Botanica Art & Cocktail Bar

A very interesting cocktail lounge on University. They serve an eclectic and imaginative range of drinks, from gin with elderflower, rosemary, and cucumber to bourbon with palo santo and wild sage tinctures. They also have an equally inventive small plates menu—I tried the trumpet musubi and the tempura olives (stuffed with feta). The atmosphere is inviting and celebratory—kind of like a Hillcrest vibe inside of North Park. The waitresses and hosts are very friendly and bubbly. And the whole place has a flash of artistry and glam that’s hard to dislike. There’s also an adjacent art gallery and an outdoor backyard area. It’s definitely worth checking out. A great date location or a place for friends to meet up and chat.

A friend took me here for my first time to celebrate my birthday. We came on a weekday evening for drinks and some food. We ordered the garden cocktail, heads will roll, Chefs choice of 6 bites and an order of truffle fries. The bartender also made me a signature cocktail based on what I liked and it was lavender-based with gin. All of the food and cocktails were amazing! The cocktails are carefully curated so that the flavors are well balanced and the taste is great. I absolutely loved the lavender cocktail that the bartender made for me, it was perfect for my taste! I will definitely be back to try more food and drinks, this is an amazing spot for elevated cocktails

Botanica is like that quiet classmate sitting in the peripheral of your class. You don't notice them much, but one day, you got to chat with them and realized that they are really interesting and you just can't believe that all this while they have been there. They have a huge selection of cocktails and they all sound so delicious. I love the artistic pictures of each cocktail in the menu (even though they don't help in explaining what the drinks are) and they also have a couple of rotating cocktails. They have some small bites to go with the cocktails and we tried the Harissa lamb tarts and they're delicious! Our bartender was friendly and attentive. She helped us decide on our drinks by explaining to us what flavors to expect from each drink and what might go well with the food. I appreciate her attentiveness! The decor inside is electric, especially the restroom lol. There are some plant-looking things as the name suggests but on the whole it doesn't make me think of a garden.

This is a cute date night place for cocktails and tapas, it’s very small and intimate. The servers were friendly and attentive, the food was unique and nicely plated. The cocktails were well balanced and also served in fun glasses! If I had to do it again, I’d eat before I go there since all the plates are small it’s not really meant to be a meal.

Stumbled upon this place accidentally and we are glad we did! The drinks were absolutely top tier and the bar staff knows what they’re doing here. The vibe inside is old school - there was a live DJ playing a few records when we went. They have a huge menu to choose from which has something for everyone. They also serve food but we didn’t try anything while there. Would definitely recommend for cocktails!

Love Botanical so much!!! We always take friends visiting from out of town. Super cute trendy decor with amazing art that changes. Loved all of the disco balls and fun things hanging. Everyone is always so amazing when we visit and so knowledgeable about our drinks. We were chatting with our server, who just made our experience even better. This is a fun bar with many fun twists on the cocktails, or you can go classic with a gin martini, gin work, etc. We went bar hopping around North Park yesterday, and our visiting friends said this one was their favorite!

Just okay but maybe I'm being too critical. Service and vibe is great. None of the cocktails we had were impressive and some appetizers were lacking. They have an all day Tues happy hour so I recommend taking that opportunity to try it at a cheaper cost. The apps that stood out were the fried olives and truffle fries.

A great and sexy artsy speakeasy! We came to this little gem for preDrinks on Date night and it was such a treat! We indulged on some very creative cocktails and dined on the Omakase which was delicious. Definitely worth the visit and another visit and another! 😊

Such a cute bar with friendly staff, unique cocktails and food, and overall great ambiance. 12/10!

Stopped by here with a friend to celebrate a birthday! The service was great! They had a happy birthday card waiting for us and treated us with a birthday shot. It was very thoughtful! The drinks were yummy! I'm not sure what I ordered but the server gave recommendations and we chose based on the recommendations. The food is small in portion but it's meant to be tapas style. I loved the crispy rice with tuna one. The food is pricey and small quantities so just be mindful of that. I love the vibes here. It's so beautifully decorated!

We visited last weekend to attend a burlesque show. Tickets were sold at a flat rate per person and included a prefixed food menu and open bar. What a treat! When we arrived the hostess and staff were all very friendly and accommodating. The inside is super cute, intimate, and inviting. I do wish the music could have been a little louder but that's just me. One of our friends doesn't drink alcohol and they were kind enough to remove the alcohol portion of the prefixed menu off of his tab which I thought was very nice. We weren't expecting that as we had already accepted the fact that it was a prefixed menu with a flat fee. Overall this was a very great experience and I can't wait to visit this location during their normal bar service. Thanks guys!

