I had a great time here last night. We had the Berry+Dairy, Artisan Cheese Sliders, and the dessert cheese tray. I had wine, the boi tried several yummy beers. Excited to have this cute new place open nearby! The price is very small for the pretty presentation and taste. :) read more

Friendliest(and Knowledgeable!) staff EVER. Reasonable prices, nice ambiance. And I can LITERALLY CRAWL here from my house??? PERFECT. read more

The bar is definitely the best seat in the house. Friendly service, knowledgeable staff, excellent food and drinks. read more

Counterpoint - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Burger crew meeting called to order on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 10:30am (Burger Crew Does San Diego 2018). Last burger in San Diego! Members in attendance: Angela d., Sumana S., Trevor Y., Dennis, K., Wayne T., and Innie C. Guest: Christian Y. I. Ordering Only one burger on the menu so we all ordered one! It's the cheeseburger ($15) - half pound grind, American cheese, house cured pickles, sixty-alpha sauce, fries. They described the sixty-alpha sauce as a spicy pepper aioli. Trev and I also ordered orange juice because, you know, vitamins. We also finished off with their dessert, which was a brownie topped with ice cream and a giant strawberry. II. The burgers The patties had an amazing sear on them and were really nicely seasoned. They were medium rind, loose packed, but with a great texture to them. Trev and I got ours medium well because of the bun in my oven, and we think that ours tasted more seasoned; perhaps because of longer time on the grill to seal in the seasoning or perhaps more liberally seasoned because they knew it was going to be cooked to medium well instead of to medium rare. The bun was really good, gooey, and reminded Sumana of the Fuddruckers bun. We appreciated how hearty the bottom bun was so that it held up as we ate these juicy burgers. They give you 2 layers of cheese plus plenty of that sixty-alpha sauce, which made this a really creamy, rich burger. They put their delicious housemade pickles on the bottom of the burger (A+ for proper burger construction) and the pickles were nice and thickly cut with a great herbiness to them. III. The Fries/Sides Burgers are served with fries, which are really good. They're traditional shoestring, nicely fried, and very nicely seasoned. Comes with real ketchup, according to Trev. If you are splitting a burger, they cut it for you, serve it on a different plate, and give each of you a serving of fries. Really nice touch! We finished all the fries, which is a testament to how delicious they were because we left a lot of fries behind at various locations throughout the weekend. IV. Miscellaneous This place has a nice atmosphere to it. It's open, airy with lots of windows. It's dog friendly inside and they even bring a little tray of water for your fuzzy pal. They have brunch on Sundays, which looks really good. They have a full bar and a great beer selection. They have really friendly staff and it seems like a neighborhood joint because many people seemed to personally know the staff. They serve Coke products. Parking is not too bad as there is plentiful free street parking in the neighborhood. The OJ was fresh squeezed and the brownie dessert was incredible. If they have it, you have to get it! It's a pretty giant brownie, too, so it's good for sharing. V. Value I ask the members how much they would pay for the burger they ate. We would pay anywhere between $12 to $14.50 for these burgers, which is pretty much at their price point since they cost $15 including fries. VI. The verdict Way to end our trip strong! Thanks for the burgers, San Diego! The ratings: 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 4.6, and 4.9. Next burger crew meeting: March 3rd at noon at HiHo Cheeseburger in Santa Monica. Farewell, San Diego! read more

I really enjoy coming here . It's walking distance from where I live which is the best part . Drinks are great and interesting . I have been here for dinner and lunch . The food is decent . I like the Brussels Sprouts , the brunch was a little greasy . Service is the best . Thank you Matt ! read more

Used to be our favorite spot around the corner from our house. All of a sudden food quality changed and it became less appealing. It's pretty expensive for what it is, so paying over $60 for a small amount of food for two people was not worth it. On top of that, I reached out to them multiple times to try and partner for fundraiser type activities for my non-profit and they deliberately ignored all of my attempts. Knowing that I've spent hundreds of dollars here and that they sometimes do fundraisers really turned me off when I saw I was being ignored. I think you have to be one of their friends who are always at the bar for that type of opportunity. A simple "we are not interested" would've been cool. Anyway, haven't been here in months and will not be going back again. Not the way I'd great my neighbors. read more

The mussels were excellent in the white wine broth. The party also ordered sandwiches which were unique and flavorful. Hand crafted cheese and sting beer selection are noteworthy. read more

Great ambiance, service, food and wine. Counterpoint is the kind of place you want to order a bottle of wine and a cheese plate and sit all night. The menu rotates but usually has a really good steak option. Had amazing braised ribs recently. In terms of being crowded it can be really hit or miss - sometimes quiet and sometimes packed on a Friday night. There is a small outside patio and an upstairs seating area good for groups. read more

I never have eaten here, just drinks. Love the vibe and cider is so good!

