Hob Nob Hill

We just wrapped up a 5-day trip to San Diego, and out of all the places we ate, Hob Nob Hill was the one we came back to again and again — three times in total. The service was fantastic every single visit. Our server, Carlos, was perfect — genuine, friendly, attentive, yet never overburdening. And the food? Every single dish hit the mark. Everyone in our group loved what they ordered, and that’s saying something when you’ve got different tastes at the table. The menu is straightforward, with plenty of variety, but not so huge that it feels overwhelming. Everything feels thoughtfully put together. We always found parking during the week, which made it easy to stop in. Honestly, this place felt like a local favorite and the kind of spot travelers will want to put on their list. If we lived in San Diego, this would definitely be our family’s regular spot. And whenever we’re back in town, Hob Nob Hill will be a must-visit.

My wife and I found this online and decided to give it a try. While there, we found out that Hob Nob Hill has been around for 81 years. It's under news ownership now, but the menu was left unchanged, although it was improved upon. My wife and I shared onion rings, a garden salad, and the chicken and dumplings. All the food was great. However, I can honestly say that I have never had chicken and Dumplings as rich and delicious as what is served here. The manager, Carlos, was warm, friendly, and attentive. It was obvious that he was proud of the food the kitchen was putting out.

Absolutely loved my experience at Hob Nob Hill! The space was spotless with beautiful white subway tile and sleek black marble countertops—it felt classic but fresh. I was honestly shocked there was no wait on a Saturday morning for breakfast. I ordered the Mediterranean omelette, and it was perfect—flavorful without being greasy like at so many other places. The English muffin? Hands down the best I’ve ever had. And the orange juice was freshly squeezed, which was such a nice touch. 10s across the board. Also a great spot if you’re coming with a larger group. Definitely coming back!

Stumbled upon this place by searching for nearby restaurants close to the hotel we stayed in. Nice little spot with great food and excellent service from the manager Carlos and other staff. We ate there 3 times during our stay in San Diego. Will definitely come back to this place.

Wanted to stop in because of reviews, and because this place is anchored in Southern California / San Diego Restaurant lore. I started off with a well gin martini + filthy dirty please 🙏 Carlos the manager said martinis are my specialty … it absolutely did NOT disappoint, it was amazing. We tried several things on the menu including appetizers, meal, and red velvet cake dessert. All top shelf and outstanding service. Carlos is the bomb ! … we will be back. Yes, it may be under new ownership after 81 years … but with Carlos standing watch on the Ship, she is in very good hands.

This was the first time in awhile that I visited Hob Nob Hill, and everything was delicious! We ordered the deviled eggs, the meatloaf dinner, and the smash burger. Everything was well seasoned, tasted fresh and overall presented well. The inside was clean, organized, and had that classic diner feel. Our server was Jeannine. She and the other staff were all friendly and attentive. We also ordered some pastries to go, there are several great choices. The cinnamon roll was a solid pick. I will be back!!

HUGE difference with the new ownership and staff. Carlos and Naomi are fantastic. I go there for dinner every weekend and they treat me like I am family coming home. It is night and day from what it used to be and I am so happy to see Hob Nob have the same delicious meals but now with excellent service to go with it. Strongly recommend people come back and give it another try!

This wonderful diner is situated just outside city but it is full of hustle and bustle. The food is stellar, and stellar is putting it lightly. The staff embodies the tenant of old fashioned diners. There is a reason this place has been longstanding for 80 years!

Food and service were very good. We had breakfast. I had the southern benedict. We also had the Hob Nob benedict.

Great atmosphere and service during their Monday night trivia at the bar, with people of all ages participating. Some having dinner, some drinking, others have coffee and dessert. There is a trivia round where all members of your team can win a free drink, and the winning team receives a $25 gift certificate. It never last more than two hours - good fun and very social. Paul at the bar always remembers your order and is very welcoming and accommodating. They also have espresso and cappuccino. Be sure to try the bourbon pecan cake if it's on display (all pastries are made on premises). This is a great place to meet your friends before heading over to December Nights at Balboa Park! Be sure to have the kids check out the well lit (for Christmas) - American Security Mortgage building - while you are there.

