I am so happy I was able to make last minute reservations to Kingfisher for right when they open at 5pm on a Saturday! They only had a table for 5 but we ended up having 6 people in our party. They were so kind to be able to accommodate the additional person! They had personalized menus that greeted my party and it wished my friends a happy birthday!! They actually got to take the menus home! This was really a nice touch, I appreciated the details. We family-styled everything which is honestly the way to go so everybody can try a little of everything! It was majority of our party's first time dining there. We started off with some drinks, I got the Non-alcoholic Guava Mocktail and I got to try what was the equivalent to an espresso martini too. Definitely liked the guava drink better because it tasted like guava nectar juice (kind of like Kerns or Jumex). The Expresso Martini had fresh mint in it and it tasted earthy which wasn't my cup of tea. For food we started off with the Heirloom Tomato Salad which was DELICIOUS!! I don't know what they put in the Vietnamese Green Goddess (probably fish sauce since all the dishes basically had this) but it was magnificent and one of my favorite dishes of the night. Then the Scallops and the Black Cod came out. The Scallops came in a set of 3 and we cut them in half so we could all have a taste. The sauce on this was DIVINE!!! It was citrusy but still really flavorful bursting with umami. I'm literally starting to drool reminiscing about it xD We wanted to keep it to use on other dishes because it was so good. The Black Cod was also delicious. It had fried skin attached and a sesame soy glaze. Next up came the Beef Tartare and the Wagyu Steak. The Beef Tartare was probably the least flavorful out of everything we ordered, but it was still well seasoned. My friend said it was really spicy but it might have just been her bite because I didn't think it was spicy at all. I like that the give you the option of leafy greens or shrimp chips to eat it with. The Wagyu though, was an all-star dish. It was the crowd favorite for sure, we all enjoyed not only the steak but the picked baby eggplants that come with it, and the sauce was phenomenal!! Lastly came the Dry Aged Duck which is what they're known for. It was definitely the biggest fish out of all. You were able to eat the duck with two different sauces, one they called a "Fish Sauce Chimichurri" and "Vietnamese XO sauce" which is more so satay. My friends liked the XO sauce but I liked the Chimichurri better. They had actually forgotten about the side of Buttered Rice but I was told it was incredibly flavorful on its own so we still asked for it. It had more than just butter in it, there was dried shrimp and sesame seeds, and it was made with coconut milk or something because it had a sweet but savory taste to it. I saved some of my duck and Wagyu to eat with it which was actually pretty good. Overall I liked that they brought out the dishes from lightest to heaviest and especially after they brought out out 2 sides of Buttered Rice we were all satisfied and full. It was the perfect amount of food. Honestly EVERY dish was different but amazingly dank and I think it's the fish sauce in everything. They were also sweet and kept the cake we brought in the fridge, placed the candles on it for us, and even after we sang they cut the cake for us!! 10/10 would recommend coming here for not only the food but the impeccable service!! Since we had a larger party there's an automatic 20% gratuity already added to the bill, which came out to be $555! (Look at that angel number!) read more

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We came here during Restaurant Week which was probably our first mistake. For $75, it just wasn't enough food. Looking at pictures from other nights, most of our food was half the size or missing some major component. For example, the egg noodles had only a few very thin truffle shavings compared to what I saw online. They also lacked the real truffle flavor. The chocolate dessert was half of its normal size. Overall, everything is extremely overpriced and lacks flavor. The food was so bland across the board and it felt like we were being skimped out not on just the size but the flavor too. We eat a lot of Asian food and the taste wasn't even close to matching our expectations. All the workers were very friendly, but the food came out very slow. They also gave us a printed out menu for our anniversary with our last name on it which was spelled wrong. I don't care about that, just thought it was very funny. The restaurant was smaller than we expected, but we did enjoy the colors, the layout and the overall ambiance. Wouldn't go back! read more

Came here in December of 2024, to celebrate receiving an award with my friends before going to turf club. Near closing so we all got one drink and the kitchen was closed (we were all seated at the bar). Wouldn't let us to pay for our own drinks and we had to pay as a group; so they could hit us with the auto gratuity. Then they had the audacity to ask to tip the kitchen staff as well. Like excuse you, your kitchen is closed, why would I tip the kitchen staff on top of the 20% automatic gratuity when I'm seated at the bar. We couldn't even order food if we wanted to! Now I'm writing this review 2 years later because it rubbed me the wrong way on what was supposed to be a night to remember after winning an award. And I do remember and anytime asks if I would recommend coming here, they get a solid no. read more

