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Animae

$50 and over

Contemporary Asian

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 22, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 59 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Fancy
Innovative

ANIMAE’s eclectic West Coast cuisine, layered with Asian influences, comes to life under Celebrated Chef Brian Malarkey. Applying a California cooking style to ANIMAE’S traditional coal-fired oven and grill, Chef Malarkey’s menu is as thoughtful as it is refined, elevating local produce and seasonal ingredients to create a lively and progressive culinary program.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Brian Malarkey

MICHELIN Plate
2022

From the OpenTable editors: Filipino American chef Tara Monsod takes fusion food to the next level at this groovy Art Deco space. Expect opulent riffs on classics like crispy pig ears and kare kare—Monsod is one of the few chefs in the country putting Filipino food on the fine-dining stage. The approach earned her numerous awards, including a prestigious MICHELIN Plate.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Californian, Steakhouse
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(619) 432-1225
Website
https://animaesd.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Private party facilities
The Great Gatsby-meets-Madmen-meets-The Matrix interior is a fantastical futurist’s journey, transporting diners to the Shikoku firefly forest in Japan, an event venue that’s both ethereal and theatrical. ANIMAE is the perfect space to host and celebrate your special events.

Location
969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA 92132
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Pacific Highway and West Broadway
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Kamayan Christmas at Animae
$123.27 per person
Dec 24, 2024 only
Join Chef Tara Monsod for an incredible Filipino tradition....a Kamayan feast! Every table will receive a beautiful spread of whole fish, pork tocino, grilled prawns, shortrib bistek and more, all served on banana leaves. We invite you to enjoy this one of a kind Christmas experience with Chef Tara at Animae. $110 per person. Please note the menu is fixed for this experience. Everyone will be receiving the same feast. Substitutions cannot be made. We hope to see you on Christmas Eve!
NYE at ANIMAE
$128.87 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Enjoy a glamorous New Year's Eve celebration at ANIMAE! $115, 4 course prix fixe menu to be released soon. Parties of 2 - 5 have reserved the table for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Parties of 6+ have reserved the table for 2 hours and 15 minutes. We kindly ask that you keep your experience within this time frame in order to honor later bookings. Thank you!
LATE NIGHT NYE at ANIMAE
$145.68 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Enjoy a glamorous New Year's Eve celebration at ANIMAE! $130, 4 course prix fixe menu from Chef Tara Monsod. Your experience includes a champagne toast to ring in the new year at midnight!

Popular dishes

Wonton
wagyu, chili garlic oil, soy vinaigrette
Taiwanese Chicken
schezuan peppercorn, hot honey, thai basil aioli
Sweet & Sour Cauliflower
strawberry, peppers, onion, sesame
Hunan Lamb Chops
cumin, szechuan peppercorn, cilantro cream
Crispy Pig Ear
sweet tamarind glaze, bean sprouts, tofu, peanuts
Mantou
chive steamed bun, soy glaze, sour cream butter

Cold Dishes

Hamachi
endive, radish, kimchi vinagrette, nori goma
Tuna Crispy Rice
charred chili ponzu, spicy aioli, turnip
A5 Wagyu Tartare
sesame cracker, wagyu aioli
Cucumbers
soy, fresno chili, sesame, cilantro
Ume Oysters
sour plum vinegar, strawberry, lemon
Beet Salad
asian pear, chicory, tofu "ricotta", yuzu kosho vinaigrette
Tuna Kinilaw
coconut, calamansi, cilantro oil

Sides

Coal Roasted Cabbage
brown butter miso, charred lime
Broccolini
gai lan, garlic chili oil, peanuts
Wagyu Fried Rice
maitake, trumpet mushrooms, garlic, egg
Crispy Potatoes
A5 fat, chinese sausage jam, koji sour cream
Crab Fried Rice
chino farms egg, lemon, old bay masago crisp
Mushroom Sisig
egg yolk, mustard seed, chili, pickled onion

Japanese A5

Miyazaki Strip Loin
Miyazaki Tenderloin

American Steaks

8 Oz Prime Filet
16 Oz Prime New York
38 Oz Dry Aged Ribeye

Other Plates

Grilled Half Chicken
lemongrass, nam jim jaew sauce, thai pickles
Short Rib Kare Kare
long beans, eggplant, bagoong peanut oil
Sambal Balado Clams
bacon, rice cakes, lime leaf, ginger
Dinuguan
braised beef cheek, coconut rice bread, shishito peppers
Pork Tomahawk Tocino
sweet beet glaze, mango sawsawan
Szechuan Spicy Seabass
cabbage, garlic chive, spicy broth, mala oil

Delectable Desserts

animae serves globally-inspired delectable desserts created with popular eastern flavors and ingredients

Sweets

Apple Yuzu Sorbet
sorrel cream, coconut crumble, green apple, yuzu meringue
Buko Pandan
young coconut mousse, pandan anglaise, pandan gelee
Chocolate Cremeux
miso sesame cream, chocolate crumble, korean chili cashew
Sakura Panna Cotta
feuilletine, fresh strawberry
Ube Profiteroles
ube pastry cream, coconut, cheese tuile

What 3,234 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Animae in San Diego offers a Michelin-worthy dining experience with "exquisite" dishes and a "stunning" ambiance. The restaurant excels in Filipino cuisine, with standout items like the Taiwanese chicken and Wagyu. Guests rave about the "excellent service," emphasizing attentive staff and memorable culinary adventures. Perfect for special occasions!

