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The Red Door, San Diego, CA

The Red Door

4.8
4.8
2684 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
The Red Door San Diego is committed to offering our guests sustainable and responsibly sourced farm-to-fork dishes. We proudly serve contemporary Italian and modern European cuisine with the freshest locally grown and handcrafted products available. We also feature delicious and unique ingredients from around the world. Chef/Owner Luciano Cibelli shops daily, personally selecting every item we serve. He bakes fresh breads, rolls, desserts and all of the pasta in house (including a special Gluten Free Bucatini) and he develops his menus in rhythm with the seasonal San Diego harvest. Enjoy nightly special offerings or a house favorite, Beef Wellington. Join us for the highly rated cuisine and return for the charming ambiance and excellent service behind the Red Door.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 p.m.


Booked 12 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Italian, Farm-to-table, Modern European

  • Hours of Operation

    Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (619) 295-6000

  • Payment Options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress Code

    Smart Casual

  • Executive Chef

    Luciano Cibelli Chef/Owner

  • Catering

    Offsite catering for small casual gatherings.

  • Private party facilities

    SPECIAL EVENTS & UNIQUE OCCASIONS Catering & Events are opportunities for us to work closely with our guests & occasions for us to share our dedication to celebration in exciting new ways. Our menu is from our farm, our dedication is to the experience. We love this stuff. info@thereddoorsd.com

  • Private party contact

    Luciano Cibelli lcibelli@gmail.com: (619) 459-3073

  • Neighbourhood

    Mission Hills

  • Cross Street

    Falcon Street

  • Parking Details

    Metered and two hour parking all around Monday through Saturday 8AM to 6PM. Ample free street parking available. Parking available in the US Bank lot after 6. Private lot on NW corner of Falcon and Washington.

  • Additional

    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 2,684 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Italian

  • San Diego

    Italian

Sort by

  1. Douglas

    San Diego

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing meal... It was a wonderful evening and the service was spot-on!

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  2. MoeT06

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Truelu a hidden gem! Def recommend people give it a try

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  3. RickN

    Los Angeles

    36 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on June 1, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    First time and offers authentic fresh Italian food. Enjoyed the Brussels sprout salad, shared Seafood Fettucine, Pappardelle , and Orecchiette which were all very good. My daughters least fav was the seafood Fett. Had a Blue Smoke martini which was tasty and smoky. Would go again but still on the pricey side but serving sizes were good to share

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  4. CarlosV

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I visited the red door on 5\27\23 The staff are very polite and personable - we had Nicholas. He told us about all the specials and knew all the answers to every question we had about the food - I was there for my girlfriend's birthday, she's a vegetarian. He made some recommendations which we heeded some. Overall we ordered 4 cocktails total, shared an appetizer and ordered a dinner plate each. The food was fresh and delicious, my chicken was juicy and aromatic and my dates gnocchi with pesto sauce was excellent. While we didn't order a sweet treat for dessert they did allow me to order something that wasn't on the menu. I had an espresso shot with cream and sugar. At the end of our night the head chef introduced himself to us, asked us if our meals were to our liking, asked us if we had been there before which we hadn't - it was our first time, and thanked us for choosing to dine at the red door. Honestly it was 5\5 stars from service, to food delivery and food quality. You get what you pay for and more at the red door, it was an experience I'll think about from now until an occasion arrives to make a good excuse to visit again if not for the food itself. Excellent, excellent, excellent a thousand times over.

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  5. GaryM

    Los Angeles

    20 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Wonderful dinner with great service all around, highly recommended.

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  6. CinthyaD

    San Diego

    56 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    56 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We love the beef Wellington!!! Is the best of the best; but the pastas specially the risotto are to die for!!!! Dinner at RD is always a warranty of flavor and quality.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Bill

    San Diego

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Great food and service.

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  8. EatieGourmet

    Los Angeles

    80 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    80 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    The list of choices is relatively small but, judging by the quality of the food, that’s by design — allowing the kitchen to do everything well, rather than turn out many options that are less than perfect. The servers were very attentive and eager to please, and a conversation with the chef/owner was an unexpected but delightful encounter.

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  9. TylerM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Had a great experience! Came in relatively early in the lunch shift so my date and I had the place to our self. Tony was our guy and he was fantastic. Knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Mussels were amazing and so were the shrimp tacos. Will definitely be coming back!

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  10. Duke

    San Diego

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Food was great as it usual is, service was great, the right amount of attention and professionalism, the only negative is the noise level can be a bit too much

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  11. SueC

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had an amazing dinner. Everything was wonderful but the basil pesto risotto with Salmon was the best risotto I’ve ever had. Our waiter was great and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Some of the best Italian food in San Diego. Was really nice to be able to get an amazing meal and not have to deal with the traffic and parking in Little Italy. Our server was incredibly helpful giving us some recommendations and the chef came out to great us at the end of our meal. We will definitely be back.

