44 Best Dive Bars in San Diego

“Went in today had a few drinks and a bag of chips cool little dive bar the bartender Jazzy was great made the drinks right and fast! I’ve been in here before when another lady was working she was older with blonde hair she was rude and slow at getting drinks made kept going outside and leaving the bar with no staff inside for 10-15 minutes at a time other customers had to go outside and get her absolutely horrible bartender and made us almost not want to come back glad we came back to try again we asked Jazzy what shifts she works and will be back to visit her again!“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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“

“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“

“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.“

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

“Great beer selection awesome vibes and great service“

“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.“

“best ol school bar in town!!“

“Great staff, great atmosphere, great karaoke!“

“Best dive bar in San Diego“

“The Duck Dive was the place to be on taco Tuesday back in the days when I used to study at SDSU.
Last week my wife and I visited the place after 7 years away. The service was really good no doubt about that. But the food and the atmosphere were not quite the same. I was a little disappointed. But the food is still good when you make a beach day in pacific beach.“

“The Catalina Lounge has been our "football hang-out" for the last few weeks and we've had a BLAST. Speaking of Blast-From-The-Past" we found two of our favorite bartenders here Brie and Brandon working the football crowd. It was refreshing to see that they remember all of us as soon as we walked in (by name!!!!) and what was also awesome they remembered what we drank, talk about those two making us feeling special. The ambiance on Sunday's is football, football, fun, and good times. During half time my husband and his friend like to play pool and additionally they put out some good eats (for FREEEEEEEEEEE) - yesterday it was nachos, 7 layer dip, juicy full size hot dogs (not the cheapies) and some yummy cookies and cakes. I don't know any other bar that goes that far. If you enjoy your SunFunDays watching games with friends (or by yourself, people are extra friendly there) having a ice cold beverage of choice and a GREAT time head on over.....Thanks AGAIN Brie and Brandon- you gave 10 PLUS service yesterday, see you NEXT Sunday!“

“Great local hangout!!! Great food!!!“

“This venue is a true classic. We were there last night to see Cory Cross and it was great. The venue was clean, bar service was perfect and the staff was super friendly and helpful. I recommend going to see a live show at this venue and sticking around for a few drinks after! 🍸“

“Come for the beer, booze, burger, and Bonnie the Bartender! Bonnie is the best! (Say that 5 times fast)

Me: got any specials?
Bonnie: everything is special here. We are the cheapest bar in town. What’s your favorite flavor?
Me: whiskey
Bonnie: (laughs) I got you. Just trust me.

And she was right! Even my partner got one in the next round. she took great care of me and the crew.“

“My absolute favorite place“

“Its a locals dive bar.. what you'd expect cheap drinks and plenty of good people to talk with. This is what I look for in bars. If you want bougie overpriced drinks and spotless atmosphere go somewhere else and save this gem for locals. Good place to enjoy a few after work and watch sports and people play pool. Bartender was quick and handled a packed place by himself. Will definitely come back.“

“Great staff, great food.... one if San Diegos hidden gems!!“

“Great little tavern in South Park. Nice area, amazing old school vibe. Friendly staff, reasonable drink prices. Good music!“

“I’m A wonderful place to go. Although I’ve had some experiences with An ex partner who to belittled me and said bad things about me to the ownership. Now I have been a constant customer for the last 10 years. I have done nothing but promote attract customers. Basically an ambassador. However, I was 86 because my ex cast dispersions upon me.And the people that were my friends. Took their back to me. I will not go back as of soon. But once MANAGEMENT and myself clear this up I’m sure that it will be my home bar again. But do enjoy this establishment.!!!“