Kingfisher did not disappoint! We sat at the bar. Ordered the wings on the happy hour and got a few other entrees tooo. The whole fried rockfish was amazing and so so flavorful. Will for sure be coming back to try more read more

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Ive been here twice now and heres my honest review on this place: Ambiance: More formal than casual but definitely leaning more towards casual-formal than formal-formal -- the place itself has a nice vibe with an island bar in the center surrounded by high tops, tables, and booth + table seating. If I had to describe it in one word I would say "aesthetic". Service: Great, the servers check in a decent amount of the time and you can usually flag them down if you need anything Food: This is where my review goes downhill. The only thing I would say is worth getting at this restaurant is the baguette with butter (no add-ons, caviar or whatever they have going on at the time -- its just not worth it -- when I got the black truffle on my butter the shavings were so thin they might as well have not been there since it made no difference in flavor) The tamarind wings are one dimensional -- the wings are fried well, but lack in flavor, its straight *overwhelming* tamarind with no other notes. House made egg noodles lack any sort of noticeable flavor, most of it stemming from the Lap Cheong but most definitely not worth the price tag that it holds ($36) The dry aged duck is where I feel the most "scammed out of". Ive gotten this both times i've been here. Both times its been overly salty. I understand its dry-aged, but the saltiness overtakes any other flavor of the duck. The sauces try to make up for the lack of flavor but they just cant carry the entire dish on their own -- especially not for a $100 price tag. The first time I ordered this dish (Jan 2026) the duck came out cold-warm, and the second time I came here (July 2026) it came out warmer. read more

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4 couples went so we tried most of menu- best dishes Aged Duck, liver pate, blue fin crude, Eggplant , wings & chicken main. Mixed on Congee & egg noodle dishes some liked some did not and the worst was Black Cod - too soft & mushy ( should have sent back - yes we've all had it before so know texture etc. ) Service, vibe & drinks great. read more

Kingfisher - Dry aged duck - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

Now we don't do fancy often but when we do we make it count. This is a spot for that. Love kingfisher. You know the rules...one quick review: Food: top tier for sure. Great great all around Service: attentive and we went for a celebration and they made custom menus. Love that Ambiance: elegant but inviting, simple but upscale. It was perfect. Worth the trip, the money and the time. Go... read more

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Upscale Vietnamese inspired dishes! I am glad to see my culture being represented. The food was amazing and hit all the umami notes. The options are light and refreshing. Portions are a bit smaller so be prepared to order more to be full haha. I really enjoyed all their dishes. The stand out would be the steak! Flavorful, perfectly charred, and accompanied by a small side of greens. The service was about a 4/5. The kitchen/server forgot a few dishes but we ended up getting it and enjoyed them. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Came here on a Friday with a reservation for a party of 4. There is no parking lot available so you will have to find street parking. The restaurant is very trendy and a perfect spot for a date or intimate dinner with a small party. For appetizer we ordered house-made baguette and French butter, duck liver pate, and kanpachi crudo. The baguette with the French butter was so fresh and tasty. It was hard to stop eating it. The pate was also delicious and the kanpachi crudo was one of my favorite dishes of the night. We also ordered the crispy chicken wings, house made egg noodles and smoked dry aged duck for entrees to share. The winds were very flavorful and the sauces that came with it were a great pairing. The noodles the smoked duck was a great size for sharing and came with lots of veggies and sides. The duck was perfectly cooked and delicious. The noodles were yummy but were outshined by the rest of the dishes. We ordered the pickled papaya and marinated cucumbers for sides. In hindsight we definitely had too much food and probably didn't need the sides but both were great compliments to the other dishes. For cocktails I ordered the nuoc mami but ended up preferring the water buffalo. Both were good but I did really enjoy the clarified pho reduction in the water buffalo. Service was friendly and attentive. They packaged up our menu nicely as we were celebrating birthdays. Overall I had a great first time at Kingfisher and would definitely recommend a try. read more

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This place is so delicious. Came here on a Monday - which is great because there are fewer options on Monday. The whole fried fish is a must! We also did the industry night special. read more

