Cueva Bar

San Diego, United States

4.6

Closed now

21 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 619-269-6612
Website:
www.cuevabar.com
Address:
2123 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA, 92116
b/t Panorama Dr & Mississippi St
University Heights
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.7 miMission Valley Center
0.8 miRio Vista
1.1 miHazard Center
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
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
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Music
Background
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Beer & Wine Only
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Wed, Fri, Sat
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (San Diego) 08:25 Saturday, 12 July 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Thursday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Sunday 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Cueva Bar is our second home and when you come in you can feel as if you walk in to our dinning room. We specialize in preparing food from the heart and we love using our creativity to cook delicious food and sometimes challenge the status quo. I Chef Oz, am responsible for all beer and wine purchases and truly enjoy exchanging notes on flavors, aromas, fun facts and anything that enhances the experience.

History

Established in 2010.

Cueva Bar is a gem in the neighborhood that is University Heights. When searching for a neighborhood small bar with an intimate setting look further no more. Where else in the San Diego Restaurants can you find the chef serving your food and giving you the insight about the beer, the wine and how the food is prepared? Only at Cueva Bar, named for Best Empanadas in the San Diego Magazine. A beer and wine aficionado, Chef Oz has built a solid list of local craft beers on tap and wines that will satisfy your palad. Listed amongst the top 10 San Diego restaurants, Cueva Bar offers happy hour specials to die for! The wine list contains vino that other bars in San Diego will never see. Next time you are looking for the best food in San Diego join us for a fine dining experience without hurting your pocket.

Meet the Business Owner

Oz B.

Business Owner

I was born in Mexico.

In 2000 I met Joanna and we have been married since January 2001.

We’ve always loved hanging out with friends, sharing food, drink and a great time.

I, Chef Oz started cooking when I was six. My mother thought me little by little the art of cooking with love for those who we love.

As a teenager, I was always inviting my friends for dinner and fresh lemonade.

Also, my family would get together every weekend to celebrate life in the comfort of family.

When I married Joanna, I couldn’t work while my visa was being processed, so I became the house man, and that’s when my skills really started developing. I wanted the love of my life to come home to a new fresh cooked meal since she was the one supporting us.

Then, we started adding friends to our gatherings until 2010 when opened Cueva Bar.

Now I have the chance to cook for you and I do it with love and passion hoping you will have a beautiful time while dining with us.

Cueva Bar also recommends

Adams Avenue Grill

309

reviews

Breakfast & Brunch

,

Traditional American Restaurants

Oz B. says,

«Great BrunchGreat StaffGreat food overall»

Charisma Cucina Italiana

363

reviews

Italian Restaurants

Oz B. says,

«Awesome authentic Italian FoodCool athmosphereI feel as if I was in Italy when I go to this place»

Empirehouse Urban Palate

661

reviews

Oz B. says,

«Owners are very attentive. Food and drinks are always good and consistent»

BmorFit Boot Camp

7

reviews

Gyms

,

Beauty & Spas

Oz B. says,

«You will leave a session asking for more»

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Nearby

Near this location:
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21 reviews of Cueva Bar

