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Kearny Mesa · Kearny Mesa / Convoy · $20–32 · Ranked in 4 lists
Last updated
Cross Street Chicken & Beer is a Kearny Mesa spot ranked #1 of 4 in our Best Wings in San Diego list, scoring 90/100 in our Best Wings in San Diego. Order the soy garlic and spicy half-and-half. The best fried chicken texture in the county, wings included.
We scored Cross Street Chicken & Beer 90/100 in our full editorial review.
Read the full Cross Street Chicken & Beer reviewCross Street Chicken & Beer is in Kearny Mesa, San Diego. Give yourself a few extra minutes for parking on weekends — Kearny Mesa fills up early on sunny days.
Explore Kearny MesaCross Street Chicken & Beer takes the top spot on our Best Wings in San Diego list, ahead of The Riviera Supper Club (87/100). It also appears on 3 other lists in our San Diego coverage.
See the full Best Wings in San Diego rankingCross Street Chicken & Beer scores 90/100 against a best wings in san diego field that averages 86, running from 83 at the bottom to 90 at the top. That puts it 4 points above the category average and ahead of 3 of the 3 other places we scored. It lands 1st of 4, and nothing in the category scores higher.
Judged criterion by criterion, Cross Street Chicken & Beer separates itself most on uniqueness (92/100 versus a 82 category average). Its softest showing is atmosphere at 80, 2.5 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for uniqueness, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Cross Street Chicken & Beer | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | 95 | 88 | +7 |
| Consistency | 90 | 86.5 | +3.5 |
| Value | 84 | 86 | -2 |
| Atmosphere | 80 | 82.5 | -2.5 |
| Uniqueness | 92 | 82 | +10 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best wings in san diego.
Kearny Mesa is dense enough that Cross Street Chicken & Beer rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Hidden Fish (92/100 in our best sushi in san diego list) or K Sandwiches (92/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
92/100 · #2 in best sushi in san diego · $95–150
92/100 · #1 in best banh mi in san diego · $6–10
91/100 · #1 in best ramen in san diego · $16–20
90/100 · #3 in best omakase in san diego · $70–130
90/100 · #3 in best restaurants on convoy street · $$$
90/100 · #1 in best restaurants on convoy street · $13–22
Yes — worth going out of your way for.
Cross Street Chicken & Beer scores 90/100 in our Best Wings in San Diego list (#1 of 4). It is strongest on taste (95) and uniqueness (92). The best fried chicken texture in the county, wings included.
Skip it if atmosphere matters most to you — that is its weakest category (80/100).
Cross Street Chicken & Beer is a good fit for wings and korean bbq. Because it ranks #1 on our best wings in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Kearny Mesa rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: Order half soy garlic, half spicy — the contrast is the whole point.
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Score 90/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Soy garlic and spicy half-and-half · $22–30
Korean double-frying produces a crust that stays crisp under sauce for far longer than American-style wings. The soy garlic is balanced rather than sugary and the spicy carries real gochujang depth. Waits run long on weekend nights.
Local tip: Order half soy garlic, half spicy — the contrast is the whole point.
Score 88/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Korean fried chicken, soy garlic · $20–32
Cross Street's double-fried chicken holds its crust under sauce, which is the whole test. Soy garlic is the pick; the yangnyeom sweet-spicy is a close second. Add a bottle of soju and it becomes the best late-night table in Kearny Mesa.
Local tip: Open past midnight most nights — the strongest post-bar Korean option on Convoy.
Score 88/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Soy garlic and spicy half-and-half · $24–32
The double-fry gives a shattering, lacquered crust that holds up for the full meal. Convoy district location means a long wait on weekend nights; put your name in and walk the plaza.
Local tip: Split half soy garlic, half spicy — and get the pickled radish.
Score 89/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Original soy garlic Korean fried chicken · $$
Thin, shattering crust that holds up to sauce, plus a beer list built for it. Loud, fast, and consistently good.
Local tip: Order half-and-half sauces and go before 6pm on weekends to beat the wait.
Scored with our ranking methodology — wings, korean-bbq, fried-chicken, Convoy Street restaurants.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.
