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World Famous
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants American (Traditional) Seafood, American (Traditional) [Edit]
711 Pacific Beach Dr(between Ocean Blvd & Ocean Front Walk)
San Diego, CA 92109
Neighborhood: Pacific Beach
(858) 272-3100
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sat-Sun 8 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Svetlana V. said: "Reminds me of a seafood restaurant in Dana Point, Orange County. Located right by the water. Very casual and relaxing. They have a small but convenient paring lot next to the restaurant. You order your delicious fresh seafood at a…" read more »
645 reviews for World Famous
Review Highlights
"I absolutely love the lobster tacos."
(in 131 reviews)
"Nut crusted brie with garlic bread was addictive."
(in 23 reviews)
"The Carne Asada Benedict was delicious."
(in 6 reviews)
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645 reviews in English
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Review from Sam P.
San Diego, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went here for $1.50 lobster tacos, which I felt needed just a tad bit more lobster and a lil less red cabbage but at a buck fifty, I don't expect perfection - it was still delicious. I got there by 6:30pm and was immediately seated, although I imagine it may get more busy later in the night.
I haven't tried the rest of their menu but forget that when I can get the best priced lobster tacos.
Great environment for get-togethers with old friends. -
Review from Genevieve C.
San Diego, CA
This review only applies to the Happy Hours on tues/wed/. I have never eaten here at times other than Happy Hour.
Where to begin with World Famous? So many thoughts come to mind.
First off, the food is delicious! The shrimp and lobster are always so succulent flavorful. The cheese and cabbage and sauces really blend well all together. I personally like the lobster tacos better because the meat is a little more tender than the shrimp. With 1.25 for shrimp and 1.50 for lobster (with the purchase of a drink), eating here is a fun and delicious night out!
Come either really early, or later (I like to come at 9:30 or 10pm) to avoid waiting. I have come at 7pm and had to wait over an hour; however, by the time you sit down you are so hungry that you are even more satisfied by this great deal!
Be sure to ask for chips and salsa! It is complimentary, but they won't offer it.
I like to get a virgin pina colada as my drink (2.50!). The lemonade here is also quite delicious. I don't think it is fresh squeezed...but it tastes a lot fresher and delicious than it does at some other restaurants.
Service:
For service I would give them 2 1/2 stars. I have taken into consideration that this is Happy Hour and people are getting a really cheap meal at a not-so-cheap place for dinner and it usually is very crowded; however, it still upsets I have to flag down my waitress for refills (on many occasions I find myself asking more than once for a refill, or asking more than one person) or more tacos. During Happy Hour the waitresses are not very attentive and are not very friendly or patient. There is a positive side to this, sometimes they surprise you and the service is pretty decent. I find this to be true after rush hour but well before closing time.
That being said, I still love the taco happy hours here. The food has me hooked and I go at least once a week. Service is always a gamble...but World Famous does "Taco Tuesday" well and if I'm going to buy tacos, it is going to be here. -
Review from Katie H.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've only gone here twice for Taco Tuesday so that's all I'm gonna discuss here!
Shrimp tacos are full of fried shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes, and maybe a slight overload of cheese. I really like the salsa they have on their tables but I wish they kicked up the spice level in it! In any case, their tacos are a pretty good deal for only being $1.25 each. If you're lucky, you may get a nice treasure of big groups of shrimp stuck together in your taco! Unfortunately for me, this happened to my friend instead.
Service is a-ok, nothing special. Come early!!! Unless you don't mind waiting forever... -
Review from Fabio B.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
Just had my birthday celebration at World Famous last Monday Jan 30th.
What a nice time we had there. They were very friendly, letting us leave the bday cake in their fridge, sitting a group of 12 during happy hour time in the bar area, which is something else if you consider that on Mondays every appetizer is half off and the line to get in there is constantly reaching the front door.
Everybody was nice to us, I really mean that.
The food was great, as usual.
And the manager had the chance to try the homemade bday cake.
Thanks World Famous, you guys are awesome!!! -
Review from Marisa W.
San Diego, CA
2/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If you want to have a ocean view this is the place! I go here for breakfats all the time. I love their pomagranate mimosa's and benedicts. Get there early though because they don't take reservations as far as I know and on the they get really busy espcially on the weekends. Anytime someone comes to town and you want to show them arounf stop here to eat. Its always impressive.
