Came here for happy hour on a Friday and got seating quite easily, with options for indoor or outdoor. I liked the selection of wines - primarily smaller California central coast vineyards. The deals for food and drink during happy hour are a steal compared to their full menu price. Service was friendly and efficient. We didn't get any food, but there were some happy hour bites and seasonal specials that looked interesting, with vegetarian/GF options available. read more

Over priced and under fed. Avocado toast at $15 was a 4" x 4" piece of toast which was tough and chewy with 3 slices of avo (tasty). Side order of pork belly bacon at $8 was two pieces cut in half, overcooked and inedible. When asked by the server if the food was okay I relayed these comments and her only response was OH. Eggs were good and as ordered. No plans to return. read more

Service bumped rating to a 3. Food was a 2. Fell way short of expectations and price paid. Farm to table sounds great, but this doesn't deliver. Greeting upon arrival pleasant. Ambiance was basic. Our server Katie also was very attentive and walked us through the concept and menu. Service was excellent...it was the food that disappointed. Whipped Tahine was good. Stratccietelle was ok-really sweet-not an appetizer. What was the biggest disappointment was the $58 ribeye. Asked for medium but server said they serve it medium rare. Ok but that's not how I want it?? When the chef over rules your steak temp you are in the wrong place. It came out medium rare and cold. $58 later and extremely disappointed. Hope the chef was happy. Ridiculous We also had the Ricotta Agnoiotti. Tasty but also arrived cold. The place was empty (can understand why) and there was no reason for cold food. Finally, ordered desert--Dark Choco Crème. Only two chocolate choices, this Grenache or a chocolate mousse. Two mushy chocolate desserts?? Why?? What is your pastry chef doing?? French press coffee and no espresso options. Coffee was not a bold brew also a fail. The concept does not equate to an enjoyable meal especially for the cost. Way overpriced for the experience and food. Won't be back. Understand why the place was empty on a Thursday evening. read more

Have dined here several times and the last two times Katie was our server and she is just lovely! The wine selection is delicious and the beer choices are adequate, given that they are known for their wine. The food is splendid! I can't remember what my friend had, it was a brunch item, he loved it, I had the tuna melt, divine, previous time I had the yellow fin schnitzel, amazing! Happy hour is great and the dinner menu looks fabulous! Just the kind of food that Hillcrest needs! read more

This review is late (sorry team Cellar Hand) - but I definitely wanted to provide some feedback regarding our experiences here. We had read about them opening for some time - and were excited to finally be able to dine with them. My wife and I really love interesting, creative and "light" type foods that are full of flavor. Cellar Hand did not disappoint. We really were impressed with how hyper local the food here really is. We ordered quite a number of items - more than we probably should have :) but everything looked so amazing. Some stand outs - were Aly's Crudo, the whipped Tahina, and a really stellar fig and ricotta dish. We have been back twice since - and the food and service continue to impress. We (selfishly) wish them huge success - so we can continue to visit, see how the menu changes, and see what creative preparations the team continues to come up with. read more

After weeks of sharing instagram posts teasing its opening, I met up with a few neighborhood friends to check out Cellar Hand. We had made a reservation and were invited to wait at the comfy fire pits until most of our party arrived. They sat us when 4 out of 5 of us were there, which is nice! We ordered glasses of white or sparkling wine, lemonade and the sparkling tea. Everyone was happy with their choices. We love a dip-forward menu so we started with the whipped tahina which was silky smooth, and the labneh which was how our friend found out she doesn't careviar for caviar. Ordered an extra pita ($5, worth it) to slurp up the extra dip bits. After much discussion and some googling (idiazabel? Dukkah?? GRANO???), we decided on our mains. Out of curiosity, I ordered the foraged iceplant. If you know me, you know I only eat young iceplant, and only if it's sourced from a local farm. This would be a good dish to share with a table of ten so each person tries one piece. The salty tangy sauce along with the spikey defense mechanisms of the plant make it difficult to enjoy more than one mouthful of this salad. My friend ordered the summer squash which was a tiny salad also meant for sharing as one of multiple small plates. We later split a plate of nachos at baja bettys. Tyler ordered the burger which came with fries, the lucky dukkah. The two smartest women at the table each ordered the raviolo, which was actually ravioli, plural, and delicious. The hostesses, servers and other staff were all extremely welcoming and attentive. They politely decline modifications, but should really consider marking their gluten-free options on the menu. Although this might not be our vibe for dinner, we look forward to returning for more glasses of wine at the lovely patio bar, where we hope to further investigate the dips offered. read more

