San Diego

Let Lip Smacking guide your important group to the best spots through this lively neighborhood of brew pubs, cocktail lounges, art galleries, theaters, trendy shops, acclaimed restaurants, and more than 90 historic buildings.

You needn’t worry about making your own reservations or researching places to visit, which can be especially trying when planning for a group. That’s because award-winning Lip Smacking takes care of everything, leading your group to three top restaurants in one effortless evening, with immediate seating at the best tables to enjoy a bevy of signature dishes at each one. From start to finish, it’s complete VIP service with an attentive staff at the ready at each establishment to ensure every detail is met.

An added bonus is that this experience allows guests to sit next to different colleagues at each venue, creating a relaxing way to converse and network over fine food and drink.

The experience begins at Lumi, the upscale rooftop restaurant renowned for innovative Japanese cuisine. It was founded by celebrated chef Akira Back. Born in Seoul, Korea, the one-time pro-snowboarder began working at a local Japanese restaurant in Aspen, CO to supplement his income. He soon found himself enthralled by the energy, creativity, and thrills in the kitchen that rivaled those on the slopes. The Michelin-starred chef now boasts more than 20 restaurants worldwide. His Lumi restaurant exemplifies his creative take on Japanese food with pan-Asian ingredients and flavors.

The next stop is Huntress, a sleek modern steakhouse opened in partnership with Chef Back and RMD Events hospitality group. You know this place means business with its dramatic display wall filled with gleaming butcher knives. The restaurant also garnered Wine Spectator’ 2024 Award of Excellence. It’s where not only USDA prime and Japanese A5 Wagyu steaks shine, but also the finest seafood and hand-crafted pastas.

Finally, it’s on to Lionfish that transports guests to the exhilarating coast with its emphasis on sustainable seafood served in a lofty, expansive restaurant with soaring, light-filled windows. In fact, its commitment to environmentally-sourced seafood garnered it a 2019 James Beard Smart Catch Leader Award. San Diego native son, Jose “JoJo’’ Ruiz is the executive chef-partner at the helm of the showy, glassed-in kitchen. As an Eater Young Guns semifinalist in 2015 and former sushi chef, he’s made sure that sushi and sashimi are prominent on the menu, along with grilled seafood preparations and specialty meat dishes.

To complete this unique experience, a highly trained professional guide leads the way to each restaurant, offering insightful and entertaining facts and stories along the way.

An optional beverage package is available that provides a pre-selected craft cocktail promptly at every establishment. While guests are free to order their own drink at each restaurant, this convenient package guarantees no waiting or disruptions.

Let Lip Smacking show your valuable clients the most delicious and fascinating time through this historic quarter, whose beginnings stretch back to 1867 and whose future is limitless.