San Diego ComiCon

July 19, 2004 4:19 PM

San DiegoFilter: I'm going to the San Diego Comic-Con this week, and I'd like to collect opinions from SD Mefites:

1. Good midpriced Downtown restaurants that serve American cuisine. (e.g. chicken, steaks, BBQ, hamburgers)

2. The least expensive or free all-day parking lots within a 6-8 block walking distance of the Convention Center.
posted by JDC8 to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

The California page of chowhound usually has lots of San DIego recs. Maybe try there.
posted by stuartmm at 4:38 PM on July 19, 2004

1) The latest fad downtown is steak clubs (used to be 'trattorias'), so if you want steak or other kinds of red meat you'll be fine. But I haven't eaten at any of them. The Gaslamp District is for tourists, so I pretty much avoid it. Kansas City BBQ is a few blocks north of the Center on Harbor Drive, and is decent, besides being featured in "Top Gun". If you really want good BBQ though, get in a cab and go to Phil's, near Washington and Goldfinch. Whatever the case, if you just walk around the Gaslamp District, you'll find plenty of places that meet your description, and will have plenty good food, but will be somewhat trendy.

2) Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! You're fucked. Free doesn't exist, other than metered spaces after 6pm and before 8am. Other lots will probably be a gouge-fest. I don't know where you're staying, but I can only recommend taking the trolley, which probably won't be more than $6 round trip from a free parking spot. I'd expect to pay $8-10 for a lot. There used to be some non-metered street parking in the industrial part of downtown on the east side, but then they built PetCo Park, so I assume that's all gone.
posted by LionIndex at 5:14 PM on July 19, 2004

As for parking, I recommend you do what I do: park at the Fashion Valley Trolley terminal (parking is free) and take the trolley. It's fast, clean and a lot cheaper than parking downtown.
posted by SPrintF at 6:17 PM on July 19, 2004

I was there in January, and I have another vote for the trolley. You can get daily passes called "day trippers" that will run you $15 for four days for unlimited bus/trolley riding which is nicely worth it. The Convetion Center area is walkable for basic needs like lunch and coffee and with a free trolley pass, you can get more adventurous about dinner plans.
posted by jessamyn at 5:27 AM on July 20, 2004