My friend and I decided to check out Neighborhood one night when we were cruising in Downtown SD. He really wanted to check out this eatery because of their extensive beer selection, so though we were planning to get dinner elsewhere, this was the first stop on our agenda for the evening. I actually lucked out with finding street parking close to Neighborhood--the venue isn't hard to find, thanks to the large sign--and for a Friday early evening in San Diego, the eatery was bustling, but it wasn't too crazy. I imagine that this destination would be even more popular later into the night. But my friend was already there waiting at a small table for two. He ordered two different beers, as well as some kind of sampler--I can't remember what it was; I just know the sampler consisted of four tasters and it cost more than $20--but we ordered some food to share as well. I enjoyed what we got, and though I considered the entrees to be somewhat expensive, there are still other items on the Neighborhood menu that I would want to try in the future. Here's what we got during our first visit to Neighborhood: "The Local Animal": I had seen some recommendations on Yelp for this dish, so my friend and I decided to split it. It features a Polish sausage, braised pork, fried egg, mustard, molasses glaze and arugula. I loved the flavor of the sausage; it was super succulent and juicy. The braised pork was tender and flavorful, and I also really liked the extra taste provided by the fried egg and mustard. The molasses glaze provided a hint of sweetness to balance out the smoky, savory flavors, and made the dish unique. It was such an interesting combination of flavors that somehow all worked well together. I scraped off part of the arugula, but other than that, I loved every single bite of this upscale hot dog. Besides, I'm such a fan of anything topped with a fried egg (sandwiches, burgers, fries ... you name it!). "Kennebec Fries": Since fries don't come standard with the sandwiches/burgers/hot dogs offered at Neighborhood, we got these fries to share. Though ultra-thin fries aren't my favorite, every burger/sandwich isn't complete without fries, so I'm glad we ordered these. But I have to say, the accompanying garlic herb aioli was my favorite part. Though this sauce featured a slight kick, it was so delicious and I dunked every fry in it until we were out of sauce! "Sweet Potato Fries": I usually don't like sweet potato (anything), but fries would be an exception ... especially this version at Neighborhood. It features peppered malt vinaigrette and comes topped with crumbled blue cheese. Blue cheese is one of my favorite cheeses EVER, so I'm definitely down to try this version (even if the fries are just as skinny/crispy as the Kennebec version). "Pale Battered Onion Rings": I recently discovered my love for onion rings, and I especially like them if the breading is generous (so that you taste more of the crispy, fried exterior than the onions themselves). The version at Neighborhood is served with mustard seed aioli, so I'm already down to try them one day based on the dipping sauce alone. "Jalapeno Mac & Cheese": Mac 'n cheese is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods, but I'm curious to try this slightly spicy version. Before ordering it, though, I would probably ask my server just HOW spicy this mac & cheese dish is ... and if it's flaming hot, I would have to pass. But if it's only mildly spicy, I would gladly give it a try. "Chorizo Corn Dogs": I'll enjoy a good corn dog every now and then, and just like with onion rings/fish and chips/anything deep fried, the consistency, taste and texture of the batter is of utmost importance. Though I do like the corndog meat, I hope the batter on this baby is generous, with that signature crispy interior and soft, mushy interior. This corn dog is served with mustard seed aioli and smoked chipotle sauces for dipping ... it already sounds like a winner. "The Grilled Cheese": Grilled cheese sandwiches have to be my favorite sandwiches, and it's my usual go-to on any sandwich menu. This version includes Pepperjack, American, Cheddar and tomatoes on an Amish loaf, and it's served with a roasted tomato bisque. I don't care much for tomatoes (or tomato soup), but I'm willing to try this cheesy medley because it includes some of my favorite cheeses (namely, Pepper Jack). I probably wouldn't eat the tomato bisque all on its own, but I would use it for dunking my sandwich. I especially love it when grilled cheese sandos are slightly burned/crispy on the outside but the cheesy interior is an ooey, gooey, melted mess, so I'm definitely excited to try this version one day.
(4)
J A.
Food was good but not great. Mostly a hipster hangout which is fine but I feel like I'm in the presence of smug when I'm there. My first visit I was blown off and nobody even tried to seat us or help us out. The staff would walk past us. I went here another time bc friends were there and had a better experience. I feel the food isn't good enough to go out of your way however.
(3)
Will B.
All the food was beyond excellent and the staff are awesome. Only got to come for lunch but the booze menu looked legit too. The hood specialties on the menu are the way to go. The mussels and tacos are killer. Also they had a special for ribs and oh were they good
(5)
Steve R.
I've been coming here for years and it's one of my favorites, but they have recently changed the menu. They've changed some of the best things on the menu (why fix what's not broken?) and no longer have goat cheese balls. They also changed the black bean burger as well. Frustrating!
(3)
Michelle W.
A trendy place on the edge of gaslamp, the neighborhood was a great stop. The waiters were really friendly and actually struck up some sincere conversation, which doesn't happen all that often when you're in restaurants. Our waiter gave some great suggestions of other things nearby in addition to menu recommendations. The neighborhood has a pretty decent drink menu with good variety. The black bean burger was tasty and came with great sauces (instead of ketchup, a big no-no here) for the burger and the garlic fries, so good.
(5)
Aakash G.
One of my favorite bars in the country. Great food, great beers, great vibe. Check it out. Only slightly beaten out by sister bar Craft + Commerce.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kelli S.
