The Hills Pub

This place is legit. I was a little worried because I called and they said dogs were fine but when I showed up they said only fine on the patio or arcade which was annoying because I might have went to a different spot since the back patio was closed for the night and the front patio was small and full. But I decided to wait five minutes for a table outside.

On the night I came, a Saturday night around 11pm, there was a fight about to break out. The guy who was intoxicated eventually left and got in his car but the police came and arrested him. This doesn't look like the type of place to get drunk at. It's chill vibes. Music is blasting but there's not a dance floor. It's more of a late food and a beer / cocktail or two.

Sitting outside I got to talk to the bouncer, Jose, all night and with the server whose name I forgot but was a female and had cool glasses, who was in and out. They were super chill and fun. I really enjoyed them and they gave the already 4 star experience, a 5 star.

The menu is mostly burgers and tacos / burritos. I had the pepper jack mac which had Mac and cheese on it and was recommended by Jose and my homie had the breakfast burrito with avocado instead of guacamole at the recommendation of the waitress who said that the texture pulls it together more. She was right. Both meals were pretty fire. Coming from a Black household, I was not confident that the Mac and cheese would be good. It still lacked seasoning but together with the burger, cheese, and bacon, it came together nicely. Fries came with mine and it was maybe slightly salty but because it wasn't a ton of fries, it was perfect.

Went inside for the drinks and like I said the music was bumping with a mix of 50 cent, Ye, Bruno Mars etc. it had low lighting that was tinted purple and blue for a nice effect. There were high top tables and booths. About 50ish people could sit inside I imagine. Bathroom were gender neutral and there were two of them inside. Only had a brown nut beer and tequila soda. The tequila felt about right. Like the proper pour.

Always a great time at The Hills!
Doesn't matter if it's just my wife and I or if we're with a group of friends it's always fun. The staff is friendly and fun. The food is delicious and the drinks are great!
The Buffalo Chicken fries are
Great place to watch a Padres game.

You would have troubling guessing, given how quiet La Mesa Boulevard is on a Saturday, that inside this one nondescript door awaited a lively, noisy, busy, and incredibly fun pub, The Hills Pub.

I was there a couple of Saturdays ago because I heard their pub food was, God forgive me, 'elevated,' but elevated it was, enhanced by Jade, one of the best bartenders I've ever been served by. There were probably about a dozen of us at the bar, each with our own dietary and time-management needs, and Jade danced circles around her patrons. The energy was infectious. And when bartenders take the time to know your name, it's endearing. And fun. And Jade is both.

Despite her burger suggestions, I stuck with my first choice, the El Diablo Burger (but I still love hearing what the staff eat). I literally felt my serotonin getting erect when I took my first bite. The moist 6-8oz patty was slathered in a kind of Serrano Jam Puree that satisfied every primal urge I could bring and it was a wonderful thing. (Though I'm still curious how a fresh, medium-well burger can be served in, I'm guessing, less than three minutes.)

The place was packed. And I liked that there were all kinds of age ranges. There was a sense of community more than anything and it should come as no surprise that this bar stands over the last couple of decades (give or take) where others fail. This is, for sure, a keeper. Great job, guys!

(P.S. The one criticism I do have, just because it's so weird and icky that it bares mentioning, is the hat the bar back was wearing; it had a rifle emblem with the words 'pedophile shooter.' Um. Awkward. And real inappropriate for a place selling us on fun and good times.)

A sparkly gem within The Jewel of the Hills.

It's been fun checking out developments and new features from this neat, family friendly, neighborhood bar & grille.

The snacks are tasty. All of 'em. We're always in for at least an order or two of their Kung Pao Cauliflower and/or Brussels Sprouts appetizers when available. Burgers and sliders are great too. Back in the day, the kiddos really enjoyed stopping by on a Saturday morning in pajamas at the build-your-own waffle bar.

Service meets expectations even when they get very busy. Drink orders are prompt and food usually arrives together. Our friendly servers check up on refills and to make sure we have what we need.

