The Linkery

I recently heard on the news that the Linkery closed down and was sort of saddened but not surprised.
I only ate here once and really enjoyed my lamb sausage with sauerkraut and a spicy mustard. The only reason I never returned was because of how expensive the food cost for so little food.
I don’t remember paying the 18% gratuity at the time and could have sworn they hadn’t implemented that stupid rule yet. If someone feels their service was lousy they should be able to reflect that in the tip they leave behind. Oh well, doesn’t matter now but I wonder if it had something to do with the business failing?
The beer selection was decent but it did not impress the first visit nor on a second time when we were bar hopping all around North Park. Too many bottled beer if I remember correctly.
I really liked how they had open window doors on both sides of the building but it did feel a little crammed inside of the restaurant though.
I certainly would have eaten here more often if it had been affordable.

i judge my brunch spots by the way they make their poached eggs. A+.
waitress we had was a bit forgetful and it took about 25 minutes to get our coffee and mimosa, so there goes one star. other than that, great open air seating, good ambiance, trendy, great hang out spot on a weekend morning to enjoy your brunch and poutine. HEYYYYYYYY ;)

The Linkery is closed now — so this is just for the owner, if he really opens another restaurant. In the price range the Linkery was in, you have to prepare really good food to avoid disappointed customers. Coming from Germany, we were really excited to get some real Bratwurst — unfortunately not at the Linkery. We tried 4 different brats and not one of them tasted like real Bratwurst. They had a way too soft consistency and the flavor was either too strong or not strong enough. There is a German butcher in SD (Johannes brats) — these are the real brats. So, a better chef and well trained staff next time? Why does nobody tell the waiters that it is rude to take away plates while others at the table are still eating or asking you
something if you just took a bite and cannot answer? There is a lack of etiquette.

Praise be to *insert your favorite deity here* for low and behold the Linkery is closing!
Jay you didn’t invent «farm to table dinning» that was Alice Waters in the Bay area 25 years ago, but I digress.
No more wet cardboard tasting sausages, uncaring hipster servers, $ 9.00 pints, sage-​infused water, and auto 18% «gratuity».
Can’t wait to see what opens up in this spot.
P. S. and take Hubcap with you.
El Take it Easy!

We came into SD late in the evening to celebrate another round of birthday cheer for Minh! We were hungry and looking for a place, that A) was open late… B) Had something that we both wanted and C) was filling at a good price!
To our trusty bookmarks we went, we found a couple of good places but sadly, they were closing rather soon.
Next on our list was The Linkery! Ah, the handcrafted sausages! And they close rather later, which was awesome! North Park is always a favorite spot of us to go to when we are in town visiting, so we did not hesitate one bit!
Parking is either street or parking structure (which is a flat $ 5.00). We found street parking and walked a block.
Like some of the nearby restaurants, this place is a converted warehouse. Since it was rather later the place was not too busy, they had a DJ spinning a various mix of oldies and indie rock.
Our waiter was friendly and gave us plenty of time to look over the menu. He took our drink order and was happy to answer any questions we had. Their menu consists of one-​side menu options and the other a list of all their sausages and what was put into them, which I found to be a helpful guide!
We started with classic frites– served with trotter mayo and house ketchup. This plate is enough to share with the whole room. We ended up having to take this to go.
I decided I was going to «put it on a board» and have a chicken apple sausage-​chicken, apples, cider, sage, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg.
If you order it as a «put it on a board,» you can pick as many sides as you would like! Thinking that it would not be a lot of food I ordered away and asked for: mustard potato salad, house-​cured bacon, and goat feta. The board also came with apple wedges, orange slices, and sunflower seeds on top.
It took some time to get our food prepared so we munched on our appetizer and people watched outside!
When our order was ready our waiter brought it to our table, asked us if there was anything else, we may need, and off we went.
This board was HUGE! I was not sure how I was going to finish this but I knew that stomach stretching was going to be included on the plan!
At first bite, this sausage was full of flavor; you could taste the freshness of it! Each bite had a never sensation it was a little smokey, sweet all rolled into one!
The bacon was amazing four think long pieces of goodness, not too much grease, or fat! The potato salad was a little dry and MInh ended up finishing it later on. The feta was rich and paired really well with the fruit!
The dipping sauce had a kick and bite to it as well, I was not such a huge fan of it and decided to dip my sausage in the ketchup instead.
As the night went on, the place started to get busy as thirty hipsters and college kids came in for an IPA and something to nosh on!
A+ for attentive service
A+ for awesome food at a good price
A for parking
I would say if you are having a sausage craving then stop by here to get your fix!

