Excellent! Upon entering we were greeted by the friendly host and were seated promptly for our reservation. Our server was so friendly and did an amazing job catering to me and my husbands allergies. She even gave us a separate marked up menu with all items that had our allergies in it! The cocktails were beautiful and delicious. Food was so good. Asian fusion food I would describe it like Nobu! The restaurant itself is so beautiful with dim lighting and amazing music. The restaurant was such a vibe and we would love to go back again when in SD. read more

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I came back for another birthday celebration, and the food is still amazing! Service was very attentive and kind as well. The highlights for this dinner were the coal roasted cabbage, short rib kare kare, and the sticky rice crème brûlée. That dessert is my new favorite dessert- who knew that sticky rice X crème brûlée would be the most heavenly combination! Big props to the chef and the team at Animae for consistently making delicious food. read more

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Best meal I had in San Diego for a long time. The Asian inspired dishes were all crafted with finesse. The standout dishes for us was the gimmari which was a delicate eggroll with tons of flavor and the lobster palabok which is a Filipino noodle dish, but it was basically lobster bucatini. And the drinks were amazing too. Definitely a nice date night spot with dark moody opulent vibes. Will be back again! read more

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My thoughts: This is a traditional classic fusion restaurant that is been around the San Diego area through out the up and down of the economy. And any restaurant can survive the harsh business world is A OK in my book. Plus they do serve good classic fusion of Asian food and American Here is my scoring card for this restaurant: 1) Location: ( 5 Point ) - Great location for customer to see and find. Great parking for street parking and back side parking. 2) Decoration : (2 Point) - They still have the original decoration. With slightly upgrade 3) Price: ( 4 point)- The price is competitive but still a little bit pricey compare to other same stars and type food they serve 4) Quality and Taste : ( 3 point)- The quality is ok, food taste is good and portions are average . 5) Type of cuisine standard : ( 4 point) - The style of fusion food they serve is pretty close to the way it was prepare in America.Not bad! But some dishes did have slightly modify to cater the customer's need Overall it's not bad and I thinks it's great to give it a try and let me know what you think. Go foodies read more

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Let's start with how beautiful that dining room is. The clientele and their fashion choices were crisp, sharp and impressive--totally matched the vibe of this place. The cocktail I had was only OK, not memorable. But the food--the short rib kare kare, the hunan lamb chops and the tomahawk tocino were the stars of the show and also gave us meat sweats but in a good way. We probably shouldn't have ordered the wagyu corned beef fried rice and stuck with the steamed rice to soak up all that fatty, flavored goodness. The seabass curry was falling apart tender. Between the three of us, we shared the buko pandan and sticky rice brulee and both had me figuring out how to recreate these at home, which I know I never will. Animae was solid from beginning to end. read more

Great place for date night or if you are curious about elevated Filipino food and Asian flavors. smart casual dresscode, valet parking available. Art Deco interior was on point and the attendants were great! As someone who grew up in the Philippines it is a refreshing experience to eat Filipino food in this setting. (it's normally eaten family style). we ordered the Mantou, Taiwanese chicken, Malarkey, Wagyu corned beef fried rice, Adobong pula and Sticky rice creme brulee. everything was good especially if you like a variety of umami bursting in your mouth. My fave was the Mantou and sticky rice. It's def a special ocassion place. Also happy that it's putting Filipino cuisine on the elevated food map one con though, try to curate your orders because too much umami can be a little confusing unless you are up for the adventure! read more

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Interesting and different dishes, and highly professional service. Everything was delicious.

I spent my 2025 Thanksgiving at Animae with my sister and brother-in-law for the prix fixe menu. The entire meal was amazing. I love how Animae is able to give a novel feel to meals I've been eating for as long as I can remember without sacrificing authenticity from the heart of the flavors. My favorite was definitely the duck confit arroz caldo! It reminds me of the homecooked arroz caldo my mom would often make during cold and rainy days. Our server was so kind and helpful - he even went out of his way to ask around the staff about a drink that my BIL had when we went back in 2023. It was no longer in their cocktail menu because Animae changes/updates it frequently to keep the options fresh and new. Unfortunately, they no longer had all the ingredients to make Son of Kong - a type of old fashioned with infused banana but he was more than happy to share the recipe/ingredients so we could make it at home! As always, I love the energy inside the restaurant! They were playing good music, seats were always comfy, and the bathrooms were sparkling clean. The courses came out at a perfect pace and we never felt rushed to finish quickly. Animae has a dedicated valet parking service which eliminates the hassle and stress of trying to find a parking spot in that area. read more

