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    Wormwood

    4.3 (473 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    Wormwood Photos

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    WORMWOOD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Wormwood

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    Teej T.

    Wormwood is a charming, cozy upper end French bistro. The food is excellent, the drinks are top notch, and the outdoor seating is perfect for a warm spring or summer night. But please don't shrink from their happy hour, which makes the bougie-on-a-budget obtainable. This weekend, my partner and I enjoyed absinthe, cocktails, ​delicious oysters, and food ranging from the onion tart to the Parker loaf, all on bargain prices. Wormwood is friendly, welcoming, and delicious. From the moment our hostess Penny first seated us, we knew we were in good hands. Rania was on point server and wonderful to get to know, and Jorge made the tastiest drinks with ease. I'll be back, time and again. It's a gem in the neighborhood.

    Chocolate tart
    Elise S.

    What a cute gem! Food was phenomenal, they market themselves as kind of a French space, but the food is not traditionally French. Later explained by the tall blonde (who I believe was the manager to checking in) that they were a Baja European fusion. It's definitely tight quarters like a traditional French café so if you're claustrophobic, I'd recommend sitting outside. Our server Adam was so polite and professional we didn't feel pressured or rushed on anything to order even though we can see that their open space was getting pretty slammed. We ended our dinner with a chocolate tart, which was phenomenal! I definitely would like to try the crème brûlée next time. The place is just so cute and reasonably priced for the quality and atmosphere. Our server and the unnamed blonde were absolutely lovely. We will be back!

    Exterior
    Norbert K.

    For my 1900th review and last one of 2025, I want to introduce you to one of the finest restaurants in San Diego -- Wormwood. AMBIANCE (5/5) Step through the modern entrance on 30th Street into a Paris Bistro. Take a table in the Secret Garden at the back of the restaurant, and you're in late 19th century Paris. I swear, I expect Toulouse-Lautrec to join us. FOOD (5/5) Our first time here was for my birthday, and four of us opted for the prix fixe Gourmet Hour, a three-course menu that showcases some of Wormwood's favorite dishes ($60pp). We enjoyed all three Starters: Tarte aux Oignons (5/5) -- Caramelized onions on a puff pastry with a petit basque French onion demi-glace Pastèque & Betteraves (4/5) -- Watermelon, baby heirloom beets, salanova, ciliegine mozzarella, goat cheese vinaigrette, bagna càuda, and white truffle oil. Wagyu Tartare (5/5) -- Roasted bone marrow, mustard, pickled serrano, bordelaise sauce, and grilled sourdough bread. (+$9 AO). For our Entrées, we selected: Fromage et Maïs Agnolotti (5/5) -- House-made agnolotti pasta filled with organic corn wild local mushroom, mascarpone, and roasted poblano, served with a pastis-pecorino foam. Poisson (5/5) -- Daily catch was sea bass served with fresh vegetables, pistachio persillade, and an arugula beurre blanc. Outstanding. Poulet à la Moutarde (5/5) -- Sliced chicken breast with greens, turnip, apricot, and mustard seeds, with a very nice demi-glace. Exceptional. Steak du Boucher Porcini & Espelette (5/5) -- Our daughter-in-law is on a strict gluten free diet, and Wormwood modified this dish for her to be gluten-free. Thank you. (+$16 AO) Finally, for Dessert, we tried each of the three offered. Overall, they were very good (4/5) but not the highpoints of our dinner. BEVERAGES (5/5) Here we get to the serious draw to Wormwood (at least for me): Absinthe! Wormwood has an extensive menu of over two dozen Absinthes. We ordered an Absinthe Flight -- L'aventurier (5/5 $50), featuring three Absinthes -- and some individual pours. An Absinthe fountain was brought to the table, our server explained how to use it, and we enjoyed our drinks throughout the meal! SERVICE (5/5) was impeccable. Dishes were presented individually (haute French style), and sauces poured tableside. Servers were attentive. Special requests were accommodated with ease. Merci beaucoup! All in all, a wonderful experience ... and highly recommended to everyone who wants a special Parisienne dining experience in San Diego!

    Omelet
    Keri W.

    We have now done the jazz brunch two weekends in a row. It is so relaxing and the food is so yummy. The music is perfect and it makes for a nice, low-key brunch. The patio is too cute with all the pretty flowers and plants. It really is like a secret garden. The staff are very friendly. Everything goes a bit slower but it is nice to slow down once in a while and just enjoy your surroundings. You get to choose between a 2 or 3 course mea and the prices are very reasonable. We got the following between the two weekends: Quiche- they are light and fluffy and so tasty. Steak tartare. Nice and rich and full of flavor. 2 different types of omelets. They are fluffy and full of yummy cheese and whatever else is in it. I had one with mushrooms and it was fantastic. Salmon with poached egg- it seemed like the salmon was house cured. It was fantastic. My husband ate the poached egg with the bread they provided. As I said, everything was very yummy and we loved the live jazz. I took a couple pics from the last time we visited. We will be back!

