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    Safari Kitchen

    3.3 (17 reviews)
    ModerateFast Food
    Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Safari Kitchen Photos

    SAFARI KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Bacon burger on the left. Loaded tots on the right. Both were underwhelming.
    James Y.

    I guess at least with the food action at the Zoo, you try? It seems like everything else within the Zoo is pretty nice, the food options really kind of just falls flat. With multiple restaurants around the Zoo, it's a wonder why they all sell about the same foods. You'll see the theme of always finding a form of a burger, chicken sandwich, fried chicken strips, or pizza. Then add other fried sides, such as fries, tater tots, and onion rings, the food options available really just pretty much falls flat. Take a page from Disney? The burgers are dry, but two patties? The tater tots were "warm", so they made it before but it still took over 10 minutes? And they charge around $18 for anything you get--without a drink. Alas, you really are just kind of stuck when you're visiting these parks. Service was fine, standard. Just a kiosk really for take out. The Zoo is awesome, though! Advice, just bring your own food.

    Entrance
    Jillian G.

    It's a decent spot to sit in the shade and grab sustenance on a zoo day. Definitely good for kids with umbrella seating space. I can't say much about the food being 5 star, but it was ready pretty quickly with a buzzer. It's located right next to the flamingos and live music, which is pretty fun. Do not expect a thick burger patty, but it is fine for park food. I had the buffalo chicken burger, which wasn't really covered in buffalo sauce, but was okay. It's edible, which is all you need when you're there to see the animals. Perfectly adequate, folks!

    Kids meal
    Zoe C.

    The kids meal was very good; the service was also amazing. I almost immediately got my food! Very painent and polite, I eat here every time!!! Would recommend

    Very good burgers, the fries were made fresh. Great customer service and the surroundings were clean and the best part was we were eating by the ducks.

    buffalo chicken sandwich on the bottom

    Best buffalo chicken sandwich I've ever had. It was chicken with buffalo sauce, lettuce, and melted cheese served on brioche buns. It tasted amazing dipped in their side of ranch. Also came with a side of fries. Not only that but this seemed to be the only easily accessible place that had the frozen minute maid lemonade, both regular and strawberry. I had gone around asking several employees where I could get the frozen lemonade and they had told me it was on the opposite side of the zoo, until i came across safari kitchen which is actually right by the front entrance. There were also lots of tables and shade provided.

    Thought it was pretty good, my girlfriend thought it was spectacular. She recommends the buffalo chicken sandwich (don't forget the ranch) and frozen lemonade. She claimed it was the greatest chicken sandwich she ever ate and would actually go into the park just to eat there. She wouldn't even need to look at the animals.

    Bruce M.

    Pretty damn good for zoo food. My daughter had chicken strips with fries and the tenders were all breast meat with a light crispy and crunchy breading. The fries left a lot to be desired but it just needed salt. I had the potato twister which pretty tasty especially considered it was smothered in smoky bacon. 4 out of 5 stars meaning a B seems adequate.

    Hebrew National hot dog with fries

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    24 days ago

    There is never a good reason or justification for charging seven dollars for a bottle of water. Never.

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    3 years ago

    Want a cold hamburger, dry chicken, and a 20 minute wait all for a Michelin star price? This is your spot.

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    McDonald's - A big mac

    McDonald's

    2.0(351 reviews)
    1.1 mi•East Village, Downtown
    •$

    We were on our way to the San Diego zoo and we were hungry. We love getting McMuffins and we saw…read morethis location on the way there. We decided to place a mobile order for pick up so that it would be faster. This location is conveniently located near Main Street and the highway and has a large parking lot which also houses homeless so beware. There was a very long line at the drive-through, but the pickup spots were kind of empty. We ended up waiting a very long time for our food to eventually show up. They handed us the drink that had spilled all over on the top and I did not want to get that in my car. I had to use some of the napkins inside of our bag to clean it. I get it the staff is probably overworked but it was completely wet. We ordered egg McMuffins with the extra egg which I highly recommend. The food tasted good and it was fresh, but the overall experience was just not the best.

    Went today for an Ice Coffee and waited over 15 mins with no service from any staff. As I was…read morewaiting patiently in my vehicle for my single Ice Coffee, I observed many more customers receiving full order that numbered several bags. Very unsatisfied with service at this location. McDonald's if you truly are reading this, I don't want an automated response. You can reach out to me on here rather than spend more of my time reaching out to you. If you really care to looking to matters.

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    The Melt

    The Melt

    4.4(996 reviews)
    1.7 mi•Gaslamp
    •$$
    Kitchen open late
    Outdoor seating

    I had to leave a review because The Melt really did the most for me!…read more I had not one, but TWO orders stolen through DoorDash. I placed my first order, and the Dasher stole it. I reordered, and somehow the second Dasher stole that order too. I called the restaurant, and instead of just telling me to deal with DoorDash, they said, "Why don't you come on down to the store? We'll remake your full order." She also assured me that I could still call DoorDash for a refund but they wanted to also comp my dinner. We went down there, and they replaced the entire order for us completely free! They even included extra fries AND extra chocolate chip cookies, which were literally piping hot and so fresh. The food was really good, everything was fresh and hot, but honestly, the customer service is what stood out the most. They absolutely did not have to go out of their way like that, and I really appreciated them taking care of us after an already frustrating situation. Huge thank you to the staff at The Melt for being so kind and making things right. This is the kind of customer service that makes you want to come back and support a business. would have posted more pics but we ate it before I thought to post haha