My friend and I decided to check out Neighborhood one night when we were cruising in Downtown SD. He really wanted to check out this eatery because of their extensive beer selection, so though we were planning to get dinner elsewhere, this was the first stop on our agenda for the evening. I actually lucked out with finding street parking close to Neighborhood--the venue isn't hard to find, thanks to the large sign--and for a Friday early evening in San Diego, the eatery was bustling, but it wasn't too crazy. I imagine that this destination would be even more popular later into the night. But my friend was already there waiting at a small table for two. He ordered two different beers, as well as some kind of sampler--I can't remember what it was; I just know the sampler consisted of four tasters and it cost more than $20--but we ordered some food to share as well. I enjoyed what we got, and though I considered the entrees to be somewhat expensive, there are still other items on the Neighborhood menu that I would want to try in the future. Here's what we got during our first visit to Neighborhood: "The Local Animal": I had seen some recommendations on Yelp for this dish, so my friend and I decided to split it. It features a Polish sausage, braised pork, fried egg, mustard, molasses glaze and arugula. I loved the flavor of the sausage; it was super succulent and juicy. The braised pork was tender and flavorful, and I also really liked the extra taste provided by the fried egg and mustard. The molasses glaze provided a hint of sweetness to balance out the smoky, savory flavors, and made the dish unique. It was such an interesting combination of flavors that somehow all worked well together. I scraped off part of the arugula, but other than that, I loved every single bite of this upscale hot dog. Besides, I'm such a fan of anything topped with a fried egg (sandwiches, burgers, fries ... you name it!). "Kennebec Fries": Since fries don't come standard with the sandwiches/burgers/hot dogs offered at Neighborhood, we got these fries to share. Though ultra-thin fries aren't my favorite, every burger/sandwich isn't complete without fries, so I'm glad we ordered these. But I have to say, the accompanying garlic herb aioli was my favorite part. Though this sauce featured a slight kick, it was so delicious and I dunked every fry in it until we were out of sauce! "Sweet Potato Fries": I usually don't like sweet potato (anything), but fries would be an exception ... especially this version at Neighborhood. It features peppered malt vinaigrette and comes topped with crumbled blue cheese. Blue cheese is one of my favorite cheeses EVER, so I'm definitely down to try this version (even if the fries are just as skinny/crispy as the Kennebec version). "Pale Battered Onion Rings": I recently discovered my love for onion rings, and I especially like them if the breading is generous (so that you taste more of the crispy, fried exterior than the onions themselves). The version at Neighborhood is served with mustard seed aioli, so I'm already down to try them one day based on the dipping sauce alone. "Jalapeno Mac & Cheese": Mac 'n cheese is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods, but I'm curious to try this slightly spicy version. Before ordering it, though, I would probably ask my server just HOW spicy this mac & cheese dish is ... and if it's flaming hot, I would have to pass. But if it's only mildly spicy, I would gladly give it a try. "Chorizo Corn Dogs": I'll enjoy a good corn dog every now and then, and just like with onion rings/fish and chips/anything deep fried, the consistency, taste and texture of the batter is of utmost importance. Though I do like the corndog meat, I hope the batter on this baby is generous, with that signature crispy interior and soft, mushy interior. This corn dog is served with mustard seed aioli and smoked chipotle sauces for dipping ... it already sounds like a winner. "The Grilled Cheese": Grilled cheese sandwiches have to be my favorite sandwiches, and it's my usual go-to on any sandwich menu. This version includes Pepperjack, American, Cheddar and tomatoes on an Amish loaf, and it's served with a roasted tomato bisque. I don't care much for tomatoes (or tomato soup), but I'm willing to try this cheesy medley because it includes some of my favorite cheeses (namely, Pepper Jack). I probably wouldn't eat the tomato bisque all on its own, but I would use it for dunking my sandwich. I especially love it when grilled cheese sandos are slightly burned/crispy on the outside but the cheesy interior is an ooey, gooey, melted mess, so I'm definitely excited to try this version one day.
(4)J A.
Food was good but not great. Mostly a hipster hangout which is fine but I feel like I'm in the presence of smug when I'm there. My first visit I was blown off and nobody even tried to seat us or help us out. The staff would walk past us. I went here another time bc friends were there and had a better experience. I feel the food isn't good enough to go out of your way however.
(3)Will B.
All the food was beyond excellent and the staff are awesome. Only got to come for lunch but the booze menu looked legit too. The hood specialties on the menu are the way to go. The mussels and tacos are killer. Also they had a special for ribs and oh were they good
(5)Steve R.
I've been coming here for years and it's one of my favorites, but they have recently changed the menu. They've changed some of the best things on the menu (why fix what's not broken?) and no longer have goat cheese balls. They also changed the black bean burger as well. Frustrating!
(3)Michelle W.
A trendy place on the edge of gaslamp, the neighborhood was a great stop. The waiters were really friendly and actually struck up some sincere conversation, which doesn't happen all that often when you're in restaurants. Our waiter gave some great suggestions of other things nearby in addition to menu recommendations. The neighborhood has a pretty decent drink menu with good variety. The black bean burger was tasty and came with great sauces (instead of ketchup, a big no-no here) for the burger and the garlic fries, so good.
(5)Aakash G.
One of my favorite bars in the country. Great food, great beers, great vibe. Check it out. Only slightly beaten out by sister bar Craft + Commerce.
(4)