Wow, what happened Hob Nob Hill? The food was absolutely horrible as was the service today. Ordered the biscuits and gravy with bacon and over medium eggs. The gravy had absolutely no flavor, the bacon was old and chewy, the biscuits were cold and the eggs were definitely not over medium, over easy at best. Ordered the Laurel omelet with cream cheese instead of feta, avocados on top, english muffin on the side and the o'brien potatoes. I pretty much ordered what I had ordered the first time I visited and had loved it. The O'Brien potatoes barely had onions and peppers in it, the cream cheese blocks inside the omelet were still cold, no avocados on top and the english muffin was toasted on one side and mushy on the other side, not toasted what so ever. You ask why I did not complain while I was there? The server never came back to check on us. We were well finished with what we could stomach before she even came back to clear the table, not even asking us if everything was ok. Very disappointing experience from a restaurant that got a five star review from me.

I have been going to Hob Nob Hill on and off since the 1980s. I saw this chicken wing menu on Facebook and was excited to go and try it. There were a total of about six or seven tables during our time there. The chicken wings were amazing! However the beer was flat and there was only one server so it was a bit slow. I definitely think the breakfast/lunch is their strong point and when I do go back it will not be for a dinner.

Went here today with some friends. Incredible food! The service was a little off but not too bad.

This is a heartbreaker because I went here years ago and loved it, but it has changed. The famous corned beef looked ground up and didn't taste fresh at all. The portions are also much smaller. We also ordered an eggs Benedict but the egg yolk was hard as a rock.

Service was a bit slow though the normal early morning rush hadn't yet started, the waitress was a bit snobby and aloof. I did not feel welcome at all. I hate to think it was because of my brown skin...not a comfy feeling. Pastry was over-microwaved and tough. The rest of food was usual good.

First time here. Been wanting to check it out for a long time. Looks like they renovated it and it looks really pretty inside black decor, big chandeliers, nice bar. Ordered an iced Americano, and the pancake sandwich which were delish. My BF ordered the steak and eggs and he said the marinate in there was great. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We sat in a booth which was great. Ashley was our server and she was quick despite being busy. Definitely will come back for more breakfast and late night options!

I was not expecting such a clean and fancy looking diner when I came here for brunch. It definitely has a sense of class to it with the decor and a bit of a 1920s intro look to it as well. It very much impressed me. I like it. Was dining here with a couple friends before we headed off to the airport. Honestly, it's a great spot to hit up before taking off in my opinion. We ended up sitting at a booth which seemed pretty small for 3, but it worked out just fine. It was just a bit annoying being the guy stuck in the middle. Menu was pretty large for breakfast and brunch and had to take a bit of time to decide what to get. A lot of egg items which I appreciate, but I wanted to get something not too common that I wouldn't normally find as an out-of-towner. So I ended up getting the Chorizo Scrambled and it was a mighty fine choice. Added a bit of hot sauce to give it more kick to it and it was just fantastic. Great meal. Wasn't too much, wasn't too little. It was just right for me. It came with potato hash, some beans, and some tortilla. I completely cleaned the plate. A solid meal! I think I might make it a routine to stop by every time I'm in the area.

This place might be the rarest of all things in San Diego. An up to date, legitimate, late night diner, with decent food, great staff and comfortable setting. This isn't a greasy spoon, remade dennys folks. It's also not a fusion of three continents four course meal with butter of rare unicorn belly. It's standard diner food, cooked well, with a good drink menu, in a setting that's fun, a staff that provides great service and an overall great price. Chicken Fried Steak. House Old Fashion. Meat Loaf Decent Martini. You know, you don't expect much at midnight, in San Diego. But you get a lot here. It's unique enough to be San Diego, but right enough to be what you need. Bring family, bring out of town guest, a great place for those late evenings when you just need a comfortable place to eat good food.

