Cellar Hand

Name: Cellar Hand
Address: 1440 University Ave, San Diego, CA, United States, 92103-3405
Telephone: (619) 876-4099
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.6

4.6 (162)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

1440 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103-3405

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 28 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Innovative
Neighborhood gem
Great for fine wines

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!

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!
Pride Parade Brunch! 🌈
Jul 19, 2025 only
Join us in the heart of Hillcrest for one of the neighborhood’s biggest days of the year! We're opening early for the parade with our full brunch menu, plus one-day specials including seafood platters, bottles of bubbles, and orange wine jello shots,. Expect delicious food, a fun DJ set, and plenty of bubbles to celebrate our our community. Don't miss your chance to celebrate Pride 2025 at Cellar Hand! **90-minute seating limit applies.**

What 162 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

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.5Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cellar Hand offers a delightful dining experience with "delicious and Napa Valley vibe" small plates and outstanding service. Patrons appreciate the "top quality, unique food" and "great wine selection." The ambiance is intimate, perfect for special occasions. Locally sourced ingredients enhance the menu, and the knowledgeable staff ensures a memorable visit.

162 Reviews

D
Daniela
New York City3 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Chef Ashley knocks it out of the park with a wide variety of small plates with hyper local ingredients. Every time a new dish came, we were surprised with such unexpected flavor combinations and beautiful presentation. Service was phenomenal and the wine selection was a fantastic representation of local wineries. The orange wine, both in the glass and in the gelée (with the chicken liver mousse) was so tasty! Great for special occasions and celebrations or any treat-yourself night! Loved it! Thanks for a great experience!
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S
Steven VIP
San Diego113 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 30, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We ordered several small plates and shared (there were 4 of us). Everything was delicious. Service was excellent.
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F
Foodie VIP
San Diego3 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Pork chop was delicious! Menu didn’t offer salads or bread. Many items not for everyone’s taste.
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J
James
San Diego7 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Top quality, unique food ... edging on Michelin-star quality (though a bit heavy on the salt at times). [Who would have thought up a loquat cobbler? And made it such a treat?] We tried 7 items and 3 wines and all were excellent. Our server was knowledgeable, pleasant, and helpful. Atmosphere was pleasant and we were able to easily carry out a conversation. We plan to return, and to tell friends about this place. (Also, considering the quality of the food, the prices are not bad.) Great evening out!
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A
Alexis VIP
Seattle / Eastern Washington1 review
5.0
Dined on May 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely place for an anniversary! Will be back soon
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D
Diane VIP
New York City27 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious and Napa Valley vibe for me. Great wine selection and tapas!
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B
Betty
Orange County4 reviews
3.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
It was a little busy for Mother’s Day so we understood and were patient. It took a bit of time just to get water. The fix price menu seemed reasonable but the options didn’t give vegetarian or lactose free options that felt worth the price. Appreciated the freshness of locally sourced ingredients. The fish option was raw and the description didn’t emphasize that. Overall not sure we will return.
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M
Michael
San Diego4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first experience eating at the Cellar Hand. It was amazing, from the staff, to the service, to the atmosphere, and the wonderful locally sourced food (tapas). The food being locally sourced sold us on the menu. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Cellar Hand!
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J
Jennifer VIP
San Diego16 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Run, don't walk. Exceptional Sunday Brunch. Impossible to decide, but thanks to Bianca, we were able to make some decisions. Dark chocolate babka toast with vanilla labneh, Homemade fermented and fired pita with labneh, roasted beets, strawberry and almond, and a delicious shakshuka. So many more delicious things to order, we've already made a future reservation. Great vibe, friendly staff.
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G
Gina VIP
Nashville10 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious meal with excellent service and great recommendations! We were there for brunch and I’m excited to come back and try dinner!
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FAQs

Cellar Hand is rated 4.6 stars by 162 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 28 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

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Brunch at Cellar Hand

Pride Parade Brunch! 🌈

Menu

What 162 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