Gathering, San Diego

This is a fine casual restarant with a warm and friendly atmosphere. The food is great with generous protions and reasonable prices. I recommend the old fashioned baked onion soup and the carne asada. There are none better. I have been going to the gathering for a number of years and have always had excellent meals. Never the problems suggested by the apparent one time visitor. I suppose any restaurant can have an off day but I have never experienced one at The Gathering. I highly recommend it!

The Gathering is around the corner from my hair salon, so I frequent it about every six weeks. I've always found it to be cozy, the staff friendly, the decor interesting, and the food delicious. I've never been disappointed, and one of the waiters always remembers which wine I like. I highly recommend it!

For the convenience I wanted the Gathering to be a great restaurant because I lived about 2 blocks away. But alas, it's one of those restaurants where you'll find dirty utencils, lipstick on the rim of your glass, and mediocre quality food and service. If that's how shabby the dining room is, I'd hate to see the kitchen! I won't be gathering there any time soon.

we love having a ''local resturant here in mission hills and hillcrest. .....a place to walk to....eat and enjoy and see friends from the nieghborhood. keep going ...we love you michael and barbra rhoda

I brought a Client to the Gathering for lunch and we were both impressed by the cozy upscale ambiance, excellent service (there when you want it without hovering), and sandwich plate lunches that were perfect portions, unusual combinations, and really really good! As a professional magician I had heard about the Gathering many times but never got there until this occasion. Knowing it was magic-friendly (entertainment on Thurs-Sun nights), I did my own impromptu show for my client and I was impressed how the waiter understood my timing and did not interupt until appropriate. What a classy place! Excellent value for the $. I wish I'd gone sooner and more often.

The food is creative and there is a wide variety of menu items to choose from. The location has a wonderfully colorful and artsy neighborhood feel. You can choose sidewalk dining... allowing you to take advantage of the perfect San Diego weather while listening to the relaxing music piped outside, doing some interesting people-watching, and hoping to hear the occasional sound of a siren passing from the nearby firestation [which the restaurant rewards with drink specials]... Or you can choose to eat inside or enjoy a cocktail or two at the bar and be entertained by magicians. But the magicians are not the only magic-makers... the staff is efficient, pleasant, professional, and makes you feel like one of the family.

Friendly neighborhood restaurant with great food. Dan Thomas (owner) does some amazing magic tricks at your table. I wish there were more places like this one. Comfortable, mellow. Their brunch is sooo good and dinners are the way you want them. Personalized attention from all.