Always a pleasure to come to such a staple. Today's coffee cake was strawberry and banana, one of their best in my opinion. Coffee, delicious. Food, well-made and generously portioned. I opted for the Greens & Things omelette, one of my personal favorites on the menu. My sister went for the quiche of the day: a bacon, spinach, avocado which she loved. Service was attentive and kind as always, Fabiola was fantastic. The ambience of this restaurant is always a positive experience and there's a reason it's a neighborhood favorite.

Four of us wanted to try some restaurants reviewed by DDD. This was our first. We were seated in a circular booth in which the table was so large we could not fit in the booth, and we are of average size. We moved to a table. I had the meatloaf which was terrible. It was hard, over cooked and tasteless. Could not even cut with a fork. Left half of it to take home for my dog. Another person had the pork chops which were so thin they were over cooked, hard and tasteless. Another person had the Chicken and Dumplings which was not very good, either. Our last member had the Fish Fry which was acceptable. Only good thing was the pleasant server.

Classic diner food and a lot of lunch options as well. They had okay service but don't expect too much from the food. It's a solid spot and a cute renovated spot. They could use more restrooms as there are only two for such a big spot. They accommodated a big group of us and the waitress wasn't particularly outgoing. Cool spot but there are better diners near by.

It was busy due to the breast cancer walk. We got on the wait list, the lady behind the counter seemed really irritated but I got her to smile. We were seated and waited for our server. The server looked at us and almost kept walking passed us. She took our drink order, we got the main drinks but had to remind her for water. She took at least 15 mins to come back...I had to wave her down to take our breakfast order. She was checchecking on everyone but us. I did notice another table also waiting on her for their check. We gave our order, the food came quickly. My husband ordered a hard egg on his dish but got scrambled. There was literally a smear of cream cheese on my pancake. That turned me off. This was like my 4th time here and this was not a good visit.

This was a nice place to catch a bite to eat. Their menu had a variety of items to choose from for any time of the day or week. We decided to come here after watching an episode of Guy Fieri's and tried their chicken and dumplings. The chicken and dumplings was very hearty and felt comforting to eat. The flavor was delicious and enhanced when we added a bit of black pepper. The dumpling was soft and pillowy, nice and light to eat. The included spinach salad with bacon and a vinegarette was delicious and refreshing. We also ordered the crab cake appetizer. It seemed a bit smaller than average, but inexpensive at $15. It had more filler than crab,slightly dry, but the delicious tartar sauce made up for it. The crab cake on its own tasted of a variety of herbs and spices. Our waiter was very nice, and checked in on us several times.

The waitress was knowledgeable with the menu. The food we order as a family was decent. The chicken fried steak was flavorful but overcooked. The French fries weren't crispy. I had to add salt and pepper for flavoring. Like I said the waitress always checked in on us. There's a mixed of paid and free parking in the area.

I picked this place to take an out of town friend because they had chilaquiles mixed with the red and green salsa as it should be! She went more classic with a waffle that was perhaps not mixed properly as the first waffle fell apart and the one served was not in its best shape either. She wished she'd had my chilaquiles! Loved the beautiful Wizard of Oz mural and the server was attentive!

Most of you youngsters don't remember great sit down restaurants?but I do .I've been coming to Hob Nob Hill restaurant for many years. They call this area Bankers Hill because back in the day all the money people lived here . You walk in to this place and you feel like you've stepped back in time to where eating was an experience.Breakfast on fine china with small coffee cups and ready cream for your coffee . Who scoops out oranges to place marmalade in yes they do that here. The vibe is that of everyone having a good time enjoying life .

I was a bit hesitant coming here because I felt like the reviews were very mixed but I had a pleasant experience and loved the food. Everything we ordered came out pretty quick and our server was sweet and attentive. Highly recommend coming here if you are in the area.

Eggs Benedict this morning. Amazing. Just so tasty and made perfect. Service was great & they were busy too.

Corned beef hash was delicious. The burger was as well. Smashed patty with grilled onions was rich and divine. Service was a bit spotty although friendly. Restaurant has been here forever and seen many changes in the neighborhood over the years. Classic San Diego diner.

