What drew my friends and I to Happy Medium was their Baja Blast Frosted Cocktail which was delicious! The ambiance was good in terms of seating & gave a nicer/cleaner dive bar feel. I sat at the bar and the service was great and our bartender was super friendly and swift. The only thing I wasn't stoked on was the food. The cheese balls were chewy & kale salad tasted bland. (Maybe this was cause I went during happy hour?But we ended up getting food elsewhere after.) However the drinks were amazing & I'd definitely come back for them! read more

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2 stars for service. Went barhopping one night in NP and landed here. Margs were great! Service could be better. You know that vibe you get from employees where you can tell they're about to close? So they're super short and not friendly? That's how it felt. We asked for tajin on the rim only for the bartender to be like "IT ALREADY COMES WITH TAJIN???" with an annoyed look on her face. Nice to know thanks. Not dying to go back. read more

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Happy Medium has opened in a North Park suite that had been the home of a local fried chicken joint before it went out of business. Not that this area has any shortage of such establishments, but the two owners have transformed the space into an open air bar that is kid and dog-friendly. Parking near this 30th St intersection is a nightmare. You might be better off trying the multi-level, pay-parking deck a few blocks south. The simple food menu consisted of three mains and about ten shares. I am hopeful this will expand as the business grows its customer base. I picked the San Diego Fish + Fries from the trio of mains and sat at a two-top table on the sidewalk patio. A snapper fillet with citrus-brined and coated with batter before being deep fried. French fries and a cup of pickled jalapeno aioli were provided as sides. The large size of the fillet and the crunchiness of the french fries were terrific. That being said, there was too much batter applied to the fish for my palate. I had to peel off the crust and ate the fish by dipping it in the aioli. The staff was very friendly, and I believe one of the owners was assisting with taking orders. The change in ownership and theme of the business have been positive for this neighborhood corner so kudos to Happy Medium. read more

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Open seating! Easy to find a table on a Thursday evening and servers were quick to take our order. Cocktails were unique with fun names and reasonably priced. They had a good selection of food options on the menu, I went with the Chopped Cheese which they said is their take on a burger, more like a sandwich, hoagie style with ground beef rather than a patty. It was pretty greasy but a big portion and filling. Fries were crunchy and perfectly salty. It's a no-frills, unassuming locals kinda spot, would recommend for catching up with friends. read more

Happy Medium - 99 PROBLEMS and CACTUS COOLER - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Always a great spot for a bite and a drink (or 3!). They have an amazing Happy Hour and the vibe is always chill and laid back for sitting at the bar or on their sun soaked patio. I absolutely love having this spot in the neighborhood! read more

Happy Medium gives off the those laidback brewery vibes but instead of beer, they're serving cocktails. It feels like a modern-take on a "locals-only/dive bar" without the grunginess of a dive bar nor the high-concept aesthetics of a fancy cocktail bar. It sits right in that perfect middle, that "Happy Medium" area (ba dum tss). But seriously, this is a great place to just grab a casual drink and catch up with your friends. We went during happy hour (Open-6pm) where only some of their drinks are discounted, not all. We were surprised to get a table for the 5 of us around 5pm on a Thursday. If you sit at a table, no need to go up to the bar and order. They have servers who will come take both your drink and food order which made it much easier. The Gin Tonic ($12) was very refreshing and I really enjoyed it. My gf really liked her Baja Blast Slushee as well (HH $9). We also got a side of the fried cheese curds which were super tasty! Very crispy and paired with both a really delicious ranch + vodka sauce. Considering the very fair prices of the overall drink menu + Happy Hour, Happy Medium is great addition to North Park. read more

Happy Medium - Fried Cheese Curds - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came by for a coffee here at North Park when we saw this HAPPY MEDIUM , I checked the Reviews and it has great feedback. Got the Chicken Melenese Sandwich and my wife got the San Diego Fish & Fries. My Melanese was delicious, chicken was tender with a good garlic aioli sauce. We took a couple of pics of our food and drinks, but I'm only posting the food that I ordered and their indoor and outdoor dining and the rest of my wife will post more photos when she reviews this place. Nice Ambiance and outdoor seating are also available. read more

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Happy Medium is a cute vibrant neighborhood bar in North Park! Both times I went, it got pretty crowded. You seat yourself so you might need to wait for a table to open up if it's a really busy day. I love that it is dog friendly. They even gave my dog a pup cup which was very cute! They have a fun and creative cocktail menu and the price isn't too expensive compared to other cocktail bars. I really liked the 99 problems drink which tastes like a tropical boozy Thai tea! The alcoholic slushies are served in adorable kids cups with a straw. Everyone that works here seems friendly and welcoming. The food was good too! I got the chicken Milanese sandwich but the fish & chips and bone marrow dishes looked delicious. Overall Happy Medium is a great addition to North Park and I will definitely be coming back! read more

