Bar Ella Pacific Beach

On a gorgeous sunny day in Pacific Beach, my friends and I were on the hunt for the perfect outdoor bar to enjoy a refreshing cocktail or two. After weaving through the lively beach crowds, we struck gold with the charming Bar Ella.Though situated next to a rowdier party spot, Bar Ella immediately transports you to a relaxing oasis away from the PB mayhem.The service matched the tranquil vibe, with our server greeting us promptly with a warm smile and attentiveness throughout our stay. Despite a couple of overly boisterous passersby in the area, the staff handled it with total grace, allowing us to remain blissfully unbothered.The cocktail list offered a refreshing variety of sippers perfectly suited for the sunny ambiance. We happily indulged in a few rounds of spritzes, margaritas, and even struck gold with their mojito special that day. Each drink was expertly crafted and complemented by tasty bites like fresh hummus and flatbread.With its gorgeous, SoCal aesthetic, stellar cocktails, and top-notch service, Bar Ella is an absolute gem in the heart of PB's energetic social scene. We'll definitely be returning to indulge, and bask in the SoCal sunshine away from the rowdy crowds. Just be prepared for some lively characters in the area!

I came here for happy hour and notice how pretty the space is. Hubby got the smoke show and I opted for a mocktail. The drinks were yummy and refreshing! He ordered another one! We shared the arancini, scallops, and a hoagie. Everything was great and we also saved room for dessert. We decided on the chilled affogato, which was served with nitro coldbrew coffee. It was delicious!

Found this place on Instagram and went for happy hour! They have $6 espresso martinis the whole month of July so of course we ordered them. I really enjoyed the espresso martini and the bartender was great! We also ordered the brussels sprouts from their happy hour food menu that changes every week. They were good but I wish they were crispier. After happy hour ended, we got two specialty cocktails (hot girl summer & blueberry pickin) which were ok. I got the blueberry pickin and didn't really care for it. We sat at the bar and the chairs were quite awkward and uncomfortable which was unfortunate. I feel like there might've been too many chairs as all the chairs were quite close together. Overall, I think I'd try this place again for dinner and sit at one of the lower tables.

One of my friends recommended this place, and I have finally had the chance to try it out. Rumor has it that this place is too good to survive in PB (in terms of food quality and cuisine and possibly due to the usual placement on Pb surrounded by smoke shops). My boyfriend and I went around 6:00 p.m. this past saturday, there were only about 3 other customers there. We decided to sit at the bar, in hopes for more energy and unfortunately got the opposite. The hosts was super nice, but the bartender was pretty rude. Definitely in the top 5 worst service experiences I've had. No introduction, after she took my boyfriends drink order she asked for IDs (which is not general problem) but didn't seem like she was going to take my drink order at all... They had an expresso Martini special, $6 for the whole month of July, I love a good expression martinis so I figured made sense to order it. We also ordered the deviled eggs and crab cakes. My expresso Martini was super watered down and very disappointing. I was texting on my phone when the bartender asked us what we wanted to eat, which you would think would not a great time to interrupt... after 30 minutes or so, we paid for the bill and we're working on finishing our drinks, I was on my phone and noticed she took our drinks and my water... luckily, she didn't have the hand to take my boyfriend's water, so I had the chance to drink some of that, at least. but wow, I've never felt so rudely rushed out. As a reminder there's Essentially no customers and twice as many employees. and I've not given in to her rudeness. This entire time, I've kept it calm, cool, and respectful. Although our food was pretty tasty, the servicer/bartender really ruined the experience of us. I will not be a returning customer.

Staff is very friendly and attentive. Clean classic design giving Palm Springs vibes. Food solid. Manhattan delicious while the $6 espresso martini was watered down but great price.

