I'm sorry, but this is as good as fast food gets in San Diego, and it's very good. My comments apply to the restaurant on Balboa Ave in Clairmont. Other locations are usually good, but this location outshines them all. I've read that Chick-fil-A limits franchise store owners to just 2 locations. I've patronized this spot 25 times or more over the last 2 years. The owner is smart, dedicated, and highly skilled when it comes to hiring, training, and supervising employees. The service is head and shoulders better than any other fast food place I've ever visited. And this particular store is better than any other location I've tried both in and out of San Diego. The food is consistently good. The milkshakes are the best around. And though prices may seem a little high, the freebies and promotions I've experienced bring down the cost considerably. I trust them keeping my credit card information on file. Doing so allows me to order ahead as I'm leaving the house. My order is almost done by the time I make the 20-minute drive. Downside? Never open on Sunday. A few items like the potatoes are underwhelming and over priced, but there is a respect for quality and integrity here that just doesn't, never has, and likely won't ever exist at another fast food chain. Chick-fil-A is my top choice for fast food and this location is my top choice for the franchise. Hats off for doing a great job! read more

First time, sure an accident. But twice? I don't know what's going on with this location. But I placed my mobile order 2:30PM... Why did it take almost 30 minutes for me to get my order? I waited in the parking spot for about 16 minutes. Even the app said "are you still there" By the time I got my food. The fries were barely warm at best. Borderline cold. Same goes for the sandwich. When I decided to get out of the car to approach the window. Few seconds late, they have it. So I don't know if they forgot the order... read more

Staff are friendly and theres a clean eating space... cant ask for much else! Food is standard Chick-fil-A... its never out of this world but itll never fail you if youre craving a chicken sandwich read more

Chick-fil-A - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

Overview: busy but efficient drive thru line, good fast food and service ---- With a long line of cars waiting in the Chick-fil-A drive thru, the employees manning the ordering were killing it. With two or three of them walking down the line to help each car, their orders were quickly sent to the restaurant so that by the time you reach the pick-up window the food is ready to go. Instead of having two windows, the first to pay at and the second to pick-up food, their method is to order and pay with the employee, then just picking up the food. I find this a lot more convenient compared to other fast food chains where you have a three-step process. By removing one step, it makes the interaction smooth and quick. Honey Pepper Pimiento Sandwich $8.59 - very cheesy and sweet, which was right up my alley, but I can see how it doesn't work for some people flavor-wise - I have a huge sweet tooth, and it was drenched in honey, my bf didn't like it that much - the person taking our order was said that this sandwich wasn't for him, which I really appreciate the refreshing honesty instead of trying to convince us to buy something he didn't actually like ---- Notes: - I've been here in the past and I really enjoy their chicken sandwiches, but I like their sauce even more - their packaging is super cute, the whole cow branding is genius - service is great - outside seating is nice, drive thru is long but moves quickly ---- Overall: one of the better fast food options, consistent quality, sauce is a must-have, long drive-thru lines but with their system you get your food fast read more

See all

Chick-Fil-A breakfast is one of our favorite breakfasts to have. My daughter likes to get the chicken biscuit sandwich and I like to get the chick n minis with hash browns. We love the chick-fil-sauce to go with our sandwiches and hash browns. The chicken is never too dry or tough to bite. From the mini's bread to the biscuit, they are always soft. The staff here is always nice and friendly. Ensures we get all our condiments as well as the order being correct. They create a welcoming atmosphere which keeps us coming back from time to time. read more

Chick-fil-A - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Came here for breakfast and I love their spicy chicken biscuit. The biscuit is intact on the outside and still crumbled nicely in your mouth. It has a slight buttery flavor without getting too dense and the spicy chicken actually had a little spice and not completely bland. A perfectly passable chicken biscuit. The speed of the service was okaaaay. I was the only one there and there was also no cars driving through or anything. I'm fine waiting a while for my biscuit. The only thing I wish was better is the sitting/dining situation! I am a SoCal boy; I'm not built for cold! This outdoor-only dining is killing me. Even though the wait wasn't long; it was a chilly morning and I could only wish that I could be indoors! read more

