Studio Diner in San Diego’s Kearny Mesa neighborhood was not built to be a restaurant. It was built in the summer of 2003 as a film set next door to the 20-acre Stu Segall Productions facility — the same lot that hosted productions like Veronica Mars and Bring It On. At some point someone realized that a 1940s-style diner sitting next to a working studio lot was a genuinely good idea for an actual restaurant, and the conversion was made to serve late-night film crews and eventually the San Diego dining public. It appeared in Season 2, Episode 10 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Open 24/7,” aired January 13, 2008 — and Guy Fieri returned for a second appearance in 2019. The diner changed hands in 2023, purchased by local restaurateurs Salvatore Ercolano and Gilbert Frank, with no plans to change the concept.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Studio Diner
City: San Diego, California
Cuisine: American Diner Fare
DDD Season: 2
DDD Episode: 10
Episode Title: Open 24/7
Original Air Date: January 13, 2008
Address: 4701 Ruffin Rd., San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: 858-715-6400
Website: https://www.studiodinersd.com/
Status: Open
About Studio Diner
The building itself is the story — a genuine 1940s-style diner structure built for a film set and converted into a working restaurant. The walls are covered in movie memorabilia and vintage Hollywood décor, which makes sense given where it started. The kitchen has been serving scratch-made, made-to-order comfort food since 2003, first to production crews on overnight shoots and then to anyone who found their way to Ruffin Road.
Studio Diner was briefly closed through much of the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March 2020 before reopening with limited hours in early 2022. The 2023 sale to new owners brought fresh investment with no intention of changing what makes the place work. Current hours are 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM most days — the full 24-hour operation that earned its original DDD appearance no longer applies, but the food quality and the setting remain.
What to Eat at Studio Diner
The Count of Monte Cristo is the signature — ham, turkey, cheddar and Swiss on white bread, dipped in house-made batter, deep fried to golden crisp, dusted with powdered sugar and served with raspberry preserves. The Samson Steak Sandwich — teriyaki-marinated prime rib with sautéed vegetables and melted mozzarella on a grilled French roll — is the other standout. The Fish and Chips and Crab Benedict both have devoted followings. The Banana Split is the dessert that draws its own audience.
Looking for more Triple D inspiration while you’re in San Diego? More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives maps out dozens more stops worth planning a trip around.
Plan Your Visit
Studio Diner is open Monday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Tuesday through Thursday 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Sunday 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Check the website for current hours as they may vary.
Address: 4701 Ruffin Rd., San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: 858-715-6400
Website: https://www.studiodinersd.com/
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
The Studio Diner episode is a San Diego classic — stream it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Amazon before you visit. And Guy Fieri’s first Triple D cookbook has recipes inspired by the kind of scratch diner cooking Studio Diner built its reputation on.
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Studio Diner appeared in Season 2, Episode 10 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Open 24/7,” originally aired January 13, 2008. It has since appeared on the show a second time in 2019.