The ambiance is funky, but creative. We enjoyed their drink menu and the artwork of the drinks on it. We ordered drinks and food and the drinks came out after our first plate. A table that came in after us got their drinks and all their food before us which was odd. We ordered the tuna crispy rice which had great flavors. The sauces that came with it complimented it well and the rice was cooked well. The truffle fries weren't anything new, but they were still crispy and tasted good. I didn't expect the Thai chicken skewers to be ground chicken. It had a different taste. We enjoyed both of our cocktails and they were both uniquely crafted. Our server was sweet and helpful, but again didn't like that we got our drinks after food that took longer than expected.

The drinks come in cute glassware and the ambiance is so beautiful. The menu is very extensive so depending on your favorite spirit, you'll find a cocktail that you'll enjoy. The menu is filled with creative cocktails. The interior is decorated beautifully and even the menu is beautifully crafted. Our server was very attentive and our choices came out in good timing. For small bites, the spicy tuna was our favorite. See my TikTok about my experience: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNtFjT3M/ Cheers!

Came here for a first date with a reservation on a Friday night. My date requested to be seated at the bar and we were. This place looks a lot smaller than I had expected in the pictures so you can hear everybody's conversations but besides that we had a great time! I can't remember the names of the drinks we tried but they were delicious and the bartenders were also super helpful in choosing and very friendly! We had let our bartender know that we were going to step out for a smoke but another bartender cleaned up our drinks so when we came back she apologized and made us new ones free of charge! One of my favorite things to check out at new places are the bathrooms and one of them are decorated beautifully! The whole was decorated nicely. I would like to come back on a less busy night!

|Drinks Only Review| A very intimate and small gin bar, Botanica is low-key on the outside and has much more going on inside. Probably not the best place for large groups as most seating set-ups accommdate parties of 2. Our server was super friendly and was great throughout the evening. We stopped by only for drinks and were lucky enough to walk-in on a Saturday night around 8:30pm. The drinks menu is so fun to look through because each cocktail has a unique picture/drawing that evokes the essence of the drink (at least that's how I interpret it lol). And I really appreciate the small detail description underneath each that starts off with "This is our version of a..." which helps us understand what type of profile drink to expect. I got the Evaded Fruit which is their version of a Strawberry Mojito. Super light, refreshing, this was very easy to drink. It also came with a jelly on top which is infused with an liquor which is something I didn't particularly like. But a cool accent to the drink nonetheless. My gf got the Pomona which is their version of a rum old fashioned+pina colada. This drink was really unique! It has cinnamon toast crunch infused somewhere in there which is great. It's a light-colored/clear drink, but upon tasting it, you get this buttery/full-body taste on the lips which I believe comes from the Clarified Coconut Milk that's added. That creamy texture alone+the clear aesthetic of the drink was truly awesome. There are so many more drinks that I'd love to try and I will definitely be back to Botanica!

Really disappointed in the drinks from here. Between my date and me, I tried 4 drinks and only enjoyed one of them. I tried a raspberry martini, The Dream, The Birth of Venus and Heads Will Roll. The Birth of Venus was the only one I enjoyed. That's a really bad ratio. The flavors just didn't work together or the balance was off or it was just too sweet overall. I only got to try one of their foods: Trumpet Mushroom Musubi, which I actually really liked. Other than there being too much aioli on top (easy to fix), I thought it had a great balance of flavors and I really enjoyed it overall. It kept falling apart while eating and the seaweed was a bit hard to chew through. I would be open to trying more of their food options here, but I was very unsatisfied with the drinks. 2.5 stars but rounding to 3.

This bar was such a hip spot. The inside was nicely decorated and their drink menu has some very unique options. Our server was really nice and gave us an explanation of every cocktail on the menu. The small dishes were delicious, especially the not pictured stuffed olives. This was a really cool bar!

Breaking news... botanica is also a cafe in the morning! Am I the only one that didn't know this? The cute bar/cafe sits at the end of a corner street lonely but when you walk in you are greeted with vibrant colors and lovely baristas. I've personally never been inside and glad I didn't a double take to give it a try. I picked up an iced latte for todays hot girl walk and am not disappointed by the cinnamon flavors. Not to mention the morning chat with the two baristas who helped me out today. Definitely worth checking out! There's an art gallery connected as well which I didn't get to check out, but definitely something to know if you're into the art scene.

