It was our first time back at Uptown Tavern in a while, and it did not disappoint. We grabbed seats at the bar, and Mulan ( Spelling) was our bartender the MVP . Even with the Sunday Funday crowd packing the gayborhood, she kept the drinks flowing, the energy high, and the service on point. The food was great, the service was even better, and the vibe was absolutely vibing thanks to the DJ. read more

Uptown Tavern - Stay hydrated. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

I always come here for happy hour food and the atmosphere. It is a LBGTQ bar that surprisingly serves not only great drinks but also good food. We had the buffalo chicken Cesar wrap and the LGBLT sandwich or something like that. They were both really good. We have also had their 5 spice wings that are also good. Fair warning it can get crowded as it gets later in the night so be aware of that if that's not your thing. They also serve seasonal specialty drinks as well which are usually tasty and super cute. read more

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Great place to unwind after a long day. My sister took me here. The drink pours are generous if you know what I mean. For munchie foods I ate fries and veggie sliders; they were both good. The service is exceptional and in a great location. My only critique was that I was underneath an A/C vent so I was a little cold as the evening wore on. Besides that, I loved it! read more

Uptown Tavern - Drinks with my sister - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

This place does not have very many vegetarian options. However, the veggie patty sliders, they had beats in the patty and I LOVE BEATS. The sliders were a bit dry but the flavor was delicious. The noise levels were a bit high. There was indoor and outdoor seating but there wasn't much of a divide from inside to outside so I feel like there was still a nice breeze inside. The decorations were very fun, I liked the energy of the space. Plus there is no parking lot, it is all street parking. Jerad our server was and he was kind and attentive. Our food came out very quickly. read more

Uptown Tavern - Veggie sliders - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

The food here is pretty decent and it's a seriously fun place to hang out. On Fridays and weekends the crowd evolves over the night, which is kind of neat and it's great for people watching. The servers are incredible. Their memories for repeat customers and their orders is phenomenal. I do really like this place a lot. read more

Our server is always amazing! He is why we return every week for happy hour. They have a pretty good happy hour too

Ambiance is great, I love the set up! We sat and looked over the menu, which we loved! Between the brussel sprouts, pretzel, and the steak frites it was hard to choose. I ended up getting a unicorn mule, and a virgin one for my partner. Both were really good! We also got the pretzel with house cheese dip, which may have been the best pretzel and cheese I have ever had in my life. No joke, I am a connoisseur after all. We also got the potatoe skins! My only complaint with the food was it was a tad greasy, but also what do you expect for fried and bar foods. The only reason this isn't a five star review, was the service. Our waitress looked less then pleased to be waiting on us and just us Since she was friendly with so many others. Will return for the food and drinks, but maybe lower our expectations for service. read more

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I come here often and it's always a fun, reliable spot. The drinks are consistently good, and the steak and eggs is one of my go to orders. Portions are generous and satisfying. Sundays get very busy, but that adds to the energy and makes it feel like a true day spot. Service keeps up well with the crowd and the vibe stays lively. It's somewhere I enjoy returning to and bringing friends for an easy, social meal. read more

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I had dined at this restaurant located on University Avenue in Hillcrest a number of years ago. However, recently i re-visted on several occasions to see what was on the new menu that I had heard about from friends. When I have gone to the Uptown Tavern recently, I have decided to dine at tehthe bar each time. The bar is a big square located in the center of the dining room. I was also told about a new lounge in the back. However, I understand the back lounge is designated for private parties, so I have not yet been back there. The menu is more comprehensive than I had expected. There are a number of salads and sandwiches, all of which sounded very interesting. There is also a Happy Hour Menu if you dine early. One of the bartenders told me also that the brunch at the Uptown Tavern is very popular with locals. read more

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This place is always busy and they have amazing like pub grub bar food... My favorite is the five spice chicken wings, but they also do a great slider! They also have hummus with pita bread and vegetables, that is very good, and of course they make great cocktails! This place used to be the old Ono sushi and they have a little room in the back, I believe that can be rented out for private parties? I've attended a couple things there, so I assume they still do that. read more

Came in to celebrate a friend's birthday. Place was poppin'! Food was pretty decent, nothing spectacular, nothing bad. Service was really great though. Very friendly staff and attentive on drinks. Ambiance is chill, fun, loud, and great for groups. read more

