Champs Bar is truly a neighborhood gem -- hands down the cleanest dive bar l've ever been in. The drinks are an absolute steal for the price and every cocktail is made with care by bartenders who clearly love what they do. I'm a big Bloody Mary fan, and lately it feels like the quality everywhere has gone downhill... not here. Champs makes one of the best Bloody Marys I've ever had. No fancy presentation, but the mix is on point and the flavor is unmatched -- which honestly matters more. Amber is the daytime bartender and she makes every random visit joyful and fun. Endless conversations, great energy, and an amazing ability to read people -- she really sets the tone. That said, all the bartenders are solid and good at remembering your drink order, which says a lot. There's no food, but plenty of options next door. The owner clearly takes pride in the place and personally makes sure it's clean and well maintained. TVs throughout for sports, plus darts, pool, golf, pinball. and shuffleboard keep things entertaining. Cash only, but there's an ATM inside. If you're looking for a laid-back, well-run dive with great drinks and even better people, Champs is it And there's Karaoke Friday nights read more

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Great atmosphere! Great dart boards!! Bang for your buck! Drinks by Justin and Kevin are a must! Stop by, you won't be disappointed! read more

Champ's Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Great vibe! The Saturday bartenders ( Justin&kevin) are as cool as it gets! I come from out of town and I make a point to come to Champs. read more

Champ's Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is hands-down the best dive bar I've ever been to!!! When have you ever seen a clean dive bar? When have you ever seen one that offers specialty seasonal cocktails like a "Pumpkin Espresso Martini"? For $8??? When have you ever seen one that uses ***organic*** milk in their mixes? This place is incredible. Absolutely incredible. I loved my Patron Margarita and playing their fifty cent pool while the jukebox played. What an absolutely stellar dive!!!!! read more

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Here on a Monday night chewing it up with fellow patrons and our mixologists was Brenston fabulous easily fitting in relaxed atmosphere read more

Champ's Lounge - A bar - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The best dive bar in Bayho! Especially with Amber and Katie working! Too much fun last night

I love champs! The modern day cheers! When you wanna go where everybody knows your name.

Came here on a whim after eating down the street at Bay Hill Tavern. We usually go to the Silver Spigot but this was walking distance from dinner. LOVED all the games they had. Shuffleboard, 3 dart machines, pool table, jute box... and karaoke! Cheap drinks, big bar. We all had a great few hours singing and playing games!!! read more

The owner was there and gave awesome service very accommodating, and he made sure that every need that I needed was taken care of. I would recommend that you go here and show some love and support. read more

Is this the same 4 star rating as many of my reviews for higher end restaurants? No! But, is Champ's deserving of a great rating in the genre of dive bars? Yes! My boyfriend and I recently purchased a home in Bay Park and as such, we have been exploring the surrounding businesses. During a night out with a couple of friends, we decided it would be fun to stop for a drink at this local watering hole. It's clearly a dive bar and we expected to walk into an old, grungy, stinky place, but Champs really surprised us. While is is absolutely divey, it was clean (restrooms included) and not grungy at all. We originally went in wanting to play a game of pool, but as there was only one pool table and it was occupied, we opted for a game of shuffleboard instead. It was a really good time, though the table was running pretty low on sand to sprinkle over the board. We would have loved to play darts as well, but there was actually a darts club meeting that evening, so all 4 or 5 boards were taken. Along with those three games, there were also a few old school video games littered around. Between the four of us, there were three cocktails, two made with Tito's, and a beer ordered, yet the total was only $18. That's pretty much unheard of in any bigger city bar, so we were pleasantly surprised when we were told what we owed. If it were a party-time kind of evening, we'd have definitely taken advantage of the fair prices more. Keep in mind that it is cash only, but they do have an ATM if needed. For a Saturday night, it was pretty quiet. I would assume that when games are playing it gets a bit more lively since they have a few televisions, but overall I think it's a great place for a casual and chill evening. read more

This is one of my favorite dive bars here in SD, I don't know if it's because I know lots of people that comes here regularly, or the karaoke, or the cheap drinks, and amazing bartenders, all of the above?! If you like a more mellow dive bar, you gotta try Champ's out! read more

