Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13 ★ 4.2
$$Carlsbad / Encinitas (North County coast){'monday': '11:00-23:00', 'tuesday': '11:00-23:00', 'wednesday': '11:00-23:00', 'thursday': '11:00-23:00', 'friday': '11:00-00:00', 'saturday': '10:00-00:00', 'sunday': '10:00-23:00'}
Tower 13 on South Coast Highway in Cardiff is the beach bar across from lifeguard tower 13 in North County San Diego, with 27 beers on tap and two oceanfront patios.
Tip: Open 11:00 to late daily; happy hour weekdays 15:00 to 18:00. The west-facing patio empties slowly at sunset.
Til-Two Club ★ 4.2
$North Park{'monday': '16:00-02:00', 'tuesday': '16:00-02:00', 'wednesday': '16:00-02:00', 'thursday': '16:00-02:00', 'friday': '16:00-02:00', 'saturday': '16:00-02:00', 'sunday': '16:00-02:00'}
Til-Two Club on El Cajon Boulevard is the City Heights and Talmadge dive bar in San Diego booking rock, punk and karaoke seven nights a week from 16:00 to 02:00.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 19:00 with $4 wells, $5 drafts and $3 shots. Live bands, DJs and karaoke rotate nightly.
Coin-Op Game Room ★ 4.1
$$North Park{'monday': '17:00-00:00', 'tuesday': '17:00-00:00', 'wednesday': '17:00-00:00', 'thursday': '17:00-00:00', 'friday': '17:00-02:00', 'saturday': '14:00-02:00', 'sunday': '14:00-00:00'}
Coin-Op Game Room on 30th Street in North Park is the San Diego arcade bar with classic cabinets, pinball, craft beer on tap and a full cocktail program open to 02:00 on weekends.
Tip: Open from 17:00 weeknights, 14:00 weekends. 21+ all hours. Tokens for the cabinets bought at the bar; Mario Kart and Big Buck Hunter draw the queue.
Parq Nightclub ★ 4.1
$$$Gaslamp Quarter{'monday': 'closed', 'tuesday': 'closed', 'wednesday': 'closed', 'thursday': 'closed', 'friday': '22:00-02:00', 'saturday': '22:00-02:00', 'sunday': 'closed'}
Parq Nightclub on Broadway is the Gaslamp Quarter megaclub in San Diego, an open-format weekend room booking hip-hop, Latin and electronic headliners with a restaurant up front.
Tip: Open Friday and Saturday 22:00 to 02:00. Reserve a table through Discotech for guaranteed entry; line wraps the corner of Broadway after 23:00.
Onyx Room ★ 4.0
$$Gaslamp Quarter{'monday': 'closed', 'tuesday': 'closed', 'wednesday': 'closed', 'thursday': 'closed', 'friday': '21:00-02:00', 'saturday': '21:00-02:00', 'sunday': 'closed'}
Onyx Room on Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter is the basement San Diego nightclub running hip-hop and Latin rooms on Friday and Saturday under one ticket.
Tip: Open Friday and Saturday 21:00 to 02:00. Salsa, bachata and merengue in the Latin room; hip-hop and top hits next door. 21+.
Sevilla Nightclub ★ 4.3
$$Gaslamp Quarter{'monday': 'closed', 'tuesday': '21:00-01:30', 'wednesday': '21:00-01:30', 'thursday': '21:00-01:30', 'friday': '21:00-02:00', 'saturday': '21:00-02:00', 'sunday': 'closed'}
Sevilla Nightclub in the basement of Cafe Sevilla on Fifth Avenue has run Latin nights in San Diego's Gaslamp since 1987, with salsa and bachata lessons before the dance floor opens.
Tip: Dance lessons start 21:00 most nights, the floor opens 22:00. Cover varies by night; Latin Saturdays sell out fast.