Wolf In The Woods — Restaurant in San Diego

TLDR: Salty food, excellent service, cramped atmosphere, and overpriced (in my opinion).

The cocktail of the day was lackluster, nearly tasteless and mostly composed of crushed ice which made it difficult to drink with no straw. There was processco, but I couldn't taste it nor see or feel any bubbles. 2/5 rating.

The corn soup was amazing and the only dish during our meal that I thoroughly enjoyed. The corn and hatch chili flavors were prominent. 5/5 rating.

The octopus was easily the worst octopus dish I've had to date in San Diego. It was cold, hard, chewy, lacked flavor and the harrissa aoili tasted bland. A mediocre dish in my opinion. 2/5 rating.

The crab cake special was too salty, but the onion slaw on top and accompanying sauce were good. The crab cake was full of meat, but it was finely shredded and very mushy (think the texture of tuna salad). Being from the DC area I've been lucky enough to grow up eating Maryland crab cakes. A crab cake is supposed to be full of LUMP crab meat with a little bit of breadcrumbs and celery to give it structure. This crab cake felt like someone took crab meat and mayo and stirred it up to the point where it looked like mush and then created "patties" and seared them on both sides. When my fork cut into it, it felt like I was cutting through mashed potatoes. I honestly should have known better than to order a crab cake on the west coast so shame on me. 3/5 rating.

The Panna Cotta severely lacked in sweetness. I didn't taste any sugar, so it's great if you are on a diet. It was full of vanilla bean, but I felt that all went to waste without the sugar. You need some sugar for that vanilla flavor to really shine. Another let down. 3/5 rating because I enjoyed the tart cherry compote on top.

The carrot cake had good flavor, but it was ruined by the large amount of KOSHER salt in the frosting. The big bursts of salt took away from the enjoyment of the dessert and left me not wanting to take more bites. It also had a dense crumb, which didn't bother me, but it might be off-putting for you if you prefer a more fluffier crumb/texture. 2/5 rating.

All of the saltiness left me with a headache. I felt awful afterwards and wanted to go home instead of enjoy the rest of my Friday night out. I wouldn't recommend bringing a date here unless you want them to go home afterwards.

The tables inside are also very close together inside making it feel very cramped and noisy. You will definitely be able to hear the conversations of those seated next to you. Larger individuals might find it difficult to squeeze in-between the tables if you are to sit in the booth along the wall. Also everyone's rear end will definitely be in the face of your neighbor's table when squeezing in-between the tables to sit in the booth. 2/5 rating for atmosphere.

Tucker, our waiter, was amazing and very attentive. 5/5 rating for service.

Our bill was close to $200 for 2 drinks, 2 soups, 1 app, 2 mains and 2 desserts. At this price point, I was extremely let down by the food. I recommend spending your...

I had my birthday dinner at Wolf in the Woods with my husband and we had a great time. They even had a signed birthday card for me which was a nice added touch! This very intimate restaurant is located in a quiet neighborhood in Mission Hills and was the Restaurant of the Year in San Diego for 2024. I would suggest making reservations ahead of time. I don’t think this is an ideal place for a large group, I maybe saw a group of 6 but it would probably require reservations pretty early on. The outdoor seats looked nice and cozy under lights and the inside was pretty much jam packed with people. We got lucky that we got seated in one of the only 2 two-seater tables in the back because it can get pretty noisy in the main room.

Parking/Service: There are some parking spots right in front of the restaurant and lots of street parking available at 8:00pm on a Friday. Our wonderful server was very attentive and kept checking in on us throughout the night.

Food: We ordered 5 tapas style plates and I’d say it was a decent amount for 2 people. There were certainly other plates that we wanted to try but it would have been too much with just the two us. We based our order from our server’s recommendations. -Sweet Corn and Piñon Soup ($16): one of their must get items— the soup was sweet and creamy and the Hatch Chile corn fritter pieces gave it a nice crunch. -Harissa Octopus ($22): this plate was pretty big and we didn’t get to finish it. The octopus bites weren’t too chewy and loved that the plate had a ring of Harissa sauce. -Seared Prime Beef Tataki ($34): five pieces of prime beef filet bites. I looooved that the yuzu tobiko on top of each bite and the garlic crisps in the sauce added a bit of crunch. -Maize and Hen of the Woods ($22): polenta with mascarpone cheese. This was served last and we were unfortunately too full by the end so we had to take most of it to go. -Smoked French Trout Roe ($37): this wasn’t one of the recommended items by our server but this was probably one of my favorite plates. Served with 6-7 pieces of toasted brioche. Loved mixing all the ingredients and topping it with the smoked trout caviar on top— a nice salty appetizer. -Lump Crab Stuffed Piquillo Peppers ($21): this was under their specials menu. Three pieces of peppers with mascarpone cheese— so good!

Overall: I really enjoyed all of our plates and would definitely like to come back to try out the other plates that we...

Wolf in the Woods is undeniably cute and cozy — a small, charming spot that really makes you feel like you’ve escaped into the woods. The window looking out over the canyon adds to the atmosphere and makes the space feel intimate and almost magical. That said, the space is tight — if you’re claustrophobic or need elbow room, this probably isn’t the place for you. But for a small group (no more than four), it’s a lovely setting for a relaxed evening.

Service was great — attentive without being intrusive. The staff kept things moving smoothly, especially given the 90-minute dining limit (a necessity due to the size of the place).

As for the food and drink: I started with the Lupo e Luna cocktail, which was refreshing and delicious — a great way to kick things off. We shared several dishes, tapas-style, starting with the crudo, which was fresh but lacked that pop of flavor I was hoping for. The meatballs were just okay for me, but the octopus was solid. It’s worth noting that most dishes had a noticeable level of spice — possibly because they were running a New Mexico-themed menu that night. I would have appreciated a bit more variety in flavor profiles.

Now, the star of the evening: the corn soup. OMG. Creamy, flavorful, perfectly balanced — this is the dish you start planning your return visit for before you’re even halfway through it. I would honestly go back just for that soup. Get it with the amazing focaccia.

We also had the slider, which was juicy and tasty, and wrapped up with a carrot cake for dessert. It was decent, though also carried a bit of spice (continuing the theme of the night). Still, nothing came close to the corn soup — the clear winner.

This spot specializes in tapas and wine, with a few main dishes offered. We were too full to try the entrées, but it’s good to know they’re available. I’d be curious to go back and try different plates — especially if the menu changes seasonally. Just keep that soup on the menu, please.

In short: I wouldn’t rush back immediately, but I definitely plan to return. It’s not ideal for big groups, but for a date night or a small dinner with friends, it’s a cozy little gem — as long as you don’t mind being up close and personal with your...