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Cowboy Star

$50 and over

Steakhouse

640 10th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Make a reservation

Cowboy Star

4.8

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 5, 2026

7:00 PM

Booked 85 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Great for fine wines
Lively

Located in the heart of the East Village neighborhood of San Diego, Cowboy Star is dedicated to providing an unmatched attention to detail and a level of service that immediately sets us apart. Cowboy Star guests are the number one priority and guest satisfaction is the base upon which our entire concept is built.

Our level of service is only matched by our celebration of regional American heirloom recipes offered with genuine neighborly hospitality. We are committed to supporting local and regional farmers, fishers and producers by cooking food that recaptures the simple and pure tastes found in locally grown, natural and organic ingredients. We strive to raise awareness of a more sustainable food future, while helping to restore a sense of community that brings us back to a more homegrown time.

The Cowboy Star Menu features the finest in select natural products including Niman Ranch all natural beef from the nation's leading Certified Humane Angus herd.

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202620252024

From the OpenTable editors: The award-winning, ride-’em-cowboy digs—hello, indoor fire pits—are one reason to dine at this long-standing East Village steakhouse. But so is the meaty food. Executive chef Victor H. Jimenez serves world-class New American fare like New York-style Hokkaido wagyu (flown in from Japan) and smoked garlic mac and cheese.

Executive chef: Victor Jimenez

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Steakhouse, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:00 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(619) 450-5880
Website
http://www.thecowboystar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
640 10th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Award-winning
1. OpenTable Icons 2026
2. OpenTable Icons 2025
3. OpenTable Icons 2024
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Market and G Street
Parking details
Street parking is readily available before 6pm. We invite evening dining guests to park in several public lots located within easy walking distance of Cowboy Star. These lots include garage parking located on 7th and Market and a surface lot located a block away from Cowboy Star on the east side of 11th and Market.<br /><br />
Public transit
San Diego Trolley Blue Line and Orange Line: exit "Park and Market"Public Buses 5, 901, and 929 stop half a block from our front door on 10th Avenue.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Charcuterie & Cheese Plate$52.00
daily selection of cured meats and domestic cheeses served with whole grain mustard, cornichons, and cranberry mostarda
Japanese Omi Gyu Carpaccio$60.00
2oz seared A5 Wagyu, fermented chili aioli, ponzu, crispy garlic, micro cilantro, radish
Woodfired Mussels$26.00
Cooked in tomato - sherry broth with house made chorizo and served with grilled baguette
Today's Raw Oysters$28.00
daily selection with classic presentation
- Half Dozen$28.00
- Dozen$56.00
Classic Shrimp Cocktail$26.00
wild caught shrimp, served with house made cocktail sauce and lemon
C-Star Signature Steak Tartare$26.00
our hand chopped tartare is prepared to order with capers, shallots and parsley, topped with a quail egg, served with toasted baguette
Spinach and Artichoke Dip$18.00
blend of gruyére and parmesan cheeses, roasted poblano peppers, served with grilled baguette
"Sea Star" Platter$118.00
daily selection of chilled shellfish and seafood that strictly follows the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Sustainability Program

Something In the Middle

French Onion Soup$18.00
our version of the classic- thinly sliced onions simmered in a rich beef broth reduction, served with french baguette and melted gruyére
C-Star Caesar$16.00
crisp little gem lettuce, house cured egg yolk, bacon bread crumbles, parmesan cheese, house made caesar dressing
The Wedge$17.00
local baby iceberg lettuce, house cured thick cut bacon, red onions, grape tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles, and creamy blue cheese dressing
Grilled Artichoke Salad$18.00
artisan mix lettuce, grilled lemon, artichoke purée
Charred Spring Peas$17.00
whipped ricotta cheese, lemon zest and house - made bresaola

Entrées

American Duroc Pork Roulade$52.00
hasselback fingerling potato gratin, swiss chard, green garlic oil, bone marrow bordelaise, green apple gremolata
Sautéed Scallops$58.00
carolina gold rice risotto, pea purée, crispy prosciutto, trumpet mushrooms, lemon fennel salad
Pan Seared Salmon$44.00
anson mills red rice, leek terrine, herb velouté, salmon roe
House Made Spring Cavatelli$32.00
bellwether ricotta cheese, aleppo pepper oil, seasonal spring herbs, topped with burrata cheese

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Cowboy Star.

4.8

(5528)

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Steakhouse
San Diego
Steakhouse

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cowboy Star in San Diego is a standout steakhouse offering "amazing food" and "exceptional service" in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. With "impeccable" attention to detail, it frequently hosts special occasions, providing personalized touches like custom menus. Guests rave about its "delicious" steaks, corn soup, and creative cocktails. A must-visit for steak lovers!

