The Casbah on Kettner Boulevard, founded by Tim Mays in 1989, is the 200-capacity San Diego punk and indie room that booked Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and the Strokes on the way up.
Tip: Doors usually 20:30, some all-ages shows. Moved from the original 75-capacity room two blocks south in 1994; the current Kettner space holds 200.
Address: 2501 Kettner Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92101
Music Box on India Street in San Diego's Little Italy is the 13,000 square foot tri-level concert hall, opened 2015 in the former Anthology room, booking national touring acts.
Tip: Tickets through the venue site or Eventbrite. The mezzanine has the cleanest sight lines; floor general admission fills early on big shows.
Music Box on India Street in San Diego's Little Italy is the 13,000 square foot tri-level concert hall, opened 2015 in the former Anthology room, booking national touring acts.
Tip: Tickets through the venue site or Eventbrite. The mezzanine has the cleanest sight lines; floor general admission fills early on big shows.
Soda Bar on El Cajon Boulevard is the 200-capacity San Diego indie and rock room booking touring bands six nights a week along the City Heights and North Park border.
Tip: All shows are 21+, no exceptions. Doors typically 19:30; tickets through the venue site. Cash bar, kitchen at the back.
Belly Up Tavern on Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach has booked rock, reggae, jazz and indie in San Diego's North County since 1974, a 600-capacity room in a converted quonset hut.
Tip: All-ages most nights. Doors 19:00 or 20:00 depending on the bill. Half-hour drive from downtown; the Coaster commuter rail stops a block away.
The Observatory North Park on University Avenue is the restored 1929 North Park Theatre, a 1,100-capacity Live Nation room booking touring rock, hip-hop and indie in San Diego.
Tip: General admission floor, balcony reserved seating. Doors 19:00 most shows. West Coast Tavern on the corner is the pre-show kitchen.
Altitude Sky Lounge atop the San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter, opened 2005, sits 22 floors above K Street with ballpark, harbor and downtown skyline views.
Tip: Open 17:00 daily, closes 00:00 weeknights and 01:00 weekends. 21+. The ballpark side fills first on Padres home nights.
Mister A's atop the Manchester Financial Building in Bankers Hill has run a rooftop dining room and bar over San Diego since 1965, with views of Balboa Park, the harbor and Coronado.
Tip: Bar opens 15:30; arrive before sunset for the terrace. Business casual enforced. Saturday and Sunday brunch runs 10:00 to 13:00 with live jazz.