I really like this place. They have really tasty food and the a good drink selection inc. some great craft beers. I have tried many different things on the menu and they all tasted delicious. Menu changes so just pick what sounds good and go for it. Service is relaxed and friendly. Great place to grab a bite to eat, sip a drink and relax after a long day at work. read more

I haven't been here in a few years or so (after having a great time with their wines and food and place itself), so the BF & I dropped by last week for some late dinner/drinks. Ended up finding a seat pretty easily, and our waitresses (two!) were very friendly. Ordered some white wine which was very tasty, in addition to a bunch of appetizers (including a customized chesse - no meat - platter) which were very very good. Loved the picked fruit and veggies, in addition to the quinoa salad. The only thing that was slightly off was some confusion when getting a second round of drinks (got a glass of red instead of white, did not get a second white one to replace it), and the sometimes lag in service. Overall, I enjoyed my return visit and I'd come back again. read more

Four gals came here for brunch on Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The parking was fine - we found a place right in front - and the restaurant was busy. There were two servers and they were definitely hopping between the patio, 1st floor and loft area. It was hot for San Diego (90 degrees) so we sat inside. We were able to sit down immediately after a table was quickly bussed for us. This space is modern yet comfortable. The clientele is very eclectic. There was everyone from the Mr. Biceps - Semper Fi hottie to the obligatory 20's couple with the lap dog on the patio to the pierced chick sitting at the bar to the 60's couple reading the paper. Oh, and 4 middle-aged gals on a chick trip. Seems like a neighborhood place. I like it. The server we had was very friendly and efficient. I asked for a recommendation between two dishes and he gave me one. It is hard for me to respect a server who will not do that. I tried the sangria and was really glad I did. Very good flavor. At our table we had 2 orders of the cheeseburger (I tried a fry - no sauce necessary - yummy!), a frittata and a skillet scramble. It was nice to have eggs with a different spin. Everything was good and there was too much food. Prices were reasonable. I would definitely recommend this place. Great vibe, interesting food and a fun atmosphere. read more

This place just never disappoints! Great food and of course, the best gin and tonics in SD!

I wanted so badly to like this place, but I just can't give it anything more than an "A-OK". The beer list on their website bears little resemblance to the beer list in the restaurant: everything I asked for was tapped out. What they DID have was all really heavy on the hops, and if you follow my reviews, you know that boring draft lists are my biggest pet peeve. A little variety is a good thing, people! They had a decent wine list with a ton of by-the-glass offerings, though. The food all sounded great on the menu, but didn't "wow" me like I was expecting it to. The pain poutine was tasty, but there were hardly any cheese curds. I mean, the bread and the gravy were tasty, but cheese is a crucial component of any poutine. The meatballs were amazingly delicious, but tiny...two teeny meatballs? On top of two little bits of baguette? Really? Le sigh. The flatbread was enormous and delicious: big chunks of artichoke heart, prosciutto, and goat cheese. Super yummy. The edges were way too crisp, but I'll stop whining. The prices are amazingly reasonable, and the bartenders/servers are AMAZINGLY wonderful. This really is a great addition to Golden Hill, and I can see hanging out here all the time if I lived in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I can't see myself driving all the way from North Clairemont specifically to hit this place up again. read more

Ah, Golden Hill. It's...an "up and coming" area. And it's been that way for years. However, in it you will find a little gem of a joint called Counterpoint. Is it worth the journey to this most colorful of hills? Yes, yes it is. I came to Counterpoint after looking at an apartment in GH, and it almost, ALMOST made me want to move there. Almost. Walking into the place, you definitely get a bit of a beer bar ambiance. There's lots of dark and natural wood. However, it also has lots of industrial metals mixed in. And to keep things extra interesting, all kinds of pops of color (or "POCs", as they were called in 2012). Also take a glance at the tap handles. We sat ourselves down and were attended to most promptly by a most friendly chap. We ordered a couple of snazzy beers off of the snazzy beer chalkboard, and then started to consider the menu. We settled first on yucca fries and pain frites. The yucca fries were fantastic (I will admit I had to confirm what the heck yucca was. It's some sort of root veg). They were stacked like Lincoln Logs and topped with braised pork, avocado crema, pickled onions and cotija (make sure to ask for extra avocado crema). Now, the pain frites (we had to inquire on an explanation for these too. Pretty much just like it sounds, if you know any French--bread fries). These were grilled spears of fresh bread drizzled with gorgonzola and a rosemary honey. Mostly savory with a twinge of sweetness equals complete deliciousness. If the rest of GH takes a hint from Counterpoint, it'll be the coolest neighborhood in school. read more

