beef, we nearly forgot about the “Surf” counterpart of this dish.

Moments later, the Jumbo Nova Scotia Lobster was served. At first sight, we were floored by the size of this whole 4 lb. lobster served with melted clarified butter and lemon; it was quite the spectacle, as were the lobster bibs we had to wear. Adding to our enjoyment during this highlight of the evening, the enormous lobster claw meat was expertly removed from the shell, table-side, fully intact. The sweet, tender semi-firm meat was everything Nova Scotian lobster aficionados claim it to be in the Maritime Province; the land of the lobster. Thoroughly impressed by the presentation and delightfully rich flavor, we devoured every last bite of this succulent taste of Nova Scotia.

Since side dishes are served family style, one dish between two people is plenty. For most, two sides are more than enough. The Three Cheese Potatoes served with our Surf ‘n Turf was an excellent satisfying choice. Rich bubbling formaggio covered the baking dish like a creamy cannelloni. After one taste of this seriously cheesy dish, we were in cheese heaven.

Afterward, we sipped a lovely 2003 Taylor’s Port – an elegant full-bodied vintage with medium sweetness – an excellent accompaniment with our sinful dessert.

Dieters beware – There’s a chocolate cake flown in special from Sweet Street Desserts in Pennsylvania that’s to die for. With the large steak knife pierced through the center, the message implied “eat me, or else.” So we did. Served chilled, the scrumptious mountain high slice of dreamy dark chocolate with creamy frosting, not overly sweet, was delectably smooth and indisputably irresistible. Though we paid the price in calories, we chose wisely.

With The Palm Restaurant’s east coast flair, incredible signature dishes, and impeccable service, it’s not hard to find a reason or two or three to go back. The welcome you feel from the moment you enter

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  Restaurant Info

  • 615 J Street
    San Diego CA 92101
  • Address: 615 J Street, San Diego CA 92101
  • Cross Street: 6th Avenue
  • Location: Downtown | East Village
  • Cuisine: None |
  • Cost: $$$ | Moderate | $50 - $75
  • Category: Fine Dining
  • Star Rating:
  • Reservations: Not Available
  • Dress Code: Business Casual
  • Meals Served: Lunch | Dinner |
  • Parking: Street | Public Lot | Valet Parking |
  • Payment Options: VISA | Amex | MasterCard | Discover |
  • Corkage Fee: 25.00 | Per Bottle
  • Staff: Carl Essert | Sommelier
    John Reynolds | Executive Chef
    Adam Gash | General Manager
  • Phone: (619) 702-6500

  Business Hours

Monday
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Tuesday
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Wednesday
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Thursday
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday
Main Dining Room | Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday
Main Dining Room | Dinner 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Features

Occasion

 

  F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

The restaurant is .6 miles away from the Convention Center, which is about a 3 minute drive, or an 8 minute walk.
Valet Parking available $ 12 weeknights $ 15 weekends *$ 25 baseball game days *with validation Limited self parking available on streets and near by parking garages.
The Palm runs its own meat wholesale company to ensure the quality of its steaks.
Yes, The Palm has 26 restaurants in cities across the Untied States, as well restaurants in London, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
No, The Palm - San Diego is only open for dinner 7 nights a week, beginning at 4pm.
The Palm's dress code is business casual.

 Menus

Dinner Menu

Appetizers

Colossal Lump Crabmeat Cocktail 18.50
Crispy Calamari Fritti 11.50
Point Judith calamari, cornmeal dusted and tossed with lemon and cherry peppers
Chef's Soup of the Day 7.50
Lobster Bisque 10.90
Baked Clams 10.80
Oreganata or casino
Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail 16.90
Jumbo Shrimp Bruno 14.90
Three jumbo shrimp francaise sauteed in a dijon mustard sauce
Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna 16.90
Sliced with seaweed salad, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy vinaigrette

Salads

East Coast Gigi 12.90
Shrimp. string beans, tomato, onion and bacon tossed in a vinaigrette
West Coast Gigi 13.90
Add iceberg, roasted pepper, egg and avocado to the east coast version
Hearts of Palm 11.90
Romaine, hearts of palm, tomatoes, kalamata olives and egg
Caesar Salad 11.40
Beefsteak Tomato Capri 11.90
Sliced tomatoes, basil and imported mozzarella di bufala
Hearts of Lettuce 10.30
Mixed Green Salad 10.30
Monday Night 11.90
Finely chopped romaine, iceberg, tomato, onion, roasted pepper, radish, scallion and anchovy

