Candice Woo

3 weeks ago | theinfatuation.com | Candice Woo |Ligaya Malones

The Rat Pack used to unwind here after a day at the racetrack in the 1950s, and this Golden Hill haunt hasn’t changed much since. Slip into a well-worn booth for a late-night dinner—the kitchen is one of the few in San Diego open until 1am. But there’s a twist: The menu, focused around steaks and slabs of garlic bread, is a cook-it-yourself situation. So put some Sinatra on the jukebox and belly up to the communal BBQ with a cold martini in hand and get those perfect grill marks in.

3 weeks ago | theinfatuation.com | Candice Woo

Hongyuan Kebab is Korean BBQ for people too lazy to move meat around with tongs. Skewers of spicy lamb, beef, and pork belly sizzle on an automated tabletop grill where they turn until ready to eat, so you’ve only got yourself to blame if they overcook. The $120 combo includes a grip of skewers and two larger dishes (choose the juicy dumplings and the refreshing cold noodles) that easily feeds four, so you can also budget in a few rounds of somaek—AKA Korean soju bomb—if you want to get loose.

3 weeks ago | theinfatuation.com | Candice Woo

Behind the obligatory hidden door of this Convoy speakeasy is a lavishly decorated opium den-style cocktail bar straight out of the Blade Runner universe. Decked out in gold tones with floating shelves and a bar made out of jade, it’s the perfect backdrop for theatrical, traditional Chinese medicine-themed cocktails. Think sherry with shiitake mushroom cordial topped with a cloud of smoke that floats in the glass until you take off the plate of pretzels that acts as a lid.

3 weeks ago | theinfatuation.com | Candice Woo

This National City Filipino spot covers tables in banana leaves and lays out a kamayan feast of chicken adobo, bicol express, and fried milkfish, all to be enjoyed without utensils. Book the experience ahead of time for a group of at least four people who don’t mind getting their hands dirty and having fun with their food. There’s even karaoke on Fridays if you want to be serenaded by Backstreet Boys songs (just make sure to wash your hands before grabbing the microphone yourself).

3 weeks ago | theinfatuation.com | Candice Woo

The Rat Pack used to unwind here after a day at the racetrack in the 1950s, and this Golden Hill haunt hasn’t changed much since. Slip into a well-worn booth for a late-night dinner—the kitchen is one of the few in San Diego open until 1am. But there’s a twist: The menu, focused around steaks and slabs of garlic bread, is a cook-it-yourself situation. So put some Sinatra on the jukebox and belly up to the communal BBQ with a cold martini in hand and get those perfect grill marks in.