    Chicken Entree 10-2025
    Linda F.

    My husband, son, gluten free daughter-in-law and husband dined here recently to celebrate my husband's birthday. Genius move! He was so happy. We all were! We all decided to go for the 4 course prix fixe menu which offered some appetizing fare. At $60 per person, it's the best value there imho. Each of the courses has a limited number of choices, but with sufficient variety to please, and they also offer a few upgrade options. Each dish was beautifully presented, i.e., magazine cover worthy, and prepared exceptionally well. Since there were for of us all ordering differently, I had the opportunity to sample each dish on the menu. Marvelous! They took very good care of our gluten free girl, guiding her to appropriate menu choices and happily preparing gluten free versions. The one disappointment was the creme brulée. Theirs is a decomposed version that's super-creative, visually stunning, and much more complicated than the classic. It wasn't at all recognizable as creme brulée, Sometimes the originals are classic for a reason. Still, it's a nice dessert that would be a stunner of only they have it a different name that set realistic expectations. We sat in the area that's now called the speakeasy, and it's nothing short of beautiful. The professionalism of the service made us feel both comfortable and cared for. And trying their various versions of absinthe and absinthe cocktails made for an extra festive evening. Can't wait to return!

    Me
    Cheryle L.

    Came her with my bestie a couple weeks ago for one of my birthday dinner's I had during the month! We had a course menu for only $60! Great deal! The food was great. I forgot the names of what we had but everything was delicious! The portion sizes were smaller than what we thought they'd be but we did ask ahead of time before we ordered so we knew, but still. Regardless, it was delicious! The server was great! It's a very quaint restaurant and definitely if you do book a reservation here definitely sit outside in the patio! It's super cute!! I forgot the names of what we ordered but definitely dessert was pretty amazing! It was like a guava crème brûlée. They also rotate their menus and everything which is pretty cool. I definitely wanna go back. I also hear their happy hour is really good! The only thing that's not great is finding parking however that's most places in San Diego these days. There's a lot right across the street. You can pay about $10 or so which isn't bad!

    Such charming French bistro vibes
    Claire G.

    Wormwood, I had such high expectations for Sunday brunch, and you almost met them. Tucked in between businesses in a popular neighborhood in San Diego. You will find an adorable Frenchie bistro with an incredible garden patio and private alcove. We came for brunch because other yelpers raved about it. The ambience was lovely, the service was friendly, but very, very slow and uncoordinated. The live music was a bonus, and the food was where it fell a little bit short. We started with cocktails, "the sun also rises "was the star & The French 75 was also delicious. First course we started with the Baja Oysters, which were fresh, tasty with a delish mignonette and quite a bargain for Sunday brunch. You have the choice of à la carte, a two course or three course brunch and the selections were enticing. Our group tried the goat cheese omelette, smoked salmon, the Crudo, the quiche of the day, (which was a sun-dried tomato and very dry served with a too lightly dressed lettuce & fruit side salad), and the also Dry cardboard like Brioche French toast with whipped crème fraiche . So it was a bit hit and miss for us , I may be intrigued enough to return and give it another shot for dinner tho.

    Dragonfruit dessert
    Seetha G.

    We celebrated my husband's birthday at Wormwood and had a lovely evening! We'd made reservations ahead of time, were seated promptly on the patio, and had great service from Kyle and Mercedes. Things kicked off on a high note with a complimentary glass of Prosecco- such a thoughtful touch. We started with the Wagyu Tartare and the French Onion Tart, and wow... both were absolutely fantastic. For mains, the Pistachio-Crusted Barramundi with veggies and beurre blanc was a standout (perfectly balanced flavors), and the Braised Beef with gnocchi was rich and delicious. The New York steak, however, was a miss- small thin slices, a bit tough, rather under seasoned, and the bordelaise sauce didn't help much. Ironically, the little potato cube with raclette fondue on the side stole the show. Desserts were a fun mix: the Dragonfruit "5 ways" was unique, refreshing, and one of the highlights of the night, while the Opera Cake was solid but nothing special. The surprise panna cotta they brought out for my husband's birthday was such a sweet gesture. My husband tried two absinthe-based cocktails, both tasty, though the second took quite a while to arrive (he had to ask twice). Overall, Wormwood made for a memorable night with some truly excellent dishes and creative desserts. Just be prepared--the bill definitely reflects the fine-dining experience.