“I came here after work on a Friday night. It just so happen to be a Padres vs Dodgers game and this place was packed! I mean, for your regular local bar... it was poppin'!
Everyone had a good, positive vibe watching the game regardless of the rivalry (there was a mix of both fans here) they didn't have the jukebox playing, so it was strictly game time vibes!
But as soon as the game ended, Jaqui, the bartender at the time, turned the music UP!
Jaqui was the ONLY bartender serving the patrons all night! She not only was running around like crazy but she kept such an inviting, friendly smile the whole time! She made sure to keep a conversation going with her guests as well.
While I was here, I didn't hear of any complaints about the service. Jaqui made sure my refreshments 😜 were always full as well. She's by far the best I've seen yet!!
Overall, it's a cool bar to chill at during baseball games or even to have a night cap after work! & with Jaqui as your bartender, you'll leave here on a positive note and I bet you'll be back 😋😉“

“Its in OB, what else is there to say? While all other beach hoods have terrible parking, you can always get close to lucys. But if you have to walk half a block, its like being in a Norman Rockwell hood if he was a chill beach hippie that liked tattoos and beer. Three pool tables. Avid and amenable local bar shooters. Solid tenders. Free pool on Tuesdays.“

“First time here. It’s your typical dive, don’t expect anymore, don’t expect any less. Quarter machine was out of order so could play some of the games we wanted to but the bartender was pretty nice which is always great when it comes to drive bars“

“This place is like Cheers. So many fun games to play as well“

“Basic bar serving basically a few Mexican beers. For sure a dive bar with low prices and friendly service. Found it a good place to practice my Spanish with the folks there, if you are in the area and like to explore then put this one on your list.“

“Dive bar vibes, but good and very affordable non-blended cocktails. The bartender ladies are always AWESOME! Major props to them. They all work so hard. I’ve probably ordered from at least four of them and they’re all wonderful and attentive.“

“Its a fun little place to go to before Padre games .. Dorothy ( I think thats her name ) is an AWESOME bartender.. The guy on the grill was funny too .. he can grill a burger 🍔 thats for sure !!“

“If there was ever a place that should smell like sulfur and/or methane emitted from humans, it would be this place, but surprisingly I've never had that experience. It's definitely enjoyable if you like to get excessive human interaction, both Un and intentionally. The bartenders have always done their best with what they have to work with and the music is usually decent. 4 stars just because it's usually tight and hot, especially near the front but not so much once you pass the bar.“

“Great neighborhood bar. I've gone there off and on for 30 years. One pool table. Touch Tunes jukebox, smoking area. Close to restaurants. Only packaged snacks are available. Affordable prices. An intimate and friendly atmosphere. This is a gay bar and welcoming to respectful non-gay clientele as well.“

“Love love love this place. It’s the perfect mix of great drinks and mellow vibes always with shows next door. Instantly a perfect vibe for the weekend or last minute after work drink. Padded bar makes it a comfy spot, and Hannah is always pours well.“

“I first started going to Nunu's in 2000, way before it became hip. On a recent trip there, I was happy to see that it still has a fair amount of seediness, although I prefer my seedy bars to be more dimly lit! Btw, what happens at Nunu's, stays at Nunu's!!!“

“I love Nicole the bartender“

“I had a great time at lamplighter tonight“

“Great local fun hangout, bartenders are nice, food truck was great, all you need for a good local dive bar !!“

“I’ve been literally obsessed with this place for the longest time. However, it’s EMBARRASSING that their playlist is repeating itself every hour-ish! Seriously!? Their busiest day!? The music was so much better when there was a DJ. He was really good. Bottomline is: if you’re going to save money, at least make a proper playing to avoid embarrassment. 😘“

“Been coming here since 2021, love the staff and the people that come in. The one neighbor upstairs sucks tho and deserves a wedgie; constantly crying and complaining about anything that happens at the bars/restaurants in that neighborhood. It’s like moving to lower manhattan and complaining that there’s too many skyscrapers or purposely moving next to an airport and complaining that they planes flying over you is too loud. But nonetheless, it’s a great bar for both regulars and newcomers. Decently priced drinks and pretty good food.“

“Love Jaime and the chill environment“

“Been a hot minute since going … but from last visit:

Mixed feelings. Went on a very busy pride night. If you've been to a leather bar before, you know the drill.

**Please do not be that friend who brings your sassy girlfriends to what is considered a “men’s” leather bar.**

Very small location. But there is a dark room. Just very very compact!“