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    Lala

    4.2 (166 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Lala Photos

    LALA ATMOSPHERE

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    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Lala

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    Heart napkin
    April P.

    I was so excited to try this place but sadly we were all underwhelmed. The ambiance of the restaurant was so cute and funky with lots of pink and fun accents. But the service was mediocre, or server was friendly but he rarely came by to check on us, never asked if we wanted more drinks or dessert. He was just immediately ready to take our order. The food came out incredibly quick, which not complaining about that but it was just warm and very bland. We tried the gnocchi, rigatoni w/ burrata, and pesto pasta. All of it was very bland and underwhelming. And they never even offered Parmesan or chili flakes to top it off. All in all, it was a cool experience but with all the other trendy Italian spots popping everywhere, i will definitely not be returning

    Espresso Martini, Pink Ferrari
    Angeline A.

    Came here for my 22nd birthday dinner and loved it! The service was a bit slow; it was a busy night and a small space, so it was understandable. Despite it taking a while, our server was very attentive and sweet! When making my reservation, I asked for a birthday freebie, and I got a cute dessert! Bone marrow Trofie ($23.95)- Super creamy, and I loved the trofie pasta. It was my first time trying it. However, there wasn't much marrow in the bone. Flavors all went very well together,r though. Pink Ferrari ($17)- Such a cute and girly drink to get! A bit of a heavy pour Busa Espresso martini ($17)- Amazing espresso martini, and it uses oatmilk! It was my first time trying one, and I loved it a lot. The alcohol taste wasn't too strong. The space was small, but the decorations were gorgeous and definitely made up for the smaller area.

    Bone marrow pasta dish
    Jessica R.

    First time at Lala and it was overall a good dining experience. The prosciutto app was amazing and the bone marrow pasta dish was recommended and did not disappoint! I will say the restaurant is on a smaller scale and you are sitting close to other parties but it didn't bother us. Our waiter was kind and always made sure we were okay. I'd say I would go back!

    Gnocchi
    Susan M.

    Incredible service, vibes, and food! This place is tucked away and a hidden gem. San Diego must try! Make sure to try the espresso martini too!

    inside
    Sammy B.

    Loved the food and ambiance at Lala! Between stilettos on the wall and heart shaped napkins, this restaurant is perfect for a girls night out. We made a reservation in advance, and we got sat as soon as we arrived which was nice. Our food was delicious and the portions were generous. Our table tried the spicy caesar salad and arancini for appetizers, and I would say definitely to get the arancini - I could have passed on the spicy caesar. For mains we order the gnocchi, pinwheel lasagna, and rigatoni - we loved all three! Unfortunately, the only reason I couldn't give our experience a 5/5 stars was a our service. Our waiter seemed distracted by some folks he knew at the bar. We had to ask for things like water or more napkins multiple times before we received them. We also were never offered a dessert menu and just handed the check. Although we didn't love our waiter, our busser (I am so sorry I don't remember his name, but he had a fun accent!) was amazing. He went out of his way for us and checked in multiple times. We made sure to thank him extra on our way out. I will want to come back and try a dessert!

    Meatballs and marinara appetizer
    Kathryn S.

    Love the old 1930s style vibe it feels like you're inside a railroad car but on a much more elevated level. The bartender was super friendly and helpful with menu recommendations. They had a bartender's cocktail on sale for happy hour which the bartender explained that particular day was made from Aperol, bourbon, and a few other ingredients, I wasn't sure because I'm not a fan of bourbon however, this cocktail was delightful not too tart not too sweet with undertones of the Aperol, It was perfect.! We had an appetizer tower with eggplant and olives and peppers and cheese and they were so good.! and we also had the appetizer of meatballs and sauce with crusty bread so amazing we recommended it all. Love the entire list of specialty craft cocktails we will definitely be back to try them. We had a great experience and we would definitely come back.!

    Sign
    Lala J.

    Such a cute bar! Found it by accident and loved that it's my name. So it was a must. Only had one drink here cause we tried several other bars in little Italy . Service was okay .. bartender was busy so nothing extra

    New York steak, with cavatelli bone marrow in the back
    Joyce L.

    Ambiance: A+. Service: A+. Food: solid B. Our server Jesus was amazing, really made the experience. Friendly, fun, and a great server who legit seemed to enjoy what he does and good at conversing with customers. (Most of the) drinks were good. We ordered multiple rounds of their espresso martini. I particularly liked the Lala martini, which had a nice spicy kick to it. One of their mezcal drinks was dry and tart, that it was hard to drink... we didn't finish it. Food was average. Good, but nothing stunning. Pasta portions felt small -- our group of 4ppl ordered 3 appe's, 2 pastas, and 1 main. Most of their dishes were fatty and cheesy, which adds taste but no depth of flavor. For example, the chargrilled oysters were primarily cheese... I didn't taste the oyster at all. Food was pretty forgettable. Overall, a solid experience and if anyone asks, I'll say Lala is decent. But nothing I'm itching to come back for...

