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    Thornton Cafeteria

    2.5 (20 reviews)
    InexpensiveCafeteria
    Open 6:30 am - 8:00 pm

    Thornton Cafeteria Photos

    THORNTON CAFETERIA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Cheeseburgers are sooooo good!
    Mary K.

    Cafeteria food gets a bad reputation, but I promise this place is awesome! I forget to bring a lunch with me to work quite often, so I'm pretty thankful for this place. Sometimes there's pizza, sometimes there's bbq tri tip?! This cafeteria isn't basic like one might think. If you're coming for breakfast, the açaí bowls are amazing. They're very generous on the fresh fruit. You can go the bacon and eggs route or you can go the chicken and waffle route, take your pick. Lunch time, my favorites are the cheeseburgers, tri tip, enchiladas, fresh from the oven pizza or the veggie wraps. When it's 3 o clock and time for a snacky snack, I love coming here for some ice cream! They have a great selection. When it's 7 in the morning and I'm running on 2 hours of sleep, I love the cold brew that's served here! Everyone is very friendly and the prices aren't bad either. Don't be scared to try this place!

    Bug found in my coffee after spitting it out.
    Yalda Y.

    Do not buy coffee from here!! I don't usually get it from here because I've had bad experience with their food in several occasions. But I really needed some coffee this morning and it was a closer walk for me to come here. Grabbed my coffee and was drinking it when suddenly something crunchy is in between my teeth. I spat it out and see a bug!! Not only am I completely turned off by this cafeteria's food but now their coffee. Absolutely unacceptable.

    Rock hard chicken pesto pizza
    Chris L.

    Bought pizza today while at the hospital. The chicken was rock hard. Must have been sitting under the heat lamp all day. Should have tried the bbq chicken instead.

    The Cove
    Sean L.

    Solid hospital cafeteria. Breakfast they have a grill and hot food, granola bar, and a variety of off-the-shelf items. Lunch they have hot food typically 3 different item choices, a grill, a deli, and a specialty section that changes M-F (see photo). Prices are reasonable and the quality is decent. Best options are the grill/deli, they do pork very well in the hot foods but stay away from seafood, ramen & pasta specialty section days are the best. Workers are friendly and helpful, quite good food for a hospital!

    The outside area of the cafeteria. Looking down from the Thornton West side.
    Carlo R.

    This cafeteria is OK...​ it's nothing special to be honest. It is nice to have the option of getting something to eat when you are visiting someone in the hospital to hold you over. As a patient, be sure to ask the kitchen for the daily specials as they also handle "The Market" menu for in hospital​ patients.

    Half a Sammich $3.50
    Yvonne C.

    Cove Cafe also known as the Thornton Cafeteria, is pretty legit, let's just say I have a lot of experience on Hospital Cafeteria food. As Cafeteria it's pretty top notch, they have several stations to choose from depending on what piques your taste buds and what time of the day you are here. At breakfast time, they always have Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat and Menudo ( I haven't tried it but peeps say it's good). They have all the fixins too, for the hot cereals, craisens, cinnamon, granola, brown sugar, and all the menudo stuff like, lemon, cilantro, onion and chili flakes. I usually get the oatmeal, good deal for about $1.50. They also have eggs, potatoes, biscuit&gravy, bacon, sausage at the steam table, at the grill the Chefs can hook you up with a omelet, pancakes, breakfast burrito etc. Lunch time it can get pretty crazy, because of the different stations people are just bumping into each other like a pinball machine, I have stranger danger so I avoid the peak lunch craze. The favorites for me is the Chicken pozole which they have on Wednesdays in the soup station, their wraps are pretty damn good, I always get mine toasted, you can also get a half a sandwich since they are pretty big. In the salad station my fav are the green beans with almonds, the broccoli with mandarin oranges and the butternut squash raviolis. At the grill, you can get hamburgers and fries, grilled chicken sandwich, etc. The steam table is always a surprise, one day they had pancit, I didn't try it but it looked legit. Almost forgot, they have a Pizza oven where this Hottie can hook up your own personal pizza, he's always smiling too. All the staff seem to like their job, trust and believe I've seen some salty employees at other Hospital Cafeterias. Great outside patio as well as a huge sitting section in the back.

    Salmon, veggies, and grains

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    2 years ago

    If you are looking for a great breakfast in a Hospital, you want to try Thornton Hospital. Great food, wonderful staff......

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    10 years ago

    Dry, tasteless, bland, unhealthy food. save your money and eat someplace else with free parking.

