Walked around the area a bit trying to figure out a place to eat at. Most places had a wait time, but Fernside was quick with turning around the tables. Plus the people waiting to pick up their to-go orders made the line look a lot longer than what it really was. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich that came with the crosscut waffles fries. Such a good choice! The chicken meat was a large portion and a good amount of fries. The coleslaw in the sandwich was a tasteful touch. My friend ordered a salad (she was being good!) and really liked her salad as well. Large portion as well. Next time coming back for drinks and the drink menu sounded good. read more

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Love this place for a good hang with friends. Can get very crowded at times for a table but can still order drinks while you wait. Lots of good looking food but am a big fan of the cheeseburger. Maybe top 3 in SD. Def top 5. Excellent with the waffle fries and ranch. Fried chicken sandwich is also worth it. read more

Fernside is fairly nondescript as it doesn't really posess an obvious sign but it's open setup and location on the corner of Fern and Grape are automatic attractors. I would describe the atmosphere as very laid back and unpretentious. We were even able to sit anywhere when we came in however this made it difficult for the waitresses to know who needed to be served. We were ignored for at least 15 minutes before anyone would help us and we actually had to be fairly aggressive about getting them to stop and take our order. They advertise their cocktails heavily, other wise they have a small food menu, mostly consisting of shareables, burgers, and the like. I liked that they had a dog friendly, open patio. The environs were a bit in contrast with our initial interaction but thankfully we did order eventually. I had the *Cobra Clutch* (mezcal, tequila, lime, cane, absinthe). $11 seemed about right for this cocktail and although there was visibly a ton off ice, it was actually rather strong. The mezcal packed the punch and the absinthe gave out this dangerous herbal character to further mask the alcohol. I believe I also had the *Pointy Boots* for $10. This drink with tequila sure was on the bitter side but the bitter rind character of the grapefruit did make it refreshing in the end. What we didn't experience in service was made up for with their drinks. It was perfect for what we needed since we only wanted a quick, casual sip. read more

Fernside - Cobra clutch - mezcal, tequila, lime, cane, absinthe ($11) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Second time eating here, and now it's like, "Why don't we come here more often"?? We've snuck by here a couple of times to grab-n-go a couple of their tasty (and boozy) slushies to sneak into Target on the occasional grocery run hehe.. but this is the second time trying the food. Dissuaded by the past couple years of Covid fuckery, I will be the first to admit that I've avidly avoided some of my favorite restaurants, and especially avoided trying new places until the smoke cleared to my liking.. and by that, I mean all of the masks, rules, and bullshit.. but, that being said, it is finally nice to have local places to casually enjoy once again. The food has been good on both visits.. the first time (pre-Covid, I think) we split a burger and fries.. nothing mind blowing, but I remember it being a good, tasty burger, no bad memories. Tonight, we split the fried chicken sandwich with coleslaw (pickles and jalapeños on the side) and an order of crusty cauliflower (Buffalo sauce and ranch on the side).. and, it hit the spot! Big, perfectly breaded and fried chicken breast, served hot on a tasty bun.. And, I like how they serve the fried cauliflower dry, so that it stays crispy (crusty lol), and you can dip it at your leisure. The jalapeños weren't too spicy, and I believe their pickles are house brined.. either way, everything was delicious, and made for a nice, casual evening of people and dog watching.. Washed it all down with a Maple bottom Jeans boilermaker (Whistle Pig whisky and Cider).. whether or not I'll have maple bottom jeans later has yet to be determined.. However, I do look forward to returning here to try some more of their tasty food. read more

Fernside - Fried chicken sandwich w/ crusty cauliflower.. plenty of dipping' sauce on the side.. delicious! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

We were really surprised with Fernside (in a good way!) I haven't been here since before the pandemic, and they seemed to really change things around. First off, it's all counter-service. You place your order at the front, you're given a buzzer, and then seat yourself. You pick up your food and drinks when notified. It's nothing fancy, but it's solid bar food and they have a nice happy hour menu. I love that the whole place was dog friendly, and the guy that took our order was super friendly and patient. I wouldn't come here for an intimate dinner date, but for a chill hangout to grab quick food and fun drinks, it's definitely a hit. And give the alcoholic slushies a try, it's a lot of fun! read more

Fernside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The food was great! We ordered the Italian sando and the nacho fries! Both were delicious! I believe the sando was one of the best veggie sandwiches ever. It is a bit loud , but that is the vibe and it was great. We had excellent service and we enjoyed our evening! read more