    Alex V.

    Lala. My go to when wanting a great meal with amazing service and a good atmosphere. I hate food regret so usually when I come here I'm ordering multiple apps, 2-3 mains to share and some drinks. Hits the spot every time

    Short Rib Arancini
    Natalie M.

    We came to Lala for our 2-year anniversary dinner, and the food was honestly incredible. We ordered the short rib arancini, the 1/2 lb meatball with spaghetti, the gnocchi, the lobster bisque, a cab, and the stiletto martini and every single thing was sooo good. You can tell they put real care into their dishes. The flavors were rich, balanced, and comforting without being heavy. The drinks were on point too. Our server had amazing energy -- super warm, attentive, and really added to the experience. You could tell they genuinely enjoyed what they do, and it made the night feel extra special. The reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the space itself. The restaurant is very small and gets packed fast. We went on a rainy night, and toward the end of our meal, water actually started leaking through the ceiling onto us. It wasn't enough to ruin the experience, but it was definitely noticeable. Still, the food and service were fantastic, and I'd absolutely come back -- just maybe on a dry day.

    Audrey L.

    Had come here for my mom's birthday recently and could not have had a better time! She has been driving by Lala for months and decided she wanted to celebrate her birthday there. We had a reservation and were seated right away. Our server was so nice and made great recommendations. We started with the half pound meatball, lobster bisque and the spicy caesar salad. They were both incredible and very shareable. For our main, we decided to share the shrimp entree that came with mashed potatoes in a lemon sauce and asparagus. Everything was delicious, and the martinis were so good. I completely forgot in the reservation I added that we were celebrating a birthday until our server brought out a little birthday dessert. The dessert was a citrus cheesecake and so incredible!

    Arlene M.

    2/19/26 We were fortunate to be able to make a last minute dinner reservation at 6:30pm that afternoon. The restaurant has a speakeasy vibe which I love. It was busy all night. Jesus, our waiter, was fun and attentive, even taking a selfie with us :) The appetizers (calamari & bruschetta) and entrees were delicious. We all shared so we could try all dishes (lasagna, risotto, ...) It was a wonderful dinner in San Diego's Little Italy. I recommend it!

    Bone marrow
    Alishia R.

    Super cute and girly with all the pink vibes! The perfect place to bring my not so little princess! We ordered all the things for research purposes of course and everything was amazing! Hot fresh and delicious well seasoned too!!!! It gives a speak easy feel and all the wait staff was amazing! I wish I could remember my servers name but it escapes me at the moment nonetheless he was amazing!!!!!!!! We ordered 3 entrees because we couldn't decide between the lasagna and the risotto and both were delicious!!! I also ordered a shot cuz ya girl hates a weak drink lol! The only complaint I have is the music didn't match the vibe lol I wanted to hear smooth jazz no 70's pop lol but the prices were great considering the area it was a steal! Parking was crazy but there is valet for under 20 right in front just be mindful that they close at 10 so we had to run out tip and get our keys they just showed us where they parked the car and we continued dinner it was fine.

    Cesar salad

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Lala

    Is it 21+ to enter?

    No, all ages are welcome

    Is there happy hour?

    Yes until 6:30

    How do I make a reservation?

    Call or go on OpenTable to rsvp

    View All 5 Questions

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    False Idol - Isn't it gorgeous?!

    False Idol

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    0.3 miLittle Italy
    $$

    My False Idol experience was memorable, albeit blurry toward the end! My boyfriend and I had been…read moreon a half-day tour beforehand, but I saw that False Idol was near our hotel and I insisted we stop in for a cocktail before calling it a night. I knew it was a speakeasy but he did not. I was trying to double-check on my phone that Craft & Commerce was the right restaurant its housed in (yes) when he tried to jet set off down the block "to keep looking" rather than listen to me. I yelled, "MOTHER!" by accident and then he did truly leave me hahaha. He resurfaced a few minutes later, and then we walked in. It was 5:15 at the time, so 15 minutes after opening. I had NO IDEA how popular this spot was, nor anything about its nation-wide reputation. I actually didn't know that until two days ago when a Yelp-friend at home here in Richmond, Virginia, exclaimed excitedly when I told her we stopped in. The host who greeted us was kind, informed us there had been a line to get in that day, but that they had one barrel left; we jumped on it of course. It was happy hour, so the first cocktail I ordered was dirt cheap at $9. It was the Imperial Hawaiian with gin, rum, lemon, pineapple, and orgeat. I really shouldn't have ordered a second drink after that one, but I did have the classic Saturn later on in the night and it was absurdly good! Definitely my favorite of the two. The moody tiki vibe was so cool and fun. They even had frogs you could play on the tables. We had some fun neighbors too, which livened up the experience even more. We had a great time and both walked out heavily buzzed. We were asleep by 8 that night, but it was worth it!

