I came here specifically to support my husband's friend, who was playing piano with his band: he's basically blind but has been playing for 30 years, and watching him perform was such a treat. The live music was definitely the highlight: fun, nostalgic, and clearly loved by the crowd. The vibe leans toward the older generation, but honestly it was really endearing seeing everyone enjoy themselves. Food and drinks weren't the stars of the night, but they did the job. Service was surprisingly attentive, even though we were seated in the darkest corner of the place. Overall, a solid experience and a great spot if you're here for the live music! read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

What a fun date night of dinner and dancing we had at Humphrey's Backstage Live. We caught the 5:00 PM early show it was only a $5 per person cover charge. A classic rock cover band The Locals were playing. We walked in just after 5:00 and the place was pretty full, but we lucked out and scored a tall four-top just off of the dance floor. Our table had great, unobstructed views to the stage. Laura was our server. Man! This lovely young woman was on point! It was crowded, she had a lot of tables, but Laura was on it! We were never left wanting for another beverage. Our food orders were taken quickly. Our food was delivered without delay and piping hot. When it was time to go, our check was brought to us immediately upon request. Outstanding service from Laura. The food was excellent. We shared the Shrimp Cocktail with house made cocktail sauce and the Korean Beef Spring Rolls (kimchi | garlic chile ponzu) appetizers. The shrimp were huge! The largest shrimp we'd ever seen in a shrimp cocktail. The cocktail sauce was awesome. The spring rolls were fantastic! The garlic chile ponzu dipping sauce was devine! AND there was plenty of it. Kimchi provided an great palate cleanser. Prices were not bad at all either considering the venue. Two beers, two seltzers and the food were $63 and change. A relative bargain! An overall great night for Becky's birthday. read more

More than 10+ couples in our group came out to enjoy Rebecca Jade's sweet and soulful voice at our first live performance of 2026. It was a sold out performance with all SRO (standing room only) tickets sold out as well. This review is for the HBL's food & beverage staff. Our large party occupied most of the tables along the window side (looking out to the marina). Our server, Naomi, was amazing! While we had 20 of us to tend to, she tended to us as well as other tables not part of our group. She checked on us regularly to make sure we didn't need anything else. My wife had waited a little while for a drink order but Naomi realized & apologized that the bar never made her drink and promptly had it made and took it off our tab. That was very kind of her to do so. We split a Wagyu cheeseburger & fries, and ordered a house Cabernet, a Heineken 0.0 Zero, a Revolver cocktail, and a large bottle of San Pellegrino sparking water. Some of the items qualified for their happy hour pricing so we loved that. HBL is a great small, intimate, and great place to see both local and visiting musicians booked to play that venue. We love coming here and you can't beat the food and entertainment combination here. Highly recommended! read more

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It's a good place to spend the night with live band music and enjoy an amazing view however there is a majority of really old people.... Food is good, service is good! It's something to go once in a while to just chill if you want Something different. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

Do not sleep on Happy Hour here! We arrived at 5pm and got one of the last (but best) tables. There was an awesome band, lots of people dancing, a gorgeous sunset, and once it got dark, extra cool lounge vibes. It's an older crowd (Boomers dominate) which I think makes it even more fun- they know how to turn it up at 5 o'clock on Friday (and probably other nights too). The mocktails were great (it's sober January in my fam) and the steak Caesar was delicious. We had a blast! read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

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It's Quaint space. We went last minute and we got tickets for standing room only. Got there early and got seat at the bar. It was great perfect. read more

Came for my mom's birthday on a Friday. We knew happy hour wouldn't be honored because of the concert and that's noted on their site so no surprise there. The funny part is her favorite jazz artist (Kenny G) happened to be performing that night so it worked out perfectly. A group of us surprised her and even arriving right at what would have been happy hour we had no issues grabbing tables. The menu is definitely on the pricier side so we mostly stuck to fries and kept the focus on drinks. We had sangrias martinis a bottle of champagne and a few other things. Since it was a birthday celebration the drinks were flowing but on a regular night I'd probably take my money somewhere it would stretch a bit further especially if food is involved. Service started off great and stayed that way until the room filled up closer to the concert. After that it was a little harder to get attention but nothing crazy. All in all worth trying if you are in the area for a concert and want a fun vibe with live music. read more