Visiting from Ft. Lauderdale, and I wish there was a spot as cool as this place back home. Good vibes all around, nice people working there, make good recommendations, and lots of nice TVs to watch a game. I really liked this place and if I ever am in SD again, I would love to go and try a different item off the menu. On this visit, I had the Fancy Grilled Cheese. Very tasty. Waffle fries were awesome. The one sauce, I had for my fries, it was their take on a famous California fast food joint's sauce, and it was very, very good. Location is great within a cool neighborhood. Good spot. read more

I enjoyed this place immensely. I was warmly greeted by the host at the front of the restaurant. A fun time in a relaxed environment. Fun cocktails and slushees. Inspired me to purchase the branded double walled cup. I had the wedge salad- delicious! I will definitely be back soon! read more

It was ok. South Park vibes with open patio resto bar. Corner shop makes it fun to people watch. I came with a party of 5 + baby and we sat in the corner patio. The server was kind and nice, but the food was just ok. The table ordered an avo toast, breakfast burrito, French toast, Fernside burger and two brunch fried rices with fried chicken add ons. The avo toast was sub-par for the price you pay. You only get one toast, not two. The French toast came with two pieces of toast. The breakfast burrito was ok... The Fernside burger was good, juicy and soft. The brunch fried rice was ok. The add on fried chicken had excessive breading. All in all, it was ok. Not sure if I would come back. & FYI: parking is street side. read more

Fernside - Brunch fried rice with fried chicken add on! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I'm shocked to see 4.5 average star rating for this place. Very limited food menu, though there are 20 or so beers on tap. Service was fair at best. Our waiter took drink and food orders and never came back except to deliver the check. My arugula salad wad supposed to have garlic shrimp.... Did they run out of garlic???? Half pounder lived up to expectations. Fish and chips were HEAVILY breaded and fried, like a fried corn dog. With so many bars that serve food..... I won't be returning. read more

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Fernside has stellar service and drinks, with some pretty decent bar food considering it's primarily a hangout. The servers are all awesome, wait time to get in is really good, and the drinks are outstanding. The bartenders do all these little tweaks, like a fresh rosemary sprig in a gin and tonic, or things you might not expect but taste great (and they can do more classic drinks if you ask). They have plenty of unique liquors and liqueurs, plus a good beer and cider selection. Overall, we come here pretty often and will absolutely return because it's a lot of fun, with an atmosphere that's perfect for chatting with friends, and it has an indoor/outdoor section with open walls so there's plenty of fresh air. It's the top of my list for going out for drinks with friends. read more

I want to love this place. It's a solid, dog-friendly, neighborhood hang. There's never a wait and people are always chill. However, the menus rarely change and they don't do daily or weekly specials. I have lived within walking distance for almost five years; I would eat here every other week except I cannot keep eating the buffalo cauliflower and wings. Please consider new food and drinks! read more

Great place to hang out and meet up with friends or people watch. Love the slushee and drinks to go! Im definitely coming back! read more

Fernside - Slushees - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Breakfast sandwich was an enormous amount of food and really good. The burger, not so much. Despite being visually appealing (think Big Mac) it was flavorless and cardboard like. I didn't finish it but the waffle fries were tasty. Open air seating with a decent sized bar. You order at the front window. Grab a seat and then pick up your food when the pager buzzes. read more

My cousins and I decided to check this place out when I was in town for the weekend last month. They live in North Park and had been wanting to check it out, and it seems that many others wanted to check it out that Saturday night, because it was packed! Note: It was a Saturday night after all! LOL We walked inside and they didn't have a greeter/host, so we started walking around trying to find an open table. My cousins even went on their patio to the right and realized that it was a private party- oops, sorry to interrupt! A waitress eventually found us and asked if we would like to sit on the other patio which has a long counter out in the open air, but with heaters, so that was nice since it was a bit chilly. I was concerned that since it was so busy and hard to find someone at first, we wouldn't get our orders in, but I will say that the staff was very attentive for our food orders! A little later into the evening we did have to ask for more water and they didn't deliver the correct bill, but they charged us for the right food on the copy of the bill that we had to sign, so it didn't impact us that much. The fancy grilled cheese I got was a little bland, I think it could've used a sweet element like a fig jelly or something because I've had something similar like that before! But I really enjoyed the fries (my cousins thought they were a bit over salted.) Overall, we had a nice time, it was a busy night, and the service was pretty good, so I will have to see if my cousins return. Clearly, the place was busy enough to be doing well, so that's good for them! read more