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  13. Alicia

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The server was kind and knowledgeable and the food was one of the best meals I’ve had in months. I got the risotto on special which was a pesto risotto with sea bass and it BLEW MY MIND. I can’t wait for leftovers today for lunch. They even sent me home with 2 small delectable chocolates bc it was my birthday and oh boy were they melt in your mouth good! I would recommend this spot to anyone for the fresh and local cuisine and incredible flavors.

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  14. OpenTable Diner

    Key West

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 21, 2023

    overall2food1service5ambience4
    First off, the staff and service was wonderful. And the atmosphere was cozy. Food was okay. Went to the Bar side and not the main dining. I feel like the experience would’ve been better there instead but I wasn’t able to reserve the main dining on the app. The Bar is small and very intimate, which was nice. They had live music and the performer was amazing! It was just too loud though if you wanted to talk with the people around you… I felt like I was yelling over the music to have a conversation & I wish they lowered the volume as the place was tiny. Great music and song selection though!! Just be mindful or that, but I was still able to chat with my friends. Now… the food. Very very mediocre and slightly disappointing considering the high reviews & recommendations. Not worth the hype at all… My group had similar feelings as well on the food. For appetizers, we got: the flatbread, calamari and kale, and meatballs. Those were enjoyable and great sharing portions. The wine was good as well! The main course was disappointing… I ordered the seafood fettuccine and it was NOT fresh. Smelled very “fishy” and usually fresh seafood has low fragrance, but this smelled old as it came out. I can’t believe they even served mussels that were bad (as in rotting/old) to me! I requested it to be taken away as I didn’t want anything else unfortunately. The server was so sweet and helpful though, so bless her! My friends ordered the beef Wellington, but the steak was over cooked to medium which was disappointing as they were suppose to be medium rare. The Mac & Cheese was bomb though! As for dessert, we got the tiramisu and it was great! & for a treat, I got truffles/fudge as my birthday “cake” which was so sweet of my server. Loved her! Overall, I wouldn’t go back here. But I had a good time with my friends regardless. There are better Italian restaurants elsewhere.

    The Red DoorResponded on May 22, 2023After reading this review with your server she seemed very surprised as no specific concerns were brought to her attention. Did you notice that the dish was removed from your bill? We take pride in what we serve and cultivate a culture of always making it right with our guests. When you don't communicate your concerns, it is an unfortunate loss for everyone. As much as we would have wanted to exceed your expectations, the opportunity was missed the moment you chose this instead of communicating

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  15. Tish

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious, as always. Great service! Seafood Fettuccine where ALL the seafood was cooked to perfection!

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  16. KrisF

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    All food and service was 5 Stars. The Owner/Chef visited our table and offered a warm welcome and thank you. Everyone in my party of 7 was in awe at how delicious the food was. The Mother’s Day menu was perfect and we LOVED IT!!! Will recommend to any foodie looking for a great time and great service. Thank you so much Red Door!!! Will definitely be back. I personally had the seared scallops with pesto risotto. Best I’ve ever had!!!

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  17. Bubz

    San Francisco

    26 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on May 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Probably my 10th time coming here and it never disappoints! Even when they had a special Mothers Day menu that didn’t have my favorite chicken Parmesan, they had new dishes that were amazing! Dinner on Saturday was so good that we had to go back on Sunday! And my son is the pickiest eater in the world, but he loved the Cavatelli pasta with Marinara and the butterscotch Bundt cake! We had the special truffle pappardelle pasta, the Sunday Ragu and the Orechietti pasta! All of them were so good! Can’t wait to go back soon!

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  18. GabrielE

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 15, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    Really enjoyed it here. The seating arrangements were casual and relaxing. The prices are make it to where I won’t be coming back for a while but definitely satisfied with what I paid for. My mother got the short ribs and they were perfect. I had the beef Wellington and it was amazing. The flatbread appetizer was the highlight though!

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  19. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Good food, great service. Parking a little tricky but we manage to find parking on the day we went. Overall, the place is good

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  20. CarlyMc

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a great experience here. Great food, the service was amazing and the overall feeling. The chef personally came out and greeted everyone. Definitely recommend.

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  21. Christi

    Orange County

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We tried The Red Door for the first time for a Mother's Day lunch. The interior of the restaurant is charming and intimate, and surprisingly quiet. All of our dishes were outstanding, particularly my sea bass and the lamb shank with risotto my son had. But what really made our experience special was our server, and the rest of the staff, so nice! We were even greeted by the chef who also came to check in with us a few times. In fact, he very generously shaved a truffle from his special bag personally for my other son. The food and experience in this neighborhood gem are worth a visit!

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  22. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great restaurant. We have never been to Ref Door before and was super impressed. Food was impressive and the staff was the best.

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  23. TammyB

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Dinner was really delicious! We will definitely be going back.

