Firehouse American Eatery

One block away from ocean with nice views. We ordered the hummus plate, chicken wrap and some Bloody Marys. Bloody Mary’s were awesome and the food tasted great, but there wasn’t enough bread to go with the hummus. We ate about ¹⁄₃ of our hummus before running out of bread. Asked for more bread to help finish the hummus and got 2 pieces for an additional $ 4. (Wasn’t told we would be charged). Hopefully this review helps management change the policy before more people are disappointed.

First time back to firehouse after the remodel, I’m impressed! Service was fantastic, super friendly, and attentive. Well worth the $ 10 drink, we will be back!

I’ve never been a picky eater and am always very patient/​understanding with wait staff but the service here was the worst I’ve ever experienced and the food was mediocre for the price. Brought my friends from out of town here and the staff was disorganized and rude. It was honestly embarrassing… I had told my friends how great all the restaurants in PB were only to try this place out with them for the first time and have a horrible experience! Yikes — I won’t be coming back to say the least.

They stepped their game up since the remodel. Beautiful design and the rooftop is even better. Firehouse is associated with Kettner Exchange and the food and cocktails have steadily improved as a result. Some of my favorite food items are the churro French toast, kale salad, ahi stack, and Kobe sliders. If you like mezcal, they have a great cocktail called the smoke alarm that you should definitely try. After dinner time and Sunday funday, this is a place to party… And I like to party. Also, They regularly have events and theme parties that are usually pretty epic.

Went for a couple apps and they were good. I would go back again to try some
Of their other food, the brunch menu looked really good. It’s a fun atmosphere for night. The downstairs space seemed nicely done. The upstairs space was great with he open air, succulents, and just enough heat so you went cold. The only downfall I had was the dj music upstairs was a little too loud so it made it difficult to hold a conversation

Visited on a Wednesday night around 6. Nobody really there, yet. Rooftop table with ocean view. They have heaters if you get cold. Main reason for my visit was for the $ 1 oysters all night. Oh my gawd. Did not disappoint. We ordered 20 oysters, the steamed clams, grilled octopus, clam chowder and tomato soup. Clams were so flavorful, served with grilled bread to dip in the sauce. Octopus was so tender, served with arugula, baby potatoes, grilled tomatoes, and onion rings! Oysters were delicious. Everything was exceptional. Our server was very nice and helpful and made great recommendations for drinks based on what I liked. Already planned my next oyster trip!
As we were leaving there was live music setting up to play and rooftop starting to fill up for dinner service. Downstairs was completely empty. We left around 8 pm.

Food was good and the atmosphere was great, especially on the roof. The service was slow, it took awhile to get a waitress to come over but once she did she was friendly. It wasn’t crowded either, so the long wait was a surprise. Other places in the Pacific Beach area looked like the party was getting started, but Firehouse is more of a chill vibe.

BEWARE: After 10pm, they have a sneaky hand-​stamping system that purposely keeps men from returning to the upstairs «nightclub» area once they leave for the bathroom — even if you have bottle service and a cabana!
My husband and I came here for a friend’s party. We had a cabana and bottle service on the rooftop, and got there early — almost the whole party bought full dinners, on top of the many drinks before bottle service started. Around 10pm, the tables were removed and the music was turned up, and we were excited for a fun night ahead. Then something very shady happened. My husband and I headed to the bathrooms, which are located downstairs. As we left the stairwell, a bouncer stopped me, asked if I was going back up, and stamped my hand. My husband had walked through ahead of me, and I assumed the same had happened to him. When we returned to the stairwell together only a couple minutes later, the same bouncer looked for hand stamps, and told my husband he couldn’t go back upstairs because he didn’t have one. He had purposely stopped me and given me a stamp, and did NOT stop my husband. IMO they were trying to filter out the men and increase the ratio of women: men upstairs with this tactic. Nowhere was this bathroom-​hand-​stamp policy written or mentioned, and throughout the night many of the men in our party were excluded from returning upstairs after going to the bathroom — despite all the money we had spent on food, drinks, cabana, bottle service, etc.

I’m nearly 40 which means PB is a distant memory for me. And that is perfectly fine! But it does have lots of boardwalk and lots of beaches, so my friends were able to convince me to do some Saturday day drinking during this lovely 85 degree April weekend we were having.
All of the restaurants I spent endless time, money and blackouts at have turned over since my mid-​late 20s in PB. My staples (PB Bar and Grill, Moon Doggies, Margarita Rocks, etc.) are long gone. I had pretty low expectations for where we’d go and what we would find, aside from some good ocean views.
I was pleasantly surprised when arriving to Firehouse. It has a nice lower/​upper level option with appealing seating options on both levels. We grabbed a cozy couchy booth for us girls, set slightly above the rest of the tables on the upper level. We had good, attentive service, and several cocktails along with dinner. I wasn’t impressed with the vodka offerings they had, but overall, did enjoy the drinks.
The music was good throughout the day, chill’ish but current, and the dj that rolled in later in the evening had a nice mix out of the gate. The vibe here works for a little less of the 21 year old PB craziness. It’s a lot nicer then its neighbor, PB Shore Club. A LOT. The tradeoff for being a bit back from the ocean, I suppose.

