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Cellar Hand, San Diego, CA

Cellar Hand

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
  • 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. 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 weekend brunch!

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Farm-to-table, Mediterranean, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, 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

  • 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.
    Happy Hour Photo

  • 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!
    Brunch at Cellar Hand Photo

  • 'Build Your Own Bouquet' Brunch

    May 10, 2025 only
    Find the perfect gift for Mother's Day while enjoying Hillcrest's best brunch on Saturday, May 10! Our besties from Cork & Stem will be on site help you build a bouquet for the motherly figures in your life or pick your favorite pre-built bouquet to go! Prices for bouquets, personalized or not, range between $18 - 60. Brunch will feature our seasonal menu, 'mom-osas,' and so much more. Plus, enjoy our special prix-fixe Mother's Day brunch for Sunday!
    'Build Your Own Bouquet' Brunch Photo

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!

    Happy Hour, 4-5pm Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 147 people are saying

Cellar Hand reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Neighborhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Cellar Hand in San Diego is a vibrant dining destination known for its "amazing food" and "locally sourced" ingredients. Guests consistently praise the "fantastic" service from knowledgeable staff and the creative shareable plates. With a stellar wine selection and a "wonderful atmosphere," it's perfect for date nights or special celebrations.
147 Reviews

  1. Drew

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic meal and great wine pairings. We ate the whole menu and loved every minute of it

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  2. MandyA VIP

    San Diego4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely place, intimate in the best way, food was interesting with bold flavor choices that we all enjoyed and enjoyed talking about. Wine list was well curated. Service was well tailored to the table, just enough support without being intrusive. Get the dips, the ribeye was excellent as was the rockfish

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  3. Barbara

    San Diego7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place is a hidden gem. Fabulous food and great ambience. Wine is stellar. Service fantastic!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Sam VIP

    San Diego19 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    I just got to San Diego and I was looking for breakfast places, CELLAR HAND was one of the places I had to try. I ordered the breakfast eggs veggies potatoes and jam. My disappointment were the eggs, too small of a portion and undercooked.

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  5. Bonnie VIP

    San Diego15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The food and service were excellent! The house cab blend was very smooth and reasonably priced. The pork chop was AMAZING!

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing! I can’t wait to go back for their brunch.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Dennis VIP

    San Diego22 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We love this place. Wife had mackerel special. Very good. I had the burger (again) good but the bun should be less breadie a little softer. Cheesecake was to die for. We like the location and ambiance. Our Servers were great.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely loved it. Everything we had was so delicious. One of my eye popping faves was the Seared Scallop Crudo… omg. We want to come back to be able to taste everything else on the menu. Perfect ambience. And parking is not an issue.

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  9. Derek

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love the ambiance, the staff and the chefs selections! So many interesting and unique flavors! Such an amazing experience, especially for the adventurous tasters! Can’t wait to see what the chef comes up with next!

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  10. Akhiterm VIP

    New York City8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a great time at Cellar Hand. Service was excellent and the food was great. Rabbit ragú was a stand out as was the Bluefin Nduja Toast and Garlic Toum. I’m begging them to put their chocolate dessert on the permanent menu!

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FAQs

Cellar Hand is rated 4.7 stars by 147 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 PM
Booked 14 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.
  • Neighborhood
    Hillcrest
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, 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
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