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Chula Vista, CA
Great place. Off the beaten path, but worth looking for.
The owner will be behind the bar, and there are plenty of friendly staff for such a small place. Reservations suggested. We had none, but we’re happy to eat at the bar, where everyone was genuinely friendly.
Great beer and wine list. Sangria too. The Sangria was spicy. I tasted it, and it was very flavorful.
The menu has a little of everything, and we tried many of the tapas and other dishes. None disappointed, on the contrary, they were amazing.
We try to keep trying new places, and have very few we would return to because we want to discover as much as we can. This place will be the exception. We will be back.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
We had HH at Cuerva Bar on Adams last night. Liked the flatbread and guacamole very much. Interesting sangria. Very different. Like the owner a lot, too!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
So impressive! This small spot is as authentic and quality as it gets. We had several of the tapas and every one of them was delicious. But the one that knocked our socks off was the plantain with mole. When Oz explained the detailed process he goes through to combine over 10 different peppers that are reduced over two days, we understood the reason for the complex flavors that blew us away! The owners’ passion for food comes through at every level, including the personal and friendly service.
Place rating: 5
El Cajon, CA
We just went there with my wifey and we loved it. Best sangria i ever tried. Tapas are delicious. Service is outrageous.
Ambiance is something else. Small and cozy. Perfect for a date night or small parties. I would recommend a reservation.
A go back place 100%.
Again, the house made sangria is a killer
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Cueva Bar is a small but very cozy and warm restaurant! Ambience is perfect for a date or intimate girls night out type situation.
Okay first things first, I got their house sangria and omg it will change your life. Sweet with a little kick of spice! After making my boyfriend have a sip, he eventually caved and got one for himself hah!
— Choripapas– was really good, the chorizo was well seasoned and the mozzarella cheese was gooey all over the potatoes.
— Brussel Sprouts– looked like it came out burnt but it wasnt. They were extremely soft. Has bacon pieces.
— Polenta Cake with Shrimp– my favorite! Great if you like grits and things of the sort. It’s so delicious and creamy!
— Free Unilocal check-​in got us the Papa Aplastada which is a potato dish~ I don’t like olives so not my favorite.
— Spicy Chicken Empanada– it’s made with curry dough which was interesting!
I liked pretty much everything from drinks to food to service. Service felt very sincere and welcoming. Call me an alcoholic but I think could drink their sangria all day~
PS theres a cute story behind the drawings on the wall at the bar if you ask about it (:
Place rating: 5
Madison, WI
Great! The tapas are fantastic. The sangria is delicious and has a little kick from the chilis. The staff is incredibly friendly and very helpful in picking out menu items. The atmosphere is cozy and comfy. Great place for a date night or with a small group of friends.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Cueva Bar has practically become a weekly tradition for us because the ambiance is warm, the food is delicious and the wine menu is unassumingly good. Even with all the options in the neighborhood we still find ourselves happily sitting in Chef Oz’s tiny dining floor more often than not.
Chef Oz is from Mexico City and offers a very Mexican take on Spanish-​style tapas. The menu is oriented towards chorizo, potatoes, olives, queso, balsamic reduction, etc. You will NOT find something tastier on this planet than the Norteño flatbread. Secret ingredient: house beef chorizo. I’m also a huge fan of the Machacado, which is cinnamon and black pepper dry rubbed braised beef brisket. There are plenty of veggie options, as well, but I can’t seem to get beyond the tasty meat offerings at the moment. The wine menu is influenced by South American and Spanish styles and although I’m not enough of a wine nerd to provide a deep critique, I’m always stoked on the product. The menu is short, well curated and kind to the wallet.
The dining floor, as mentioned, is cozy. There are maybe 20 or so seats inside plus the bar and a few tables on the patio. Reservations are helpful on weekends but not required. Chef Oz and the small wait staff are super friendly and the atmosphere reminds me of a relaxed European sidewalk restaurant. Which it basically is. Except in America.
Place rating: 5
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Wonderful experience, beginning to end. As good as any 1 or 2 star Michelin restaurants we’ve ever been to. Oz, the chef, was the server on a Saturday afternoon. We had the Portobello skewers, and caprese empanada to start, both were excellent. Then we had the mole chicken and the sausage taco, and poblano flatbread. Everything was A+, including the service, the experience and the food.
Everything took a while, so I’d say don’t go there in a hurry.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Looking forward to wine Wednesday!
Will they or won’t they have the pork belly, hmm we shall see!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I’ve been coming to Cueva Bar for a little over two years and its one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. First, if you haven’t tried their Sangria, its a must. It’s not like other Sangria that is watered down in ice and overwhelmingly fruity, its really good.
I was there 2 nights ago and everything was on point as usual but they had a teriyaki short rib tapas special where the short rib was braised in their homemade teriyaki sauce and was stuffed into a pepper with pickled red onion and then baked. Its was one of the best dishes I have EVER had! Amazing place overall. Oz does an awesome job!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Pros: tapas were deliciousssss. Oz, the chef, came out to personally say hello during the meal. The wine was also amazing if a little pricy.
Cons: the wait time between plates was a bit long. However, the wait was long because Oz was busy making everything!
Verdict: don’t go if you are short on time. Make sure you have some time to really enjoy the food, wine and company! It’s an awesome place and we’d definitely go back!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