Sure, the food was great, the drinks were great, once they finally make their way to you but the service was literally terrible. I don’t care if you’re a brand new server, figure it out. they need to train their wait staff better, or have them shadowed longer or keep a better eye on them or SOMEthing because it was so bad it ruined the rest of the experience. Giggling and batting your eyes saying «it’s only my second day» does not make it all better.
Guac, burger, tequila drinks. All awesome. Just masked by the shitty server.

In Pacific Beach, there are two classy places The Patio on Lamont Street and Firehouse American Eatery.
Located in an actual fire station, the rooftop lounge inside Firehouse is an elegant breath of fresh (beach) air surrounded by dive and sports bars along the shore. It’s owned by the people behind Vin de Syrah and Analog in downtown, so you get that same hip and modern vibe here.
When I lived in San Diego, this was one of my go-​to places for social drinking, dinner, and especially brunch, and I still recommend it to people if they are hanging out in PB. FIrehouse has cozy booths and firepits on the rooftop to make for a snazzy happy hour or late night spot when you want to class it up with a craft cocktail. The dinner entrees and appetizers are fancy versions of everyday American items with lots of seafood and some Asian fusion.
Although it’s one of my top brunch spots in SD, it’s often a bit chilly on the roof if it’s not an extra hot day. The entrees are huge and heavy and a pleasure to eat al fresco. They make their own bloody mary mix!
TIP: steps away from the beach. Your best bet is to do the FIrehouse valet parking which was only a few bucks with restaurant validation.

I’ll probably never go here again… at least not for food. The food isn’t very good, especially for the price and although their service is nice and friendly, they are terribly unorganized. We were told we had a 30minute wait…1hour 45minutes later we were finally seated. They didn’t give us any complimentary food or drinks or anything other than a «sorry.» When we asked why we couldn’t be seated even though they had a TON of open tables they said it’s because they couldn’t back up the kitchen. For one, it wasn’t busy and for two, what’s the point of having a restaurant if you can’t keep up with the production?!
It’s too bad because the location is awesome and the vibe is fun, they just haven’t put all the pieces to the puzzle together.
Food: mehh. It’s ordinary.
Price: overpriced.
Location: great.
Atmosphere: fun.

Nice! This was just across from our hotel. Arrived just before they started to get busy on a Friday evening.
My wife and I split a Fire House Burger, which was delicious. And the fries were great also.
Pleasant, casual atmosphere. Service was attentive (from the hostess to the server).
Definitely give this place positive marks!

Great place to hang out during the day! $ 13 lunch special gets you a salad or soup, full sized entrée, and a mini dessert. The PB Collins was light and refreshing. BLT (with fried egg) was perfectly huge and juicy. Top that off with a decent view of the beach!
There’s always events going on here as well… Dj’s, social happy hours, music. Will definitely be back for some fun summer times!

Came here for a few hours with friends from my hometown. They’re locals in SD and come here often for their delicious brunch. We arrived around noon and it was about a 30 minute wait for a table on the roof. Definitely worth the wait. The roof had a variety of sized tables– some with couches even. We ordered the bacon fat Mac n cheese, nachos, and corn dogs. We LOVED the Mac n cheese and the corn dogs but the nachos weren’t impressive. The service, which was very slow, is why this place didn’t get 5 stars from me.

This place has gone from being one of the classiest places in pb to one of its most ghetto.

Went here yesterday for an early lunch and WOW was I impressed. They have a $ 13 lunch special that is just too good not to get! Soup or salad with main entrée and dessert all for $ 13!!! The food was delicious and I love sitting rooftop. Perfect view of the beach! Staff is very friendly as well which makes my experience there absolutely perfect

Came here for the besties birthday around 2:00 pm on a Sunday so for starters; love the fact they have valet (yay!), loved the interior — super small inside but cozy and you literally feel like squished in a sea full of people when you are just trying to move around the place but take the stairs up to the «rooftop» and you have a great view and tons of seating + a live dj!
So as far as service… it was HORRID, such a bummer because the guy was sweet and all– he just took over 20 minutes to take an order — food took 35 minutes — he took 15 minutes to check on us and 20 minutes to bring the bill… BUT he did give my friend and I shots for her birthday on the house so HEY GIRL HEY!
I think this place has a lot of potential because the food was good (the breakfast is also tasty), the prices are not bad, and the music was awesome. Again — it is rather loud so it can be a tad difficult to carry on a conversation with someone. It is small so just be prepared to have people right on top of you. I think the fact that they offer valet is also AMAZING — bring cash to tip and always get the guacamole as an appetizer, the cilantro on top of it is a good addition — yum!
PS– always make reservations and request the rooftop.

