My friend and I had tickets for the Sunday matinee showing of Annie presented by Broadway San Diego, along with her daughter. We love brunch and a girls day out! Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant had been on my must-try list and since it was close to the Civic theatre, it seemed like the perfect spot to stop in for brunch.
I made a reservation in advance through Yelp, which was helpful since we had an engagement after brunch. I was smitten as soon as I walked up to the big rustic doors. Above the hostess station is a chandelier made out of wine glasses in all shapes and sizes. Inside there are a lot of wood details, windows and marquee signs. We opted to sit outside in the enclosed patio. It sold me with the dark tiles, glass sliding doors, rustic wood tables and chairs, and succulent wall.
Our server was really nice and helpful. He suggested we start with a house made cinnamon roll (which I had planned on doing because dessert first) and listed all of the fresh juice they have to offer. In addition to the cinnamon roll, we began our brunch with grapefruit mimosas while we looked over the menu.
Grapefruit Mimosa, brunch at Bankers Hill
A warm house made cinnamon roll arrived after our mimosas, it had cream cheese frosting and a blackberry compote. I would definitely order again as a starter or as dessert after our entrees. I’ve never had a fruit compote on a cinnamon roll, but wow did it work.
House made Cinnamon Roll with Blackberry Compote, brunch at Bankers Hill
Digging into our cinnamon roll, brunch at Bankers Hill
There were quite a few entrees that enticed us both, but based on our servers recommendations I ordered Smoked Beef Brisket Hash and my friend ordered Chicken Wiener Schnitzel.
Smoked Beef Brisket Hash, brunch at Bankers Hill
The Smoke Beef Brisket Hash was excellent. It was your typical hash with potatoes, peppers, and onions, only it was kicked up from your standard hash with the big chunks of smoked beef brisket. The brisket did not have an overwhelming smokey flavor, which I was pleased about. The poached eggs and Hollandaise were great. Perfectly poached! The dish comes with salsa fresca that I asked for on the side because I am not a cilantro fan.
Chicken Wiener Schnitzel, brunch at Bankers Hill
The Chicken Wiener Schnitzel, WHOA, WOW, YUM! Usually I am not one to go for a chicken and egg dish, but this entree changed me. The breading and chicken were cooked and crisped to perfection. It was plated on a bed of spinach, with heirloom tomatoes, broccolini, two sunny side up eggs, and a Béarnaise Sauce. The next time I am at Bankers Hill for brunch, I will be having the schnitzel for myself. Thankfully, my friend was offering me lots of bites of her dish. Our joke for the day became #theschnitzelistheschnitzel. Ha!
Bankers Hill also offered a kid’s menu with quite a few options for the little ones. My friend’s daughter ordered the brioche French toast. Admittedly, we kept stealing bites of her French toast because it was pretty darn irrestible. The whole restaurant was kid-friendly for brunch, which is something as a parent I always value when dining out with my kids.
Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant | 2202 4th Avenue, San Diego CA 92101; 619-231-0222 | Sunday Brunch: 10:00am-2:30pm