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I've been here a few times back even before Tara was the executive chef. I was able to try a variety of dishes and I have to say that this time around dishes weren't as salty as in previous visits. Service was great and we were well taken care of. Mantou Buns - Soft buns with sour cream & soy. This was okay. Wagyu Fried Rice - This was pretty good, meat was tender. Lobster Palabok - Reminded me of the palabok that I grew up with. Expected more lobster for the price tbh. Crispy Pork Ear - This was a nice stir fry. Pork ear was crisp with a nice glaze. Tuna Kinilaw - Refreshing dish. I liked the crispy rice on the dish. Taiwanese Chicken - This was just okay for me. Short Rib Kare Kare - Short rib was fork tender! Peanut butter sauce was delicious. A5 Wagyu - Perfectly cooked and tender! Yu Xiang Rice Cakes & Shitake - Filling side dish with Korean rice cakes! Assam Swordfish Curry - Loved the sear on this fish and the curry sauce Desserts: Chocolate Creameux - Creamy & delicious. Buko Pandan - This dish does pay homage to the Filipino dessert. I'm not much of a coconut lover but this was pretty good. Pandan gel was soft. Turon Tart - Loved this twist on the Filipino turon! Ube Profiteroles - Lots of ube filling Apple Yuzu Sorbet - Refreshing palate cleanser. Definitely enjoyed my visit this time around with good food and amazing service. Definitely got busier as the night went on. As always love the bougie atmosphere with the green velvet booths and gold accents everywhere. read more

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Located in Downtown San Diego, this restaurant is a great experience with pretty good food. We went for a special occasion so we had a reservation. Because of the occasion, they gave us free champagne which I thought was a great touch. I do not drink so I gave it to the person I was with and they told me they thought it was pretty good! Kare Kare short rib was super good! I think the Popcorn chicken was okay. It tasted like an elevated version of the normal chicken that you make, But, for me, the potatos were the best part of the meal. The crunchiness, saltiness combined with the sauce was amazing! The service was great and I they were really kind and receptive to any questions that we had. The ambiance of the restaurant is also really nice. Very clean, the bathrooms are well kept and it generally is a good place to be at. Parking is pretty easy to find however you will have to pay for it unless you get lucky. Overall, I would recommend going here and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! read more

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TLDR: My one and only gripe, which will always get a place I'm reviewing one less star, is the sign when you first walk up to the hostess that reads: "*A 4% surcharge will be added to all guests' checks". The hostess seated us promptly upon arrival, so I wasn't able to snap a photo, but I pilfered their website and was able to snag a screenshot. I'm sorry, but for a place like this, you can surely pay your staff a competitive wage and not pass it along to the consumer. Absolutely loved this place, but won't be coming back because of the surcharge alone. Food, service and ambiance were all great though... ______________________________________________ Food: The food was incredible. Immensely flavorful, but not overwhelmingly so. My top three picks from our meal was the Taiwanese Chicken, Short Rib Kare Kare, and the Crispy Potatoes. Dessert doesn't count as part of the meal (or for calories ), but it was also wondeful!! The pictures speak for themselves. My only "con" about the food is that they are all considered "shareable" plates, even by the waiters/waitresses. With that in mind, we ordered thinking there would be a tad more on the plates. We should have ordered more. Not a "con", but more of an "FYI": they have you order everything all at once so they can have it come out in "courses". Service: I wish I remembered our waiters name, he was amazing!! 5 stars to that guy alone. He didn't bother us the way other general waitstaff ask. The first "check-in" was once we had a few bites of the first course. He checked in again once our drinks seemed to get lower between courses. He did again after our meal while bringing dessert. It was the perfect amount of wait staff "check-in" and we never felt like he was unnecessarily pausing us during our meal. Ambiance: We went for a 6pm dinner reservation (also during daylight savings, so it was dark out). The restaurant was dimly lit, but not too dark. The seating is well spaced out so you are not overhearing the conversation of the next table over. It felt very intimate, so perfect for dates! However, I did see what looked like a fairly large group that seemed to have been a "work" gathering, so if you don't bring date you can bring some friends or coworkers. read more

