This was a pretty good steakhouse. It's quite loud inside except if you sit in the patio. The service was excellent but not sure that the cost of this night out would bring me back.
Clarice W.
The service was great, but the ambiance and food were both mediocre. In hindsight, we should have gone to Born and Raised.
Malachai G.
The host ran half a block to give us our forgotten leftovers! Awesome birthday experience. The steak included mashed potatoes and green beans which most places do not include.
Sandy A.
Best steakhouse in San Diego and one of my favorites in the country- and that's comparing to Chicago and NYC. This restaurant is unique. From the ambiance to the service to the high quality food, it's a special place to go to. I've been here multiple times now and each time is fantastic. It's an old-school steakhouse, where service is top notch, attentive, well-timed, helpful with knowledgeable staff- it's just service you don't see much in San Diego. And the staff seem to enjoy working there. Everything is executed well with outstanding flavor and quality- I think they should be considered for a Michelin star! You get good value for the price and the amuse-bouche along with the palate cleanser before the entree is such a great touch! We had the wedge salad, bread, waygu steak and ribeye. Mushrooms as a side and the bread pudding for dessert. Let's just start with the bacon on the wedge salad- I didn't want it to end. The blue cheese was mild and I'm ok with that. Steaks are cooked perfectly. We wanted to share so they gave us our own plates with the sides on them, then put the steaks between us so we could easily cut and share (they will split it for you too, we just wanted to cut our own). Both were great but this 'ribeye regular' thinks the waygu strip steak is the star. I think it's my favorite steak on the menu! Tender and full of flavor. The mushrooms are excellent as were the house made sauces. Their steak sauce is the best and the peppercorn is fantastic. Their creamy horseradish was too mild for me- I wanted a little more bite and flavor so if you want horseradish flavor, get it raw. Dessert was just ok. We had the chocolate chip bread pudding with butterscotch sauce and chocolate ice cream. I prefer bread pudding to be sliced from a loaf- it's more moist that way. Here it is individually prepared and they warm it up before serving. But it comes out a little charred and even with the sauce it's too dry for me. The butterscotch sauce was excellent as was the ice cream. It just fell a little short for me but still giving a 5, because here, it's about the proteins. The ambiance is vintage western, down to the music and posters- it's really pretty cool. Don't forget to check out the moving bar- the alcohol moves up and down when they need it- very industrial and cool. They book up a few weeks in advance but if you come right when they open you can get the full menu at the bar. They have a great bar menu too. There is also bar seating by the kitchen but that requires a reservation- that's next for me as I love watching the chefs prepare food. It's pricey but you get great value and service for it. It's close to Petco park or the Rady shell- not the best neighborhood but it's a hidden gem. A favorite San Diego restaurant for me.
Christopher C.
Favorite steakhouse in San Diego. Love the old Hollywood cowboy aesthetic. Excellent service
Maxwell Siderman S.
A San Diego staple located in the heart of the city, Cowboy Star does not disappoint. Cowboy star is a butcher shop and a steakhouse and the food is absolutely phenomenal. From the amazing bread to the high-quality meat, Cowboy Star never disappoints. Their French onion soup is phenomenal as well and I really enjoyed their high-quality seafood. They have a huge selection at the bar and lots of premium spirit. If you are looking for five star service in San Diego, but no further than Cowboy Star.
Amazing food! The 4 of us all agreed one of best meals we have had in San Diego. They customized menu and dessert plate to celebrate a birthday in our group. We spent about $100/person which included 1 bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 sides, and 4 entrees plus 1 shared dessert. 3 of us had the filet (which comes with mashed potatoes and veggies) and we all said best steak ever had. One person had elk and was raving about it. Definitely will come back and great special occasion restaurant. Highly recommend! Gets crowded so make a reservation.
Amanda D.
Such a great vibe + food was delicious and phenomenal service! I can't wait to go back for some steak & the bread rolls!!!!
Ash L.