Cellar Hand - Foraged iceplant - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Ok, two of the review down below confirmed the food situation there at the restaurant. NOT OK! My husband and my son and I visited last night. We had the ricotta pasta and we all threw up in the middle of the night. I wonder what is going on in the kitchen there! read more

This restaurant has beautiful ambiance but the food is very hit or miss for me. I've tried this restaurant on two occasions- brunch and dinner. I love the farm to table concept. Some of my favorite dishes have been the pate and crudo. Brunch was very underwhelming and unfortunately I had the worst oysters I've ever eaten here. They were inedible. The server handled the situation very professionally and the kitchen confirmed that the oysters we were served weren't what they had been going for. read more

This is a cute little restaurant in the Hillcrest area. There is a parking lot, but might be hard to find during busy hours. There is also indoor and outdoor seating. You can choose to sit at one of their tables, the bar, or at the fire pit. The restaurant serves mainly tapas and wine. There seems to be a lot of seafood and healthy options on their menu. I got the Bluefin Nduja Toast, Aly's Crudo, and Kind Folk Beets. The fish tasted fresh. I don't really eat beets, but they made it look inviting and everything that came with it goes well with the beets. Although there weren't any strong flavors, everything that came out works well together and I really enjoyed it. Our server was very nice and informative about all the items on the menu. Kudos to the other staffs as well for also checking up on us. Overall, I think this is a good restaurant to come to with the girls. My husband doesn't understand what tapas is and was disappointed at the portion, so maybe don't bring your S.O. if that will be the case (: read more

Cellar Hand - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately it was quite a miss for us. I'll say both the ambiance and the wine list were nice. Our server was friendly, although once she realized we were only getting small bites she didn't come back at any point to see if we'd like new drinks. We ordered the bluefin crudo, olives, whipped tahina, and carrots. Out of all of it, the whipped tahina was by far the best but the portion sizes are so small, and with one piece of pita, it's hardly shareable. And I get it, it's tapas style, but finca down the street has an incredible list of tapas for the same price point and you can easily share each plate with 4 people. I just think for what you're paying for each of these tapas plates, they could be doing so much more. Beyond that, the neighboring table ordered some type of fish dish and it smelled awful (coming from a seafood lover), when we walked out my partner looked at me and said I hope they don't get sick from that. Point of the review being - We dine out in San Diego about once per week, ranging from high end restaurants to local taco shops, and love all sorts of food. That being said, I really don't think cellar hand is worth the price point when there's so many amazing restaurants in San Diego. I hope they make some positive changes and are able to stay open! read more

This is one of our "go to" spots. It has parking, great menu that changes weekly, on-site baked bread, and my partner loves the WBTG program. Veg selections? Check. Meat selections? Check. Delicious selections? Check! All the servers are courteous, professional, and they love my hand crocheted sweaters. We feel seen and appreciated and well feed! This is a smart and comfortable spot with seating inside, outside with heaters (for the thin blooded SD types), and bar seating. We like sitting outside and ordering squash-blossoms du jour, babaganush, and (let's face it) anything else in the menu!!! It is always delish and beautiful. But dont take my word for it, get yourselves down to Cellar Hand and see (taste) for yourselves. read more

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Amazing new spot! Came with a group of 5, and we had such a nice time I forgot to take any photos of all the nice bites! This is definitely a classic wine bar where the food is in support of all your great options, but perfect for ordering lots of little bites and enjoying them with a group and a few nice bottles of wine. They have beer as well and a few entree options but my vote is always wine and snacks to share. The ambiance is clear and minimalist with a nice patio with fire pits and great service! Highly recommend and really happy about this addition in Hillcrest. read more

