Cellar Hand

4.7

107 Reviews

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 25, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighborhood gem
Great for outdoor dining
Innovative

Nestled in the heart of Hillcrest, San Diego, Cellar Hand embodies a commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship, and community. Through a farm-to-table approach, our menu showcases hyper-local seasonal fare by Executive Chef Logan Kendall. Our extensive wine list highlights the diverse terroir of California, serving as an extension of founder’s Pali Wine Co. Santa Barbara County winery. By fostering deep connections with local artisans, farmers, fishers, and stewards, Cellar Hand strives to be a destination where guests can savor the essence of California’s bounty in every bite and sip.

Enjoy our exposed kitchen, an indoor-outdoor bar, outdoor fire pits, and artwork by Nick Perr. Opened Wednesday - Sunday with daily happy hour specials and Sunday brunch!

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Mediterranean, Seafood
Hours of operation
Brunch Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Wed–Sun 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
Phone number
(619) 876-4099
Website
http://www.cellarhandhillcrest.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Logan Kendall

Location
1440 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103-3405
Neighborhood
Hillcrest
Cross street
University Ave. and Normal St.
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Brunch at Cellar Hand
Multiple dates available
Join us Sundays starting at 10am for decadent dishes including our house made brioche toasts, our take on traditional brunch eats, locally-sourced tea & coffee, and our handcrafted cocktails!
Winemaker Night with Aaron Walker
$45.00 per person
Dec 12, 2024 only
We're excited our new series 'Hand Made'–featuring the winemakers behind our all-California wine list! First up is Pali Wine Co,'s Aaron Walker, joining us on Thursday, December 12. Aaron will be pouring four of his favorites including Pali's estate-grown Chenin Blanc, plus Pinot Noir, Cabernet Pfeffer, and Syrah. Chef Logan and his team will be serving a food pairing to perfectly complement each pour. We hope you join us for this special tasting experience, and look forward to seeing you at this first of many Winemaker Nights! The wine tasting will be $45 per person, available alongside our full menu and Chef Logan's one-day-only complementary pairing.
New Year's Eve at Cellar Hand
$95.00 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Ring in the New Year with an unforgettable dining experience at Cellar Hand! Enjoy a 5-course pre-fixe menu showcasing our hyper-local cuisine, thoughtfully crafted to highlight the best seasonal flavors. The menu will include Sterling caviar dip, local spiny lobsters, Thompson Heritage Ranch pork, and Land & Feast ranch bone marrow. Elevate your evening with supplemental wine pairings from our exclusively California wine list—reserve your table now for a celebration to remember!

Offers

Happy Hour, 4-5pm
Multiple dates available
Sun - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM,Wed - Sat - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
When the clock strikes four, our prices hit the floor. Glasses of wine at half price, pair them with pitas, so nice. For a whole hour, be happy, in the Hillcrest sun. Join us at Cellar Hand—the evening’s just begun. Happy Hour, Wednesday - Sunday from 4 PM - 5 PM!

What 107 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Innovative
San Diego
Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cellar Hand is a culinary delight in San Diego, offering "amazing food" crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. With a menu featuring standout dishes like Aly's Crudo and Berkshire pork, it's perfect for foodies and wine lovers alike. Guests rave about the "friendly service" and "cool vibe," making it a must-visit.

107 Reviews

J
Jonathan
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great space for a moderate size group to come together for a drinks and small, very flavorful, plates. Recommend!
Is this helpful?
L
Lisa
San Diego
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Chef Logan and the team here are top tier. We came for brunch and I had the best breakfast potatoes I’ve had anywhere—perfectly crispy and seasoned. The Bluefin schnitzel is the best schnitzel my bf says he’s had stateside (he travels to Germany a lot for work). The dark chocolate babka is soft, chocolatey and balanced. The music is hella fun while you eat and the service is warm and attentive. We’ll be back for sure!
Is this helpful?
M
Mauricio
Chicago
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The front tables are very cold. If we would have been warmer the experience would have been much better.
Is this helpful?
A
Amber
Chicago
352 reviews
vip
5.0
352 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What an outstanding brunch experience - all the toasts are amazing with housemade bread. You need to get the chocolate babka and the basic breakfast is anything but basic, with pork belly bacon, sesame toast with housemade ham, herby potatoes and eggs your way. I’m surprised it’s not more crowded. Usually space for walk ins and right next to the Hillcrest farmers market.
Is this helpful?
M
Margaret
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is a new gem in San Diego! Food and ambience is awesome. Wine list fabulous, especially if you know you’re California local wines. Excited to come here again!
Is this helpful?
A
Adam
San Diego
34 reviews
vip
4.0
34 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The food and service were great, at the bar and at our table. Very nice experience.
Is this helpful?
YH
YaleHeartsGoodFood
San Diego
30 reviews
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on November 4, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We truly appreciate the creativity and vibrant flavors in the dishes. They are beautifully simple, honoring the ingredients and bringing them together for delightful results.
Is this helpful?
M
Michelle
San Francisco
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 3, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious! Loved the shareable plates and wine cocktail.
Is this helpful?
C
Christopher
San Diego
21 reviews
vip
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on October 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first time at Cellar Hand and it was a good experience. I love how they renovated the bar. The staff is very friendly and the menu selection was very appealing. We will be coming back
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent and knowledgeable wait staff made ordering fun. Food came out at a good pace, attentive to our cadence. Overall we loved the creative style on all the dishes. Really went the extra mile (like the fermented baby blueberries). The home made bread and crackers were delicious. Definitely coming back.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Cellar Hand is rated 4.7 stars by 107 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 25, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Experiences are available.

1440 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103-3405

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
University Ave. and Normal St.
Neighborhood
Hillcrest
Hours of operation
Brunch Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Wed–Sun 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Mediterranean, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Logan Kendall
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.cellarhandhillcrest.com/
Phone number
(619) 876-4099

Cellar Hand

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Brunch at Cellar Hand

Winemaker Night with Aaron Walker

New Year's Eve at Cellar Hand

Offers

Happy Hour, 4-5pm

Menu

What 107 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Cellar Hand restaurant rated?

Is Cellar Hand currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information