Best Diners in El Cajon

"This family-owned cafe has been deemed one of the best retro coffee spots in the nation, and it’s easy to see why. It has a vibe of nostalgia and community. You’ll look to the walls and see memorabilia, like newspaper clippings from when the San Diego Chargers made it into the Super Bowl (which feels like decades ago now!) It’s friendly for humans, dogs, and cars alike: pups are allowed – the restaurant even provides water bowls for them – and there’s a free one-hour parking lot for your car."

"There’s a reason Harry’s Coffee Shop is on so many "best diner" lists, including our own. It's been doing San Diego's finest take on a proper NYC greasy spoon in La Jolla since before bell-bottoms were a thing. Harry’s opens at 6am so early birds can get their eggs and bacon at the crack of dawn, but breakfast is served all day for those who can't function before noon -- which is a whole bunch of you."

"Hob Nob Hill is located in the Bankers Hill Neighborhood of San Diego. The restaurant sits adjacent to popular Balboa Park and the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and has been a staple of America’s Finest City since the 1940s, garnering the attention of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. It has regularly received accolades from the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association."

"This Bankers Hill eatery has been feeding San Diegans since 1944. Their popular prime rib dinners mean homemade roast beef hass at breakfast-time."

"It’s a diner that pays homage to every era time has gone by since diners were a thing. From a brightly colored 50s retro diner with a milk bar and vintage care behind the hostess, to the train room with a black and white film showing above each booth, to a modern red room dedicated to corvette car lovers. A radio DJ booth pumps out Frank Sinatra, New York, New York and other classic tunes like Wild Thing, which matches the 70s groove room we dined in."

"A post shared by Corvette Diner (@corvettediner) on Dec 6, 2016 at 4:47pm PST. This 50s style diner is complete with waitresses in bouffant hairstyles and poodle skirts. If the cotton candy platter, root beer floats, handmade shakes, and malts are not enough of a draw for the children, the Corvette car in the middle of the diner should be!"

"Have a blast from the past by taking your family to Corvette Diner in Liberty Station. This restaurant is more than a place to eat, it’s a true experience!. Retro decorations, car-themed booths, music, and wait staff full of character and decked out in full costume make this a place treat to remember."

"Serving hungry locals for over 90 years, this café has been operating out of its current location since 1954!. Known for huge plates sure to fill any appetite, they serve breakfast all day and on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer months, they are open 24/7 for you to enjoy lunch and dinner too. The café still boasts its original diner décor, a 100-year old flat top grill and an iron hood that was salvaged from an old ship over 125 years ago!"

"In-N-Out Burger is just a classic fast food chain out West, it originated in California in 1948. It’s famous because the chain has barely changed since then. Stepping into an In-N-Out Burger will take you back to the 40’s with its interior design, same small menu, similar prices, and high quality!"

"Sometimes mom and dad want a bloody Mary or mimosa with breakfast. While on vacation, indulge in a greasy, calorie-laden breakfast with a cocktail at MaryJane’s Diner in the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego. Even their omelets seem imbued with some sort of magic potion (cream, I suspect)."

"Studio Diner is open late-night (round-the-clock from Thursday through Sunday and until midnight during the rest of the week) and set on a working studio lot in the Kearny Mesa business district. The menu features a wide array of great selections, made from only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Try the turkey Reuben sandwich, T-bone steak and eggs, patty melt or other hearty fare but be sure to save room for Yo Mama's apple pie or decadent carrot cake."

"You'll feel like you've gone back in time in this classic movie-themed diner-style restaurant when you walk into Studio Diner. Their menu consists of American classics and even an "East Coast Specials Menu.". So if you find yourself vacationing in SD (or if you already live here) and can't decide what to eat, take some advice from Guy Fieri himself and try out one of these San Diego restaurants."

"OK, now we're talking genuine diner: all steel and chrome and bay windows. Studio Diner is a true roadside diner, located off the beaten path on the grounds of the Stu Segall studios (Veronica Mars). Refurbished with a movie studio theme, Studio Diner is sleek and slightly upscale, featuring comfort food tweaked ever so slightly, in a delicious way."

"San Diego Art Institute is a not-for-profit institution in San Diego, California, that is an experimental bi-national modern art center. It is situated in the historic building House of Charm in Balboa Park, El Prado. SDAI is the only contemporary culture association in Balboa Park that supports the creation of innovative art by providing exclusive space for artistic competencies of Southern California and Northern Baja to fraternize, exhibit, and bloom."

"By Oleg Alexandrov (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Visit this vibrant, community-driven museum and get a taste of the San Diego art scene right at the source: the San Diego Art Institute. This museum's mission is to connect contemporary artists from southern California and northern Baja with audiences and to showcase art in a way that promotes cultural perspective and understanding."

"A new exhibition of works by San Diego artists opens every four to six weeks in this 10,000-square-foot gallery, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition."

"The New Children's Museum re-opened in 2008 with a motto of think, play and create, which is exactly what kids do here. What is different about The New Children's Museum is that they specifically commission works of art with tactile features that appeal to kids rather than re-create existing art to suit a younger generation. There's hands-on art and exhibits to hold the attention of toddlers up through teen years."

"Not huge but one of the most interactive places for younger generation, the New Children’s Museum is worth a visit if you are in San Diego with kids and family. The museum was originally built in 1983. After that, it had time and again got renovated with the mission of restoring and vitalizing creativity, imagination, and critical thinking through contemporary Art in kids and older generation."

"This one, you guessed it, is the epicenter of best activities for kids in San Diego. Balboa Park in Gaslamp Quarter has 17 museums that alone will keep the whole family busy for a whole day, at least. Activities like Sketch Aquarium and Reconnecting to Home have age restrictions."