Cellar Hand

4.6

124 Reviews

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 16, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 27 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for groups

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. 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

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 Saturdays & 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! Saturday brunch kicks off February 22!
Happy Hour
Multiple dates available
Enjoy 50% off all wine by the glass, beer, and sangria, alongside deals on bar snacks and our seasonal dips. This special offer is available Wednesday through Sunday, 4-5pm.

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 124 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Neighborhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cellar Hand in San Diego is a culinary gem offering "incredible and fresh" dishes with vibrant flavors and a "fantastic" wine selection. Diners praise the "creative and tantalizing" menu, which features hyper-local and plant-forward options. Service is "attentive and knowledgeable," creating an unforgettable dining experience that will "definitely" bring you back.

124 Reviews

J
Jonatan
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
I booked my dinner about a month in advance. My reservation was at 6 and I was not seated until 640. They asked we sit at the bar to wait , and no sort of compensation was offered for the wait. If I reserve a time, especially so far in advance, I would expect a small wait but not 40 minutes. What would be the point of using a reservation system? For the price of the experience, I expected better restaurant management. During the 40 minute wait, we were not approached my the staff to let us know the progress of our table either. It was not until I went up to the desk after the 40 minutes to ask on the status. The food was good, but I would say slightly over priced.
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J
Joe
Detroit
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cellar Hand is wonderful date night spot. The food is amazing: locally sourced and prepared with skill. Bonus: if you’re a member of the Pali Wine Co club, then you can bring their bottles with you for no corkage fee.
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R
Rachel
VIP
San Diego
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We went to clear hand for Valentine’s Day. The menu was very nice however we thought the portions and value didn’t exceed our expectations. Overall we have been to cellar hand multiple times are always enjoy th experience.
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A
Andrea
San Diego
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had a series of wonderful small plates. The flavors were complex and perfectly highlighted the fresh local ingredients.
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R
Ryan
VIP
Toronto
15 reviews
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on February 1, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cellar Hand is a bespoke local haunt, where the “those who know”, go. We had a unique presentation of fresh calamari, mackerel, rock fish and a rabbit ragu, all paired with Sonoma wines chosen by ourselves. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the cuisine, the service, and overall treat for once in awhile. Locally sourced, locally run, hospitality done right.
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P
Patti
Seattle
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on January 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our experience was out of this world! Hands down our best restaurant experience in San Diego. From the moment we walked up we were greated warmly and seated immediately. Our server was spectacular and so knowledgeable and excited about the menu. Everything from the detailed food explanations to the wine recommendations were spot on. Then came the food. It was beyond farm to table fresh and creatively designed and prepared. The labneh and pita was so delicious. The chicken liver mousse was so creamy and full of flavor with crisp bright pops of pomelo gelee. The rabbit gnocchi was savory and light. The rockfish was flakey and full of lemon flavor. We ordered not one but all three desserts and savored every bite. Don’t walk, run to Cellar Hand for an impeccable meal with the absolute best chefs and staff!
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D
Dillan
VIP
San Diego
60 reviews
5.0
60 reviews
Dined on January 19, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The chicken liver pate. Get it! We love the low light small plate relaxed vibe here. A great wine list and slowly evolving menu with amazing specials (wild rabbit ragu!!) keeps us coming back.
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J
J Evan
VIP
San Francisco
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, refined wine selection...what else does one need? Had a great time.
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K
Kendra
San Diego
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food and great service. We will definitely be back.
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J
John
VIP
San Diego
115 reviews
5.0
115 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first visit to Cellar Hand. We were in the area and decided to give it a try. It was great. The food was well prepared and interesting. The service was great. We look forward to returning sometime soon.
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FAQs

Cellar Hand is rated 4.6 stars by 124 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 16, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 27 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
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

Happy Hour

Offers

Happy Hour, 4-5pm

Menu

What 124 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