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    False Idol

    4.4 (1.4k reviews)
    Thu 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)
    Fri 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    False Idol Photos

    FALSE IDOL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy

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    Recommended Reviews - False Idol

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    Reviews With Photos

    Phung V.

    I recommend reserving a table once reservations are open. If not, walk ins have to stand. You can sit at the reserved table for 2 hours. Place is cool with the tiki theme and they have an extensive drink menu. Harmony was our server and she's great! Definitely recommend this place. It's just a fun place to be with delicious drinks.

    Gregg S.

    My BF loves a good tiki bar, so I decided to take him to False Idol. It was the first time for both of us, and we were not disappointed! The place is small, and hidden in a restaurant, so make sure and make reservations!!! We got there during happy hour, which saved us some dough. This atmosphere is other worldly, and you forget your in downtown SD! We recommend the painkiller

    Melanie M.

    I came here for the first time a couple weeks ago for my birthday. I'm glad I made a reservation because it was a Saturday night and was busy. The vibes are so fun and drinks are good. I definitely want to come back!

    Entrance
    Leonardo W.

    Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Food: n/a Drinks: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Parking: 3/5 Returning to False Idol was exactly as I would have hoped! Crizel was the server who took care of us, and she did such a wonderful job! Great recommendations too! We stopped by on a Thursday evening with a reservation (highly recommend). Can't wait to come back by again down the road!

    Volcano bowl
    Hannah E.

    Our server Harmony was amazing! She made our night so fun and perfect. Highly recommend getting a volcano bowl!

    Decor
    Drake R.

    Came to San Diego for 2 specific places, The Zoo and False Idol. I have to say the decorations here are killer, it's a blast to look around at all the art. The entrance was totally bizarre being inside another restaurant, cool but bizarre. We were able to arrive an hour before our reservation and snag a bar seat, love that! The staff was super friendly from start to finish, but I have to say, all of the drinks we had were not really what we expected. This is still a great a bar, but the drinks were really unbalanced for us, everything was super heavy on citrus. Still a great experience but if you are used to high caliber tiki bars it was just weird to find these so unbalanced. I feel like I got abused by the lord of citrus. Maybe going to Mothership right before see the SD standards to high. Idk.

    Ube drink
    Linette R.

    The drinks here are good and the interior is very unique but small. You're probably going to be standing up until there's enough space at the bar to sit and fit in to order a drink. I recommend to go over during early week days when it's not too busy. The drinks are good but the Ube drink is a must have here! They do some storm noises whenever there's a bday celebration haha

    At the bar
    Giovanna S.

    We showed up at the right time and did not even need a reservation. Was able to sit at the bar, and loved the atmosphere. The entire tiki/cave/waterfall design was really like you were in Costa Rica or something. I also love that anytime somebody ordered a specific drink, a volcano with erupt with the lights. It was extremely an interactive experience. I also loved all the drinks and their menu was fun to look at and read. We plan on going back for our wedding anniversary in August.

    Trini M.

    Stopped by for a drink after dinner on a Saturday. The space is super cool, very colorful but also dark. I don't recall what I chose, as I could not make up my mind, and basically went with a random one just based off the name in the moment. We found a table by the bar and enjoyed the ambience because unfortunately, neither my husband nor I liked our drink. Both were super sour. I finished mine only because I felt bad leaving it full. My husband did leave more. That's just our experience. Sadly, we both walked out disappointed.

    Becca J.

    Fun little speak easy inside another bar. Flow to get into the bar was a little chaotic, no signs I'm assuming for speak easy vibe but there's a hostess stand for the man bar and second hostess stand for the speak easy immediately after that. Would definitely recommend a reservation on a Saturday night, line was long and they had us skip the line of walk in visitors. Once we were seated it was great - probably one of the best decor/ambiance of tiki bars I've been to; honestly like a rainforest cafe vibe with fog machine, water features and occasional thunder haha Huge book of all kinds of tiki drinks. Mostly rum to be expected but had non rum options for tequila, mezcal, gin and even pisco. Fun place and would definitely recommend for something different in the city!

    Kylie S.

    Went with a group of 5 to False Idol right when the speakeasy opened, as it's located inside the Craft & Commerce restaurant. Nice ambiance walking into the bar with lots of cool lighting fixtures as it represented a tiki bar very well. It was a lot of my group's first times at a speakeasy and they really enjoyed the drinks!

    Painkiller
    Peter H.

