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    Urban Plates

    4.2 (262 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:15 pm

    Order Urban Plates Takeout or Delivery

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    URBAN PLATES ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Urban Plates

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    Reviews With Photos

    Beef & Mushroom Braise, French Fries
    Michaela I.

    Came for dinner with a friend, we showed up and there were 2 kiosks and 1 person working the register. A couple couldn't figure out the kiosk and the solo person working the register was busy taking orders, so with one kiosk moving, we had to wait maybe 15 minutes just to order at the kiosk. Which was somewhat irritating with the amount of DoorDash and pickup orders coming in and out of the only entrance where we were all waiting to order. I ordered the grilled chicken with chimchurri, herb roasted potatoes, and Moroccan chicken braise. My friend ordered the beef braise with mashed potatoes and a side of fries. Overall the food was okay, the potatoes were quite oily, and the mashed potatoes on the beef braise were lukewarm and cold in the middle. The braise itself was heavy on the red wine. I believe the side of fries was around $8 and the amount you get is definitely not worth the price. I get it's a healthier options restaurant, so portions may not be as big, but there are plenty of other healthier choice options in the area I would choose over this one.

    Yea, I'm not eating that.
    Maricel P.

    With a heavy heart, I had to cross this location off my list. I love Urban Plates; it's my favorite casual dining restaurant. Every chance I get to have the steak salad and mango tart makes my heart do the "Hercules" dance. Look up the other San Diego locations, and you'll find my raving love song for this chain. Since the Mission Valley spot has opened, I've stopped by at least five times for lunch and picked up dinner on the way home from work for myself and my boyfriend. Unfortunately, every visit has had something wrong with my food. Once the mangos were old and soggy, and every other time, the steak was either overcooked or undercooked, just like it was during this visit (see photo). I've held out each time, hoping that the next visit would be great, but sadly, that hasn't been the case. I'll have to settle for the days when I can drive to the Carmel Valley or La Jolla location for my Urban Plates fix.

    Blackened Sustainable Salmon w/ Organic Red & White Quinoa & Garlic W. Parmesan Butter Mushroom
    Joanne P.

    Been to this location twice. I've been following Urban Plates Instagram page for awhile and figured it's time to make a visit. My first visit was on a Sunday evening awhile ago. I wanted something fresh and light. I was eyeballing the Asian Chicken Noodle Salad- but changed my mind by the time I walked up to the cashier to order! Instead, I picked the Urban Salmon Caesar Salad & a bowl of tomato basil. And since I was still at the register mid order, a Strawberry Basil Lemonade seemed tasty to wash everything down with. And why not have the Mango Tart for a lil nibble and takeaway? I was satisfied with the comforting tomato basil. The buttery homemade croutons and buttered rustic bread were great to dip in. Perfect portion of the salmon and the leafy Romaine lettuce was coated with lots of dressing! (Not a fan when there isn't enough dressing). Some of the mango slices looked bruised and it didn't look appealing. Our second visit was a few days ago & we came on a Saturday during lunch time. Parking can be a bit hectic, but- you'll find something! It was a perfect day to utilize their huge shaded outdoor patio, since our current weather had us in the high 80s, for early March. We were lucky enough to find an indoor table to enjoy the air conditioning. With the busy weekend lunch rush, staff worked swift to bus empty tables & to remove empty dishes from occupied tables. I still had the intention of ordering the Asian Chicken Noodle Salad & changed my mind once I go to the cashier. Instead I went for the Braised Moroccan Chicken & mashed potatoes. This plate does come with a slice of rustic bread. And I figured, a cup of Seafood Chowder. The cup of seafood chowder had bits of mixed seafood (my cup had shrimp & I think langostino?) diced potatoes and other fine diced vegetables. I loved the thickened stew of the Braised Moroccan Chicken. However, as delicious as my meal from our second visit was- we shopped at Costco afterwards. And being that was the only meal to start off my day- something didn't agree with my tummy. I had to visit the Costco bathroom 4 times during our shopping trip. I

    Chimichurri Grass Fed Steak + Salad + Mashed Organic Potatoes + Tomato Basil Soup
    Vivian