I'm not sure exactly where to begin this review because there are so many amazing things about Counterpoint. I'll start with saying they have hands down the BEST burgers in town. The rest of the menu is creative and getting better all of the time. I've been there many times and last night was no different. In the service category. Two people working the bar and tables and it is truly amazing to watch how they go about it. Super efficient and friendly.... genuinely friendly! Cocktails and beer are always on point! I could go on but I'll end by saying this. There are lots of trendy bars and restaurants in the greater Diego area. North park, South Park, normal heights, ect ect. I find it fascinating that the place they all strive to be is off the 94 freeway and 25th in golden hill. read more

Another win with a gastropub! Let's get straight to the food... Falafel burger - Nice patty size on a soft bun with just some watercress. I think if they added tomatoes or any extra veggies the burger would be a tower. The flavor was very well balanced and moist. It came with a side of very fragrant rosemary fries. I would love to have that burger again. Brussels - The gastropub staple. This had a stronger kimchi flavor than the Salted Pig in Riverside (first exposure to kimchi brussels) which I really enjoyed. Pork Belly Carnitas - Can't really say much about it because my husband inhaled it quickly and when I asked how did they taste he just replied with "they were good." Interpretation is, he liked it very much. Spicy braised short rib - Again, this was my husband's entree and his reply to my question was "this is good." Which equates to the same interpretation as the pork belly carnitas. Surprisingly, the food is quite upscale for a pub. The food is very good and the staff is friendly as well. I like the small size of the place and the location is very odd yet it worked well. Sometimes the peaceful and quite neighborhoods have the best finds. It may be that we went on a late Sunday evening, nonetheless great gastropub. read more

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My friend took me here last night and I had a really great time. I had their vigonier and chardonnay, she had the reisling. The wine on their menu is great. She also had the palms frites, which are like long breadsticks with blue cheese. I am definitely bringing my husband here asap. In addition to a great wine selection, the beer selection is great too. It must be the newest gem of Golden Hill. read more

Met a friend for drinks here and had no idea it existed. The ambiance is great. The location is ideal. Drinks were good.... But the bar tenders were outstanding. Very accommodating. I'll be back! read more

Counterpoint was a neat little spot. I gave it three stars because there weren't a lot of items on the menu I was super excited about and the food I actually got was decent. I got the mac n cheese, which was alright. It has a lot of seasoning going on. I'd prefer a bunch of cheese over seasoning, but that's just me. My favorite part of Counterpoint was the ambiance. I felt like I was hanging out at someone's swanky loft. We went on a Friday around 7 and the downstairs and outdoor areas were packed so we headed upstairs. The noise level was pretty high and it was really hard to hear, but I still enjoyed my time spent there. Would go back again- It seems they change the menu up every now and so I'd like to try and catch the menu at a different time and see what it has to offer. read more

My husband and I live in the neighborhood and come here often. Love how dog friendly they are. They just recently added wings to their menu and we LOVE them. My husband is a wing fanatic and he said these were hands down his favorite. The burger and fries here also so good. We come for brunch too, great sausage gravy and biscuits!!! I would say the only downside is it's a bit pricey but we will definitely be back. read more

I went to Counterpoint last week and I had a great time. The service was excellent and very friendly. But, I have to make the disclaimer that I'm not a wine drinker and the excellent selection of premium beer I usually don't engage in. However, I still had a really good time having a couple of pints and the appetizers were really good. I haven't had the chance to have dinner there yet. Also, I think Counterpoint's environment is nicely done, with the decor more condusive to a date place rather meeting up with your buddies, but that's just me. I recommend it for any occasion if it's your first time out, especially date. PS I have to make my way back anyway! I left my jacket there, I think, and hopefully they have a lost and found. :) read more

I was introduced to Counterpoint from a friend of another friend that works there so we thought we would surprise him with a visit. Well it was us that got the Surprise. We had a group of 6 so we were able to grab the back booth which just had the best setting and vibe for simple Friday night out with some Friends. The wine, beer and food was a win! Everyone had nothing but great things to say andn we all nibbled on something different so I will for sure be back!! If I reccomend anything try the prosciutto panino (mozerella wrapped in Italian prosciutto, served with spicy mustard) read more