    In the spirit of Dia De Los Muertos, we decided to visit a speakeasy after dinner. Decoratively invigorating under dim lights and netted ornaments and lamps hanging from above, the interior was packed and booming with music and conversations from every corner. I ordered a Painkiller cocktail, a strong, chilling drink. Some of the others in the group mentioned their drinks were just ok. We were crowding around the bar area, though since someone didn't show for their reservation, we lucked out and snagged a table. Service was great and pretty efficient. There were several folks ordering something that triggered the sounds of a thunderstorm followed by a visually eye-catching show of lights and smoke. We were most certainly amused after the fifth time it happened. As others have mentioned, the restrooms have the sound of a British guy reading out the restaurant's bad reviews. It's kinda cool, but the restroom is sectioned off in a way that forces you to leave the building just to return.

    Bar Area
    Mariel M.

    Came to False Idol after dinner and had a great time! Joined the waitlist at around 9pm and waited about 20 minutes to get in. When joining the waitlist, just know when you get in, you just stand around or wait for a highly coveted bar seat to open up. They have an extensive cocktail menu, and from the two we got it's safe to say that you can't go wrong with any. For the first round, we got the Ube Bae, and it was amazing! The drink was not too sweet, and you could taste all the different flavors! For our second round, we got the Malambo that was supr refreshing! The presentation was on point for both our drinks as well. Being here makes you feel like you're being transported onto a tropical island, and we had a wonderful time! This was a great start to our night

    Bar

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    Page 1 of 34

    False Idol Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - False Idol

    Are kids allowed?

    No. 21+ only.

    Coming from Wisconsin (where we are used to some pretty lax rules) next month and wondering if we come around opening time on a Wednesday evening, are school - age children allowed inside?

    I would say no, because it's a bar. But you could call and ask just in case.

    Are there tiki mugs available for purchase?

    Yes! Currently we have 4 different mugs for purchase only at the bar.

    Are the reservations still available? It looks like the site on opentable is down on my end

    Yes! We do book up quite fast. We always run a waitlist, nightly. The waitlist can be for standing room, the bar or a table if we have any cancellations.

    Can't get a reservation! What's the chance of getting a walk in? Late on a Friday night for 2.

    They'll let you in on a space available basis. It's tight in there, and weekends are usually packed. You may have to just stand the entire time you're in there. If you're only planning to have a drink or two, it won't be too bad.

    How do I make reservations? I tried sending a DM on Instagram because I can't find a phone number? I'm trying to make a reservation for 12 people but the website leads me to open table and it says my party is too big and doesn't allow me to

    https://falseidoltiki.com/

    Do I need a reservation or you take walk ins?

    Reservations are recommended but not required. Walk-ins accepted.

    For Dec 2022 Xmas, when is the Xmas decor put away? Please say February 😬

    February

    If I come on a Friday between 8-9pm with 4 people, what would be the estimated wait time?

    Anywhere from 30-60 minutes, and you'll very likely be standing. If you want to sit, you need a reservation.

    Are you having special hours this week for Tiki Oasis?

    Normal hours.

    Would like to visit, but have 2 people in our group who do not drink. Do they serve any mocktails or non-alcoholic beverages?

    They have mocktails

    Can you take drinks to go?

    I don't think you can. They don't have prepackaged ones to go

    Is there entrance fee?

    Nope! Free to enter

    When do they release reservations?

    30 days in advance.

    Hello - I am trying to book a table for 8 people but OpenTable does not allow for that large of a party size. There doesn't appear to be a phone number anywhere to reach them. Any ideas on how to get that booked?

    This number was on their OT page. +1 (619) 365-8454… Read more

    Are they open Christmas Eve?

    Yes

    Do we need a reservation on Wednesday nights?

    Yes and no. It is highly recommended to get a reservation but I was able to walk up (party of 2) and get accommodated for less than 45 minutes. Note that when you get in, you might not get a seat until a spot opens up. We were standing near a… Read more

    Does this place have a phone number? If not, is there someone to talk to for larger reservations?

    No phone number. You can try calling Craft and Commerce (False Idol is inside the restaurant) but I'm not sure if they can help.

    Does anyone know if they do reservations for 2? I've been trying but it says that there are no tables available, but when I put 6 people it says there are several tables available?

    Two tops go pretty quickly via Opentable! The waitlist is a great tool. We fill the bar and our high tops then move to standing room. Just come in any day during service and add your party size, name & number. We’ll text you once we have any space.… Read more

    Do they take walk-ins?