    On my visits, this place has been good and consistent. We love that. I always recommend Urban Plates to friends when that "what should we eat for lunch" decision pops up. Urban Plates offers a wide selection of small bites and entrees ranging from protein packed plates to vegan options, plus desserts that actually taste good. There is something for everyone. For first timers the system might feel a little confusing because it is very different from your typical sit down casual restaurant. You start by ordering at the kiosk or with a cashier. The placement of the kiosks can create a buildup of customers toward the entrance though. During this visit one of the two kiosks was down so there was a bit of a wait. After ordering you grab a number from the basket next to the kiosk and enter that number into the kiosk to link it with your order. From there grabbing utensils, water, condiments, and napkins is all on you. Honestly I do not find this frustrating like some other reviews mention. I would rather grab what I need myself than wait for someone else to do it. It feels easier and more efficient which is exactly what Urban Plates provides. There is a lot of seating here. Outdoor patio seating and plenty of indoor tables as well. It also seemed like a hotspot for corporate lunch outings and takeout orders. Even with the amount of people dining in there was still enough seating for everyone. I invited a friend here to catch up and the environment was perfect for that. It is not too loud but not too quiet either, so it is easy to talk and catch up. We both ordered the chimichurri steak plate which comes with two sides. I chose mashed potatoes with gravy and tomato soup. My friend got mashed potatoes with gravy and a side salad. An employee dropped off my plate first and then hers about five minutes later. From the time we sat down it took about fifteen minutes to get both plates. I love the rustic bread they serve with each entree. It has a crispy crust with a chewy interior that is not dry at all. It paired perfectly with my tomato soup. The portions here are always fair. The steak plate is about $22 but it feels reasonable for the quality. Our steaks were both cooked perfectly and the chimichurri tasted fresh and very herbaceous. Both plates came with a generous scoop of mashed potatoes which is a plus!!! My tomato soup was still hot even after waiting a few minutes for my friend's plate. The croutons stayed crisp through the meal while soaking up some of that rich tomato flavor. In the past I have also tried their hummingbird cake and mango tart and both were amazing. This time I did not have room for dessert because the portions are generous, but I definitely recommend saving space. Their desserts feel more homemade rather than the overly sweet lava cake type desserts many restaurants buy from wholesalers.

    Ceaser
    Taelyr V.

    I really wanted a fresh healthy lunch so we stopped here! I'm surprised at the price point, it was cheaper then I expected which was a huge plus. I got the ceaser wrap and my fiancee got the surf and turf with shrimp. My wrap was amazing! Everything fresh and still crunchy. My only gripe is the random tomatoes in it. My fiancee loved the mashed potatoes, but didn't like the gravy on it which I agree. The shrimp was seasoned and cooked great and the steak was surprisingly tender and juicy for the cut it was. A big downside to me was there was no self service soda machine and no server. So anytime you needed your free refill you had to go to the counter and wait until someone was available to fill your drink up. Extremely annoying. Overall good for the price! Will return.

    Chimichurri Grass Fed Steak
    Tamanna C.

    I ordered steak plate to go. Quality of food was so disappointing. Steak was not cooked properly and rice was cold and dry.

    Michelle G.

    Super quick service! I placed my order from my car with an estimated time of 20 minutes before it was done, it was out in less than 10 minutes! Ordered: seafood soup, chickens chefs special, Caesar salad, braised beef chefs special. Seafood soup was SO good. It had a little bit of a spicy kick to it, but nothing overwhelming. Caesar salad is one of the best I've ever had! Packed with SO much flavor, perfect amount of dressing, incredibly delicious and fresh ingredients. The chicken dish for the chefs special was a bit underwhelming to me. Looked & smells good but was lacking flavor, it was quite watery. Braised beef chefs special was perfectly cooked & tasted so yummy.

    Drinks
    DonMia F.

    It was the first time for me at this location, and it's was ok and unfortunately they underperformed. When we arrived we asked how to order and were given three options including someone coming to the table. We set down and chose that option, unfortunately no one ever came and I ended up going to the front to order. Food arrived in a timely matter. However, things were forgotten. I got up to ask where the gravy is for the mashed potatoes that she specifically asked if I wanted it with gravy. Then I got up to ask for the salad dressing that wasn't put on the salad. I ended getting up to ask for the bread etc. This wasn't enjoyable. In addition, portions were small. The kids meal had 8 fries on it - I wouldn't even be able to feed a 4y old with it! Everything was just enough. I left feeling still hungry and I don't eat much. I wouldn't come back here and cannot recommend it.

    Urban Superfood Salad
    Cheryl G.

    I ordered my food online using the yelp app and it was super easy. I was looking for something fast but high quality in the Mission Valley area that I could take to a park to meet my friend for lunch. When I walked into urban plates, I was surprised at how pretty it is inside, really looks much nicer than your typical fast casual restaurant. There was a gentleman in a chef coat with a little headset standing over by the line and a sign that said to pick up to go orders. I told him my name and boom food in hand and I'm out of there. I got the superfood salad. It was good, but not quite what I was expecting, although that's probably my fault because I quickly ordered it without really looking. I thought from the picture it was going to be a little bit more hearty and that there were beats on it but the red things in the picture were actually little Craisins lol. There were some chickpeas on the salad, but not very many. The blue cheese was a perfect compliment to the sweetness of the Craisins and the fresh mandarin slices. Not the kind that come out of the jar! I've got to say, though, it was delicious and a very generous portion and the rustic bread that came with it was outstanding. I'll definitely order from there again. Looking forward to trying more of the menu.