I absolutely LOVE Cellar Hand, 10/10. Come here and enjoy PRONTO! I'll try my best to keep it short but my gosh there's too much good to say. I was wanting to come here for awhile but the menu at the time was a bit out there for my liking that I wanted to wait for a seasonal menu change that was more up my alley and my oh my was the dinner menu this week of October nearly impossible to even choose bc every option just sounded too delicious! We got the best locally sourced beef burger w/ aioli & the absolute best crispy n soft potato fries I ever had + the shakshuka w/homemade pita, we absolutely LOVED IT! Bun was oh so soft and fresh, meat was so good that my man started asking about the meat where we learned from our server it's from a local ranch! Fries were- out of this world. I would write an entire review on just their crispy soft fries if the rest of everything else wasn't so perfect too. The shakshuka- beyond comforting & hearty, and I adore how they did NOT skimp at all on the feta cheese! I loved how classy it felt yet so cozy and felt right at home yet chic, sleek, and grounding. Loved the different variety of seating so much that I didn't know which to choose cause it all was so perfect! The energy and ambiance were right and so was the food. We both kept talking about how this was literally the best meal we have had like, in forever, and period at all. It was so delish and made with LOVE. I still can't stop thinking about it and can't wait to come back! The 1 & only thing I wished was a better beverage situation- maybe had more option for drinks on a sweeter end both alcoholic & non, rather at least more than one single option at all bc I ordered my cocktail as a celebratory job offer drink to enjoy yet it wasn't much enjoyable for me as there was literally only 1 sweet-ish drink on the menu per our kind servers rec when I asked as she kindly let me know everything else is pretty dry. Come to drink it & it was barely even sweet like not at all I left without even finishing it. Refreshing absolutely, only if that's what you're going for just don't think you'll be receiving something sweet like I thought lol. I feel even very few additional sweeter options whether be a cocktail or a wine or tea etc would be really nice to enjoy, also accommodating! My man enjoyed his beer though! The host was great! Our server was extremely kind and knowledgeable! Real quality real service real food! Beyond excited to return! Bring back restaurants like this who serve you food that you can tell was cooked & served with love + care. THANK YOU CELLAR HAND! read more

Cellar Hand - Closeup of the magnificent and perfectly soft yet crispy fries mid digging in - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Loved the rose champagne! It has a nice area where you can sit outside and enjoy the sun. Staff was really friendly as well. Happy hour is a great deal! read more

The food is incredible and sourced so carefully (this is personally inspirational) as well as the wine. The wait staff is very professional, polite, and knowledgeable about the menu and therefore able to make recommendations. The ambiance is casual, open, yet classy. I'm not finding anything I dislike. This restaurant is now on my top 2 in San Diego. read more

Really cool spot with great food and wine. Laidback atmosphere and ambiance but can get cold with open air seating so keep that in mind. Overall would recommend to anyone! read more

Wanted to do something nice with my girlfriend for Valentine's Day and this was the perfect spot. There was a set menu with 4 or 5 courses and the option to do a wine pairing. I don't drink but my girlfriend said the pairings were spot on. The seafood platter starter was awesome and so was the pork. Our service was great even though it was packed. Can't wait to go back to check out the regular menu. read more

Definitely a memorable night, and not in a good way... My husband and I went to Cellar Hand last Friday and were exciting to check it out. We shared several plates: Kumai oysters, Cubano crudo (daily special), whipped tahina, fried green tomatoes, golden beets, and pork. Everything was good, but nothing was standout, except the pork. Now onto the service and atmosphere. The place was very cute and trendy, but there were only two unisex bathrooms (not a problem that night, but could see it being an issue if the place was fully booked). One thing I really didn't like is that there were a lot of waiters standing around and chatting and blocking the hallway the entire time we were there. They were in their own world and it was difficult to pass them when needed. It gave me really weird vibes and I felt like I was a nuisance to them by just being there. Fast forward to a couple hours after dinner, I had the worst food poisoning of my life! I threw up all Friday night and Saturday morning. Couldn't keep any food down on Saturday and am still recovering a week later. After doing my research, it was most likely caused by the oysters which I believe come from the Baja area (often associated with cases of norovirus). I would recommend that the restaurant take these off the menu asap. Anyways, even if it wasn't for the food poisoning, I wouldn't recommend this place. We don't need more places in San Diego with ok food, high prices, and subpar service. read more

Delicious food and ambiance! I really enjoyed our meal here! Expensive but worth it. The dessert was the best!