    Barramunda
    Nicole J.

    This place feels like you've been transported to a hole in the wall cafe in Paris. I absolutely loved the Bohemian-inspired decor and the garden area in the back. Service was very friendly and quick - I had three waitresses who were constantly checking on me, even on a quiet Sunday night. Where Wormwood could use some improvement is the food. I ordered two entrees: 1) pistachio-crusted barramundi: the fish was lukewarm and a bit soggy, even with the nutty crust. The green arugula sauce at its base was delicious (I could eat it as a soup), but the few veggies used to garish the dish were raw and I found this distasteful. No one goes to a French restaurant to eat raw veggies. Also, one of the waitresses told me that this fish is "sea bass," which turned out to be inaccurate. I still ate it because I was starving, but it was really nothing to brag about. 2) poblano-pepper sauce pasta with mushrooms : again, the mushrooms were very undercooked and the food was lukewarm. The stuffing in the pasta was bland and lacked the corn that was showcased on the menu. The poblano pepper sauce was original, though very Tex-Mex on the flavor palette. I HATED the soapy thing on the pasta as well. It just didn't fit and I didn't understand it. I ordered the Menage et Trois as well, and it looked and tasted like spiked gatorade with a flower garnish. I would stick to wine here, though they have an expansive cocktail menu (and even a speakeasy tucked behind the garden). It was bizarre to me that a plate of bread/butter costs $12 minimum at a French restaurant -- very untraditional and not very hospitable. Also - I read in some reviews that there's complimentary champagne, which I never got :( wonder what that's about. Overall, this is a cute place to try once, but don't expect French culinary masterpieces. Know that there is a 4% surcharge added to all bills.

    Drinks
    Linette R.

    Food was amazing!! And the drinks were too notch!! This is a nice speakeasy on the back with an open area. The food was good but some dishes were a bit salty. The drinks were extraordinarily delicious and the service was attentive. Overall good spot but it is pricy!

    Espresso martini
    Alfredo C.

    Been wanting to try this place out for a while. The place is small but nice. We were a group of four we came for happy hour and sat at the bar, the bar is small but feels intimate. Happy hour menu has very limited food options. Once we were ready for dinner we moved to a table in the back patio. The back patio is very nice, loved the greenery the setting is near perfect, good lighting nice weather overall very nice. We order the tartar served on the bone it was delicious as well as the scallop. We also order the fish dish, it was ok, felt like it lacked flavor. This place is a must try, however we waited a good while to be acknowledged at our table about 15mins. I would say though this place is great for small bites, cocktails and wine.

    PAIN PERDU AUX FRUITS ROUGES - excellent!
    Katie K.

    Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Value: 5/5 I came to Wormwood for a Saturday afternoon brunch with a friend and it completely exceeded expectations. We were seated on the outdoor patio, which was absolutely lovely. The ambiance felt quaint and garden-like, almost like being transported to a patio in the French countryside. Relaxed, charming, and the perfect setting for a long brunch. SERVICE: 5/5 Service was exceptional from start to finish. Beverage refills were prompt, servers were kind and attentive, and the courses were paced perfectly. Everything felt thoughtful without being rushed. Truly fantastic service all around. FOOD: 5/5 I ordered the 3-course brunch for $45, which is honestly an outstanding value for the quality of food you receive. Local Farmers Salad: 5/5 Beautiful, light, and refreshing. Perfect for a warm day. The lemony dressing was bright and delicious. Simple, fresh, and so well executed. Daily Special Quiche: 5/5 My friend had previously raved about their quiche, and I'm so glad I followed her recommendation. This was truly delicious. The crust was buttery and perfect, the filling rich and flavorful, and the portion was surprisingly filling. I loved that it came with lightly dressed greens to balance out the richness. Pain Perdu aux Fruits Rouges: 5/5 Essentially fancy French toast, and it absolutely delivered. Light, fluffy, and decadent without being overly sweet. The perfect ending to a three-course brunch. DRINKS: 5/5 Avant Garden ($12) A non-alcoholic drink, and one I loved so much I didn't miss the alcohol at all. Refreshing, well balanced, and not at all like overpriced fruit juice, which can be the case with many NA drinks. I would absolutely order this again, even if I was drinking. VALUE: 5/5 While $45 for brunch might sound steep at first glance, I truly can't overstate what an incredible value this is. Every course was stellar. If you're someone with FOMO who struggles to choose between savory and sweet, this solves that problem beautifully and gives you the best of both worlds. Wormwood easily takes the top spot for my favorite brunch in San Diego so far. I'm already looking forward to coming back to experience their full dinner menu and French cuisine offerings.

