North Park · Best Restaurants in San Diego
Mabel's Gone Fishing Review
Last updatedRanked #8 of 12 in Best Restaurants in San Diego
Spanish-inspired seafood and one of the most fun rooms in the city.
Score breakdown
- Experience92/100
- Consistency90/100
- Value86/100
- Atmosphere92/100
- Uniqueness93/100
The verdict on Mabel's Gone Fishing
Ranked #8 of 12 — 90/100 in our Best Restaurants in San Diego coverage
A bright, blue-tiled seafood bar built around conservas, sherry, and small sharp plates. It changed what a casual San Diego dinner can look like.
What to order at Mabel's Gone Fishing
Across our coverage the recommendation is consistent: Tinned fish, gildas, and the potato tortilla.
Walk-ins do well at the bar right at open; the vermouth list is worth exploring.
Is Mabel's Gone Fishing worth the price?
Mabel's Gone Fishing sits at $$ ($35–55 per person) — the splurge band for this category. Nothing else we ranked in this category lands in the same price bracket, so the comparison is against cheaper or pricier alternatives rather than a like-for-like rival.
Mabel's Gone Fishing FAQ
Is Mabel's Gone Fishing expensive?
Mabel's Gone Fishing is priced at $$ ($35–55 per person), which puts it in the splurge band for this category. There is no other option at the exact same price point on the same list, so treat it as its own bracket.
Is Mabel's Gone Fishing worth it?
It scores 90/100, 0.2 points above the 89.8 average for its list. That's a solid recommendation within the category.
What should I order at Mabel's Gone Fishing?
We recommend the Tinned fish, gildas, and the potato tortilla.
What else is nearby Mabel's Gone Fishing?
Tribute Pizza (93/100 in our best pizza in san diego list) and Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream (93/100 in our best ice cream in san diego list) are also ranked in the same neighborhood, so it's easy to pair a visit.
What works
- Strong uniqueness — scored 93/100 in our ranking
- Strong experience — scored 92/100 in our ranking
- Strong atmosphere — scored 92/100 in our ranking
Know before you go
- Walk-ins do well at the bar right at open; the vermouth list is worth exploring.
The full review
A bright, blue-tiled seafood bar built around conservas, sherry, and small sharp plates. It changed what a casual San Diego dinner can look like.
On our weighted scale it earns 90/100 — good for #8 of 12 places we evaluated for best restaurants in san diego. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes.
What to order at Mabel's Gone Fishing
Tinned fish, gildas, and the potato tortilla
Price: $$ ($35–55 per person)
How we scored Mabel's Gone Fishing
Every score on this page comes from the same editorial rubric we apply to the whole category: experience, consistency, value, atmosphere, uniqueness. The criteria are weighted toward what matters most in the category, compared against every other place we ranked in the same list rather than against an abstract ideal. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes. Scores are editorial judgments rather than aggregated user ratings.