A recently added game room looked great. Neat variety of arcade and pinball machines for gaming options at the bar. Nicely done. The Hills is one of my favorite local barcades.

Came here for the 1st time with friends on a Friday night, and the place was packed! Luckily, we didn't have to wait long for a table, and the wait was worth it. Absolutely Outstanding! From the food to the service to the arcade games, my husband and I are already planning a 2nd visit.

Pros:
* Excellent Food - Recommend Amy's Buffalo chicken fries & Garlic Parm Burger
* Super friendly staff who were constantly checking in with us
* Very clean bathrooms
* Great atmosphere
* Fun arcade - Pinball, racing, hoops, Pac-Man, dance game, golf, nice selection for a small space

Cons:
* No one seemed to be in charge of cleaning the arcade, so it became kind of trashy. When we first got there, we killed time in the arcade while we waited for our table, and it was nice. After food, we went to play more, and it was trashed. Popcorn on the floor, empty drinks, trash, and half eaten food on the tables, too. We didn't stay long the 2nd time.

Extra:
* QR codes on the table make for easy ordering. You can even leave your tab open in case you want to keep ordering.
* Practically no parking. We were able to find a spot down a side street.

Nothing but love for the Hills Pub! Met up with friends on a Saturday afternoon and the atmosphere was lively but comfortable. They have QR codes where you can order and pay from your phone which makes coming as a group so much easier.

Food was great and the prices were reasonable! I got the bahn mi nachos and they were perfection. The meat was so tender on top of wonton style chips. It was a huge portion but it was so good I ate it all.

Service was great and we were both offered free cookies and Jell-O shots. Who can say no to free Jell-O shots? So much fun!

Okay, I'm shocked to see that my last review for The Hills was in 2015. I honestly can't believe that they've been around that long - time flies! Well, there is a reason that a place like this still continues to thrive as a neighborhood favorite... they continue to reinvent themselves.

If you haven't been to the Hills in a minute or two you'll instantly notice they're most significant upgrade, which is a badass little arcade. This little arcade doesn't interfere with the main bar or the patio. In fact, the arcade has a bartender dedicated to the space, serving drinks and taking food orders making sure you don't need to go far for a refreshment. You'll love this little arcade, I promise!

The food is great. Always has been, always will be. So, if you're trying to avoid a place like Dave & Busters but still want to have some childhood-style fun, The Hills is your new favorite spot!

First time here. Came off of a friend's recommendation and was glad I did. We sat outside with zero wait and was served quickly. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. My friend said I had to try their burgers, so I went with their "Texas" burger and it was great. I'm a sucker for almost anything with BBQ sauce. I eat gluten-free so I had to remove the onion rings, but I was very excited that they offered a gluten-free bun that actually tasted good. So many gluten-free options are usually taste free, lol, but this bun held up, which is something I don't always find. I went with the sweet potato fries and they made for a great alternative to regular fries. I did not go inside, but it looked really chill and had a really good "locals" vibe to it. I'll definitely come back when in the area.

The only negative (but not big enough from keeping me from going back) is the parking. There's not a lot available and I was on the street but that's pretty normal and San Diego.

The Hills Pub is our go to place for any occasion! A birthday, anniversary or a Tuesday... it's The Hills for us. We love the food, the atmosphere and especially the staff! The staff is always friendly and very attentive! Jade is always there to say Hey to us by name and as well as Kristen! For 5 years, this has been our favorite place to go. We even bring our son and our dog. Great family atmosphere! I'd give 10 stars if I could!

Went here on a wednesday night. And the ambiance is pretty chill i love it. All their staff are very friendly and it was my first time going here. I felt very welcome and Carissa if i'm correct, one of the bartender even gave me a tour for the arcade space they have. Can't wait to be back this coming saturday. Food was also good, i ordered chicken tenders with fries. Can't wait as well to order their burger because i heard it was really good. It's also a good place to mingle and meet new people.