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Review from Christopher O.
El Dorado Hills, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Uh, yea... I'm down with that!
This place is right on the beach. The food was good and the service pretty darn well too. Location, however, is spot on!
I would frequent this place if I lived here!!!
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Review from Noelle D.
We came right at sunset so it was fairly busy. They seated us within 15 minutes on the (closed in for the season) back patio with a view of the surf.
Service was relatively slow but the food was good.
Three words: Nut Crusted Brie. What a great appetizer our entire party of six agreed this was a winner.
I had a few glasses of the Wild Horses Paso Robles Cabernet Savignon which was pretty enjoyable.
I ordered the steak and scampi and while it wasn't the best I've ever had the additional side of asparagus was pretty darn tasty. It came with a sort of balsamic reduction on it which was excellent!
My husband ordered the skirts of fire entree and seemed pretty happy with it as well. No leftovers for either of us.
Overall a pretty good experience. But yeah the wait staff really took too long to get 4 stars.Listed in: Yay I visited San Diego
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Review from Tanakorn T.
San Diego, CA
Taco Tuesday! But, one of the worst waitresses ever. We were seated in the front area which is actually really nice! It made our wait a lot shorter. The waitress comes by and takes our order.
Things you should know:
1 drink required. Doesn't have to be alcohol, but a drink is required.
Tacos are 1.50 each on Tuesday.
Well, the waitress was really bad. She took our order with a straight bitch face. I am huge on hospitality and well, this hospitality sucked. Go home or something... She seemed super annoyed an made us feel unwelcome.
We got the bill and waited for her to take the card... So we waited... And waited... And waited...
15 almost 20 minutes before another waitress came and took the card. Food is always solid, but service is NEVER to be forgotten1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/22/2010
I only go there for the shrimp tacos on taco tuesdays, so that's what Im going to write about.
Taco… Read more »
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Review from Angela C.
San Diego, CA
1/19/2012
Let it rain, let it rainnnn, tacos!! I only go here on Wednesdays for their Lobster Tacos, but I heard shrimp tacos on Tuesdays are delicious too. I can eat like 3-4 of those Lobster Tacos, doused with the hot sauce on the table, and be completely satisfied. Because of the good deals, it can be hard to find parking. If you go early, then you can probably park in their lot, but last time; I just found some parking in the residential area across the street. Wait can also be a big Beeep, but you should expect it.
The waiters here are nice and the food came out fast, but its not perfect, since two of our orders in our table were forgotten. Luckily, it doesn't take long to fix and they come over enough that we can practically order continuous tacos so props on doing -not so shabby- on such a busy night.. Normally waiters are cranky as heck on busy nights, but our waiter hid it real well.
P.S. Mines more of a 3.5 stars -
Review from Ryan Jan F.
Chula Vista, CA
1/30/2012
First time here with my girlfriend, and we ordered the lobster and fish tacos appetizers, with the beach burger as our main course and the Chocolate Mud-pie for dessert. After tasting the tacos and observing everyone else around us, it seemed that their bread and butter consist of the tacos and dessert, which I believed the tacos specifically paralleled any other good tacos found in San Diego.
Pros:
Given the limitations on the portions and pricing, the tacos were amazing. Same for the Mud-Pie, I found my self spoon fighting with my girlfriend.
The setting fit the environment and then some. With the restaurant overlooking the beach, it wasn't a surprise to see almost everyone in the restaurant wearing shades, short shorts, board shorts, and flip flops.
This place is great for groups, as I noticed a lot of patrons came with large groups. (Gets pretty loud, especially with alcohol involved) Perfect location, as people can cruise the boardwalk and stop by for $2 tacos and liquor.
Cons:
Although the beach theme played a lot of purpose in the restaurant, I didn't believe the Beach Burger was nothing more than sub-par. Literally tasted like a burger cooked outdoors, and although Im sure that was the aim, I still thought it could have made the taste more unique especially with their tacos and dessert being very exquisite.
Conclusion:
Mos def will I come back, however with a bigger drinking crowd of friends, and just strictly sticking with their appetizers. -
Review from Jeffrey Y.