Just got this via email minutes ago…
«Hi Friends,
After a long time — eight years for me & Michael, six for Max — at the helm of this exploration called the Linkery, the last couple seasons have seen all three of us drawn in new and different directions. In turn, we are finding that we can’t, given our circumstances, make our restaurants the best they can be – which I believe is the least and most we can ask of ourselves and of any community enterprise. Simply put, it’s time for us to move on, and let new operators bring their unique gifts to the community. We will be closing the Linkery after service July 15^th, and Hubcap at the end of July. Each place will be taken over by a different, independent, locally-​based owner, and they will each bring exciting changes to 30^th Street.
We’re proud of what went on here the last 8 years, and we’re grateful to you for making it happen. We see these next couple weeks as a great opportunity to celebrate all the fun we’ve had, and the changes to the San Diego food landscape that you created by dining here and continuing to encourage us to break new ground. From Ossabaw dinners and the early cask nights, to the craft beer pairings, local wines, extensive meat curing and smoking, Baja culinary adventures, and exploring the world of local farms — you sent us on these missions which we found inspirational, and delicious; and I think they changed, at least a little bit, how things are done in this town. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for all that.
Over the next couple weeks, we hope to say thanks to as many of you as we can. We’ll be serving every night (except the 4^th of July) so you can enjoy your Linkery favorites one (or more) last time. And Max is going to come into the Linkery kitchen on the 14^th and 15 of July — our last two nights open at the Linkery — to cook up some special dishes for what we figure will be a really fun goodbye party. I’m looking forward to celebrating with you in person.
After we close, I intend to do a lot more writing on my personal site, including sharing my thoughts about our experiences at the Linkery over the years. I’ve moved that blog back to
. We’ll be putting together some kind of cookbook/​retrospective. And I’m working to create a new restaurant which will continue exploring our love of local food, this time in the Bay Area. I’ll let you know as that happens. I really want to thank you again, for all your support and interest over the years. It’s a true gift, I can’t say enough how lucky I am.
Thank you for your years of love and support. I can’t wait until our paths cross again. And thanks for choosing local, handcrafted food. We love you, and have a great day! (And come and see us before we close!)
Best,
Jay»
So sad to see ya leave but great success in your next restaurant!

Very average spot that decides to charge 18% tip automatically.
Beers on tap were ok.
I had the fish fry which was ok. It was battered fish with fries. You can’t get to crazy with that. I actually think PB shore house does it way better and they have a 2 for 1 special on Fish n Chips…
Foxy had the Korean Beef sliders which were super dry, but smoky, slices of beef on a roll.
With all the options in SD, I’ll probably skip Linkery.
DJ was good on a Friday.
Place was pretty empty though.
Pricey for the level of food and ambiance. Dinner for 2 with 3 drinks $ 90.

Ordered chicken Munson and iowa farmhouse sausage picnic plate. Coleslaw is pretty good. Potato salad was whatever. The fries in beer tallow are good. The mustard is good. Little pricy honestly. 3.5 stars.
Beer list was ok. They had societe débutante on tap :)
Bottle prices were a little excessive. I’m not a huge fan of their mandatory service charge (they’re a collective, that’s the excuse anyways).

It makes sense why this place does not pass higher than a 3-​star rating.
–It is dark and depressing
–They claim to use organic and natural ingredients. I’m all for it. But the price they charge is just not justifiable. It is not a novelty to use natural organic ingredients in restaurants. Others do it at reasonable prices.
–If you have a full dinner, your bill will look like as if you went to a highly-​rated French restaurant.
–Not worth it!
–The service was below average.
–The whole restaurant is just not pleasant to be in…
One sentence description: Dark loud warehouse with nothing to choose from a menu and servers who do not smile…