Very incompetent people working here. 1:25 minute wait for to sit. Another 1:00 for food. Do not go to this place for food!!!

One time I was eating here a few years ago and saw some dude get put in a John Cena headlock at like 1 in the morning. I grabbed my 24 oz paper soda cup so hard that my drink went flying all over the window like the scene from The Goonies when the fat kid gets excited about the car chase.
His girlfriend wouldn’t stop over reacting saying RING THE DAMN BELL, RING THE DAMN BELL!
The management was great and gave them both gift cards for their Wrestle Mania cosplay.
I came back and the meatballs were still phenomenal but there was surprisingly less steel cage madness on this visit.

We came here on a Sunday to close out my friends bachelorette weekend and it was the perfect place to have our goodbye brunch.
Aside from the bottles of champagne we ordered to get through our hangovers, we also ordered appetizers and brunch dishes. I ended up getting the breakfast burrito which was more than enough food: two eggs, bacon, sausage, fries, jack & cheddar cheese, and a side of potatoes. It was pretty good but a little messy to eat. I also tried the mac and cheese, the nachos, and the calamari — all are perfect for sharing!
I can’t remember our servers name but he was awesome and made sure that we were taken care of. He always came by with water, made sure we had enough champagne, and that our food was tasting good. Aside from the stellar service and food, what stands out about Firehouse is the rooftop area, which is where we were seated. It was such a beautiful day and it made it difficult to leave sunny, San Diego. We were also just leaving as a DJ was about to play his set so I’m sure brunch here can get pretty cray.
If you’re looking for a solid brunch spot and a place to continue the party, Firehouse is perfect — plus it’s by the beach!

Firehouse is one of my favorite places to go in San Diego it’s such a blast and right on the beach. The food is absolutely delicious and The Super Bowl party this year was one of the best I’ve ever attended. I can’t wait for next year!

I love this place. The food is great, good drinks and the customer service is on point. Firehouse is also my favorite spot in pb for Sunday Funday.

Went here with my love last night for an early dinner; we sat downstairs — I’ve been to firehouse before and know that upstairs is where you party — it is loud as balls so we asked to be seated downstairs, music still audible but not so in your face. The music playlist is really good, though. Bf broke out the Shazam and everything. Our waiter Austin was super nice, very accommodating and attentive without being overbearing. I ordered the ahi tuna stack appetizer and a Bloody Mary; he ordered the salt and pepper shrimp and veggie wrap.
The Ahi tuna stack at firehouse was far larger than any I’ve tried elsewhere and this is my go-​to dish at restaurants because it is healthy and yummy and I love fish. I asked for ponzu on the side which made it even more awesome. The cucumbers on the side were also really good as were the wonton chips — this filled me up big time. My Bloody Mary was also on point.
He ordered the veggie wrap — he said «way too many olives» and that olives dominated the dish but other than that, it was good. He absolutely loved the salt and pepper shrimp (esp. The dipping sauces?) and wished it was bigger. Odd that his super tiny shrimp appetizer and my ahi tuna appetizer were both very different sizes. I think the ahi stack there is more like an entrée than an appetizer.
Food aside, the service was solid and the ambience was great, they play really good music, you can people-​watch if you sit outside downstairs, there is a fireplace and the décor is pretty. We both enjoyed our time there!

Overpriced and questionable ambiance. Definitely the «perfect» nachos are anything but and they’re $ 14. Skip it. Mary’s Chicken Wings… Skip it. They’re a small plate of average. Burgers were good but greasy. Duck fat fries were good but…
Overall, can be quiet and has a nice view but mostly full of hipsters and $$.

