The Cellar

Visited at lunchtime on Friday 15th March 2019. Minute patio out front, a small front room selling cheese, coffee and out sales; this leads into the larger back room where the actual bar is. Stone floor, dark and classy, long high backed bench against the wall on your right, the bar to your left. Huge selection of wines available, 6 changing taps for beers, an interesting bottle/can selection covering a good few styles, about 25 different options. My server was a pleasant young lady and the clientele were almost all tall long legged blondes from a human Barbie mold and drinking soft drinks or wine. Just one fat bloke from Shropshire drinking beer! I liked it, not cheap and obviously a wine bar really, but their beers were fine. It's only about 500 yards from Pizza Port, which is where I went next. Polar opposite in operation and looks but both worthy of visiting when in San Clemente. You would take a lady here and your mates to Pizza Port.

Visited December 5, 2013.

I didn’t even know about this place until recently, yet I’ve not only driven by it a few times I’ve even walked right by it a few times. It’s an interesting set up for sure. Located in downtown San Clemente, you’ll find plenty of rich kids and people that own multi-million dollar houses a little higher up the hill, but they’re all dressed like surfer bums. The people seemed nice enough but not being an owner of a $60,000 Mercedes made me feel out of place. This restaurant doubles as a bar and a deli. They serve food but most people were there either drink beer/wine or stopping in to take some cheese to go. You can try seven cheeses for $24, a charcuterie board for $17, or get your own meal from $10 to $25. I didn’t do any of that since we had just eaten up the street at Pizza Port.

The beer list is good. Actually, the bottle list is good. The tap list is small. I appreciate the presence of Chimay on tap as well as a real hefe (Paulaner) but there are only six taps to choose from and on this night they didn’t have a good IPA. Luckily I had just had a pint of Claudies at Pizza Port as well as a few samples of some hoppy beers so I was more in the mood for a hefe anyway, but this is southern California, get a good IPA on tap.

All in all this is a nice place and some day when my salary has an extra digit I might stop here more often. Until then I’ll eat at Pizza Port.