San Diego, CA
1/14/2012
Been here ONCE.
The wait was one hour long. I can understand that Taco Tuesday night (aka the SHRIMP TACOS) is a very popular event. Unfortunately, World Famous only SEATS a secluded section ONLY for those wanting to eat the $1.25 Shrimp Tacos.
Some of waitresses appeared neglecting but it's understandable because it's a LONG night and they have to deal with so many customers. However, there's some discern on the quality of service.
Food is EXCELLENT. The wait just to try out these shrimp tacos built up the suspense. I ordered 8 shrimp tacos and 2 lobster tacos for myself = completely devoured. WHOO! LOBSTER TACOS are extremely unique!
If you don't want to experience the wait to try out the shrimp tacos, either COME really EARLY or don't even bother. Parking is EXTREMELY difficult, causing our party to park at a far distance. -
Review from Sang P.
1/9/2012
Everyone knows Shrimp Tacos are only 1.25 with a one drink minimum here. That's why it's "World Famous"
...But really, everything is pretty decent. The wait was horrendously long even though there were tons of seats and although the reservation area was nearly empty, I don't know we had to wait. IT was empty until we left. But that's their way of operation, so I won't linger over that too much...
For the drink, I got the shock-top which is pretty decent and I'm glad they offer it. So a plus for that. The shrimp tacos are pretty big - and the shrimps are deep-fried and they give you a decent amount. Usually I can eat 5~7, depending on how hungry I am.
But the shrimp tacos are nothing special. Price is awesome but service was kind of slow and we had to wait a long time for us to get our food or even get our waters filled. I'm guessing they know they're going to get a lot of people Tuesday night so I'm surprised they don't compensate for that.
But it's okay, THE PRICE IS RIGHT so I am willing to go back again if I'm willing to wait a while for my food. -
Review from Susan W.
San Diego, CA
1/15/2012
World Famous is a nice brunch spot. The breakfast fare is not mind blowing but it's consistently good, and the servers are always friendly. There's a great view of the boardwalk and Mission Beach so that's definitely a plus to make your dining experience enjoyable! There can be a bit of a wait, but hey you are on the beach and there are lots of little kiosks shops, so plenty of things to occupy your time while you wait.
And FYI - they validate for the parking structure on Pacific Beach Drive...the one just east of the restaurant entrance. -
Review from Elise H.
San Diego, CA
2/3/2012
The name really speaks for itself! I have yet to find a lobster bisque that even compares! Their half-off appetizer Mondays can't be beat. Don't be discouraged by the wait for a table. It is worth it!
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Review from Nicholas O.
San Diego, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't drink bloody marys. I did however try my girlfriends and was surprised at how good it was.
I have only ordered off of the breakfast menu, but have no complaints. The view and people watching are great. -
Review from Jeremy Y.
San Diego, CA
1/24/2012
Horrendous, truly. They wouldn't let me order tacos for take out which irked me to no end. The tacos were average, no better than say Rubio's or holes in the wall; the shrimp reminded me of farm raised bay shrimp with little substance or constitution. Ultimately I can't recommend world famous, it was completely lacklustre and without any sort of sophistication. To be honest, this would be an easy two to three stars if they'd allow me to take out.
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Review from Grace H.
San Diego, CA
1/10/2012
Overall, decent food and great taco tuesday deals.
However, if you're looking for a nice dinner with nice service for the price you're paying, this is definitely the shithole of Pacific Beach.
Service here really sucks THAT bad to make the food in your mouth not worth the pain of sitting around being served by inconsiderate waitresses and their useless assistant manager. These waiters/ waitresses are slow, indifferent, and argumentative. Definitely NOT worth the experience. -
Review from Emily C.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
Amazing Bloody Mary's!! Food is excellent! Beautiful View! The only downside is there is always a wait to get seated and the service has been very slow. The first time I went it was just me and my husband. It seemed like we were there forever! The second time was with a party of about 15 and it was equally slow that time as well, which can be expected for such a large group. Also they would not split our checks for us which makes it extremely difficult and confusing to pay the bill. Overall though I would definitely go back to enjoy the great beverages, food, and view.
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Review from A d W.
Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
1/30/2012
Out of all the restaurants I frequent, I would have to say I have been here the most. I just read some of the bad reviews and had to add my thoughts. I have always come here for breakfast or brunch and have NEVER had any issues, and if we did they were small and were taken care of immediatly. I have always had good to great service, never any auto-bot, take your order n dissapear bitches. My drinks have been spot on, my food, pretty damn good. Of course breakfast is pretty easy to NOT screw up, right. Anyway, I like this place to peoplewatch, eat n get a little buzz on. More eye candy than Broken Joke on Garnet with the boardwalk right there...And better OJ for the mimosas I can never say no to...By the way their Bloody Mary's are pretty damn good too.
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Review from Kylie L.
Vista, CA
1/10/2012
Definitely a must for taco lovers.
Monday: appetizer deals
Tuesday: shrimp tacos (try this!!!)
Wednesday: lobster tacos
Thursday: chicken tacos -
Review from Anna E.
12/29/2011
Eh, this place is aight...I'm not sure why it's "World Famous"; maybe for serving bland food? Came here for brunch and had the prime rib hash and a cod sandwich. They both sounded really good on the menu, but somehow it didn't all come together. The prime rib was tender, but needed salt. The green peppers, onions and potatoes could've been just a tad crispier. The cod sandwich was nice and crispy, but the tartar sauce (with capers) was bland.
To echo Danny W's sentiments, yes, they have attractive female wait staff (and actually nice too!!). And the location is perfect. If you've burnt off your tastebuds from your "prescription" and want to look at hot chics, this is the place for you! -
Review from Jeffrey C.
Atlanta, GA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
No better way to ring in 2012 than brunch at World Famous. Their bloody calientes are some of the best I have ever had and their champagne bottles for mimosas are very reasonabl priced. Being from San Diego I consider myself a bit of a Mexican food snob but I would put theirs up against anyone's. Throw in an incredible view of the ocean and you have one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego!
Added bonus, cheap lobster tacos on Wednesday night, used to be $1. 50 but not sure if they have been hit by inflation, just get there early or be prepared for a wait for a bar table. -
Review from Jonathan W.
12/13/2011
So you really can't beat the locale. Beach and weather. Got the surf and turf feeling to the decor. Major busy so prepare for the wait. Maybe a bit touristy.
A good selection of mexi-based options. Solid eggs and toast. When you're done, you can hit the boardwalk. Its PB so be prepared.
Great staff :) -
Review from J T.
Woodbury, MN
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Brunch at the World famous on the beach is a great way to start a day! On the board walk over looking the beach. Easy to get in/out from.
This place has great food, great bloody marys and service to boot. Sit out on the patio and over look the beach.
I love getting the lobster Benedict or the "wipe out" The service has always been friendly and upbeat.
They do have valet if you don't luck out with parking right next to it. -
Review from Mina K.
12/4/2011
I've heard so much buzz about this place I finally decided to give it a try. A group of friends and myself came here on Tuesday for their shrimp tacos.
At $1.25 a taco, the price can't be beat. But unfortunately it can, since they require you to purchase a drink to opt in. I purchased a Shocktop draft beer for $4.50.
2 tacos + a beer + tax + tip = $~9.00, not so cheap for "Taco Tuesday" (in my opinion only, it may be a steal for you!)
The tacos were okay. Service could have been improved, as our waitress wasn't friendly (she seemed exasperated with us when we didn't know what we wanted to order, even though she had forgotten to give us menus).
Fortunately, we didn't wait long since we arrived around 5:30pm. I heard the wait can be up to 1-2 hours! Definitely not worth the wait. -
Review from kat m.
11/30/2011
I don't think I can stress enough how much I F-N LOVE this place.
The first time I came here was a total accident, I tryed to go to Tony Romas out of desperation after walking into a few stinky spots nearby and luckily they were closing , one of the waiters recommended I try this spot. Woop Woop....
Since then.....shit I drive to San Diego for any excuse to eat here..I bought a season pass to Sea World just because its nearby , so first I get to view the little sea creatures, then I drive over to World Famous and proceed to eat them.
What I love about this spot..
The Menu
Its on the Beach
Cool , Casual Crowd
Now more on the menu....
