Southern California Restaurants:
Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara

Below are all the 129 restaurants recommended in our Southern California guide with some recent updates, organized by area and price category. The CD-ROM contains a review of each restaurant with 2 photos, selection from dinner menu with prices, and a link to their web site if available.

We selected the restaurants as the best examples - in each price category - of the many cuisines available in Southern California, with emphasis on showing visitors the famous California cuisine, Pacific Rim, Southwestern and Mexican influences. Reflecting the healthy local lifestyle, the prices represent a dinner for one, consisting of a main course plus either an appetizer or a desert (yes, you can get both ;) Do not forget that - except for top restaurants - American portions are generally huge. Don't be surprized to see locals taking home a 'doggie bag' of leftover food capable of feeding a grizzly bear!

Free drinking water is always available, sometimes by request only. Good percentage of locals do not order any other beverage. Recent Euro-import is offering expensive bottled water first, instead of just bringing the free glass. Ask. Do try the many excellent California wines though, often available by the glass. The bill will include another 8% sales tax added to menu prices. Tipping around 15% is expected.