Kingfisher - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

went for happy hour. Loved the vibes but it was lowkey still very expensive bc the portion sizes were pretty small... drinks: over all ok. Prefer kingfisher spritz over no disco. The latter drink was too strong imo and didn't really taste tropical. nothing to write home about kanpachi crudo (8.5/10): $21 for a SMALL ass bowl. Really loved all the flavors tho and would get again crispy pig ear salad (9/10): $21. soooo fresh and crispy! Would get again crispy chicken wings (8/10): $18 for 4pcs. Really solid but not the best I've had House made egg noodles (9/10): I loveddddd this dish sm! Pork lap cheong was really nice and crispy. Wish the black truffles were a little stronger but overall great dish would get again!! read more

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It was fate that brought us here. Our original dinner plans fell through, and this spot happened to be just down the street from our hotel. Let me tell you--it did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, everything was exceptional: the service, the food, and the ambiance. Our server, Tanya, was amazing--patient, attentive, and happy to answer all of our questions. The only downside was that we wanted to try their smoked dry-aged duck, but it had already sold out. Tanya mentioned that it typically sells out every night by 6:30 PM, and we didn't arrive until 7:30 PM. That's just another reason for us to come back the next time we're in San Diego. Everything we ordered was outstanding--elevated Vietnamese cuisine at its finest. We also tried the banana bread dessert with toasted banana ice cream, and it was absolutely delicious. Honestly, I would have bought the entire banana loaf if they had been willing to sell it to me! Definitely give this place a try. They're also kid-friendly, which makes it an even better dining experience for families. read more

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Amazing dinner at Kingfisher! This was the first restaurant when i typed in Vietnamese and saw it was Michelin Guide recommended. Their crudo, congee, egg noodles and dry aged duck stood out to me the most upon first glance. They do require a $20 per person deposit to book the appt but it gets refunded as soon as ur seated. They have a beautiful and elegant indoor to outdoor set up with booths as well as tables and covered patio seating. We were initially sat at the booth which were so nice with the leather but it got a little cold and they were so kind to help us find a warmer location next to the window. It was perfect! We ordered the blufin crudo, the handmade egg noodles, and the dry aged duck. They recommend u put in the full order first but they send out each course one after the other and time it for u which is nice. Bluefin crudo 5/5: so fresh and that sauce is so bright and refreshing w avocados and veggies. Egg noodles 4.5/5: they were delicious, unique flavors ive never had before in Vietnamese cuisine but it was so good! Just one note it was a lil on the tangy salty side but i still enjoyed it! Spicy as well. Didnt finish the pork bc it was a bit salty. Dry aged duck 4.5/5: this was also so good! Love all The veggies that come with it and some cooked noodles. The sauces r to die for. There were just some pieces that were harder to chew bc of the medium rare and thick slices and as it cooled down, but there was so much meat and perfectly medium cooked can't really complain! The dessert we got was the Banana bread with banana ice cream. It was so warm and soft and the ice cream delicious! The service was so attentive and felt very fine dining with very reasonable price for everything we ordered. Also a note automatic 20% gratuity shared with everyone including back of house which is so nice and u can give addl tip for the waiter which we did! Def recommend when in area! read more

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Took my mom and gma out for a celebratory birthday dinner. They gave us a personalized menu which was such a nice touch! The interior is beautiful and the service was amazing. Or course we came here for the duck which did not disappoint in its amazing complexity of flavors. We also LOVED the eggplant! read more

Kingfisher - Eggplant - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here for a family celebration. First of all the service is fantastic. Exceptional. They made sure we had a great night. Started off with a few drinks and their famous highball. The highball was interesting and we recommend it! Other than that had the wings, house made egg noodles, and their smoked dry age duck. Honestly I was kind of surprised that the duck was my least favorite. Not sure it warranted the price but with that said the chicken wings and the egg noodles were phenomenal! Highly recommend. They also had a spin on flan that tasted more crème brûlée-y. Very tasty way to end the night. Definitely get reservations as this place got busy quickly. This is a great place for a date or a night out with your friends or a family dinner. Please note that street parking is the only option which isn't a problem. This is a hidden gem in a rougher neighborhood but don't let that turn you away. read more

