Gossip Grill on University Avenue, opened 2009, is the Hillcrest women's bar and LGBTQ restaurant in San Diego, with a year-round outdoor patio, firepit and femme-forward art.
Tip: Closed Monday. Cabaret brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11:00. Happy hour 14:00 to 18:00 daily; Saturday goes 21+ after 14:00.
Address: 1220 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103
Number One Fifth Avenue on Fifth Avenue has run as Hillcrest's gay dive bar in San Diego since 1981, a slender front bar and back patio with karaoke, trivia and drag race viewing.
Tip: Happy hour weekdays 14:00 to 18:00. No cover, walk-in, cash and card. Latin nights and pictionary rotate weeknights.
Books and Records on Fourth Avenue in Bankers Hill, opened September 2023, is the 80-seat San Diego restaurant and listening bar with live jazz Thursday through Saturday and a vinyl rotation.
Tip: Reserve through the venue site for the jazz nights; the bar is walk-in. New Orleans style jazz brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00.
Number One Fifth Avenue on Fifth Avenue has run as Hillcrest's gay dive bar in San Diego since 1981, a slender front bar and back patio with karaoke, trivia and drag race viewing.
Tip: Happy hour weekdays 14:00 to 18:00. No cover, walk-in, cash and card. Latin nights and pictionary rotate weeknights.
Pecs Bar on University Avenue is the North Park leather-friendly gay neighborhood dive in San Diego, with a pool table, digital jukebox, dart boards and a back patio for the regulars.
Tip: Walk-in, no cover. Happy hour weekdays before 20:00. Themed leather nights rotate Saturdays.
Part Time Lover on 30th Street, opened 2022 in the former Bar Pink room, is the CH Projects and Folk Arts Rare Records hi-fi listening bar in San Diego's North Park.
Tip: Walk-in, no reservations. Vinyl runs 16:00 to close. Japanese highballs and the bartender's Old Fashioned are the regulars' choices.
Convoy Music Bar on Convoy Street, opened May 2022 under Showa Hospitality, is the Tokyo-style listening bar in San Diego with Kenrick-rebuilt JBL speakers and a McIntosh MC462 amp.
Tip: Reservations through Resy strongly recommended. Cocktail attire encouraged. Sets run jazz to disco curated by rotating selectors.
Longplay HiFi on Imperial Avenue is the high-fidelity listening club near Barrio Logan San Diego, with a library of over 1,000 records, Mexican coffee from Flor and Seed and original-pressing playback.
Tip: Walk-in seats fill fast; the membership tier opens private listening events and reservations. Coffee in the afternoon, cocktails after 18:00.
Books and Records on Fourth Avenue in Bankers Hill, opened September 2023, is the 80-seat San Diego restaurant and listening bar with live jazz Thursday through Saturday and a vinyl rotation.
Tip: Reserve through the venue site for the jazz nights; the bar is walk-in. New Orleans style jazz brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00.