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    7 years ago

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    Park Social

    Park Social

    4.3(650 reviews)
    6.1 miKearny Mesa
    $$

    We visited Park Social back to back during our San Diego trip because it was so close to our hotel,…read moreand we're glad we did! Street parking near the restaurant was a breeze. The service was excellent every time, and the restaurant was clean and welcoming. We especially appreciated that the bathrooms were clean. The food and drinks were outstanding. The latte and chocolate blended drink were both delicious, and the avocado toast, French toast, and 2 eggs any style were absolutely wonderful. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully prepared. Even on the weekend, there was plenty of seating, which made for a relaxed dining experience. Overall, this was one of our favorite breakfast spots during our trip, and we'll definitely be back the next time we're in San Diego!

    Great place to go with friends and enjoy a relaxed, social atmosphere. The space is very spacious,…read moreand they offer a nice selection of food and drinks. We also enjoyed the live music from a couple performing, it added a great touch to the experience. It's a very kid-friendly spot, which was a plus for our family. I ordered the fried fish tacos, and while they were decent, they weren't my favorite. My son had the birria taco and absolutely loved it, it was packed with a generous amount of meat for a small taco. My daughter ordered the shrimp tacos and really enjoyed them as well. Will be going again to try something different from the menu. The staff was friendly, and overall it was a comfortable place to relax, grab a bite, and spend time with friends and family.

    Photos
    Park Social
    Park Social
    Park Social

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    San Diego Chicken Pie Shop - Thursday Special: Sirloin Tips with mushrooms over pasta. Steam corn as a side

    San Diego Chicken Pie Shop

    3.7(1.7k reviews)
    10.0 miNorth Park
    $$

    This is my favorite spot to get a delicious chicken pie dinner! Love the combination of gravy,…read moretender chicken & turkey with a moist tender crust. Their sides are always tasty. I really like the mashed potatoes (with gravy), coleslaw, corn and large biscuits with butter. Plus the dinner comes with a slice of pie. My favorite is the banana cream. No matter what I order here, I always know it will be fresh and fabulous. They have different daily specials. Service is always friendly and speedy. Ambiance is relaxed with an impressive rooster and hen collection displayed. Plus you can purchase chicken pies to bake at home and various bakery goodies. Finally the four or five story housing has been completed (for a few years now) that literally surrounds this famous place. I was happy to see they managed to keep parking spaces open just for restaurant customers. I'll have to say it took awhile to get used to the huge building that looks like it's gonna swallow up the restaurant. Anyway hopefully the people that live there are regular customers.

    I really do not understand why this doesn't have 4/5 stars. The food was nice, simple, & delicious…read more Service was great & attentive but also very sweet. Ambiance was like diner vibes and very family friendly. I ordered the pot pit with the breakfast that came with hash browns, eggs, & a side of half bacon & sausage. That sausage was delicious: juicy and flavorful. For $20 cash without tip, I think the portion was great. I basically ate the entire thing. The gravy for the pot pie is bomb, definitely going to ask for extra next time. They have daily meal specials as well so check out their website & a birthday offer too so sign up. I got my eggs on the side & hash browns extra crispy. I want to try some of their dessert pies SOON!

    Photos
    San Diego Chicken Pie Shop - Table decor

    Table decor

    San Diego Chicken Pie Shop - The Neighborhood Grind Breakfast

    The Neighborhood Grind Breakfast

    San Diego Chicken Pie Shop - Cashier and bakery case

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    Cashier and bakery case

    UCSD Medical Center Cafeteria - Corn chowder

    UCSD Medical Center Cafeteria

    3.5(37 reviews)
    9.3 mi
    $

    Thos review is about the (Cafe) cafeteria inside Ucsd medical center. I came in and got two hot…read moredogs a mr pibb and a fruit punch Gatorade. The hot dogs were very good Mr Pibb and Gatorade hit the spot. The cafeteria was clean and had a lot of different foods and drinks to choice from. The give you a red reusable tray when ordering food made. The hot dogs were 3.18 I brought two reusable tableware set that you can take anywhere. The staff professional and polite. Great service . Yes I recommend them.

    It's decent for hospital food. For 5 days straight we come to the cafeteria for some kinda food or…read moredrinks (visiting relative in ER). They have a nice selection of food, from salad bar, pizza, deli to hot entrees. Fresh greens and adds on that makes up a nice, healthy salads-premixed salad is soggy though, I'd stay away from that. We were told that the clam chowder was good which we tried and yes it's good but they don't always have it. There are 3 types of soup and they rotate them. Chicken noodle is the least desirable. There is no ambiance really being that it's in the hospital, it is clean, spacious with lots of places to sit. Same as there is no service really, you just walked around, put the food that you want on the tray and go line up to pay. But it's a nice place to have. On weekends, they only have less then half the selection that they have on weekdays.