I really liked the ambiance and the drinks here. Taking off a star for the cockroach crawling under the table -- would still recommend!

What a cool lil spot to grab a drink! Decided to meet up with an old friend here one night and this was such a great pick. We came by at like 9:30 on a Friday but the wait wasn't too bad at all, I want to say maybe like 10 minutes or so? The vibes here are pretty upbeat but still classy and quiet enough to have a conversation. And the cocktails, as expected, are so unique and outstanding, even if they are on the pricier side. I tried The Dream, Heads Will Role, and the Sycorax, and all of these were SO good!! I think the Sycorax was my favorite -- this one was citrusy and bright. All of them were so beautifully presented. Service here was also fantastic throughout. We ended up staying until they closed because we liked it so much!!

Botanica is like that quiet classmate sitting in the peripheral of your class. You don't notice them much, but one day, you got to chat with them and realized that they are really interesting and you just can't believe that all this while they have been there. They have a huge selection of cocktails and they all sound so delicious. I love the artistic pictures of each cocktail in the menu (even though they don't help in explaining what the drinks are) and they also have a couple of rotating cocktails. They have some small bites to go with the cocktails and we tried the Harissa lamb tarts and they're delicious! Our bartender was friendly and attentive. She helped us decide on our drinks by explaining to us what flavors to expect from each drink and what might go well with the food. I appreciate her attentiveness! The decor inside is electric, especially the restroom lol. There are some plant-looking things as the name suggests but on the whole it doesn't make me think of a garden.

This place is semi new. About 18 months old. My Saturday night was coming to an end and I was ready to go home after a few drinks in North Park but someone suggested this place and sounded enthusiastic when they suggested it so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. It was such a lovely place. The mood was right. The lighting was perfect. The drinks were tasty. The art was arting. And it just gave me a good vibe. I was super happy with my experience minus the service. We got there towards the end of the night and the bartender was sorta annoyed that she had to make two more drinks. Although they were tasty, I'm left to wonder if it could have been better if she wasn't a bit annoyed. Each month they have an artist put up their art for sale in the window / seating area. It's a mini expo. When we went it was cat theme. And they even sold a drink in a cat themed mug which was cute despite me thinking cats are terrible. I might have gotten that just for the mug and to support local artists but the bartender didn't let us know about it we were about to leave and asked her one last question. The place could probably fit 30 people inside plus if memory serves me correct, there's a small patio in front for 5-6 people. The drinks came out to be about 14 dollars each. Which isn't too bad for it not being a rooftop or having a ton of outdoor seating or any other amenities that comes with drinks that tends to be 18 dollars and over. So I'll happily take that price. Lastly the music matched the vibe. It was most instrumentals / futuristic / low vibes that night but was super chill and relaxing. Not too loud so you could talk to another without shouting. 4 stars for the vibes and I'll definitely be coming back.

If art, aesthetics, and drinks are up your alley, you'll fall in love with Botánica... Ambiance is top tier. Artistic flair in every corner, from the interpretive drawings of each drink on the menu to the frosted plant wall above the bar. Drinks are quite yummy. I recommend Heads Will Roll if you're into fruit and wine flavors. Service was quick and servers were a pleasure to talk to.

This place was really good. Went with a group a of friends. Everyone loved their cocktails. Their truffle fries with harissa ketchup is a must order for me. I got their omakase and all the bites were delicious. Really loved the flavors. Service was on point. It's definitely a great spot to link up for a small bite.

I came to Botanica for my birthday with several friends and had a pleasant experience! I reserved a week out for a party of 6 and was lucky enough to be accommodated despite the business and size of the bar. The inside has a dimly lit ambience with art hung around the walls and a window looking into the adjoining art gallery. As the name suggests, there's a lot of flora & fauna decor. The menu pays homage to the art gallery theme and includes pages with art depictions of their cocktails, but there's also a simple list of all drinks as well. Our server was very nice and brought us all complimentary shots to celebrate the birthday. The drinks resemble the artwork in the menu and came in different shaped glasses and were adorned with flowers.

