Chef Brian Malarkey (of TV stardom and other restaurants as part of the Hakkasan Group) went big and ambitious for his showy splashdown in Little Italy, with creative and sophisticated Italian fare.

Website: herbandwood.com

Address: 2210 Kettner Blvd.

Phone number: 619-955-8495

Number of seats: 214 in dining room, 36 in bar/lounge

Entrée price range: $19.56-$69.89

Popular dishes: Gnocchi with oxtail, roasted garlic, parsley, chive, sherry, Parmesan and horseradish; grilled Iberico pork “secreto” with apple mostarda, cannellini beans, pancetta and arugula; roasted baby carrots with cashew sesame dukkah, espelette yogurt and carrot top pesto.

What others say: “The Malarkey we all thought we knew — TV celebrity Malarkey, overexposed Malarkey, overextended Malarkey, flashy, flash-in-the-sauté pan Malarkey — has just opened the most thoughtful, exquisitely executed, stylish restaurant of the year.: –Michele Parente, San Diego Tribune

Gnocchi with oxtail

The interior

This stylish and colorful tribute to a New England-style clam shack serves distinctive takes on classic bounties of the sea.

Website: beerfish.com

Address: 2933 Adams Ave.

Phone number: 619-363-2337

Number of seats: 48 inside, 96 outside

Entrée price range: $10.90-$18.90

Popular dishes: Alaskan true cod fish and chips with Old Bay fries, coleslaw, lemon and tartar sauce; clam toast with bacon, grilled onion, salsa verde and lemon mayonnaise on sourdough; crispy oyster slider with sambal rémoulade and pickled shallot.

What others say: “Owner Abel Kaase also operates Sessions Public, the craft beer bar and restaurant at the border of OB and Point Loma; in Beerfish, he's combined a craft beer garden with a casual counter-service local fish shop, although the menu might be more influenced by New England than San Diego.” –Candice Woo, Eater San Diego

Fish and chips

The dining area

A daytime home for poke turns attention at night toward a hidden tiki bar with creative cocktails and eats to match.

Website: thegrassskirt.com

Address: 910 Grand Ave.

Phone number: 858-412-5237

Number of seats: 120

Entrée price range: $4-$24

Popular dishes: Okonomiyaki fries with bonito, scallion, spicy mayonnaise and hoisin; kimchi fried rice with house-made Chinese sausage, egg, scallion, cilantro and hoisin; crispy shrimp bun with rice cracker and curry mayonnaise.

What others say: “A ‘hidden’ tiki bar accessible through a secret entrance, The Grass Skirt is likely to become a prime hideout, offering Polynesian-esque drinks and chow that wowed your great-grandparents’ generation.” –David Nelson, Pacific

Bigeye tuna ribbon

The communal table

This fifth location of a beloved ramen depot brings its distinctive noodles and broth to a new spot in the hip neighborhood of North Park.

Website: tajimasandiego.com

Address: 3015 Adams Ave. 

Phone number: 619-756-7517

Number of seats: 48

Entrée price range: $3-$11

Popular dishes: Tajima Ramen with original tonkotsu broth, chives, kakuni (pork belly), fried garlic, green onion, half ramen egg, bean sprouts, pork chashu or chicken chashu, sesame seeds and Japanese seaweed; Vegan Ramen: vegetable soy-based soup with mixed vegetables, corn, asparagus, mixed greens, kaiware, deep fried tofu, sesame seeds, shredded red pepper, black garlic oil and spinach noodles; Curry Ramen with tonkotsu broth, Japanese curry, green onion, half ramen egg, pork chashu or chicken chashu, sesame seeds and Japanese seaweed.

What others say: “The Japanese ramen chain Tajima continues its dedication to authentic noodles by mirroring its existing East Village and Hillcrest locations’ menus, offering five different ramen styles that range from traditional tonkotsu to a more Americanized vegan option.” –Beth Demmon, Thrillist

Curry ramen

The interior

In the quiet beach area of North County, this big and impeccably designed new eatery by the team behind Craft & Commerce tends toward open-fire preparations of earthy, elemental fare.

Website: thisiscampfire.com

Address: 2725 State St., Carlsbad, Calif.

Phone number: 760-637-5121

Number of seats: 185

Entrée price range: $14-$27

Popular dishes: Ceviche with chile, mango, avocado and coconut; broccoli with ​chermoula, lime and candied peanut; whole fish with black garlic Romesco, torpedo onion and charred lemon.

What others say: “Whimsical and delicious. To start the setting is great. Has a ‘smoky’ theme going throughout the dishes and drinks to go along with the campfire theme.” –comment on Yelp

Ceviche

The dining area