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
One of five city gates in the city, it is the only one of the gates that still maintains its Qing-era appearance. 
Man, the beef was so tender and beefy! The knife cut noodles were a bit thick for my taste, but the texture was very nice, good pull, not doughy or overly chewy. The broth was light on the beefiness and edged on being too sweet. We would have liked a bit more tangy-tomato flavor as well. Still this was quite enjoyable.
The Mister and I returned the other day and were going to order from the regular menu, but the All Day Special Menu, which was All You Can Eat for $27 per person would cost about the same. We decided it would be fun to cook our own and eat all we could. 
The complimentary banchan (pickled 'sides)were brought out along with the sauces (and salad and rice we ordered from the menu). Everything is replenished when you ask.
First up-thin brisket, beef bulgogi and chicken BBQ.
You are given tongs and scissors to help cook and cut your meats. The bulgogi and BBQ sauces carmelized on the grill and gave some flavor to the brisket.
The 'corn cheese' is an excellent side to share. 
For our second round, we chose thin beef belly and thin pork belly…so we could compare. 
A clean grill had been brought out, so there was no flavor imparted from the bulgogi and BBQ sauces and we instead ate the meat with the pickled sides (the kim chee is excellent) and rice on top of salad: a completely different second meal.
Greek sounded good for lunch, too.
There's a menu above the cash register and on the wall to the right. Order and pay and your food is brought out in disposable/"To Go" containers.
The walls from the former restaurant are still here; the furniture is new.
Lentil soup with pita ($4.50) was an excellent Mediterranean version. Cumin and turmeric flavors were primary and the broth not too thick with lentils or potato or carrot as other versions, but very deep with flavor. I did not taste onion and salt/pepper were not needed. 
A side of four pieces of falafel ($2.50) was a good choice. The thin, crisp edges were perfect, leaving the inside fluffy. The side of tzatziki sauce was refreshing with its yogurt and garlic base.
Greek Mix Plate ($14.99). 1/2 chicken shawarma, 1/2 lamb gyro on top of yellow rice and pita along with a good sized side salad (served with a herb-infused vinegar dressing) was quite a lot of food to share. The shawarma was not shaved, but instead chopped and grilled. It had great flavor. Indeed, it was lamb gyro and shaved, leaving each piece with a crisp side. The rice, pita and salad made this a good size meal, enough to share. 
Lemon and mint lemonade ($2.99) was excellent- fresh lemon juice, not too much sugar and dried mint gave this beverage two 'thumbs up' from us. We'll be back to try more of the menu.
The stamped floor with animal footprints remains.
It was basically standard breakfast fare when we arrived, so we just had some coffee, tea, and water.
The well-established (since 1955) pizza parlor, serving Italian food as well as cocktails is open for lunch in nearby Lemon Grove. 
A bowl of the house made 
A large (for two) antipasto salad ($9.95) was shared for an appetizer. Plenty of mortadella, salami and provolone along with pickled vegetables and parmesan.
The Italian Salad Bowl ($7.95) is always a good shareable 'appetizer' for us. Don't be fooled by the camera angle- that is a very large, deep bowl (it's the same bowl used for the 'double bowl soup'). Lettuce, tomato, mozzarella, olives, pepperocinis and all of that pepperoni could make a nice low carb meal. But we've been ordering large pizzas lately.
A large sausage-pepperoni pizza ($20.45) is one choice. Neither of us wants too many ingredients to take away from the beautifully flavored dough.
The large sausage-mushroom pizza ($19.25). More of a favorite. You can see the thin crust.
The 'Bar' area is a bit closed off from the rest of the dining area.
It's located West of the I-15 at Auto Park Way.
This is the breakfast portion of the menu; lunch will be a separate post. Know that the entire menu is served all day.
There are tables and booths available. If you can see the mechanics in this photo, the separating wall at the left booth can be lifted up, making a large booth-seating area for a group.
The Mississippi Skillet ($16.59) is made with ham, sausage, crisp bacon, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms and topped with Monterey Jack cheese and added avocado (99¢). Excellent flavors and there were leftovers. The choice of a scratch made biscuit was a good one-a light, crisp crust with a fluffy crumb. It didn't even need the butter. 
Huck's Combo ($11.99) with ham (a nice, thick ham steak which was juicy/almost sweet and not at all too salty), two (perfect) over easy eggs, add country reds ($2.59)(sliced and fried red skinned potatoes with bell peppers and onion) along with a half of a butter-crisp waffle (choice of that or a sweet cream flapjack or a slice of French toast). Each item was excellent in portion size (again, leftovers) and flavor-the waffle didn't need much of any toppings and was indeed crisp yet had a fluffy interior. 
About two weeks later, I made it a point to return with The Mister since I hadn't tried anything 'huckleberry' on that first visit. A Benedict Scramble ($14.99)was my order, because I was craving the ham. The slice in the Benedict was not as thick as on the Combo I had last time, but was still flavorful on the toasted English muffin topped with plenty of scrambled eggs and a slightly lemony creamy hollandaise. The potatoes (75¢) are so nicely crisp.
The Mister ordered a Monte Cristo ($14.99) Sourdough stuffed with ham, turkey and Monterey Jack, dipped in egg batter, crisp fried and topped with powdered sugar. He chose the optional sweet potato fries (99¢) and the platter arrived with syrup for the sandwich and 'Huck's Sauce' for dipping. He also added on a biscuit and gravy ($3.99) because he really liked that half biscuit leftover I brought home. The sausage gravy here is excellent. 
Yes, blueberries are the first ingredient for the jam. 