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Stumbled upon this place based on the name (huge anime fan) and while it wasn't "yell in your face" anime, there were some really nice subtleties. The menu had nods to multiple anime characters, there is a huge mural behind the bar and as you walk in you are greeted by a Host stand with tons of figurines. To the food....I was disappointed with nothing. Not pictured, we started with the Cucumber. Light and flavorful. For 2 people, we ordered 5 entrees and weren't able to eat it all. They Wagyu fried rice was very filling, the beef belly and fried chicken were like true entree. The potatoes and cucumber were perfect sides. Everything went well together. The music was definitely on the trendy side. Talking with the bartenders they were saying it was a mix of fine and casual dining. not something they usually see and it works well. We were able to walk-in on a Saturday night and get 2 spots at the bar with no issues.Getting a table on the other hand would have been difficult. The bartender also said during the week, getting a table in the restaurant is pretty easy. read more

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Take me on a food tour of Asia and that is how I can describe eating at Animae. First, let me talk about the decor. It was like stepping into a futuristic Asian inspired city. The toys in the front and the colors inside really made this place feel different. OK back to the traveling through a show with each bite. We started with the cold dish, crispy tuna, and also had the hot dish which was the perilla leaves wrapped with fried seaweed and ground pork and shrimp. Just the starting dishes were beautifully presented and captured so much flavor in each bite that I would say I haven't had such a great starter in many years. The tuna was soft and contrasted the crunchy rice bits that made it truly a delicious combination with a touch of daikon. The warm Perilla leaf appetizer was a surprise taste of Korean flavors. Next for the main plates, we had a newer dish from their menu---chicken adobo but there was such a modern twist like using spicy peppercorn and purple potatoes that really elevated the taste. We also got a Seabass dish that had a Malaysian flavor. The fish was pretty good, but I would choose the chicken and the side of garlic rice we got with it. Service was amazing always very attentive. You could tell they are aiming for that Michelin star status and I would say they are right there close to that. We came here for an early birthday celebration, and the desserts were also hands-down pretty amazing. You have flavors of Japan in the Sakura Panna cotta, and we got the Filipino fried banana in their unique style, which was just delicious. This was a great dining experience and I highly recommend it for your special occasions. read more

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I was visiting and curious to try Animae. The service was attentive and friendly, and I liked the decor and design aesthetics. The food has some interesting spins on Asian dishes, such as hot honey in the Taiwanese fried (popcorn) chicken. In addition to the chicken we also tried pig ear, lettuce salad, and fish curry. While I enjoyed the modern spins on some of the dishes (like the lettuce and curry), we found the salt level to be inconsistent across the dishes. I personally would've preferred thinner ears and less sweet chicken. We got a couple of cocktails to try - and they were OK - drinks inspired by classics that have an Asian spin. read more

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AN EXPERIENCE NOT JUST DINNER Animae holds a special place in my heart, because this restaurant set the bar for me and my wife as far as 5 star dining. It was the first place we ate at that made us realize oooh there's levels to this. Beside the beautiful decor and well dressed patrons, there were to things that exceed are expectations and changed the way we experience any restaurant. 1. The service, 1st of all ever attendant was not only kind spoke in a manner that didn't make you feel rushed, but when we mentioned it was our first time and didn't know anything about the restaurant, it's like a spark went off and they were excited to let us know everything we needed to know , from the theme of the restaurant to the head chief's history and inspiration behind the concept. 2. The food, so along with the knowledgeable hostess's them explaining what the food was and what was in it no only made us more intrigued but gave a better idea on what chose to make. This night we had the pork belly, Shanghai crab noodles, the sirloin and last but not least the Crispy potatoes. Let's talk about these insane potatoes, the hostess explained that the were cooked in some type of of fat I believe it was duck fat. You guys these were out of this world now when we say there are levels to this, these potatoes are exactly what I mean. Everyone know what loaded potatoes are. So these are the loaded potatoes you feed to the queen of England or something, the flavor was so different but familiar all at the same time! UNFORGETTABLE!!!!! Also we had the mock tail/drink that was like some kind of fruit I never heard off, so good we ordered 2 Togo! Do yourself a favor and impress that special someone you know and take them he We Love Animae! read more