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I throughly enjoyed my dining experience at Kingfisher. My partner and I had a reservation here and was seated promptly after we arrived. The hostess had a note for our anniversary celebration. They also printed a little celebatory note directly on the menu - a great personal touch. Our server was friendly and answered any questions we had. We ordered the beef tartare, smoked aged duck, and the deep fried sand bass. For the drink we ordered the Seasame Soirée. While our food came out pretty slow, I'd say it was worth the wait. We also enjoyed 2 complimentary glasses of bubbly while we waited as part of our anniversary celebration. The restarant itself is decorated beautifully with a jazzy ambiance. The interior had bits of gold and green with a beautiful pearlescent leafy wallpaper. The bar is located in the center and also doubles as a centerpiece to the restuarant. Restrooms are located in the back - there we many private, clean and spacious rooms. Below is a summary of the food we ordered: Beef Tartare (5/5) - Savory, sweet and spicy beef tartare dressed in fish sauce and thai chilis. Paired alongside fresh herbs like cilantro, shiso, argula and radicchio. The sesame rice crackers were light and airy. Smoked Dry Aged Duck (5/5) - Perfectly cooked, sweet and salty aged smoked duck paired with rice noodles, herbs and 2 different sauces. I appreciated the many ways you can wrap and enjoy the duck. I do wish the slices of duck were either smaller or thinner - it's hard to eat in one bite. Whole Fried Sand Bass (4/5) - I'll always order a whole firied fish wherever I go and this was no expection. I loved the sweet & sour ginger sauce. The fish was a bit over-fried in my personal opinion, but the inside is still very soft and tender. Sweet & Sour Rice Noodles (5/5) - Aboslutely delicious! Slippery and cold rice noodles dressed in fish sauce and other seasonings. It's not overpowering at all and goes great with the Whole Fried fish as well. Seasame Soiree Cocktail (5/5) - A very unique drink made with gin, ginger, coconut, seasame seeds and more. It was very fragrant in the best way. The flavor really develops after the first sip. I love how nutty and decadent yet light this drink is. Overall, I had a great experience here and this is one of the top restaurants I've had the pleasure of enjoying in SD. Highly reccomend especially if you like Vietnamese food / fish-sauce forward dishes. (At least for the dishes I ordered) read more

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This is my first time trying this place. It has been amazing from the start I walk to the door with a great host with her bubbly personality. Service is fabulous. Thank you to my waitress Tonya. I start with house made Baguette with French butter $14 it is just ok for me it's little too pricey on this one. I ordered Appetizer Tuna Crudo $29 this is the best and the most flavorful tuna I have fresh and awesome . WAgyu skirt steak is my favorite they have lots of flavor on it . Will definitely be back thank you read more

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We came on a Saturday evening to celebrate a birthday and had picked a reservation for their stunning bar. The interior looks amazing with great wallpapers, atmospheric lighting features, and a nod to the heydays of art deco. Service was equally impressive, very attentive, polite, and helpful. We loved the concept of French-Vietnamese food, as it promises sophisticated cooking techniques with strong flavors. We were certainly not disappointed with our first choice. The beef tartare was truly excellent, the beef was of high quality, the fried shallots added some interest, but the real stars were the selection of fresh herbs that were used to wrap the beef in. The sesame rice crackers provided some additional crunch. The drinks were another highlight. We opted for the Cielo Alto (Mezcal, Tamarind), the Nuoc Mami (Mezcal, Fish Sauce), Water Buffalo (Gin, Pho Reduction), and the Mekong Martini (Vodka, Cilantro). Our second starter was the congee, which we did not enjoy. It was bland, there was no attempt to provide sufficient interest in terms of texture or flavor profile, and knowing that in some cultures congee is consumed when under the weather, maybe that's the only acceptable way that I would recommend this dish. For us it was a disappointment and did not keep up with the rest of the menu. For our main we picked the fried rock fish, which was bathed in a sweet ginger sauce and came with rice noodles, a cucumber salad, and some green papaya. The fish was executed perfectly, was soft and delicate. The sides, however, felt less balanced and special. For dessert, we had the flan with coffee syrup, which was done very well, however, I was hoping-in alignment with the theme of the restaurant-to have some more Vietnamese dessert options and flavors. All desserts seemed western-focused. Overall, we liked the experience and we are keen to come back to try some of their other dishes. read more