    Pasta
    Erika T.

    Ambiance was beautiful (loved the outdoor seating aside from all flies), service was good, and the food was yummy! I don't gravitate towards French, Italian, etc type cuisine but glad I gave Wormwood a chance. The cocktails were strong and unique. The menu was small-ish and had a decent variety. Portions were small as expected but I was filled just right- not overly stuffed. We ordered the Wagyu Tartare, French Onion Tart, Mushroom Pasta (stuffed with corn), and the fish of the day. The pasta was probably my favorite because it was creamy and had a hint of citrus which gave it a good balance. Runner up was definitely the French Onion Tart- not overly salty and just loved all the textures and flavors. The only thing that was weird was the happy hour only applied to certain locations of the restaurant, idk what difference that makes but the $1 oysters would've been a steal if we weren't sitting outside. Overall would come back only on a rare special occasion.

    Oysters

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    12 days ago

    This restaurant is very average and very overpriced. I had to get a burrito on my way home.

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    2 months ago

    This place had never disappointed me. Their staff is friendly, atmosphere is really nice and food is amazing my favorite restaurant in SD

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    Wormwood Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Wormwood

    Is the patio dog-friendly?

    Actually, the "back patio" is a covered space that i believe is considered indoors. As such, I dont believe dogs are permitted there.

    When is happy hour?

    Every day from 5 to 6:30 pm!

    Does it have vegetarian or vegan options?

    Yes both

    Is the menu fixed price or can you just order the items you want?

    Hello Karmen! Currently we do offer a prix fixe menu, this is only required when you are 6 guests… Read more

    Is it Kid friendly?

    It is well-lit, pleasantly colored and cheerful-looking. Many patrons bring their kids during the daytime. This said, it is a also a bar and an absinthe-drinking place. The space is quite compact with little space for things like strollers. So YMMV.

    Anything for vegans?

    First question the server asked was "any allergies", so I assume they can accommodate food allergies

    View All 7 Questions

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    insideOUT - Chips and dip

    insideOUT

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    1.5 miHillcrest
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    We met up with a friend out here. This place has been on my list for quite some time so I was glad…read morewhen she recommended it. As soon as you walk in, you are captured by the beautiful parade of cherry blossoms and flowers. It definitely felt like spring when you're in there. Everywhere you look it's a beautiful scene. The bar is beautifully set up where you look through a waterfall. There's open air seating, surrounded by towering buildings. It is multilevel, so it is neat to see the layers of the space. Our server was very welcoming and pleasant. He was on it. He checked on us often. Our drinks tasted great. Perfect balance of a cocktail. I really enjoyed my lychee Martini. We ordered a charcuterie board with meat and cheese, and it was a perfect amount for three of us to enjoy with our drinks. I would recommend coming to this spot to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather in a beautiful space.

    The restaurant is beautiful with an amazing ambiance and many great photo opportunities. I found…read morethe drinks to be fun and tasty, and the food was delicious. However, I did find the bathroom setup quite unusual; the coed design lacks privacy as the interior is visible from the outside. Additionally, the parking situation was very frustrating. It took me 25 minutes to find a spot, and I eventually had to park quite far away to ensure I wasn't late for my reservation. Moving forward, I would recommend that guests use a rideshare service instead of driving.

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    Common Stock - Charred Brussels -- love!

    Common Stock

    4.7(1.2k reviews)
    2.1 miHillcrest
    $$

    I am honestly surprised I have not written a review for this place yet, I found this place in 2021…read more I bring visitors here all the time, and it has become my ultimate comfort food spot. I tend to keep it simple and order the same items every time. My go to is the crispy Brussels for $14 and the chicken sandwich for $16, and I usually rotate in the parmesan fries for $10. While they do offer other dishes that are worth trying, these favorites always keep me coming back. The service and ambiance are consistently great. It is located in Hillcrest, so the area is always lively, which adds to the overall experience. The energy, combined with the quality of the food, makes it a reliable choice whether I am dining with friends or hosting out of town guests. Parking can be a bit challenging, but that is typical for Hillcrest. I usually plan ahead and look for street parking nearby.

    3 stars for the food, 5 stars for the drinks, so I gave em 4 stars. Got the brussels sprouts and…read moreartichoke hearts and they were doused in far too much sauce and insanely salty. I love the vegetables for what they are and want sauce and seasoning to enhance them, not be the star of the show. Got the hot honey chick and pork belly bao buns which were pretty good, nice and fluffy. Drinks wise, I got the blueberry bramble as well as the berries & cream (both vodka drinks). they were fantastic, so refreshing. Old fashioned was also top notch! server was wonderful and kind. the ambiance is amazing and is a great spot for a date or cozy evening with friends.