Love the vibe in this place. They want you to have a sensory experience which is really neat. I ordered some food and the bartender prepped us with a wet napkin to clean our hands. For the sensory experience she mentions they don't give utensils. I got the truffle fries and the shrimp skewers with squid ink. I wasn't too much a fan of the shrimp idk if it was the flavor of the squid. I ordered a non alcoholic drink purple yellow red blue. It was yummy. Nice place for a happy hour.

My favorite season drink right now is the Pomona. I also like Witch's Sabbath and Light the Moon. It's always a great relaxed vibe here. I'm going again in a few weeks!

Been here 3 times and always impressed. From the drinks to the food, to the ambience, this place has it all. We walked in around 9:15pm and got a seat for 3 people right away. Our server let us know that the kitchen was closing soon, so we immediately ordered a bunch of small plates. The crispy rice spice tuna was perfection. The mushroom musubi was divine and absolutely a dish that I find myself craving at random times. Last time when we came with a big group, we probably ordered it about 3-4 times because everyone just devoured it within minutes. Truffle fries were always good as well. The crispy polenta was the only dud. It was not very crispy, a bit too sticky and soggy from the honey, and just felt like too many competing flavors in one bite, between the hallomi cheese, truffle honey and pepper. The drinks were on par with the best speakeasies. There are some very inventive concoctions on the menu. I tried The Garden Cocktail, called Silent Morning. This is a seasonal cocktail based on what's available in the garden, then menu explains. It was a delicious gin drink with vegetal notes coming through from the cucumber cordial, ginger mint, collard, and green bitters. The Gorgon was my second drink. It was made with sotol, not a liquor I am familiar with but our server said it distilled from a different plant than agave, and gave similar smoky taste as mezcal. The beet flavor really came through, but was not overpowering. A very enjoyable drink for sure. I also really enjoyed just looking through the beautiful artwork on the drink menu!

North Park cocktail bar and eatery, Botanica, is serving creative drinks and a small plates/tapas menu. AMBIANCE Cozy, dimly lit, modern artwork hung on walls and on digital display, cushy seating, SERVICE My server Maddie was excellent - knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. I never felt my table was left alone for too long and she had recommendations that resonated with what I had in mind for a drink. DRINK 5/5 TEATOTALISM - similar to an old fashioned - this tamarind bourbon is spirit forward, poured from a teapot, and has the right amount of sweetness from the Demerara (raw sugarcane sugar). I didn't taste mint. MEZCAL FOOD 3/5 Thai chicken sewers: blended chicken cooked on a stick that tastes too salty and over grilled OMAKASEE is 6 unique bites off the menu and is meant to be eaten with hands, as noted by staff as they again used the tea kettle to moisten aromatic hand towelettes. 1. 4/5 Oyster wagyu (chewy, spicy, raw) 2. 5/5 Shrimp spring roll with peanut sauce (fresh, herby veggies pairs well with crunchy cucumber, tender shrimp, and nutty sauce) 3. 4/5 Lamb (quite gamey and salty) sausage tart (crispy) with spicy cilantro (a slight kick) 4. 5/5 (Fried crispy) Squid (black color is from squid ink in batter) and tempura shrimp skewer with avocado Thai curry 5. 5/5 Mushroom Musubi (seaweed wrap and rice are accented to a briny flavor with the umebochi (salted plums), sticky koshikari (Japanese blend) rice, pickled cabbage, strong umami flavor 6. 4/5 Crispy rice with spicy tuna DESSERT elegantly served in a crystal glass this is a light, bittersweet chocolate cake with the bottom half dipped in a creamy mint sauce topped with a light whipped cream, tiny crunchy toppers, and a fried mint leaf. P.S. next visit will be for happy hour cocktails and apps

