Top 2010 Southern California Best Restaurants, Bars Night Clubs, Dance Clubs, Happy Hours, Places to Go, Places to Shop, Places for Singles, Live Music Bars, Sports Bars, Romantic Restaurants and Events, San Diego, Orange County, Palm Springs News, Places for 2010
Palm Springs and Palm Desert Coachella Valley
Top Ten Best Bars
1. Jackalope Ranch, Indio
2. Yard House, Palm Desert
3. Lobby Bar, Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Desert
4. Palmer’s La Quinta
5. Sullivan’s, Palm Desert
6. The Hood, Palm Desert
7. Red Barn, Palm Desert
8. Beer Hunter, La Quinta
9. Castelli’s, Palm Desert
10. Armando’s Dakota, Palm Desert
Top Ten Best Events
1. Palm Springs International Film Festival, Palm Springs
2. Coachella Music Festival, Indio
3. La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta
4. Stagecoach Country Music Festival, Indio
5. BNP Paribas Open Tennis Tournament in Indian Wells
6. Bob Hope Classic, La Quinta
7. Date Festival, Indio
8. Tour de Palm Springs, Palm Springs
9. Palm Desert Greek Festival, Palm Desert
10. Tamale Festival, Indio
Top Ten Best Happy Hours
1. Jackalope Ranch, Indio
2. Piero’s Acqua Piazza, Rancho Mirage
3. Sullivan’s, Palm Desert
4. Las Casuelas Terraza, Palm Springs
5. The Yard House, Rancho Mirage
6. Vicky’s of Santa Fe, Indian Wells
7. Wang’s in the Desert, Palm Springs
8. Flemings Restaurant, Rancho Mirage
9. La Quinta Cliffhouse, La Quinta
10. Matchbox Pizza, Palm Springs
Top Ten Best Night Clubs and Dance Clubs
1. Costas, Marriott Hotel, Palm Desert
2. Renaissance Esmeralda Hotel, Indian Wells
3. Village Pub, Palm Springs
4. Zeldaz, Palm Springs
5. Lobby Bar, Marriott Hotel, Palm Desert
6. Red Barn, Palm Desert
7. Riviera Hotel, Palm Springs
8. Viceroy Hotel, Palm Springs
9. Arnold Palmer’s, La Quinta
10. Spa Casino, Palm Springs
Top Ten Best Places To See
1. Palm Springs International Film Festival, Palm Springs
2. BNP Paribas Open Tennis Tournament, Indian Wells
3. Coachella Valley Music Festival, Indio
4. La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta
5. Stagecoach Country Music Festival, Indio
6. Palm Springs Tramway, Palm Springs
7. Bob Hope Classic, La Quinta
8. Palm Springs Indian Canyons, Palm Springs
9. Date Festival, Indio
10. Tamale Festival, Indio
Top Ten Best Places To Shop
1. Cabazon Outlet Stores, Cabazon
2. El Paseo, Palm Desert
3. The River, Rancho Mirage
4. Kirkland Home Store, La Quinta
5. Costco, Palm Desert
6. Old Town, La Quinta
7. Bristol Farms, Palm Desert
8. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
9. Walmart, Palm Desert
10. Westfield Mall, Palm Desert
Top Ten Best Restaurants
1. Ruth’s Chris, Indian Wells
2. Sullivan’s, Palm Desert
3. LG’s Steakhouse, La Quinta
4. Mikado, Palm Desert
5. Kobe, Palm Desert
6. Flemings, Rancho Mirage
7. P F Chang’s, Rancho Mirage
8. City Wok, Palm Desert
9. Jackalope Ranch, La Quinta
10. Café Italia, Indian Wells
Top Ten Best Romantic Restaurants and Places for Romance
1. Europa Hotel, Palm Springs
2. Jackalope Ranch, Indio
3. Palm Springs Tramway, Palm Springs
4. Indian Canyons, Palm Springs
5. Le Vallauris, Palm Springs
6. La Quinta Resort, La Quinta
7. Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Desert
8. The River, Rancho Mirage
9. Festival of Lights Parade, Palm Springs
10. The Living Desert, Palm Desert
Top Ten Best Places for Singles to Meet Someone
1. Las Casuelas Terraza, Palm Springs
2. Lobby Bar, Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Desert
3. The River, Rancho Mirage
4. Arnold Palmer’s, La Quinta
5. Jackalope Ranch, Indio
6. The Riviera Hotel, Palm Springs
7. Costas, Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Desert
8. Dakota Bar & Grill, Palm Desert
9. Village Pub, Palm Springs
10. Roc’s Firehouse, Palm Desert
