Flicks is one of my go-to spots in Hillcrest. During the week, it has much more of a neighborhood-bar feel, with mostly locals and great weekly entertainment like karaoke, trivia, and bingo. The daytime bartenders are the best and a big part of what makes this place such a great local hangout during the week. Weekends have a different vibe and tend to bring in more out-of-towners, so you get a bigger mix of people and a livelier crowd. Whether you want a laid-back afternoon, something fun to do during the week, or a busier night out on the weekend, Flicks is always a good time. read more

Decided to stop by here last night, and unfortunately I felt so uncomfortable. The place was absolutely wall-to-wall with people, normally would say that's a good thing but this was dangerous. Honestly, this could probably be a really great spot, but they seriously need to pay closer attention to capacity limits. There comes a point where a packed bar stops feeling fun and starts feeling like a human game of Tetris. I definitely don't wish anything bad on a gay bar or a space that's meant to be safe and welcoming for our community. That's exactly why I think this is worth saying: if there were ever a fire, emergency, or any situation where everyone needed to get out quickly, the level of overcrowding I experienced could become incredibly dangerous, very fast. Hopefully management takes a closer look at this, because a fun night out should be memorable for the right reasons -- not because you spent half of it wondering where the nearest emergency exit was. read more

Friday night during Pride, my phone was stolen because I made the mistake of not zipping my purse while I was dancing. That's on me, but it's still incredibly disturbing that people go to events meant for celebration just to steal other people's personal belongings. We're all adults trying to have a good time. Instead, there are people looking for opportunities to ruin someone else's night. Get a job instead of stealing from others. Unfortunately, this seems to happen far too often here. I really wish the venue and event organizers had better security measures or systems in place to help protect their guests and assist victims when incidents like this occur. No one should have to worry about losing their phone just because they wanted to enjoy a night out. read more

Finally getting around to writing this review! Flicks has become a favorite of mine. I love going Monday nights for football and trivia! It is a highlight of my week and super fun, not crazy busy which is nice. They have a theme almost everyday of the week with specials on drinks and sometimes snacks! The bartenders are nice and quick, the gogo boys are always fun, and I love the servers walking around with shots on the weekend! Queer spaces are so important and somewhere I wanna be! I will say on Wednesdays and weekends there are usually a lot more people outside of the queer community, so be aware of that when choosing a day to go! read more

Flicks - Exterior - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Affordable drinks; good dance floor and friendly people all around. Located in the heart of Hillcrest with near by clubs, bars, restaurants and lounges. Friendly staff and good music. read more

Flicks - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

It's been so long since I was last in San Diego and can't remember if this place has been here for a while. Also a bit different during the day versus evening... lol... Impromptu visit with some friends that have moved into the neighborhood. This would be their new local spot in the area so of course had to check it out with them. It was still kind of early in the day before the evening rush. Still a good amount of people which was nice. Along the main strip of hillcrest and along the other bars. Day time crowd was quite nice. A mixed group of people and looked like a couple of birthday and bachelorette groups happening. Patio area was quite lively while inside there was a dj on deck spinning some fun tunes. Drinks were nice and the service was great. Both the bartenders inside as well as cocktail boys working the crowds with shots. When we arrived it didn't seemed like there was a security guard yet but one did show when we left. Crowd outside on the patio was pretty lively. This place is pretty much fun mellow crowd when we arrived. Nice afternoon having a cocktails and enjoying the music. Evening seemed to be a hot spot. Two bars on opposite ends, nice patio. Fun spot in San Diego. read more

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2 of our friends were stolen on a busy Saturday night. Security and the bartenders didn't seem to care or have any sympathy. If you check previous complaints it seems that pig pocketing is very common here. Both of our friends' purses were closed and on their shoulders the entire night. WATCH OUT! read more

Monday through Sunday, you can count on there being a party at Flick's. You come for the stuff drinks, consistent good music/DJs and buzzing high-energy crowd...the male go-go dancers and shot bearers are an added bonus. The security deals with a lot through out the night so understandably, they have little patience for anything other than checking your ID, making sure everyone stays safe...don't start trouble and they'll blend right into the ambience as they aim to. Bartenders are sweet, heavy pourers for sure which makes what your spending more than worth it - kudos to you if you can handle more than two of their drinks. I've never had issues asking for cups of ice water though they do keep a well stocked water fountain with cups near the bathroom. There are two gender neutral bathrooms with plenty of urinals but only one closed stall so plan accordingly as the line for the stall can really build up. As long as you're not trying too hard to fight through the crowds of people or you're at least courteous about it, I've always had a blast here. read more

The security staff here PINNED ME TO THE GROUND because I accidentally had my drink in the back patio while the door was wide open in a welcoming manner. Will never step foot here again after such a traumatic experience at a place that is supposed to be a safe space for the community. read more

Was walking from another local watering hole and decided to stop in. I'm not a nightclub person and lots of noise and dancing going on early eve, so not my thing (my younger days perhaps). Walked up to the bar and no bartender so we just walked out. read more

Great atmosphere loved the crowd and karaoke. The place was amazing packed house standing room only. Music was on point

An amazing ambience! Would definitely recommend this place, our Bartender was Patrick, amazing guy he remembered us each time and gave amazing service! 10/10! Edited: the bathrooms get pretty knarly ngl read more

Playing the straightest, outdated music on pride weekend should be illegal. Felt like I was in downtown San Diego in 2009.