I love the bar bites...OMG...they have way way too many yummy things..it just spins my mind, what should I order?
The scallops with potato pancake in beurre blanc ( I never even liked scallops till I ate these ones, now I cant get enough )
The Lobster Bisque - it looks small but its sooo rich and buttery with chunks of lobster
The pork shank- served with crispy giant onion rings
Calamari- steaks cut into strips and fried tender, squeeze a little lemon and down the hatch they go
Any of the benedicts- there breakfast is amazing and only gets better with the inspiring ocean views
The steaks- Yum, this place has great food and its all reasonably priced, the steaks have great sauces, their vegetables are nicely roasted and their scalloped potatoes are the best, i just wish they gave me more
The prime rib- another Yum, I had it for my birthday after eating 3 plates of scallops
I really havent had anything bad except the trifle, including their drinks, everythings pretty cheap and very tasty. Sometimes its better than others but its always good. I have dragged so many of my friends down to SD just to try this place...Its a MUST!!!Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Denise T.
11/22/2011
I held off writing a review for World Famous for the longest time because I was selfish and didn't want to share this place with others and their wonderful nightly deals! Yes, I'll admit to it. It's already crowded as it is! But to be honest, this place isn't really a secret gem or anything close to it. Everyone knows about it and word is only spreading more quickly!
I love coming here for their $1.50 lobster tacos on Wednesdays. They're not super huge but they sure are tasty. For such a low price, I'd pay for it and I definitely enjoy every bite. Comes in a flour tortilla with shredded lettuce, bits of fried lobster meat, shredded cheese, and a slightly spicy chipotle sauce. Almost every single time I've been here on a Wednesday night, I would encounter a huge line that would come out to the door, sometimes WAY out the door. But if you're lucky and come before 6pm or super late (like after 9pm) you might not end up having to wait at all. Happened to me twice!
I've been keeping a promise to myself to come for their Taco Tuesdays! Shrimp tacos for $1.25 each. On Thursdays, they also have $1 pollo asado tacos and $3.50 half rack of ribs. Mondays they have 1/2 off appetizers. So the not-so-unknown secret is out!Listed in: A Bang For Your Buck, My San Diego Favorites
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Review from Lili G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay food, terrible service.
I'd heard about World Famous from a friend who goes for the deals, and was excited to try it out for a special occasion.
Some dishes were great -- the mako shark and the red snapper, for example, were both tender and fresh, although the snapper sauce was a bit heavy and overly complicated. On the other hand, some dishes left a lot to be desired -- the clam chowder was overloaded with salt, and seemed like it had been sitting around all day reducing. In general, the food was so-so and uninspired. I'd stick with simple fish dishes; the more sauces and flourishes they add to the plate, the worse it gets, and the fish itself is all well-prepared.
The service is what did this place in for me. I'll usually overlook bad service for good food, but this was pretty disappointing. When we walked in, there was no one at the front of the house, and we weren't seated until ten minutes later when we went and found someone to seat us ourselves, even though there were many open tables, and they didn't appear rushed or busy at all. It didn't get any better (or faster) from there; we sat at the table for another ten minutes or so until our server came along and found us searching for menus. She took our orders (a long time later) and plopped our dishes onto the table with cool disinterest. Other servers milled around in the background; one stood at the table of a personal friend and talked loudly with him for a good portion of the meal.
And then our server was rude to my grandma, which made me want to give this place 2 stars instead of 3. But I guess I'll give it the benefit of the doubt since I didn't get to try the deals.
All in all, the price tag for a non-deal dish wasn't worth the so-so food and bad, bad service. -
Review from Clarice C.
San Diego, CA
12/17/2011
I was looking for the restaurant around beach area.
And my friend told me this restaurant.
Patio is great to enjoy a sunny day. Also relaxing.
My friend ordered lobster taco plate, and she said it's very delicious!
I couldn't believe because she can't eat a lot, but she ate all this time!
I ordered salmon, it was delicious too!
Also I ordered ahi tuna appetizer and fish and chips for my little girl.
Everything was good, and my girl had raw ahi. Usually she doesn't eat raw fishes.
I read some reviews, and next time, I would like to have a brunch. -
Review from Evanharris H.
