Kingfisher: An Upscale Vietnamese-French Cocktail Bar Experience

Unique menu and everything we had was delicious! We had the crispy pigs ear salad, egg noodles with sausage and truffles and the dry aged duck. All dishes were well seasoned and accompanied with dressings and sauces that enhanced the dish. Service was efficient and helpful, too. I would definitely return to try other dishes.

Came here before but never had a chance to share my experience. We practically ordered the whole main dish menu here. If you love sushi try the Japanese yellow tail, not a tad of fishyness to it at all. The wings were tasty, crispy, had a few different kind of culture fusions to it, very different. The sour beef with rice cracker was addicting and leave you wanting more. My favorite for me was probably the duck and pork, they both melt in your mouth. Rockfish was fried on point, soft tasty meat while crunchy on the outside with the sweet and sour vermicelli noodles on side. The eggplant was delicious according to my family's opinion, Im not a fan of eggplant as for texture reasons. Service was phenomenal, overall highly recommend restaurant, definitely a 5 star spot.

Kingfisher absolutely lives up to the hype. The congee was surprisingly delicious and comforting in the best way, the wings were solid, and the kurobuta pork was amazing. We were bummed they were out of the duck breast on our first visit, but honestly everything was so good that we came back for a second visit—and they remembered us and saved the duck breast. Totally worth it. The duck breast and the leg confit were outstanding, like unbelievably good, and alone will bring me back again. A few things to know: this is not a rush-in-and-out spot. Plan to spend at least two hours here, so come comfortable, with good friends, and plenty to talk about as the food comes out at a relaxed pace. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable about every dish, the cocktails are well crafted, and the overall experience feels very intentional. They do add a 20% service charge, but given the level of food, service, and care put into the experience, I felt it was absolutely warranted. Easily in my top 5 restaurants in San Diego.

everything was incredible, price point a bit high but the food did not disappoint. the duck was perfectly cooked, and came with so many veggies. the beef tartare was incredibly flavorful and the heat was so good. the fish was perfectly cooked too. my only complaint would be the veggies was too salty. the service was amazing, heated patio was chilly but not too bad!

Love it! Highly recommend the Chef’s Tasting menu with wine pairing. We also ordered some extra dishes from the à la carte menu. The whole experience was delicious. Definitely will come again!

The smoked dry aged duck was definitely the highlight for me, especially the chimichurri nuoc mam. The house made egg noodles were nice too. Service is very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is fun. Love the circular bar seating in the middle of the space.

Kingfisher is a gem of a neighborhood spot tucked away in Golden Hill — cozy, stylish, and perfect for a night out. I’m honestly kicking myself for not visiting sooner. We started with drinks, and they set the tone for the whole evening. I had the Sesame Soirée, a beautifully balanced cocktail where the sesame added a unique depth, the citrus brightened things up, and the egg whites with coconut cream gave it a smooth, rich texture. For my next rounds, I went with “dealer’s choice,” leaving it up to the bartender, and every cocktail that came out was spot on. Truly spectacular. For appetizers, we ordered the Tai Snapper Crudo, Crispy Pig Ear Salad, and Crispy Chicken Wings. All three were excellent, but the wings stole the show — perfectly crisp with a tamarind glaze that was tangy, sweet, and absolutely addictive. Our second course included the Grilled Chino Farms Baby Broccoli, House-Made Egg Noodles, and the Littleneck Clams and Mussels. Everything was fantastic, but the clams and mussels stood out thanks to the incredible sauce. It was so good we ordered extra bread just to soak it up — honestly, we could’ve sipped it straight. For mains, we went with the Snake River Farms Wagyu Skirt Steak and the Smoked Dry-Aged Duck. Both were beautifully executed, full of flavor, and satisfying in every way. We ended the night with the Warm Bread Pudding and the Vanilla Flan, paired with a bartender’s twist on a Carajillo. It was the perfect sweet finish to an already amazing meal. Kingfisher exceeded every expectation — the drinks, the food, the atmosphere — everything was on point. I can’t wait to go back and make up for lost time.

Came here for Valentine's 2026, so they had a pre-fixe menu. Personally, for me, the menu started out very strong with a perfect oyster and elevated, but had authentic Vietnamese flavors, beef tartare. The rest of the meal waned from there. But my partner loved the squab, which I agree was cooked perfectly, I just don't think I prefer squab. We sat at the bar and the all the drinks looked amazing.