Carbon

This is a place that is five stars for food service and ambiance; and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg!!Very cute indoor area where some tables can watch the food being prepared. They also have a nice outdoor area in the back.The servers work as a team. They are all super helpful and friendly. You feel very well taken care of. The food is so yummy!! We were a party of four. We ordered the 1/4 chicken with corn, the skit steak with salad and the jidori chicken. Everything was delicious. The steak was definitely enough for two! The sauces were very tasty. We had the au poivre and the garlic.The only thing we ordered that was not quite five star was the bone marrow. It was fine but nothing special. Little frenchie in coronado does that better.This is a great place to dine in south park!!

My husband and I have made an (at least) weekly appearance at Carbón since it reopened in Nov 2023 under new ownership ('Saint Angela' as we like to call her - if you know, you know!). That means we have been there AT least 25 times, but in reality it is probably double that. Let me start by saying that Carbón is no longer a BBQ place. Do not worry friends, the menu (ALL OF IT) is really exceptional. The food is made to order, grilled over charcoal and takes the best from various cultural influences (some Sicilian, Latin American, etc) that make each dish interesting and flavorful. It is difficult to decide what to eat, because the whole menu is so enticing. There's vegetarian options too, so don't worry if you're not a meat eater. Between the two of us we have tried pretty much everything on the menu. All 5 stars. Usually I start thinking about what I will choose sometime around 10am on the day we are going. On the weekends there are specials and these are also always delicious (sometimes Branzino, different pasta dishes - depending on what's fresh and in season, Angela and Chef Aaron come up with the most amazing options). To sum up the food, you will leave very happy and pleasantly full. There is also a well-curated selection of beer and wine and a fantastic happy hour during the week.Lunch is relaxed and a great time to go, dinner is busier (a reservation is a good idea). The ambiance is cozy and inviting, there's also a beautiful patio in the back that is perfect for warm nights which are right around the corner.The most special and most important thing to mention is the sense of welcome that you feel when you are there. It is a family run business and when you are there you feel like you are part of that family. Angela, Estela, Giovanni and even the neighborhood teenagers who bus tables and hostess are all delightful, welcoming and warm. This is the best part of the experience for me, every single time. My best advice is to eat and drink here OFTEN!

I really want to give 5 stars but I made a reservation for my boyfriend and I, and when we showed up right on time they said it would be about 15 minutes. Angela made up for it though. She is the definition of boss b energy. She really seemed to be running the show. She was kind and attentive.They have complimentary bread and olives. I did not try the baguette but my bf said it was solid. The olives were some of the best I've ever had. We ordered the bone marrow and brussel sprouts for an appetizer, but they were out of bone marrow so we opted for the sausage trio. Both appetizers were good and they even gave me a side of gluten free bread to accompany the sausage trio plate as I have a gluten sensitivity. My boyfriend and I split the entree - skirt steak and street corn and it was fabulous and a great portion for the two of us. The restaurant is quaint and nice, it's cute. The kitchen area is also completely visible from the dining area so you can see the chef cooking, which I thought was cool and fun to watch.

Visiting South Park and joined friends at Carbon. Such friendly service and delicious food. Highly recommend the egg plant croquettes and skirt steak. Friendly, well priced and lovely atmosphere

I loved this place! Our server, Maria and the owner, Angela were the nicest people. They also gave the best recommendations. We were sad to find out that they sold out of the eggplant croquettes. We were looking forward to trying them because we heard how good they are! We ended up sitting outside which was nice and enjoyed the music playlist too. I love going to restaurants that are family owned and this place fits that! It makes the dining experience feel more personal. Okay the food, I ordered the chicken skewers with the Mac n cheese with the truffle sauce. The Mac n cheese was great and the chicken had a nice grilled taste to it. Again, Maria was THE BEST! She even gave us complementary champagne and dessert. Please check this place out!

Excellent food, friendly service and super comfortable atmosphere. So many amazing choices in San Diego; this place is worth going back to (and would be a place I would choose to bring out-of-town guests).

A small-ish restaurant with an Italian cafe vibe. There is an open kitchen surrounded with glass, and the staff was super friendly and excited to showcase their food. I should start by saying I definitely did not order the specialties of the house, which would be meats cooked over charcoal. I was in the mood for a burger so I ordered the bison burger medium rare. It came out exactly as ordered and delivered on the burger front but was a little lacking in.bison flavor. The fries were pillow like on the inside but the crust could have used some more browning. I also ordered the eggplant croquettes that when eaten with the sauce were absolutely delicious. I look forward to coming back and ordering the house specialties from the grill to give it a proper review.

Visited this place based off of an Instagram post of places to eat in San Diego...and I was NOT disappointed. Easily made a reservation online just a few hours before going in. Made the reservation as I seen online that it's a smaller restaurant. The inside is so charming and beautiful. There's greenery, and ambient lighting. Along with pops of color with rustic seating. The windows were open as it was nice and cool outside, but there's also a little space heater inside if needed. We were warmly welcomed by Angela and Estella. Both were absolute gems through this whole dining experience and were probably the highlight of the whole entire trip. The menu is not extensive, which is nice. The issue is that everything looks so good it's hard to decide what to get! When you're seated they bring you fresh warm bread, with eggplant and olive accoutrements. What an incredible start! (We even asked for some of the olives to go and they so kindly obliged!)We decided on a charcuterie board and bone marrow as an appetizer. We also split a bottle of rosé as it was Wine Wednesday which means you get a little discount. The charcuterie board comes with 2 different options and we chose the smaller of the two. Amazing cheese and meat choices, wouldn't have changed a thing! The bone marrow melted in your mouth and came with delicious bread. For our entrees we got the ribeye with peppercorn sauce and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was the perfect amount of cheesy with al dente cavatappi pasta. Would highly recommend this dish. Then we got the skewers with truffle garlic sauce and street corn. The skewers were charred to perfection with little veggies between each. I would've loved to see a bit more sauce, but Im glad it didn't overwhelm the meat. The street corn was a perfect side as it wasn't heavy, but flavorful. With two apps, two entrees and a bottle of rosé, the total came to about $129, which seemed like a steal! Especially when split between two people. So many kind gestures and wonderful conversation from Angela and Estella was simply the cherry on top of an already fantastic meal and night. Hats off to these two for their phenomenal customer service. We will definitely be back!

A great place to drop by for dinner if you're in the area! The service was so nice and friendly and the atmosphere is small and intimate. The menu wasn't huge but everything on there was solid, including the delicious complimentary bread and olives.I got the skirt steak with mac 'n cheese as well as the bone marrow. The skirt steak was a little too charred for my taste but the bone marrow was to die for and surprisingly, the mac 'n cheese was also delicious. It's a great spot for a date night or a catch up with friends and it's located within walking distance of other cool spots to grab a drink after dinner.

The food was phenomenal. The atmosphere spectacular. My service was spectacular. Angela goes above and beyond always coming by to say hi. How was everything? What can I get you cute adorable place with a distinct flare of Italy recommended to anyone you won't be disappointed.