I visited Champs last Sunday with my Sister- in- law as we were waitng for a local restaurant to open. We were pleasantly surprised to find a clean bar that did not smell like cigarette smoke. Most bars in San Diego reek like that. This bar is clean, well stocked, and the bartender Ryan was a sweetie. Easy on the eyes and very friendly. Love this place. They have pool tables and dart games. And the prices are great! It was my B-day so got a free Bloody Mary. Will def come back here.The locals in here were fun to talk to. read more

Well I ended up here due to that my girlfriend wants to get a mani-pedi. Yes I didn't know what that was either. A manicure and a pedicure. So knowing that was going to take a while. I walked in to Champ's. I was excited to see the the bar. As I walked in I noticed this small bar had a bar pool table and shuffle board. Also an electric dart board. It has 3 tv's and and Steve the bartender. This place is great. I saw the Black Jameson bottle and asked if I could see it. He brought it to me and told me it was only 5 dollars a shot. I had to have one. He poured me one and it was a nice heavy hand. I was there long enough to get another. This is a great sipping drink. Yes its also great as a shot. I ended up talking to Steve and and local regular Chad. I had a great time and saw that everyone here was very chill. Just having a great time. The people there, range from early 20's to mid 60's. I had a great time that I told my girlfriend I would go back with her when she wanted to do her nails and I could just go to Champs. So glad to have found this place. I believe I will be back. read more

First time at this bar. Probably the cleanest dive bar I've ever been to. Our bartender was Steve. When we arrived it was somewhat slow but Steve was still hustling and very attentive and when it got busy he kicked it into a higher gear. Very refreshing to have a bartender think getting his customers drinks are more important than telling stories to customers. I give this bar and Steve 5 stars read more

Nice staff, cheap drinks, and good vibes! My bro and I went here cus it was one of the few places open on Christmas Eve and we had the best time but keep in mind it's cash only! They have an atm but you know those atm fees read more

In town for vacation, this was up the street from our Airbnb. Stopped in just after midnight, not busy at all. Great drinks, bartender even bought my son a drink for his birthday! We played pool and enjoyed some great drinks in this hole in the wall dive bar. Check it out for a low key casual bar experience. read more

Don't judge a book by it's cover. Friendly staff, incredibly clean, great drinks (best Bloody Mary in town). Perfect place for Charger's fans. Champ's also offers pool, darts, music, Jell-O shots, and video games. One of the best parts about Champs is the fact that you can order a sandwich next door and have it delivered to the bar. There's nothing better that a chicken bacon pesto sandwich and a beer. I don't think there is a drink over $5.00 at Champ's Lounge. CASH ONLY. read more

What a great local bar this is! The customer age-range is all over the place ensuring it is neither snooze-ville nor Girls Gone Wild. It is definitely a locals bar and you can tell that, at any given time, the majority of the customers in there are regulars. They have pool, shuffleboard, darts and even karaoke on Friday nights so this is one bar you won't get bored in. Also, the drinks are super cheap and the bartenders are very generous in their pours. The only downside is it's cash only; luckily they have an ATM inside for your convenience. read more

I just moved to the area and was hoping to find a local dive bar. Champs delivered. It's obvious that it's a "regulars" type place and has the exact vibe I've been hoping to find. Super happy that it's within walking distance.. read more

This place stinks and reeks of drug activity... I went for a beer and got out fast... The staff and patrons seemed a little rude and this bar came off very cliquey.. Basically if your not a loser stay away from this place...there are much better places around that are normal... To top it off there wasn't a girl in sight .. read more

I stopped in last Sunday and had a blast. Good prices, lots different things to do. The locals are friendly and the bartender, Amber, blows sunshine on everyone. I will be back! Thank you! read more

Love this place close to home everyone is friendly and great cheap drinks ! Bartenders are awesome

Came to Champ's often when I lived up the street and I still come back from Oceanside to see Maggie every couple months or so. It's pretty much everything everyone has said it is - a regulars bar, late 30s to early 60s crowd, Cheers-esque, etc. The drinks are well made and inexpensive, staff is friendly. FYI, Steve isn't mean, he just isn't here for your s**t. It's definitely not where you go if you're dressed up and on the town, but for an afternoon drink or some football, you can't do better. read more