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Really delicious drinks and food in a beautiful setting. We were seated basically immediately upon arrival which was nice. Our waitress was very friendly and gave us a good rundown of her favorites. To order, we ended up going with the beef tartare, the artichokes, and the baguette. The baguette was fresh, warm and delicious. The beef tartare was a standout and had a yummy amount of spice. The artichokes were pretty good but aren't a must get. A point was lost here for the time between receiving those starters and our mains (the scallops and half chicken). They were both delicious, but the gap in time was so large that we had to take most of those two to go to meet our next reservation. Had they came out about 20 mins sooner, we would have had more time to enjoy. Recommend nonetheless though! The cocktails were great as well. read more

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Michelin recognized restaurant and bar, Kingfisher, is serving creative cocktails and innovative Vietnamese French cuisine. AMBIANCE Blends replicas of nature (kingfisher bird at entrance, lotus wallpaper) with a refined modern interior SERVICE Friendly, attentive, helpful DRINK 5/5 DUCK AROUND (assertive and direct) Duck Fat-Washed Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky, Cognac, & Benedictine, Sweet Vermouth, Herbs de Provence. FOOD 5/5 BEEF TARTARE (hits all the senses) Toasted Quinoa, Pickled Ramps, Crispy Shallots, Thai Chilies, Cured Egg Yolk, Sesame-Rice Crackers, Watercress, Lettuces, and Herbs. 4/5 KANPACHI CRUDO* (bright) Makrut Lime & Bell Pepper Emulsion, Avocado, Zucchini, Condensed Milk, Fennel. 5/5 LOCAL BLACK COD (tender, so flavorful) Caramelized Fish Sauce, Mustard Greens, Green Onion, Crispy Shallots, Buttered Rice, Toasted Shrimp. 4.5/5 BLACK TRUFFLE ICE CREAM (very sweet) Truffle Caramel, Shortbread Cookie (lemony) 5/5 WARM BREAD PUDDING (aromatic, decadent) Condensed Milk Anglaise, Roasted Banana Ice Cream. read more

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Another unreal experience at kingfisher! I got to try a bunch of new plates and cocktails and I think this might be my favorite experience yet. The NƯỚC MẮMI cocktail was a favorite and all of the dishes we tried were amazing - but the stars were the eggplant, crudo, and of course the congee. 10/10 as always! read more

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Four years later & four check ins. Needless to say, I adore this place. Anytime I get a chance or an excuse to come here for dinner & to blow my friend's minds on how good their dry age duck is. Without hesitation this will always be the first item I will ask if they have any available & you better believe I will order this! read more

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Kingfisher is a cute and stylish restaurant tucked into Golden Hill. I had high expectations after hearing positive feedback from other foodie friends. Cocktails came out after all apps and entrees were already served, so we didn't get to focus much attention on drinks. Both the mains ordered were hot dishes and supposed to arrive after the appetizers. Unfortunately everything arrived at once so by the time we were eating the mains they were not very warm anymore. Tuna crudo was yummy but itty bitty. Drinks were good but for the $20/per price, I wasn't blown away?! We ordered dessert, it was just okay. I was a little disappointed, but maybe it was just an off night? read more

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Unfortunately super disappointed with this restaurant! I came with a part of 4 on Friday night. Plenty of free street parking around. The restaurant is well decorated and clean. The service was ok, they didn't check on us. The food however, came out veryyy slowly, we were seated for 3 hours and we weren't even full by the end of the meal. The appetizers were the real star - I liked their duck pate and beef tartare. The entrees were sooo salty though across the board. We ordered the egg noodles, skirt steak, and whole fried rock fish. None stood out to me, but nothing bad about them. Long wait times for small portions and pretty pricey dishes. I wouldn't come back! read more

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We went to Kingfisher this week, on recommendations from a bunch of people. The General Manager, Garrett, was fantastic and took great care of us. Our waiter Mark was amazing as well. The food is all fantastic. We thoroughly enjoyed the "whole fish", Quail, Duck, salad and the french baguette! One of the BEST dinners we have all enjoyed!! read more

Cute spot for a night out! We especially loved the Spiny Lobster and Kurobuta Pork--both dishes were incredibly unique and delicious, and honestly worth returning for on their own. The egg noodles were solid as well, though not particularly memorable. Unfortunately, we're knocking off a star for the $14 bread and butter. They had run out of their house-made baguette and substituted it with a "similar bread" that turned out to be a section of a Paris Bakery loaf--the kind you can easily find at a grocery store for very little--yet it was still charged significantly for it. While the butter was excellent, the bread substitution felt disappointing and left a bit of a sour note at the end of an otherwise great meal. read more