Fernside - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Didn't know this place existed. We came here all the way from San Carlos on a whim when we saw it on SD Burger week. WOOOOOWWWIIEEE what a wonderful surprise. It may have been the June gloom but The restaurant looks and feels like it was ported directly from Portland OR or Seattle WA. To me, the menu read very upscale diners drive ins and dives. There was pate, fish and chips, and even a drink called the cornholio. Very fun and wonderfully reflective of South Park. The burger is fantastic. Better than Station Tavern, as good as Hodads (I don't think Hodad's is very good). Close to Rocky's. Seriously. It's close to Rocky's!!!!! My wife had the fish and chips which were great. They also have housemade pickles, ranch, and remoulade. If I lived in South Park or North Park I'd probably be here at least once a week. read more

Fernside - fernburger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

They have excellent food and the over all venue itself is nice the service is a little questionable the staff seemed inconvenienced by taking orders or if you asked for anything. But over all it was a decent experience I'd be willing to give the staff another shot and see if maybe I just caught them on an off day. Worth a try id say. read more

loved this spot! the fries are sooooo bomb and the vibes are superb. def recommend the fried cauliflower!!

Parking is street only. Expect to walk a few blocks. Service was a bit slow, there was only one waiter for more than 10 tables, def could have used another as it was even more packed after we left. Server was very kind though and stopped by to check on us a few times. Side of brown sugar bacon was amazing, highly recommend. My fav item. Fernside burger with waffle fries: good. A little bit dry. Egg was perfect. Biscuits and gravy add chicken: omg this was an insane amount of food. I did not like the flavor of the gravy or the sausage in the gravy as the texture of it was a little odd. Biscuit was good, chicken a little dry. Def a share plate as the gravy flavor gets overwhelming after a little bit. Adding the chicken makes this entree a great value, do it! Overall the experience was okay, some items good, some only okay. Def worth a visit. read more

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Took a day trip from LA to San Diego to see Beautifica 360. We arrived in San Diego around 2:00 p.m. The show didn't start until 7:30 p.m. Searched Yelp and up popped Fernside. I had the sliders, nacho fries, and spicy wings. The sliders and fries were delicious. I did not like the spicy wings, they were not spicy and had no seasoning. When closing my tab, the guy that took my order asked me how I liked the food. I was honest and said I didn't like the wings. He took the wings off the bill, which I didn't expect or ask for, but it was very nice of him and I appreciated the gesture. Both servers were very helpful and friendly. Dining is very casual and they allow dogs in the dining area, which was a turn off for me. I love dogs, I just don't want to dine with them! I was so hungry, I didn't take pictures. Overall, the food I did like was really good and service was outstanding. read more

We had a great time until we had to hear about how the little mermaid should'nt be black. I understand that the establishment can't help what their customers put out. Yet, I'm tired of these folks and I'm biracial myself (white, black) If anyone knows who these folks are that participate in anti-blackness. Let me know. To know some are "model"minorities is also interesting. Other than that I really like Fernside although their customers aren't the friendliest. I'd like to go back once I get back from bootcamp with my husband and daughter. However, if hate rules the day, the day will be lost. I hope to never see these folks here again and if it's a must , it'll be a must I trust to stay away... read more

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Stoked to try Fernside last night after the place opened about three weeks ago. Great staff, great cocktails, and food that looks and smells amazing. I went with a buddy just for one cocktail and we both got the Mr. Robinson. I was sold when I read peanut infused bourbon. Though I couldn't taste it in the drink, the cucumber serrano bitters definitely came through even though it was accidentally left off the menu. I'm glad I like spicy drinks! I was so tempted to try the Old Fernside but I will save that for another night. Especially because I was told the kitchen is open until midnight, and I've been known to eat an 11pm meal... often... Our drinks were made by Christian who as it turned out is not just a bartender but a partner in the bar. His resume is really quite impressive, and I was honored to have my drink made by him. Cool vibe at the bar, too, where we ended up chatting with a few other patrons. I hope the bar stays active on weeknights after it's been open a few months. If so, I may have come down the hill more often. read more

