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Delicious food inspired by daring nostalgia - Books + Records, San Diego, CA

Books + Records

4.7
4.7
382 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Charming
Global inspired American cuisine, craft cocktails, and weekend brunch in an upbeat atmosphere, with live music.

Chef Ryan Stickel is serving up San Diego's freshest food takes in an art deco meets mid-century mod warehouse space. With a tenured run on both Eater's Heat Map and list of San Diego's Hottest Cocktail Bars, the food and drinks are both guaranteed to delight your senses.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Californian
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (619) 795-1000
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Sam Deckman
  • Catering
    For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
  • Private party facilities
    For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
  • Neighborhood
    Banker's Hill
  • Cross street
    Ivy St & Fourth Ave in Bankers Hill
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • NYE Mirror-Ball-Drop Party

    $45.25 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2024 only
    Celebrate the new year with us in true Studio 54 fashion at the Mirror-Ball-Drop Party at Books and Records! Dance into 2025 with a live DJ spinning disco hits, savor passed hors d’oeuvres, and enjoy a complimentary sparkling midnight toast! The party starts at 10PM! Dress in disco chic or 1970s cocktail attire—sequins, shimmer, and bold looks encouraged—for a glamorous finish to your night. Please note purchases are non-refundable with less than 48 hours notice of cancellation. Come join the party and ring in the new year with style!
  • NYE "Studio 54" Dinner + Mirror-Ball-Drop Party

    $25.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2024 only
    Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Studio 54 style at Books & Records! Step into the glitz and glam of the disco era with an elegant three-course dinner ($75) featuring bold, modern flavors inspired by the 1970s, as you groove to a live three-piece band. Dress in disco chic or 1970s cocktail attire. Your night also includes access to the Mirror-Ball-Drop Party for $25 ($10 below door price) featuring a live DJ, passed hors d'oeuvres, and a complimentary midnight toast! Party starts at 10PM. A $25 deposit secures your reservation, refundable with 48 hours’ notice. A 20% gratuity will be added for a seamless experience. Don’t miss this night—book now!
  • New Year's Eve "Studio 54" Dinner

    $25.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2024 only
    Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Studio 54 style at Books & Records! Step into the glitz and glam of the disco era with an elegant three-course dinner ($75) featuring bold, modern flavors inspired by the 1970s, as you groove to a live three-piece band. Dress in disco chic or 1970s cocktail attire. A $25 deposit secures your reservation, refundable with 48 hours’ notice. A 20% gratuity will be added for a seamless experience. Don’t miss this night—book now!

What 382 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Books + Records in San Diego is a vibrant culinary destination offering inventive dishes and creative cocktails. Guests rave about the "exceptional service" and lively atmosphere, often featuring live music. Signature dishes like the duck Benedict and short rib hash shine, while the ambience is described as "wonderful" and "fabulous." Perfect for brunch or a special dinner, this spot is a must-visit.

382 Reviews
  1. Lisa

    VIP

    San Diego

    27 reviews

    5.0

    27 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The host was very friendly. The decor was pleasant and the restaurant embraced theme around the bar and in the menu. We were seated in a cozy booth. Waitress was warm and welcomed us within a few minutes of getting seated. We ordered salmon potato latkes. It was a generous portion and very delicious. We also ordered apple pancakes and avocado toast which were also good. We will be back again.

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  2. Dustin

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Broccolini, pork belly, and tartar were amazing! Seabass was average. Service was wonderful!

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  3. Karen

    VIP

    San Diego

    12 reviews

    2.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1
    We love the food, amazing service, and overall ambience at this restaurant, but the music was so loud we were not able to have a conversation. Having music at concert levels in a restaurant seems so inappropriate. We love that they have live music, but having speakers blaring behind your table (think ear ringing when you leave) is ridiculous. I feel sorry for the servers who have to shout to explain the menu (and we of course had to shout back to get our order in). For this reason alone we won’t be back, which is too bad since otherwise this restaurant has so much going for it!

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  4. ileana

    VIP

    Baja California

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on December 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I came here for a romantic date and it was so amazing! We booked a reservation right away and that’s hard to find on a Saturday night. Parking was super easy and service is very friendly and fast. The food is 10/10 as well as drinks ! The music is great quality and I’ll come back pretty soon to try more of the cocktails.
    Books + RecordsResponded 4 days ago
    Ileana, Thanks for spending date night with us :) I'm glad you were able to book right away and I'm pleased service, food and drink were all 10/10's! See you again soon!

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  5. Kim

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a lovely time. The service was top notch as everyone was friendly and attentive. The local sea-bass was amazing! The drinks were creative and stiff! Would definitely go back again!
    Books + RecordsResponded 4 days ago
    Hi Kim! So pleased you had such lovely time! I can't wait to pass this along to the bar team, they are so dedicated to their craft so this will be an exciting thing to hear. Can't wait to welcome you back into the space :)

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  6. Natalia

    Las Vegas

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The pasta sauce was too heavy for me. Also, we ordered the arugula salad, but it way too much apples and raisins not enough arugula. The calamari was delicious. Service was good.
    Books + RecordsResponded 4 days ago
    Hi there Natalia, Thanks for this valuable feedback! Will absolutely pass it along to our Chef. I'm sorry the pasta and salad did not meet expectations, but I'm happy to hear service was good! Would love to invite you back into the space and ensure a dining experience worth your while. Please feel free to reach out to me directly! Brooke Chief of Staff

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  7. Leslie

    Phoenix

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyed our dinner. Wish we would have booked closer to the live music. Really nice decor and vibe.

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  8. Bernardo

    VIP

    Dallas

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    2nd time here, still awesome. Burger is incredible and drinks top notch!
    Books + RecordsResponded on December 20, 2024
    Hi! Thanks so much for such kind review. We can't wait to see you again soon, please do say hello next time you join us. Brooke Chief of Staff :)

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  9. nichole

    VIP

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love this place! Service is always amazing. Went for brunch for the first time and will for sure be back. The Turkish eggs and short rib hash were awesome. A nice difference from the typical brunch items. Joey took great care of us! Was also here for dinner earlier in the week with friends and as always, it was amazing. I love sharing all of the different plates. Alex was as always the best!
    Books + RecordsResponded on December 20, 2024
    Nichole, Thanks for taking the time to leave this wonderful review! Joey and Alex are both incredible and key parts of our team so hearing this makes me so happy. I'm glad you were able to swing by for both our Brunch and Dinner offerings. You'll just have to try our Happy Hour and $9 after 9PM menu next. Please say hello when you're here again :)

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  10. Angela

    Los Angeles

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service, wonderful and creative food, bottomless mimosas

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Books + Records is rated 4.7 stars by 382 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Books + Records

2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Ivy St & Fourth Ave in Bankers Hill
  • Neighborhood
    Banker's Hill
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Californian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Sam Deckman
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (619) 795-1000
  • Catering
    For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
  • Private party facilities
    For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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