Did someone say wine? – Fifty Seven Degrees Wine Bar

Taste

Presentation

Service

Summary:

3.8

Chomps

Fifty Seven Degrees Wine Bar Review

Every month my friend Mel and I try to get together, so we decided we were going to venture off and try a new place! We wanted a place with great wine, good ambiance, awesome view, and something that was different.

That’s when Fifty Seven Degrees came to mind! This is a 16,500 square foot wine bar, which opened in 2004. Its location is very random; however, that’s what adds to its character. It’s located right off the 5 South on Hancock Street (Next to the old Mission brewery). This place is huge, it has its bar, art gallery, and hundreds of wines to choose from! The view is stunning with the glowing lights of the airports runway and the speeding planes taking off. If that doesn’t get your attention then maybe all the beautiful art on the walls will. Artists display their art throughout the wine bar, with special lighting setting the tone. This is surely a unique place in San Diego with a modern feel. If you’re one of those people who would rather take their wine home and enjoy it in a personal setting, not to worry! Fifty Seven Degrees has hundreds of wines for buyers to choose from and if you purchase too many and have nowhere to store them, Fifty Seven Degrees has a wine storage facility! This facility is able to store bulks of wine for you or even just that 1 special bottle you’ve wanted to hold onto. Consider this place to be your personal ‘Wine Bank’.

The Lowdown:

The wine choices were endless, so Mel and I kept it simple and got a bottle of pinot noir off their menu (this way we avoided the $10 corkage fee). We sat at the bar which was just fine. At first our service was great, the girls were attentive, helpful, and it was enjoyable. About 30 minutes into our visit a large networking group of young professionals came in. The wine bar then turned from an intimate setting to a loud hall. Not to mention the service fell behind due to lack of servers on staff. We waited patiently to put in our food order and boy was it worth it! I had the Turkey Panini with basil, roasted peppers, and melted cheese as Mel ordered the Prosciutto Panini with truffle oil. Clearly when we’re drinking wine we talk a lot, but as soon as those Panini’s arrived we were quieter! They were hands down amazing and complimented our bottle of wine just perfectly. The menu had a lot of other fantastic foods to compliment other wines, such as various cheeseboards, appetizers, other panini’s, and pizzas. The staff was busy, but I’m sure had I asked they would have taken the time to go through the food pairings with me. If parking in downtown is what intimidates you from visiting this great place, not to worry. There is free parking located in the back and 2 hour parking until 6pm in the front.

Overall this was an enjoyable experience; I really enjoyed the feeling of being in the ‘city’, yet located right outside of it. I’ll definitely be going back, next time I’ll mix up the wine, but that Panini is staying!

1735 Hancock Street
San Diego, CA 92101
619-234-5757

Wine Bar Hours:
Sunday and Monday: Closed
Tuesday through Friday: 3pm
Saturday: 1pm

Retail Hours:
Monday: 11am to 5pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 11am to 9pm
Sunday: Closed

www.fiftysevendegrees.com

Tags: Beer/Wine & Spirits, Happy Hour, Wine Bars

About the Author

Cristina Burns is a native San Diegan with a passion for exploring new eateries, bars, and finding new things to do in her hometown. She is the owner of ‘Bridal Stop and Events’, event planning services, as well as a blogger for ‘A HomeBrewers Wife’. She and her husband enjoy eating out and finding places with great food at a great price. Not only does she enjoy a good meal, but Cristina and her husband homebrew their own beer, hence, ‘A homebrewers wife’. Through the years she has developed a strong pallet for good beer, smooth wine, and cocktails with a kick! Follow Cristina around San Diego for the latest reviews on beer, wine, and spirits! Facebook | Twitter