Yelp names four to top 100 list

SAN DIEGO — San Diego is a dog town, no doubt about it.

Walk down a block anywhere in the city — or elsewhere around San Diego County — and you’re bound to see pups of all shapes and sizes on a stroll with their owners.

Pair that fact with our excellent weather and obsession with outdoor dining, and you get a perfect recipe for dog-friendly eateries. Restaurants know that letting furry friends tag along can help drum up business. Plus, they probably love pups too.

So it’s no surprise that four San Diego-area spots made Yelp’s recent list of the top 100 dog-friendly restaurants in the United States. The customer review platform based its rankings on a variety of factors, including the volume and quality of reviews, for businesses in its restaurant category.

The list features restaurants with free treats, water bowls, special doggie menus, expansive patios and dog toys on standby. Check out all the restaurants, including many more in California, here.

The top spot in America’s Finest City, according to Yelp, comes in at number three overall.

Isa.bella is centrally located in Clairemont — a residential area with a pup on every corner. It serves up pizza, pasta and craft beer (plus salads and other delicious dishes) for waves of happy regulars.

The restaurant’s enclosed patio features lounge-style seating and fire pits, creating an “outdoor oasis for pooches and their pet parents,” Yelp writes.

A designated Kids & Dogs section on the menu features Tommy’s Famous Doggie Meatballs. The kitchen staff prepares pork and beef meatballs, topped with unseasoned tomato purée and a bit of Parmesan cheese.

The next San Diego entry on Yelp’s list ranks 15th overall. While Fish Shop has multiple locations in the county, Yelp’s list highlighted the P.B. entry.

The restaurant’s patio features heaters and umbrellas for temperature control, and servers bring out water bowls for the pups. “While there’s no separate doggy menu, pet parents often request grilled fish filets, sans seasoning, for their pooches to enjoy,” Yelp writes.

The humans at the table can eat their fill, too. The menu features everything from coconut shrimp and oysters to colorful, flavor-packed fish tacos.

San Diego’s swanky La Jolla neighborhood makes an appearance with number 17 on the list, Shorehouse Kitchen.

In true La Jolla spirit, the restaurant serves dogs organic and free-range fare. The doggie menu includes The California K-9 (grilled chicken breast, egg whites and organic spinach) and Fido’s Finest (grass-fed ground beef with roasted turkey and bacon bits).

The sophisticated canine diners lap purified water from branded dog bowls.

The humans won’t be left out of the fun. Try eggs Benedict, pork carnitas chilaquiles or mango pancakes with guava syrup, per Yelp’s recommendation.

For the county’s final entry — at number 19 — head north to Oceanside.

Local Tap House & Kitchen is one of those spacious neighborhood spots where the turf patio is always bustling with beer enthusiasts, families and their furry friends. Space heaters keep things warm, when necessary, as the eatery gets a cool coastal breeze.

Staff members keep doggie bowls on standby for all their four-legged guests. Owners explore a tap list of some 20 local beers and dine on comfort food. The menu features everything from short rib fries to fried-chicken sandwiches and coconut curry udon noodles.

“You know right when you walk up that the kids, leashed dogs, and families all in attendance are here for good times and great food. Holy cow do they deliver!” writes reviewer Roch B.