50 Best Bars in San Diego

“Great food, service, atmosphere, and view.“

“Normally I like to keep gems like this to myself, but walking through literal back alleys in San Diego to be introduced to this incredible Hi-Fi listening speakeasy was just too awesome and I hope everyone I love gets a chance to get on the reservation list, stat. I'm a speakeasy veteran with a coast to coast cocktail sipping resume that spans from SF to Boston and New Orleans to Chicago, and this spot has definitely landed in my top ten. The atmosphere, the staff, the tunes, and the drinks are all so special and perfectly curated for maximum delight. Every aspect of CMB is comfortable and balanced, and so very easy to enjoy. They found a great groove and kept it going.“

“Excellent food and very good service. Everything was delicious and the portions were huge. It was expensive for breakfast, but great for a special occasion.“

“**ABSOLUTELY loved coming here!**

This summer, I’ve been on a mission to rediscover great happy hours around San Diego—especially those with amazing oyster deals. I randomly heard about **Mabel’s Gone Fishing** as a spot to check out, and on a whim, my little one and I decided to stop by right at 4 PM.

We didn’t have a reservation but arrived just in time to grab a seat outside. The outdoor setup immediately gave off a charming European vibe—reminiscent of a Paris café, with chairs facing the street, perfect for people-watching. (The decor, chairs, and tables instantly brought back Paris memories!)

**Big tip: Make a reservation**—this place fills up fast!

Even though only the happy hour menu was available (dinner service starts later), it didn’t disappoint. We ordered:

* A dozen oysters (half-price!)
* The Spanish tortilla
* And we got lucky—they happened to have caviar available!

I paired the oysters with a glass of bubbly Pinot Noir Brut from Catalonia, Spain—absolutely perfect. The gin and tonic cocktail was also refreshing and well-balanced.

Now for the surprise: my 5-year-old daughter, who has a funny and ever-evolving palate, *loved* the bread and butter... but even more shockingly, **devoured the caviar**! A first for her—and possibly a very expensive new habit for me, haha! She even tried an oyster but wasn’t quite ready for the texture—still, she gave it a go.

The oysters were fresh, with a great variety from three different regions. The service was excellent—friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The sommelier (who was also working the host stand!) was fantastic and clearly passionate about the wine list. Bonus: many of their wine selections are available for purchase next door.

I’ll definitely be coming back before summer ends—this time for dinner!“

“My husband and I had the absolute pleasure to dine at Juniper and Ivy for our 33 year anniversary. Not only did they have special menus for us, but we had a complete and very special experience start to finish.The staff were so welcoming and knowledgeable. We had what I would consider the best seats in the restaurant. We sat up at the kitchen bar, and were treated to an amazing dinner and “show “ The kitchen crew were so impressive and friendly to each other and us. We had such a great experience, that we canceled reservations at another restaurant on the same block for later in the week, so we could come back and try more. Same amazing experience at the next visit. Highly recommend, when we come back to SD we will prioritize another visit. Thank you so much for such a great experience!“

“Fabulous oysters! Definitely worth the wait!“

“Amazing experience. Amadeus our bartender was exceptionally helpful and attended to our every need. The food was delicious. The cocktails were impeccably well balanced. The setting was beautiful. One of the best cocktail bars you will find in SoCal A+“

“There’s no question that this is a 10/10 spot. Everything slaps. Excellent, unique flavors that are executed perfectly. This is some of, if not the best, Thai food I’ve ever had. I only regret that I couldn’t order more. I will next time, though.

MUST TRY: duck curry“

“Fun atmosphere, fun drinks and great staff!“

“Absolutely amazing atmosphere, 10/10 service, and bomb drinks. What more could you want. Easily one of the best tiki bars period.“

“One of my favorite bars in San Diego! They’ve got pretty much any whiskey you can think of, and the staff makes you feel right at home. Special shoutout to Lee — hands down one of the best bartenders in town.

There’s a fun arcade room, pool tables, and a laid-back outdoor patio with a local food truck. And I almost forgot — they have free popcorn! Solid vibes all around.“

“I visited the Good News Bar for the first time last week and returned again today. The customer service is phenomenal. Feli helped me both times and was incredibly patient while I decided on my order. She even remembered my drink from my last visit! Everyone here is welcoming and friendly, and the atmosphere is super chill—perfect for hanging out or studying.“

“Hated that my friend who was over fifty was refused to be served bec she forgot her ID. Really guys. I get the need to card ppl but at some point it is more flattering then necessary.“

“What a fantastic place! Food was excellent and great proportions, likely the best flatbread I’ve ever had. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend and will return if in the area again.“

“Great all around dining experience.“

“Love the food joint that’s been added to this bar. Amazing food and people!“

“Cocktails are great and the kale salad cannot be missed. I've just found on the last few visits the pizzas and patas are very tired though and haven't been changed in so long. Menu needs a little liven up. Wine by the ounce is so good though!“

“Finally a bar that knows how to treat paying customers!!! Your stuff (Al and Sky)are on point with serving water and coming back to the table for fill ups. Food is solid! Other bars could take advice from you're management. Thank you and see you soon!“

“Best burger ever. Juicy and perfect, don’t mess with it. Thick slice of tomato and onion lettuce mayo and sesame bun. It’s awesome!!!“

“Everything about Fernside is great!“

“Best Sports bar in North Park! Food is fabulous, great drink selection, and they show soccer women’s soccer (with sound!!!)“

“Phenomenal food! Great atmosphere, kid friendly!“

“It was a cool way to enter a speakeasy. The drinks took a while to come out. Not crazy long though. But the drinks in quality were pretty basic. Most whiskey based drinks tasted like a regular old fashioned.