    Photos
    UCSD Medical Center Cafeteria
    UCSD Medical Center Cafeteria - Cookies

    Cookies

    UCSD Medical Center Cafeteria - Paella and roasted turkey

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    Paella and roasted turkey

    94th Aero Squadron Restaurant & Events

    94th Aero Squadron Restaurant & Events

    3.3(1.9k reviews)
    6.6 miKearny Mesa
    $$$$

    Relative to Father's day, the buffet. What shocked me is that my 7 year old son navigated to what…read morehe wanted solo and said please excuse me while walking around. Such a good lad. Tons of options, quality is mid+. What one with me tremendously was the silly stupid breakfast Sausage. As noted, I am a sausage man not a bacon man. These sausages were cooked to perfection. So juicy inside. I try to watch my health so I limited it to 4 pieces. They also have tons and tons of crab. I found the quality medium. There is cocktail sauce and hot butter for some dips but no tartar. The huge bonuses were the sushi bar, and the incredible dessert bar. One downside, and I don't come to buffets often, is that they never cleared our plates. Wasn't too big of an issue since the dumping box things were right next to us but maybe be prepared to pre-bus as you go course by course. The cutting station was also mid-. Beefs were meh okay. Overall, neat spot. Not in a densley populated neighborhood so kind of hidden. Many levels of affluence. Its not like Texas Roadhouse that has accumulated a 1.5 hour wait. It's mellow. Try it out!

    I was excited to come back after about five years because I remembered really enjoying this buffet,…read morebut this visit was disappointing in comparison. The selection wasn't as impressive as it used to be, and the food just didn't have the same quality or flavor. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't the experience I remembered. I'm giving it three stars because I know this place is capable of doing much better. Hopefully they'll improve and bring back the quality they once had.

    Photos
    94th Aero Squadron Restaurant & Events
    94th Aero Squadron Restaurant & Events - Biplane in the back

    Biplane in the back

    94th Aero Squadron Restaurant & Events - Patio area in the rear of the restaurant

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    Patio area in the rear of the restaurant

    Cocina de Barrio

    Cocina de Barrio

    4.5(1.2k reviews)
    9.9 miHillcrest
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Full bar

    I have not been here in a while. Lo siento! I have missed it so much! Ordered the house…read moremargarita to start off the evening!They have changed the menu a little, but they still have my favorites. The big tortilla with beans and chorizo...sooooo good! I can never pronounce the name of it...LOL! But I also ordered the taquitos, another delicious starter! I then had the green mole with ground pistachios over chicken...oh sooooo good!!!!! I love coming here! The staff is always friendly! The server said it had been a while. The outside patio is always welcoming!!! They are also dog friendly! Cako Approves!

    Was in the area and needed a quick bite before an event. Stopped by at 4pm and was surprised to be…read moreone of 4 people at the restaurant. Two at the bar, one outside, then me. Given the minimal patrons, service was excellent. Was here during happy hour and the food was great! Server said birria or fish tacos are best, so I opted for birria. Tacos didn't come with consumé but they were juicy enough without it. Good flavor but tortillas did start to fall apart. Margaritas for $5 are a good deal and tasted fresh. Ambiance is upscale Mexican and I think it hits, at least for happy hour! Guac and salsa prices were too high for my liking ($13 and $10, respectively) especially as a happy hour item, but to each their own. Overall 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 with a $5 marg as the kicker to round up vs down (for guac and salsa prices).

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    Cocina de Barrio
    Cocina de Barrio
    Cocina de Barrio - Mango-Tajin Popsicle Margarita

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    Mango-Tajin Popsicle Margarita

    Pop Pie

    Pop Pie

    4.5(1.8k reviews)
    9.5 miUniversity Heights
    $$

    Delicious, surprisingly light on the stomach, in the textures and flavors have that homemade vibe…read more I got the chicken pot pie and the apple pie slice. The lady at the counter said that a lot of people say the apple pie slice is better than Julian's apple pie. I think that if it were as fresh as the Julian one, I would agree but because the slice tasted like it have been sitting there for at least six hours, maybe even overnight, I would just say that it's a really good slice of apple pie. It has a crumb topping, which is a nice addition which the Juliann apple pie does not have. The filling is chunky and very brown sugar-y which makes it very delicious. The ice cream was also good. The chicken pot pie was my favorite though. So warm, and the crust was nice and flaky. The portion is really good. That was my dinner and it was the perfect amount. The inside had a generous amount of chicken which I really appreciated overall. It's such a comforting food and I love that. It doesn't taste like it's 1,000,000 cal. It was $13 for the pot pie, which is a little much but considering that it's pretty big and filling as a meal I wouldn't say that it's toooo bad.