Top Ten Best Sports Bars and Restaurants with Live Music
1. Beer Hunter, La Quinta
2. Jackalope Ranch, Indio
3. Village Pub, Palm Springs
4. Ignition Coffee, Palm Springs
5. Roc’s Firehouse, Palm Desert
6. Yard House Restaurant, Palm Desert
7. Tilted Kilt, Palm Desert
8. The Hood, Palm Desert
9. Las Casuelas Terraza, Palm Springs
10. Red Barn, Palm Desert
Orange County
Top Ten Best Bars
1. Heroes, Fullerton
2. Silky Sullivans, Fountain Valley
3. Louie’s on Main, Garden Grove
4. Beachfire, Ladera Ranch
5. Tustin Brewing Co., Tustin
6. Goat Hill Tavern, Costa Mesa
7. Yard House, Newport Beach
8. Fred’s Cantina, Huntington Beach
9. Continental Room, Fullerton
10. Steelhead Micro Brewery, Irvine
Top Ten Best Events
1. Taste of Newport Beach
2. Opening Day at the Races, Del Mar
3. Jimmy Buffett Concerts in Orange County
4. 4th of July Parade, Huntington Beach
5. International Street Fair, Orange
6. Strawberry Festival, Garden Grove
7. AVP Tournament and U.S. Open, Huntington Beach
8. Festival of the Arts, Laguna Beach
9. Taste of Anaheim
10. Balloon and Wine Festival, Temecula
Top Ten Best Happy Hours
1. McCormick & Schmick’s, Anaheim
2. Taps, Brea
3. Stubrik’s Steakhouse, Fullerton
4. El Torito, Newport Beach
5. Z’Tejas, Costa Mesa
6. Beachfire Bar & Grill, Ladera Ranch
7. Matador Cantina, Fullerton
8. Avila’s El Ranchito, Newport Beach
9. Tia Juana’s Long Bar, Irvine
10. Yard House, Newport Beach
Top Ten Best Night Clubs and Dance Clubs
1. Landmark Steakhouse, Corona del Mar
2. Woody’s Wharf, Newport Beach
3. Pierce Street Annex, Costa Mesa
4. Mosun, Laguna Beach
5. Sutra, Costa Mesa
6. Tannins, San Juan Capistrano
7. In Cohoots, Fullerton
8. Tentation, Costa Mesa
9. Club Vegas, Costa Mesa
10. Shark Club, Costa Mesa
Top Ten Best Places to See
1. Taste of Newport, Newport Beach
2. Shops and Beach, Laguna Beach
3. Wine Tasting, Temecula
4. Crystal Cove Promenade and State Beach, Newport Coast
5. Main Street, Seal Beach
6. Regional Park, Irvine
7. Skiing and the Town, Big Bear
8. Irvine Spectrum, Irvine
9. Farmers Market, Irvine
10. Montage Resort, Laguna Beach
Top Ten Best Places to Shop
1. South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa
2. Fashion Island, Newport Beach
3. Crystal Cove Promenade, Newport Coast
4. Main Street, Seal Beach
5. Farmers Market, Irvine
6. Brea Mall, Brea
7. Orange County Market Place, Costa Mesa
8. The Shops at Mission Viejo
9. The District, Tustin
10. Irvine Spectrum, Irvine
Top Ten Best Restaurants
1. Stubrik’s Steakhouse, Fullerton
2. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Brea
3. Peppino’s, Lake Forest
4. El Farolito, Palcentia
5. Splashes, Laguna Beach
6. Matador Cantina, Fullerton
7. The Melting Pot, Irvine
8. Orange Hill, Orange
9. Mastro’s, Newport Coast
10. Lucille’s, Brea
Top Ten Best Romantic Restaurants and Places for Romance
1. Cellar, Fullerton
2. Montage Resort, Laguna Beach
3. La Vie En Rose, Brea
4. Doryman’s, Newport Beach
5. La Fondue, San Juan Capistrano
6. Las Brisas, Laguna Beach
7. Quiet Woman, Corona del Mar
8. Cat & Custard Cup, La Habra
9. Ambrosia, Santa Ana
10. Ti Amo, Laguna Beach
Top Ten Best Places for Singles to Meet Someone
1. Mastro’s, Newport Coast
2. Bandera’s, Corona del Mar
3. Yard House, Newport Beach
4. Landmark Steakhouse, Corona del Mar
5. Beachfire Bar & Grill, Ladera Ranch
6. Javier’s, Newport Coast
7. Tia Juana’s, Irvine
8. Mosun, Laguna Beach
9. Mesa, Costa Mesa
10. O’Malley’s, Seal Beach
Top Ten Best Sports Bars and Restaurants with Live Music
1. Fox Sports Grill, Irvine
2. Taps, Brea
3. Sandbox Sports Grill, Huntington Beach
4. Steamers, Fullerton (Music)
5. Mastro’s, Newport Coast (Music)
6. Longboard, Huntington Beach
7. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Irvine