What an amazing night my girlfriend and I had at Humphries By The Bay the atmosphere was incredible, and the music was top notch. Sohappy I came back to see John the DJ. He played beautiful as usual. 16 years later in this place is still the best spot in San Diego. read more

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Food Service Ambience This was a wonderful weekend great service, peaceful, and clean rooms. Humphreys are always my favorite place to stay. read more

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Nice ambiance and great music. Service was okay, not outstanding on my visit. But I was there for the music and was very pleased. read more

Nice HH with both Humphrey's hotel guest and locals. They have HH pricing on some food and drinks. Waitress was great and a live band. read more

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Love coming here for a drink and bite to eat. All of the bar staff are so nice and make great drinks. Joe, one of the bartenders recommended the passion play and it was so good. I loved the corn chowder and the lobster was so good if you're okay with a cold bite. It was so fresh and the roll was very buttery, but the meat was cold. If you're looking for a hot dish, get the cheesesteak because it's amazing!!! They were setting up for a show while we were here. So fun seeing a live band while enjoying a night out. read more

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Terrible experience with very rude staff that showed us the door and invited us to leave when I asked why some people are allowed in while others wait in line for hours. I will never return there. Stay away if you like to have an enjoyable time read more

Fun, upscale venue. We came to see Appian Way with only a $5 cover. Happy hour is 4-6. The band played "nostalgic" rock, blues, funk and soul from 6 to about 10 pm. They were really great and are available for your event! Nice dance floor. Beautiful restrooms. Crowd was a bit older, as was the band. Everyone was enjoying the music, and people were dancing. My club sodas were free (nice!) with cocktails around what you'd expect in a nice bar. A 5-percent fee was added to all purchases. Parking was free. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Stage and dance floor - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love Humphrey's Backstage Live. It's a small venue, but the perfect place for couples, date night, or a girls night out. The food and drinks are great. The staff is friendly as well! read more

This is our first time here for my birthday. I will say this is NOT really a kid friendly place at all. We asked for a lemonade and got lemon water which..I guess a three year old won't notice but still. My wife ordered a sangria and it tasted like flat beer which makes no sense. I ordered the "Lime in the coconut" which only taste like tequila (not complaining) but the grapefruit could have been a tad stronger since I couldn't taste it at all. The "Getting caught in the rain" was phenomenal and will be ordered again! I'll admit this started off a little rough with the drinks but the meals were phenomenal. All of the items ordered were fantastic, even our kids chicken strips. We will most definitely be back on our next trip to our boat here in San Diego. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Skirt steak and Frites - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

We went to see the fabulous Jazz band Patrick Yandall. It was so incredible. Great music, excellent service, and super yummy food. Naomi was so attentive and pleasant . Even the bathrooms were impressive and super clean. We had great wine and ahi nachos and avocado tacos. Excellent!!! read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Avocado tacos - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

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Terrible food and very rude service. Came after the Oingo Bouigo show, and the staff were extremely rude. They were not prepared for after concert crowds. Get you act together. read more

I went to Humphrey's Backstage Live last Thursday to see a friend's band perform. This is the part of Humphrey's that is inside the bar, not the large outdoor concert venue. Here, most bands are free or have a small cover charge. When I arrived, about 9PM, it was not crowded, and the dance floor was almost empty. But about half an hour later, the crowd started trickling in, and the dance floor was full. All ages of adults were represented, but I feel like it was mostly an older crowd, in their 50s and above. The band was an 80s cover band, so that likely drew in an older crowd. Anyway, the bartender was friendly and served me quickly. I chose a cocktail from their specialty menu called The Lime in the Coconut. It was a delicious tequila cocktail. There is plenty of seating, with small bar tables in the stage area and throughout the room. I liked sitting at the bar for a good view of the band, quick drinks, and easy access to the dance floor. I do think the drinks were overpriced for what were relatively simple drinks, but it is located in a tourist hotel, which typically leads to overpriced everything. There is a pretty view of the water from the windows in the bar. Next time there is a band here I want to see, I will not hesitate to return. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - The line in the coconut... delicious - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing atmosphere. Was there for some drinks and live jazz music. The drinks were strong and the music was awesome.