    For my 1st I must say customer service was excellent. I went weekday during the afternoon. The…read moreparking is a different story though. I decided to get the steak and ale and their special of the month Butter Chicken pie. I also could not resist the Salted Carmel Crumble pie cream. I ate the steak and ale at the location. I thought it was ok. The crust was amazing but I felt the flavor was lacking a little. I had a few chunks of meat. Didn't really taste the Ale and it was a little dry for my liking. Now the Butter Chicken pie was amazing. I think they should keep that one on the menu. I reheated it in the air fryer. The curry flavor really comes through and of course their crust is like no other. My highlight was that salted carmel crumble apple lice ice cream combo. Of course the vanilla ice cream is from next door Stella Jeans. Oh this dessert is sinful and I highly recommend.

    Photos
    Pop Pie - Inside

    Inside

    Pop Pie - (D) Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie - Slice

    (D) Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie - Slice

    Pop Pie - View of food case and interior seating

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    View of food case and interior seating

    Rosemarie’s - Little Sal... your flavors are hard to put into words.

    Rosemarie’s

    4.6(597 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    Service was great. Waitress was holding the place down by herself very impressively…read more I got the famous rosiemac burger double patty and it was very delicious however I think the cheese may have overpowered it and I think next time I would choose one without the cheese completely. Onion rings were ok. Nothing to rave about honestly. The seasoning on it made them seem nicer but I think it just took away from a good ol fashioned onion rings, they also added a seasoning to the ranch to pair with the onion ring and I wasn't a huge fan. Next time I definitely want to try a different burger and opt for the elote fries or no fries at all. I'm just happy to finally be able to cross this place off my list of must tries, lol. Looking forward to my next visit

    WuzupWuzup! Location…read moreis fairly small, but does it pack that punch with flavor and great customer service. I've gone here several times and each experience has always lived up to the great expectation of each burger I've tried. Prices are a little up there given "the size" of the burgers, but you're paying for the ingredients and quality of it. The flavors of each burgers are truly incredible. Everything is fresh, cooked to perfection, and explained very well when brought to the table. I forgot the name of the burger I tried, but it was chicken based that was like a curry infused (it was yellow) and I thought it was a nice edition to the menu. Side note, you might want to wear gloves or eat with knife and fork as you'll be using a lot of napkins for sure (haha) I will continue to show the love for this place and enjoy this as one of my "special treat meals". Thanks for the wonderful experience.

    Photos
    Rosemarie’s - Order desk

    Order desk

    Rosemarie’s - Elote fries

    Elote fries

    Rosemarie’s - Nashville Hot Chicken The Gnar We Have Eggplant

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    Nashville Hot Chicken The Gnar We Have Eggplant

    Phil's BBQ - Half Rib Dinner with fresh cut fries and macaroni salad

    Phil's BBQ

    4.3(17.1k reviews)
    8.6 miMidway
    $$

    We recently used Phil's BBQ Catering for our Field Marketing & Comm Ops Summer BBQ and Team…read moreBuilding event, and the entire experience was outstanding from start to finish. The booking process was incredibly smooth thanks to Brittany, who was fast, responsive, and made planning easy. On the day of the event, Julie, our on-site coordinator, was wonderful to work with. She was organized, friendly, and ensured everything ran seamlessly. A special thank you to Julie Oakes, Derek Gustine, and Allan Denick-Zielstra. Their positive attitudes, professionalism, and willingness to accommodate our guests truly stood out. They were attentive throughout the event and helped create a welcoming, enjoyable experience for everyone. The food was delicious, the service was exceptional, and the entire event was executed flawlessly. I'm still dreaming about the potato salad and cornbread! We couldn't have asked for a better catering partner and would absolutely use Phil's BBQ Catering again and again for future corporate events. Highly recommend!

    Best BBQ place in San Diego in y opinion. Go there at least once or twice a month. Our family's one…read morefavorite place to go and enjoy the delicious BBQ. Great service and place location is cool. lots of parking. Only negative i experienced is , if you get there a little late especially on weekends, the line is just LONGGGG! We try to use birthday month head of the line priviledga as much posible we can.

    Photos
    Phil's BBQ - Full Beef Rib Dinner with potato salad and fresh cole slaw

    Full Beef Rib Dinner with potato salad and fresh cole slaw

    Phil's BBQ - Line of hungry people moving fast!!

    Line of hungry people moving fast!!

    Phil's BBQ - Thanks, Yelpers!

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    Thanks, Yelpers!

    Thornton Cafeteria - cafeteria - Updated September 2026

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