3,234 Reviews

J
Jose
Las Vegas
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great environment, great food. Would definitely go again!
Is this helpful?
T
Teri
VIP
San Francisco
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our second visit to Animae. Last night we dined as a couple, and I think we enjoyed the dinner even more than with a group of 7. We were not distracted by the friends and conversations, and we appreciated the amazing creativity and innovation that Chef Tara is bringing to San Diego diners! We began with the Kampachi Crudo with Yuzu sauce as a cold starter, and it was excellent. We also had the Beet Salad from the cold starter section, and the beets were on a ricotta creamy sauce. Also Excellent! My favorite burst of flavor from both visits was the Hunan Lamb Chops which have Szechuan Peppercorns as one of the lively flavors, from the Hot Starters section. We ordered the Wagyu Fried Rice, and enjoyed it very much with the Lamb Chops and with the final meat course: Roast Duck Leg, with an Asian flavors sauce. We had the Chocolate Cremeux dessert, and it was also a show stopper! The table service was gracious, informative, friendly, and not irritating in any way. The scene inside the restaurant was very cheerful, and the room is dramatic and very arty! Animae is definitely our go-to restaurant for out of town guests who might have preconceptions that San Diego dining is not on an international level.
Is this helpful?
K
Karena
Palm Springs
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The staff was very friendly and helpful in providing recommendations. The food was delicious and well prepared. We excited my husband’s birthday and it was a wonderful experience.
Is this helpful?
N
Nav
San Diego
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Service: A+. The wait staff was truly incredible. From arranging cutlery on table to timing of food. All very thought out and attentive to detail Ambience: B. Extremely noisy. If you go to comparable restaurants in the area like Brigantine or Eddie Vs, this restaurant is quite loud compared to those. Especially considering the caliber of all these restaurants. Food: A. Food tasted great. Meats were tender and cooked through, no over spices in any of the dishes, and good selection of fare for all. Pricing: B. Meal pricing is not the best considering the type of dishes. Chinese and Taiwanese cooking can be very complex. However, considering the ingredients in those dishes at this restaurant and the type of meals…Animae is overpriced. Overall Value: B+. The noisyness, and the meal pricing does it for me. Great experience at Animae my first time but would not add it to my list of restaurants I’d return to.
Is this helpful?
J
Jane
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food amazing which always prompts us to order too much. Yummy!!! Highly recommend
Is this helpful?
g
gary
VIP
San Francisco
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Over priced Good steak Way too much cost Service mediocre Expected more Disappointed
Is this helpful?
M
Mel
VIP
San Diego
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We came here for our anniversary dinner and we LOVED it. I don’t remember our server’s name but he was amazing :) We had the lobster pasta, short rib Kare kare, Taiwanese chicken, wontons, for dessert we had the coconut mousse and the ube proditeroles- and everything was absolutely amazinnngggg!
Is this helpful?
M
Micah
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing experience. Food was good! My partner who are celebrating his birthday loved it thank you
Is this helpful?
R
RUTH
San Diego
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was out of this world delicious! We also had an excellent Ggrich Wine. Pricey but for a special occasion this is your go to restaurant!
Is this helpful?
E
Elizabeth
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
An upscale fusion restaurant with a nostalgic yet sophisticated ambiance. The quality of the food was amazing and is well worth the price. Will return!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Animae is rated 4.8 stars by 3234 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 22, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 59 times today

Experiences are available.

969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA 92132

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Cross street
Pacific Highway and West Broadway
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Californian, Steakhouse
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://animaesd.com/
Phone number
(619) 432-1225
Private party facilities
The Great Gatsby-meets-Madmen-meets-The Matrix interior is a fantastical futurist’s journey, transporting diners to the Shikoku firefly forest in Japan, an event venue that’s both ethereal and theatrical. ANIMAE is the perfect space to host and celebrate your special events.

Animae

Make a reservation

Why they're an Icon

MICHELIN Plate

Dining areas

Additional information

Kamayan Christmas at Animae

NYE at ANIMAE

LATE NIGHT NYE at ANIMAE

Short Rib Kare Kare

Taiwanese Chicken

Grilled Half Chicken

Hot Dishes

Wonton

Taiwanese Chicken

Sweet & Sour Cauliflower

Hunan Lamb Chops

Crispy Pig Ear

Mantou

Cold Dishes

Hamachi

Tuna Crispy Rice

A5 Wagyu Tartare

Cucumbers

Ume Oysters

Beet Salad

Tuna Kinilaw

Sides

Coal Roasted Cabbage

Broccolini

Wagyu Fried Rice

Crispy Potatoes

Crab Fried Rice

Mushroom Sisig

Japanese A5

Miyazaki Strip Loin

Miyazaki Tenderloin

American Steaks

8 Oz Prime Filet

16 Oz Prime New York

38 Oz Dry Aged Ribeye

Other Plates

Grilled Half Chicken

Short Rib Kare Kare

Sambal Balado Clams

Dinuguan

Pork Tomahawk Tocino

Szechuan Spicy Seabass

Delectable Desserts

Sweets

Apple Yuzu Sorbet

Buko Pandan

Chocolate Cremeux

Sakura Panna Cotta

Ube Profiteroles

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Animae restaurant rated?

Is Animae currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information