When one thinks of a restaurant with a great view, what comes to mind is usually some high-end space on the top floor of a luxury hotel or a seafood shack perched on a coastal bluff. In San Diego, one of the restaurants with the best views in town is not only a beloved local greasy spoon but also a spot that happens to be located in a most unexpected place: smack-dab in the middle of a public golf course.
Tobey’s 19th Hole began as a humble hot dog stand in 1934, making it one of the oldest restaurants in San Diego. Its roots are intertwined with the greens of the Balboa Park Golf Course, which opened in 1919 and was the first municipal golf course open to the public in the city. (The Professional Golfers’ Association of America was formed just three years prior, and the nation saw a veritable post-World War I golfing boom between 1920 and 1930, thanks to the construction of public courses and the rise of stars like Bobby Jones.)
Founders Chester and Lois Tobey set up their hot dog stand between the first and 18th holes of Balboa, atop a mesa that today overlooks a fairway and provides a sweeping, unobstructed view of the high-rises in downtown San Diego. It’s where the cafe now stands, 92 years later — and the view is as stunning as ever. As San Diego continues to build its reputation as a culinary destination, thanks in part to a newly minted Michelin-starred restaurant in La Jolla, Tobey’s makes for amazing counter-programming. With a serene setting you won’t find elsewhere, plus its ramshackle charm and reasonably priced food, the restaurant is a true diamond in the rough.
These days, the restaurant is operated by fourth-generation owner Chris Tobey and manager Dalia Parsley. The compact space is as unpretentious as they come: The restaurant’s entrance is a stone’s throw from a putting green; an A-frame chalkboard sign lists daily specials like chorizo and eggs for $16. To the right, there’s a somewhat desolate clubhouse lined with trophy cases, plaques and historical ephemera. To the left, a narrow counter with only seven swivel seats serves up old-school coffee shop vibes.
The dining room’s Formica tables, no-frills brown booths, gray rug and hodgepodge of black-and-white photos make it feel more like a veterans’ hall than a country club. Although the views are easily taken in from just about any table inside, thanks to large windows overlooking the fairway, the adjacent outdoor patio’s high-top tables may have the best vista. From there, one can almost hear the commercial planes overhead on their descent to San Diego International Airport…