HitH - Bay Hill Tavern

Strangely, before setting out to do these H(anging) i(n) t(he) 'H(ood) posts, I hadn't actually dined in at Bay Hill Tavern. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it always seemed that the place was super busy, though I did purchase beer to go and then did takeout during the pandemic. But, even though BHT is but three blocks from our house, I never felt the need to visit...until I started this series of neighborhood posts.

BHT does get pretty busy, especially on weekends. The Missus and I decided to pay a visit on a Tuesday night and got some seats at the window. I hadn't been too impressed with the food on my takeout visits and we decided to not order those items. Service was very friendly and even though the place was soon packed, the folks working were very nice.

We ordered two items, starting with the Short Rib Tacos.

 This was fine, the beef tender if a bit on the salty side. The guacamole is the "MVP" here as it helps to temper and balance the flavors. The tortillas are standard issue, brittle, and not especially strong in terms of maize flavor. This is a very hipster type of item. The salsa verde has decent heat and acidity.

We also got the "Dirty Fries", the Missus actually enjoyed the beer cheese, which had some nice savory-milky tones, without being overly sharp in flavor.

The bacon added a nice dose of salt and the sour cream actually added a bit of milky-acidity to the dish. This is best eaten with some haste as the fries tend to get limp fairly quickly.

I will often try to make multiple visits before doing a posts. And for a place in my 'hood, well, there's no reason why I shouldn't. On my next visit, which was done solo, I sat at the bar. The folks working the bar, Jennelli, Sam, and Jules were so friendly and welcoming. It seems that this is where the "regulars" sit. What's great is that they also are willing to make suggestions for various dishes with customizations. Like this version of Dirty Fries.....I was told to try it out with a fried egg on it.

With less sour cream, the gooey egg really added to the dish. Loved the fact that the staff volunteered customizations.

A few weeks later I noticed Roasted Mushroom Tacos on the menu, so I ordered that.

These were pretty good. The earthy, nicely seasoned roasted mushrooms, the pickled onions added a nice sour-pungent flavor, the flavor of the tortillas, while still not quite up to the task in terms of texture did well with the mushrooms, the arugula added some nice peppery-bitter tones. The only thing I didn't care for was the goat cheese, I thought the milky-sour flavor detracted from the overall dish.

On my next visit, sitting at the bar, I mentioned this and was told "lets just order it without the goat cheese."

I was also encouraged to order it with different salsas on the side. Along with the salsa verde, it was suggested to try the habanero salsa as well. Truth be told, these tacos, in my opinion were flavorful enough without the salsas.

While the food was nothing exceptional, I really enjoyed the folks working here. They were really warm and welcoming. In fact, I felt more comfortable and welcomed here than at Fast Times. So maybe, after all these years, I've actually found a place for "pau hana time" in my 'hood.

Bay Hill Tavern
3010 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Sun - Thurs 11am - 9pm
Fri - Sat 11am - 10pm

Comments

[kat]

nice!

[Kirk]

The folks working here are really nice Kat!

[Kenneth]

Yeah, everyone needs their own local "Cheers." West Coast Smoke & Taphouse is that for us out in La Mesa. If a place doesn't make you feel at home, it dont qualify, IMHO.

[Kirk]

Yep, you hit it right on the "nose" Kenneth!

[Som Tommy]

I like the chicken wings here

[Stephanie]

This is my hood as well, but I’ve never been here. After reading this I feel like I have to give it a try!

[Cathy]

When we lived in this neighborhood, this was an Italian place- the salad bar had a *giant* platter of anchovies available and it was wonderful. It's so nice to see that this iteration survived the pandemic and that you were able to find some good menu items.

[Kirk]

Well guess what ST; that post will be upcoming.

I like the folks working the bar here Stephanie. The food is passable as well. Hope you enjoy.

Yes, and it was Blackthorn Irish Pub after that Cathy!