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Wow this is the best Fish and Chips I've ever had in my life. The fish is Snapper and was so huge tender and flaky. We also had the delicious green goddess hummus and falafel. The cheese curds were Phenomenal too! I loved the cocktails, we started with the slushie which comes in a cool sippy cup and the Cactus cooler, then had the 99 problems. All the cocktails were so good and so reasonably priced. Don't sleep on this absolute gem of a place! The service was really quick and the menu is small but everything has a twist. I will definitely be back soon! read more

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Blew my expectations out of the water. While they do have a few fried items to check the greasy bar food box, they have some amazing dishes that seem healthy like a couple nice salads. There are plenty of vegetarian options, including one of my favorite dishes of the night, mushroom toast (even better than the non veg items). Although the meat and cheese board was off the hook with real honey and a really good fig jam and quality goat cheese balls, among other things. The drinks were great. It was fun to watch the bartender shake the shaker as she made drinks with care. The large ice and impressive garnishes are also noteworthy. The staff was really nice. My server was genuinely grateful for the tip I left. They brought waters to make sure we were hydrated. This is not a dive bar... the food came with real forks on real plates. The walls roll up to let the fresh San Diego air in. Patio was dog friendly (and the staff brought pup cones to let them know they were welcome). read more

Happy Medium - Cheese curds - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This might be a new favorite! My friends and I arrived around 8:30pm on a Friday and were able to get seats at the bar right away. The employees were all really nice and attentive. There is plenty of seating both inside and out. It got busy, but didn't feel crowded. Meat 'N' Cheese Board: 10000/10, so so good! Great variety of meats and cheeses! I just wish there was a bit more bread, since I was sharing with friends. Great price! Fries: 10/10, so good! Juice Is Loose Slushee!!: 9/10, really good! STRONG! Great price! Served in a kids cup. My friends also really enjoyed their drinks. I will definitely be back! read more

Happy Medium - JUICE IS LOOSE SLUSHEE - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was excited to try Happy Medium and wasn't disappointed. It was very packed, parking was extremely limited but the service was fast and the drinks were delicious. It's very clean and minimalist. They had a great menu selection, and I think almost anyone could find something! Highly recommend Happy Medium! read more

Happy Medium - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I came in for a birthday 6/30 for the soccor game sat at a table and the waitress who was blond wearing a green shirt and glasses said she could not do separate tabs! And I simply said okay I'll go to the bartender she went back and forth with me on why she couldn't and I just kept simply saying okay well I would like to go to the bartender since you can't do separate tabs. She stated you can do what you want but I can't do separate tabs! After going to the bartender and placing my order with food he said the waitress can take your order there I told him she kept saying that she couldn't do separate tabs he just shrugged his shoulders and said okay I'll have it sent to you (I kept my tab open with the bartender) mind you I had a lot of people in our group that started coming in after us and then the waitress with glasses came up and ask them what they wanted and started separate tabs without all the guff and sass she gave me! Basically it was never a problem having a separate tabs she just didn't want to do it until I told the bartender why I'm going up to him. Plus she forgot a drink order it came out terrible and food was nasty! It showed me this place and service is terrible. I won't be going back read more

So I have been here twice now and I really like this place the service is great! Everyone helps each other out so you don't really have just one wait person. So far I've had the tuna sandwich there and this chicken parm and they were both really good! There are some sports TVs but dang that place is hot in there! read more

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This place only opens a few weeks ago but it is very busy! The bar is very long and narrow so it can get really hard to move around but luckily there are tables and a small patio space also. The service was great, they were very friendly and super helpful with the menu to figure out what we thought was the best flavors for us. I would say the menu is really cool and the descriptions sound great but I don't feel like some of the cocktails held up to the actual descriptions on the menu. They are draft cocktails so they are made in large batches but that shouldn't mean they don't taste as good. We got: - 99 problems: which the server said tasted exactly like a Thai tea but we felt like it definitely missed. - cactus cooler: this one was delicious and tasted like a spicy margarita - the slushees were super good!! We got the Orange Julius one that tasted like a creamsicle! Overall, drinks are decent but some missed the mark for sure. read more