We were a bit parched so we tried Uptoen Tavern on a Friday night. It was busy but we were seated very quickly. We wanted refreshing and a splash of fruit. The server asked us to let him pick the drinks so we did. Yummmm-eeeee. Both we're amazing. We enjoyed our drinks and wanted just a bit more but we didn't want two full drinks. We asked if we could order one drink and split it and wahoo, they did it. All around a great place for food and drinks. Enjoy! read more

Uptown Tavern - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Made a pit stop in here after dinner to grab drinks with our friends before heading home, and it was a very fun spot with a nice crowd! Good diversity of drinks, along with fun bartenders and people. Definitely would be fun to come again! read more

Started coming here a few months ago after the gym. We were hooked after our first Friday happy hour. Their specials are perfect. Always get a seat at the bar. Everyone we have met is so friendly, whether is a random person sitting next to us or a member of the staff! read more

Uptown Tavern - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

"I'M WITH THE BARTENDER..." (5 stars) The Hillcrest place you go to pregame before stepping out to the scenes. - FOOD: good bar food - PRICE: fair - SERVICE: spectacular - VIBE: fun and lively We stopped in during prime time (around 8p) and it was busy! Lots of hot gay boys filled the bar - predominantly male scene. I'm not gay but them boys would make me wish I was a gay boy. Everyone seems like a regular here and everyone was so darn friendly and welcoming. I felt the positive fun vibes here and foresee myself coming through more often. A friend is a bartender here and I see why she loves her work. Decided to do a surprise visit - it's my first time in the scene outside of pride. :: FOOD :: TRADITIONAL BUFFALO WINGS ($14) - Served with pickled celery and house made buttermilk ranch. Got the sauce on the side. I love me some chicken wings! They were average but delicious. HIGHLY RECOMMEND TAVERN SLIDERS ($15) - 3 Angus patties with cheddar cheese, house-made pickles, ketchup, and garlic aioli served on Hawaiian rolls. Plumpy little bite size burgers served with a thick patty. The fries it came with were seasoned well and crispy. RECOMMEND CHICKEN STRIPS BASKET ($17.50) - Crispy, hand-battered chicken strips and fries, served with house made ketchup and buttermilk ranch. Our friend recommended this, although a lot of food was already ordered and yet to be consumed this was ordered on top of that because it's the "popular" item many people order. It came with 3 gigantic very breaded pieces of chicken. While popular amongst everyone else who orders this it was just ok for me. Very giving potions doesn't always make up what lacks and I felt that something in this dish lacked and didn't wow me. I think I prefer naked chicken wings. BERRY DRINK - I asked for "something fruity, cocktaily... with gin" and was served a big drink that tasted refreshing and fruity!!! I will leave the mixology up to the pros, I trust their judgements. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Will def be back. JABA APPROVED. Until the next time... read more

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I love this spot. Food is good, the drinks are great and the staff is always friendly. I love the patio, it's giving what it needs to give!

Hosted my husbands birthday in the back private area that was renovated last year and we had a BLAST. Approximately 40 people(ish) stopped by and we had plenty of space. Jessica made sure to set up a menu with MORE THAN ENOUGH food for everyone even took into consideration my husbands allergies. It was very easy to set up and we corresponded through text. The day of, they had everything set up even stored the cake we brought in. Everything went smoothly! Danika took great care of the entire party's beverages. Danika was quick, professional, and very SWEET. I highly recommend Uptown Tavern for any special events is was a great celebration. Thank you to the staff for everything read more

What a fun gay bar with good food and service. We sat on the patio and it was good people watching. They have umbrellas for shade which was needed. The steak and eggs were excellent. The quality of the meat was impressive for a breakfast meal. I ordered it medium rare and it came very rare but after I sent it back, it came back quick and it was perfect! Everyone else loved there food with the exception of the chicken strips. That was not terrible but nothing special. So many other good choices to chose from. The service was fantastic and especially because of how busy they were! read more

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My friend and I both had the avocado toast. Amazing flavor and ingredients like no other! You have to try it! 5 Star service as well! The host Andrew was amazing! He created a fun atmosphere while assisting all the tables with refills, clearing plates, and whatever else was needed. Well, done Uptown! read more

Uptown Tavern - Best Avocado Toast anywhere! - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

I think I hopped here with a friend after we visited Gossip Grill and I initially sat at the bar to order my usual vodka soda. If I recall correctly, we decided to sip our last drinks of the night here while pondering where we could score some late night food since the kitchen was closed. It was a slow weeknight and I remember the drinks being super stiff. You can't really compete with the overload of fun coming from Gossip Grill next door but if you're a straight girl down to relive your high school memories of being friendzoned by super hot gay guys all night, it's totally worth stopping by if you're passing through for a drink or two. read more

