Eating well at Comic-Con

19 JULY 2017

Happy Comic-Con! Whether you have a Preview Night badge or not, you may already be floating around the area. So before we plunge into the madness, let's talk about something very basic: where to eat.

CCI does have a restaurant guide, although it's more of a list. And you'll hear a lot of recommendations from attendees and hotel staff. But when it comes to eating out at SDCC, there's more at stake than the food - because how much time and money you spend on it will directly impact what you can buy and see at the Con.

Think of it in these terms.

Time

How much time do you want to spend on eating - getting to your restaurant, waiting for a table and then waiting for the food and walking back? If you have a full day of panels and events planned, you probably can't spare 2 hours to walk into the Gaslamp, put your name on a To Be Seated list, and then wait an eternity for lunch.

To save time, you can bring your own food in with you or eat the convention center cafe choices. There are a few Starbucks on site, but of course they serve muffins, banana bread and other carbfests that don't really comprise a good meal.

If you want to go out without spending a lot of time, the Fox Sports Grill at Hilton Bayfront has always been able to seat and serve me quickly. I favor the Headquarters in the other direction, on the other side of the Hyatt, because not too many attendees seem to head here. The Cheesecake Factory there is usually busy but Seasons 52 (my fave) and the other restaurants in the complex can usually seat you immediately. If you're staying at the Hyatt like I am, it's extremely handy but you can also take the blue shuttle to the Hyatt and cross the streets or just walk there.

Seaport Village is also a convenient choice for people staying near the convention center - and Little Italy seems to have more places than ever.  It's not that far and can be a nice escape from the Gaslamp craziness.

But if you want the Gaslamp craziness, you've got options. You can keep it quick with Subway and Gaslamp Pizza or you can go to popular spots like Dick's Last Resort, Tin Fish, the Broken Yolk and Rockin' Baja Cantina. Lots of people assume they must be fantastic since they often have lines, but it's worth looking beyond them at other restaurants that offer as good or better food - with little to no wait. Again, I favor Phulkari (a bit slower than the others), Blue Point Coastal and de Medici, and eat breakfast quite often at McCormick and Schmick at the Omni. They all tend to be more peaceful than your typical Con crowd screamer.

A lot of attendees who aren't in a hurry, want to plant themselves somewhere with street seating so they can watch everyone promenade up and down the street. Nothing wrong with that, but you will need to wait a while for a table. Another option if you've got time to burn: going to the beach and eating beach food like shrimp tacos or burritos. Or you can catch the ferry to Coronado Island (behind the convention center) and indulge yourself somewhere like the Hotel del Coronado.

Money

If you're on a budget, and a lot of people are, you can eat well and protect your wallet. Some of the local food trucks are inexpensive (and some aren't); bars like McFaddens often have Con specials if you don't mind typical bar food; you can also perform the venerable attendee rite of buying a sub at Subway, then living off it all day long.

The Horton Plaza has fast food, and some hotel cafes are offering "grab and go" options for attendees who want something other than bagels and coffee. And if you're not familiar with the area and want to get some basic groceries, you can walk to Ralph's grocery store on G Street or take the blue line shuttle there.


Late Night Dining

It's hard to define your schedule at SDCC; panels release you into the night at odd hours, you might sacrifice breakfast to join a line, or find yourself getting by on a borrowed power bar for an entire day. Often you find yourself hungry late at night. The options aren't plentiful, but they exist. Subway ran 24 hours last I knew; some pizza slice places are open late; the Syfy Cafe used to stay open till 3 am but these days they close a little earlier; the Marriott Marquis serves a limited menu after midnight. Bar kitchens will also accommodate you for a reasonable period of time.

But don't forget your ultimate option: ordering pizza or room service. Sometimes nothing is better when your feet hurt and you're sick of crowds.


Most likely you'll end up eating wherever and whenever is convenient. But if you can take the time to make choices, choose wisely - because it will make a difference in your Con.

Dining out at Comic-Con

4 JULY 2016

Happy Independence Day! CCI published its SDCC restaurant guide today which, though thorough, is more a list of restaurants than a guide to eating deliciously at San Diego Comic-Con. And you will want to eat well at the Con, not only because you're on vacation and should indulge yourself, but because you're going to work up quite an appetite.

I get asked a lot what my favorite restaurants are. But my favorites aren't necessarily going to be good for anyone else. There are a few factors to consider when eating out at SDCC, namely:

Time

How much time do you want to spend on eating - getting to your restaurant, waiting for a table and then waiting for the food? If you have a full day of panels and events planned, you probably can't spare 2 hours to walk into the Gaslamp, put your name on a To Be Seated list, and then wait an eternity for lunch.

To save time, you can bring your own food in with you or eat the convention center cafe choices. There are a few Starbucks on site, but of course they serve muffins, banana bread and other pastries that don't really comprise a good meal.

