Anytime a chef touts local cuisine I want in. Like many of you, if my food comes from a Sysco truck, I want nothing to do with it. I highly value wild caught local fish and vegetables from local farms. If the chefs commitment to local and sustainable doesn't catch your eye, then homemade pita and ritz style crackers should do the trick. Since I am gluten-free, I ate those crackers with my eyes. Dam, they looked good. The menu is Mediterranean with a focus on snacky items like dips and fish charcuterie. The mains are simple but delicious. I had the whole crispy rockfish, and my husband had the burger. He inhaled the burger and his fries. He said they were amazing. The whole crispy fish was one of memories. One could easily order all the mains and go to town splitting. The desserts looked amazing. The waitstaff was equally amazing and very well informed on food allergies. A big shout out to this a great experience. I also am looking forward to their brunch service that should be starting soon. A bonus for those of us who don't live in Hillcrest is a parking lot with free parking. Give them a try they are the new kid on the block. read more

Cellar Hand - The best whole fish - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Avoid this place. Went with a group of people and when restaurants can't keep their menu stocked, it's poor management. No reason to return there. Now I see why that building is a revolving door. read more

I went to this place when they just opened back in June of 2024. Everything on their menu looked very good and the place was easy to book. We were seated on the patio and it was a very nice summer night in San Diego. Not sure how it is now, but back then it was more like a tapas place, the server suggested getting a few small dishes to share. Before we ordered, we asked the server if anything had onions or green onions since I don't like the taste of onions (not an allergy). I don't mind if the onions are cooked in but chefs tend to sprinkle raw onions or green onions on top of food. She suggested we just order what we like and then she will tell us if anything had onions in it so we can change it to something else. We ordered 5 dishes and she didn't mention any of them having onions. The food came out quickly, per usual tapas, they just come when they are ready. 4 of the 5 dishes came back-to-back. Each and every one of them had raw onions or green onions topped on them. We finally were able to wave down our waitress and when we requested the final dish comes without onions she told us "Sorry, we don't do modifications per our menu." She apologized again and walked away before we could answer. I knew they don't do modifications! That's why we asked her to tell us if any of the dishes had onions so we could change it. But since I couldn't eat anything, I really wanted to eat the last dish that hadn't come out yet, which is why I desperately made the request. I'm also surprised she just didn't tell us which dishes didn't have onions, back then the menu only had like 10 items so it's not hard to remember or ask the chef. Starving and hangry, my husband asked for a menu and asked the waitress to tell us if the next item we are ordering has onions as well as the one that's still on its way. Luckily, the last 2 came out onion-free. The silver lining is the food that I could actually eat was really good, the pita was fantastic and they had a fish appetizer that was really good. My husband was full but I left the place feeling hungry still. To go to a restaurant and then come out of it still feeling hungry...is just sad. And no, they did not comp us for any of the dishes either... Needless to say, we decided not to come back to this place but I am glad to see that they got rid of their "No modifications" stance and that they've kept the pita on the menu. I hope their service has gotten better as well. read more

Oh it's a gem. Such a gem. Stay away! Just kidding. It's really good. Delicious from start to finish.

My friends and I were at the farmers market on a Sunday across the street and decided to take a break from the heat and enjoy some tapas nearby! We had no expectations coming in, but we ended up enjoying our entire time here! They claimed that their produces are sourced from local SD and you can tell in the food that we ordered. My favorite was the whipped tahina. The pomegranates were the perfect refreshing touch to the dish! Their house fermented and fired pita is small so I wished they would add an extra to make it more shareable, but we loved the tahina so much we ordered an extra pita anyways! Their Brunchy Burger was absolutely delish... they had an in house bakery!! The bun was perfect and the ingredients inside the burger were juicy. The potatoes were sprinkled in fresh dill and they were very crispy. 10/10 would get both again. There was plenty of seating inside and outside. They had an open area that had plenty of shaded spots to relax under the sun! The service was good and our server was attentive. read more

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The food and service were amazing! Recommend the Aly's Crudo, Kind Folk Golden Beets, and Thompson Heritage Berkshire Pork. Will definitely return. read more

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Chef Ashley's cuisine is outstanding. It's thoughtful, creative and flavorful! Ambience is inviting! Staff is knowledgeable & ooze hospitality at high level. I'll be back soon with friends. read more

This was by far the worst restaurant I've had. The black garlic hummus was so bitter and overpowering it was almost inedible. The Puget Sound oysters were salty and borderline rotten. The best part of the meal was the local catch and it tasted like a frozen filet that was covered in raw shake & bake. I literally couldn't believe the put shake & bake on fish. The restaurant belongs on a show like restaurant nightmares or bar rescue cuz otherwise they will be closing their doors read more

How is this place not rated higher?!? This is one of our most frequented restaurants that my husband and I go to for so many reasons. First, they only use in season ingredients and focus on those ingredients being sourced from local organic farms and local fishermen. That alone should be enough for a higher rating but they also develop such phenomenal and innovative flavor profiles and we LOVE that the menu is always changing so that we can always try new things. The prices are also very reasonable for the quality of food and we're never disappointed. The wine for me is a hit or miss but we love attending their winery take over nights and enjoy talking to the sommeliers. While we do not live close at all, we still make a point to eat here at least 3 times a month which is a lot considering how many great dining options there are in San Diego. We love you Cellar Hand!! Extra points for being dog friendly! Pro tip: if they ever have the duck on the menu, make sure to order it. We loved it so much that instead of dessert, we had an additional order of duck the last time it was on the menu lol read more

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Went to this restaurant about 1 hr prior to closing on my birthday and it was truly a great experience. It was a cute, modern atmosphere, perfect for date nights or small group gatherings. The staff was welcoming and I never felt rushed to leave. Every bit we ate was delicious. The serving sizes were perfect for the prices. The food tastes so fresh and perfect blend of spices and seasoning. Truly brought out the flavors in each dish. They even made my day special with a delicious sweat potato dessert and of course I had Grenache Syrah & mourvedre blend wine which was delicious. read more

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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

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

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

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 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

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

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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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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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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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

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

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 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

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