    Yes they do take walkins. For small parties of one or two. Only if they do have room. The earlier in the night the better. I think they open at five or six.

    View All 46 Questions

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    Starlite

    4.1(2.6k reviews)
    1.1 miMiddletown, Mission Hills
    $$$

    We had an incredible date night at Starlite! The different…read moresections each had a cool vibe, we got sat in the mirrored seating area right next to the waterfall. I enjoyed a delicious mocktail and my husband had one of the house cocktails. The twice baked potato was amazing! Honestly couldn't go wrong with anything off there menu. Would highly recommend. (Definitely get reservations)

    I wish I had the capacity to let y'all get the full experience that I did. I booked my reservation…read morethrough the Opentable app (highly recommend). Please keep in mind, if you do book through Opentable that they ask you to put a card down on file. The reservation was for 5:30, luckily a block away there's a parking lot (you do have to pay) as their personal parking lot fits 5-6 cars. The hostess was a sweetheart and super accommodating, as we were a few minutes late due to the parking situation and we had a great seat that showed the open layout with the chandelier, the back panel by the entrance with all the stars, etc. Overall: Service, exceptional. (5/5) Our waitress: Kelly, was a sweetheart, informative, mindful on consistent check-in's for refills, drinks, going over steps of the menu (e.g. - small bites, entrees, dessert, didn't feel rushed or too pushy, and considerate on time, and promptness). The waiter that came by mid-video to do the torch component of the butters we added on to our meats was great, I love that it's table side because it enhances the experience to the ambiance and you can squeeze a little video in. If you do go for your birthday, as I did, they provide you with a dessert outside of their choices, however, we did overindulge a bit. Overall, I had a phenomenal experience for my birthday dinner, the music/ambiance was great, service was great, and the food quality for both the meat choices we got, sides (caesar salad, broccoli, and macaroni) we're all SO yummy! I will definitely be back!

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    Starlite - Bar area after entering

    Bar area after entering

    Starlite - Herb Scalloped Potatoes

    Herb Scalloped Potatoes

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    Noble Experiment - Strawberry cucumber Gin cocktail

    Noble Experiment

    4.5(1.9k reviews)
    0.9 miEast Village
    $$

    My brother-in-law and I were looking for places to drink....And we just wanted somewhere chill. We…read moreknew that any bar by tacos el gordo would be too wild for us, so we walked a couple blocks and approached Noble Experiment. I would say this was probably our highlight of our trip in San Diego. Garrick, the bartender there, was super accommodating. Not only was he and the other bartender were making damn good drinks, they would legit talk to you. The ambiance of the place is cool too. Felt like I was going inside some continental room like John Wick. Definitely my vibe and definitely coming back. But if you ever get Garrick as your bartender, you're in for a treat!

    The Noble Experiment: 9/10…read more Aesthetic & Ambiance: 9.5 - This place gives "speakeasy haunted mansion" vibes. You walk into the barrels, down the mirrors, and into the skull room...IYKYK no less. The waits to get very deadly so make sure to put your name on the list early. Service: 9/10 The host was chill, and we had Quintin as our mixologist. There are no menus he told us, he just went off of our flavors, and palate, so I can't really speak for how to order the same drink. First drink: 9/10 (profile) Vodka bases with cucumber and strawberry. Second drink: 8.5/10 (profile) Smokey, deep old fashion. Overall a MUST-GO to if you're in the area stopping by!

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    Noble Experiment - Spiced banana flip! Delicious!

    Spiced banana flip! Delicious!

    Noble Experiment - Bartenders creations.

    Bartenders creations.

    Noble Experiment - Skull wall

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    Part Time Lover - The bar at PTL San Diego

    Part Time Lover

    4.3(506 reviews)
    2.9 miNorth Park
    $$

    Fun speakeasy in North Park. Probably the most popular bar in the area. The DJs are unreal and this…read morespot always has the best music. The drinks are creative and fun. The vibe is immaculate: dim-lighting, wooden furniture, nice wallpaper, and dark curtains. Cute but very overpriced vinyl shop in the back, it's more for show. It gets insanely busy here every night. There will always be a wait after 9 PM. Wait isn't long, but it's essential as it gets PACKED inside. Seating is always full and people will throw hands for a table. There is minimal room to stand. Unfortunately, there is NO DANCEFLOOR :,( The bar lines are INSANE and can be hard to follow. But the bartneders are patient and helpful when it's finally your turn. While I warn about the crowds, this place is awesome. 10/10 one of the best spots in San Diego, the staple of North Park.

