Mabel's Gone Fishing: Spanish Seafood Tapas in San Diego

Great Tapas place with amazing food! We tried about 7-8 different dishes. Most were a good size to share amongst a group of 5. Order multiples of the dates as they are great but small. Our favorite were the beets and the snapper.

Overall, we had a great experience! The food was delicious—on the pricier side, but the tapas-style portions made it easy to sample a variety of dishes. The Cabo Kampachi had a strong lemony flavor, and the shrimp in the Saffron Bomba rice packed a bold garlic punch. The customer service was excellent, and our waiter had such a great personality. We’ll definitely be going back!

I came here expecting to love the food - and I did. The real standouts were the service provided by Danny and the rest of the staff and the incredible drinks he served. I got the trout dish and the mussel appetizer and I'd absolutely recommend both. I'll definitely stop by on future trips to this city.

On 12/29 at 4pm, we got married in Alcazar Garden! At 6pm, we had a reservation at Mabel's Gone Fishing for our party of 13, and it was the perfect first meal of the rest of our lives. The dinner was in the Fish Bowl, the private dining area next to the main one, and we had a prix fixe meal coordinated between us their event coordinator, Everything that came out was perfectly portioned. I never had a passionfruit mignonette, and I appreciate them opening my mind to a sweet thing with the savory brine of the oysters. Course after course, it just kept getting better. Our conservas platter with smoked and oil tinned mussels and mackerel, the roasted beets with the chili and goat cheese, the broiled cod in garum butter and sunflower...I can't believe we ate so much and still had space for cheesecake. This says nothing of the drinks we had, that we probably drank too much of, but they all went down so smoothly! Much praise for our two servers, one of whom was the coordinator we'd been chatting with via email for a month. When we come back to San Diego, The FIRST place we go to dinner will be Mabel's Gone Fishing...ok, maybe it will be Del Taco depending on when we land, but the SECOND place we go will definitely be Mabel's Gone Fishing.

What a great experience! Service was top notch (ask for Carter) and the food was just as good. The menu is adjusted almost daily to ensure fresh ingredients and the oysters happy hour from 4-5 is always a good start. (Half price oysters). The charred cabbage , red snapper, and octopus were my favourite dishes.

From the moment we sat down, we were impressed by the seasonal menu everything from the fresh veggies to the toughest decision of the night choosing between the cod or the lobster. Our server, Carter, was awesome. Super knowledgeable about every dish, he guided us through the menu and helped us decide with confidence. The oysters were incredibly fresh, sourced from Washington, and the rest of the ingredients were clearly chosen with care and a local touch. They also offer a chef’s menu with optional pairings if you’d rather let them choose your dishes for you—definitely something we want to try next time. Overall, the service was exceptional and the food was a chef’s delight. Highly recommend. Thank you, Mabel’s Gone Fishing!

We had the most amazing dinner tonight! The food was absolutely outstanding—flavors that instantly transported us back to Barcelona. Every bite felt so authentic and fresh. On top of that, our server, Mari, was incredible—warm, attentive, and so fun to be around. She made us feel taken care of from start to finish and really elevated the whole experience. Between the atmosphere, the quality of the food, and Mari’s amazing service, this place is truly special. Also- and I can’t stress this enough… order the gimlet. You won’t regret it:) Can’t wait to come back!

Visiting from MN, we found this restaurant on Google. The food was amazing! Everything is served tapas style, but there are larger plates if you prefer not to share. We shared it all and it made for a fun experience. All of thecseafood was fresh and expertly served in well balanced flavors similar to what you would find in Spain. The service of each dish was paced perfectly. The mixology was on point and the wine options were perfect. The place is tiny and it was very loud. Reservations are a must.