NOT a fan of The Linkery. It starts with parking, which for us meant in the garage because unless you were driving a rat, nothing was a go on the street. I don’t mind the garage if we’re going somewhere nice, but to have to pay to park to go to a brew pub or sausage party, as it were, is not satisfactory. You should know before your night even starts at The Linkery, you’re going to pay $ 5 in parking and see a mandatory 18-​percent service charge added to your bill.
The place is outfitted to be a gastro — that’s for sure — but that doesn’t mean the weathered upholstery gets a free pass. It’s quite soiled and seems like it was there for the place’s opening almost 10 years ago.
The menu set the tone. Wife chose this place because hey, if wife wants sausage you either give her the sausage or take her to the sausage. I am not a sausage fan because to me, sausage on its own is not a meal. I don’t care what components you add; I will still be hungry afterward. Sausage is the lettuce of meat. I held out hope that of course this place would have some decent menu items of the sausage-​free variety, and I was wrong. The non-​saus selection is pathetic. They’re not even trying.
Went with the fish and chips (fish of the day was rock cod) and I suffered mercilessly as the night went on. That fish blew through my system like it was on a zip line. I cannot recall the last time I got ill this quickly after a dinner, and it’s unfortunate because the fish was delicious.
Regarding the sausage, wife was not impressed. She said the Polish sausage her grandmother makes every Christmas is way better than what she ordered at The Linkery, and she did not agree with the price. It is what it is.
Now, we had good service and actually we really enjoyed the waitress. She knows a lot about sausage (who knew!), but is a waitress who knows her meat reason enough to come back here? Not at all. Two stars for inconvenient parking, 18-​percent surcharge, lackluster menu, and disgusting upholstery. Food and service are respectable, but not enough to warrant a return visit.

I had such high hopes for this place. It’s sausage right? How could that be bad? Porky goodness mixed with other meats and herbs and fruits. Great right? Ummm, NO!
Sausage… greasy. fatty. juicy, right? Not today. Dry and cardboard-​esque. The g/​f had a pizza-​ish thing with 4 types of cheese and the flavor wasn’t bad (no sauce) but the «Dough» was paper thin and kind of mushy and not at all bready. Texture/​consistency no bueno. We started with the cheese curds. not too bad but smaller chunks would have been better and the the price they could have tossed in a few more. There was an underabundance of a spick chorizo/​bacon on it that was pretty darn good but again… a little more please. All in all I kid of scoped things out and witth he exception of some really loaded fries I didn’t see anything that blew up my skirt.
2 sausages plain.
1 pizza-​ish thingy.
1 beer.
1 Iced tea.
1 order cheese curds.
Tax and mandatory tip = $ 58.00
No deals to be had in North Park tonight!
Beer selection was great and I tried the Green Flash IPA and loved it. They bring out bottled sage water when they seat you and I did like that. Sounded odd but tasted great.
The service unlike the food was fantastic from the host/​hostess stand to the final exit through the side door. We had no reservation and were still seated at once. Waitstaff was on point all night and explained the menu and how things worked when it was discovered that we were rookies. There was also a guy playing music from a DJ style booth by the door. HE had a pretty good mix at just the right volume. NIce addition to the ambiance.
High praise and marks for the service! Much deserved 2* rating for the food.
Reasons to not go back:
1.) Lousy food.
2.) 18% tip automatically added to ALL parties check.
3.) Overpriced food.
4.) Parking sucks.

To bad, I was hoping the Linkery had improved, but I must admit that I was again not impressed. The polynesian pork sausage was luke warm, the sauerkraut is a loosely translation from the original and had nothing to do with the «real sauerkraut» we all know, the potato salad (so-​so).
My friends dishes included a portobello mushroom burger. The mushroom was to small to make a real impression on us. On the plate they included some extra salad leave which did not add anything to the dish. Disappointing.
Now, my friends also ordered the daily special, the Loco Moco. They put an egg on top of SPAM, which sits on top of a Burger Patty, which sits on top of a base of rice, covered with gravy. Honestly, This dish looked disgusting. The highlight of our dish was the pitcher of beer and the water.
Now, what really tips the scale on this BAD food experience was the fact that the Linkery adds an 18% Tip. There is no option to decline the tip on the receipt.
To the owners: I gave this a second try. But today you lost me forever.
My advice; avoid!

Good sausage. The only drawback is that despite the 50 or so varieties listed on the back of the menu, they only have 4 types available each day. As long as you aren’t dead set on a particular type and can just roll with it, you’ll be fine.
Prices arent bad for the amount of food you get. About 10 local beers on tap at any given time and a decent wine selection. I recommend the potato salad instead of fries or chips.