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Came to this spot on a busy Friday night with a friend and the spot was very busy! It has a fun, dimly lit atmosphere with funky music that I enjoy. The place was very busy with a lot of people since there's no one regulating entry at the door and lots of tables in a comparably small space. I would not if you do not like feeling crowded and trapped. We luckily found a spot at the bar and were able to place in our order. Overall, I was happy with the service we received. It was never hard to flag down a bartender and I felt that they were well staffed. We also had some good conversations with the staff as we sat at the bar. I was pleasantly surprised by the drink prices. I ordered a refreshing mezcal cocktail and my friend ordered the espresso martini. Both were on the sweeter side, but nothing undrinkable and was good for the price. I was disappointed with the food we ordered. We ordered the bone marrow with a mezcal shot, and I basically consider it a waste of money. There was maybe a half teaspoon of actual bone marrow in our dish, the bone was incredibly shallow and we could not scrape anything away. The mezcal shot they gave us to drink out of the bone marrow spilled all over our plates since there was no depth to the bones, so it soaked the bread on the plate. Not to mention the mezcal shot was not good at all. Overall, I would come back for the drinks, but wait to order food somewhere else. read more

Happy Medium - Bone Marrow - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Super big portions for an affordable price ! Fries are cooked to perfection, and the milanese chicken sandwich is flavorful, and the kale salad is refreshing. Parking wasn't too hard to find on a Thursday night, I am definitely coming back to try their drinks. read more

Happy Medium - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This place was so cute and the staff were all so friendly! This is the perfect place to watch a football game and grab a bite! The chicken Milanese sandwich was pretty good! Would definitely come back again! read more

Happy Medium - CHICKEN MILANESE SANDWICH - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Mmmm... cheese curds. Definitely get the cheese curds. This busy little spot at the corner of 30th and Lincoln doesn't look very special, but it's got it where it counts. Is it a bit pricey for the look of the place? Yeah probably. But it's lively, the drinks are good, (some of) the food is good, the staff is nice, and there is a solid happy hour from 4-6 during the week. Drink-wise, the Large Marg is their really solid take on a good-sized margarita. They also do a nice old fashioned. My girlfriend really likes the Ward 8, which (believe it or not) comes with Tang. Yes, Tang -- that stuff that every Gen-Xer poisoned themselves with when they were somewhere around kindergarten. Seriously, I'm shocked we haven't heard that it's linked to twelve types of cancer yet, so I guess have at it at this point. Food wise, I'll fully admit that I am addicted to the aforementioned cheese curds, but especially the vodka sauce that comes with it. One of the bartenders, knowing how much I like it, once served me a full shot glass of the vodka sauce. Their self-described "girl dinner" of kale salad and fries served during happy hour also really hits the spot. I was not a fan of their "chopped cheese" version of a burger, however, which was just sort of messy and gross. I really do need to try more of the food, as I have heard some good things from others. I think that I like the most about Happy Medium, however, is that I have found it to be the kind of place where you find yourself effortlessly striking up a fun conversation with your bar neighbors or even the staff. It just has that unpretentious "come as you are" vibe that often attracts and brings out the best of people, a somewhat rare quality in new bars these days. And, of course, the cheese curds with vodka sauce. Yes, definitely get the cheese curds with vodka sauce. read more

Stopped in for happy hour. Had some decent food specials. Drinks were a couple dollars off depending on your drink. Wife had the tiny tini and said it was great. I just had a beer and we shared the carnitas fries. Servers were super friendly. Place was packed at 3:30 on a Friday. Didn't have to wait long for food or drinks though. Would go back to check out other food and cocktails. read more

They have a good long happy hour, and don't make the drinks weaker or smaller which we all appreciated. The margarita is classic. And their sloppy Jane was complimented by those in the group that trued it. Open seating, and it can get busy since the groups mostly sit and chat (exactly what we did). North park parking leaves a lot be desired, but no fault of the businesses. read more

Friends and I went for happy hour, that half kale caesar salad and fries is such a good deal imo! The Baja blast slushee was so good, pretty strong too! Just wish it was bigger but really appreciated the plastic kiddy cup! Fair warning, they don't have AC so try and sit by the window or on the bar (if they have the covers up). We sat at the bar and the bartender was really nice! Great area to be in! North Park has a farmer's market on Thursdays so just a short walk away :) read more

The service is great. Take a seat and the server will come to you once in a while to ask you if you want any drinks. I did not have any food but the environment here has been great. Definitely will come back read more

Happy Medium - Happy hour menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Service is wonderful. Prices are also quite reasonable. To Yelp: min characters validation per review - really? read more