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Amazing restaurant! The vibe is really nice and the decor is fun yet modern. The staff are all really nice and the service was great. Really enjoyed the food as well - I was worried it was going to be typical expensive but mediocre small plates but was wrong. Everything was unique and delicious, and we didn't leave hungry. The eggplant, noodles, and congee were particularly standout. Would definitely recommend / go back! read more

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Kingfisher serves some genuinely delicious food. The scallops were outstanding, the fried rice was flavorful, and the black cod was also excellent. The kitchen clearly knows how to prepare quality dishes, and the food is the reason I'm giving this restaurant 4 stars instead of less. That said, I deducted one star because of the location and overall environment. I chose Kingfisher because I was looking forward to Vietnamese cuisine, but when I arrived, my first impression was disappointing. Right by the entrance there was a strong urine smell, and because the restaurant has an open-air layout, it affected the dining experience. I also found myself concerned about the surrounding neighborhood and the overall setting. For me, a great restaurant is about more than just the food--it's also about feeling comfortable, relaxed, and enjoying the atmosphere. Even if a restaurant serves amazing food, the experience isn't complete if the location makes guests feel uneasy. I understand that Kingfisher has earned Michelin recognition, and the quality of the food certainly shows why. However, I hope the overall dining environment can improve because the talented kitchen deserves a setting that matches the excellent dishes they serve. I would gladly return if this establishment were located in a cleaner, more welcoming area without the homeless encampments nearby. read more

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I spent a couple of days in San Diego and my brother wanted to take me to one of his favorite place to hangout. It's best to make reservations but it was a last minute for us and we managed to snatch some seats at the bar. This place is certainly instagram able, upscale, romantic and also loud. For food, we had: duck liver pate, beef tartar, house noodle, congee and passion fruit sorbet. My brother and I really like the pate, it's creamy, smooth, simply delicious. We all love dessert. There were also many drinks in between. Our bartender was pleasant and helpful. Overall, the food and cocktails were great. And we had a lot of fun. read more

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Some notes: Service was fantastic and thr staffs are nice. Parking was horrible but not new news for downtown SD. Not busy for a Friday 6 p.m. dinner. Restaurant makes it to be fancy than they really are. Must put down a hefty deposit for rsvp I assumed they must have trust issue with cancellation. Food just not worth it and family style. Very expensive most likely have to order full menu or eat lots of rices to be full. See the menu yourself. Majority are taste testing sizes. Overall, no Wow factors. read more

Kingfisher - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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FOOD: Eggplant (5/5) Rockfish (5/5) Duck breast (5/5) SERVICE: Server was knowledgeable and answered any questions we had. I liked that even though she was extremely busy, she looked over to see if we were OK. The busser made sure to clean out any dirty dishes. PARKING: Street parking only. read more

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First time I came here I was disappointed. Hardly remember anything about the food I ordered. I know we got the steak and mushroom congee. But nothing stood out. Came again this weekend to give it another go and damn blown away. Crispy pig ear salad: extremely refreshing and loved the nuoc mam in it. Crispy pig ear was delicious but I wish there were more of it Chicken wings: this was alright. The ranch seemed sour cream based and the hot sauce just tasted like sambal. Did give us wet napkin to wipe hands off later which was nice and a bone bowl. Black Cod: by far the favorite. Never had I eaten fish that was so moist and flaky. Even other upscale restaurants they overcook it and dry it the fish. The buttered rice was delicious. Kurobota Pork collar: great flavors and I loved the grilled green onion. Some end pieces were dry though. I appreciated the nuoc Cham broth that wasn't too fish sauce-y. Cocktails: got the sesame soirée, red envelope, and the water buffalo (pho) cocktail The sesame soirée was the BEST COCKTAIL I HAVE EVER HAD. The ginger and sesame worked so well together. Red envelope my favorite part was the banana foam so good. Pho cocktail was alright. Glad I gave this another go and will definitely be back. Please do not get rid of the sesame soirée. I will literally be dreaming about it. read more

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The service and ambiance was really nice. Most of the food excellent. The duck was $91 and the meat was so tough I could not even cut it with the provided Steak nice- overall not a fan of this restaurant. read more