Very nice low key Wine/Craft Beer spot. I love the area and just randomly stumbled into this place one night for 2 beers with a friend and had a great time, it had just opened earlier that month and i sat there and talked with the owner and waitress for quite some time. it was a great time. i'd definitely recommend this to a wino or a craft beer enthusiast, looking for a slightly upscale place to grab a drink, maybe after having some turf club for dinner? yayuh. read more

I am giving this place 5 stars just for service. Specifically, Alex. My friend and I stopped by Thurs night after El Camino and the Station. We were starving and the Station had stopped serving 5 minutes before we got there. I live in EC but I love visiting my friend who lives here because she knows all of the great little spots. Counterpoint was on the way home, I had never been here, and was just praying they had pizza or something. Browsing through the menu my eyes LIT UP when I saw cow....I asked "you guys have steak??" Alex laughed and said no, that cow was explaining the diff cheeses. I'm sure I looked soooo let down. Instead of trying to talk me into trying a pizza or cheese plate, Alex recommended the Turf Club next door, and didn't even mind that we didn't order anything. He even gave us cooking tips! KUDOS to you Alex! I thoroughly enjoyed my sirloin and stopped back by on the way home to personally say thanks and have a glass of wine. I will definitely be back when I'm in the mood for cheese! read more

I've been here two or three times and it keeps getting better and better. The more recent time I went I received the most excellent service I've ever gotten at a craft beer bar, no joke. The bartender/server was extremely knowledgeable about the beers on tap, gave accurate descriptions and great recommendations. I was going to deduct a star because it's just a TAD pricey for tulip glasses, but the service is just so great and the ambiance is so lovely that I'm happily willing to pay a buck more. read more

We live literally around the corner from Counterpoint and I've been begging the boyfriend to go with me ever since we moved into the area. Now that we've finally been, I realize how much we've been missing out on! It's seriously a Golden Hill gem. First off.... good service. seriously. I love that we arrived on a super busy Friday night and were immediately greeted, even with the enormous crowd surrounding the bar. The server didn't even blink and scored us a table within 10 minutes of us arriving. And for being so busy, they were so attentive, friendly and fast. I really really appreciate service that doesn't fall apart because they got a little busy. It's a difficult thing to do, but they pull it off. I haven't had a chance to try too many of their beers and wines (yet), they have quite a varied list of brews on tap, and a diverse selection of wines spanning countries and grapes. To top it all off, they have a great menu. Nothing too crazy: small bites, cheese plates, sandwiches, and salads. Beautifully put together with great flavors and quality ingredients. And. haaaaaaaaappy hour!! $3 glasses of wine. Can't get much better than that. The lush in me is happy. read more

Very cool place. Sort of small and not a lot of seats, but there is also outdoor seating. Killer beer selection and great wine selection. Staff is AWESOME and knowledgeable. Food - small menu but everything was really good. The cheese plates are amazing. It's a real quality cheese plate so don't expect heaping amounts of cheeses! Chicken sandwich is gigantic and comes with a lot of salad, it was really good. Flatbreads are delish, and they may change often, I think the menu changes often... ours was fig and gorgonzola and it was awesome. Butternut squash ravioli was really great. We also had some sort of like a bolognese sauce dip with bread that was really good too. Kind of a funny location right by a gas station, but if you are anywhere around that area I would highly recommend this place if anything for the awesome beer and wine selection! read more

Great, great, superb ambiance. It's a small two story gastropub with amazing beer (says my boyf) and amazing small plates. I brought my boyf here with his friends for dinner and he was very impressed! We ordered (every small dish except for the salads): + Artisan cheeses (which had gouda, brie, and another white cheese) + Fried stuffed olives + duck puppies* + mesquite smoked brisket rillettes* + braised pork carnitas (which was actually two carnitas tacos) + mac & cheese* + brussel sprouts Side note: Dishes marked with an asterisk (*) were my favorites I loved everything I had! Sure, we didn't try any of their larger plates, but we didn't have to! We were all satisfied and happy after the small plates ^__^ All in all, I definitely recommend! read more

2nd time coming to this place and the beer selection is good. The food itself is fine... just that service can be slow. Both times going we had to wait 10 mins till a server stop by to bring us menus. It seems they only have 1 server at night time... read more