Update: Decided to try this place again and it was a good experience. Staff were friendly and attentive. My drink was delicious.“

“🙂👍 Rachel does a great job!“

“Very odd little place that has the best name. 🤣 We got a mix of cocktails and some snacks. Service was good, decor was definitely on the quirky side (Ronald McDonald says hi). I also had the No-loko which was a great caffeine boost for midday.“

“You can't call it a dive bar when they have $300 bourbons on the shelf! Erin is great. We went there twice and will probably go back again later. And there are pinball machines and a pool table and other arcade games. Fun place.“

“Every time I come in here, I wonder why I don't come more often. (Possibly the atmosphere, it's clean but not the coziest. No music or TV, not much to look at.) But the food, wow! I always get three different tacos, they're all loaded with such amazing flavors and textures. The fresh salsas are also spectacular. I need to start making this a weekly visit.“

“One of the best speakeasy’s I’ve ever been to. Been to several in LA, SF, Vegas, Miami, and NYC and this one compares. So glad that it’s in my city! Speakeasy’s are the way to go! Bravo 👏🏻“

“Super fun place to celebrate anything!“

“Neighborhood dive bar that's always busy when we've gone there. Seat yourself and best to order at the bar. You can wait for a wait staff to come to your table but they are usually very busy and you might end up waiting for awhile.

It can be hard to find a table available at game time, especially if you have more than 4 people.

The price for drinks and food are still reasonable here so I think that's why it's a popular spot. Plus food aren't bad bar food either. I do like their wings and fries.“

“Cool Spot! Always an interesting spot to hang out, have a few pops and people watch...“

“First time back in 19 years to what used to be our Tuesday date night spot. Still a great bar.“

“Great place for food, drinks and games. Have a wonderful time.“

“Great beer selection awesome vibes and great service“

“Old dive bar! Been goin here for awhile… 25 plus years! Xoxox.. glad they cleaned it up but kept the dive feel“

“Best dive bar in San Diego“

“disclaimer, this is a bathroom review, line was short, bathroom was clean, plenty of soap, toilet covers and paper towels, toilet paper. Very colorful graffiti, lots of character in this bathroom. Overall fun and safe vibes, and the bathroom itself is pretty quiet if you even just need a little moment of peace✨️
would definitely come back to hang out with a drink. really lively, everyone seems like they're having a good time, people playing pool and being outgoing.“

“great service.....small crowds. the best part is that they have a fuzzball table. whatever you do, do not do not play against Ms. Tracy Osborn. The women will take your soul! great bar“

“Didn't eat so hard to rate but anywhere willing to have a kitchen behind the bar has gotta be pretty cool .
Drinks wre amazing. Duno what brand of champagne they had but it was the BEST champagne I've EVER had.
10/10“

“This is not a place for food, but the drinks are so delicious! I need to go back to be able to try the rest of the drinks. That's basically the reason why I didn't give 5 stars, I really would wish more opportunity to try the other drinks. Overall I am in love with the place.“

“1st time here to watch Monday Night football and I'd definitely return.

Spacious, with roll up doors between the patio and inside makes for a chill vibe. There's a DJ booth but no DJ when I was there. I saw another space in the rear with tables and chairs that had a bar too. Women's bathroom was large and clean-yay!

Happy hour drinks were interesting and tasty but the apps for happy hour didn't appeal. No beers on tap and the Sculpin I ordered came in a can. No beer mug was offered and I had to ask the waitress for a glass. She gave me a brandy glass, so my beer could get warmer faster?

The Honey Bee drink is a good choice with the edible flower garnish. What the server called their spicy drink had little to no heat. I had the Chicken pesto Flatbread and it didn't disappoint. The liberal toppings made it more like a pizza I had to fold to eat. 10/10

It's in the Normal Heights neighborhood so the parking is minimal depending on what time you go.“

“The skirt steak will make you cry. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Great live music on Sundays from 5-8!“

“Depending on the day you will see some seedy characters. People of the streets often frequent this bar. But it is a neighborhood bar and the drinks are inexpensive and have a decent amount of alcohol in them. It is worth it to stop by and have a drink or two after a hard day.“

“Awesome place for live music. Real live music . Shout out to the awesome DJ. Viejo Lowbo and great staff .“

“🙂👍 Manny's an awesome bartender!“

“This is my favorite hole in the wall bar in Logan. Best michelada, great music, someones always putting money in the jukebox and corridos always playing. Plus they have a small pool table in there. CASH ONLY THO! Plus they have regular beer only no craft stuff like all the other bars do...“

“Awesome food, great service, perfect location“

“Excellent drinks.. beautiful view…come on down!!“

“Great service great food will be back soon.“