100% will be coming back! $60 for filet mignon including mashed potatoes and asparagus? YES. Ambiance is upscale western. Service was great and polite! I kind of worried that this would be another hyped up place with a tough steak. I was so wrong. Incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful. My partner got the dry aged 35 day ribeye and it was divine as well. If I had more room I would've gotten a ribeye. On my list for next time! We had the rolls 4 pieces served piping hot, Caesar salad (enough to share), filet mignon and chocolate chip pudding dessert with ice cream. Will be back and recommending to others! 100% worth it. Book 2-4 weeks in advance for your preferred date + time
L E.
The food, service, and ambiance were all flawless. One of the best dining experiences we've ever had. I rarely think spending a pile of money on dining is worth it. This place is an exception, and exceptional.
Great vibe and a special night out! Amazing steak full of flavour. $140 Fast service, definitely need a reservation here! Has an instagramable area with the wines in the back.
Pecca515
Amazing service, thank you to our waiter Adam and the entire team, and delicious food from start to finish. The shrimp, beets, and the New York strip with cheese on top were perfect. Service was attentive and appropriately spaced. Highly recommend Cowboy Star!
Adam Michael Browne (ambrowne)
My friend Martha has been raving about this spot for months and we finally had the opportunity to go on a recent trip to San Diego. my only regret from my visit was that I didn’t capture more pictures of the incredible food. Luis, our server, was amazing. Everything we ordered was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect for our evening of dining, conversation and our friend’s birthday celebration. And they were so gracious and helpful for our friend who is vegan - they prepared a few excellent options that she could enjoy as well. I will definitely be back!
The food was pretty decent. Here's my opnion. The chimchurri sauce was extremely bland, it should be accommodating to the wagyu and it wasn't. The ceasar salad should have anchovies in the sauce, this isn't Applebees. High end restaurants should use high end ingredients. The elk was overcooked. Last but not least the wedge should have a drizzle of balsamic glaze or vinegar to offset the tangy blue cheese. I probably won't go back given the value of ingredients vs price paid. Service was ok. Waitress was kind at times and a bit snotty at others.
Hedderledder
What an incredible dining experience. My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. The food was excellent, service excellent. The food is pricey but I didn't feel like it lacked in quality at all, therefore I didn't feel terrible about spending more than we typically spend on a night out.
This was a pretty good steakhouse. It's quite loud inside except if you sit in the patio. The service was excellent but not sure that the cost of this night out would bring me back.
The service was great, but the ambiance and food were both mediocre. In hindsight, we should have gone to Born and Raised.
The host ran half a block to give us our forgotten leftovers! Awesome birthday experience. The steak included mashed potatoes and green beans which most places do not include.
Best steakhouse in San Diego and one of my favorites in the country- and that's comparing to Chicago and NYC. This restaurant is unique. From the ambiance to the service to the high quality food, it's a special place to go to. I've been here multiple times now and each time is fantastic. It's an old-school steakhouse, where service is top notch, attentive, well-timed, helpful with knowledgeable staff- it's just service you don't see much in San Diego. And the staff seem to enjoy working there. Everything is executed well with outstanding flavor and quality- I think they should be considered for a Michelin star! You get good value for the price and the amuse-bouche along with the palate cleanser before the entree is such a great touch! We had the wedge salad, bread, waygu steak and ribeye. Mushrooms as a side and the bread pudding for dessert. Let's just start with the bacon on the wedge salad- I didn't want it to end. The blue cheese was mild and I'm ok with that. Steaks are cooked perfectly. We wanted to share so they gave us our own plates with the sides on them, then put the steaks between us so we could easily cut and share (they will split it for you too, we just wanted to cut our own). Both were great but this 'ribeye regular' thinks the waygu strip steak is the star. I think it's my favorite steak on the menu! Tender and full of flavor. The mushrooms are excellent as were the house made sauces. Their steak sauce is the best and the peppercorn is fantastic. Their creamy horseradish was too mild for me- I wanted a little more bite and flavor so if you want horseradish flavor, get it raw. Dessert was just ok. We had the chocolate chip bread pudding with butterscotch sauce and chocolate ice cream. I prefer bread pudding to be sliced from a loaf- it's more moist that way. Here it is individually prepared and they warm it up before serving. But it comes out a little charred and even with the sauce it's too dry for me. The butterscotch sauce was excellent as was the ice cream. It just fell a little short for me but still giving a 5, because here, it's about the proteins. The ambiance is vintage western, down to the music and posters- it's really pretty cool. Don't forget to check out the moving bar- the alcohol moves up and down when they need it- very industrial and cool. They book up a few weeks in advance but if you come right when they open you can get the full menu at the bar. They have a great bar menu too. There is also bar seating by the kitchen but that requires a reservation- that's next for me as I love watching the chefs prepare food. It's pricey but you get great value and service for it. It's close to Petco park or the Rady shell- not the best neighborhood but it's a hidden gem. A favorite San Diego restaurant for me.