    Now that's what we call "delish!"
    Alannah And Daken S.

    We returned today to see if there have been any changes since our last visit, and we were delighted to find that the food is still delicious and the staff remains exceptionally supportive. While we prioritize service over food photography, we believe a five-star experience is defined by how a team handles the details. Although this is primarily a self-service establishment, we received wonderful "hands-on" assistance today. We were both feeling quite tired, so we truly appreciated how Robert and Santiago ensured we had everything we needed, from extra napkins and refills to to-go boxes. Thanks to their attentive service and smiles, we didn't have to get up once. Lastly, it was delightful eating out on their newly painted patio - with overhead fans keeping the temperature perfect with a cool breeze and awnings to shade from direct sunlight.

    Jack M.

    I had a nice Caesar Salad with with grilled chicken from this modern eatery. I asked for the dressing to be served on the side because I prefer to use mostly olive oil on my salad with just a touch of the dressing. The salad was $16 plus tax. I was pleasantly surprised with the good amount of chicken they put on the salad. They used whole stem Romain lettuce, which I appreciated. The salad came with a very good amount of Parmesan cheese, great house made croutons, and a grilled slice of ciabatta. The salad came with un-traditional cherry tomatoes, but they worked well with the salad, hence the name "Urban Caesar." It was a very good salad and I would order it again. The young lady at the counter was very nice. She had a good sense of humor. The order came out in a very good amount of time. The place offers plenty of inside and outside seating. You can order at the counter or kiosk.

    Joy H.

    We have tried the Thai Noodle Salad, Cesar Salad & Seabass and they are delicious and fresh. The service is good.

    inside |ig: @socalsnomnoms
    Trinh T.

    Food: Surf & Turf with side of Classic House Salad, Herb Roasted Marble Potatoes, Grilled Rustic Bread (9/10) - The steak was perfectly flavorful and cooked. The shrimp were on skewers and adding lemon to them added a flavorful kick. There were different type of potatoes and it was a good side. I liked that the salads have an option to choose dressing on the side. The salad was also a nice side. The bread wasn't as grilled as my friend's and was just okay but good addition to meal still. Grilled Sustainable Salmon, Roasted Brussels Sprouts W. Balsamic Glaze, Ginger Turmeric Basmati Rice (9/10) - salmon was grilled nicely, tasted like your basic and decent grilled salmon. The roasted brussels were soft and not super flavorful but a nice healthy side. The rice was a nice side paired with the fish. The bread was really grilled on this dish which is nice. I love that there are so many sides you can choose from for these plates! Service: When you walk in you have the option to order at the front register or the kiosks. We ordered at the kiosks and the food didn't take a long time to come out. You do have to grab things like utensils, water, napkins, sauces seasonings and condiments on your own. You sit anywhere you want once you grab a number and they'll bring it out for you but are very kind. Ambiance: This place has a nice green bright vibe to it. It's a nice place to sit and eat both inside and outside. Very aesthetic and chill.

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    Urban Plates Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Urban Plates

    Working Class

    Working Class

    4.4
    (970 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    I came here with my husband, my brother and my dog. We had been just down the block at a rescue…read morecharity event and we knew that we wanted to get something to eat after we had passed this place after we parked our car because Northpark parking is an actual nightmare anyway we came. They had lots of room on the back patio with a picnic tables. We sat down and we got a couple of beers and we started with some chicken wings and some chili fries. so wings were great and the chili was a little too bean forward for me, but the boys liked it. I just love Texas style meat chilis. Food was really great. My husband and I got what I would call fancy burgers with you know extra toppings like blue cheese or barbecue sauce and he can't exactly remember which ones we got but my brother was more simple kind of Smashburger. Basically their basic cheeseburger, and that was the favorite of the three to be honest sometimes simple is better.

    Came here after a workout class and after grabbing coffee down the street. My partner mentioned…read morethat their breakfast burritos were really good, so we decided to give them a try. We took the burritos to-go, and they were still nice and warm during the short drive home. Overall, the burrito was solid, and the green salsa complemented it really well. If I'm in the area again and craving a breakfast burrito, I definitely know where I'll be stopping by.

