Cellar Hand

4.6

146 Reviews

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 23, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 13 times today

Experiences are available.

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

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!
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.
'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!

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 146 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

4.7Food
4.6Service
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.

146 Reviews

MA
MandyA VIP
San Diego4 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day 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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B
Barbara
San Diego7 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day 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!
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S
Sam VIP
San Diego19 reviews
3.0
Dined 7 days ago
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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B
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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OT
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.
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D
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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OT
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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D
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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A
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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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego1 review
5.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Incredible food and wine selection. I have been several times and it never disappoints.
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FAQs

Cellar Hand is rated 4.6 stars by 146 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 23, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 13 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 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

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

Cellar Hand

Make a reservation

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Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Brunch at Cellar Hand

Happy Hour

'Build Your Own Bouquet' Brunch

Offers

Happy Hour, 4-5pm

Menu

What 146 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