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.
Address: 3829 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104
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.
Aero Club on India Street, established 1947, is the Middletown San Diego dive bar pouring from over 1,200 whiskeys, with an arcade, pool table and a food truck on the patio most nights.
Tip: Open weekdays 14:00, weekends from noon, to 02:00 daily. Cash and card; dog friendly. Happy hour 14:00 to 19:00 daily.
The Tipsy Crow on Fifth Avenue occupies the 1874 Spencer-Ogden building in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, three levels of bar, beer hall and basement dance floor open daily noon to 02:00.
Tip: Drink Exchange happy hour Monday to Saturday from open to 20:00 drops prices every five minutes. The Underground basement is the dance floor.
Tower 13 on South Coast Highway in Cardiff is the beach bar across from lifeguard tower 13 in North County San Diego, with 27 beers on tap and two oceanfront patios.
Tip: Open 11:00 to late daily; happy hour weekdays 15:00 to 18:00. The west-facing patio empties slowly at sunset.