If you want to go out without spending a lot of time, the Fox Sports Grill at Hilton Bayfront has always been able to seat and serve me quickly (granted, I'm usually with 1-2 others and not a huge group.) Going in the other direction, the Headquarters on the other side of the Hyatt has been able to seat me immediately or within minutes. The Cheesecake Factory is probably the busiest place there (even so, it's never been that bad) but the other restaurants have been almost empty when I've gone in. Generally speaking, I like that whole area quite a bit and for speed/quality prefer it to going into the Gaslamp.

If you do go into the Gaslamp, grabbing a slice at Gaslamp Pizza is usually painless. Depending on when you hit Subway, a very popular choice with attendees, you can be looking at a long line or hardly a line at all. You can also find Grab & Go menu items at a few places and there are food trucks as well - though these range from the super quick to the surprisingly slow.

Popular spots like Dick's Last Resort, Tin Fish, the Broken Yolk and Rockin' Baja Cantina usually involve a wait. Sometimes attendees assume these must be THE places to eat since there's a line, but in fact there are great places to eat that do not involve a wait - I never have to wait at Blue Point Coastal, for instance, and the food is great. My favorite breakfast spot is McCormick and Schmick at the Omni; again, never a wait.

Other options: Little Italy and Seaport Village. Sometimes these get crowded, but overall I find them an enjoyable option and often more convenient than Gaslamp at Peak Con.


Money

If you want to spend all your money on the floor, rather than blowing it on meals, that's understandable. Obviously coupons and special offers help, but you've got other options. You can shop at Ralph's or Albertson's and keep cereal, granola bars and sandwich fixings in your room. You can do like a hundred other attendees and buy a sub at the all-night Subway, then live off it all day long. You can get fast food at Horton Plaza's food court. You can scout out some of the cheaper food trucks. And if you're diligent, you can find out which hospitality suites are putting out free drinks and cookies - although that action has dried up somewhat in recent years.

If you're looking for restaurant discounts that honor your badge, do some homework first. Some of the discounts are probably not worth it if you weren't going to eat there anyhow; some are. Generally speaking, a lot of places offer Con specials and so do a lot of Gaslamp bars like McFadden's. If you like bar food and have a busy Con schedule that doesn't release you until after 9 at night or so, you'll find plenty of cheap bar specials to fill your stomach.

One note: often attendees will avoid certain restaurants because they think they're too spendy. My favorites are Blue Point Coastal, DeMedici and Seasons 52 for dinner, sometimes Royal India, and McCormick and Schmick's for breakfast. While they're not as cheap as the Horton food court, most of their menus have reasonably priced items, especially if you want to eat lightly. So if you're looking for a restaurant where you can sit down and eat decent food without going bankrupt, don't automatically rule out those places.



Atmosphere

Some attendees thrive on the cacophony of the popular spots listed above. Frankly, after being immersed in the physical humanity of the Con, I need to eat in quiet restaurants where I can have a decent conversation and my water glass doesn't stay empty for a half hour at a time.

If you want to be part of the crowd, places like Dick's will provide you with that experience. The Syfy Cafe at the Hard Rock is also crowded but tends to be a bit more manageable; and any restaurant or bar with street seating is going to be packed to the gills, but will deliver excellent people-watching. If you're intent on spotting celebrities promenading up and down the street (it happens) it's worth staking your table-claim and ordering enough drinks and food to justify your stay.

If you're looking to escape the Con for a bit, I recommend going to the beach. Especially if you're looking to decompress with friends and not necessarily meet other people. You can drink, get cheap burritos and tacos, and generally let the Comic-Con frenzy leak out of your molecules for a bit. It's a very nice feeling.

If you have some time to spare AND want to leave the Con behind temporarily, catch the ferry to Coronado Island (right behind the convention center.) There are plenty of restaurants here but the Hotel del Coronado is always my destination for a great dinner or Sunday brunch. It also has a killer ice cream shop and a beautiful beach.

And finally, don't forget the ultimate comfort of your own hotel room bed. If your feet hurt and you're exhausted, order up a pizza or room service and relax for a night. Even though the lights and noise of San Diego outside will half-convince you you're missing out on something spectacular, it's smarter to chill and conserve your energy for the next day. The half-version of this; eating in your hotel restaurant. Which, by the way, is where you're more likely to spot celebrities if you're in the right hotel. I eat at the main Marriott restaurant a lot, even when I'm staying at the Hyatt, and I see a parade of famous faces both during lunch and late at night.


Late Night Dining

You can find yourself keeping odd hours at the Con, due to camping, naps, long panels and other factors - and if your stomach is growling while your pals are going to bed, you can definitely find something to eat. The aforementioned Marriott Marquis restaurant has stayed open till 1 am in the past and the Syfy Cafe used to stay open till 3 am. Not sure if that's still true. The all-night sub shops, late night pizza places, and Gaslamp bars are options too.


