17 editor picks in San Diego.
San Diego has a serious craft-cocktail culture spread across the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, and North Park. Noble Experiment in the Gaslamp Quarter is the city's best-known speakeasy-style room, while False Idol brings an elaborate tiki program to Little Italy. Polite Provisions in North Park is a perennial reference point for the neighborhood bar scene.
17 cocktail bar places in San Diego we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in San Diego · Cocktail Bar across every city.
Drink Bartender's Choice from a pre-Prohibition spirit cellar
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.
Drink Don's Special Daiquiri, classic and modern tiki
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.
Drink Sodas, shrubs and bitters made in house, classic cocktails on tap
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.
Drink Carbonated and aged cocktails from Erick Castro and Chris Patino
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.
Drink Cocktails built from traditional Chinese herbal remedies
Realm of the 52 Remedies speakeasy in San Diego's Convoy Asian Cultural District, a 1920s Shanghai parlor hidden inside Common Theory pouring.
Drink Vintage cocktails prepared tableside from a roaming cart
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.
Drink Cutwater cocktails poured from its own rum, vodka, gin, whiskey and tequila
Cutwater Spirits in Miramar San Diego, the 50,000 sq ft distillery, kitchen and cocktail tasting room running classes, tours and chef-driven plates.
Drink 1,200+ whiskey list, pours in flights or neat
Aero Club Bar on India Street near Middletown, San Diego, the 1947 pilot's dive turned whiskey shrine with 1,200 bottles.
Drink Cocktails named after arcade characters, local craft beer rotation
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.
Drink Twelve drafts, deep top-shelf list, daily happy hour
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.
Drink Pre-Prohibition cocktails on the main bar, draft beer downstairs
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.
Drink British and Irish drafts, single malts
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.
Drink Retail-priced bottle program with $5 corkage, Italian cocktails
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.
Drink Seasonal Mediterranean-inspired cocktails
Madison on Park on Park Boulevard in University Heights, San Diego, a Mediterranean kitchen and cocktail room in an signature mid-century space with seasonal.
Drink Modern takes on 1970s classics, deep amaro list
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.
Try Bartender's Choice cocktails, snacks from Neighborhood
Noble Experiment in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the keg-wall speakeasy where pre-Prohibition cocktails run until 2am behind the Neighborhood beer wall.
Try Don's Special Daiquiri, classic tiki, Polynesian snacks
False Idol tiki speakeasy in Little Italy, San Diego, classic Don the Beachcomber rum cocktails until 2am Fri-Sat behind a hidden door at Craft and Commerce.