Did not stop their usual techno for superbowl half time with Rihanna.... while they did give headsets for people watching the game and show, which was nearly everyone), their DJ did not stop or lowered the regular music. I do not recommend the Tavern for Super Bowl. It could have been handled much better. read more

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Chill spot to grab some drinks in Hillcrest, but the focus of this review is on their Parmesan fries. Them fries were fire. It could be because I get the munchies when I'm on a good buzz LOL or they were really that fire. It was crispy on the outside, good sized and perfectly seasoned. I'm not much of a drinker, more like a social drinker these days, but I may just come back for some more of them fries. read more

Uptown Tavern - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great time at uptown. Always friendly and fun service. Delicious drinks. And you can catch the football game. read more

Uptown Tavern - Hot Mess Mezcal cocktail - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Only been here for happy hour but i'm a fan! Got the berry moscow mule ($6) during happy hour, which was refreshing and not cloying sweet. Definitely my new favorite drink. We also got the parmesan french fries which was delicious - crispy, nicely flavored. The portions were generous and more than enough for 3 people to share. I like that the restaurant has an open air door but they also have an outdoor seating area as well. We didn't have to wait to be seated. Good service! read more

Uptown Tavern - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

An absolute gem! Not only is the atmosphere vibrant and welcoming, but the food is also top-notch. It's not often you find a bar where the menu shines this much--everything I tried was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Plus, their specials are fantastic, offering great value without compromising quality. Whether you're stopping by for a meal, drinks, or just a fun night out, this place truly delivers. The staff is super friendly, the crowd is always lively, and there's a sense of community that makes you want to stay all night. Highly recommend! read more

It was Okay. Drinks okay. Atmosphere, Okay. A bunch okay people around us too. I'd say, all and all... okay. JK! This place is amazing Scott. Always on point. Friendly staff. Considerate food menu with many options. read more

Uptown Tavern - An okay drink. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

A Neighborhood Gem: Oreo is the Best! If you ever find yourself at Uptown Tavern, do yourself a favor and grab a drink from Oreo! From the moment you walk in, Oreo makes you feel like family--greeting everyone with a warm smile, a quick-witted joke, and the kind of energy that turns an ordinary night into something unforgettable. Not only is Oreo a master of mixology, crafting delicious cocktails with effortless skill, but they also have a knack for knowing exactly what you need--whether it's a strong drink, a listening ear, or just a fun conversation. They keep the vibe lively, the drinks flowing, and the crowd coming back for more. It's rare to find a bartender who can create an experience beyond just great service, but Oreo does it every time. They bring the heart and soul to Uptown, making it a true safe haven for the community. Cheers to Oreo--San Diego's best! read more

Outstanding experience! I was blown away by how heavenly the food and cocktails were. Brandon was a great server. The patio was a nice setting during the late afternoon. I will most definitely be returning. My friend and I had finished visiting the zoo so we wanted a place to sit and enjoy a meal with a tasty cocktail. I found UT through Yelp. When we arrived there were only two tables on the patio available. We couldn't have planned it better as ten minutes later there was at least three groups itching for a spot. Brandon was welcoming and helpful. Since this was our first time, he was open with answering our questions and offering suggestions. I ordered the Uptown Girl (cocktail). I was sold when I saw vodka and St. Germaine. I can take a strong cocktail but this one knocked me on my ass -- in a good way. It did not taste strong but after three sips, I was feeling no pain. Had I consumed another one, I probably would have been on the floor. It was delicious. I will order it again. LOL. For food, we ordered the crispy brussel sprouts, Tavern chicken and waffles and Tavern Mac. This food was fantastic. Everything was perfect for sharing. I am not a fan of brussel sprouts but when I saw bacon, I had to try them. OMG! These were so good. I could eat brussel sprouts every day if they were cooked like this. I was eating my green vegetables so I didn't feel quite as guilty. The vinaigrette was a nice complement to the bacon and Asiago cheese. The serving size is HUGE! For the chicken and waffles, we cut the waffle in half and each of us got two pieces of chicken. The tempura on the chicken was light and crispy. The syrup added a tiny bit of sweetness. The pasta was just as tasty. Great combination of cheeses and more bacon! We were chowing down and ate a lot. I was pleasantly shocked that we were both able to take home two of the three items as leftovers. Thank you to all of my fellow elite Yelpers. You did not steer me wrong. read more

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Didn't have the food but the drinks were top notch and the crowd is vibrant it's a very NYC atmosphere.

