San Diego often gets overlooked in favour of its much bigger city cousin to the north, Los Angeles. But, in this beautifully clean coastal city, you’ll definitely find lots of different things to do. A good way to unwind from all the sightseeing is by relaxing and hitting up some bars in San Diego.
From indoor to outdoor bars, these are the seven best bars in San Diego.
Best bars in San Diego
How do these rankings work?
1. Polite Provisions
Prepare to be hit with some serious bitters in your cocktails at Polite Provisions. The cocktails here are creatively made and some are even served in glass bottles, playing up the pharmacy-drugstore aesthetic of this bar.
They have over 40 different concoctions on their menu with other 50 different bitters to dash those cocktails with. Try the Mayan Concubine if you’re looking for some tequila with those bitters.
2. Kindred
Kindred makes some creative cocktails thanks to the usage of some weird, yet tasty ingredients (green chilli vodka?!). It’s really hard to not to order something that is unconventional here but that’s what they like and embrace at Kindred.
Get the Horrorchata here, a mix of brandy, bourbon, and horchata. Another popular item here is the Purple Tiger, a gin-based cocktail.
3. Noble Experiment
Noble Experiment is a classy speakeasy bar with limited seating but some excellent vibes. A mix of trendy and cozy, Noble Experiment make their drinks with impeccable precision and the bartenders are quick to recognise if you’re a local or from out of town.
A classic order here is the Dealers Choice. You tell the bartenders what kind of liqueurs and flavours you like in your cocktails and watch them whip something up just for you.
4. Sycamore Den
Sycamore Den has a bit of an old-school living room vibe so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the place packed with hipsters. Hipster or not, everyone is welcome here and they even offer free popcorn with every cocktail that you order here.
A must order here is the Crime of Passion cocktail, a gin-based cocktail that is finished off with a dash of cayenne for that spicy kick at the end.
5. The Shout! House
The Shout! House has been given the label the most fun place in San Diego and it just might be! The Shout House is a duelling pianos bar that takes audience requests for songs but they also engage and interact heavily with audience members. An incredibly fun atmosphere if singing and drinking are what you like to do!
Its best to get a few beers in you before your wife volunteers you to go up on stage and singalong to Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman.”
6. Prohibition Lounge
Prohibition Lounge is another speakeasy bar located in the Gaslamp District of San Diego. The cocktails on the menu frequently changes and they make their cocktails with some premium ingredients. The vibe here is laid back and intimate and they often have light live music performances as well.
If it’s still in season, a great seasonal drink to order here, and one that might make you giggle a little, is Cardi B’s Knees. A nice blend of mezcal and aloe liqueur.
7. The Rose Wine Bar
The Rose Wine Bar is exactly what it is: a classy and hip wine bar that brings out the yuppies in this trendy neighbourhood. With more than 50 wines to choose from all over the world, this wine bar has you and your wine tastes covered.
This Wine Bar also doubles as a store that sells wine so if you try something you like (go for the Swiss wine), you can buy a bottle of it on your way out.
