San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
4th & B
345 B St., Downtown
4thandbevents.com
The decor looks like Hard Rock Caf8E hand-me-downs, and the beefy security guards act like they’re defending the Green Zone, but this warehouse-sized venue regularly features big touring bands.
AIRR Supper Club
526 Market St., Downtown
airr.us
Here, being asked if you prefer red or white doesn’t necessarily refer to the wine selection. There are two rooms. One is completely white and serves as the restaurant; the other is totally red and is more of a club. It’s all about dining as a “social experience,” so they seat you with randoms to encourage conversation.
Altitude Sky Lounge
660 K St., East Village
altitudeskylounge.com
The rooftop lounge at the Marriott offers delicious cocktails and a beautiful view of Downtown. They do not offer dancing, so you’ll have to back that ass up elsewhere.
Analog
801 Fifth Ave., Downtown
analogbar.com
Ever wish you could’ve thrown a righteous party in your parents’ basement back in the ’70s? The walls here are adorned with old records and that iconic Farrah Fawcett poster, and you order grub like “popcobrussels sprouts” from a Pee Chee folder. There’s also karaoke backed by a live band on Saturdays. Far out!
Andaz
600 F St., Downtown
ivyentertainmentsandiego.com
The Andaz has three swanky bars—the rooftop, the wine bar and the nightclub. All require you to peel off your sweatpants and step into something classy.
Bare Back Bar & Grill
624 E St., Downtown
barebackgrill.com
You may not find many Kiwis in San Diego, but we do have this New Zealand-themed bar. There’s plenty of beer on tap, and the signature burgers are on point. Monday nights feature beer tastings from local brewers.
Basic Urban Kitchen & Bar
410 10th Ave., East Village
barbasic.com
Patrons come to this spacious industrial-style warehouse for two main reasons: the drink and the pizza. Hell, you can get a slice with mashed potatoes on it until 2 a.m.
The Beer Co.
602 Broadway, Downtown
thebeerco.net
This newish restaurant / brewery (yep, they brew their own beer) has a sweet happy hour Monday through Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday from 10 p.m. to close (2 a.m.) when house pints are only $3.
Belo
919 Fourth Ave., Downtown
belosandiego.com
Like being grinded on by 18-year-olds? Or perved on by older guys? Then Belo is the place for you. There are three rooms of hip-hop, top-40 and Latin. On Thursdays, the 18-to-20 set is allowed in but wrangled into their own area. It’s often called “ghetto,” but that may not be a bad thing for some.
Brian’s 24
828 Sixth Ave., Downtown
brians24.com
A classic American pub that serves comfort food 24/7 and has a full bar. The big portions of dishes like stuffed french toast and triple-decker grilled cheese satisfy even the drunkest late-night eater.
Boudoir
701 C St., Downtown
boudoir.com
Sex sells, and Boudoir is slangin’ three floors of it. There’s a booty-shaking dance floor packed with scantily clad go-go dancers, a lounge area and another bar up top where a dominatrix is on hand to smack the sass out of any bad boy who dares talk back.
Cafe Sevilla
353 Fifth Ave., Downtown
cafesevilla.com
The San Diego institution just moved to a new location, but that’s about all that’s changed. They’ll still serve their famous sangria and Spanish tapas. They also packed their flamenco dancers to continue dazzling guests on Fridays and Saturdays.
Candelas
416 Third Ave., Downtown
candelas-sd.com
The dimly lit bar here is perfect for an intimate night out. It’s warm, filled with candles and serves delicious cocktails and sangria. Someone once told us this place “makes the panties drop.” So, there you go.
The Cask Room
921 Market St., East Village
caskroom.com
Currently closed until the new location at 921 Market St. is done, this beer-and-wine bar should be open around mid-August.
Chee-Chee Club
929 Broadway, East Village
619-234-4404
From the outside the Chee-Chee looks like the kind of place where you could contract hepatitis. And at one point in its history, it really was that kind of place. Nowadays, this beloved dive hosts art shows, cheap drinks and hipsters but still manages to keep its dirt-bag cred.
The corner
369 10th Ave., East Village
thecornersd.com
A great neighborhood bar where the tater tots are like crack and the atmosphere is mellow. Unless there’s a ballgame. Then prepare for a crowd.
Croce’s Jazz Bar
802 Fifth Ave., Downtown
croces.com
Owned by the wife of the late Jim Croce, this Gaslamp staple serves up fancy food, hosts a decent stable of local jazz musicians and is decorated with more Croce memorabilia than you can shake an acoustic guitar at.
Currant
140 W. Broadway, Downtown
currantrestaurant.com
The Sofia Hotel’s lovely French bistro underwent minor reconstruction, adding booths to the bar area to give it a more casual feel. The late-night happy hour, pretty environment and refreshing drinks makes this Downtown gem a great night out.
Deco’s
731 Fifth Ave., Downtown
decos.tv
A multi-room mega club where 18-and-up and 21-and-up partiers can dry-hump the night away to top-40, hip-hop and dance-club jams while scantily clad go-go dancers tease from above. It’s loud. It’s sweaty. It’s perfect for the fist-pumping party crowd.
Dick’s Last Resort
345 Fourth Ave., Downtown
dickslastresort.com
For most people, friendly service is a must when going out. Don’t expect that here, where every server is, indeed, a total dick. It’s their thing.
Dizzy’s
Second Avenue and J Street, at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center, Downtown
dizzysjazz.com
A go-to spot for good, old-fashioned jazz, Dizzy’s plays host to some of the city’s biggest names, as well as talented musicians from across the country.
Downtown Johnny Brown’s
1220 Third Ave., Downtown
downtownjohnnybrowns.com
Finding the sports bar is a pain in the butt (it’s off the street, near City Hall), but once you’re there you’ve got great beers on tap and standard bar fare in an environment that’s never too cool or too crowded.
Double Deuce
528 F St., Downtown
doubledeucesd.com
If you’re a little bit country, this spot is for you. It’s San Diego’s version of L.A.’s Saddle Ranch, complete with a mechanical bull, stripper poles, free shots for lucky patrons and a performance stage where you can shake it till you break it. Yee-haw!
Dragon’s Den
315 10th Ave., East Village
thedragonsdensd.com
This new ballpark-adjacent spot has a large, open patio with fire pits for cooler evenings. Thursdays are “Miso Thirsty,” featuring happy-hour specials all night and a DJ from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Dublin Square
554 Fourth Ave., Downtown
dublinsquareirishpub.com
Dublin is a beautiful city, but it’s a tad far away. Luckily, Dublin Square offers an authentic slice of Ireland with its classic Irish pub modeled exactly after a famous drinking hole in Ireland. The fare is hearty, and there’s plenty of Guinness on tap.