See all

This location is very small and the parking lot is really busy. There is some outside seating only. I only order curbside pick up here. This location also closes earlier than other locations. The food is the same quality as other Chick Fil A's. I usually order chicken sandwiches and Sun Joy drinks. read more

Chick-fil-A - Curbside Pickup - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

I love chic fil A. The workers are extremely nice and the service is exceptional. The food, well, mostly chicken, super fresh, crispy and succulent. The vibe outside seems pretty chill, I am honestly not sure if they have indoor seating because I went through the drive thru. If you are keen on the original chicfila sauce, they do sell them by the bottles! I put that stuff on everything I eat. read more

This location on Balboa Ave is a hit or miss, especially during busy hours. The drive-thru and inside lines can get really backed up, and the staff often seem a bit unorganized when it's crowded. Orders take longer than expected, and it doesn't help that the parking lot is tight and can be tough to get in and out of. The last time I ordered breakfast here (right before the breakfast hours ended) it took about 25 minutes for my food to come out. The food itself is the usual Chick-fil-A quality, fresh and consistent. I'd recommend coming during off-peak times to save yourself the hassle. read more

Chick-fil-A - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

The sausage breakfast Santa's fantastic. The sausage actually tasted like a good sausage! The egg was cooked well. Tastes like they used fresh eggs. Best fast food sandwich in Clairemont read more

Great place. Plenty of parking. Drive thru can take a bit of time but they have tasty high quality food that is affordable. Not open Sundays, but I support that. Staff is always friendly. read more

2/19/2026 - I ordered a free biscuit sandwich. I have never been there for a breakfast item. I ordered in the app. Excellent service at the person standing there to look me up. The sandwich itself was good, except the biscuit breaks apart. Other than that, I would buy it again. See photos. read more

See all

This particular Chick-fil-A location was built from scratch after the previous chain bakery/restaurant was razed to the ground. That being said, I'm curious why management decided not to include an indoor dining area as part of the new structural footprint. There were several tables outside on the patio that could seat about 30 customers. Access to a restroom facility was available, but no inside seating existed. The drive-thru line was long, and it got to the point in which vehicles at the end of the queue were blocking open parking spaces. That's a big flaw in the design of the traffic flow. I parked and walked up to one of the ordering windows. I selected two sandwiches to-go, a Grilled Chicken Sandwich and a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich. There were numerous people ahead of me at the pick-up window. I waited about 10 minutes for my food. Both sandwiches were as good as those I've tasted at other branches of this chain. I liked how they put the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich into a foil sleeve to retain the crispiness of the fried fillet. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was dry and needed mustard on the side for dressing. What caused me to award less than four stars was the less than optimal setup. read more

See all

Dine in or drive thru...either way service is great, staff is always friendly and polite. We love all of the food here. They have seasonal drinks. We love their chick filet sauce! They are located off of a busy street, I love this location and the drive thru line doesn't take too long. You can use their app to order. They are closed on Sundays. read more

Chick-fil-A - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Don't recommend eating at this location unless you want food poisoning! My husband and I hadn't eaten all day and ate the same thing and ended up with food poisoning a few hours later. read more

Went through the drive thru and Stephanie took our order. She's amazing because while working out in the hot sun she's able to have a positive welcoming attitude while taking customers orders. read more

This Chick-fil-a must have the same hiring process as a Trader Joes. All the staff is super nice and friendly. The food is as ordered. No Complaints in terms of a fast food chain! Download the app for occasional coupons. I've gotten a free sandwich once. read more

As always, chick-fil-A does it again. The spicy chicken sandwich with waffle fries has become one of my favorite go to meals. I ordered the frosted peppermint coffee & it is so delicious. Customer service is great, all of the employees are friendly. It took me about 10-15 minutes to get through the line around 11am middle of the week. Next time I'll be trying the pick up order! read more

I ordered breakfast online. Cutting close to the 10:30 am but I made it there around 10:29. When i got to the line, they accepted my order. Once I got to the window, they told me that my order could not be fufilled. My frustration was not being told that at the beginning of the line that my order may not be fulfilled. Now I'm waiting in line expecting to get my breakfast instead I'm being told that I cannot get my breakfast order. I had other people depending on this order and it would've been good to know at the beginning so i could place a different order instead of waiting 15 minutes in the line and then finding out the order was not ready. I've been a Signature member for a couple of years and the Clairemont location has been one of the best locations I frequent. Especially when I place big orders for team breakfast. I've never had such a terrible experience as today. I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed. read more