So i must first of stay that I have never been here for the food. Alittle pricy but looks great and the atmosphere is awesome. More of a place for a nice dinner date to me if your going to eat. But otherwise this place is GREAT. A really cool bar seen. A very modern building, with very low lighting. The reason I really enjoy that establishment because of a drink they make (and its better than another place for that matter), Gin and tonic. The tonic water here is made in house. AND oh is it good. You gonna watch it those because these thing will sneak up on you. And they do have ofter great house drinks as well as a decent local craft beer selection. MUST COME AND TRY THIS PLACE read more

The BEST Brussel sprouts in San Diego... great Mac n cheese and friendly staff...very good food... read more

Counterpoint - The BEST in San Diego - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Counterpoint is delicious. The first few times I ate there were for breakfast. The Bloody Mary's are great and I love the biscuits and gravy. I've had a lot of biscuits and gravy (including my grandmothers) and I think I'm a pretty good judge. I've also had dinner and cocktails there a few times and they too kick ass. I would try the gin and tonic. Even if you don't like gin and tonic. The staff is friendly, helpful and prompt. read more

Very cute wine bar.. odd seating arrangement as I felt like the people sitting around us were either on my back or over my shoulder... the food is tasty... the bacon jelly is something to live for!! Nice selection of wines and drinks... the wine bar is oddly placed next to a Shell station but once you're seated you'd think you're in midtown.. Service is great and you can't be tasty food... A new favorite for sure!! read more

I must have come in on an off-day for the kitchen. Cool local place, nice staff and ambiance. $3 beers for happy hour = GREAT DEAL!! If I came in for just drinks 4+ stars. Like I said must have been off day in kitchen. Started on a decent note with the onion tart. But then we had the Seafood Bouillabaisse. Might have been the worst bouillabaisse I've ever had. Pretty sure they just used the frozen seafood bag from trader joe's, nothing was fresh. Broth lacked any flavor and bread for dipping was not even toasted. Also tried the chicken roulade with white bean spread. I love SALT, but it was beyond aggressively seasoned.....almost inedible. White bean spread/salad was awesome. Seeing lots of positive reviews of food, maybe I just ordered the wrong things. read more

My boyfriend and I just moved in across the street and couldn't pass up an opportunity to try a new restaurant out one night after unpacking. Had a glass of their 12 Rose and a cheeseburger with fries. Delicious. Staff is very friendly and happy. They were smiling the entire time they were working. Can't wait to go back! I think next time I'll try their bacon wrapped dates. read more

I feel like I died and went to gin & tonic heaven. They make their own tonic and bitters in house, and batch and barrel age manhattans and lemongrass martinis. But my recommendation is their counterpoint gin & tonic. It is perfect in its simplicity, and everything you need in a gin cocktail, nothing more. Didn't get a chance to try the food, but they do a daily farm to table item that I have seen pictures of on their Instagram, and everything I've seen looks great. Check it out. Instagram: Counterpointsandiego read more

I live so close by and just on random, decided to have dinner here. Ambiance is very nice, although I don't mean to sound old, but it's dark as hell. But I get it, ambiance. Food & drinks were all good. - Sangria is house made, amazing cinnamon flavor, reminiscent of apple cider. - Grilled cheese was nice and crispy, especially enjoyed the onion bacon jam on the side. - The greens salad, so so so... good, the strawberries in the salad were a refreshing surprise. Overall, I will be back and am disappointed I hadn't come here sooner. read more

The food was ok but definitely not worth the absolute worst customer service I have ever experienced at a bar/restaurant in my life. My wife and three of our friends went and were have dinner with drinks. During the this time our waiter was pretty un-attentive and when we asked for another round he rudely told us that he would only serve us water because we were drinking too much. We had been there for a couple hours and were on our third round. We're in our 40s and were not being obnoxious and certainly weren't drunk. When we asked him what signs of being drunk we were displaying he said none. But that he didn't know if we were going to be driving afterwards. When we told him we Ubered, he said "well I don't know that". After kindly asking to speak to the manager he told my friend who was being very calm and polite "Fuck off, the manager is not here". I wish I was making this up and quite frankly I thought it was a prank because the level of rudeness was simply incredible. Well, definitely won't be coming back here and I suggest you do the same. San Diego is full of great bars and restaurant with great food where I don't have to cursed out for politely asking to speak to a manager. read more

Very cool little place we took my wife to for her birthday. We loved how dim lit the floor was and the over all vibe was very chill and relaxed. Great service, and the food was bomb. Perfect place for a date night. They stay open till 12 every day too which is cool. Highly recommend. read more