San Diego

Backyard Kitchen and Tap

Lunch, dinner, and brunch on weekends, complete with seasonal cocktails with events on weekday nights. On Fridays and Saturdays, it converts to another popular nightclub.

Thu-Sun

Ballast Point

Little Italy tasting room and gastropub for one of San Diego's best known craft brewers. Several other locations around the city.

Blind Lady Ale House

With a pub vibe and aesthetic, BLAH's a fantastic place to drink a wide selection of local craft brew and munch on some pizza. During the week it's not nearly as crowded--you'll be able to find a spot on the long wooden tables. If you ride your bike there, you can get a 10% discount when you show your helmet at the bar.

5PM-midnight

Blue Palm

Coffee shop right by Mariners Basin. Also serves breakfast foods, tucked away.

Tue-Sun 7AM-3PM, closed Mon

Cass Street Bar and Grill

This comfortable, laid-back bar with deep sea fishing themed decor has a good crowd at practically any time of the day, night or week. It's a beer and wine bar, so cocktails drinks use a weak Asian vodka called Han Vodka, but the twelve or so beers on tap and various other bottled beers are enough to keep most customers happy. The profusion of TV screens make it a popular daytime sports bar, the pool tables and shuffle board table keep it popular at night. The menu has some great seafood and burgers, served until about 10PM, and has great breakfast options too. This bar has a much more neighborly feel compared to the meat-market atmosphere of some of the more popular Garnet Street bars.

El Dorado

Western-themed hipster hangout with good cocktails, rotating DJs, and a fun dance floor. A world away from the usual bottleservice & bouncers experience at many downtown SD clubs.

Fifth Avenue

This section of Fifth Ave contains many of the most popular clubs and bars in San Diego, and is typically seen as the heart of San Diego’s nightlife.

Gata

Wine and tapas bar in downtown. Serves a big selection of wines, with a good atmosphere.

Daily 5PM-midnight

Kensington Cafe

This coffee shop, loved by the locals, serves coffee, tea, food and even spumoni.

Lahaina Beach House

Laid-back bar with a deck facing the beach and boardwalk in a bungalow-type house. Good selection of national and local beers. Both breakfast and lunch/dinner is served on most days.

Lestat's Coffee House

Lestat's never closes, ever. Aside from the specialty coffee drinks and the local pastries, the walls are covered with art for sale, and the next door stage has nightly shows and open mics. Free wifi attracts all sorts of local characters and the back is always packed with people. They have a sister location in University Heights along Park Avenue.

Living Room Coffeehouse

A regular neighborhood coffee spot that's a popular study space for many college students given its proximity to SDSU.

Daily 6AM-1AM

Long Story Irish Pub

Irish gastro pub with excellent food and a unique beer selection..

Mavericks Beach Club

Two-story bar and restaurant with lots of TVs and an open-air area. Open for brunch on weekends with family-friendly menu. Converts to a popular club at night.

McGregors

A grill and ale house, great place to watch sports at, has pool tables, darts and shuffleboard.

Moonshine Beach

Sister location of Moonshine Flats in downtown, the Pacific Beach location offers the same activities but in a larger space - including open air sections. The club offers line dancing lessons (select days), live country bands, karaoke, and club music. On Fridays and Saturdays, there is a cover charge can be avoided by signing up for the free guest list on their website.

O'Brien's

This place has a great low-key friendly atmosphere. There is outdoor seating and a wonderful selection of Belgian local microbrews, with an extra emphasis on hoppy brews. They have a surprisingly good bar food as well.

Silver Spigot Cocktail Lounge

Mission Beach's premier longstanding dive bar. Loads of stuff on the walls, TVs with Chargers games, and pool. Reasonably priced drinks with locals inside. Quiet place to duck in and have a few jars off the beaten path.

10AM-2AM daily

The Field

Irish pub literally shipped over piece by piece from Ireland and reassembled. Good food and drinks, and frequent live Irish music.

The Wine Lover

A lovely wine bar with a wide selection of wines and some light meals.

Waterfront

One of San Diego's oldest drinking establishments and best dive bars.

Winstons

Nightly bands and dancing, karaoke and Monday night football. Watch the lines on the weekend as this place is packed with live bands, even during the daytime on summer Sundays.

Bootlegger

Popular sports bar with good bar food and DJs at night.

Club Kensington

A quaint hipster bar that offers music on the weekends.

Nunu's Cocktail Lounge

Neo-hip dive bar.

Daily 6AM-2AM

Princess Pub

Traditional British pub.

Sogno Divino

Wine bar and appetizers, relaxing environment.

Daily 11AM-11PM

The WineSellar & Brasserie

9550 Waples St