Palm Fish

Atlantic Salmon Fillet 34.90
Ahi Tuna Steak 36.90
Chilean Sea Bass Fillet 34.90
Alaskan King Crab Legs 41.90
With drawn butter
Jumbo Shrimp Saute 30.90
Broiled Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes 34.90
With mango salsa
Jumbo Novia Scotia Lobster 22.80
Tender, succulent, premium lobsters from Nova Scotia. Price per pound. Ask your server for details.
Create the Signature Palm Surf 'n' Turf 0.00
add half a lobster to any order from our Steak & Chops menu at half the whole lobster price

Italian Specialties

Veal or Chicken Scallopine 29.90
Milanese, piccata or marsala
Veal or Chicken Parmigiana 30.90
Veal Martini 30.90
Shallots, mushrooms, fresh and sun dried tomatoes, white wine, marsala wine and basil
Linguine 22.90
With red or white clam sauce

Steaks and Chops

Filet Mignon 41.50
9 ounce
Filet Mignon 45.50
14 ounce
Prime Aged New York Strip 41.50
12 ounce
Prime New York Strip 46.00
16 ounce
Prime Double Cut New York Strip 89.00
32 ounce, for 2-3 persons sliced tableside
Double Cut Lamb Rib Chops 43.50
18 ounce
Prime Aged Bone-In Rib-Eye Steak 47.00
24 ounce

Vegetables and Potaotes

Leaf Spinach 9.50
String Beans 9.50
Asparagus 11.80
fritti, steamed, garlic and oil
Wild Mushrooms 11.30
Creamed Spinach 10.50
Three Cheese Potatoes 11.30
Hash Browns 9.80
Baked Potato 8.80
Hand Cut French Fries 8.80
Mashed Potatoes 9.80
Half and Half 8.80
Cottage fries and fried onions

Finally Friday Lunch Menu

Palm SteakBurgers

837 Club Burger 14.90
prosciutto di Parma, roasted red peppers, pesto aioli, and fontina cheese
Second Avenue Burger 14.90
Danish bleu cheese, and smoked bacon
Bozzi Burger 14.90
aged gouda, smokey barbecue sauce, and crispy fried onions
Texas Burger 14.90
chimichurri, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon and green chilies
Bunless Burger 14.90
wild mushrooms, asparagus and fontina cheese
Classic Burger 12.90
cheddar cheese

Palm Salads and Sandwiches

Blackened Prime New York Steak Chop-Chop Salad 18.50
romaine, iceberg, hearts of palm, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, radish, scallions, feta, and Danish blue tossed in garlic vinaigrette
Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad 14.70
mixed greens, chicken, tomatoes, green beans, avocado, bacon, and blue cheese tossed in garlic vinaigrette with choice of dressing
Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Salad* 16.80
with baby greens, peppers, tomatoes, toasted almonds, oranges, fried wontons and soy vinaigrette
Louis “Gigi” Delmaestro Salad 15.90
shrimp, green beans, tomato, onion, bacon, iceberg lettuce, roasted pepper, egg, and avocado tossed in garlic vinaigrette
Nova Scotia Lobster Louie Salad 18.70
Nova Scotia lobster meat, asparagus, avocado, black olives, tomatoes, and egg tossed in a brandy dressing
Prime New York Steak Caprese Sandwich 18.90
sliced New York Strip, beefsteak tomato, basil, imported mozzarella di bufala and baby arugula topped with garlic aioli on ciabatta
Grilled Chicken Sandwich 14.70
bacon, lettuce, tomato, aged cheddar, and avocado mayonnaise
Broiled Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Sandwich 18.50
with a chipotle tartar sauce on sesame brioche

Luncheon Specialties

Chicken Parmigiana 14.90
linguine marinara
Broiled Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes 22.90
mango salsa
Atlantic Salmon Fillet 15.90
roasted red pepper sauce and grilled asparagus
Wasabi and Panko Crusted Ahi Tuna Steak 16.80
sesame cucumber salad and soy dressing

Prime Bites

Menu Items

PRIME STEAKBURGER SLIDER 10.00
applewood smoked bacon, lettuce,tomato, and pesto aiol
CHARCUTERIE PLATE 12.00
calabrian salami, prosciutto, parmigianoreggiano, danish blue & pepper relish
“ULTIMATE” CHICKEN STRIP 10.00
panko and parmesan battered with sweet and sour chili sauce
MINI BROILED CRAB CAKES (3) 12.00
chipotle tartar sauce
CHICKEN PARMIGIANA SLIDER 12.00
Palm classic on a roll
CRISPY BLUE CORN FRIED OYSTERS 12.00
with roasted corn, jalapeno and bacon relish topped with a ancho barbecue sauc
NOVA SCOTIA LOBSTER BLT SLIDERS 12.00
nova scotia lobster salad, applewood smoked bacon, oven dried tomatoes, avocado, and micro greens