Animae - Us - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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This restaurant is beautiful and the service is great. The food was just okay. The tuna crispy rice was good but a bit salty. The potatoes were delicious and probably the best item on the menu. I ordered the chicken and tried the short rib and both lacked flavor which I wasn't expecting. The side dishes had better flavor than the main dishes which I didn't expect. I ordered a drink and it was mostly ice and wasn't full to the top. I expected better especially for the price. read more

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Disclaimer first: I went for an Easter brunch where a dim-style menu was served at that time with 13 dishes in total. May not be reflective of a true Animae experience. Overall impression: left satisfied but slightly underwhelmed. I expected to be blown away with every dish as the menu was promising and the presentation was on point and very beautiful. But perhaps my expectations were too high. I was also expecting bold flavors when the menu says kimchi, gochuchang, and calamansi/citrus but felt like they were toned down a bit. Favorite dishes were the shrimp & scallop wonton with chili butter, gimari with Perilla leaf, Korean brick toast (a different take of French toast), and the Vietnamese coffee cinnamon roll. All the flavors delivered, including the Tocino, chicken steak, egg tart, and Taiwanese chicken Bao Bun. The oysters were a disappointment but everything else was decent and still tasty. I didn't care for the mantao as I just had the Taiwanese Chicken bao bun before that. The sauce served with the salmon crudo tasted like a thickened warm orange creamsicle so I wasn't sure if I liked that. Ambiance still felt intimate even if not dinner service, and not too crowded or claustrophobic. Felt like being in a modern fairytale with grandiose decor, staff walking as though in synchronization. Our servers were very polite and introduced themselves. They didn't rush us; I felt like we rushed them because my bf and I probably ate too fast. We didn't have to wait too long for the food which we appreciated. read more

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Fun place to go for dinner with a group! Everything is pretty shareable and I like the "fusion" . Vibe was very lively and somewhat upscale, but still casual. Service was pretty good and there was a main server plus a dedicated support person so that was awesome. Reasonably priced for the quality and amount of food you get! read more

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Came down to Animae for a weekend trip to celebrate my son's birthday and made a 5pm reservation after seeing all the great Yelp reviews--and it did not disappoint. Parking tip: valet is $20 and honestly worth it for convenience. There's also self-parking across the street near InterContinental San Diego for about $25. The ambiance inside is beautiful--stylish and upscale. It does get a little busy/tight, but still enough space to move around comfortably. We were seated in a booth for 4, and they were super accommodating with our stroller and gave us a bit more room, which we really appreciated. Food-wise, everything hit. We ordered the non-spicy Taiwanese chicken with white rice for my son, plus the pork tomahawk, lamb chops, and pig ears. The pork tomahawk seems to be a house favorite, but for me and my husband, the pig ears were the standout--crispy, slightly sour and spicy, super refreshing. It reminded us of papaya salad but with pig ears... so good we almost ordered another round but were too full. We also got 6 cocktails total, and the most memorable one was the Uncle Ipoh--so good we ordered it twice. Came in with no expectations and left seriously impressed. Definitely on the pricier side, but 100% worth it for a special occasion. Would absolutely come back next time we're in San Diego celebrating something! read more

Great experience! Service was awesome and the restaurant itself was beautiful! The menu was impressive as it had so many amazing dishes. As far as food, we enjoyed everything and were really looking forward to the wagyu fried rice but didn't love it. Feels like maybe it was an off day because it tasted dry and bland. Loved the short rib, potatoes, tuna crispy rice and wontons! We also ordered the Miyazaki strip loin which was good. read more