Fernside - Mr. Robinson - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Fernside is no doubt a great addition to the South Park community. I happen on a early Friday evening for dinner after work, and I ordered the Fernside Burger at a medium temp and a local draft lager. The burger also came with a side of waffle fries for $10. The burger came doubled up with two smashed up beef patties. They were not only cooked nicely to my desired temperature, but they tasted great and offered that terrific natural beef flavor. Everything else on the burger was great, but I was not very inspired by the bun. The cheese was perfectly melted and tasty, the house cured pickles offered a light crisp flavor, and the shredded lettuce was fresh. The house aioli sauce was very good and not overly aggressive which allowed the beef to shine. As for the bun, it was good, but was missing that correct texture. It was a bit on the dry side and took away from the quality of the burger. I wish it had that light crust and soft moist center. It had a nice flavor. The first attempt on the waffle fries was not very good. They were under done and not very warm, so my server asked the kitchen to re-fire me a new batch. The second batch were great. They arrived piping hot and had that great yellow golden color, not whitish. Also, they they were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. I had the waffle fries with some of their sauces. The Ketchup was well, just ketchup, and the BBQ or Fernside sauce was decent, but the blue cheese really needed some help. It was unfortunately broken and quite watered down. This sauce should be thick and creamy with nice little chunks of blue cheese mixed in. What happened? Service was very good. The lady who served me was high spirited and quite friendly. I really liked the place, hence the four stars, but they do need some refining in my opinion. read more

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Came here and meet new people, there is happy hour here from 5-630pm I think. The portion sized for the happy hour dish are plentiful. And it is a popular place among the crowd, nice vibe. And the counter service is pretty cool. You ordered before you can sit anywhere, and when you go pick up you drinks the inner counter already got your order ready or the foods. It's pretty sweet setup. Happy hours do get crowded for sure! read more

A great casual place to bring a group and your dog. We came on St. Patricks Day. They had great themed drinks and menu items. The food was delicious. They are also known for their alcoholic slushies which were a hit amongst our group. We showed up early and the bar was pretty packed but seats came up relatively quickly. You can grab a drink while you wait. Definitely recommend for a casual night out. read more

Don't get me wrong, we absolutely love this place. But he food is great and so are the cocktails. The servers and bartenders could not be better. But it's time to retire the ordering table at the entrance. It just isn't working anymore. read more

All My fries were so over cooked they're hard as a rock. It's obvious that they're burnt, not sure why anyone thought it was okay to serve these to someone. They knew it was a to go order so I had to drive home before realizing it. My burger was overdone as well. It's disappointing. read more

Fernside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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My go to place for lunch or dinner! Great drinks and I can always find a place to sit. The staff is genuine and kind not all snobby. The food is super tasty and you can find something for everyone. My fav is either the wings or the burger! Lord the fries though....i love sitting outside to watch everyone walk by too. read more

Great vibe and great service in a different concept than I am used to. When arriving to Fernside there is a line outside with a server who immediately takes your order, which is then completed by the bar or kitchen staff. You then proceed to your table and wait for your order to be made so you can retrieve it. It a self-service concept in a cool neighborhood spot in South Park San Diego. The staff was very helpful and friendly in supporting our maiden voyage at Fernside. They were also very responsive and extremely friendly. We enjoyed the place so much we went back for a night cap the next night. We indulged in wings, which were spicy and the Not a Philly Cheesesteak, that was a tasty sando. Really enjoyed the vibe, staff and treats at Fernside and plan on returning on my next trip to San Diego! read more

This is a cute spot if you live in the neighborhood but I don't think I'll make the two mile trek to drink slightly better than mediocre drinks. And I was borderline horrified by the hotdog which ended up being some sort of crumbly sausage in a hot dog bun. The criss cut fries were fine but should have been crispier. read more

Fernside - The hot dog that was more sausage (crumbly) than dog - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This was a little to hipster for me. Couldn't understand the drink and shots. The food menu nothing was sounding tempting. So we ordered waffle fries, again what the menu says and what we got = not what we expected. The whole time eating them we talked about how it could have been better. First off the gravy or guacamole. Pick just one because both was weird as hell. The waffle fries needed to be seasoned. Literally someone opened a bag and Cooked them, that's what we got. We decided to not order anything else, finished our drinks and headed to anther spot. read more

Fernside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I had heard Fernside had one of the best burgers in San Diego. I had it on my food "bucket list". My friend was craving a burger so we decided on Fernside. Wow this was certainly one of the best burgers I have had in San Diego. Right up there with some heavy hitters I wont mention as not to cast a shadow on Fernside. I also thought their beer selection was on point. They had Paulaner hef on tap, Ft Point, and a stout I cant remember at the moment. An all-star staff rounded it all out. It was great! I DEFINITELY recommend this place. read more