    This is a nice establishment, especially for lounging with a date. Very clean and nice drinks too…read more A little pricey however that's the norm in this area for the more popular out of towner type spots. The servers are friendly. But you have to be patient as they are often quite busy. The record store and records theme is what they present online but to be honest that is only a minute section of the establishment. It definitely doesn't describe the theme of the place neither. The worker in the record section simply ignored me when I tried to purchase a record and after a minute I had to ask for him to please ring me up. No apology from him. No biggie, I still had a decent time drinking here.

    Photos
    Part Time Lover - Bikini Kill (Serrano tequila blanco, mango, guava, tamarind, xila, lemon)

    Bikini Kill (Serrano tequila blanco, mango, guava, tamarind, xila, lemon)

    Part Time Lover - Record store to the left. Bathroom straight ahead

    Record store to the left. Bathroom straight ahead

    Part Time Lover - Record Store inside the bar

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    Record Store inside the bar

    Realm of the 52 Remedies - Clouds over Thailand

    Realm of the 52 Remedies

    4.4(866 reviews)
    7.6 miKearny Mesa
    $$

    Realm of the 52 has been on my SD bucket list since I've moved here. So pretty hyped to get to…read morefinally go! Its located inside Common Theory. The entrance is pretty cool but I'll let you experience it :). The interior is definitely a vibe and intimate. Its definitely for smaller groups. They actually recommend to stay in your seat unless you need to use the restroom, which I appreciated. The service was all around very good! I got the Saigon Dreamer and it was so good! It had such a good mouth feels with the clarified milk. Highly recommend if its still on the menu. For food, I got the charred gai lan and the KFQ. The gai lan had a nice smoking taste and very tender. KFQuail was succulent and was fried to perfection. The only downside would be it was pretty expensive what you get. Will definitely be back for the cocktails but may get food somewhere.

    Heard about this place for so long and finally got to try it out. We went on a Mon and made…read morereservations but it wasn't too busy when we got there around 6. The vibe inside is dark, tropical and cozy. It's a decently large space and tables are spread out nicely. Because it was our anniversary they gave us complimentary sparkling wine to start which was a nice touch. I know they're known for cocktails but I ended up getting wine to drink as well. My partner got The Saigon Dreamer that was coffee based. He really liked it. For food I got the burger (bunless as they didn't have option for a lettuce wrap) and my partner got the quail. We split the gailan (Chinese broccoli). All the flavors on everything were great. Seasoned but not overly so and a good balance of savory and sweet. Portions are not huge and a bit pricey so docking a star for that. Service was great from start to finish and they were patient with all the questions I had before ordering.

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    Realm of the 52 Remedies - Sitting area

    Sitting area

    Realm of the 52 Remedies - Main dining area

    Main dining area

    Realm of the 52 Remedies - View from my table

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    insideOUT - Chips and dip

    insideOUT

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    2.2 miHillcrest
    $$$

    We met up with a friend out here. This place has been on my list for quite some time so I was glad…read morewhen she recommended it. As soon as you walk in, you are captured by the beautiful parade of cherry blossoms and flowers. It definitely felt like spring when you're in there. Everywhere you look it's a beautiful scene. The bar is beautifully set up where you look through a waterfall. There's open air seating, surrounded by towering buildings. It is multilevel, so it is neat to see the layers of the space. Our server was very welcoming and pleasant. He was on it. He checked on us often. Our drinks tasted great. Perfect balance of a cocktail. I really enjoyed my lychee Martini. We ordered a charcuterie board with meat and cheese, and it was a perfect amount for three of us to enjoy with our drinks. I would recommend coming to this spot to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather in a beautiful space.

    The restaurant is beautiful with an amazing ambiance and many great photo opportunities. I found…read morethe drinks to be fun and tasty, and the food was delicious. However, I did find the bathroom setup quite unusual; the coed design lacks privacy as the interior is visible from the outside. Additionally, the parking situation was very frustrating. It took me 25 minutes to find a spot, and I eventually had to park quite far away to ensure I wasn't late for my reservation. Moving forward, I would recommend that guests use a rideshare service instead of driving.

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    insideOUT - Spring oasis

    Spring oasis

    insideOUT - Dip and chips

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    False Idol - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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