8 CA Restaurants Among Most Romantic In US, New List Says

Sweethearts looking for a romantic spot to celebrate Valentine’s Day — or any cozy occasion — have eight in California to choose from, according to a new list.

OpenTable’s list of the 2026’s Top 100 Romantic Restaurants “know how to set the mood,” the online reservation service and management platform said, adding, “Celebrated by diners for romance, they’re the certifiably swoon-worthy spots people choose when the night matters most.”

Restaurants in California include:

1. Boulevard. 1 Mission Street, San Francisco. A beloved San Francisco fine dining institution serving a mix of Californian and contemporary French cuisine.
2. FARM. 6 La Plaza Drive, Palm Springs. Traditional Provençal dishes in an outdoor setting reminiscent of the South of France.
3. Gary Danko. 800 North Point Street, San Francisco. This iconic, Five Diamond, multiple James Beard Award-winning Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant serves classic French meals with local ingredients.
4. Jeune et Jolie. 2659 State Street, Ste. 102, Carlsbad. Classic French cuisine with a Californian twist famous for its $120 4-course menu.
5. Mister A’s. 2550 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 406, San Diego. Enjoy sweeping views of the San Diego skyline, bay, and ocean from this penthouse restaurant offering contemporary American cuisine and one of the best wine lists in the country.
6. Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch. 900 San Ysidro Lane, Santa Barbara. Enjoy fresh California cuisine and a superb wine list in a 19th-century stone house with a roaring fireplace and beautiful views.
7. Summit House - Fullerton. 2000 East Bastanchurry Road, Fullerton. Enjoy world-class steak and panoramic views from this country manor on a hill.
8. The Marine Room. 1904 Spindrift Drive, San Diego. Enjoy panoramic ocean views and California coastal cuisine at this 80-year-old San Diego landmark.

If you’re planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day at one of these places, it’s a good idea to make reservations now.

OpenTable said its annual ranking is based on more than 9 million reviews from verified OpenTable diners and other metrics from Dec. 1, 2024, to Nov. 30, 2025. Other factors considered were the percentage of five-star reviews, alerts set, percentage of reservations made in advance, capacity used, and direct searches. Metrics were weighted to comprise an overall score. The qualified restaurants were then ranked by the percentage of reviews with the tag “romantic.”