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TLDR: Admittedly, this is a harsh rating and review considering the (positive) popularity of Animae. However, I was born and raised in the Philippines. My parents cook traditional (and amazing) Filipino food... so, some might say my opinion is 100% biased and I need to go kick rocks. And maybe, just maybe, my experience is not the average Yelper's experience, so just another opinion amongst the rest of you. Come here if you've never had yummy and authentic Filipino and/or Japanese food (if those are the theme of the cuisines you're eyeing). If you have, it may be best to leave it off your "Need to Try" list. (Or, if you're like me and Din Tai Fung has a chokehold on you, go there instead.) SIDENOTE: I had my Filipino parents try the Crispy Pork Ears (leftovers). They all agreed with my sentiment--too sweet and they could make that same dish better, lol. +++ We came to celebrate Valentine's Day 2025 early. Like half of San Diego Yelpers, I've been eye-ing Animae for quite some time. I researched it, read through reviews, and picked out what items we wanted. I won't lie - I hyped up this place way too much in my head, lol. The restaurant itself is quite a *~mood~*. Much dark, very ambience. It is a perfect scene if you're into the sultry, dark, and classy restaurant/bar. It was just a tad bit too dark for me, though... Onto the food... +++Appetizers+++ Wontons (2/5--wagyu, pork, soy vinaigrette): Didn't care for them. The initial bite was good, but I only had one piece and let my partner have all of them (not typical of me to do that). Crispy Pig Ears (4/5--sweet tamarind glaze, bean sprout, tofu, peanut): As our server said, "think of this dish like a pad thai, except, ther pigs act like the noodles." The yummiest item I had that night. My notes is that it's too sweet and needs more tang. Otherwise, pig ears were light and crispy, and the tofu was also great. +++Mains+++ Wagyu Fried Rice (1/5--beef, pork, mushroom, egg, crispy garlic): A massive let down mainly because we couldn't taste the wagyu, and the rice itself didn't hold up by itself. Disappointment left and right. We took a few bites and took the rest as leftovers. Kare Kare (3/5--green beans, eggplant, peanut sauce): The short rib meat was almost perfectly tender, which is what's holding up this 3/5 rating. Beyond that--the actual sauce was meh. I got a hint of coconut and it surprisingly overpowered the peanut butter, which is a no for me. My kare-kare sauce was/is mosty all peanut butter and this dish is traditionally made with oxtail as opposed to just short rib. The eggplant was soft while the green beans were likely just blanched, which I HATED. I could barely cut the green beans or eat it! This was even more of a letdown than the fried rice since most people RAVE about it. Plus, it's easily one of the most expensive items on the menu (currently $52 pre-tax), and mine only came with 1 chunk of meat and underneath was just an empty BONE. +++Desserts+++ Apple Yuzu Sorbet (1/5--sorrel cream, coconut crumble, green apple, yuzu meringue): Too tangy and I didn't care for it. The yuzu is too overwhelming and there aren't any other flavors in the sorbet to balance it. Ube Profiteroles (3/5--ube pastry cream, coconut, cheese tuile) I asked the server if the pastries had "real ube." Dear Yelper, either it is and it was "watered down", or it isn't. It's for sure more of a taro flavor. But, can I blame them? It has been RARE for me to find real ube (or close enough to it, at least) in desserts. After all, I'm not in the Philippines, but also I'm so goddamn tired of everyone marketing everything as ube when I KNOW it isn't. Smh. +++Final Thoughts++ Perhaps their drinks are good, but I'm not rallying to come back here anytime soon if not ever. In fact, I've already forgotten we already came here, which speaks volumes... read more

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Came to Animae for our 20 Anniversary. They definitely make it a special occasion. We had reservations at 5pm, when they open for the day. There was a small group of people waiting. I think they were running behind on opening. 7 minutes later they opened and welcomed everyone with a glass of champagne. I'm not sure if that's normal or an apology because they opened late. Either way, it was a nice gesture. The atmosphere is very elegant. Like they mentioned online, Great Gatsbyesque. Very clean and fancy. Our server was Audrey. She was the best server ever. Very knowledgeable and really nice. I appreciate her sense of humor and explanation of the dishes. We ordered the pork Tomahawk, Wagyu fried rice and Short rib Kare Kare. Every dish hit beyond expectation. The meat was fall apart tender and the Tomahawk was grilled to perfection. The Wagyu fried rice was just so flavorful. Being Filipino, it was awesome hearing everyone pronouncing the Filipino dishes properly. The sasawan for the Tomahawk was reminiscent of backyard family barbecues. The desserts were on point as well. The Turon tart was a nice interpretation of the classic Turon with an upscale variation. I had a few Harland hazy IPA's. Fresh and crisp. My wife had a few Artemis cocktails. She fell in love with that drink. Overall a magical evening of spectacular food and drinks. A Little pricey but well worth the experience. read more