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  24. DaveD

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Sat in the bar area so we had the added benefit of some live music thanks to a good piano man. The food was excellent. There were four of us and two had the Ragu, one the Scallops and myself, the Beef Wellington. ALL of the dishes were tasty and excellently prepared. Service was top notch. The drink menu had some interesting cocktails so we had to sample four of them. All quite good. Wife had the "Golden Eye", I had "Earl's Night Out" (spicy!), son-in-law had "Blue Smoke" daughter had "Fancy That". Desserts are also quite good. Owner/chef Luciano Cibelli checked in with us to ensure that all was well. Very enjoyable dinner. Highly recommended.

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  25. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    26 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on May 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great vegan options and delicious food/drinks. awesome

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  26. Susripolo

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to the restaurant. The eggplant Parmesan was light, tasty and easy on the stomach and the tiramisu was juicy and yummy! Loved the wine, shredded Brussel sprouts salad. My husband orders sapphire risotto with freshly caught salmon and it was cooked perfectly!

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  27. OpenTable Diner

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service, delicious seafood, and main courses came out quickly. Will be back!

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  28. pleater

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on May 13, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Lasagna was delicious! Sat on the “bar” room and the piano player was very good.

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  29. Macstark

    Nashville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Service was quick, never felt ignored or overwhelmed, food was amazing.

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  30. MadoriG

    Chicago

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The meal was delicious and staff was very welcoming and attentive. We enjoyed our date night very much!

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  31. OpenTable Diner

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Had an amazing dinner here celebrating my girlfriends and my anniversary! Food, service and ambiance was excellent

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  32. Mameko

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Food is excellent,espesially Steak,Scallop.services are very good.

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  33. williamp

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Red Door is great! The food is outstanding...maybe you've seen the picture of the Chef owner looking very charismatic...believe me...he backs it up...everything was so flavorful and perfectly cooked...the ambience is really nice...not spectacular...but charming, good table spacing...and you get a lot of very pretty light coming through the windows in early evening...go there you'll see what I mean...it's very nice...a serious fine dining place...we'll be back fo sure...

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  34. MaxineC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The Red Door is such a special, sweet dining experience in our community. Everything a great restaurant needs to have: delicious food, wonderful service, beautiful ambiance, and tasty wine. I love bringing family and friends here.

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  35. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place. Food was outstanding

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  36. MichelA

    New Mexico

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Lovely time at Red Door. 2nd visit even better than the first. Chef always friendly and informative. Highly recommended!

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  37. Dory92064

    San Diego

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    My daughter, husband and I really enjoyed dining at the Red Door. What a neighborhood gem! Our waiter was great -- personable, knowledgeable about the item menus. For appetizers we shared the Butternut Squash Brie (wonderful)and the Meat Lovers' Mac (so creamy, rich and flavorful). Both appetizers were so good. For main courses we enjoyed the Beef Wellington, Risotto with Ahi and Seafood Squid Ink Fetteccine -- all were delicious. The seafood fetteccine's broth made me want to hum -- it so, so delicious -- the best I've had. Plenty of fresh seafood, pasta was perfect. Will be hard not to order this again. Definitely will return again and will recommend Red Door to our friends.

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  38. Foodhound

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing dinner every time

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  39. BreonnaK

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My husband and I frequent The Red Door often! Our go to spot for homey Italian food cooked by an amazingly talented Italian Chef/Owner. His staff is always warm and welcoming as well! A must go if you have the chance!

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  40. Douglas

    San Diego

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing. The food was top notch and the service was amazing. I highly recommend this plan.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitising

    • Surfaces sanitised between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
    • Sealed or wrapped utensils used
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available
  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from The Red Door using the Order Online button. The Red Door also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 295-6000.

The Red Door is rated 4.8 stars by 2684 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 p.m.


Booked 12 times today
Google Map for The Red Door

741 W. Washington St., San Diego, CA 92103

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street

    Falcon Street

  • Neighbourhood

    Mission Hills

  • Hours of Operation

    Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    Italian, Farm-to-table, Modern European

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress Code

    Smart Casual

  • Parking Details

    Metered and two hour parking all around Monday through Saturday 8AM to 6PM. Ample free street parking available. Parking available in the US Bank lot after 6. Private lot on NW corner of Falcon and Washington.

  • Payment Options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive Chef

    Luciano Cibelli Chef/Owner

  • Additional

    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Phone number

    (619) 295-6000

  • Catering

    Offsite catering for small casual gatherings.

  • Private party facilities

    SPECIAL EVENTS & UNIQUE OCCASIONS Catering & Events are opportunities for us to work closely with our guests & occasions for us to share our dedication to celebration in exciting new ways. Our menu is from our farm, our dedication is to the experience. We love this stuff. info@thereddoorsd.com

  • Private party contact

    Luciano Cibelli lcibelli@gmail.com: (619) 459-3073

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