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    The Garden

    3.0 (26 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    The Garden Photos

    THE GARDEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    "Katsu"

    SDSU has no diversity in terms of food. They only have restaurants that sell burgers, sandwiches, and pizza. The mea plan is also a scam since the money doesn't roll over to the next day. My friend and I went to the garden because we heard they were serving Japanese katsu. However, their "katsu" was basically American chicken tenders.

    a sign on the side of a building
    Spencer H.

    They recently rebranded this dining hall as "the garden", and I have to say that was a mistake. The concept is still buffet style, but everything now is make your own, but before there were little prepared dishes that rotated. Now it seems like it's just the same crap over and over for breakfast and lunch. Actually, they don't even have breakfast since they open at 10 AM, so I'm not sure what the students that want to eat before 10 AM can do. Dinner will have a rotating menu. There's a salad bar, a soup bar, omelette station, potato station and pizza station. There's a pasta station after 2 PM, but I'm not eating lunch that late. The food has gone from OK to mediocre. The pizza was just dry as all can be and there wasn't much flavor to it either. The desserts aren't a good selection, and the "fresh squeeze juice bar" is just sad -- you literally just press orange slices. I think the best thing to eat here were the tater tots, sadly.

    sandwich bar and soup o' the day

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    7 months ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Breakfast, lunch, and brunch are the best part. The omlettes are amazing. I also believe that they put laxatives in their food so be warned!

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Wait in line for 20 minutes behind hungover freshmen for a lousy omelette made by other hungover freshmen.

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    Ask the Community - The Garden

    Review Highlights - The Garden

    The best part about eating at the Campus Dining room (now known as 'The Garden') is being served by David Aponte Soto

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Books & Records

    Books & Records

    4.3
    (406 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$

    The happy hour and the vibes are immaculate!…read more A few months ago, I went here with my boyfriend, sisters and brothers in law for my going away dinner. I am so sad because I can't remember the name of our waitress! She was amazing because she was so ON POINT with everything -- from knowing the details of each menu item, to knowing what "medium+" is for a steak. She was attentive and amazing and shoutout to her! The food and tiny 'tinis were delicious! The steak and fries were such a good deal for $25. I could've eaten two of them, and now that I'm writing this months later, I'm thinking about that meal again. There is also a spot where the live musician plays, which is awesome! When I'm in San Diego, I have to come back.

    I really wanted to like Books & Records, but the service left a lot to be desired…read more After checking in, we waited a bit for our table, which was understandable. Once seated, though, we sat for about 20 minutes without anyone acknowledging us. I eventually had to flag someone down just to get water. We then waited even longer for our server to take our order. Because service was so slow, I ordered all of our drinks and food at once since I wasn't sure when we'd see our server again. What stood out even more was watching a couple seated next to us receive immediate attention. They were greeted, served water right away, and the woman was offered a purse hook. Meanwhile, we were sitting there with our purses shoved beside us and weren't offered the same courtesy. It may seem like a small detail, but combined with the lack of attention, it made us feel overlooked. The drinks came out quickly, and the chicken satay and mac and cheese were decent. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out food-wise either. The highlight of the evening was definitely the live music. The performers were fantastic and created a great atmosphere that honestly was the only enjoyable part of the evening.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Bao buns
    Bao buns
    Blueberry Beret ($14)

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    Blueberry Beret ($14)
    Hash House A Go Go

    Hash House A Go Go

    4.1
    (8.9k reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    Wow! Everything about this place was phenomenal. The atmosphere, the food, and the service…read more The inside gives western diner in the absolute best way possible! It's got the decor, chairs, and art to match. Jessica was our server and she was amazing! She gave us lots of suggestions on what to try and what is on the menu since it was my first time here. She recommended the bloody Mary flight so did grab that to try! We also ordered the biscuits and gravy to share and orange juice. The portions are so large! So I am glad we decided to share the biscuits and gravy but let me run down each thing. Bloody Mary Flight: Honestly every single one was amazing. My favorite was definitely the pickle Mary! Everything tasted so delicious and was garnished beautifully. Well worth the 22 dollars. Biscuits and Gravy: Absolute perfection of comfort food. The biscuits were so fluffy and well seasoned. The gravy was also soooo good, just like my mom makes. The sausage in it was also cooked so well and juicy. I've never tried mashed potatoes with the biscuits and gravy but it worked very well! Orange Juice: Not a fan really, not pulpy enough and I wasn't a fan of the flavor. Overall this is definitely a must visit! I will definitely be back.