It's a nice hole in the wall, we're all friends here kind of bar. I usually only go on Friday nights for Karaoke since I live a ways away now. read more

This place has some of the best karaoke in San Diego. It's funny, because my friend used to live right down the street, and we'd stop in for a drink at least a couple of times per month. I think they do karaoke on Saturday nights...and this dude had the best karaoke selection I had ever seen! I'd look through his book and think, "damn, we haven't even started playing this song on 91X yet, who the hell is gonna know how to sing this?" Seriously, he was breaking artists during his karaoke nights!! It was crazy. It was the first place I heard Modest Mouse's "Float On," no joke. It's kind of an inspirational place too...because you see the lifers in there, drinking their pain away, and it inspires you to get off your ass and do something productive. Drinks are cheap, and it's actually a cool hang. Kinda has a moose lodge feel to it. I don't think they accept credit cards though. So, if you're gonna drink, bring the scrills to pay the bills. read more

Today is 10/12/18, 10:21pm. The bartender here is one of the worst I've ever encountered. I believe he is going out of his way to ignore me. This place sucks. ETA: I wish I could give this guy another 1 star review, it's that bad. read more

Chuck. Buddy. This is not a dive bar. This place is way too clean and way too bright . The floor and everything else was spotless. Even the mens bathroom was immaculate. The patrons however look like they would frequent dive bars. $3.50 for a Jamesons on the rocks. I had to ask the bartender twice to make sure that I heard that right. $3.50. Country music played the entire time that we were there. Not a surprise there. I wanted to play some tunes but my music selection probably would not be to the liking of the people that were currently there. The drink prices alone would make me come back here. I dont know why I keep on thinking of Applebees as I type this. maybe the decor reminds me of it. Its just way too bright in this bar. read more

The classiest little joint around, full of hookers and booze. It doesn't get any more American than this. If you're looking for a good time that you don't remember, you'll love champs. Bartenders will serve you drinks until you puke. read more

I like Champ's for pool or karaoke and they have video games for a quarter. The KJ is good and she's watches out for the customers. It's a mixed crowd with lots of locals and regulars. I might have given a better rating but I'm kinda cranky tonight. read more

I have some mixed feelings about this place. The bar was a dive, but not gross, so pretty ok. Lively atmosphere with an awesome juke box where you can play just about every song there ever was. While the clientele was a little too wasted (not even worth hitting on), they weren't too annoying either. Also, bonus on the diversity of game tables! My friends had a blast playing fooseball and schooling everyone. Things that require improvement: Doesn't accept credit cards. This is a biggie, it's 2014 get it together. Also, my friend who was our designated driver ordered a coke, and when he tried to pay with his card was told he needed to get cash out of the ATM. So, in order to pay for his $1 coke he was told to incur a $2 ATM fee to get cash out of the bar ATM. Maybe just cover his coke since he's with a bunch of people who are about to spend money at your bar, great way to build business also. At any rate, we covered his coke, but completely besides the point. I went here because it was my friend's birthday, but unless someone else requests going here I prob won't feel too inclined to come back. Not terrible, but not too impressed. read more

A friend and I stopped by last night, a last bar for us and her birthday today. It was very cool, and the bartender (can't remember his name) was very sweet, and the locals were nice too. Great prices, many fun things to do while in there and cash only. We will be back, it's comfy for sure. read more

Champs Lounge is a Grade-A dive bar located off of Clairmont Drive. Back when I used to work in Mission Bay we used to hit up Champs regularly for Friday happy hours. Though there is really no particular happy hour deals, this cash-only bar features very moderately priced drinks. The place was rarely crowded but always sufficiently filled with regulars. The people there were friendly and the vibe was always very neighborly. After putting a few happy hours under our belts would be greeted by friendly bartender Steve who knew what we were drinking before we opened our mouths (pitcher of bud and shots of wild turkey for the record) and would reward us with the coveted double knock after a decent tip. I highly recommend champs lounge to anyone who appreciates a good dive, decently priced drinks and good times. Champs lounge features a pool table, a golden tee, two dart boards, two mega touches, and a juke box with some of the most amazing mix Cd's you will ever see. . read more

