Tajima

Cuisine  Japanese
Atmosphere  Woody, comfortable and unassuming
Service  Professional, organized and straightforward
Patrons  Families, couples, and groups until about 8 p.m., at which time students colonize the place
Parking  In the lot out front
Noise   Surprisingly modest
Bottom Line  The pleasures of Tajima come from discovering it does so much so well, up to and including fried chicken. There is nothing about the place that’s ordinary.

With lots of noodles and curries available all the time, Tajima offers special DIY ramen dishes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. During regular hours there are familiar Japanese dishes alongside hard-to-find pork and vegetable omelets, kimchi udon and even a hunk of steak. — Stephen Silverman

Tajima is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Appetizers start at $3 and virtually every other menu items is $7-$11. 4681 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa. 858/576-7244. www.tajimasandiego.com. (There’s a second location at 4411 Mercury St., also in Kearny Mesa.)

Chocolat

Cuisine  Italian with a Franco-American flourish
Atmosphere  Casual and amiable, like a coffee shop or diner in a higher-end hotel
Service  Generally kindly, frequently naïve and often sluggish
Patrons  Just about everyone living within 20 minutes of Hillcrest
Parking  It’s tight. Find a space on the street if you’re lucky, or head for one of the nearby parking lots.
Noise   Moderate
Bottom Line  Though the food is good enough, what’s terrific about

Chocolat is that it’s there: a place to meet friends, grab a light bite, hold a mini-conference or simply savor a gelato. It’s the easy drop-in sort of eatery that Hillcrest hasn’t had in decades.
Chocolat serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as pastries and gelato all day long. There’s also a mozzarella bar, pizza, sweet and savory crepes, bruschettas, salads, pastas and panini. — Stephen Silverman

Chocolat is open breakfast through dinner every day. Crepes, panini, and salads are $7-$9, pizzas are $9-$14 and antipasti and pastas are generally $11-$16. 3896 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest, at the corner of Fifth and University. 619/574-8500. www.chocolat-hillcrest.com. (The original Chocolat is in the Gaslamp Quarter on Fifth Avenue near Island. It’s smaller and more touristy.)

Bruno Pizzeria Napoletano

Cuisine  Pizza, salad, beer and wine
Atmosphere  Not much. The “decoration” is done on a tight budget.
Service  Efficient
Patrons  You name it: Young families with kids, couples who should get a room, groups of friends of every demographic.
Parking  On the street
Noise   When crowded, Bruno’s can be deafening. If you want quiet, go during the week or before 7 on weekends.
Bottom Line  Bruno’s great pizzas come in one size only (10 inches). Among the standouts are the four-cheese pizza, the arugula pizza, and the sausage pizza. Of the beers, the Czechvar is a treat. But you’ll need to skip dessert entirely since the cannoli is heartbreaking.

This is extraordinary pizza, with a crust that’s thin but not cracker-like and toppings that wow with goodness. Bruno’s pizzas are a triumph of quality, know-how and a custom-made wood-burning oven. — Stephen Silverman

Bruno opens 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; happy hour 4-7 Tuesday through Friday. Pizzas range in price from $9-$15 depending on toppings. 4207 Park Blvd., University Heights. 619/260-1311. pizzeriabrunosd.com.