We will be back based on the champagne spritzers alone. Everything else was very tasty and the service was great, but the champagne spritzers STOLE THE SHOW. We had the mac and cheese, guac and brussel sprouts.
This place is exactly one mile from my house, but I would walk five hundred more as long as there is a champagne spritzer waiting for me.
Place rating: 5
Mercer Island, WA
The best restaurant we visited while in San Diego. It’s a tapas bar but the tapas have a big Mexican food influence. We had 6 tapas in total:
1. Guacamole tower. The first place with real guacamole we had in San Diego. The chunks of avocado were how they are meant to be. Chunky.
2. Plantain cake. Oh man, this was so good. A bit spicy but the mole and ripeness of the plantain brought some perfect sweetness to it.
3. Choripapas. The chorizo is fantastic. Add potatoes and mozzarella to it and you have a great tapa.
4. Chicken empanadas. It was my least favorite but my wife really loved the chimichurri. I’m more of a deep fried corn empanadas than a bake empanada. This one was very good but I enjoyed the other stuff more.
5. Polenta Shrimp. Must. Have. It. Really, this thing was the best. Rich, flavorful, and the perfect size.
6. Pork tacos. That was one of the specials. we had three street-​style pork tacos and… They were good.
And yes, we had great sangria and the best attitude in an already friendly town. Highly recommended.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
We went here for New Year’s and had a great night. We had some great tapas, sipped some wine, had some great conversation. We showed up pretty late for dinner, so they were out of some things that sounded AMAZING, but it just made me want to go back again. Oz took good care of us, and it was a great way to ring in the new year!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Awesome place to go to whether «date night» or just for something different! Just don’t ask the guy with the long hair for a food recommendation. That is the Head Chef/​Owner Oz, and will tell you EVERYTHING
Is GOOD…(which it IS)…
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
We cleaned our plates empty because this food is so good! Please try this place– everything about it is wonderful. I love the avocado tower and warm goat cheese. Great selection and wines and awesome happy hour.
Place rating: 3
Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
I was excited to try Cueva Bar given that it’s in University Heights and a lot of the restaurants in the area have a good reputation.
The atmosphere is intimate and cozy. I recommend making reservations ahead of time.
We started by ordering the HH sangria and the HH flat bread. The sangria was too sweet for my liking and came with one tiny piece of fruit. Also, it wasn’t cold enough– I added my own ice to it. We ordered the BST flat bread it came with bacon, spinach, tomatoes and mozzarella. The flat bread was nothing special. We followed by the goat cheese dip and the brussels — both of these were ok but nothing special once again.
I will say my favorite were the Choripapas con queso, the chorizo was very tasty and it had the perfect amount of cheese. We also had an order of the beef empanadas which were also very good.
It can be hit or miss at restaurants sometimes and I understand that.
The service was very good in the beginning our waitress was very attentive and kept refilling our water. It was towards the end that she went MIA and we unfortunately did not get a chance to order dessert. In her defense the place had gotten a lot busier.
I think the disappointing thing here is that it didn’t feel authentic, I like walking into restaurants and feeling immersed in the culture whether through the food or the ambiance. Cueva Bar unfortunately lacked both for me.
Place rating: 5
Buena Park, CA
I came for the collaboration by a guest chef, so I ordered a few dishes from each chef. Chef oz has some very creative dishes. Although the restaurant is a bit small, it has a wonderfully quaint feel to it! My favorite dish was the pork belly tostada! My least favorite was the shrimp and polenta cake. The shrimp was amazing but had only one shrimp. The polenta was a flavorless mush, I tried to like it, but it was lacking. Overall, I would recommend this place for a quick bite to eat, or a small gathering with friends for small bites and a couple beers.
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
Considering I was a tapas noob, the menu was a little confusing. God bless the waitress for she sure did try to explain the items but that only made things more confusing…
In any case, we ordered according to the contents and the good tasted Amazing!
We had a party of 4 people, but the place is a lot small than I thought so if you’re coming with a larger party then make sure you made a reservation first!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, Estados Unidos
Primer vez q vamos a este lugar y la verdad muy recomendable. Servicio excelente y amigable. Comida muy rica. Las bebidas excelentes. Pronto regresaremos. ***** hamburguesas d puerco, datiles y jalapeños con queso muy recomendables
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
Cozy restaurant with very romantic ambiance. Small and cute, you feel like you are in a real tapas bar in Spain, even if the purpose here is more fusion and the tapas are all product of the imagination of the chef and co owner Oswaldo, who was very nice to come to the table, introduce himself and explain every dish ingredients and all our questions.
My friend and I were actually looking to eat Persian food at Soltan Banoo but could not find parking nearby and that is how we ended up finding this kind of hidden place. I found the yellow colors very lovely and intimate, so I had to go! We ordered the empanadas de chorizo Monclova style and were ok, but I have had them better. I wish they would have been flakier and more flavorful, but they were big and nicely presented.
Oz Machacado was really good: beef brisket with corn tortillas freshly made, spicy and delicious. Very Mexican to me. Then my favorite of the night was the tapa that I don’t think they have in the menu, as I think Olwaldo mentioned is seasonal, consisting in Moroccan style lamb with piquillo peppers and corn tortilla. It was the milestone of this nice dinner, with no noise, nice people who kept their conversations quiet and mellow music.
We should have skipped the dessert as we were totally full, but decided to share a banana pudding with ice crème and walnuts. Delicious as well. I totally need to go back and try more tapas. I loved the service, very nice approach to customers.