I knew there was a reason I had not tried The Linkery before… Something was tapping me in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t quite understand what it was trying to convey. At the time I was having a drink at Splash, and all I knew is that I was hungry, and the place was within decent walking distance to where I was.
We arrived and took a look at the menu. Since the entrees were a bit steep I opted for two appetizers. The deep fried bacon was a no-​brainer. I also tried their version of poutine fries that had chicken gravy. We also ordered a house glass of wine and beer. The deep fried bacon was really good. I don’t really think you can mess that up though. Alas the poutine left my food boner limp. The chicken gravy itself was way too mild and in turn the entire dish lacked flavor. Even with salt (which once again I had to ask for) the fries were not getting much better.
I didn’t get a great look at the place. I was two wines in and feeling no pain, and checking out the décor wasn’t on my agenda. Instead after our meal we browsed the dessert menu. Nothing sounded overly appealing. More foo foo mesh ups of desserts that should be left alone. I gave a nice thanks but no thanks to our waitress and I asked for my bill. As I glanced at the receipt it all started to come together. and there it was. Even the lettering appeared bigger as to say, ‘HA, look what we did’.Ah yes, the Linkery takes it upon themselves to add an 18% tip for you. As in you have NO CHOICE. Now don’t get me wrong I have been a cheap bastard of a tipper before but I like to think I have gotten better. I may have not left that much, and I believe I have the right to decide that myself.
So:
1 house wine
1 beer
poutine
bacon=
$ 39.40. Uh… no
More NP foolery, but this time I will remember. and the tapping will be replaced with a loud voice saying ‘OH HELL NO’ whenever I walk or drive by

18% gratuity up front. I should have read the signs.
As much as I want to love this place, it missed the mark completely.
Since we had a group of 10, we were able to taste a pretty wide selection of the menu. The house salad I ordered was 100% frisee lettuce. You know, the stringy, frizzy kind that tries to escape from you mouth like a live octopus.
And the three other salads we ordered weren’t much better. Nary a single piece of real lettuce in sight. Branch out kids, and I’m not talking romaine. Throw in some butter lettuce, some arugula, some spinach. Something artisanal that I can eat without a fight. Something from your heirloom seed fund that I’ve heard so much about.
And the flatbread… really? It was the size of a 10 inch dinner plate, with the flat flavor to match. Even some cheese from my sad, sorry salad didn’t dress it up.
The picnic plate. What is up with the thick sliced wheat bread? We ordered two, and one was terribly burned, and the other not toasted at all? Is this a joke? Some sort of test?
The links. Less than link-​a-​licious.
Even the dessert was bad. It was a hard, dry cookie sandwich that even melted ice cream couldn’t soften up. We contemplated ordering coffee, but assumed that would be lacking as well.
Now I understand perfectly why they add the gratuity on themselves.

I was a little torn writing this review because I had a very nice breakfast here, but with the exception on how my scrambled eggs were prepared. Let me explain:
I had their smoked sausage biscuits and gravy with a couple of eggs. I asked to have my eggs scrambled instead of sunny side up the way they were advertised on the menu for $ 9.00. (
) I also ordered a side of their homemade smoked cured bacon for $ 2.50. (
)
The biscuits were fluffy with good flavor (
) and the silky white sausage gravy was terrific. (
) The smokey flavor came through nicely. However, the scrambled eggs were over done. They were slightly dry and overcooked and lacked seasoning; hence making them an after thought, which bummed me out because it was brunch after all. I think if they would of slow cooked the scrambled eggs, the whole dish would of been dynamite!
The house made bacon was very good. It was tender yet crispy and had a real nice light smokey flavor. Great bacon. The place has and open atmosphere and can accommodate large groups. The service was patient, helpful, and courteous.
An issue I have with this place is the automatic addition of a 18% gratuity charge, even for one or a few people! (
) My issue is that it should be up to the consumer on what the gratuity should be, not the business. I certainly had no problem paying 18%. I was just surprise that it was mandatory. The consumer should have choice given they are the ones spending the money.
So, with a few glitches, but with standouts with the food, I am settling for an 3.5 stars; putting the 18% gratuity out of the picture however…