5,528 Reviews

M
Michael
Phoenix1 review
5.0
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing experience! Great food, service, and atmosphere!
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C
Cathy Gold
Las Vegas16 reviews
3.0
Dined today
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
There were goods and not so goods about our Cowboy Star experience. The apps were good, the mains were mixed. Our apps came out timely but we waited 45+ min after our apps were done, for our mains and then some were not good. The filet we should have sent back, tough, cold and dry, it was left uneaten - should have sent it back, that is my bad as I am sure they would have fixed it. My salmon was perfect temp but way too salty and I like aggressive seasoning. The rib eye and wagu skirt steak were fine. For the price $150-200/person, I expected more.
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D
Dalia Gold
Caribbean2 reviews
3.0
Dined today
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
It’s difficult to enjoy a high-end restaurant when the waitress/staff doesn’t take allergies seriously.
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G
Greg
San Francisco1 review
5.0
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It’s always a treat to visit Cowboy Star! Such a comfortable room with service that is just right. Highly recommend.
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T
Tim Gold
San Diego90 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cowboy Star continues to be our favorite restaurant in San Diego. Outstanding in all aspects - service, ambience, food, cocktails. An all around pleasant experience.
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S
Shannon
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We enjoyed our birthday and anniversary celebrations, treated and served with such kindness and hospitality! 10 stars
Is this helpful?
BB
BryonB
San Diego2 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent experience at Cowboy Star. Service was relaxed, friendly and efficient. The food was excellent, the steaks were cooked perfectly, tender and flavorful. Drinks and Wine were top notch as well. Enjoyed the bread pudding for dessert as well. Will come back here again.
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M
Mike Gold
Philadelphia25 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food experience, sitting at the bench, looking into the very busy kitchen and watching the experts at work. Good fun. Excellent food. Great service from our waiter Robert (thanks!). Recommended.
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M
Mariko
Unspecified1 review
2.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
The service was disappointing and the steak was very mediocre. We waited months to get a reservation and were seated at a very small table and forgotten by our waiter. We did like the water guy, he was cool but our waiter couldn’t be bothered to interact with us. We can say we’ve been here tried it, didn’t like it and we will never return.
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M
Matt Gold
Key West5 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic meal once again! Cowboy Star always delivers a unique experience at the Chef Counter along with a great dinner.
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Steakhouse, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:00 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(619) 450-5880
Website
http://www.thecowboystar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
640 10th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Award-winning
1. OpenTable Icons 2026
2. OpenTable Icons 2025
3. OpenTable Icons 2024
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Market and G Street
Parking details
Street parking is readily available before 6pm. We invite evening dining guests to park in several public lots located within easy walking distance of Cowboy Star. These lots include garage parking located on 7th and Market and a surface lot located a block away from Cowboy Star on the east side of 11th and Market.<br /><br />
Public transit
San Diego Trolley Blue Line and Orange Line: exit "Park and Market"Public Buses 5, 901, and 929 stop half a block from our front door on 10th Avenue.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

The C‑Star Signature Steak Tartare is a highlighted favorite, it’s listed on the menu as a signature, and guests note the tartare is something the restaurant is known for.

Cowboy Star feels rustic yet refined and a bit romantic, reviewers mention exposed brick, leather accents and a heavy glass front door, and many enjoy the open kitchen and counter seating for watching the chefs.

Smart casual is the guide, aim for polished, relaxed attire; many guests dress up a touch for anniversaries and special occasions, though casual wear is also commonly seen.

Cowboy Star: Happy Hour Monday–Friday 3:00 pm–6:00 pm; Dinner Monday–Thursday 5:00 pm–10:00 pm; Friday–Saturday 4:00 pm–10:00 pm; Sunday 4:00 pm–9:00 pm.

Weekday happy hour is a great bet, Cowboy Star runs Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and guests call out the happy-hour offerings positively.

Guests frequently describe portions as generous, reviewers call the servings "generous, " "big portions, " and note dishes and salads large enough to share.

Yes, Cowboy Star is a popular choice for date nights and special occasions, with many guests praising anniversary visits, intimate dimly lit ambiance, and attentive service.

For drinks and an easier seat, stop by Cowboy Star's Happy Hour (Mon–Fri, 3–6 pm); guests note the bar/counter can be less full then, while dinner service often fills up.

Yes, Cowboy Star runs a Happy Hour (Mon–Fri, 3–6 pm) with a dedicated bar menu of discounted wines, spirits, specialty cocktails, draft beers, and bar bites.

Yes, families do dine here; one reviewer brought a 16‑year‑old foodie and enjoyed the steaks, sides and overall meal.

Yes, the drink program is extensive, with specialty cocktails, a curated wine selection (including Happy Hour picks), and several draft beer choices.

How FAQ content is generated

Make a reservation

Cowboy Star

4.8

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 5, 2026

7:00 PM

Booked 85 times today

Cowboy Star

Make a reservation

Cowboy Star

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

OpenTable Icon

Additional information

A Good Place To Start

Charcuterie & Cheese Plate$52.00

Japanese Omi Gyu Carpaccio$60.00

Woodfired Mussels$26.00

Today's Raw Oysters$28.00

Classic Shrimp Cocktail$26.00

C-Star Signature Steak Tartare$26.00

Spinach and Artichoke Dip$18.00

"Sea Star" Platter$118.00

Something In the Middle

French Onion Soup$18.00

C-Star Caesar$16.00

The Wedge$17.00

Grilled Artichoke Salad$18.00

Charred Spring Peas$17.00

Entrées

American Duroc Pork Roulade$52.00

Sautéed Scallops$58.00

Pan Seared Salmon$44.00

House Made Spring Cavatelli$32.00

Loved For

Review summary

Additional information

FAQs

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Make a reservation

Cowboy Star

Make a reservation