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Animae is a luxe special dining spot. While I'm extra critical of restaurants with $$$$, the ambiance, the food and the service were all top notch. It was a worthy spot for a celebration dinner and we enjoyed every bit of it! AMBIANCE: -We were able to find free street parking. The entrance is slightly hard to find, but it's tucked away on Pacific Hwy. -The interior feels grand and gorgeous! We had a booth against the glass that was cozy and felt private even though there were many others dining around us on a busy night. -The lighting was just right. The noise level was just right. It was really a comfortable dining experience! SERVICE: -Service was good! It took a bit to find our server towards the end of the evening, but everyone was pleasant and helpful. -This is made for a long dining experience. Every course is built to be savored, so expect to spend a few hours here. FOOD AND DRINKS: -The best part. Everything was ate was truly outstanding! We started with cocktails and enjoyed them. They have a great range of cocktails and mocktails and I love all of the Asian influenced flavors. -The starters were so good. We truly could have just ordered starters and been happy. Our hands-down favorite dish was the fried chicken. It was cooked to perfection, so crisp with a great dipping sauce. I could go on and on about the chicken and want to eat this at every meal. -The spicy tuna crispy rice was also a standout starter. It came deconstructed and mixed together. It had a great consistency and was so good! -We also enjoyed the crispy potatoes and the fried rice. They made for a great side to the mains! -For our mains, we got fish and the short ribs. Everything was so saucy and flavorful. We ordered a little too much food for 3 people and had enough to take home. -For dessert, the sakura panna cotta was my favorite! It was just the right balance of sweet and creamy. They brought out a pandan dessert on accident and we didn't love it. The entire meal was incredible! I understand why this place is consistently considered as one of the best in San Diego. The food and drinks truly are superb and it really is an experience! read more

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All the food here tasted really good and the presentation was very nice! The ambiance inside the restaurant is fancy and it definitely matched the whole aesthetic of the food. I loved our server, I told her that I had a ginger allergy and she came back with a menu that was tailored to my allergies. read more

Animae - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is one of the more pricier Asian fusion restaurants in San Diego but my partner and I have been coming here for the last couple of years and it has yet to disappoint. I think the only thing that has ever disappointed us is when the menu rotates and one of our favorite dishes or cocktails disappears for a bit lol The staff & service here is always impeccable. There was a time where our wagyu was actually a bit cold, we assumed it had been sitting out too long given it was a busy Saturday night. We hate having to ask for things to be taken back but we did ask if they could warm it for us & they didn't hesitate and even gave us a free dessert. The vibe is perfect for date night. It's a little dark and we usually request to be seated next to the window for a more intimate experience away from the big tables in the middle. If you're a fellow Asian person or have grown up eating Asian food it can be hard to separate that experience from the food experience you'll have here at Anime. They do a great job at creating really flavorful and unique fusion dishes that still honor the original ingredients in asian recipes but you have to come with the understanding that it might be a different taste and texture from traditional home made food that you might be used to. I've noticed that is what makes or breaks ones experience with asian fusion restaurants. Overall we love Animae and highly recommend the experience! read more

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Amazing cocktails, even better food! There's lots of care and attention all around from everyone who worked there. Whether it was your server, the hostess, or the owner, we felt super catered to. They have every little detail down and the food was so so delicious! Have been here two times, a year apart, and now I have to eat here every time I visit SD. read more

I went to Animae in San Diego with my wife and her cousin and his girlfriend. The food tasted really good! I was a fan of all of it. The customer service was amazing and the restaurant it self was definitely a vibe! read more

Animae - Taiwanese chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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I visited on Valentine's Day. The restaurant offers valet parking and has a beautiful, elegant ambiance with a deep olive-green color palette as its main tone. The staff were extremely nice, and I was especially impressed by the table setting, which was delicately decorated with rose petals. The set menu was beautifully presented and delicious, featuring four courses. I also ordered the wine pairing, which included four glasses of wine matched with each course. For those who don't drink much alcohol, I would recommend ordering wine by the glass instead of the full pairing. read more