8. Baja Sharkeez, Huntington Beach
9. Off Campus, Fullerton
10. Yard House, Newport Beach
San Diego
Top Ten Best Bars
1. The Field, Gaslamp
2. Lahaina Beach House, Mission Beach
3. Pacific Beach Bar & Grill, Pacific Beach
4. Dublin Square, Gaslamp
5. Karl Strauss, Downtown
6. Altitude Sky Bar, Gaslamp
7. Waterfront, Near Little Italy
8. Stone Brewery, Escondido
9. Top of the Hyatt, San Diego
10. McGregor’s Grill & Ale House, San Diego
Top Ten Best Events
1. Opening Day at the Races, Del Mar
2. December Nights, Balboa Park
3. San Diego Charger Games
4. Over the Line Tournament, Fiesta Island
5. Cinco de Mayo, Old Town
6. Greek Festival, San Diego
7. Taste of the Gaslamp, San Diego
8. Comic-Con, San Diego
9. Wine & Food Festival, San Diego
10. Mardi Gras, Gaslamp
Top Ten Best Happy Hours
1. McCormick & Schmick’s, San Diego
2. Wine Steals, Hillcrest
3. Pacifica, Del Mar
4. Miguel’s Cocina, Point Loma
5. Harney Sushi, Old Town
6. Candelas, San Diego
7. Costa Brava, Pacific Beach
8. Café Bleu, Mission Hills
9. La Puerta, Gaslamp
10. Café Chloe, San Diego
Top Ten Best Night Clubs and Dance Clubs
1. Café Sevilla, Gaslamp
2. Hard Rock Hotel, Gaslamp
3. Ivy Hotel, San Diego
4. Side Bar, Gaslamp
5. Belo, Gaslamp
6. J Bar, Gaslamp
7. Bar Dynamite, San Diego
8. Whiskey Girl, Gaslamp
9. Stingaree, Gaslamp
10. On Broadway, San Diego
Top Ten Best Places To Go
1. Balboa Park
2. San Diego Zoo
3. Hotel del Coronado
4. La Jolla
5. Del Mar
6. Black’s Beach
7. Sea World
8. Julian
9. Mission Beach
10. Wild Animal Park
Top Ten Best Places To Shop
1. Fashion Valley Mall, Mission Valley
2. Horton Plaza, Gaslamp
3. University Town Center, La Jolla
4. Solana Beach Cedros Design District
5. Gaslamp, San Diego
6. Carlsbad Premium Outlets
7. Seaport Village, San Diego
8. Pacific Beach
9. Viejas Outlet Center
10. Old Town
Top Ten Best Restaurants
1. Bertrand at Mister A’s, San Diego
2. Old Town Mexican Café, Old Town
3. Mille Fleurs, Rancho Santa Fe
4. Phileas Fogg’s, San Diego
5. The Barrel Room, Rancho Bernardo
6. Anthony’s Fish Grotto, San Diego
7. Hacienda de Vega, Escondido
8. Oceanaire, Gaslamp
9. Harney Sushi, Old Town
10. Pamplemousse Grill, Solana Beach
Top Ten Best Romantic Restaurants and Places for Romance
1. Bertrand at Mister A’s, San Diego
2. Candelas, San Diego
3. Mille Fleurs, Rancho Santa Fe
4. Prado, Balboa Park
5. El Bizcocho, Rancho Bernardo
6. George’s Outdoor Terrace Bistro, La Jolla
7. Coronado Boathouse, Hotel del Coronado
8. Café Sevilla, Gaslamp
9. La Jolla Cove
10. Julian
Top Ten Best Places For Singles to Meet Someone
1. Opening Day at the Races, Del Mar
2. Auberge Del Mar, After Opening Day at the Races
3. Mission Beach Boardwalk
4. Pacific Beach Bars
5. Gaslamp District
6. Jimmy O’s, Del Mar
7. Lahaina Beach House, Mission Beach
8. Moondoggies, Pacific Beach
9. Pacifica, Del Mar
10. Longboard Grill, Pacific Beach
Top Ten Best Sports Bars and Live Music Places
1. Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach
2. Croce’s, Gaslamp
3. House of Blues, San Diego
4. Seau’s, Mission Valley
5. Trophy’s, Mission Valley
6. McGregor’s Grill, San Diego
7. Yogi’s, Cardiff
8. Anthology, San Diego
9. Oggi’s, Vista
10. The Casbah, San Diego
Other Notable Mentions and Additional Information
Salty Senorita, Scottsdale, AZ - Great outdoor area right on North Scottsdale Road with great appetizers, margaritas and a college scene that’s out of this world. Get the little pot filled with melted cheeses for the chips and a large margarita and watch what comes in the patio entrance.
Los Olivos - Scottsdale, AZ - Scottsdale’s oldest Mexican food restaurant is still the best for food purists and their margaritas and chips and salsa are excellent also. If you just want great Mexican food in Scottsdale, this is the place.
