Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Imperial Beach

Our dinner at Great Maple in Hillcrest was an absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish. The food was delicious, with every dish bursting with flavor. We particularly enjoyed the truffle fries and the rich, tender maple bacon doughnuts—both of which were perfect starters. For the main course, the fried chicken sandwich was cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful, and the French toast was ENORMOUS and delicious. What truly made the evening special was the service. Our waitress was terrific—attentive, friendly, and incredibly kind to our children. She took the time to engage with them, making sure they felt comfortable and taken care of throughout the meal. It’s not often you experience such genuine warmth from a server, and it truly added to the overall positive vibe of the evening. The atmosphere of Great Maple is cozy and welcoming, with a modern yet comfortable vibe that made us feel at home. We left feeling satisfied and already looking forward to our next visit. Highly recommend for both families and anyone looking for a great dining experience in San Diego!

Most amazing birthday meal tonight. The server was so attentive and made sure we all knew how the menu worked and how to have the best experience. The broccoli was the number 1 at our table followed by the chicken dish and the market fish. The s’mores dessert was so fun and delicious as well! Everything 10/10, worth the wait for a reservation.

Breakfast was really good and our server super nice and attentive. I had the poblano chilaquiles, spicy and good! The regular coffee was good too. We’ll come back to try chilaquiles verdes..

The small plates are entirely original, owing more to Asian and other fusion than to Spanish tapas. The cocktails were original and enhanced the meal. Ambience was great

The food was fantastic. All their steaks are great but try the bone in wagyu rib eye. Best steak ever. And we have eaten at most downtown steak places. Matt’s drinks were perfect. As usual. The service by Luis was great, but a special thanks to Ruby for taking such great care of us.