This is probably my favorite Chick-fil-A location. I visit regularly and I've only had errors with my orders a few times. The employees are always friendly and the food is pretty consistent. The line can be long for the drive thru, but it doesn't usually bother me. I love the app and the owner of the location regularly adds rewards. read more

CONS: The most disgusting tasting grilled chicken sandwich in my life. Can't we get fresh food for the price of $25 for 2 grilled chicken sandwiches? The patties don't taste like chicken. They're rubbery chicken with fake grill marks that have been frozen in some kind of gross solution to preserve it for a longer shelf life. PRO: Staff was friendly. Fried chicken is probably good since there was a long drive through line that moved fast. Quick turnaround time getting the food out. read more

BEST customer service from Arianna today...super patient with me beautiful smile. I had lots of coffee questions. She answered them all and assured me if I wasn't happy she would make it right...super appreciative of your kind service skills :) read more

I made an order for pickup and when I went to go pick it up in the drive thru line the experience went down hill. I let the drive thru line attendant know that I had a mobile order and he just mumbled something to me. I then asked him if he said to go to window two and he said no and walked away to chat with a coworker. Honestly it's not that big of a deal but not the level of service that I expect from chick-Fil-a. Food was good though! read more

Friendly service. I was surprised the eating area was outdoors but they have the heaters on which makes it nice! I received my order within 3 minutes. Now that was fast! read more

Chick-fil-A - Heaters! - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

I would not recommend this sandwich, If I was asked to promote this sandwich I would make the best jalapeño sauce and let the consumer add what amount they want to taste I like to taste the ingredients not one taste the jalapeño infused chicken read more

I wouldn't dare order to my home. they can't get order correct when I walk in and make purchase. Drivethru is worse. I get home and have no idea what I have. read more

Came to Chick-fil-A because my job gave me a free sandwich card and I've never been there before. So ordering was OK and the people were very friendly, but after I noticed multiple people who ordered after me starting to get their food, I asked what happened to my order. All they told me was they were gonna go check and I was never updated about my order. Meanwhile, 20 minutes pass and I finally get my food and was told it was "lost in the system" but because that much time had passed my lunch break was virtually over and I couldn't even eat it anyways. They gave me a free item card for my inconvenience, but honestly, I don't plan on coming to any of these Chick-fil-A places again. Once I have a bad experience, I tend not to go back to those places to give them a second chance for my order to get "lost in the system." read more

This was my third time at Chick Fil A ever and my first time at this location. There were no cars when we arrived at 5pm, which was surprising. Maria promptly assisted us and was very patient and pleasant considering we took a while to order. I was surprised her tag said "in training" because she seemed rather seasoned. After ordering, we drove around to get our food. If came our quickly, but didn't have any dipping sauce for all 3 of my children's chicken nugget meals. Once I mentioned this, they quickly gave us enough to cover my kids meals. After coming home, I realized we were charged an extra $0.70 per Mac N Cheese per kids order. This wasn't stated to us upon ordering and I wish it had been. Beyond that, I was impressed with my salad because most salads from fast food restaurants are small, and this one was not. My kids enjoyed their meal and had fun playing with the toy that came with it. So other than the two minor issues stated above, everything was great. read more

Chick-fil-A - Cobb salad - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

This location always gets the order right and makes sure you have enough sauce. It's small and drive thru optimal here. Patio is smaller.