Sapporo - Scottsdale, AZ - This is the best happy hour spot in Scottsdale by far. It is huge and as an added bonus it is a sushi restaurant. Located on N. Scottsdale Rd., this is the best place to start an evening in Scottsdale.
Saddle Ranch - Scottsdale, AZ - This is Scottsdale's hottest restaurant and bar and nightlife spot. The management knows how to treat its customers, the place gets the hottest people and with two levels, a mechanical bull, inside and outside bars and a facade that looks like it belongs on a hollywood set, all right on N. Scottsdale Rd, it is fun place and one where you can actually hook up with someone new.
Gilligans - Scottsdale, AZ - Want a funky bar that you can go to if you find the action at Saddle Ranch too hot? Head to Gilligan's right around the corner. Every square inch on the walls is filled with something and the place is simply unique.
Mandrian Hotel - Scottsdale, AZ - This is the chic, hot, cool hotel to stay at or at least visit the bars and restaurants and pool in Scottsdale. The Red Bar is really, really red. And they have a Skybar. Want more, check out the pool action.
Mastro’s, Laguna Beach, CA and Scottsdale, AZ - A great, but small chain of unbelievable steakhouses in CA and AZ. The best ones for meeting people are the ones in the Newport Beach/Laguna Beach area of CA and the new one just off of North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Great steaks at each of them.
Scoma’s in San Francisco, at Fisherman’s Wharf - Everything is fresh and tastes great, but the Cioppino is to die for.
Old Town Mexican Café, San Diego - Best Carnitas and tortillas in California, next to the Restaurant at #1 on Olvera Street in Los Angeles, whatever it is called. After you eat, walk across the street in Old Town to Fred’s Mexican Café for a great bar scene.
BJ’s Pizza Restaurant and Brewery, Southern California - The best deep dish “works” pizzas in Southern California. Good beer and salads also.
PB Bar and Grill - Best Sunday brunch during football season at a beach with beautiful young beach people, great food and lots of TVs.
Bellagio Casino Buffet - The best buffet spread you’ve probably ever seen and the highest price. But for something in the high $30s, it has unbelievable food.
Great Bars and Nightclubs
June through August - Skandinavian Bar, Mykonos Greece - Great Island, Great Village, Great Food and Unbelievably beautiful eye candy for every taste. This bar rocks and if you want to meet someone from another country, this is a great place to do it.
Sept. through May - Heroes, Fullerton, CA - While college is in session, this bar is still one of the best in a city (Fullerton, CA) that has an unbelievable number of bars, clubs and restaurants. Easy to meet people and free peanuts in the shell. Good combination for a bar.
All year long - Duke’s, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu - Best bar to meet someone or be met in all of Hawaii. Hard to top this place on the islands of Hawaii.
October 1st through May 15th - Weekends in the downtown area of Palm Springs are packed with people and a good place to meet other singles. Why Palm Springs draws so many people during the season when the downtown area is so badly in need of revitalization is anyone’s guess. But with plans in the works for a Hard Rock Hotel and additional nightlife, this place will only become more and more of a hot spot on weekends.
June through September - Las Brisas, Laguna Beach - Great outdoor patio that’s almost always filled with Orange County and visiting beautiful people. A great place to go on Sunday afternoons for a beer and some chips and salsa.
All year long - Sapporo, Scottsdale, AZ - Huge bar, great sushi, rock & roll music and a great crowd every weekend. A great place to meet other singles. It doesn’t get much better than this.
October 1st through May 15th - The River - Rancho Mirage, CA - It’s not just one restaurant, but more than half a dozen great ones, including the Yardhouse and a great place to hang out in the desert area between Palm Springs and Palm Desert on weekends. The summer is a little hot.
All year long - The Gaslamp District and Pacific Beach, San Diego - Take your pick and you can’t go wrong. The nightlife in each of these areas is fantastic and there are more great bars, restaurants and nightclubs than we have space to describe. Just park your car, follow the crowds and you can walk from one great spot to another.
Weekends throughout the year - The Temecula Valley Wineries - There are more than twenty great wineries and probably another twenty or more that are up and coming. Almost all of them have tasting rooms that are filled with fun people on weekends getting sloshed on some great wine. Some of the bigger wineries have concerts, especially in the summer and many now also have restaurants. This is a great place to find a bed and breakfast and have a romantic weekend.
July 1st to August 31st - There is a small beach and village on the coast of California that is so special, so romantic, so natural and so undiscovered, that we can’t spoil it and tell you about it. It has great little hotels, some fantastic restaurants and it’s still amazing how few people know about it. If you find it, don’t tell anyone else about it. This one needs to remain hidden from the developers and chain store mall operators.
|
Top Restaurants