Vodka cran and white claw was 15$, no entry fee. This was on welfare Wednesday, SUPER packed but good music and dancers. I wish they regulated how many people they let in more since it was impossible to move around and everyone spilling drinks everywhere. Overall would possibly go back again. 4/5 read more

Flicks - Inside - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Had my phone stolen while a patron here. I wasn't aware that pickpocketing is so rampant here. Security could care less even though there was a security camera covering the area in which I suspect the theft occurred. read more

Leopoldo 10/10. Loved him and the energy he brings. Would come back just for him. Would truly recommend.

Leopold was the best bartender I've ever had. They were so attentive to our needs and also gave us tips on what cocktail would taste better. Also, leopold kept the vibe so up (esp because I was a little tired but they genuinely restored my energy). Also all of our cocktails were fantastic, so shout out to Leopold read more

This establishment is NOT accredited by the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU! I'm visiting San Diego for the first time and I wanted to try starting the night at a place that seemed cool. I looked on the website about this bar. The atmosphere looked like it could have been hopping. With "Friendly Faces" with opportunity to find "Family" here. After entering the bar, it was Big with the DJ booth prepped for an event. It had a cute Autumnal theme with the cute Orange leaves & trees. There was a lot of locals just sitting at the bar. This was just the precursor to Karaoke of course. After getting situated at the bar, bartender seemed busy. The seats at the bar were Not all taken. Time of the first interaction with a less than interesting "hi" of an introduction was about 5 minutes after sitting down. Asked if there was food options. The smarmy response was, "we have Popcorn." After getting my first drink, Bartender asked if I wanted a refill. With confirmation he then took the drink I hadn't finished 1/2 of. I said nothing waiting to see if he would acknowledge it. He didn't. I was done with the bar after 15 minutes. The Bartender was about to close me out. But as he was asking for my credit card again and I stated, "Do I Not have a tab open?" He stated, "Oh I forgot." Which made me concerned that he was going to close x2 different tabs to then charge themselves an extra fee for closing a "2nd Tab." It was a ridiculous experience. Especially when there wasn't more than 20 people in the room with drinks and the Bartender was clearly "distracted." A Health & Safety concern would be the Flame lit Votive Candles next to the open alcohol. There's timer remote control battery powered Votive Candles on cheap websites that can do the same job without having to light the ones then placed next to Open Alcohol. read more

Had a bad experience with a bartender who was ignoring me for wanting to order my drink. Poor customer service!

Great people, so kind. Good service. I met a straight fashion model there on a Friday night.

Really fun and played my type of AT40 music on a Saturday night. Kind servers and has a clean feel overall, not too sticky of a floor, a little tight but expected, good location and atmosphere. read more

Flicks - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Last night I went to this club I walked in , once I was inside I was manhandled by the security and was told where's my ID but when I walked by them they were both talking to each other with their backs fully facing the line so how was I supposed to know that's where the ID are checked . read more

Last Weekend of March in San Diego and a bunch of us wanted to check out Hillcrest. Got to Flicks on a Sunday night a little past 11pm and seen how many people were out and about on University Avenue. Feels like forever since I've been to this bar, maybe over 5 years ago? Security/Bouncers were out front, this time it was Karaoke night compared to a live deejay playing music. Quite crowded for the end of the weekend too. None of us in the group had the courage to sing on stage, also I couldn't remember my iTunes password to download the Karaoke song list App. There was a regular singing on stage who everyone really enjoyed his live performances and song choices, all of us just let the pro do his job and cheered him on! Bartenders serve drinks really well. There was also a Taco truck out front for take out! read more

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I came here last Sunday after getting a little buzz next-door. It's definitely your typical night club bar vibe with gogo dancers. People here are very friendly. There's a lot of entertainment here. I unfortunately didn't drink at this establishment because I was trying to sober up before I went home. It's definitely a larger club and I could totally see this place being super packed on a Saturday but because I was there on a Sunday it wasn't as crowded so there room to walk around. The music wasn't bad they do ID you upfront. It seems that majority of the people were congregating in the front patio when I went. I do love how they have the bar lit up. It's super cool. I danced a little bit and then I got tired and I left. Next time when I'm in the mood to go to a nightclub. I would definitely come here. Not buzzed lol. read more

Finding a spot for a drink during the late afternoon during the week in Hillcrest can be a bit challenging as most spots do not open until 4pm or 5pm. We were walking around after some grocery shopping and saw Flicks was open so why not.. definitely not a packed spot around 3:30 but was easy to stop in for a quick beverage and catch up with a friend. Service was great since there were few people inside. They seem to have lots of fun specials and events that gone on throughout the week! Note to self if you come on a Tuesday they have a fun crossword to do and if you complete it you get a free shot! read more