Of course, you can opt simply to wing it - wait until that first Comic-Con hunger pang hits and worry about it then. On the whole, though, it's good to know what your options are. Once you come out of Preview Night hungry, or wake up Thursday and wonder where you can eat breakfast and still get to the Con on time, you'll want to know where the right watering holes are.

Eating well at Comic-Con

3 JULY 2014



Whether you're broke or flush, or have a king-sized appetite or Spartan eating habits, you should think about your Comic-Con meal plan in advance.

One, you'll need your energy. You'll be dealing with the stresses and demands of waiting in line for hours, walking long distances and odd sleep disturbances. Two, eating well doesn't always come naturally at SDCC. If you don't know where to go, you can wind up relying on the Exhibit Hall fare and Starbucks and end up spending way too much money on horrible junk food that doesn't provide real sustenance. There is a better way.


Buying groceries

If you're staying at a hotel, consider buying groceries to keep in your room. If you're driving in, you can bring your own; if not, you can go to Ralph's at 101 G Street to buy basics that should eliminate quite a few restaurant meals. This isn't just about saving money but saving time too; if you're barely making it from one panel to another, you won't have time to leave the convention center, walk into the Gaslamp and sit down for lunch. It's faster and easier to bring your lunch with you - and much faster to wake up, eat a granola bar or fruit and go get in line for the day's panels.


Eating close to the convention center

For some reason, everyone heads like lemmings into the Gaslamp as soon as they feel a hunger pang. This means crossing the street (an adventure in and of itself) and usually waiting around a hot crowded street for the 27 people before you to be seated. Again, unless you have time to burn, stay by the convention center. You have a lot of options here.

The Hilton Bayfront has the Fox Sports Grill, which is usually the quickest option for a fast lunch. But the hotel also has a Starbucks, a frozen yogurt place and its signature restaurant Vela.

The Marriott Marquis has a Roy's, which is rarely crowded, a Starbucks and some faster restaurants which are decent - the Tequila (Mexican) and the Marina Kitchen.

The Manchester Hyatt, on the other side of the Marriott, has a lot of restaurants to choose from - a sports bar, a tapas lounge, a seafood restaurant, coffee shop, fine dining, casual dining. It's pretty easy to find something you'll like.

On the other side of the Hyatt we have the Headquarters which has a Cheesecake Factory, a Seasons 52, a Starbucks, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, a cheese shop, a gelato shop, a chocolate shop, a Mexican restaurant called Puesto and Pizzeria Mozza. Also a farmer's market which could be great for grabbing fresh fruit.

All of these are within a quick walk of the convention center on the same side of the street. Another option: food trucks, though these tend to be sprinkled throughout the area.

Saving money

If you're on a budget, you can eat for fairly cheap. The food court at Horton Plaza is always packed and the Gaslamp is full of places like Chipotle at 101 Broadway, Gaslamp Pizza and the 24-hour Subway on K Street. Groupon and Restaurant.com can drastically cut down the price of meals at better Gaslamp restaurants. If you feel like going down to the beach, there are a lot of places where you can get a burrito or taquitos for $5.

Other places hold Comic-Con specials; McCormick and Schmick in the Omni usually has a special Con menu with items priced around $10 and Hilton Bayfront had Grab & Go meals for Con attendees last year.

McFadden's is offering an exclusive SDCC menu highlighting "Irish fare" for $6 or less. That's hard to beat.
 
Eating out

Generally speaking, if you want to avoid a wait, steer clear of popular Con spots like Dick's Last Resort and head into a better restaurant. You'll be seated faster, enjoy a better meal, and the price difference will sometimes be quite minimal. (But not always.) Blue Coastal Point, De'Medici, Royal India and Nobu can usually seat you right away. Searsucker and Morton's and Gaslamp Strip Club can get a little crowded but the wait isn't usually awful. Making reservations in advance is a smart idea at some places. 

If you can wrench yourself away from the Con hive of activity, go into Little Italy or take the ferry to Coronado Island and eat at Hotel del Coronado. It's worth it.

Late night eating

Sometimes you take an evening disco nap and wake up starving at midnight - or you just get spit out of a long all-day/all-night stretch of panels. Luckily a few places are open late. La Puerta serves until 1 a.m. and the SyFy Cafe (Hard Rock Hotel) is usually open until 3 a.m. Dublin Square Irish Pub, Hennessey's and Gaslamp Tavern serve decent late night bar food. The Subway on K Street is open 24 hours and so is Broadway Pizza; some Marriott restaurants serve till 1 a.m. during the Con.


I am a huge believer in eating well and at Comic-Con, it really does make a difference. If you've never been before, put some thought into how much you want to splash out on restaurants and how much time you want to allocate to eating out. It's great to sit down and relax for an hour, but sometimes a certain panel is calling your name and restaurants just aren't an option. As with everything SDCC, it's good to be prepared.