Animae · San Diego
James Beard-finalist Filipino-Asian wagyu fine dining in the Marina District
There is a moment at Animae when the room and the food converge and you understand exactly what San Diego fine dining can be at its best. The space, 7,600 square feet of emerald velvet, terrazzo floors, gold-leaf accents, and 20-foot ceilings hung with minaret-style chandeliers, sets an expectation. What arrives on the plate from Executive Chef Tara Monsod more than meets it.
Monsod became San Diego's first-ever James Beard Award finalist in 2024 and repeated that achievement in 2025, recognized in the Best Chef: California category both years. She is also the first San Diego chef to reach the finals back to back. The distinction matters because it reflects what she does at Animae: a Filipino-American chef bringing her heritage into a high-precision kitchen where a coal-fired oven and a J
Reserve a VIP table at Animae through the MyRSVP concierge. Submit a request via the form on this page and a host will confirm bottle minimums, arrival timing and any large-group requests within hours. MyRSVP handles San Diego reservations with on-the-ground hosts who book the toughest rooms in the city.
Hours of operation
- Monday: 17:00 – 21:00
- Tuesday: 17:00 – 21:00
- Wednesday: 17:00 – 21:00
- Thursday: 17:00 – 21:00
- Friday: 17:00 – 21:30
- Saturday: 17:00 – 21:30
- Sunday: 17:00 – 21:00
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