    My friends selected this spot for brunch again and I must say the experience was much better than…read moremy previous. One thing out the gate is the portion sizes. The plates are massive so if you have a healthy appetite then you are at the right place. Plus there are a ton of items on the menu so there's something for everyone. The parking is get in where you can fit in on the street but it wasn't difficult. They have indoor and outdoor seating in the back. Our server Ulises was great which he immediately greeted us and was very attentive even with the Father's Day crowd. I decided to try the rib and eggs and I have to admit, I was very happy with my choice. The ribs were lightly sauced with a thin sauce that worked well. The meat was tender and had great flavor. I just didn't like the grass they put on top!lol The eggs were okay. I added cheese but I barely had any compared to my friends. The cantaloupe was a nice sweet treat afterwards. I tried my friend's meal and they were also good which they also enjoyed their meals overall. I also tried a one of the Bloody Mary flights which was the only tequila shot with pork skin on top. I do not like savory and spicy drinks but that particular shot was decent and was hot sauce for the pork skin. Overall, the experience was nice and the food was good especially for the value.

    Photos
    Dining Room
    Dining Room
    1. Smoked Bacon Fresh Avocado
    1. Smoked Bacon Fresh Avocado
    Iced coffee 10/10

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    Iced coffee 10/10
    Gaslamp Breakfast Company

    Gaslamp Breakfast Company

    4.1
    (1.7k reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    Came here for breakfast during a short layover in San Diego. The challenge was to find a place…read moreclose to the airport that was open early enough with good food and ambiance. My girlfriend picked the right place. Located in the Gaslamp District of San Diego i was worried we wouldn't find parking close to the restaurant. But because we came so early, street parking was plentiful and available. Cool vibe and great wait staff. Got seated quickly and the restaurant filled up rather quickly thereafter. First coffee was was probably the best cup of house coffee I've had in a while - anywhere! Followed by a shared plate of fried rice Benedict, shrimp and grits (yes for breakfast) and candied bacon. The bacon was the last thing on the table (usually first to be devoured), but I think that's because we were already too full to eat anything else. Food was delicious!

    My hubby is a big breakfast guy and with this situated directly across from our hotel, we knew we'd…read morebe trying it. There was no wait, seated immediately, greeted immediately. Coffee was delivered hot, waters nice and chilled. I got the brioche breakfast sammie where I had to change a few things on it and they were very accommodating - ended up being a great meal. My hubby got the meat lovers omelet and it was huge! He enjoyed every bite. We will definitely visit again if ever in the area.

    Photos
    Inside Restaurant Bar Area
    Inside Restaurant Bar Area
    Brioche Breakfast Sammy
    Brioche Breakfast Sammy
    Steak & Eggs

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    Steak & Eggs
    Richard Walker's Pancake House

    Richard Walker's Pancake House

    4.0
    (4.5k reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$

    Came here for Mother's Day brunch and, predictably, the place was absolutely buzzing with families!…read moreEven with the holiday crowd, the vibe was great and the energy was high. You can't come to Richard Walker's and not get the Dutch pancake. We went with the Apple Pancake (the fan favorite for a reason) and it was honestly out of this world. It's got that perfect contrast with super fluffy in the middle but with those amazing crispy edges. We also tried the Belgian waffle, which was exactly how it should be: crunchy on the outside and delicious throughout. What really blew me away, though, was the service. Despite it being one of the busiest days of the year, the staff was absolutely superb fast, friendly, and totally on top of it. If you're in Downtown San Diego, this is a must-visit for a solid, convenient breakfast. Highly recommend!