Shrewsbury, NJ
1/26/2012
I don't get it, why are all these people lined up to get into this place? The Yellow Fin Tuna with panco crust was cold and the rice which felt like it was left over from the previous evening. The Caesar which cost a $2 upgrade was terrible. The server was good and quick, I guess so they could turn the table over 10 more times. Drive down town and stay away
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Review from Greg M.
Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Come here for Taco Tuesday!
Shrimp Tacos are only 1.25 with a one drink minimum (thats where they get you). They let my girlfriend and I split a drink and still get tacos so I suppose it was a .5 drink minimum. We were also with a party of 12 people so that might be why they let it slide.
The tacos: Pretty good and sizeable. The tortilla is a little flimsy and is tough to hold the taco. The shrimp is battered, but is still nice and tender. They add cheese, cabbage, and some sauce. Homemade salsa in a bottle is also good.
At the end of the night, I had 5 tacos and left full. The tacos were pretty tasty and filling and I would come back again.
Come before 6:30 or you'll have to wait a while for a table. The service isn't especially good as it gets pretty busy, but hey, you're paying 1.25 for tacos! It's also a nice place to hang out and eat since its next to the beach
Also, don't get the large stella. It's not very large... -
Review from Yen T.
San Diego, CA
11/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The only thing worth getting here is the $1.25 SHRIMP tacos on tuesdays. I recommend going either at 5pm or after 9pm, and then depending on your luck, there still might be a line.
Don't go for lobster Wednesday, it is a pass.
Good things:
Free chips and dips so ask for it!
Nice environment, totally date like place considering PB beach is right there.
Also good for team outings.
Bad things:
Usually terrible service,
No free refills on juices,
If you're with a large party, there is a good chance that one of your orders will be forgotten.
If you're under 21, get the apple juice. It goes well with the spicy tacos and makes you look classy. It is served in an old-fashioned glass that is often used for cocktails or liquor served on the rocks. -
Review from STACY K.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 12/15/2011
I got food poisoning here last week from the mussels. I've ordered them before and this time they were prepared differently with a cream base sauce instead of the usual broth base but they DID NOT taste fresh at all. I should have contacted management so they could have thrown that batch away. I was super disappointed because my friends and I love and frequent this place often but I will never order the mussels again. My stomach is churning just thinking about it again.
I will give up two stars because John the bartender is great and I will be back just for him!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/19/2010
C'mon World Famous get it together!
One my favorite spots in PB, and the last few times I've been… Read more »
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Review from Leisa S.
La Jolla, CA
1/15/2012 16 Check-ins Here
My boyfriend and I are regulars on Tuesday nights. We only go for their shrimp tacos, since we are not big fans of the lobster tacos. Unless it's just you and a friend for the taco deals in the bar area, you will probably have to wait. Though, its worth it, especially because you can get free chips and salsa (but not free guacamole).
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Review from Jennifer Y.
San Diego, CA
1/24/2012 1 photo
Came here on a Wednesday for their happy hour $1.50 lobster tacos.
When we got there at around 4:30pm, it seemed kinda empty, which I thought was a bit odd since I've always heard stories about people waiting a long time for tables. Our waitress had a straight up bitch face with some major attitude, making us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. I ordered three tacos (don't judge me) and was pretty excited when I saw that they were pretty good-sized tacos. The taco comes with little pieces of fried lobster, tons of cabbage, cheese, and tomatoes on a warm flour tortilla. For $1.50, these tacos tasted pretty good and were totally worth that money. Oh, and you must order a drink--alcoholic or not--in order to get the reduced priced tacos.
When the bill came, I nearly choked on/spat out my water. Those tacos no longer tasted good; they tasted like bland, poisonous sludge. The total for six tacos and two drinks came out to about $35! WTFFFF??? I tried to flag down our totally MIA bitch of a waitress to ask her about the bill. Surely it must be a mistake. The only problem was... we forgot what she looked like since we saw her only twice when she took our order and when she brought us our bill (sorry, but all the waitresses working that day looked the same to me :X). Finally, I just went up to the cash register to ask the waitress there about the bill. Apparently, we got charged full price (a staggering $4.50 each) for the tacos because the happy hour price only applies to the bar area?? That's complete bullshit because the person who seated us even knew we were there for happy hour since we said "YES" when she asked us. What a biatch. I asked the waitress at the cash register if there was anything she could do to help us out with this sticky situation. She said no. I asked her if I could talk to the manager. She said no. Everything was no, no, and no. We had no choice but to pay the full price of the bill. Guess how much tip we left? Hint: it's equal to the number of successful marriages Kim Kardashian has had.
