BO-Beau Kitchen and Garden in San Diego, CA

You know when you visit a new restaurant and it just feels like home? That’s what it was like when we stepped into BO-Beau Kitchen and Garden a month before we moved away from San Diego.

That comfort feeling left us with mixed emotions, because we knew that would be the only time we’d get a chance to visit.

I truly hope you can check it out, (so I can live vicariously through you) because it was fantastic.

There are several variations of the same restaurant around San Diego, all by the same parent company, but we went to the location in La Mesa, because it seemed like the most casual and best for families, and we liked it so much it’d be a hard sell for us to try another spot.

BO-beau Garden: Excellent for Families

As soon as we walked in we were greeted with smiles. And that’s not always the case when you go to a restaurant with three little kids under six years old.

Sometimes they size you up before you even open the door, and you’re given the side eye and then seated in the back corner.

At BO-Beau, they started chatting with our kids right away, and took us outside to a great patio area. They also told us about the school bus around the corner (still on their property and within eyesight) that they could go play in.

A play place at an actual restaurant? Halleliuah!

The kids played there off and on, and when they weren’t playing, they were hanging out at our roomy picnic table, munching on their meal.

We love places where kids can still be kids, and we can enjoy eating with them in public. Bo-Beau came through with flying colors.

American Comfort Food with a French Twist

BO-Beau’s food knocked it out of the park.

We had a gift card leftover from Christmas*, so we splurged a little bit with this meal, which meant this mama got a drink, and we got an appetizer!

*Getting restaurant gift cards is one of our favorite ways to try new places, especially for date nights. We typically get them from Costco since you get a better deal on them. Also, when family asks us what we want for Christmas, this is what we tell them!

Sips and Apps

We were there for brunch, so my Bloody Mary was actually more like an experience than just a yummy drink. I mean, a charcuterie board with my Bloody Mary? Yes, please, and thank you very much.

It was a tough call for which appetizer we wanted, but we went with the jalapeno deviled eggs, and oh my word, they were divine. Bits of crunchy prosciutto were sprinkled on top, giving each bite an explosion of flavor and texture.

But y’all. The table next to us got the brussels sprouts and it literally took my husband saying, “sit down, Jessica,” to not go over and ask for a bite or sneak a taste when they weren’t looking.

BO-Beau’s Brunch For Kids

The kids meals were (to be honest) a bit steep in our pocketbook ($9), but since we had a generous gift card, they each got a meal.

The mac and cheese is the kind of pasta every parent prays their kid won’t like so that you can finish it for them—it was fantastic.

One kid wanted waffles, so we obliged, and thankfully he ate it all (minus a bite or two so I could tell you how great it was….it was really great.)

Grown Up Meals

My husband, naturally, got a burger.

Although, this was a fancy brunch burger with an egg, perfectly cooked pork belly (oh em gee, the bites I had made my eyes roll to the back of my head…if you know what I mean), and an onion jam that thankfully wasn’t overly pretentious or fancy.

It was what burger dreams are made of.

I sprung for the Crab Cake Benedict, and it was so good that I practically licked my plate clean.

Okay, fine. I did lick my plate clean. Sometimes you get Benedicts without the oozing egg or a dry English muffin, or a mediocre crab cake, but everything bite was like a brunch party in my mouth.

My Final Thoughts:

If you live in San Diego, or you’re visiting—even for a weekend—add BO-Beau Kitchen and Garden to your must-try list. And please report back so I can live vicariously through you.