This restaurant did a soft opening last week in Hillcrest and it is fabulous! The service is exceptional but the best part is the food! They have small plates like tapas and then some dinner plates but honestly, the food is so good with some interesting combinations, it really seems like a Michelin star restaurant to me and all the wine is sulfite free so you're NOT gonna have a headache the next day... It's Pali wines, very good!!!! Also, all their ingredients are so fresh and I think they will change the menu frequently and it's kind of like a Farm To Table, everything I had was so good! They also make homemade pita bread with a dip and the pita bread is like nothing you've ever tasted before! It's like way better than regular pita bread. I definitely recommend this place. You should get there soon and there is indoor and outdoor seating and the ambience is very good, they also have two little fire pits in the front that you can drink wine around, and they also have a small beer selection, but a great selection! read more

Cellar Hand - Restaurant sign in front of building - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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good happy hour! great service, wine and apps. My boyfriend and I enjoyed our date here, don't know if I would come outside of happy hour though. read more

Decent but room for improvement. Oddly I didn't take any pictures which could mean more good than bad but neither here nor there. Service was great from hostess to server, and great recommendations. The black cod app was ok but had a fishy smell & taste to it. The garlic dip was so good but the pita was underwhelming, limp and almost raw like. Not inedible but not like what you expect pita to be. The cornbread and butter was decadent! The crudo dish was very yummy! The pasta dish was ok but the pasta seemed to be slightly under cooked, or maybe just too Al dente for me. And overall I would've liked a little better ambiance and lighting. Maybe plants or even paintings & drapery to warm it up. I'd go back but bc I expect they are still working out kinks! read more

We loved everything we tried at brunch! The avocado toast was fresh and tasty, the labneh bowl had great ratios of labneh to toppings, and the swordfish schnitzel was crispy, tart, and surprisingly light. The babka bread was delicious - the tart cream was amazing with the bitter chocolate and juicy strawberries. The interior is modern but comfortable, and our server was great. read more

Cellar Hand - Swordfish Schnitzel - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Best food, best people. Bring your foodie friends and have your new favorite meal. Sharing plates is the way to go, becuase you're gonna want to try everything. read more

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Food was really underwhelming. All the budget went into trendy fixtures and decor. The service seemed like folks hadn't waited tables before. I got an amaro daiquiri that was overwhelmingly acidic. The fresh pita is delicious but there wasn't really anything else of note. It was dead on a Friday night. Can't in good faith possibly recommend anyone spend their time or money here. read more

Close to being good but a couple adjustments I think should be made!! Most of what we had was overdressed. The iceplant salad could have been great but the vinegar component was too overpowering to taste anything else. Same for the chino farms lettuce - too sour, needed to be balanced out. Tahina spread was a little bit too bitter and not enough other flavors to balance it out. The swordfish bone marrow was interesting. The pork dish was the best thing we had but was a touch too salty. The rockfish didn't have much flavor. Hoping this place works on seasoning/flavors because the concept is great! read more

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The food was good not exceptional, the portions are debatable, but telling us they have a Sirah special that night without telling us the price ($35 a glass!) it's plain dishonest. I usually ask the price for the specials, never thought I would fall in the trap for the wine. $235 for two for dinner! They lost a client and I'll make sure my friends don't go there either. read more

What a lovely find!! The attention to detail on the menu with their fermentation Chef is delectable. We loved all the small plates and enjoyed all the Pali wines. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Nice and very clean. Hidden treasure!! read more

Delicious food, loved the vibe/ambience/lighting/music and the service was A+. All around an excellent experience, have already been twice and will be back again soon I'm sure! Want to get a table outside with the fire pit. Sooo cute! Love the Pali sparkling, the bluefin toast, the burger, the cheesecake! read more

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Super cute date spot with delicious food. I love their decor and that they have outdoor seating. They also have great happy hour options that's actually worth going to. read more