Favorite steakhouse in San Diego. Love the old Hollywood cowboy aesthetic. Excellent service
A San Diego staple located in the heart of the city, Cowboy Star does not disappoint. Cowboy star is a butcher shop and a steakhouse and the food is absolutely phenomenal. From the amazing bread to the high-quality meat, Cowboy Star never disappoints. Their French onion soup is phenomenal as well and I really enjoyed their high-quality seafood. They have a huge selection at the bar and lots of premium spirit. If you are looking for five star service in San Diego, but no further than Cowboy Star.
Amazing food! The 4 of us all agreed one of best meals we have had in San Diego. They customized menu and dessert plate to celebrate a birthday in our group. We spent about $100/person which included 1 bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 sides, and 4 entrees plus 1 shared dessert. 3 of us had the filet (which comes with mashed potatoes and veggies) and we all said best steak ever had. One person had elk and was raving about it. Definitely will come back and great special occasion restaurant. Highly recommend! Gets crowded so make a reservation.
Such a great vibe + food was delicious and phenomenal service! I can't wait to go back for some steak & the bread rolls!!!!
100% will be coming back! $60 for filet mignon including mashed potatoes and asparagus? YES. Ambiance is upscale western. Service was great and polite! I kind of worried that this would be another hyped up place with a tough steak. I was so wrong. Incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful. My partner got the dry aged 35 day ribeye and it was divine as well. If I had more room I would've gotten a ribeye. On my list for next time! We had the rolls 4 pieces served piping hot, Caesar salad (enough to share), filet mignon and chocolate chip pudding dessert with ice cream. Will be back and recommending to others! 100% worth it. Book 2-4 weeks in advance for your preferred date + time
The food, service, and ambiance were all flawless. One of the best dining experiences we've ever had. I rarely think spending a pile of money on dining is worth it. This place is an exception, and exceptional.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great vibe and a special night out! Amazing steak full of flavour. $140 Fast service, definitely need a reservation here! Has an instagramable area with the wines in the back.
Amazing service, thank you to our waiter Adam and the entire team, and delicious food from start to finish. The shrimp, beets, and the New York strip with cheese on top were perfect. Service was attentive and appropriately spaced. Highly recommend Cowboy Star!
My friend Martha has been raving about this spot for months and we finally had the opportunity to go on a recent trip to San Diego. my only regret from my visit was that I didn’t capture more pictures of the incredible food. Luis, our server, was amazing. Everything we ordered was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect for our evening of dining, conversation and our friend’s birthday celebration. And they were so gracious and helpful for our friend who is vegan - they prepared a few excellent options that she could enjoy as well. I will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Skirt Steak, Sweet Breads Arroser, Macaroni & Cheese, Today's Raw Oysters, Sauce, 18 Oz Cattleman's Cut Bone-In Dry Aged Ribeye, Hazelnut Praline Mousse
The food was pretty decent. Here's my opnion. The chimchurri sauce was extremely bland, it should be accommodating to the wagyu and it wasn't. The ceasar salad should have anchovies in the sauce, this isn't Applebees. High end restaurants should use high end ingredients. The elk was overcooked. Last but not least the wedge should have a drizzle of balsamic glaze or vinegar to offset the tangy blue cheese. I probably won't go back given the value of ingredients vs price paid. Service was ok. Waitress was kind at times and a bit snotty at others.
What an incredible dining experience. My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. The food was excellent, service excellent. The food is pricey but I didn't feel like it lacked in quality at all, therefore I didn't feel terrible about spending more than we typically spend on a night out.