Kingfisher is one of our favorite stops in San Diego. It's a wonderful Vietnamese-French upscale restaurant that has a great sense of both flavor and smart vibes all across its menu. For us, we usually come to Kingfisher via rideshare which is a quick ride from downtown SD, but if you do drive, there usually does seem to be street parking. We also commit to reservations each and every time as well although it has been a bit easier to nab a reservation in recent months. Coming into the restaurant, it's a beautiful area with a bar in the center and tables surrounding the area. It feels like a modern interpretation of Metropolis - art deco vibes with moody lighting. There's also a small patio area which is where we sat in our first visit with heat lamps during the colder months. When it gets noisy inside, I think the patio is a great option. Service is also pretty great across the board. Our server on our first visit (apologies, we forgot your name!) was amazing. He walked us through the menu and gave us nice food hacks throughout when possible. We've hit a lot of different menu items now with our various visits - here are some highlights: *Dry aged duck: This is a dish we had to actually go back a second time because they sold out. Would come either early or try to denote in your reservation notes. We thought it was definitely worth getting and meaty. Love the crisp of the skin. Love that you can construct your lettuce wraps with lots of fun side dishes. *Kurobata pork collar: This was the entree we went with our first visit as the duck had sold out. And we were pleasantly surprised. Definitely the easier dish to eat between this and the duck - gotta love the tamarind puree and herbs to really give the dish a wonderful vibrancy. *Tail snapper crudo: A really solid appetizer to start with. Love the acidity and brightness of the dish. *Beef tartar: Also amazing. It has a slight kick to it as well as a crunch that is a bit different than the typical beef tartar. Loved that it came with sesame rice crackers and watercress. *Duck liver pate: A solid pate dish with a tiny bit of spicy/kick. The baguette is delicious as well as the wonderful fruit. *Vanilla flan: Such a freakin' good dessert - a delicious play on Vietnamese flan. I love the Vietnamese coffee the they pour all over the flan and that you can use throughout the entire meal to continue and coat the dessert. Best of all, you can ask for ice as well to truly get the Vietnamese feel. We've also gotten many of the cocktails which are all pretty good. Believe my favorites are the Sesame soirée and Saigon Moped. What a wonderful treat to find in San Diego and can't wait to come for many more visits. read more

Came here with family and had a great experience. Kingfisher offers a modern twist on Vietnamese and French cuisine, and everything felt thoughtfully done. The drinks were especially creative, and the food matched that same level of care and originality. The atmosphere was stylish and made it a great spot for a nice dinner out. Our server was fantastic and really added to the overall experience. Definitely a place worth checking out if you're looking for something a little different. read more

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Amazing. Just amazing. Ambiance 10/10. Service 10/10. Food 10/10. Cocktails 10/10. I haven't been this impressed in so long. I've never had Vietnamese food with this kind of elevation & creativity. Let's jump right in! Cocktails: Dried By Wind-This was very unique. I never would've thought tequila, black tea, miso & Chinese five spice would go together. Everyone at the table had a sip & loved it. I ordered 2 because I enjoyed it a lot Duck Around-First of all, love the name. My sister got this & she really liked it. I mean, I'm a huge fan of duck fat.. who isn't?! But to make it into a drink is genius Water Buffalo-Did someone say clarified pho reduction?! My brother got this & was skeptical. He thought it might taste like cold pho broth, but the way they did it, it worked well. We were all taken back by how delicious it was Kanpachi Crudo-A great appetizer to start your taste buds. At first when I read condensed milk, I thought EW. However, it was SO good! I never would've thought condensed milk would go with any kind of crudo. Simple, light, & well balanced. Duck Liver Pate-YUM. I swear I could eat that whole slab of pate by myself & not get sick of it. The kumquat mostarda complimented the pate. Beef Tartare-I will always say yes to beef tartare, but this with the sesame rice cracker was amazing! The entire table finished this quick, definitely a top favorite. Crispy Pig Ear Salad-Don't let the pig ear scare you, it's crunchy, lightly savory, & was a great addition to the lotus stem salad. I'm super picky with salads & this was DELICIOUS. Crispy Chicken Wings-My sister absolutely loved this dish! She says it's probably the best chicken wings she's had. That's a huge statement considering San Diego has quite a bit of "the best wings" spots sprinkled around. I didn't get a chance to try, but it's a great excuse to come back Grilled Japanese Eggplant-First of all, I don't like eggplants. However, this was GOOD. Really good! House Made Egg Noodles-Anything with black truffle, sign me up. My husband was impressed by this dish & he is really particular! Noodles are so easy to over cook, but these were perfect. Everyone at our table agreed this was also one of the top favorites. The perfect amount of spice & not overwhelming. Whole Fried Rock Fish-This was served with pickled veggies & a side of noodles. You NEED to eat the fish with the noodles & side veggies together. The rock fish alone is like any other fried rock fish. However, the flavors & texture of everything together are a match made in heaven. Kurobuta Pork Collar-AMAZING! Top favorite for sure. It was SO tender, I wrapped it in the lettuce with the noodles & herbs like a real Vietnamese should & it was fire. I was thrown off at first because I'm so used to roasted pork, but this way was really good. Letting it soak in the Nuoc Cham broth was a great way to really let the flavors get in there. Smoked Dry Aged Duck-I think this was the star of the show. We had a tough time choosing which was better, this or the pork collar, but for me I think this was the winner. This dish sells out fast & I can see why. We were lucky & now I need to book another rsvp specifically to experience this dish again. Vanilla Flan-What is a good meal without finishing strong with something sweet? Big back festivities done right. This was DELICIOUS. Flan can easily be overly too sweet, but not here. The flan was the perfect texture & well balanced with a Vietnamese coffee syrup. It was a good portion too! We wanted to try to bread pudding, but we were so full. Another great excuse to come back for round 2! We had the pleasure of meeting the owner at the end of our meal to personally thank him. He was very nice, humble, & had a great sense of humor. We had a huge group & I give kudos to our server for dealing with us. Thanks to everyone who made our night amazing! read more

