I used to go to the old Brian’s in Hillcrest before it closed and the space was taken over by The Great Maple. A lot has changed since then. A new family purchased Brian’s 24 in downtown. They have done quite a bit of remodeling and it looks amazing inside.
This will be the first and last trace of a somewhat healthy dish for this entire post. I thank Michael that we got an ounce or two of vegetables on this evening.
Oh tater tots, how glorious you are. We heard there were some killer tots to be had at Brian’s 24. They were right. We had no idea which to order but our server Mauricio gave us this recommendation. That is a full pound! The tots were crispy as advertised and not over cooked. Inside greets you with a nice soft potato interior. All of the toppings were of course great with the tots. My only small gripe was that some of the steak bits were a little overdone. Other than that I had to pace myself from the impending heart attack. An entire pound is not joke! By the way, that’s one thing they pride themselves on here is their portion sizes and being able to get them 24 hours a day.
The owner Brian (not related to the previous owner’s who were also named Brian) also pointed me to the cuban sandwich. I asked him about two or three other options and he steered me in this direction. I am happy he did. The pork loin was legit and of course the fried pickles added an awesome twist to a classic sandwich.
Yes those fried pickles were bomb. I kind of wished the mustard was a little stronger and the cheese was a little more melted. But who am I kidding, this was a darn good sandwich regardless.
Michael opted for the French dip. I snagged a few bites of his. The meat was tender and the au jus had a lot of flavor.
This giant 32 oz. chocolate malt was huuuuuge. Darn you Michael for making me drink 23 ounces of it! I love diners and getting shakes and malts at 24 hour eateries. I would highly recommend bringing a side-kick if you decide to go for it. Drinking the entire 32 ounces will surely have consequences and they aren’t good.
San Diego clearly doesn’t have enough late night eateries. I’m so glad Brian’s 24 is around to help with that problem. If you find yourself wandering downtown and are looking for a place that is open, fear not, Brian’s is there to rescue you. When I go back I have my eyes on those Buffalo Tots!
Disclaimer: Our meal at Brian’s 24 was complimentary, but the opinions stated here are our own.
Brian’s 24
828 6th Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
brians24.com
Oh you gluttons! A pound of tots, big sandwiches and a huge shake! I really want to try the monte cristo on my next visit.
Yes, it comes with the territory. 🙂 The monte cristo seems like a good choice. I used to get the monte cristo at Studio Diner a long time ago. Yum.
Carne Asada Tots and Cuban sandwich look so scrumptious!