Brick walls, warm lighting, eclectic art, and bustling young-ish professionals imbibing on Happy Hour craft cocktails and eating amazing food in close-but-cozy quarters. The Lion’s Share feels like a place where locals go for a hip night on the town with their friends to enjoy the downtown vibe without the touristy downtown crowd.

The Lion’s Share has been on my radar for quite some time now. Although I’m sure this restaurant has had a lot of buzz, it was not a place that I read about on the internet or heard about from a friend. Rather, I drove past it one night and was immediately intrigued by it. Even from the outside, it seemed exactly the kind of place that I would want to go for a drink and bite after a long day of work. After our first visit, I can confirm that The Lion’s Share was everything I hoped it would be – and more!

To better understand why I found this place so delightful, I need to explain some things to you first. I don’t like nightclubs, I don’t like crowds, I don’t like waiting more than twenty minutes to be seated at a restaurant, and I don’t like spending my money on a poorly made cocktail. Generally speaking, those are the things that you can count on when spending an evening downtown – so, naturally, I tend to avoid downtown at all costs with the exception of special occasions or baseball games.

Therefore, I was incredibly delighted when we were seated immediately, arrived in time for Happy Hour, found parking easily, and had an amazing menu of craft cocktails and hearty cuisine options to choose from. Everything about this restaurant felt intimate and warm. The design was incredibly unique and thoughtful, the list of drinks was meticulously crafted, and the menu featured real food with artisan twists.

Since Mr. San Diego was my designated driver for the night, I was able to order a drink off the Happy Hour menu, which is available daily from 4pm – 6pm. They have a great list of six classic and six signature cocktails for $6 and ten different food options ranging in price from $4, $6, or $8. We chose the Wild Boar Poutine to share and I ordered a classic Moscow Mule.

The drink was perfect and the poutine was amazing! These were not lazy and boring Happy Hour choices – the cocktail was well made, gingery, and incredibly refreshing. The poutine was absolutely delicious and was quickly devoured.

We were very impressed with their dinner menu and had a difficult time deciding what to get. Mr. San Diego decided on the Chicken Fried Quail with a Duck Fat Waffle and I went for the Wild Side Burger with Boar Bacon and Fried Egg. Both meals were delicious and reasonable priced. Just looking at these pictures makes me want more. I’m looking forward to going back again and trying new things off their menu!

Here is what you need to know:
Website: lionssharesd.com
Location: 629 Kettner Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92101
Hours: 4pm - 2am
Happy Hour: Daily 4pm - 6pm

The Lion's Share | San Diego