    0 stars for 0 food delivered…read more What was my experience - they accepted my DoorDash order, had my driver waiting in the store for 20 minutes and then cancelled my order. So I call the restaurant and ask if they're still taking carry out order/door dash - and they said yes. Then I asked why my order placed an hour ago was cancelled, her response "we're really slammed right now - contact DoorDash." Apparently, they can't be busy and serve people 0/10 - don't even try to eat here, you'll just waste your time and then be told they're too busy to take your money

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    The Kebab Shop

    The Kebab Shop

    4.3(2.3k reviews)
    1.6 mi•East Village, Core
    •$$
    Healthy dining
    Halal

    First time trying this small place called kebab and do yourself a favor…read more Get the SD Wrap with saffron chicken 10/10

    I was on jury duty today and I wanted to have some Shawarma so I looked up on yelp and found the…read moreK-pop shop was about a 20 minute walk away. The menu was a bit confusing, but I know that I like grilled veggies and Greek salad and then Ike was able to pick my protein that I wanted so that seemed easy enough. The base price with falafel or chicken Shawarma was Close to $16 but since I chose the meat, they added two dollars to my total. It took about 10 minutes for them to assemble my meal, but my veggies were cooked fresh on the stove, which was really nice. They tasted very freshly cooked just as they would as if I had cooked them myself at home. I was there about 1245 on a Monday and there were a few people there and they had some takeout orders so my order took about 10 minutes before I could walk out the door with it. They had a nice condiment bar where you could pick out some yogurt with dill sauce and then they're famous garlic yogurt sauce, as well as a jalapeño sauce And another spicy hot one that I would never try. When I got back to the jury room to eat my meal, I saw that there was a nice quantity of the fresh salad and the grilled vegetables but the meat was piled high! The employees were working efficiently and the place was spotless and orderly.

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    The Marketplace - BBQ chicken pizza for fight night. Love that they use in-house prepared chicken for this. Solid.

    The Marketplace

    4.6(773 reviews)
    0.6 mi•Banker's Hill
    •$

    Love The Marketplace…read more Pick a sandwich. Any one. They're all good. If you're a Reuben lover, you have to try one. Beyond delish! A variety of soups available, on a rotating schedule. They do sell out of some, though, so if you want some of the soup, you need to get here before dinner. Lunch availability for soups is generally best mid-morning to mid-day. Try the clam chowder. Yum with a capital Y-U-M. Chicken noodle is also excellent. Great beer selection in their refrigerated case. Look carefully, as you may miss something you really would like to try. Many local craft breweries available, but if you want the national brands, they have those too. Excellent service from the kitchen staff and the checkout staff. Be aware, though, this place does get really crowded at lunchtime, so you'll most likely have to wait in line to check out. Order your sandwich, go to pay and your sandwich will be ready before you know it. Chow down!

    OMG... we just found THE pizza. We got the veggie pizza…read morewith added pepperoni from the Marketplace in Bakers Hill, and I swear, we were like two idiots sitting there raving about it. It was THAT good. The crust was perfectly crispy, the toppings were the perfect amount, and they were spread out so every bite had the right combination. And the flavor?! Oh my God. But here's what really got me: there was absolutely NO greasy, gooey mess. Nothing soggy, nothing weighed down with cheese or oil. That's what kept the crust so perfectly crisp all the way through. It was just really, really well-made pizza. And an 18-inch pizza was only $27, with HUGE slices. Seriously, what a deal. Ordering online was super easy, and it was ready in less than 30 minutes. We picked it up and basically couldn't stop talking about how good it was. Hands down, the best pizza we've had in this area. This one is going into the rotation. And at $27 for an 18-inch? I'm already thinking about when we're getting the next one.

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    The Crack Shack

    The Crack Shack

    4.1(5.9k reviews)
    1.3 mi•Little Italy
    •$$
    Sports on TV
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    The Crack Shack in Little Italy absolutely delivered. This is one of those spots where the food…read morelooks ridiculously good when it hits the table, and somehow tastes even better. The fried chicken was the star of the show. Super crispy and crunchy on the outside while staying juicy and tender inside, with a ton of flavor in the seasoning. You can tell they know exactly what they're doing with fried chicken here. The chicken sandwich was excellent too: massive piece of crispy chicken, pickles, sauce, and a soft toasted bun. Salty, spicy, tangy, rich... everything worked together perfectly. one of the better fried chicken sandwiches I've had. And DO NOT sleep on the fries. Thick-cut, crispy, golden, and perfectly seasoned. Exactly what you want alongside fried chicken and an ice-cold IPA. The Little Italy location itself is awesome. Open-air patio, plenty of sunshine, laid-back San Diego atmosphere, cold beers, and just an all-around great place to hang out with friends or family while absolutely destroying some fried chicken. Great food, great atmosphere, great location. Better ingredients, better chicken, poppa Crack. Easy 4.5 - 5 stars. Take it or leave it MOFOs

    Heard good things about their chicken sandwiches. Came for a Sunday lunch and they were decently…read morebusy. Service was friendly and they brought the food out to our table and helped us clean up. I got the Firebird, it was a little spicy but not overwhelming. Good flavor and the chicken was super crispy yet still juicy and tender. The fried onions were a lot though, and I would've preferred some coleslaw or veggies since pickles aren't my thing. A bit pricey but the sandwich was huge, I didn't even finish it! I took a bite of my sister's Coop deville, it could've used some more flavor but was okay with some ranch. I liked how crispy the fries were, but they were pretty salty and slightly spicy.

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    The Crack Shack
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    Safari Kitchen - hotdogs - Updated October 2026

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