Bozzi Dinner Menu (Private Party Menu)

First Course

Mixed Green Salad 0.00
Classic Caesar Salad 0.00
Lobster Bisque 0.00

Entrée Selections

Filet Mignon (9oz) 0.00
Prime New York Strip (12oz) 0.00
Chicken Parmigiana 0.00
Linguine with Chicken and Asparagus Pomodoro 0.00
Atlantic Salmon Fillet 0.00
with citrus butter and mango salsa
Vegetarian Entrée (Chef’s Selection) 0.00

Vegetables and Potatoes

Green Beans, Wild Mushrooms, Leaf Spinach... 0.00
Creamed Spinach, Mashed Potatoes, Half and Half, Hand Cut French Fries, Hash Browns, Three Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin

Dessert and Coffee Service

New York Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Flourless Chocolate Cake 0.00
Regular Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and Hot Tea

 User Reviews

Best of the Best  

On my last visit out to San Diego my best friend and I ate dinner. We first started out with Cocktails and then I let my best friend pick out the wine and I Paid for the food. I had Filet which was so tender that it melted in your mouth but I am getting ahead of myself we started off the food courses with Clams Casino and then I had the wedge which was wonderful and then I had the filet as mentioned above. I don't remember what my friend add but I do remeber that it was excellent. I have been to several of you restaurants and each experience has been Excellent. If your are looking for a nice romantic place to take a date to then I would Highly recommend you go to The Palm. John

Great Atmosphere and Wine List Outstanding  

On my last visit out to San Diego my best friend and I ate dinner. We first started out with Cocktails and then I let my best friend pick out the wine and I Paid for the food. I had Filet which was so tender that it melted in your mouth but I am getting ahead of myself we started of the food courses with Clams Casino and then i had the wedge which was wonderful and then I had the filet as mentioned above. I dont remember what my friend add but i do remeber that it was excellent. I have been to several of you restaurants and each experience has been Excellent> If your are looking for a nice romantic place to take a date too then I would Highly recommend you go to The Palm. John

The Palm steakhouse  

Great food great service!

Loved the GIANT LOBSTER!  

Loved the GIANT LOBSTER! We got the 4 lb and was perfect! Loved the way they take the meat out of the claw for you...absolute finnesse!

The Palm  

This may be our new favorite restaurant for speacial occasions. Food was great and so was the service

Excellent service, Excellent atmosphere  

First time to San Diego and read a review of the Palm here on Sandiegorestaurants.com. It exceeded my expectations. When they heard it was our first time to their restaurant, they brought out a complimentary appetizer. The drinks, steaks, sides, and desserts were delicious and definitely a cut above. our server was courteous and down to earth. i couldnt have asked for a better dinner

Great - For Kids too!!!!!!  

Besides the excellent crab cakes and stellar lobster (sweet like candy), they blew my mind by accomodating my 8 year old daughter who pretty much considers chicken nuggets, cheese pizza, and grilled cheese sandwiches to be gourmet faire. While they dont have a printed kids menu, the waiter (the service was excellent in all regards) quized her on what she liked and set her up with an outsdanding plate of chicken fingers and fries that were so good (I had to try it) that I wanted to order a plate to go. My daughter has asked several times to go back - I am ready . . . ..

Great Food with a Great Staff Member!  

Sarah Finley of The Palms Restaurant treated us with absolute A+ customer service with astonishing positive (welcome to our restaurante) attitude. Our dinner was great and the rest of the staff members were amazing. I highly suggest this fine dine restaurant and I'm sure they will be seeing our business again. Sincerely, Carlo Desierto Founder, Credit Report Atlas Services LLC

Friends  

My wife and I met very good friends down from NorCal. Met for drinks at the Palm and had a fabulous meal in the dining room. Perfect spot, service, food, ambiance, excellent.

SD Palm  

typical Palm good service, food, setting

Nice but pricey  

great service, good food & big bill!

Review!!  

Good!!!

yumm-O!  

I liked the service. Our waiter wasn't overbearing but she always there anytime we needed her! The ambiance was fabulous, as well! I like that it was dimly lit. The location was wonderful, we were able to walk around the Gaslamp for a little bit!

The Palms San Diego  

Tomato basil and crab soup was outstanding thanks to the waiters recommendation! Service was great. Pricey but nice for a special occasion.

Very good Time  

We went for dinner after our small wedding ceremony in downtown and the staff made us feel very special. The lobster and filet (my new husband and I ordered the surf & turf) were amazing - we both wished we had ordered the larger filet just to have more! All in all it was a great experience and we left with smiles on our faces.