One of our friends suggested Botanica as a dinner spot and since we had never heard of it or been, we decided to give it a shot! - PARKING - North Park parking... can be difficult - we got lucky and found a spot on the adjacent street nearby, but our friends had to circle around a couple times before landing on a spot several blocks away and needing to walk. - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - Not a big establishment at all; there's some patio seating with heaters, and the inside is quite narrow, maybe enough room to fit 30-45 people? The inside is decorated quite nicely, with neon lights matching the restaurant's signage outside, and tons of botanic-related items as well. We got here earlier than our friends and had to wait for them to find parking for about 15 minutes, but luckily the hostess said it was no problem. Once they came and we ordered, they explained the food would be coursed out instead of served all at once. No utensils here, all finger foods! - FOOD - Happy Hour is Wed - Sun, 4-6pm! Tona Lager & Shot ($12.00): My fiance ordered this and I actually really enjoyed the Nicaraguan Lager! Really crisp and nice flavor profile to it. Shrimp Skewers (HH: 3pc - $8.00): Don't be frightened when you see these, it's meant to be black! The squid ink tempura batter surrounds the shrimp, and provides a crispy exterior alongside the color. These were yummy, especially with the Curry Lemon Aioli! Trumpet Mushroom Musubi (HH: 6pc - $8.00): The flavors in this musubi were great, but the rice kept falling out, and the seaweed fell apart for a lot of the pieces! Truffle Fries (HH: $8.00): We're all suckers for fries, so this was a no-brainer favorite! I absolutely LOVED the Miso Aioli it came with, but the Masala Ketchup was also super unique! Baja Oysters (4pc - $14.00): Not fishy at all, great fresh taste, and the Beet-Cider Ponzu had a nice tartness to it! Oester Tartaar (4pc - $18.00): I preferred this oyster over the Baja ones; the Wagyu Tartare was so good! Thai Chicken Skewers (4pc - $16.00): I preferred the Shrimp Skewers over these, but still was tasty! Spam Musubi (6pc - $15.00): Similarly with the Trumpet Mushroom Musubi, these fell apart very quickly, and without utensils it was hard to pick up all the rice grains. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice (5pc - $17.00): Really beautiful presentation but I wish the rice was more crispy! This also left me wanting more flavor, possibly because I had eaten the Spam Musubi right before, but this was much lighter in flavor. - OVERALL - Really nice intimate spot for a date night, couples night, or just a quick drink and tapas night!

Absolutely thrilled to share my experience at this cocktail bar, which had been on my must-visit list for quite some time. The anticipation was palpable, especially given the rave reviews about their vibrant cocktail menu. Despite not having a reservation, we decided to take our chances, and to our pleasant surprise, we were seated immediately--no wait time whatsoever. I opted for the espresso martini, while my husband chose the old fashioned. Both choices turned out to be exceptional. The espresso martini wasn't just visually stunning; its presentation was impeccable, elevating the entire experience. Initially, I harbored some doubts about the drink's strength, but one sip dispelled them all. The cocktail was nothing short of spectacular, with the foam on top adding a deliciously smooth texture that I absolutely adored. My husband's old-fashioned, meanwhile, offered a delightful twist on the classic recipe, striking the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. Our server played a significant role in making our visit memorable. Their warmth and attentiveness ensured we felt valued and well-cared for throughout our stay. The ambiance of the place was the icing on the cake. It boasted an artistic and unique vibe that resonated with us deeply, contributing to an overall experience that was as enjoyable as it was unforgettable. I can't recommend this cocktail bar highly enough. Whether you're a local or just passing through, it's a must-visit for anyone looking to enjoy meticulously crafted cocktails in a setting that's both welcoming and wonderfully unique.

A great and sexy artsy speakeasy! We came to this little gem for preDrinks on Date night and it was such a treat! We indulged on some very creative cocktails and dined on the Omakase which was delicious. Definitely worth the visit and another visit and another!

Stumbled upon this trendy spot on a mini cocktail crawl through North Park. Amazing and artsy aesthetic from the food to the cocktails to the decor. Nice to see that every cocktail is artfully crafted by hand instead of the large batch format so often seen in San Diego. Our drinks were well-balanced while still tasteful of the featured spirit. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu. Excellent service and cognizance and consideration around one of my food allergies was really appreciated! Highly recommend.

Go on a weekday! Fries with masala ketchup Instagram friendly type of place Churros Good service "Heads Will Roll" "Pomona" Very aesthetic Parking could be challenging, so plan accordingly!

I ended up coming back the next day! I definitely recommend getting the Omakase, which is $26 (but if you got a plus one, it's only $40 for two people). There were 6 items in the Omakase and 5 were excellent, one was good (chicken skewer. If ordering a la carte, I recommend skipping this one until you have tried all the other ones. It isn't bad, the rest are just super good). The Omakase items I really liked (and can be ordered a la carte) are: Shrimp skewer, spicy tuna crispy rice, lamb tarts, botanica rolls, and some fried polenta dish. These are all must try! I recommend skipping the truffle fries even during happy hour ($8). The fries were really well made (light crisp on outside, fluffy on inside) but I didn't get much hint of truffle at all, so it felt like regular fries. The masala ketchup and garlic aioli that it came with missed the mark as well (masala ketchup didn't taste like either masala or of ketchup. It would be interesting to have a more curry forward dipping sauce though!). Overall the texture of fries was good. But it lacked flavor (even with the sauces). The seasonal rotation this time was a peppermint espresso martini. It was really good and worth the $12 happy hour price! It's rare to find a place that does amazing food and amazing cocktails, but this is the spot! Definitely recommend coming! Note: this time when I went, service was a bit slower, food took a little while. Also, it seemed like the bartender was a bit under the weather, so I would have appreciated it if they had a policy for staff to wear a mask if they are sick.