I got a gin and soda which was good and made well. We got Riesling white wine which was sweet and really good. We got the buffalo cauliflower which was okay but not our favorite. We got elote bites which were really good too. Good and quick service. Good ambiance. Music was fun and a good band. Comfortable seating. Nice view. read more

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This was a fun place. The ambiance is certainly there and the band was fun and energetic despite the room being a little dead. I was also very happy with the wait staff. They were very helpful and answered a number of questions. The bouncer was a little bit weird though. He made us feel unwelcome when we walked in, like we didn't belong. We are literally guests at the hotel and he looked at us like we shouldn't have walked in. I think he tried to joke around with us to make up for it, but it just made it awkward. I guess someone has to be the party killer at the late-night bar and I suppose it's him. I suggest sitting at the bar and talking with people. People were very talkative and nice. read more

This is a great little bar and music venue next to Humphreys much bigger outdoor venue. This is a smaller intimate space. They have a full bar and several good beers to choose from. I dont know about the cocktails but the beers were reasonably priced. The staff was great, especially Ester, she was awesome. I recommend this spot! read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - a crowd of people at a bar - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

REO was an awesome show. NEED MORE BAR service and more bathrooms great staff. Parking was an ease Suggest smoking area so people aren't sneaking them in read more

I had a really nice time coming here to see the Next Level band play and entertain all the night life people that attended this concert. This lounge is in Shelter Island and is located at the Humphreys Restaurant & just like it's backstage name it's right next to the Humphreys concert venue. They have food like crab cakes and margarita flatbreads and of course specialty drinks with musical themed names attached to them. That's a fun touch like "Rock You Like A" I truly loved this cozy, fun, dark ambiance lounge. The seats had really nice cushioning, high backed and they swiveled. Beautiful view of the harbor as well. Romantic and super fun vibe. The night life was booming with people dancing on the dance floor and many were singing along with the band. I'd love to come to this venue again! Tip: Try and get there early because parking fills fast. In the paid lot and across the way. Just don't park where there are orange lines and pay attention to all parking signs & you should be good. read more

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Figured I'd update my review, since it's been 5 years. Still a great place to listen to live music. Intimate, they get some great bands, good vibe, and always dancing. If you're a local, you're likely to run into folks you j is, too. Good happy hour daily, 4-6 pm, $6 wine, cocktails, and $1 off beer. You can also get food - my favorites are the Caesar Salad w/ chicken and burger - you can definitely share. All the bands are great, but live Daring Greatly, Funk All Stars, Band Overboard, and Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas (bluegrass), Bayou Brothers and anything with Mark Fisher. Check it out! read more

Love this place but... they have dancing and bands but half the dance floor is cover with table and chairs. Wth? Figure out what you wanna be! read more

My complaint is way overpriced drinks then paying a service fee? I had barely any service she brought over my $14 drink that seem to be lacking any alcohol- she never came back to clear the many plates & empty glasses- i bussed the table read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Surcharge on top of tax plus tip - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

Food is good for a live music venue. Would have been a 5 star review but their dance floor situation is ridiculous. They put four tables with chairs on what is supposed to be the dedicated dance floor. Too big of a crowd and no room for anyone who actually knows how to couples dance. Meanwhile there are big empty spaces between the tables on the carpet. Makes no sense. Then if you try to dance where there is actual space between the tables you get told you have to dance on the dance floor...where exactly??? read more

