Water Grill San Diego

On our list of the best special-occasion restaurants in San Diego.

This Gaslamp seafood room took over the space vacated by The Palm, an 11,000-square-foot buildout that includes a raw bar backed by 55,000 shucked oyster shells behind wire and roll-up garage doors that open to the street. The daily-changing menu draws on its parent company's three-decade run in Los Angeles seafood, with 18 oyster varieties split between East and West Coast picks and a goat cheese ravioli that regulars order alongside the fish. Reservations are recommended, though walk-ins are seated when there's room.