I left the place limping and feeling like I needed crutches because my wallet and ego were in so much pain. Also, when we left, we saw that the bar area was actually pretty packed, adding insult to injury. EFF YOU, WORLD FAMOUS! IS IT BECAUSE WE'RE ASIAN? BTW, NOTHING ON YOUR MENU IS EVEN WORTHY OF BEING "WORLD FAMOUS"!Listed in: I Said Hell to the NOOOOO!
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Review from Stephanie M.
11/14/2011
Having just arrived in town, we were desperate for some food and this place was recommended to us by our hotel concierge when we said that we wanted to share some food but avoid the chain restaurants on the strip. Located right on the beach, you get to watch the ocean and the beach-goers as you relax on the patio. Not a bad way to get acquainted with Pacific Beach.
Maybe this is partly the post-travel hunger we were experiencing at the time talking, but the food was great, too. We shared the tiger shrimp and risotto cakes, the kona prawn salad, the nut crusted baked brie and a fish platter. My favourites were the risotto cakes and the salad, the latter of which came on a bed of romaine with wonton skins (served on the side to accomodate my gluten allergy), local peppers, thin-sliced bermuda onions and dried cranberries in a miso viniagrette.
My only minor complaint is that the hotel gave us a "VIP pass" (which they said meant we wouldn't have to wait) and there were several unoccupied tables, and yet it still took about 15-20 minutes to seat us. Then, once seated, the service was friendly and accurate but slow. So this is a great place to hang out and relax right by the beach, but not recommended if you're in a hurry (which, luckily, we weren't). -
Review from Lalo G.
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sunday brunch is a busy time at World Famous with a half hour wait for a table for two. I admit, it wasn't the best time to go, but the breakfast was solid. The basil and sausage omelette really hit the spot along with a good sized portion of breakfast potatoes. The OJ was definitely top notch but the coffee was a bit weak and the small container of creamer did not fare well amongst two coffee drinkers.
The service was a bit slow and I could have used more coffee, water, and or orange juice at any given time during my meal. Only once was my coffee refilled without asking and the rest of the time I had to make purposeful eye contact to get acknowledged.
Overall, not a bad spot but the service suffers during the rush. A nice view of the ocean really helps alleviate the stress of waiting to put in your order. Hey, at least they have that going for them. :) -
Review from James P.
Long Beach, CA
1/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here a few different times and it has always been busy. The service is good and the staff here is pleasant and friendly. I've had some mixed experiences with the food though. I'm not sure if it depends on what you're ordering or if it's just luck of the draw. For example, I ate here a few weeks ago and I ordered some kind of prime rib omlette. The meat was dry and whatever they used to season it didn't taste particularly good. But I was picking at the meals of everyone else at my table and I thought they were pretty decent. They make a good drink but they're a little on the pricey side. I guess for a front row seat to the beach it's to be expected.
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Review from Liam M.
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I finally tried this place after years of hearing about it. Came out on a Friday afternoon figuring most people would be at work and the wait would not be that bad, boy were we wrong. Wait time was around 30 mins, it was a nice day out so not the end of the world. We got primo seating right on the boardwalk, some of the best people watching I have ever done for sure! I ordered the lobster bisque which got rave reviews, all I could say was it was ok....really, really think, like gelatinous, tasty but not very soup-like. I got the crabcake sliders and the wife got the fish tacos. The food is ok, but I was expecting a life-changing experience. This place is in a great spot, perfect for people watching, and I think that is the biggest draw to this place, at least that was my experience. If you want ok food at an amazing location, this is your place.
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Review from Krys L.
Temecula, CA
12/3/2011
I especially love Sunday brunch at World Famous!
During football season or not, i love this place!
I think a lot of my experiences are because of who I'm with, but I really do enjoy this place!