The food was very good. Menu for Happy Hour was nice. Good was very good. Had skirt steak with frittes. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Menu - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

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Not sure if it was an off night or all the time. The service was terrible, and food overpriced for what we got. Our group ended up after at Denny's down the street for $6.99 Grand Slam and felt it was a better meal. Went to listen to the band Betamaxx on a Friday night. They charge you $12 and put a wristband on you before you walk in. Clientele was mixed age but MOSTLY older crowd. The band played a good variety of 80's music and was fun to dance to. At times, the dance floor got pretty crowded. This venue has a really nice view. With better service and food, the experience in this place could have been taken a notch up. read more

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Always a great place to see a show! You know you are in San Diego here!! Seats could offer a little elbow room but what are you going to do?! If you are a larger person you may want to be on the end read more

Saturday night was awesome! I was there with a group of girlfriends for drinks, appetizers, and dancing. It is a perfect place to take your date, but also just to have a good time with your friends. There was an awesome band called 'The Next Level', who played a great variety of danceable songs. We danced all evening! The atmosphere was great, combine that with a nice view of the port, drinks and great food. Not sure what the previous complaints were about the serving staff, but they must have fixed it. We had a great waitress, after we paid she even offered to get us some waters before heading out. We will definitely be back! Cover was $12 to get in. Parking was free in the lot across the street, don't worry, plenty of spots once the daytime visitors leave. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Live band on Saturday nights, this one is called the Next Level - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

The music is good but the service from the old people that works as security sucks. They don't listen to you to what you have to say they only thing that when is right to kick you out of the bar life restaurant where you support and spend alot of money in they kick you out of no reason. I think you should regulate your personal and really look for professional younger people that can manage your place in a better manner. The old people that you have in charge have no clue at all and they look confused when you're trying to explain a situation. We are professionals and software engineers we come support your business not to be treated horribly by the old man that is here opening the door for guests and a security back up woman that is so rude and would disrespect us and disregard what we have to say. We love this place but cannot support a business that has rude individuals that treat us like garbage although we give the best possible treatment. Help read more

My guy and I come here at least once per month to dance. We love R&B, Funk and Soul and Humphreys always brings in some fun bands. We're in our 60's and this place definitely draws an older crowd. The dance floor is always packed and fun. We usually order food and it's always delicious. read more

This is a great bar to enjoy some drinks before the concert outdoors. The bar is beautiful inside. I forgot our bartenders name, but on Labor Day weekend, he said he was new. He was awesome! He was personable and made us feel welcome. My husband and I had 2 painkillers. They were delicious! The band was setting up to play. Next time I'd love to stay and here the live bands, on a night we are not attending an actual concert. I liked all the celebrity pictures on the walls, it really added to the entertaining vibe. Just a heads up, you do need to show you vaccination papers to get into this bar. read more

Humphreys Backstage Live - Painkiller at the bar - Music Venues Near Me - San Diego, California

The service was fantastic. Our server was super friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. The food was off the Concert Prifix menu. I was not a fan of most of it except for the tiramisu at the end, and my Diet Coke. The dinner was prepaid through Ticket Master, however we were given two tabs at the end. One was zeroed out and the other with what the meal would have cost. I read someone else's review stating this practice so I was prepared. I guess I didn't mind so much because otherwise we wouldn't know what to tip off of. read more

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Food was amazing. I had the scallops. The atmosphere is very classy and romantic. Service was great. Live music in the bar area.

I saw a cockroach in the bar area Bathrooms dirty with rat droppings Staffing poor Sounds system terrible read more

I visit this place frequently.... I perform there. Their drinks are great! Their food is delicious. The service is consistent and good! So why not 5 stars, you ask? Welp, it's because you get penalized with a limited menu when there is a concert at their outdoor venue. Now, I understand that that makes things more efficient. No complaints about that. I complain only that there is no salad, no vegetarian or vegan options when their is a limited menu. Please add at least ONE option for those that don't eat meat or seafood! Thank you. read more