I usually like coming to this location. All my orders were mobile orders because it's easier for myself and the person at the drive through. However, lately the drive through line has been extremely long. Not sure if it's because they are cutting staff or what. The whole point of placing a mobile order is so that I don't have to wait in line too long. This morning was the worst. After placing my mobile order, I waited in the drive through line for 10 minutes. When I got up to the window, I think they forgot my coffee, they told me they have to make coffee and asked me to park. I waited another 3 minutes for coffee to be ready. Coffee should be the easiest thing to make on the entire menu and it's breakfast time you think they would have coffee ready. Not sure what's going on. They probably need more space and staffing at this location. I probably won't be coming back here since there's a new location by UCSD that's closer to my place and school. read more

This one pains me as I LOVE Chick-fil-A but the past couple of months this location seems to be going though some challenges when I make an order. I am rating this as an average stop now as this location has popped into the regular fast food category l for me. I expect to receive wrong orders at other locations, but I held Chick-fil-A at a higher standard. Past three orders have been wrong; First time I didn't say anything because everyone has a bad day, this one had two wrong sandwiches, ordered regular and received the deluxe sandwich. Second time (called the customer service and they gave me money back), this one was spicy sandwiches instead of the regular but bonus I do like the spicy sandwiches and wouldn't have tried them without the mistake. This time (third incident) sweet tea instead of unsweetened tea. I popped the receipt in here to show it wasn't a mistake from the folks taking the order it seems to be a breakdown for those who are filling the orders. I am just going to take a break from the location as maybe it's a sign :-) Anyway, I recommend that you check your items before leaving and don't just blindly trust their process as I did for a long time. Still my favorite food but I'll try the other locations next time. Pros: Spicy sandwich is really good Fast drive through line Super nice staff Place looks clean and well kept read more

Chick-fil-A - Receipt from today - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

This spot is made for drive-tru, but they have tables on the side that take advantage of the San Diego weather. There are also two bathrooms on site you can use and the service is quick from our experience. If you are looking for a fast, tasty, not healthy option then this is it. I mean look at that classic spicy chicken deluxe. This place should at least have 4 stars, it's not fine dining but this hits the spot. read more

Chick-fil-A - Spicy Deluxe Sandwich - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

In general Chick-fil-A is good. I appreciate that I didn't have to freakin' ask for permission to use the bathroom and wait for a code or key. Or have to use my niceties to cut people to ask for for a code or key. Really? I'm grown. And it's not like I wait until the last minute. The bladder knows when a bathroom is nearby and goes into full activation. And don't tell me "for customers only". If I've been eating here twice a week for years then obviously I am a customer, just not on that day. But, I didn't experience this here, I just had a deterrent rant. read more

Chick-fil-A - Wages at this rate, all 16 year olds should be working. - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

To wait 25 minutes in line , that wasn't that long to begin with, and NOT have the sauce asked for , pickles in my sandwich that I asked for. Mind you I LOVE pickles , and NO NAPKINS . Is CRAZYYYY. Last time I came my sandwich had no cheese . Always forgetting something here . Not cool guys . read more

Love how thorough this operation is and the staff is super friendly and helpful. A little tough navigating this particular location but we were not familiar with the area. read more

For Veteran's Day, a chicken sandwich icon is giving away free meals to military service members.... All over the Internet but when I just arrived they said ---**Chick-Fill A is not honoring the Veterans Discount today. They were also not even polite about it. False advertising .... Balboa Ave- shame proud to be a veteran read more

To be honest this is the best location I've ever been to. All the employees are always so kind.. it's shocking to see such good customer service nowadays. Today i really appreciated the customer service from Wayne. It was obviously busy and he still took the time to read off my order and confirm everything. Thank you so much Wayne you are so kind! I'll be back :) read more

Sat in the drive thru for more than 20min after they opened. Service is slow. They looked unprepared to open.

This Chick fil a is very unique! It's the only location I've seen without indoor dining. Doesn't bother me because I normally order in the app for curbside pickup. Service here is always quick and friendly. Food is always consistent here and tasty! My go to is nuggets, fries, and lemonade!! If you're a member they also email out free rewards every once in awhile! Last time I stopped by to redeem my free peppermint chip shake! It was so tasty! The only negative is it's so slow when you order in person. After waiting 15 minutes for a Togo order of lemonade and fries I will now only order in app ahead of time. read more

Chick-fil-A - Peppermint Chip Milkshake - Fast Food Near Me - San Diego, California

Was here on a Wednesday night. The staff is always very courteous and they have great customer service. I like the overall positive attitude that they all have that adds to the good vibe ambiance at all Chick-Fil-A restaurants. We ordered drive through and it was quick, perfectly prepared and perfect temperature. They have THE BEST SHAKES! read more