Dazzling Views & Tantalizing Dishes at Peohe’s Coronado – Review by a Local

Coronado Island is highly renowned as the crown jewel of the San Diego waterfront. It’s utterly charming, possessing a loveable small-town USA feel with a unique classic vibe all its own.

Nestled on the water’s edge at Coronado Ferry Landing overlooking the downtown San Diego Bay, Peohe’s Coronado (pronounced pee-oh-ees) is one of our hands-down favorite Coronado restaurants and one of our top San Diego dining venues. 

Peohe’s is easily accessible by land or water. It’s only a 10-minute car ride from downtown San Diego via the magnificent arching Coronado Bay Bridge with its dramatic curves and 360-degree views. Locals and visitors can also take a water taxi or the Flagship Ferry across the bay, a 15-minute trip from downtown’s Broadway Pier or San Diego Convention Center costing $8 each way. Guests can also arrive by private boat, mooring their vessels at the Peohe’s Coronado dock.

More About Peohe’s

Though the restaurant is part of the Landry Select Club Group including restaurants at over 600 participating locations across the U.S., each dining establishment offers its own unique menu.

Guests earn points when dining at participating Landry restaurants used as rewards for future visits and each birthday, they receive a $25 dining award. For me, it’s an amazing benefit that pays big dividends.

Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, Peohe’s offers elegant fine dining with a casual island laid-back vibe right on the water’s edge, which is why we enjoy coming here. Its delightful menu features delectable land and sea classic dishes infused with Pacific Rim flavors and tropical accents. 

Dining Options at Peohe’s with Tips

With breathtaking views of the downtown skyline and San Diego Bay, Peohe’s offers indoor dining in its stunningly beautiful ocean-inspired dining room, complete with water features, on its spacious outdoor patio, or charming dockside courtyard. 

Unless it’s uncharacteristically cold or rainy, we prefer the al fresco dining for its magnificent vistas. Navy ships arrive and depart the bay, sailboats breeze past the Coronado landscape, and planes and helicopters from nearby North Island Naval Base hover overhead on their missions.

Even if the temperatures drop, plenty of patio heaters keep diners warm and comfy. It’s important to note, however, that if you make a reservation (and you should as the restaurant is very popular, especially on weekends and holidays), request outdoor dining if preferred. Though Peohe’s can’t guarantee your seating choice, they do their best to make it work, even if it requires a bit of a wait on the patron’s part.

Amazing Craft Cocktails and Fine Sipping

With its full bar and creative bartenders, Peohe’s offers numerous options for cocktails, along with an extensive wine menu by the glass or bottle, and beer offerings. We find the prices to be reasonable in comparison to other San Diego or Coronado fine dining venues.

Some of our favorite cocktails here include the Pomegranate Mojito prepared with Bacardi Superior Rum, DeKuyper Pomegranate Liqueur, Monin Mojito, mint and lime juice. The Pomegranate Martini is equally delightful, and my hubby who loves spicy drinks raves about the Fiery Cucumber made with Stoli Cucumber Vodka, Monin Cucumber, sea salt, cayenne pepper and a lime zest rim.

On a warm day, I enjoy a white wine, and my top choice is the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier, an absolute perfect blended gem of these two grape varietals. It’s a long-time choice at Peohe’s and one I hope they’ll keep around for a good while.

What to Order at Peohe’s

Starters (or as Peohe’s calls them- Beginnings)

Pupu Platter

One of our favorite selections is the Pupu Platter, ideal for sharing. This consists of lobster California rolls, shrimp cocktail, coconut crunchy shrimp, tuna poke stack, and Thai chicken spring rolls, giving diners the option to try out five starters at one sitting.

Shrimp, Avocado and Mango Stack

If we don’t choose the Pupu Platter, our other top choice is the stack that’s absolutely awesome. Once delivered to the table, the server asks if you want them to mix it up or you prefer you do it yourself.  

Main Entrees

This is where it gets interesting, as Peohe’s Dock to Dine and Land + Sea entrees are absolutely spectacular. 

Peohe’s Salad

This is a great one to share before the main course arrives and it’s definitely one of Peohe’s signature salads that’s so good it’s been on the menu for a while. Salad greens are mixed with mandarin oranges, candied walnuts and topped with an orange ginger vinaigrette. 

Beer Battered Fish + Chips

This is one of my husband’s favorites, made with a Coronado Brewing Company beer batter and then served with skinny fries. It always arrives perfectly cooked and the tender white fish absolutely melts in your mouth.

Sesame Crusted Salmon

This is one of my favorite go-tos for lunch as I find it’s the perfect portion. The salmon is grilled and served over a peanut sauce sushi rice and accompanied by Szechuan vegetables. It’s really an amazing entrée with a tantalizing flavor.

If you’re visiting Peohe’s during the dinner hour, there are some definite recommendations we can share. As a couple that loves to share different entrees, we each choose our favorites and share bites with one another.

Halibut Mai’a

As a seafood aficionado, I can only say that’s it difficult for me to order anything other than Halibut Mai’a, an absolute seafood treasure with macadamia nuts, bananas, Frangelico and ginger rice. Sea bass is also a great option.

Prime Rib

A beef lover, my husband raves about the Herb Crusted, Slow-Roasted Prime Rib served with three-potato garlic mashed potatoes.

Desserts to Die For

Don’t be surprised if your server asks about your choice of desserts early in the meal order process as the Hot Chocolate Lava Cake with chocolate liqueur, a chocolate sauce Heath Bar crunch topped with vanilla ice cream must be reserved in advance. It’s a rich chocolate heaven. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter, the Key Lime Pie is a wonderful option.

Peohe’s Happy Hour

Happy Hour at Peohe’s Coronado deserves its own category, as in our opinion, the restaurant has one of the best happy hours around. Monday through Friday from 3 pm to 5:30 pm, the outdoor patio with overflow inside near the bar is filled with patrons like us who know how good Happy Hour is.

The menu runs from $6 to $12 selections which include such foodie gems as Coconut Crunchy Shrimp, Spicy Tuna Poke Stack, Kim Chee Calamari, Thai Chicken Spring Rolls, Lobster California Rolls, Prime Rib Sliders and more.

Red and white house wines run $6 per glass, with premium wines coming in at $8. Already impressed with Peohe’s cocktails, imagine these top choices available at only $8 per drink. Patrons can also choose from $5 domestic drafts or $6 craft and import beers.  

Peohe’s Coronado Final Verdict

If you’re looking for the best picturesque dining with a view along with outstanding food and drink choices, Coronado Island’s Peohe’s delivers. 

We always love it, and you’ll be so happy you came! Cheers!

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