- Businesses operating during the pandemic, "Thank You" review #23* - Who: Fernside What: We stopped by Fernside to grab a bite before hitting the dog park in this neighborhood, and it turned out to be an amazing pandemic find! They're doing michelada and other cocktail kits to-go as well as these incredible adult slushies served in kid's-meal-looking cups. They're super discreet so it was perfect to sip on while we watched our pups run around the park. Additional: If you've been fighting off people at Costco for toilet paper the past few weeks, they actually have it for sale here as well. - *As long as the world is in an unpredictable place with the coronavirus dictating our lives and schedules, I'm going to review businesses who are still operating to provide us some sense of normalcy, and this is one of those reviews. My reviews will be 100% positive when clearly indicated with the "Businesses during the pandemic" header and footer. Feel free to steal the format and do the same for the hard working businesses that you come across. - Danny W read more

Fernside - Michelada Kits - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great place to chill and catch up with friends. Enjoyed the sliders, "diet" burger, and buffalo wings. The b&b pickles were the absolute BEST! Lots of cute doggos, families, and groups of various ages enjoying their Friday. This is a self service establishment that was clean and relaxing. Will definitely come back! read more

Super disappointed of our to go order last night. The lemonade was slightly flavored water that my GD did not drink. (She normally loves it). And my vegan burger tasted like it was a week old and slightly reheated. Completely cold. The biggest bummer is that I didn't tip. (We walked up to order outside and picked up 10 minutes later) and I feel like they "stick it to us because of not tipping) read more

PANDEMIC EDITION REVIEW My lady had another burger craving. She saw that Fernside came up in her search results. They happened to recently win the award for Best Burger in San Diego. We've had our go-to's such as In-N-Out, Burger Lounge, and The Balboa, but we've never had the one from Fernside. They are located at the old South Park Abbey location, at the corner of Fern & Grape, across the street from Piacere Mio. The main condition I'd mention about their burger is that it seems to be best eaten fresh off the grill. When I showed up to pick up our order, I showed up about a few minutes after the it had been ready. I brought it back home and we dug right in. We definitely enjoyed it, and I honestly felt it was prepared just right for me. It's hard for me to determine if this would have won the award for best burger in San Diego, but it's definitely in the running. Aside from that, I was glad to take home a nice bottle of draft beer to go with my food. It came in a glass bottle that holds the equivalent of about 2 beers. Parking: Street. Since the pandemic closures started, parking has been fairly easy to find. I even claim that it had been simple to find it during "ordinary" times. FYI: - Call the businesses directly to place orders rather than use Yelp or GrubHub. That way, they avoid paying extra fees for those services when they deserve to keep as much of their revenue as possible. - Pick-up orders tend to be prepared fairly quickly, so if you live close to them, don't wait before heading there. Not to put pressure on them in this aspect, but they're really on it! One of these days, we will dine-in when the occasion comes up. read more

Have picked up a few dishes from Fernside. Really recommend their shrimp fried rice, but I have the sauce on side since they use quite a bit and I like to monitor my sauce input. Delicious! read more

I had the best time at Fernside yesterday for lunch. I was at Target right across from there and told myself I'd stay if I found parking fast. I did so I stayed. Parking seems to be limited but it's not you just have check the side streets. You order first and then sit down so I decided to have a glass of wine and decide on food later. I had the Callia Malbec. So good. For lunch I had the pulled pork sandwich which was delicious. The flavor of the meat was so tasty. It was exactly what I was hoping for in a pulled pork sandwich. I wanted the waffle fries but got the leafy green salad. The dressing blew me away. It was the best side salad ever and only for a $1 up charge. Steal. So worth it. On top of the great food, the atmosphere was lively and fun. The music wasn't too loud and there were cute dogs around. The service was impeccable. McClain at the bar was so friendly and hospitable. I can easily become a regular here. All around A+ for Fernside. I'll be back :). read more

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A visit to Fernside is a must when we are in town. Always a great experience! The hostess greeted us at the door and was so helpful in helping us plan our order. I got the BBQ sliders this time and they were amazing! I am already looking forward to our next visit! read more

Great neighborhood spot for upscale pub food. We loved the wedge salad, sliders and wings. Fun bar scene with great staff! No table when we got there but they opened a tab and we got seating pretty soon after ordering drinks. Also, super great fan site for the Padres game on a Wildcard night. We will definitely be back! read more

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