Cocktail barWhiskey dive bar$$$mission-hills
Aero Club Bar on India Street near Middletown, San Diego, the 1947 pilot's dive turned whiskey shrine with 1,200 bottles. Located in Mission Hills.
Signature drink: 1,200+ whiskey list, pours in flights or neat
Food: Bar snacks, no full kitchen
Cocktail barArcade bar$$$north-park
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
Cocktail barDive bar with live music$$$north-park
Whistle Stop Bar on Fern Street in South Park, San Diego, a popular dive with twelve drafts, a jukebox that runs vinyl, live bands and a steady daily happy.
Signature drink: Twelve drafts, deep top-shelf list, daily happy hour
Food: No food, BYO from neighbours
Cocktail barMultilevel cocktail bar and lounge$$$gaslamp-quarter
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.
Signature drink: Pre-Prohibition cocktails on the main bar, draft beer downstairs
Food: Sliders, pretzels, bar food
Cocktail barBritish pub$$$little-italy
Princess Pub and Grille on India Street in San Diego's Little Italy, the long-running British-owned pub serving fish and chips with rugby on satellite.
Signature drink: British and Irish drafts, single malts
Food: Fish and chips, bangers and mash, full British menu
Cocktail barItalian wine and cocktail bar$$$bankers-hill
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