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This was my 5th time at Kingfisher and it continues to be one of my fav spots in SD. Every person I've brought here has enjoyed the food, including my extremely picky parents, which says a lot lol. We started with cocktails then shared the duck liver pate and crispy pig ear salad, both are must order for us. The menu rotates but the pate and the smoked dry aged duck dishes are always our go to. This time we also had the spiny lobster which was well prepared and full of flavor. Dessert was the warm bread pudding with banana ice cream, perfect way to end the meal. Service was friendly and welcoming, though the dishes came out a bit staggered. That said, they're always busy and the quality of the food makes up for it. I highly recommend giving them a try and will definitely continue to come back. Everything mentioned reflects the menu as of 12/12/25. read more

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Spent a weekend in SD and was recommended to try this place. This has definitely become one of my favorite restaurants in the area. I came with a large group so we were able to try a wide variety of their courses so by the end of the night we were all happily stuffed. The staff were very friendly and accommodating to our large group. Some of my favorite dishes that you need to try include their Duck Liver Pate served with a toasted baguette, their Crispy Chicken Wings with a delicious tamarind glaze, their Baja Striped Seabass, and their Snake River Farms Wagyu Skirt Steak! I can't wait to come back again! read more

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I loved: Kurobuta Pork Collar I really liked: Baja Striped Seabass I liked: Chanterelle & Corn Congee Crispy Chicken Wings Toki Highball This was ok: House Made Egg Noodles The congee is definitely elevated. It's tasty, though a lot of the flavor gets muted when mixed together. The crispy chicken wings have a tamarind glaze that tastes like a subtle fish sauce wing. The flavor is there, but I wish they were crispier. The Kurobuta pork collar is super tender and flavorful, especially awesome in the wrap. The house made egg noodles are okay, but the flavors blend together a bit too much and the spice overpowers the truffle, which feels like a missed opportunity. The Baja striped seabass is solid, super tender with great flavors, but the greens are a bit overdone and strong. Service is good. They provided moist towelettes between courses and kept our table clean. Overall a solid spot for elevated French Vietnamese #goodeats. read more

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I can't say more than check out this restaurant. They have a beautiful bar, indoor and outdoor seating. The service was great! Every staff member who came near us was courteous, kind and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Our waitress knew the menu inside and out and helped identify some key items to order. I started with the Kit Fox drink. I loved it! The wings are glazed with tamarind. I'm not one to like earrings wings at a restaurant but I'm so glad that we ordered them. Unforgettable unique flavor! It comes with dipping sauces but I didn't want to take away from the flavor. The noodles were so good. We ate every bite. The duck was cooked to perfection. Safe to say I will be back as there was more on the menu that I still want to try. Thank you to everyone at Kingfisher for a great experience. read more

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