Love Botanical so much!!! We always take friends visiting from out of town. Super cute trendy decor with amazing art that changes. Loved all of the disco balls and fun things hanging. Everyone is always so amazing when we visit and so knowledgeable about our drinks. We were chatting with our server, who just made our experience even better. This is a fun bar with many fun twists on the cocktails, or you can go classic with a gin martini, gin work, etc. We went bar hopping around North Park yesterday, and our visiting friends said this one was their favorite!

Tapas and cocktails? What more could you ask for!? Absolutely loved this place and then ambiance is so artsy. Had the perfect GNO

I was really looking forward to trying this cocktail bar because it looked good and it really did not disappoint!! It's definitely gin forward so if you don't like that alcohol this probably isn't the place for you. The best drinks we tried were the "heads will roll" and the "in a green Bugatti". They all come in different glass ware. The heads will roll was a gin drink with some fruity notes and it was delicious. In a green Bugatti is almost like a spicy mezcal margarita and they serve cholula on the side to make it spicier. As far as environment, this place is cozy and a good date night spot. It is small and only high too bar tables so it's makes it very intimate. Probably not a place for large groups as most tables are for 2-3 people. They do serve food but I would not come here for a full meal, it's small bites. The food was actually delicious, we got the omakase for 2 and so we got to try a bunch of different bites. If you like tartare get the oyster wagyu tartar- it's dreamy!! Service was okay, just a little slow and there is a time limit for reservations and they will let you know when your time is up. Overall, amazing ambiance and cocktails perfect for a date night spot

Went for a date night and the cocktails are delicious. They do have seasonal ones, but I ordered off the regular menu. The snacks/shareables were tasty but quite small portions and I wouldn't necessarily get again. Servers were friendly, not necessarily attentive but not in a bad way. Interior was decorated for the season and was very pretty.

Just went here yesterday with a girlfriend of mine and honestly? 10/10! It's been awhile since I've gone to a tapas bar and this one did not disappoint! My girl and I had three drinks each which I'll list here starting from the best first... Meditative Rose - so delicious and refreshing, more herbal and rosy for sure. Comes with a cute little bite to accompany this drink. For my Filipinos, the bite is similar to Choc-Nut which is a creamy peanut butter and chocolate candy Heads Will Roll - Refreshing and comes in the cutest body-ody glass! Had a fun time talking about that one with the server lol. This one was on the sweeter side and more fruity Sycorax - I liked this one the more I drank it. Came with a cute salt and sugar design which I had no shame licking off the glass because it complimented cocktail so well! Smokier but still light The Birth of Venus - Comparable to a yummy mimosa almost. Also refreshing and like wine Love how inventive the drinks are (even with their naming) and that they have their regular menu of drinks, as well as their seasonal cocktails. For food, we opted for the omakase as it just made the best sense for us. We loved that there were 6 good sized bites and that we were able to try more on the menu this way. To go over that, I'll list what we were served in the order we tried it... Botanica roll (their version of a spring roll) - Delicious and refreshing. One thing I noticed about this was how moist and flavorful it was. As much I love spring rolls, I feel like they usually are dry and need to be doused in sauce to properly enjoy, but this was perfect. Spicy tuna crispy rice - My second favorite for sure out of the selection we had! Not really spicy at all since it's just a mix of spicy mayo, which is more on the creamy side but a really good balance of the tuna and crispy rice. It was a well rounded bite Thai chicken skewer - My favorite personally! The skewer was still juicy and had really good flavoring. This one I will probably dream about because it was so good. Trumpet musubi - This one surprised me as it is a mushroom forward musubi. I loved the sauce it was in and that it still held together since my girlfriend and I were eating through everything somewhat slowly cuz we just talk too much lol. Shrimp (tempura) - This is listed as just "Shrimp" on their menu if you wanted to just get it as a tapa on its own, but it's basically shrimp tempura fried in squid ink. It was a good concept and my girlfriend and I had such high hopes after the first few bites but it was way overcooked. Maybe because it's already blackened, it's hard to tell when it's done? But this flavor probably could've been good if the char didn't ruin the taste and the texture Crispy Polenta - This one was also just alright. The toppings were really good, but the crispy polenta itself was too chewy and dry by the time we got to it. That kind of makes me feel like we had waited too long so the texture of it ruined itself by how long we let it sit. Overall the vibes and design of the place is super cute and different. Obviously very Botanica-l and the outside is even cute enough that my girlfriend and I took photos together. Our server was so, so lovely and sweet and knowledgeable about the menu. She made us feel really welcome and when it was time for the next reservation to come in, she was still so polite about letting us know we had to go. I would definitely come back here because there are so many other drinks I'd like to try and repeat some of these bites we had as their own tapa plates.