This place is pretty awesome. I love dive bars, so Champ's is prety awesome in my book. Plenty to choose from on tap (although not as bountiful as some north/south park dives) and a full bar, cheap drinks, pool tables, darts, and a jukebox. What more can you ask for? Went here on a Sunday night before a Monday holiday and there were barely any people there. Celebrated my buddy's birthday, got hammered, and went back to a friends house afterwards. My bill was something ridiculously cheap, even after buying my buddy a bunch of Jameson shots, and several beers for friends. Pretty epic! I would definitely be a regular of this place if I had known about it earlier when I lived in Clairemont. read more

I've gone to Champs a couple of times recently. It doesn't look like much from the outside but it really is a nice dive bar. The staff is friendly. The drinks are very affordable. It's not too crowded and a great place to meet friends. They only accept cash, no plastic ... there is an ATM machine right outside the front door. read more

"Party all the time, party all the time, party all the tii--iime." My roommate and I were in the mood for some low-key karaoke. You know, the kind where the people don't care if you're bad (ahem, tone deaf) or pick a fight for screwing up a song (a la Lamplighter). Does it exist? Enter Champs Lounge. It's wood-paneled walls were adorned in antique-rusted metal signs that gave the bar its personality. Bud and Miller were on tap and had a wide selection of other alcohol. The place wasn't crowded (bonus points) and between the guy with the leather chaps and the Asian girls singing, this place had a mix of various flavors. Pat, the karaoke host is one of the sweetest and most down-to-earth people you will ever meet. Right before karaoke ended, he came up to us with a smile asking if we were willing to do one last song. Heck yes we will! He hosts Thursdays and Saturdays with Melissa taking over from time to time. For a chill place that isn't crowded, cheap drinks, an awesome karaoke host and overall cool vibe, Champs is your place. ------------------------------ UPDATE Melissa, the other karaoke hostess, is AWESOME! Really friendly and knows how to work the crowd. Great singer too! The bouncer at the door remembered us. To me, when a bouncer remembers you (and not because you got kicked out), it's a good thing. It set the vibe for the night. Drinks? Damn. Can you say "Polly Pocket" servings? Seriously! A coke and a Bailey's on ice cost $5 total, but my Bailey's was a spit. -1 star. Be prepared to hear "Red Neck Yacht Club" being sung by some of the regulars. I think I may know some of the words to that song. Dang. read more

Great sports bar and great juke box. Wednesday and weekends are the best here unless you don't like a crowd then weekdays are best. Cheap drinks always available! read more

Champ's Lounge - The noisy integrating man in the world - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Picked this spot because it was walking distance from my buddy's apartment and it had a pool table. Drinks were cheap and strong. Games were cheap as hell too. Made friends with some of the regulars at the pool table. Had and old drunk broad buy me a shot. Chatted with some cute young girls I wouldn't of expected to be in a place like this. Overall a great experience. Only downsides are that it's cash only and the pool balls always get stuck and you have to ask security to open the table. read more

I've been there for about four or five times and I really like this place. Daniel, the bartender is a reallly nice guy and very friendly as same as the security guy!! After to work all week to get a beer in Champs is always a very good idea!!! read more

If you're looking for a dive in Clairemont, this is it. It's a pretty nice dive bar with a cool atmosphere. There's a pool table, arcade games, and darts. Most of the crowd in there seemed to be in their 40s to 50s and most likely regulars. Drinks are fairly cheap ranging from $3-$5.50, but it's cash only. We enjoyed our time there and will probably go back again. read more

Yay Champs! Where everybody knows your name! ;) Here's why I like Champs- #1, Steve the bartender is one of the nicest guys EVER and always gives great service with a smile #2, you really can't classify the type of people who go there. It's young, old, rich, poor, alcoholics, people sipping soda- It's EvErY oNe. #3, their Champs beer is good #4, I always run into an old friend.... or my brother.... or an old friend hanging out with my brother. Either way it's always some kind of a reunion. #5 DARTS! (don't stand anywhere near me) #5 Pool! (although I wish they had a couple tables) #6 Jute box! I just have to add..... It cracked me up that after the fire damage and being closed for so long I walked in and found it pretty much EXACTLY like it used to look. Oh, and I love the Sunset Bowl sign in the hallway by the bathrooms- brings back good memories! and that's all I have to say about that. read more