    Photos
    Working Class
    Baja Fish Burrito
    Baja Fish Burrito
    Mini corn dog appetizer

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    Mini corn dog appetizer
    Trust

    Trust

    4.3
    (1.6k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    We've been planning to go to dinner here for a long time but finally managed to get there last…read morenight! One amazing restaurant with superb and very attentive service and great food in a café like urban setting. We ordered a variety of dishes and each was presented well, and flavorful. We loved the welcoming staff who seemed attentive at every table they served. We found the food a bit salty, so if you are watching your salt intake then stay off the soupy dishes. Parking anywhere in the area is tough, but we were lucky to find a vacated spot a few yards up the road.

    I've had this place bookmarked for a hot minute and was finally able to check it out this past…read moreweekend. Pros: - Sunday at 11AM, we were seated right away in the patio area (PET FRIENDLY = huge plus in my book). That is HUGE considering brunch in the area always get packed fast. - Server was pretty attentive. The hostess was so adorable; her smile was very infectious. - I'm not sure if it was because I was hungry, but the pancake was DIVINE. The amount of food definitely was a lot for the price. Cons: - Parking can be tricky but this area is known for that. - Steak in my steak and eggs are on the chewier side. We both ordered medium rare and mine came less pink than my friend's. I will definitely come back! I want to check out their other food menu items and they have this limited quantity sticky buns that I was eyeing.

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    Interior
    Interior
    Bacon chop
    Bacon chop
    Roasted Carrots

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    Roasted Carrots
    West Coast Tavern

    West Coast Tavern

    3.8
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Popped in for dinner before the Snail Mail concert. James recommended the smash burger. Well. It…read moresmashes all other burgers into the ground. Incredible. Ordered a Moscow Mule. Stellar. James knows his craft. He asked if I wanted another mule, and I said, "No. I want James' mule." It's definitely spirit forward. I'd eat there without going to a concert....just to eat there.

    We had some downtime before doors opened to our show at North Park Observatory…read more Hubby said we could kick it "at the restaurant in front of the Observatory ". First time to either, and we asked the security gal, "Is there access to the show inside from the Tavern or do we need to walk back out & around the building?" Since security explained there's access from inside we went thru the metal detector and had my purse searched. There was no tables available in the first room, so we weaved towards the main room where the bigger bar's located. Luckily for us, we snagged some barstools. With 10 items to choose from the menu, why not have fried potatoes served two different ways?! I mean, you can't go wrong with deep fried food. We got the Garlic Parmesan Fries and Patatas Brava. We sat at one of the bar's corners, towards access to the show. The bartender on that end didn't acknowledge us. He served the couple next to us, who already had his attention. But, thankfully the other bartender that seemed to navigate the entire bar area, took or food & drink menu. Plenty of TV screens w/ all sorts of sports going on. More tables towards the front, standing area. Vibe was chill at the Tavern before our Small Town Murder (podcast show) began. We stuck to our Patron Palomas. They were stiff. There's a watering station near the man bar and three Unisex bathrooms below. If you wanted to walk upstairs, additional bathrooms up there.

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    Main dining hall with outdoor patio located at the front of the restaurant
    Main dining hall with outdoor patio located at the front of the restaurant
    Shawarma hash
    Shawarma hash
    Beeeerrrrrr

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    Beeeerrrrrr
    The Smoking Goat

    The Smoking Goat

    4.1
    (1.9k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$$

    I was thoroughly impressed with The Smoking Goat, and I can't wait to go back and dine-in. What…read moreimpressed me most was that we ordered this delightful meal for takeout after my surgery. Ordering promptly at 5pm, our dinner arrived promptly and hot. I wanted to make sure we tried it all, so without further ado: The Poached Pear salad was delightfully refreshing, with the pistachio pesto adding so much pizazz. We also ordered the cheese plate because Humboldt Fog was on the menu, a fast favorite. Steak Frites were cooked to perfect medium rare, and the Duroc Pork Chop literally melted in our mouths, with the red pepper really standing out on the dish. Even the market veggies were perfectly seasoned and duck fat truffle fries were loved by Dad. After a life changing event, this meal was like a welcome hug home for our family and it really set us up for a nice evening. For being takeout, it was def 5-stars and I see why this is a beloved gem in the heart of North Park.

    Food is good. Different from other French restaurants I have visited. Service is nice . Ambience is…read morea quiet environment. Dark dinner vibe. Comforting and warm feeling. We got the duck all around $40. With potato gratin with cheddar and leeks, sautéed spinach, a few carrots, Cippolini onion. We also got French onion soup and Brie, it was all pretty good.

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    Interior
    Interior
    Wild Mushroom Linguine
    Wild Mushroom Linguine
    Duroc Pork Chop Tasso ham & red pepper Basquaise

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    Duroc Pork Chop Tasso ham & red pepper Basquaise

    Urban Plates - salad - Updated July 2026

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