Great indoor/outdoor vibe, the patio is dog friendly and there's plenty of heaters for a brisk San Diego evening. The portions are small but prepared thoughtfully and encourage ordering lots to share. The wine was delicious and our server was on point. Will definitely be back again soon - this is a major upgrade from what was here before (I can't even remember - some Irish dive bar maybe?). read more

Food was incredible. Their raw dishes were my favorite. They have great fish quality everything was very fresh. The service was amazing, our server went above and beyond to explain different dishes they offered. They have an outside/indoors area, it is perfect for a sunny day and great wines too! I can't wait to go back read more

I absolutely love this relatively new (~1yr) addition to Hillcrest. I don't write a ton of reviews, but I can't really shut up about my wonderful experiences at Cellar Hand, so here we are. We've eaten here a number of times, including a wine maker dinner (these are great events!). The first thing you're going to notice at Cellar Hand is the warm hospitality. Everyone working there is a treat to interact with. The space is warm, cozy and intimate. Each time we go, we sit in the sort-of back area, and to get there you walk past the open kitchen. As you pass the kitchen, you'll get a glimpse into your future - you can see the chefs at work, putting so much care into each dish. I have seen instances where several people are huddled over one plate, making sure each dish is exactly right. Please try whatever the head chef has that is special that night, you will be rewarded. The regular menu is also always changing due to the season and availability of local products. A few tips for ordering: 1. Try anything (everything?) that comes with their fresh baked pita; 2. The pastas are standouts; 3. The seafood dishes across the board (raw, conservas, and mains) are always so thoughtful and surprising in a way that I don't think is being done quite the same any where else in San Diego (to my knowledge - I would love to be proven wrong). Definitely ask your server for wine recommendations - they have been extremely helpful in my experience in finding something to pair specifically with our order. We have not tried their brunch menu but it looks fantastic and I am excited to do that very soon. All in all, I give this place high marks for food and as a place to go to catch up with friends/family in a friendly environment. read more

Food was delicious and staff was very attentive. We went for weekend brunch and got the brioche toast, whipped tahina, schnitzel, and shakshuka. I would recommend them all! read more

The food was amazing and it is a must place to dine and experience exemplary service. We had brunch this past Sunday and it surpassed our expectations. We tried the Brunchy Burger, Bluefin Schnitzel, Sushito Toast, and Tahina. We also tried their specialty mimosas and sangrias. We were also treated to some of the local produce they serve, fresh from the basket -- from a farmers market nearby. Ambiance is perfect and very relaxing. read more

Awwww Warren the MGR just ruined it ! Steven behind the bar is wonderful unfortunately a victim of a horrible manager that does not enable his staff to take care of his patrons . So my first impression was cut short as I was publicly shamed by Warren because I sent back a cold dish of agnolotti and in such a nice way since it was my first visit I simply asked if it was to be served cold as the bottom of the bowl was warmed but the sauce was cold and almost gelatinous . Poor Steven was met by such unjust criticism from the kitchen staff that he had to go to Warren poor Steven , Warren then came directly to me and as opposed of apologizing and saying for example we will have a fresh order made for you asked me if I would Like to order something else because there was nothing wrong with that pasta . OMG talking about being shamed ... his behavior overshadowed all of the food . But great venue and interesting menu - get a new GM or manager because we don't tolerate such bad service in Hillcrest we get fantastic service from Inside out , Baja Betty's to white elephant , Trust , inside out , tavola nostra , cocina de barrio , crest cafe , hash , MO's , Ortegas - la vecindad , just to name a few. Do better cellar hand . read more

I've been here twice, and I adore it! I think it's reasonably priced for the quality of the food, especially since it's sourced locally. Wonderful service as well read more

Cellar Hand - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Absolutely incredible! Everything was so fresh & so flavorful. We came for happy hour but tried almost everything we could because it was that good. When they say hyperlocal, they truly mean it!!! Service was great as well. Definitely a hidden gem in Hillcrest! read more

Very nice ambiance. Food and service was very good. If I lived in the area, I would go all the time.

Ashley the chef rocks! We went Sunday afternoon when they only serve brunch and enjoyed the dishes we chose but we were missing some protein. She offered us her black cod preserve with hot home made cracker which was the best dish we had. Thank you Ashley. Both our servers were also kind and efficient. We had a pleasant experience overall. read more