Love the drink strength and friendliness of bartenders inside. It gets very busy Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Reading the negative reviews here is unfortunate seeing mostly straight women complaining about feeling ignored at the bar, phone stolen, not having enough restroom options (it is primarily a gay men's bar) or accusing people of drugging them without proof. Big shout outs to Jeff for running a great spot, and my favorite bartenders Brian, Darko, and Patrick. read more

Ok......the bartender between 330pm and the busy time SUCKS on Friday! I ordered a Manhattan which was served warm...no garnishes. I made an attempt to give the guy another chance...asked for same drink in a proper martini glass super chilled with makers mark, sweet vermouth orange bitters and a cherry and orange slice....very specific. SAME lame drink...only in a martini glass half filled warm ...not even filled to the rim. WTF! I'm like well this IS Hilllcrest after all...damn do I need white boy make up to get a proper drink at this place????? The bar tender wasn't even cute enough to enjoy the view while he made those crappy cocktails! I guess there's a reason he's not there during prime time! read more

The bartender dressed as Where's Waldo on Halloween night was fantastic! Very fast when serving drinks and made sure we had enough water to stay hydrated. Thanks to him my friend and I could get home safe! read more

Flicks - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The worst experience with a bartender I've ever had. I asked the bartender if the have any specialty drinks or shots because it was my friends birthday. He literally but his hand up and spun around like I said something insane and went to another person and told me" have your drink order ready" in order to be helped. Pretty crazy. Never had a server/bartender who literally works for tips act like that to me. read more

Visiting from Wilton Manors and love our visit. Bartender Zach was awesome - friendly and funny.

The bartender Alex was amazing . And the owner Jeff is very accommodating and welcoming. Had the best experience by myself and they still made me feel welcomed. 10/10 recommend !!! read more

Great energy, great music, great performers on stage! This was our 2nd stop of the night bar hopping and also my first real gay club experience! Drinks came out fast and bartenders were cool & speedy. I'm excited to come back next weekend! read more

It's fun for the most part. They have trivia and karaoke, which is a nice social time. No food is served, so eat before you arrive. But be aware of Welfare Wednesdays (cheaper drinks). Lots of college woman and overly aggressive college guys trying to prove their dominance. It's basically a mess on Wednesdays (personally I don't feel the safest). But other than that, it has a good vibe. read more

If I could give this place a negative star I would brought my friends here who were visiting from LA what was suppose to be a start of a good night just ended up horrible thanks to the people who work here thinking that this is an lqbtq friendly space and the bartender being so ignorant and passive aggressive calling adressing me as princess when I'm clearly a guy IN AN LQBTQ space is crazy then when my friend asked what his problem was what his name was he lied and said Alejandro (iam Hispanic im not sure if that was suppose to offend me ) he thought it was funny and started laughing my friend then informed him that they have already talked and he already told her his name was Alex after that he looked like he saw a ghost and ran and got security. After we informed the security guard who was also shocked and went to get the main head of security who was Sam. Sam informed us there's nothing he can do tonight and just to avoid the bartender..... DO NOT COME here they will embarrass and harass you it is not a safe space read more

I have been going to Flicks for over10 years. One night the Security people pulled me out because of a person next to me who I didn't even know, was acting a little silly, not drunk or violent. They grabbed me too. I guess they thought I was with them. When I tried to explain, they dragged me out, threw me on the ground and the next day when I went for medical care I found out they had fractured my femur. I'll never go to flicks and discourage everyone I know from going there. Sadistic, cruel Security people. Unsafe to to to Flicks. read more

Evan was an absolute amazing server!! He was very kind to my friends and I !! He was so good I had to write a review

Strong drinks & decent music. I would cover your drink & be wary. The drinks are a little on the pricier side but they definitely give you your moneys worth. Bartenders were friendly & fast. Overall it's a decent bar for what it is! read more

It's Okay. But that popcorn though. That's something to write home about. You know, the kind that doesn't stick to your mustache or anything. And those shots. They bite back! Use your tongue. You'll get right down around that rim. This place OKAY! read more

Flicks - That's some Okay popcorn. - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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My boyfriend was assaulted at the bar after accidentally spilling his drink. We are new to the Hillcrest area and this was a terrible first experience at the bar. While the staff was nice a customer pushed my boyfriend down after he accidentally spilled his drink, and then threw water on him and kicked him in the face and the staff did nothing to mediate the attack nor rectify the situation. read more

Every Tuesday at Flicks with Zachy is something truly special. We were actually his very first customers during his first week bartending at flicks and from day one he made us feel so welcome. No matter how rough or stressful the day has been, the moment we walk in and see him, all the negativity just disappears. His energy is contagious, and he creates such a fun, positive vibe every week. On top of that, he gives the absolute best customer service -- always attentive, friendly, and genuine. We're so grateful for him and the way he's turned Tuesdays into one of our favorite days of the week! read more