First time here and I didn't know this place existed because I would've been much sooner. Ordered Thai chicken skewers, crispy rice spicy tuna and trumpet musubi. The trumpet musubi was delicious. Great staff and amazing food, I'll definitely be back.

Unique drinks- definitely they give you a fun experience. Love their espresso martini, very tasty and cute. Service was good, even though they were busy, the server I had took very good care of us. Frequently checking to make sure we didn't need anything extra or needed to order more etc. Will definitely be back to try different items in the menu. (Spamusubi was good according to my friends; I didn't get to try it but next time for sure )

So so cute and the drinks are amazing! We went for a birthday and it was absolutely perfect! The server told us all about the cocktails and which her favorite was which was great! The tapas are so insanely good 100% recommend

Came here with a few friends to grab some drinks. I got the espresso martini and was really impressed with it! Yummy! The vibe of the restaurant is also really cute - even the bathrooms! For food: We shared the fried olive appetizer which was delicious but tiny. Giving it 4/5 stars because I felt pressured by the waitress to order more food and drinks which made us all a little uncomfortable despite it being very slow when we were there so it wasn't like we were taking up precious table space (we had reservations too).

I love botanica. Such a cool concept. I love the flora vibe everywhere. They have really cool art that you can purchase on the walls. Next door they also have a lil gallery you can check out. Such a cool modern spot. Each little cocktail has a special theme to it. It's hard not to try them all so make sure you hang out with your friends so you can all taste as many cocktails as possible.

A very interesting cocktail lounge on University. They serve an eclectic and imaginative range of drinks, from gin with elderflower, rosemary, and cucumber to bourbon with palo santo and wild sage tinctures. They also have an equally inventive small plates menu--I tried the trumpet musubi and the tempura olives (stuffed with feta). The atmosphere is inviting and celebratory--kind of like a Hillcrest vibe inside of North Park. The waitresses and hosts are very friendly and bubbly. And the whole place has a flash of artistry and glam that's hard to dislike. There's also an adjacent art gallery and an outdoor backyard area. It's definitely worth checking out. A great date location or a place for friends to meet up and chat.

The ambience, service, and cocktails are top notch here! It's my third time visiting and each time gets better and better. My favorite drink currently is the Pomona and I love the shrimp skewers and truffle fries. The shrimp skewers are bursting with flavor and are insane. They were a new item for me today and I was very impressive. If you haven't been, I highly recommend this place for incredible cocktails, fantastic service and a good time!

@botanica_sd was a fun cocktail and dining experience. We enjoyed many fun botanical drinks along with their spring rolls. The digital art in the space really tied it all together IN A GREEN BUGATTIAN (Noche Luna Sotol, Cucumber, Buddhas Hand citrus, Ancho Reyes Liquor, Lime, Floral salt) DECALCOMANIA (Aged Cacahca, Papaya, Hoja santa, Oloroso Sherry, Lime, Clarified Coconut Milk)

I admire the gorgeous space that Botanica is and how well they took over the vacant of the previous restaurant. Little did I know it was an NFT bar as I was wondering what determined their choice of art. My boyfriend really wanted to take us here for the omakase. I was intrigued by the assortment and was excited to finally to try it. The Omakase featured bites from the menu combined into a sampler dish. We got a harissa lamb tart, trumpet musubi, spring roll, salmon on a rice cracker, spicy tuna crispy rice, and paella croquette. My favorites were the Musubi and spicy tuna crispy rice. The noodles on the spring roll were not fresh and had hardened a bit. I personally do not like lamb so I gave it away to the bf. The paella bite was creative! Other than that, I feel as if I've tried these flavors before and not much struck me. The service from the ladies were nice and kudos for explaining such a detailed menu. I personally thought my experience was just alright and that the food quality could have been better given the portion and pricing.