Stopped in on a rainy St. Patrick’s Day for… let’s call it «brunch» and ordered up:
eggs Benedict on thick beer bread
home-​made bratwurst sandwich w/​sauerkraut
side of scrambled eggs
To wash this feast down we needed a variety of players which included:
sage water
fresh orange juice
tea
french press coffee
Daydreaming I watched people bop around North Park outside the window while Lindsey P. was checking out the tasteful yet industrial surroundings of the Linkery. It was a nice place!
The food was very good but a tad pricey. I can say with confidence these were the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever eaten! The bratwurst was very fresh but I thought lacked flavor.
Other items worth mentioning… they have quality beer on tap! They also have an area in back, available upon reservation, that’s like a tiny beer hall (same bench seating but it’s a room not a hall). Near the entrance they have a room that looks like you can purchase their culinary creations (grocery store meat counter) but while we were there it was empty and reeked of reefer.
We will absolutely come back to eat, drink and lol be merry!
I give this linkery 7 «freshly unseasoned sausage» out of 10

Watch out for extra charges!!!
Food was good but oh boy did our lunch turn expensive. Had the grass fed burger ($ 11.50) and a sausage sandwich ($ 12). We were charged extra for substituting the chips and cole slaw for potato salad and fries. $ 3.50 extra for potato salad and fries on one plate and $ 2.50 extra for fries on another plate. The menu says in fine print somewhere substitutes cost extra… but they charged for each substitute!
The waitress offered caramelized onions with the sandwich (without mentioning it would cost extra) and added $ 1.50 for that. She also added 25 cents for dressing.
So, $ 39.72 dollars for lunch. And NO mention from the waitress of the extra charges.
I was so disappointed when I got the bill and the way they handled it, I will never go back there. And I will tell everyone I know to not go there either.
I love the concept of locally farmed produce, but The Linkery lost me with their greed. Sorry.

I’m a little surprised by all the negative feedback. My experience at The Linkery on Christmas Eve was perfect.
My dining companion and I decided upon The Linkery because we found a discount coupon in the San Diego Magazine, a respectable publication that showcases many of the area’s popular local eateries. The coupon was for a buy-​one-​get-​one dinner promotion.
On Christmas Eve, the restaurant was fairly slow and quiet. Our waitress was a doll and magnificient in explaining the unique menu and the variety of specials for the night. Not being beer enthusiasts, we decided to start with their red sangria. At $ 7 a glass, it was a heavy pour and certainly worth the price. Delicious! We both had two glasses of that luscious libation. We also started with an order of the poutine. The Linkery’s interpretation of poutine is served, of course, with french fries and gravy, but they also add smoked liver to the dish, a unique characteristic that demonstrated to me that the chef has a creative, inventive flare. I loved every bite. If, however, you are not a fan of liver, this may not be the ideal starter.
For my entrée, I decided to try one of their daily specials, a stuffed veal dish. Good grief! It was downright stupendous. It was rich and hearty, and it had that unique flavor that transported me back to those warm and cozy moments as a child where eating one of Mom’s comforting meals always made me feel like all was right with the world. After consuming the veal, and practically licking the plate clean, all WAS right with the world in that moment.
No question, the menu is unique. You will certainly find creations that you won’t encounter anywhere else in San Diego. How many other restuarants have the balls to serve veal brains? Audacious, really, especially considering that most San Diegans are timid when it comes to considering dishes that are untraditional and that have been culturally tattooed as exotic or taboo. In other words, most San Diegans have an embarassing, undistinguished palate and wouldn’t know a masterfully constructed dish if it kicked them in the ass. So sad.
The Linkery has carved out its own place and identity in San Diego’s culinary landscape, and I think it’s just wonderful.

Jenny–
Jon and I were in the neighborhood and decided to stop by for Sunday brunch. The first thing I noticed was that the menu had very few vegetables on it, considering that this restaurant is a Top Ten Farm-​to-​Table Restaurant. However, it is also a Top Ten Gastropub, so that could explain all of the meat. We had the andouille sausage, bacon wrapped octopus, and the pork and grits fritters. The sausage tasted very fresh, and the octopus was just eh, but the pork and grits fritters… OMG that was a little taste of heaven. Would definitely go back just for those!
Jon–
I heard about this place from the UCSD alumni magazine and they were spot on! We were a little rushed, so we only tried a few small plates. Like Jenny said, they’re all winners, but the fritters were like small universes of umami ready for you to devour! Dear! We’re going back next time I’m in town!
The vibe is pretty upscale bohemian– very spare décor, and the water comes to you infused with sage. Most interesting.
Bottom line: if I were you, I’d get in my car all roll down to North Park to try this place. It’s a winner.