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Cellar Hand, San Diego, CA

Cellar Hand

4.7
4.7
107 Reviews
$31 to $50
Farm-to-table

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Innovative
  • Great for outdoor dining
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
  • Neighbourhood
    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!
    Brunch at Cellar Hand photo

  • Winemaker Night with Aaron Walker

    US$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.
    Winemaker Night with Aaron Walker photo

  • New Year's Eve at Cellar Hand

    US$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!
    New Year's Eve at Cellar Hand photo

Offers

  • Happy Hour, 4-5pm

    Multiple dates available
    Sun - 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.,Wed - Sat - 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    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!

    Happy Hour, 4-5pm photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

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

  1. Jonathan

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    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!

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  2. Lisa

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 3 days 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!

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  3. Mauricio

    Chicago

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days 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.

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  4. Amber

    Chicago

    352 reviews

    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.

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  5. 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!

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  6. Adam

    San Diego

    34 reviews

    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.

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  7. 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.

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  8. 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.

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  9. 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

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  10. 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.

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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
7:00 p.m.
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Cellar Hand

1440 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103-3405

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    University Ave. and Normal St.
  • Neighbourhood
    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
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