Up the Hill Grill — Restaurant in California

Their indoor dining space is minute but they were able to accommodate me on their patio which is very nice, about eight tables and 51 degrees. They have heaters for the patio, but they were out of fuel. The waiter was an affable guy with all the personality of a cinder brick. Should he knock up the waitress at Mama Ramona's, they would create the world's least interesting person. He directed me to a table, presented me with a very attractive menu and asked what I would like to drink. I wanted a Bloody Mary and they offered a non alcoholic version which I decided to try and off he went. About fifteen minutes later he returned with the drink which was horrible at best. Kind of a watered down tomato juice with some black pepper at the bottom yet it bore an unpleasant after taste as well. V8 spicy or better yet Mr.&Mrs.T's straight would have done better. I ordered their Signature Handmade Jalapeno Poppers as an appetizer. It was a photo of these on Google Maps that actually brought me there. About twenty minutes later they arrived. I must admit, they have the potential to be good but these bad boys were left in the deep fryer for too long and the bacon was dry and kind just turned into grit as I was eating them. Upon delivery of the unappetizer, I ordered their Brisket Tots found under the "Specialty" section of their menue. Another twenty minutes elapsed and my food arrived. The brisket was beyond bland, incredibly thin cut and sparse. It sat upon their Bacon Mac and Cheese which was all as flavorless and if I did not know better, I would say the specks of bacon were just painted on. That all sat upon a pile of tator tots which were actually crispy and well cooked. Unfortunately, however, they drizzled what must be the worst Barbecue sauce known to man which permeated the entire dish. I ate as much as I could tolerate until I gave in to despair. About 15 minutes after giving up, the waiter happened to be outside and asked if I would like anything else. I requested the tab which he brought exactly ten minutes later (I actually timed him). After reliving the event, I am wondering why I initially gave two stars to what is now the worst meal I have...

To start, the place got great reviews on burgers and truly seems to have some imagination in the kitchen based on the manu. It is hard to find chefs who truly transform the basic burger effectively. Tried the Maple Bourbon Bacon burger with Beer Batter Fries... I know Heart Attack on a Plate. Snapped a pic of the interesting ambience and decor while waiting.

I also took a pic of the delivered burger. The bacon is in crumbles under the cheese. Tasty, but hardly the star of the burger as I would have guessed. Instead the haystack onion rings and fried jalapenos take over. The burger to be fair was perfectly cooked medium-well. The bun complete with a brand cooked-in on the top was tasty and fresh. I added tomatoes for a splash of fresh. Overall, an 7.5 out of 10. Preparation, spices and taste were all good, but the balance was off with the small amount of bacon compared to the other toppings. Also, while the basket is cute for the fries, the quantity seemed equivalent to a small fast food sleeve. Not really the value you'd expect for the price.

A couple constructive comments- the air conditioners are constantly blowing cold air on people in the booths, your staff needs to prioritize customer service over bussing duties, and your burger pricing/value needs to be revisited.

The website menu did not reflect the true pricing. The real prices are significantly (20%+) higher. At the prices on the web, the value was acceptable for the quality and area. But at the new prices, I won't return quickly. It is a matter of managment raising prices until they drive away repeat customers. Vote with your pocketbook and come for Happy Hour instead- $5...

I went here on Sunday, September 29, 2024. There were 5 adults in our party and a child under the age of 5. We arrived around 4:30 and there was only one other couple in the restaurant. As I walked in, a drunk lady approached us and asked us how many people were in our group. I told her six. She responded, "Six? Well, I am from Las Vegas, so drink up." Instead of seating us, she turned around and walked into the kitchen. (I never saw her the entire (Long) time we were there. After seating ourselves, a waitress came out who also appeared intoxicated, but not as drunk as the first woman. We ordered drinks to which she forgot who ordered what when she brought them out (Two sodas, one strawberry lemonade, one ice tea, a water, and a beer). While waiting for her to come back and take our order, there was yelling and what sounded like fighting coming from the kitchen area. Upon ordering our food, no appetizers, it took 40 minutes to receive our order. During our meal we asked three times to have water refilled as it appeared the waitress forgot we had previously asked. The food was good though. However, due to the drunkenness of staff, extremely long wait time for how empty the place was, and poor service, we will never be back again. There are other places in Ramona that will earn...