Do I need a reservation or can I just walk in?

They take reservations and you should definitely call ahead for weekend brunch—it's popular and fills up fast. Weekday lunches and dinners are usually more flexible for walk-ins, but weekend mornings will have a wait without booking first.

What should I order on my first visit?

Start with the West Coast Burger (it's massive) and the waffle fries, which people consistently rave about. If you're going for brunch, the chicken and waffles and those ginormous cinnamon rolls topped with bacon are the real draws here.

Is there outdoor seating?

Yes, they have outdoor seating, which is great for a casual North Park hang. It's the ideal spot to catch some air while eating a burger or nursing a beer during happy hour.

What's the deal with happy hour and brunch drinks?

Their happy hour is solid—giant mules are a signature move. For brunch, they do bottomless mimosas and rosé, which pairs perfectly with the chicken and waffles and bacon-loaded cinnamon rolls.

Is this place good for groups?

Absolutely. It's a neighborhood staple with TVs for sports, a casual vibe, and enough menu variety that groups can find something they like. The atmosphere is built for people hanging out together, not quiet dates.

Do they have vegetarian options?

Yes, they have vegetarian options on the menu, though this is primarily a burger-and-grilled-meat kind of spot. Call ahead if you have specific dietary needs so the kitchen can plan accordingly.

What's the vibe—is it fancy or casual?

Casual weeknight energy with a sporty, urban feel. They play upbeat music, have sports on the TVs, and it's a true neighborhood joint—not the place to get dressed up, but perfect for a laid-back dinner or brunch with friends.

West Coast Tavern — Restaurants in North Park, San Diego

“West Coast Tavern turned a defunct movie theater into North Park's brunch command center, where bottomless mimosas flow and cinnamon rolls arrive the size of dinner plates.”

While Tribute Pizza next door owns the craft-beer-and-Neapolitan corner, West Coast Tavern plays a different game entirely: it's the group hangout, the sports-on-Sundays anchor, the place that doesn't apologize for being exactly what 30th Street needed when it opened. The space still carries echoes of its theater past — high ceilings, good bones — but now it's all exposed brick, flat screens, and a patio that fills every weekend with the brunch crowd.

The West Coast Burger is the move if you're here for dinner: a messy, flavor-loaded stack with chipotle ketchup that turns waffle fries into something worth ordering twice. But brunch is when this place really flexes. Chicken and waffles hit the sweet-savory balance without overthinking it. The cinnamon rolls — legitimately enormous, bacon-studded, impossible to finish — are the kind of thing you order for the table and photograph before destroying. Bottomless mimosas are the economic argument for arriving early.

It's a casual spot in the best sense: you can watch the game, you can bring eight people without a reservation turning into a negotiation, you can show up after a show at the Observatory and find the kitchen still running. Happy hour pulls the after-work crowd with giant Moscow mules and a bar menu that doesn't insult your intelligence. Service tends to keep pace even when the patio's slammed.

Parking's the usual 30th Street dance — side streets or the lot behind if you're lucky. Weekend brunch waits can stretch, so call ahead or resign yourself to the bar. It's not trying to be the next hot thing. It's the thing that's been here, doing its job, while the neighborhood shifted around it.