This place is super cool in terms of the vibe, the focus on art, and the beautifully constructed small plates and drinks that make for instagrammable photo ops. Service was also very friendly and not overbearing. I will stress that this place is good for a pre or post dinner hang out and that the food options are snacking type sizes, so definitely plan to eat elsewhere for a full meal. Of the food, the truffle fries were really easy to share and cooked perfectly shoestring cut with hints of truffle cheese. The oysters were also fantastic! In terms of cocktails there are classic options and then more artsy ones, our server was great at listening to what flavors we liked and make appropriate recommendations. At the end, we had a lot of fun viewing the condiments fashion art display in the next room. Definitely super cool to check out.

Just okay but maybe I'm being too critical. Service and vibe is great. None of the cocktails we had were impressive and some appetizers were lacking. They have an all day Tues happy hour so I recommend taking that opportunity to try it at a cheaper cost. The apps that stood out were the fried olives and truffle fries.

Came to check out the happy hour and had a lovely time. The interior/ambiance is amazing. So cozy and very art deco, loved it! They have amazing drink options that were soo delicious. They have food options as well that we didn't try but sounded really good. I will definitely be back for more happy hours, as well as to try Tini Tuesdays!

Great drinks and great service! They have super fun themed drinks and I love their corn dogs

Botanica!! thank you for having us! "home is where the art is" ... for our most recent visit and first time! we had a small group of 5, Botanica staff was super attentive with our food items and drinks all which were carefully crafted for our bday guest! ... Also really enjoyed their art exhibits next door. the app/dishes were great and perfect sampling bites for our party! ... they have an extensive menu of beverages. Thank you Maddie and Botanica staff for having us! Looking forward to visiting next time in the area!!!

I've been here once for drinks and loved it! So I had to come back to try more of them and the food! We started with the Omakase for two ($42) and the oester tartaar ($20) which is an absolute must if you come here. easily the best thing we tried all night! for the Omakase, we were served 1 of each of the following: trumpet musubi, Botanica rolls, merguez tart, paella croquettes, salmon 3 ways, & the crispy rice. I'd recommend the musubi, the rolls, the salmon 3 ways (if you like salty), and the crispy rice. the paella & the tart didn't stand out to either of us. We wanted to separately try the the Thai chicken skewers ($14), and the polentaballan ($15) - we also ordered more of the spicy crispy rice cause it was so good ($17). It had a lot of mayo which we liked. The Thai chicken skewers had so much flavor! Would get them again. The polenta would be good if you really like polenta, if you don't at all, you won't enjoy it. each of my drinks were mocktails! I tried the "you're the cream in my coffee" ($12), the Kentucky rain (12), & the warhola diaries (made without the liquor - $16). The coffee one was amazing, had a holiday taste to it! The Kentucky rain was literally an old fashioned lmaoo. The taste of it was identical to any old fashion I've ever had. I was in awe. The warhola diaries was a nice ending to my drinks, very sweet and I loved the chocolate straw covered in the lucky charms! My friend ordered the heads will roll (the super cute body glass - $15), fiera (cute rose step glass - $14) and the meditative rose ($14). The cups are so cute I had to look them up on Amazon lol. Service here is always great, all the ladies were so sweet and the bartenders made incredible drinks. A must if you're in the are

Wow what a find! My friend suggested this spot for a Monday night girls night. They actually had an all day happy hour! The place was so cute very photogenic! And with time and the sunset the ambiance just improved. The team on-site was so kind and helpful and didn't push us to leave even though we were there for hours. The food was insane. Very unexpected to have a place that was affordable, with ambiance, also provide some taste bud tingling yum yums? Jeeze this is the spot. Get the Omakase!!!!! The bar seemed to lean Gin heavy but that was a nice change from my usual selections! Can't wait to be back!

The drink and appetizers I had were delicious ! I love the concept and how it feels unique and different from all the other establishments around. Our server didn't look too happy, but we enjoyed our drinks. I tried the Thai chicken skewers and the harissa chickpeas & edamame. The small bowl of chickpeas & edamame was addicting! My cocktail had beets -- and a tiny little sausage that was so good!