    A fault entirely of our own but EVERYTHING IS COOKED IN PEANUT OIL EXCEPT THE GF/PEANUT FREE…read morePANCAKES/WAFFLES. We did not see that fine print before arriving. Outside of the peanut oil surprising us, everyone's food was phenomenal! The service was great and we even got to meet Richard himself and he was very sweet. We ordered the thin Swedish pancakes which were yummy especially with the lingonberries! We also got the German Baked Pancake which took ~20 minutes as it said in the menu, so all of the food took that time as well. We got the GF/peanut oil free pancakes and they were still good. The inside was beautiful with the stained glass look and there was tons of outside seating as well. We walked right up on a Thursday morning around 9 AM and got seated instantly.

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    Richard Walker's Pancake House
    Regular PANCAKE
    Regular PANCAKE
    FRESH STRAWBERRY PATCH WAFFLE

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    FRESH STRAWBERRY PATCH WAFFLE
    Queenstown Public House

    Queenstown Public House

    4.2
    (2.9k reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    We came here for a celebratory post-race dinner and first sat outside around a fire pit, but when…read morewe heard happy hour was in the bar-area only, we quickly pivoted. Thank goodness there was room too, because wow oh wow. It has been three weeks and we keep talking about that happy hour. LOL I appreciated that their happy hour menu wasn't all snackable appetizers; there were smaller-sized dishes for those less hungry, too! I ordered the Kiwilango slider + fries, my mom got the HH fish & chips, and my dad got the wagyu smash slider. Plus $10 beers, of course. Everything came out quickly and beautifully portioned, which made getting dessert (magpie ice cream cake) a no brainer. Delicious!!! I didn't stray into their full Kiwi-based dinner menu, but I can fully vouch for their happy hour, the cozy, charming vibes, kind and attentive servers, and flavorful dishes. Would absolutely recommend and will be coming back next time I'm in town!

    Loved everything about this place! I love the ambiance the decor the staff the service the bottle…read moreof water provided with the cute little glasses the food the Cool breeze as you're sitting outside. They have a deal almost every single night of the week except for Saturday night. They also have happy hour prices. My friend ordered the spaghetti squash and I had a taste and it melted in my mouth good. It was a good size quantity also! I tried my first ever meat pie. I think I like meat pie! The crust was so flaky and the inside was so cheesy and meaty. Melted in my mouth good. If you're in the area I would definitely stop in and give it a try!

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    Queenstown Public House
    FISH & CHIPS
    FISH & CHIPS
    The Cure

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    The Cure
    Breakfast Republic

    Breakfast Republic

    4.1
    (2.5k reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    I recently took a trip out to San Diego for an appointment and stopped by Breakfast Republic; and…read morewow, everything was absolutely delicious! The interior is super organized, and I loved that they have a full bar area as well. We started with some mimosas, which were fantastic and the perfect kickoff to breakfast. For food, I ordered the Vegan Tres Leches Pancakes, and they were incredible. They were so naturally flavorful and moist that they barely even needed any maple syrup; the combination of the pistachio brittle and vegan buttercream on top was perfect on its own. My friend ordered the Shrimp and Crab Cake Benedict and loved it. He said it was packed with flavor, not dry at all, and didn't taste overly fishy; just perfect in every way. To top it all off, our server was so sweet, checked on us often, and was incredibly proactive throughout our meal. Great food, great drinks, and excellent service. I will definitely recommend to vegans and non vegans. Just to clarify for anyone looking to visit; Breakfast Republic isn't a fully vegan restaurant, but they do have a fair amount of great vegan options clearly marked on the menu.

    My mother dragged me here and I wanted to like it, but the experience was honestly uncomfortable…read moreand underwhelming. The atmosphere didn't feel kid-friendly at all--loud, crowded, and not really accommodating if you have children with you. On top of that, the food didn't match the hype. It looked good but the quality just wasn't there, especially for the price. What really stood out to me though was the dynamic in the restaurant. The entire dining area was filled almost exclusively with white customers, while the visible staff roles felt very segmented in a way that didn't sit right. Here's the puzzle: look around the room, look at who is being seen, look at who is serving, look at who is clearing... and then ask yourself why the only person worth looking at wasn't even part of the experience they're trying to sell. Between the atmosphere, the food quality, and that underlying vibe, it's not somewhere I'd go back to.

    Photos
    Dining space.
    Dining space.
    Eggs a plenty !
    Eggs a plenty !
    Bar area.

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    Bar area.

    The Garden - buffets - Updated June 2026

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