The kale salad and the chicken sandwich were amazing!!!! so delicious. The wine was great too. The service was good but a little slow. Great vibes. Heat warmers were nice. read more

The drinks are on point. Music is a vibe. Football is on. Jess is the best service we could ever ask for! She's so cool, has great tips, great conversation and serves up some amazing drinks. Highly recommend starting your day here, never disappoints. read more

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Cute bar with good food and good service. Drinks were very good. Plus outside seating that was dog friendly to people watch. When I'm in town I will go back to try another speciality drink. Give it a go very friendly! read more

On a whim, I brought my friends to try Happy Medium--their decor and blistering crowd really attracted me--and we got lucky and snagged a table. They do get filled up pretty quick, even the bar is crowded. The servers were all so sweet in helping us grab the next open table and our food orders came out in less than 10 minutes. Honestly the food is top tier. Crowd pleaser is the fried cheese curds and ranch!!! The mushroom toast and chicken Milanese sandwich we shared too and we kept ordering seconds. I will say the slushees were the only disappointment because they were really small and served in kids cups? Very confusing, I was expecting a big glass and something more to the drink. read more

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While we were getting our coffee, I noticed that there was a new Bar accross the street where we at. We went to check them out and it looks okay, so we decided to stay for lunch. We decided to have: *CHICKEN MILANESE SANDWICH - Lemon Aioli, arugula, red onion, and shaved parm. *SAN DIEGO FISH & CHIPS - Citrus brined snapper, pickled jalapeno, aioli, and fries. *CACTUS COOLER - Chile vodka, tequila, cactus cooler, and lime The CHICKEN MILANESE SANDWICH looked big when it came out. The chicken was well seasoned and the Aioli went really well with the chicken milanese, this was so good. For the SAN DIEGO FISH & CHIPS, it's a Citrus brined Snapper. Again, it came out in a good portion. The Fries on this were so crispy and seasoned well. The battered fish was crunchy and tasty. The fish was cooked nicely. My drink was very light in Alcohol, but good. The owner himself was the Barista when we were there. The service was on point. Also, this place is very Pet friendly, water bowls for our furry babies are all over. Parking was kinda hard to find around , thats the only part that i didn't like , it took us a couple of round to find a parking spot . read more

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Happy Medium made our New Year's Eve! It was packed around 10-11 PM (not surprising with all the other North Park bars being so busy), but we were lucky to grab a seat on the patio. Even with the crowd, the staff constantly checked in on us and made sure our glasses were full. The Party Pimm's Cup (Pimm's, lemon, ginger, watermelon-red bull, mint) was fantastic and kept us awake. We loved the patio heaters that kept us warm! Overall, it was outstanding service, and was a great way to ring in the new year! read more

Happy Medium - Pimm's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a great Saturday afternoon at Happy Medium! We loved the drinks - each had their own kick and flare. The ambiance was chill, joyous, modern and cozy. One point off because we didn't love the food which tasted a bit basic and anytime something had parmesan in it, the cheese was overbearing and everything tasted the same. People were very nice and easy going. Overall we had a good time and would come back for drinks and social gatherings! read more

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NORTH PARK'S VERSION OF A MODERN CHEERS (3.8 star) It's definitely a place where "everybody knows your name" filled with M/Zillenials. It's a locals bar and it was like walking into a place of a 2-degree separation inside. So and so knows so and so and they hang out here. - FOOD/DRINKS: average - PRICE: fair - SERVICE: happy friendly staff - AMBIANCE: chill vibes open concept The best part were the happy and friendly staff. Very welcoming and kind! Makes the place a chill spot. :: ORDER :: LAZY SUZAN ($12) - Rum. Suze. Melon. Lemon. Soda. Celery bitters. Not my first choice of drink but picked it because first choice had caffeine in it. It was refreshing with very subtle taste of melon with a herbally taste of lemon and celery. I could taste the celery bitters and although it was bugging, I could tell I wasn't into it. The strength of my cocktail was nice, empty stomach and light weight therefore gave me a quick buzz I needed to feel after a long day. RECOMMEND CHOPPED CHEESE ($16) - chopped beef patty. Melted onion & American cheese. Shredded iceberg. Tomato. House sauce. First and foremost, if you are "LACTOSE-Y" this option might not be the best for you without a Lactaid. This is the newer item on the menu I didn't see before when reviewing their menu. I saw a picture saying it was like in-and-out cheese steak... ahh not quite! NO... it's not "cheese burger egg rolls" (LOL employee said when I was videoing my food). Far from an egg roll. YES... to the cheese steak style but NO.. to in-and-out taste. It tasted more like a Big Mac without the good sauce, a Big Mac with something or some flavor missing. It came cut in half but no side (if you want fries you can order it separately although there is no mention of sides on the menu nor have this option printed anywhere). It's hearty and messy to eat but perfect if you are craving a very melty, cheesy, and moist burger. The bun was pillowy soft which made me feel like this lacked texture diversity. I wish there was a free side or crunchy pickles or something added in for a different texture. The taste was OK but nothing amazing where I'm rushing back for more. I'd probs prefer in and out and get a full meal with a shake for half the price of this sandwich but that's just me. However I could see this becoming a popular meal here because it is different, you don't see a chopped up burger in a cheese steak bun too often. RECOMMEND I will be back to try a sushy drink and some corn dogs next time! Until the next review... read more