I walk past this place all the time and have been so excited to try it!! I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was and the prices! We went for happy hour and got a couple drinks ($6 cocktails!!) and then they also had a $6 slider deal so we got 4 of those. The margarita was fantastic and my boyfriend loved the old fashioned! The sliders were also incredible. We got the classic sliders and one chicken slider. Both were amazing and unique! The chicken slider is only on the slider deal night so definitely try it if you happen to go when that deal is happening! I highly recommend coming here for happy hour and will definitely be back soon:)

The former Bub's At The Beach has been remodeled and reopened as bar Ella which was a play on the last name of the primary female owner. The ownership group also operates several other establishments in town like the nearby Tavern at the Beach. The inside looked much more upscale and didn't resemble a stereotypical bar on this block in PB. It was a bit noisy when I visited during one of their first nights of business. There was a parklet in front of the suite, however it wasn't operational yet.The one-page menu offered elevated items compared to the typical bar staples. This was reflected in the prices which was $10+ for nearly all of the food. The twenty or so offerings were small plates and shareable items including Clams Casino and Whole Branzino. Two desserts were on the bottom of the sheet. I sat at a high-top table across from the bar which stretched along the right side of the room.I chose the Crab Cake and Flat Iron for my meal. The first was a lump crab patty seasoned with old bay and served with fresh greens. I would like to have seen two smaller patties for this dish and the sauce on the side as a dip as opposed to being smeared on the bottom as a base. The second was six slices of steak cooked medium-rare as my preference. The meat came with four fried pieces of potato that looked like fish sticks. It was gratin dauphinois which was sliced raw potatoes baked with horseradish aioli. This was definitely not french fries or tater tots.The concept of bar Ella was intriguing because it stands out on Garnet Ave which is filled with bars and fast casual joints that cater to the younger college-aged crowd. I enjoyed my dining experience enough to give it a four star rating.

Lovely new spot in Pacific Beach although it lacks a little warmth. Tables were bare and had kind of a cafeteria feel, despite the cool lighting. Granted, they just opened so it may still be a work in progress. Bar area is also lovely, but the alcohol selection is likewise spare and limited - not a spot to go for a fine whiskey or great craft beersWe went at happy hour and there were just 2 others there although some slowly trickled in to bar and tables later. Had two well crafted cocktails one rye-based, one mezcal. Had the happy hour clam chowder and could have easily eaten a second! Just the way i like it - not overly heavy on the cream/milk like so many, nor too thick and gelatinous. Lots of bacon flavor. The chopped Italian salad was well dressed but a bit heavy on the garbanzos and would have liked to have a few other ingredients Im used to seeing in a chopped- some pepperonis, tomatoes, maybe artichoke hearts.Also ordered their version of "tots" which came with an herb aioli. It was three giant tots, fluffy on the inside, crunchy on the outside. I generally like tots specifically for just the crunchy part, and these were just too much fluff for me personally. With so much fluff, the flavor of the sauce was just absorbed and you couldn't really taste it, no matter how much you slathered on. The tots needed something a little bolder to dip into. We do want to come back a try the hoagie!

On the main street of Garnet, Bar Ella is a new spot that catches the eye immediately with its aesthetic design and lighting! They recently opened up their patio dining area as well, perfect timing for summer months!- PARKING -Pacific Beach parking is a hit or miss - we got lucky this time around and found street parking just a block away.- SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT -It wasn't too busy when we came, so we had the option of sitting wherever we wanted. There's the new patio seating area, but it was a little windy so we opted to stay inside. They have several options from high tables to bar seating and also booths. The staff were very attentive when we first arrived, but service fell off towards the end of our meal. We were waiting to order our dessert for quite some time, and then also waited a while to pay the check.- FOOD -We came during Happy Hour so we were able to order a few items off the menu at a cheaper price!Mini Moules Frites: The mussels were a bit too oceany for my liking, but the fries were crispy. I've had better mussels at other restaurants, which is what initially made me want to try Bar Ella's.Tempura Fried Mushrooms: Nicely fried mushrooms - it said there would be a mix of types, but I think we only got one kind?Short Rib: Super tender meat, could pick off pieces with just the fork! Loved the sweet and savory combination of flavors here too!Lemon Bar: The fact they used Poppyseed in the shortbread portion was amazing! Really nice flavor mixed in, and the lemon was just tart enough!- OVERALL -I do wish their menu was bigger, and a little more organized. They have a nice variety of options, but its not a big selection. The vibes and ambiance here are amazing though!

I visited Bar Ella for brunch. I love the decor and vibes. They have many options for food and drinks. I ordered crab cake Benedict. It's delicious. The mimosa and espresso martini were exactly what I needed. It's walking distance from the beach. I workd love to go back for sunset and dinner here.