The food was terrible. The service nonexistent. The bus boy walk right by us and ignored us:

I actually picked up some food from here from the too good to go app, so I'm not sure about what all is on the menu. However, what I got in my surprise bag was pretty good! They had a good minestrone soup, some cheesy mashed potatoes and a festive cupcake. The decor inside is a total vibe! I will definitely be back to actually dine in and try some food!

We came here the day after a wedding and had reservations for a party of 9 at 9am. When we got here we were told that larger parties came in before us and we would have to wait. What's the point of a reservation if you don't hold the seating area for the reservation. We had to wait 35 minutes to finally get seated after continuously asking when we would be seated. Their response was that when the next large party leaves, they'd be able to seat us. A pure lack of customer care, customer service and integrity.

Plenty of street parking. Tables inside and out. Service is friendly, but difficult to get water at the table. Food is tasty and the portions are large. Even the kids meals seems large in size. The kids meal came with choice of side, drink and scoop of ice cream. Even though the kids menu did say it came with a drink, we were charged an extra $3 for a kids drink. A bit confusing. All around a decent place to grab a bit, but took way to long to get water at the table and the kids menu cost did not add up.

On 8/5 /24 thirteen residents from Paradise Village enjoyed a delightful brunch at Hob Nob Hill. A variety of of entrees were served and residents raved about the excellent food and also the great service. Everyone commented on the fun ambiance of the restaurant.

Hob Nob is a unique spot in Bankers Hill - one-part diner one-part grandma's kitchen, it's a great place for a homestyle meal. The menu is extensive with a capital E, and who doesn't love all day breakfast? We ordered the chicken n dumplings and chicken fried steak. Portions were generous and each came with the option of a soup or salad, rolls with butter, and some additional side orders. Our waitress had us hand-select our "chilled fork" for the salad which was a neat touch. The food came out quickly and is good for what it is - I'll be honest the chicken fried steak was one of the better ones I've tried. Loved the vibe. The decor is essentially 50s diner updated for the modern era, a nice tribute to the restaurant's roots. Bonus points for the Wizard of Oz decorations. We went on a Thursday night, so things were fairly slow but the service was attentive and efficient.

Went for lunch with the group of my girlfriends today. I had the hob nob burger and it was phenomenal, it was so juicy. It was unbelievable.The bun was soft and tasty.Everything was like fantastic.The bacon, everything I will definitely order it again. 2 people got the French dip and the rolls were incredible and then the last person got a blt, which she said was phenomenal too. A great time had by all. Hadn't been there in about 15 years. We definitely won't wait another fifteen years to go back.

Came this morning with my family. Was seated fast. The waitress took a couple minutes to get our drink order and bring it to us. I ordered the biscuit and gravy meal. The gravy was not your original sausage creamy gravy. This gravy was weird tasting and had so much onions. My mouth still tast like that gravy. They should mention is onions gravy. After we got the food, our waitress never came to check on us or how the food was. She only came when she saw our plates stack. For having a big restaurant with a lot of seating. It was kind of empty this morning. I don't know why they had such slow service ATTENTION- if you get the biscut and gravy. Make sure you like onions. Cause you aren't getting the traditional gravy

Hob Nob is open later than most restaurants in the area, so it's great to have as an option for when you are craving a meal later at night. It's a big place with outdoor seating available. I also noticed that they had a water bowl for dogs outside so I would assume that they are dog friendly in their outside section of course. It's decorated like an upscale diner. I also noticed a plaque with Guy from the Food Network saying he ate there on one of the walls inside the restaurant. Parking is street only but easy to find a spot, especially later at night. TIP: be sure to use their late night menu when ordering later at night, as they don't offer their full menu late night. We ordered a late dinner to go and the food was decent. Not the best meal we've ever had, but it was much better than most of the open late fast food options. I had the BLT and the bacon was crispy and cooked perfectly. The fries were great. We felt that the coconut cream pie could have been more flavorful. We want to try their regular menu as well as eating at the restaurant, as take-out isn't always indicative of a restaurant's true potential. The friendly service we received was much appreciated, especially so close to their closing time.

