Best Restaurants for Special Occasions in Little Italy

Simply put, one of the best meals I have had the privilege of enjoying! Delightful server, Calvin, was very in tune with the timing of our meal and our needs. The fixed menu was perfect for Christmas Eve, as it kept the meal flowing and decision-making to a minimum. Every course was delectable from the scallop crudo, the creamed mushrooms, and the sea bass, to the date cake with walnut ice cream! Mezcal hibiscus cocktail was creative and tasty, as well! I will definitely be back!

Great food! Service was awesome and didn’t feel rushed.

I had the best birthday dinner ever! I will be returning as soon as I can. The food and the service were impeccable.

I can’t believe how good the vegan calamari dish is! Every time I come to Civico, I can try a delicious vegan option, while my meat loving husband enjoys his choice. Also, the vegan pesto to dip the bread in is to die for—so good! Plus, the piazza makes you feel like you are part of the bustle of Little Italy, while still having a little corner to yourself and your party.

I had a phenomenal experience at Juniper and Ivy. I made a reservation for my wife’s birthday and once I got there they had valet service for 15$ which for Downtown SD isn’t bad at all. Upon arriving we waited at a very nice, comfortable lounge area by the bar while our table got ready. Once we were seated the server Andrew gave us greeted us phenomenally, remembered the request I made upon making the reservation and fulfilled it expertly. I had initially checked the restaurant’s menu online to have what I wanted to order planned and my only critique is that there was a good amount of menu items in the website that either weren’t available or had different prices however I still rated them 5 stars because all the issues I had related to the website were smoothly resolved by both the manager and the server which easily removed all potential problems both regarding price and the availability of menu items. The food was just as good as the service and I would highly recommend anyone visiting San Diego or looking for a quality dining experience. The price is on the high side but I refuse to call it expensive because the amount you pay is on par with the experience you receive and I will absolutely be dining there again in the future. In conclusion 10/10 to Juniper and Ivy and a special shoutout to the server Andrew and to Whatever manager was on the floor the night of 20Dec2024.