Shawn’s On Congress

Another nice quiet chill good place for a quick taco tues hang out. Bartender\Owner is a cool chill dude that provides lots of info on the Wine selections and even makes his own wine! Dude will provide a nice taster (cool taster glasses) for you if you’re brave enough. The meat\cheese board is well done. The pep pizza was yummy to my tummy! If you’re looking for a nice time away from the raucous taco tues crowd, pop in here!
Dude also gave me the Unilocal 10% even though I explained how I never use Unilocal checkin stuff cuz don’t want biz to think I’m only there to get the freebeez. That was cool!

Came here with fellow Unilocaler Raymond A, right after a exam that I was taking at Town & Country Resort this past Tuesday. This was my total first time in Old Town — which I never realized was so close to Fashion Valley.
But FYI, parking majorly SUCKS. It is extremely hard to find parking on a Tuesday night most definitely — and there are several places that list parking for $ 5 or $ 6 give or take. I found parking a few blocks in by the residential areas. So not a fan of the hills — which is why I hate going any where with small streets or small/​limited parking. I think I spent approx 15~30 minutes hunting for parking, was thankful that Raymond waited up as he joked he would have left if I did not show.
Shawn’s is on your left once you arrive, but they have seating out in the middle which is so romantic at night! Only reason I know is when I was walking out I was like, «Wow! Mad cute outside with the heaters, fireplace and the comfy looking chairs. Totally good for a date night.»
Walking in, it was emptier than I expected — guessing it’s because it is still a relatively new business. But we were served by the owner himself, Mr. Shawn! He was a total charmer and delightful to converse with while me and Raymond indulged in the two plates along with wine — the combination platter of meat & cheese. It came on two plates… so it may have been different plates but I was not too sure. However the combination of the bread/​crackers that we ate with the cheese was DELICIOUS! I was a huge fan of the caramelized honey (?) cheese (not surprised if I butchered the description — as I have a knack for doing that), but I practically demolished it on my own with Raymond getting a few pieces of it. Pretty sure if you go in and ask Shawn he would have the correct name for it. It was slightly sweet and not salty at all but tasted quite good with the bread.
Had a glass of wine which was sangria flavored but Shawn had offered 2 – 3 other fruity alternatives to see which one I liked. I forgot the name of the drink Raymond had but I am sure he could supply it if you were interested in asking. Pretty sure he had been drinking it during the duration I was parking and during the whole night.
We both got flatbreads as well. Mine the San Diegan and him the Gourmet Pepperoni. The San Diegan was a nice piece of a pizza as it had quite the lovely taste of cheesy mozzarella cheese with roasted garlic chicken sausage and basil pesto sauce. Gourmet Pepperoni was nice and simple with giant pieces of pepperoni decorating the pizza and blast of pepperoni goodness in your mouth.
Shawn’s tasting glasses with the words Blue Felt Winery disclose how he met his wife. I’ll give you a big hint, «Blue Felt.» His backstory on how this whole place got started was heartwarming to hear — and it is awesome to know that he is doing what he likes. So definitely check this place out! Great for a place to chat and catch up. Quaint place in Old Town.

I’m a wine snob. I believe in wines paired with food, swirled in the proper glass and thoughtfully qualfed. Shawn’s On Congress offers that, but some of their craft wines were not to my taste. They are more on the sweet side. I remember drinking Italian Swiss Colony Bali Hai — a fruity beverage served in a tumbler that was for guzzling. They served up a taste of that. I thought it was odd, but then I thought «Why shouldn’t there be a wine bar for people who are not wine snobs? It’s all about enjoying wine and good company.»
No problemo for us wine snobs! Just read the menu and choose something. I had a nice viognier and Sofie enjoyed muscato.
The place is special because they will give you generous tastes of the wine before you order if you like. They also have some seating outside that is comfortable. It is a great place to enjoy a glass while waiting for the Red Spade Theater to open up.
If you are not a wine snob, you will love this place. If you are a wine snob, you will like this place.

Such a cool little wine bar, I’m almost glad we had a big wait at Harney Sushi. They let us try a couple small tasters to find out what we liked, plus Shawn let us try some of his own label (Blue Felt Winery). Outside they have a fire pit and it is very cute inside. And it’s dog friendly! I will definitely be coming back.

This is a hidden gem, it is tucked into Old Town and offers a small, quaint place to grab wine or craft beer.
The wine selection is expansive, filled w wines from all over including San Diego wineries
There is a craft beer chalk board w local brews, probably 5 – 8 craft beers to choose from.
The pricing is more expensive then not but given the tourist area it makes sense.
They have happy hour 3 – 6 and a dessert of the day, which was molten lava cake tonight when we went. They also have flat breads and apps which we didn’t eat but did smell good!
We met the owner who seemed very nice and happy to have our business.

First timers from the Bay who love some wine… didn’t dissapoint, the charcuterie plate was awesome, get a half order for 2, it was large. You actually get a whole damn sausage plus all the other fixins… the outdoor patio is quiet, heaters and fireplaces are so lovely… Shawn will be your server– he let’s you taste so get picky and enjoy your evening here away from the masses… Will be back!

I love the quaint location off the beaten path of Old Town proper and that there is not only seating inside but the outside seating area is dog friendly.
I also love that they not only feature local beers, but wines from San Diego county wineries.
The staff is friendly and they go the extra mile to make sure you’re taken care of as well as take time to answer any questions you may have.

Great wine and beer bar! I really like the focus on local wine and beer and the local wine flight is a great option to try some new wines and support the local economy! There are also yummy food options… I highly recommend the bruschetta and baked brie! I brought friends here for drinks after work and everyone loved the location and the atmosphere. The bar and tables inside are classy and inviting and the patio is super for bigger groups. The staff are super friendly and helpful and make sure you have everything you need to enjoy your visit. The location is also great because it’s just outside the busier part of old town so parking is not an issue. Shawn’s on Congress will be a regular after work drink spot for me and my friends!