The place has lost its charm The decor is plastic like It's a sterile atmosphere now Not home like it used to be The food is the same Is name the place a different name It's a different restaurant all together

The food at Hob Nob Hill was decent but didn't meet my expectations. With the area packed with options it's not a place I'd recommend you'd go. We sat outside on picnic tables that I had doubts about the last time it was cleaned.

Whoa... yikes. I don't say this lightly, but so far the worst dining experience in San Diego for me. We waited about 20 mins to be seated, another 25 to get greeted to the table, had to ask the hostess for someone to greet us... finally we get greeted, no acknowledgment of the wait... she gets our order and comes back with a slice of carrot cake, which I thought we were going towards the right track... but the food took soooo long to come out, we were an hour in and we only got our drinks (they forgot my husbands drink) and the appetizer. When the food finally came out... it was soooo mediocre. I knew immediately I wasn't gonna like it. You could really taste the little care they gave. The potatoes were like the last of the day and the omelette... well there's something wrong when I prefer my homemade ones... well had to send it back, we just had the drinks, the cake the gave us and the appetizer, but they ended up comping everything. That was good. I know it's a combination of things, a combination of mistakes and overall bad management. I feel bad for my husband, he said he used to come here as a kid all the time and he was really let down by it all. I absolutely do not recommend.

We loved the new remodel that was done a few years ago. It's a little more hip and modern than the old vibe. The menu is still pretty much the same as it always has been with a few new additions like Cincinnati Chili that I tried on a burger. I also tried the french onion soup and I thought they did a good job with it. My friend had the eggs benedict and said it was the same as he remembered. Also had a milkshake and had them add a piece of pie which was a great combo. They have a full bar now instead for just beer and wine.

3.5 stars... When my bride suggested we go back to this joint, I knew I had been there, but had failed to write a review... I couldn't let that happen again!! Opted for the Belgian waffle combo wit eggs and bacon. Ambiance is classic diner, service was friendly and helpful, and prices were in line with expectation. This joint makes the list!

I have eaten at Hob Nob a total of three times. While the food is adequate the service leaves a lot to be desired. The first time, it took the waitress ten minutes to take my order and then it took 30 minutes to get a bowl of soup. The second time was a similar experience. I waited 35 minutes for a hot turkey sandwich. Waitress took my order brought my food and then I never saw her again. Today, a similar situation. I can write off the slow service if they were packed. That was not the case for any of the times I ate there. I think the bad services is because I am an elderly female. The waitpeople make a judgement that I won't tip and guess what I do tip just not 20%. My tips are based on service. I recently moved to Bankers Hill and thought that Hob Nob would be a convenient place to eat. I won't be going back.

Honestly, Just getting out today was a big plus. Caught the rain going out, caught in the rain coming in. Glad I didn't have to drive or cook. My friend and I were on the way to eat some italian food but, could not find a place to park in Hillcrest @ 1:30 and pouring rain. We decided to try Bankers Hill about ten minutes away south. This restaurant has been here for 80 years and has had several different names prior. As you can see see by the menus there is a lot of different food to choose from all very American. It took me about 15 minutes To make a decision. I decided on what sounded really delicious was the cream cheese strawberry pancakes for $15.00 LOL Well not quite and that's 4 stars as there was a very light smear of cream cheese, a few very thin slices of fresh strawberries and some very syrupy strawberry syrup. It was good, but nothing special. Surprising as this is also well known as a breakfast cafe. My friend had a very basic grilled cheese sandwich and fries. She said the fries and bread were good. She did enjoy her espresso which was supposed to have a whipping cream on it but, came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. ?? Our waitress was very good and attentive and very busy. The place was packed so, the noise level was super high. We were seated in a very nice comfortable booth. It is a large place and a full bar. On our way out we saw a huge labrador lying on the floor next to a couples table. We were really surprised to see not only a dog and never such a large one. On the way out I asked a cashier if they allowed dogs.She said" well, maybe sometimes". Huh? So, here's your heads up.. if you have a dog and you're thinking about bringing it here ..call in advance l o l