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    Common Stock - Great food & drinks ....friendly welcoming service !!! Thank you HARVEY !!!!

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    Good News Bar

    Good News Bar

    4.8(53 reviews)
    1.4 miNorth Park
    $$

    Whether you're sober, sober curious, love someone who is sober or you're looking for a unique space…read moreto work on your laptop and enjoy healthy drinks and food, this is the place! Being a sober girlie, I've heard about this place for years and was thrilled to finally try it so we had to order a few drinks. There's nothing quite like being able to look at a drink menu and know you can order anything from it because it's all sober friendly. They have a CBD infused drink part of the menu, a kava section and a mocktail drink section along with a food menu. The food looked delicious but we came here for a night cap after eating dinner nearby. We snagged 3 drinks- I need to check my notes on which ones we got but they were all so good. This is the type of place you can come here for a first date, date night worh your partner or co-work with your laptop. I saw all varieties of people who were doing their thang and it felt comfortable. The theme is inspired by Mac Miller and the decor is intentional and classic. Word on the street is that the 2 female owners had some disagreements with their investor so there's somewhat bad blood and that's always a bummer to hear people especially those in the sober community not be able to resolve their differences after they've made such an incredibly safe haven for us to enjoy. I get it though, some business partners are bad choices but y'all have made a beautiful experience here and I'm so grateful for it. Owners: Please don't shut this mocktail bar down ever but if you have to branch out, please do another in San Diego.

    Absolutely love the concept and the decor of this place. It feels like not quite a bar, not quite a…read morecoffee shop... very unique for San Diego, and good for any time of day. I really like the growing NA trend, and even though I drink, it's great to have an alternative, safer-feeling, and more inclusive nightlife option. I came with a couple friends on a Sunday night, about a week ago. We all drink alcohol, but we've all been drinking less lately. The place was almost empty around 8pm, which we found concerning for its prospective longevity. We also thought the prices were pretty steep -- maybe I'm biased as someone who drinks alcohol, but if I'm getting a mocktail or other NA drink, I'd like to pay less than $15+ for it. Still, I ordered the Ave Maria and thought it was one of the best mocktails I've ever had. One of my friends got the Malibu (he liked it but did complain about the price), and I don't remember what my other friend got. We sat for a while and played Connect4 using the fanciest set I'd ever seen. Some more people came in, so it didn't feel nearly as empty by the time I left. I'd probably come back, but only if I was with someone who doesn't drink and/or really wanted to try this bar. I hope they make it!

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    Good News Bar - Cool main bar with the best BARTENDERS!

    Cool main bar with the best BARTENDERS!

    Good News Bar - They have merch here. My friend loved it so much she bought a sweater.

    They have merch here. My friend loved it so much she bought a sweater.

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    Key & Cleaver - Tvs!

    Key & Cleaver

    4.8(263 reviews)
    2.3 miCity Heights
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free WiFi

    They have a dedicated gluten free fryer...YAY! The husband and wife team really care and go the…read moreextra mile for their customers. Got the Salute burger and tallow fries-yum!Love this place! A new go-to.

    Another excellent visit at Key and Cleaver! We stopped in on a rainy evening, just after Happy…read moreHour. The place was packed and the cool skeleton "Fred" was posted up at the front door to greet us, so so cool. We are always welcomed as soon as we arrive and we find that to be very very customer service oriented. Everybody that works here has a smile on their face and we appreciate that. We chose a seat right next to the door and there were so many people that it was just an exciting time to be in the restaurant. We love their Rosemary fries and everything about all of their burgers. I love that they have the option to have salad because I'm a salad person but today I specifically wanted a good burger. We ordered the Smashburger, which is two smashed patties with cheese, medium, plus added avocado, and a Western burger medium. We also ordered the No Alcohol IPA and a Ginger Ale Soda. Our food came out hot and yummy. delicious. Our food was so delicious and we were so stuffed that we couldn't enjoy the brownie afterwards. That's OK because we love coming here and will definitely be back. The vibe here is positive and everybody is very friendly and customer service oriented. On this visit, we saw families and other people coming from a formal event. Also, just a whole variety of different customers that really wanna have a good experience. Key and Cleaver also has an upstairs area where you can eat and relax so I love that. that is the option here. Overall, excellent visit as usual, thank you!

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    Key & Cleaver - Best burger in San Diego

    Best burger in San Diego

    Key & Cleaver
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    Inside view of tables & bar

    Wormwood - french - Updated May 2026

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