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My friends and I stopped by Happy Medium on July 4th and the bar was packed around 9:30 p.m. My large party of six got lucky and managed to find standing room next to the window because a party was just leaving when we arrived. When we were seated, a server promptly came over to take our drink orders. The cocktails here are awesome! I really like the drink menu design -- separating out boozy "sippers", "porch pounders", slushes, and even boiler makers. Throughout the night, I stuck with whiskey based drinks. The high fashion -- bourbon, pineapple benedictine, angostura bitters, and zlatan -- rye, vanilla, swedish punsch, absinthe, and angostura bitters, were well-made cocktails that I would happily order again. My friends and I ended up getting three rounds of drinks because we enjoyed the atmosphere so much. I can't wait to stop by again to try out some of their food, as the menu sounds delicious. read more

The best thing they do is the excellent and reliable grilled chicken you can add to salads or other dishes. The corn dogs and salads are also good. Unfortunately when you order delivery orders are put together carelessly with missing elements and there is no remedy. I ordered the roast beef sandwich which lacked the dipping sauce that seemed an essential element of the dish when viewed online and hearing customers say how dry it tastes until they dip it. Ordered a salad with dressing on the side and they did not send the dressing on the side so that dish was dry and bad as well. I called the number they list as their number several times when they were open and it rang and rang and no one ever answered the phone and there is no machine. I emailed them through the contact us form on their site and no one ever responded. Sounds like they don't want to be bothered by customers when orders do not turn out as they should. It's a risk. PS Shortly after this review posted to yelp, they answered my email and clarified the roast beef has no dipping sauce--I was confused by a yelp review that said there was one. It needs it! They did not address the missing salad dressing but I assume they are still serving dressing with their salad and the dressing just didn't make it into the little plastic container inside the salad where it usually is. read more

I recently lost a loved one in a tragic accident at a Bird of Prey Sanctuary. Since then, I've desperately been searching for a psychic to help me communicate with the spiritual realm, and find some closure. Sadly, I've so far found them all to be sorrowful, morose and macabre. You can imagine how my heart leapt as my search lead me to 'Happy Medium' and I was certain my prayers had been answered. Despite my initial disappointment that it was, in fact, a cocktail bar - I can assure you that their "Eagle Maniac" is to die for read more

Excellent food, drinks and vibe!!! I rarely eat kale but their kale salad is amazing!!!

a great add to the neighborhood, happy medium brings a cheerful and open air atmosphere and great drinks. their menu looks delicious, we had the bone marrow and it was meaty and flavorful. everyone was so friendly and the drinks came quick with a strong pour. excited to come back again and check out their upcoming menu additions read more

Happy Medium - bone marrow - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Innovative cocktail menu and definitely a bustling spot on a Friday afternoon. Service was attentive despite being packed. Cons: draft cocktails (couldn't really taste any alcohol and was a little sweet despite the cocktail being Smokey spirit based) Pros: otherwise tasty menu and good vibes/ambiance. I'd come back and try some other items when it's not as busy. read more

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Small place right on the corner. Parking SUCKS, but it's North Park and you know that already. Friendly service, kick back, casual atmosphere and they have HAPPY HOUR!!! Food is great and they have decent size portions. Drinks are all pre batched, which is a bit annoying, but extremely efficient. Come early, as place gets packed and super busy during prime time. Enjoy read more

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Happy Medium brings the Maximum in quality, service, and creativity! One of the newest experiences to grace North Park and sure to be one of the best! It goes without saying WHY this spot is ALWAYS packed just about any night of the week. From one of the most creative cocktail menus in San Diego, to their delightful fold options, Happy Medium is a perfect middle ground for anyone exploring North Park for the first time or a familiar resident just trying to have a good time. read more

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