Animae is discreetly tucked in right below an almost-skyscraper condominium building along Pacific Highway. You wouldn't think this was a restaurant unless you already knew. The outdoor doesn't have any big (neon hehe) sign nor is it next to another similar business establishment. It almost felt like it was an underground Adult Shop . This restaurant was recommended by a colleague after hearing that I was headed to San Diego for a weekend. I made a reservation for a Friday dinner and was seated right away. It was a friend's birthday and I wanted to treat them here, since it showcased some Filipino dishes. Our server was Matt and he was gracious and knowledgeable (and handsome - all the more reason you should go! ). We were assigned a table in the middle of the floor and I honestly thought, from the music that was played, our table will eventually be pushed to the side to make space for a dance floor. The ambience is very hipster and reminded me of Straits or Sino in Santana Row. I held myself from communicating with the staff in my ilokano accent - it would've made the tuna kinilaw sound more authentic. It tasted great though! The presentation is definitely unexpected but the fish was fresh and the sauce very tasty. We agreed that the kinilaw was awesome! For the main course, we ordered the Wagyu rice, Kare Kare and Sea Bass. The plain fried rice / steamed rice in me didn't think the daikon sprout rice garnish was necessary. The serving was good for sharing though and this applied to all the other dishes. The Kare Kare was very rich and I think this overwhelmed our taste buds, making the sea bass slightly underwhelming. The fish was overcooked as well. The eggplant slices in the Kare Kare were undercooked on the other hand - I needed to use the knife to cut it (almost felt raw). The green beans were perfect but the eggplant I couldn't eat. The Kare Kare sauce was on-point though! Drinks! Let's not forget the drinkies. Talk about a halo-halo cocktail sibling rivalry between the 2 to Mango and Midnight in Manila. Both of these cocktails tasted like they were cousins once removed to the Piña Colada. I also had the Turon Espresso Martini - now this was delicious. The banana essence gave it a nice tropical twist. I'd have this again if I could. Service is high-end and professional. The staff cleared our table consistently with every dish and our table wiped. We were greeted by a couple of the managers that night. The matcha sponge cake for the birthday celebrant was cute and tasty. We ended the dinner with buko pandan dessert which was alright - the anglaise was a bit too sweet for me and the pandan gelée very bland. I think I am more familiar with pandan-flavored jello. A few minutes later, I was signing autographs to this novel. If you're looking for a med-bougie place for dinner with your work friends, I think this is a fun place to go. It may be a slight disappointment to clients unfamiliar with Filipino cuisine. I don't recommend bringing your young kids nor their granny in here . The music is loud, the clientele is mostly genX- millennial and some are dressed a bit risqué (your husband might enjoy that). Who reads long reviews ? Thank you for your time ! I recommend this place! read more

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Animae will always have such a special place in my heart. And not just because the food and the ambiance is wonderful, but it's also because this is where my now husband and I had our first date. It was great to try some samples at The Dockside tonight market last week. And I will be back again next week as have reservations with a group of his friends to celebrate his birthday. read more

Animae - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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By far from the music to the ambiance they covered it all here! The food is to die for the service meets all my expectations! We ate here for our anniversary and I loved every minute of it! read more

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ambiance and service was incredible, we ordered almost everything on the menu but the food was okay. i would definitely say this place is more for the ambiance and vibes! read more

Animae - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food, service at the bar, and atmosphere were amazing. I wish I could say the same for the snobby and rude young ladies at the front desk. Luckily they didn't ruin our fun evening and experience at the restaurant. read more

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The service we received from Anime was exceptional. Our waitress truly embodies great customer service, and we gave her well over a 25% tip. She is was amazing! The ambience is beautiful and elegant, making for a very enjoyable dining experience. The drinks were absolutely delicious--though personally, I like them a bit stronger. My favorite part of the meal was the dessert (see pictures below). I can't remember the name, but it was truly one-of-a-kind; as someone who isn't usually a dessert person, I would give it 10/10. The tomahawk was okay, and everything else on a scale of 1-10, I'd give a 6.5. read more

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Amazing food and exotic drinks made this b day experience worth returning. The vibe is on point and the only glitch was trying to flag down someone to refill my water needs. Will definitely return read more

Animae - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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Favorite restaurant in all of San Diego The food was perfectly balanced with amazing flavors. The cook on everything was absolutely amazing. The only critique I have is the Taiwanese chicken didn't have the typical Taiwanese spice but was amazing none the less. Would definitely come back. Cocktails were amazing as well I feel like it's hard to find a restaurant that does great drinks and food. Our server was absolutely amazing as well. Tentative, personable, but not over waiting. Great spot for a fancy night out or special occasion. read more

