Cocktails, wine bars and dives: drinking in San Diego for grown-ups.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in San Diego for grown-ups.
Noble Experiment speakeasy in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, hidden behind a wall of beer kegs at Neighborhood, with a pre-Prohibition cocktail program from CH Projects.
Signature drink: Bartender's Choice from a pre-Prohibition spirit cellar
Food: Cocktail snacks from Neighborhood next door
False Idol tiki speakeasy in Little Italy, San Diego, the CH Projects hideaway behind Craft and Commerce running classic Don the Beachcomber recipes with rum fountains and storm walls.
Signature drink: Don's Special Daiquiri, classic and modern tiki
Food: Polynesian-inflected bar snacks from Craft and Commerce
Polite Provisions on 30th Street in San Diego's Normal Heights, the apothecary-style cocktail bar with house-made sodas, shrubs and a 30-tap classic cocktail wall.
Signature drink: Sodas, shrubs and bitters made in house, classic cocktails on tap
Food: Soda Bar burgers and snacks from the kitchen next door
Raised by Wolves cocktail bar at Westfield UTC in San Diego, CH Projects' Art Nouveau library hidden behind a spinning fireplace, featuring a 442 World's Top 500 ranking.
Signature drink: Carbonated and aged cocktails from Erick Castro and Chris Patino
Food: Snacks, bottles for sale, no full kitchen
Realm of the 52 Remedies speakeasy in San Diego's Convoy Asian Cultural District, a 1920s Shanghai parlor hidden inside Common Theory pouring traditional-remedy cocktails.
Signature drink: Cocktails built from traditional Chinese herbal remedies
Food: Chinese, Korean and Thai shared plates paired to each cocktail
Born and Raised's rooftop cocktail bar on India Street in Little Italy, San Diego, with a 45-foot bar and vintage tableside cocktail carts in a glam art deco room.
Signature drink: Vintage cocktails prepared tableside from a roaming cart
Food: Steakhouse menu downstairs, snacks on the roof
Cutwater Spirits in Miramar San Diego, the 50,000 sq ft distillery, kitchen and cocktail tasting room running classes, tours and chef-driven plates since 2017.
Signature drink: Cutwater cocktails poured from its own rum, vodka, gin, whiskey and tequila
Food: Chef-driven full kitchen, lunch through dinner
Aero Club Bar on India Street near Middletown, San Diego, the 1947 pilot's dive turned whiskey shrine with 1,200 bottles, pinball and ten-dollar pours.
Signature drink: 1,200+ whiskey list, pours in flights or neat
Food: Bar snacks, no full kitchen
Coin-Op Game Room on 30th Street in North Park, San Diego, the 2013 arcade-bar with retro pinball, classic console cabinets and game-themed craft cocktails.
Signature drink: Cocktails named after arcade characters, local craft beer rotation
Food: Bar food, smash burgers, loaded fries
Whistle Stop Bar on Fern Street in South Park, San Diego, a beloved dive with twelve drafts, a jukebox that runs vinyl, live bands and a steady daily happy hour.
Signature drink: Twelve drafts, deep top-shelf list, daily happy hour
Food: No food, BYO from neighbours
The Tipsy Crow on Fifth Avenue in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the 1874 Spencer Ogden building running three levels of cocktails from the main bar to The Underground.
Signature drink: Pre-Prohibition cocktails on the main bar, draft beer downstairs
Food: Sliders, pretzels, bar food
Princess Pub and Grille on India Street in San Diego's Little Italy, the long-running British-owned pub serving fish and chips with rugby on satellite.
Signature drink: British and Irish drafts, single malts
Food: Fish and chips, bangers and mash, full British menu
CUCINA urbana's bar on Laurel Street in Bankers Hill, San Diego, the 2009 Cal-Italian room with daily happy hour and a retail wine program at minimal corkage.
Signature drink: Retail-priced bottle program with $5 corkage, Italian cocktails
Food: Cal-Italian sharing plates, late-night menu Fri-Sat
Madison on Park on Park Boulevard in University Heights, San Diego, a Mediterranean kitchen and cocktail room in an iconic mid-century space with seasonal drinks.
Signature drink: Seasonal Mediterranean-inspired cocktails
Food: Mediterranean small plates, brunch on weekends
Sycamore Den on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, San Diego, the 1970s rec-room cocktail lounge with leather banquettes, a deep amaro list and den-room snacks.
Signature drink: Modern takes on 1970s classics, deep amaro list
Food: Bar snacks, no full kitchen
Peak food season in San Diego is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. San Diego rewards trust.