Came here for breakfast and it was pretty underwhelming. Service was ok, the staff was friendly enough but not overly conversational. The restaurant was clean and the decor was modern and well laid out. I ordered a breakfast burrito. It was slightly larger than the size of my hand. It tasted ok, there wasn't a ton of flavor. The beans on the side tasted like chemicals and seemed to be from a can. Overall I paid $18 for a breakfast meal and felt like paying half that would've been more appropriate. I probably won't be back here and would recommend other places.

This is a classic spot in Bankers Hill, you come here for comfort food a friendly staff and consistency not frills.

Great restaurant for lunch. Fabiola is very friendly, and the food was very tasty. Their bakery selection is amazing! Worth checking out in San Diego.

Menu was huge. Food was diner quality. Chicken & dumplings were not the southern dish, white sauce, l expected. Dumplings were interesting but again, not as expected. It was good and a bit spicy! We'll be back & try other things. Server could have been more attentive. They weren't busy

Decided to check this out on a Friday AM around 8:30. It wasn't crowded which was great. All the staff knew everyone who came in which was sweet. It has a very chill upscale diner vibe. All in all this place was solid. Did it blow our minds? Nah. But solid. Just be aware that it's rather pricey given that fact. Chicken and waffles: the chicken breading slapped. Pretty good seasoning. Cinnamon roll: a bit more on the bread-y side. Good not great. Machaca Benedict: nice and tender meat. Pretty good. This is a place we may stop by if we are in the neighborhood. Not one we would necessarily go out of our way for. Parking: plenty of street but of course I can see that being a pain as the day goes on.

Food is pretty average looking, flavors are good, desserts are better. Really good beverage list with great pricing. Seating and ambiance make it a nice option. Great service for our Saturday brunch.

The food was good and the restaurant was very nice, Lots of fun stuff to lol at. The low score is because of the service we received. Our server was not very interactive and seemed like didn't want to be bothered by us. His interactions seemed very lazy and like we weren't important. We had a party of 5 including 2 children. I have to say I am very big on customer service and I don't feel we received any at all. He seemed bothered when we asked for something and when the wrong time was brought out he asked like it was a problem to fix it. I've heard good things about this place, but I didn't see anything good about it.

We have been Hob Nob fans for a long time - have not been here for years. By chance our favorite breakfast place Brothers in Allied Gardens closed at 1:00pm (Mother's Day). So... we decided to come here. Legendary coffee cake still excellent, breakfast food good but service was slow. We will come back but their service needs to improve. BTW this place has been renovated and looks great!

My first time trying this place! It was good! Our server was super nice and even gave us a free piece of coffee cake! I had the loco moco, it was pretty tasty and I really enjoyed the macaroni salad. Definitely want to go back and try their dinner menu!

Excellent food. Excellent service (once we got seated/Sunday brunch, so OF COURSE it was slow, but totally ok!!!!). The lack of extra star was watching the patio waitress pet all of the random dogs walking down the street and then turning around and handling plates of food. please don't do that. I work in food service. Please don't do that . Gross

I came here tonight and the staff was very nice and I the food is good. I miss the old uniforms and the older look it used to have. I love this restaurant, the owner even gave me this hat! Make hob bob great again. Thank you Justin. Loved it!

The service is actually getting better. We had a waiter who knew the menu and was helpful. The first pet peeve though is that they re-did the menu. Now it is very difficult for old eyes to read. The background is black with gold writing. In the best light, it is difficult to read. The hot open Turkey sandwich was good. The shrimp and pasta was good, but the description is deceptive. It says that it is in a cream sauce. It didn't say anything about being in a tomato cream. This is not good for anyone who has issues with tomatoes and stays away from anything with them in it. This a a good restaurant for comfort food. I think that is why it is popular. It could be a great restaurant if some things are addressed.