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Party of 11 please :) Been wanting to try this place since moving here and the opportunity finally came when close friends were visiting the area. First, do make reservations. Even if it's only 2 people, make the reservation. This place is always at capacity! 2nd. Don't underestimate the menu or the portions. The shareable sides, although they may look small, they are filling! For our party, whatever we ordered, we doubled it since we were a big group. Starters: tuna kinilaw, crispy pig ears, taiwanese chicken, cucumbers, Mains: Lamb chops, pork tomahawk tocino, lobster palabok, wagyu fried rice; short rib kare kare, roasted cabbage Dessert: apple yuzu sorbet, buko pandan, chocolate cremux, turon tart, ube profiteroles All i can say is wow. Just wow. This was a huge representation of our Filipino Culture and Chef Tara nailed it down. Filipino food is under rated and sometimes doesn't look presentable, however, Chef Tara takes food that gives us nostalgia and makes it into something that just has you say, "oh wow". The tocino is like no other. It melts in your mouth. I am not a huge fan of lamb, but whatever they did to that, keep doing it. Everything and i mean everything was so good. I can't say enough praises and Chef truly deserves all the recognition. We had the opportunity to converse and get a little but of background and it's just really nice to hear about the humble beginnings to where it led to present day. This was probably one of the best meals i had in a very long time and i am so glad i waited to enjoy this meal with great company. I also loved their selection of music that they had in the background. Old school hiphop and r&b! There is valet available as well as street parking. No dedicated changing tables if you have little ones. read more

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Wanted a nice date night and asked a friend for recommendations and this was one of them! I was initially intrigued with the ambiance and menu, but got more interested when I discovered it's Filipino food! I've never had much Filipino food but always wanted to really try it out so I'm happy to finally have the experience - of course the dishes here are more elevated. We had a reservation and arrived early, they just had us wait to be seated. Note that there is valet parking available to you right at the corner of the stoplight that the restaurant is located. If you're looking to self park..I really don't know where it's located since I'm not a local to SD area. Menu had a huge variety of food - it was hard to choose what to get! We opted for lobster palabok, short rib kare kare, tuna kinlaw, and hunan lamb. For dessert we chose the buko pandan. Everything we had was GOOD! Flavors were there and nothing felt overly salted. My fiance LOVED the kare kare because he loves peanut/sesame dishes and oh man it was rich. The short rib is very tender and drenched in the sauce. It's a heavy dish so recommend to get it with a side of rice! Tuna kinlaw was interesting because I never really ate a meal with calamanci but it worked really well and I quite enjoyed it. Very refreshing for an appetizer and light as well. Lobster palabok was also really good. Lobster pieces were fair for the price point and noodles were well coated with the sauce. Noodles were a nice al dente. This dish is also a bit rich so recommend to have this as a sharing dish rather than as your solo entree. Hunan lamb was delicious! Never gotten lamb chops but it was a good sizeable portion for an appetizer. Meat was tender and did not feel dry at all. There's a bit of a kick due to the added peppers, but I think it balanced out the other flavors it brought. Buko pandan is a good solid choice f you like pandan and coconut. I grew up with it so flavors were nostalgic and just as I expected. Everything we ate here was really good and we still talked about it days after coming here. I can believe you'll enjoy anything you try here but if I had to recommend one thing, probably the short rib kare kare. I would love to go back here and try out their other dishes! I've heard their menu does update every so often so it'd be nice to see what other dishes they create. read more

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Animae was a four for the ambiance, drinks and food aesthetics. The food itself is a three. The best dishes on the menu were the desserts, which were delicious. I don't know much about San Diego's fusion food scene but just basing it from the many fusion restaurants I have eaten at, the food definitely looked better than it tasted. The rice cake dish had four oval rice cakes in it and the sauce for the short rib dish was good but the short ribs themselves not tender. This place still worth going to for the cool vibe and atmosphere. read more

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Animae is a great representation of how Asian/Filipino flavors can be elevated to a fine dining experience. Before diving into the food, I have to mention the service as it was excellent, and the ambiance completely blew me away. It's definitely perfect for a date night. We ended up ordering almost everything on the menu. The standouts for me were the Crispy Pig Ears, Short Rib Kare Kare, and my personal favorite, the Pork Tomahawk Tocino. The pork was incredibly juicy and packed with flavor so good I ate right off the bone lol. As for drinks, everything was good. At $20-22 per cocktail, they're on the pricier side, but it's part of the experience. I'm usually an Old Fashioned guy, but the A5 Old Fashioned was just okay. Overall, it was a great experience. Would I come back? Maybe read more

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