Quick & friendly service. Food was made to order and really great for a bar. We went the day of the Rock N Roll marathon so people were definitely celebrating if you know what I mean read more

Uptown Tavern - Brussel sprouts - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Service is fast, friendly and efficient. The place has both a large bar, a back room for reservations or several table along the sides of the restaurant/bar and a nice outdoor patio. The food is top notch here!!! Brussels sprouts and chicken sandwich are famous. This bar is doing a lot right. The server Brandan is the best, so sweet and friendly I'll be returning soon. read more

Experienced ableism and transphobia from Taylor and then the manager continued to invalidate the fact that Taylor laughed in face for asking for some space because Taylor laughed at me and no accountability was taken for Taylor repeatedly misgendering. The manager continued to state "we didnt mean to offend you I dont want to go in circles" but was not holding or being accountable for an employee laughing in my face making fun of me for asking for space as I was masked and Taylor was not. read more

The new patio is quite awesome. And the weather was gorgeous, so there was a bit of a fun spring break vibe throughout, since all the doors were open. Loud music, fun patrons- everything you'd expect! Excellent service even though it was quite busy. We enjoy many glasses of wine and sangria, plus a few appetizers. We didn't feel rushed at all, and just got to really enjoy ourselves. read more

Uptown Tavern - Hot Wings - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Delicious pesto & chicken flat bread and the Tavern sliders were good! Nice dishes to share. They have great pop music playing and love how they offer headphones for those who want to watch whatever's on the TV. They also have a fun cocktail menu and the Real Houswives of Hillcrest is the perfect sweet drink. read more

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Super cute place with great drinks and pretty good food. The bartenders are friendly enough and the ambiance is both fun and relaxing. It's missing a star for the following reasons: the pizza was not good, and by not good I mean that it was very undercooked. Easily fixable, but still, a fix is needed. The bartenders were not mean or unfriendly but they also weren't actually "friendly". Very possible that they were busy, and I'm down to try again and see if the vibes are different. Also, as a short person, the barstools are very high and my legs couldn't touch the bar which was kinda painful. However everything else was immaculate and this is a great place. read more

Love to visit the gang at Uptown for Happy Hour!! The new renovation looks great and they have recently added some new food options to the happy hour menu like a grilled cheese and potato skins. The atmosphere is very comfortable and fun. read more

I remember coming here once to meet a friend and her posse for drinks. I didn't stay very long so I really couldn't. So when a friend from north county said to meet him here, why not. It looks a lot different than that one time I was here. The booths are gone and replaced with high tables and chairs. Server was friendly, as was the food runners, and I think a manager came by to check on us. I had a unicorn mule which was so refreshing, I ended up having two more! I first thought we were just going to have apps, so I ordered the rosemary parmesean fries which were thin and crispy! I also ordered the buffalo wings which were standard, so maybe next time I'll get the 5-spice ones instead. And then I realized that it was Mac and Mule Thursday which I read on their website. So I had the flight of mac and cheese....what a great concept!!! It comes with the two macs on the menu and an added third that had pesto. All three are very unique in flavor and fun to eat. There is a nice patio outside and one side has a firepit. They also appear to be dog friendly. Definitely worth checking out! read more

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I love Uptown Tavern! When they originally opened they were amazing, but then slowly the food quality fell until I wouldn't even eat there. Apparently ownership changed last year and a new chef was recently brought on board. Finally the food quality is back to its original awesomeness!!! Also fantastic service and ambiance. I highly recommend! read more

This place has the worst service. My friends and I were sitting at the bar waiting for the bartender to acknowledge us and get us drinks. The bartender served EVERYONE around us and even served people that came in after us and others who were on the opposite end of the bar. He completely skipped us. It took getting loud and calling the staff's attention to us waiting. One guy promptly said "he is just a barback". The bartender EVENTUALLY came and got our drinks but as guests and first time and last time guests, this is the reason to not return!!! read more

Best bar food and service in Hillcrest! I stared eating here because my friend Jamey works in the kitchen. She usually doesn't even know I'm there because it's always prime time when I'm ordering. The wings Chinese 5 spice I think are some of the best. My only wish is I could get all flats and a smaller portion of fries. Alert if you order fries, the reason they are like $16 is the serving size is for 3-4 easily but they are amazing and always disappear. I haven't tried anything else on the menu because let's be honest I'm usually here to drink. The drinks are good but customer service is the best part. I love love bartenders who pay attention to you and will banter with you. read more