Firehouse is one of my favorite places in San Diego. It’s located right next to the beach and in the heart of all the action.
I had a friend take me here for brunch before I even lived in San Diego. We ate downstairs and had bloody Mary’s upstairs by the firepit. Flash forward two years and now I’m living in San Diego and this is my go to place when I am in PB. The food here is AMAZING! If you come on a weekend night it can get pretty packed but the bartenders do a good job of getting drinks out quickly.
My favorite food items here are the pork nachos, the lobster roll, the salt and pepper shrimp, and the tacos (they have fish, shrimp and lobster). Prices are pretty reasonable and everything pretty much ranges from $ 10-​$ 25.
There are also a few TVs downstairs and upstairs if you want to watch sports. There is an outdoor patio downstairs if you want to people watch (people watching is GREAT in PB!)
Overall Firehouse is a cool spot to grab some food and drinks and hangout with your friends or meet new people. People in PB are friendly (probably because of all the alcohol) but I love it!

I like the upstairs seating area I ordered like eight things on the menu wasn’t impressed service wasn’t great

Great atmosphere wonderful views. The staff is warm and friendly. They have the best views in town. Pacific Beach is stunning from here. Will come again! Also would stay at the Blue Beach inn.

Although you guys got rid of the shrimp and grits and changed the ahi poke, Dinner was still a hit. I had the firehouse burger and the ahi stack. We also had wine and sangria. We love the vibe here. The upstairs outdoor seating is great. You get a nice breeze and chill music. We sat right in front of the fire place so it wasn’t chilly at all. Thank you to Austin for all his suggestions and speedy service! He made the experience! Also, firehouse has the cutest male staff so the eye candy is also a plus.

Thumbs Up:
1) The clam chowder was delicious!
2) Lots of seating for a Saturday afternoon if you don’t mind sitting downstairs. Upstairs was all filled up.
3) Our waitress was great! Very attentive, professional and helpful.
Thumbs Sideways:
1) The fish tacos weren’t my favorite. The salsa could have used a little more pizzazz and it didn’t blend well with the other elements of the taco – it seemed a little disjointed.

don’t come here for the food, come here for the rooftop views and good house music (on certain sunday fundays)
The décor and interior got a makeover, and it’s probably the most upscale of the bars in the area, besides backyard kitchen maybe.
On to the food.
— I’ve had the seafood cocktail thing and it was SO fishy. Definitely didn’t finish that one.
— Lobster roll was pathetic. Weird puny langostino like morsels that were not even tossed with anything.
The only decent thing I’ve had here is the popcorn. I can’t comment on the rest of the food but I feel like if you’re gonna get food, get something simple. A burger or something. Was going to give it a 3 because of the great views and times but I hate feeling like I wasted money on food.
Will update review if I eat something decent here. Until then, here’s 2 **‘s.
Happy drinking!

I really like the ambiance of this place! It’s unexpected how nice it is… It’s not just a divey beachside bar. It feels more like a cool gastropub.
I had the bowl of clam chowder, which was on the thicker side. The croutons tasted stale, but otherwise, the clam chowder was okay. I’d try something else on the menu next time!

I guess this is where you end up when every other brunch place has a 30+min wait…
We were shooting for a light meal. HAH.
Our server was great, very personable, and on top of everything.
We got the nachos as an appetizer. So. So. So filling. None of us were remotely hungry for our meals. The pork and pineapples were sweet and tender.
My croque madam was GIGANTIC and intimidating. I cut it in half and had a staring contest with it. Then I took several minutes of deep breaths. Yeah, nope. After the nachos I only had enough room for two bites of my monster meal and one of the boyfriend’s biscuits, gravy, and fried chicken from
his Big Ass Breakfast.
We all left with heavy boxes.
Everything on the menu looked good and was jaw droppingly huge. Prices were pretty average for brunch and the quantities justified every dollar. My one complaint is that each dish had about 50 things going on. Even the bacon was maple peppercorn… They could do with a little simplification and be golden.

Firehouse looks like it doesn’t belong in PB, it wasn’t trashy or a college bar. I felt it was a bit more upscale then the rest, especially the shore club. And the prices on food and drinks also reflects that.
We came here for some apps and drinks but didn’t want bar food and a loud frat boy crowd. They had seating on their roof top and you can see part of the ocean.
I got the house Bloody Mary and we ordered the seafood ceviche (vuelve a vida). It came with all creatures of the ocean and a octopus tentacle for presentation. It can look intimidating if you aren’t too sure about seafood but I think everything was cooked before they out it in there. The ceviche was a bit toooo sweet for me. I wish it was more sour and spicy. Like put some jalapeños and more limes in there. It was more like a seafood cocktail then ceviche. Still good but different from ceviche.
House Bloody Mary was delicious! Hadn’t had a good thick Bloody Mary in awhile. The house blend was thick and had great flavors! We would come back for drinks and breakfasts. Our server was extremely attentive and helpful. I didn’t know such good service existed in PB!

La comida era rica. Muy normal, pero nada espectacular. La hamburguesa era un poco desabrida y la ensalada normal.
La carta de postres era muy pobre.