    Stopped by Falls Idol this past Saturday on our way back from Panda Fest, and it turned out to be…read moresuch a fun, spontaneous experience. We arrived about 10-15 minutes before opening, let the staff know we were walk-ins, and they were super accommodating--they gave us about 60 minutes at a table despite reservations coming in. The space itself is very small and tucked inside another venue, but that honestly adds to the charm. It's dimly lit with a unique, immersive vibe--think jungle-inspired with eclectic decor. At one point, there were rumbling sounds and subtle vibrations through the chairs, which made the whole experience feel interactive and different from your typical bar. The drinks were creative and fun (one of my friends even kept the drink garnish as a collectible), and the staff was friendly and welcoming throughout. It's definitely more about the ambiance and experience than anything else. I'd come back again--especially around the holidays to see how they switch up the decor. If you're looking for something a little different and don't mind a cozy, darker setting, it's worth checking out.

    Photos
    False Idol - Tiki themed decor

    Tiki themed decor

    False Idol - Rum barrel

    Rum barrel

    False Idol - Back bar rum selection

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    Back bar rum selection

    Noble Experiment - Strawberry cucumber Gin cocktail

    Noble Experiment

    4.5(1.9k reviews)
    1.1 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!

    Photos
    Noble Experiment - Spiced banana flip! Delicious!

    Spiced banana flip! Delicious!

    Noble Experiment - Bartenders creations.

    Bartenders creations.

    Noble Experiment - Skull wall

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    Skull wall

    Part Time Lover - The bar at PTL San Diego

    Part Time Lover

    4.3(506 reviews)
    2.7 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

    Prohibition - Our famous Prohibition Old Fashioned

    Prohibition

    4.0(1k reviews)
    1.1 miGaslamp
    $$

    As I approached the old law office, we found a line wrapped outside ensuring ID was confirmed prior…read moreto entry. Our group was surprised as is was 2115, it's been open for about an hour and a half and packed. As you enter this old law office down a staircase one would find the "speakeasy statutes/rules" to maintain the 1920s atmosphere-- we loved the setting, the people, the drinks, and of course the live music!! One would not be disappointed. The cocktail menu was on an old record, which I thought it was so clever. Back to the rules, seems pretty easy! They mention to keep an open mind with the drinks as they do not carry vodkas, redbull, Budweiser or bulls**t. Mentioned a dresscode, more so be classic and states be respectful and don't be a di*k. I couldn't agree more with the rules. I don't think there is good at this establishment, as our group just came from dinner I wasn't looking for food. Just spirits, live music and a good time. Highly recommend if you are looking for live music and uniquely crafted cocktails.

    I had never been to an underground bar before. I expected more of a speakeasy vibe, but it didn't…read morequite feel like one especially with a security guard right outside the entrance, which made it seem less hidden or exclusive. There's a cover charge, though I'm not exactly sure how much it is. Once inside, the performance stage is to the left, while the bar and restrooms are off to the right as you go down the stairs. Drinks are pricey--starting around $30, maybe even closer to $35. For just two drinks, we ended up paying $71, which was definitely surprising. Seating is pretty limited, so expect to be standing for most of your visit. I might come back again, but probably skip the drinks next time.

    Photos
    Prohibition
    Prohibition - El Fruterio featuring Azunia GBOD single barrel reposado tequila

    El Fruterio featuring Azunia GBOD single barrel reposado tequila

    Prohibition - Live Jazz/Blues/Roaring 20's kinda vibe! My kind of bar/lounge! (5/5)

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    Live Jazz/Blues/Roaring 20's kinda vibe! My kind of bar/lounge! (5/5)

    Starlite - Pistachio ice cream sandwich

    Starlite

    4.1(2.6k reviews)
    0.9 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!

    Photos
    Starlite - Bar area after entering

    Bar area after entering

    Starlite - Herb Scalloped Potatoes

    Herb Scalloped Potatoes

    Starlite - Cocktails are fun!

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    Cocktails are fun!

    Kiku Room - DJ in the front room. Back room behind him that can be accessed from the side.

    Kiku Room

    3.6(33 reviews)
    0.6 miMiddletown

    One of the coolest new spots in San Diego in my opinion. This is the original location of the…read moreCasbah, it then languished for years as the Kava Lounge, a strange spot for wooks, and finally it became Kiku Room. Kiku Room has a chic minimalist interior, with polish concrete, metal, and glass as the primary backdrop. The DJ booth is large and separates the front sitting area from a lounge in the back that is draped in deep red lighting. The bartenders are cool and welcoming, the DJs who come through are usually really good, and the lounge is quite comfortable as well. Pretty good price on drinks overall, too. You can get a glass of draft Asahi here for $7, for instance, which is pretty good for a place that's in this DTSD-adjacent area.

    The music is their main focus -- and you can feel that the second you walk in. It's not random…read moreSpotify vibes. Yes the space is small but that helps make it feel more intimate. The cocktails are just as dialed. Balanced, clean, strong (in a good way), and not trying too hard. They have some great NA options as well. The NA Asahi beer is amazing. You can tell there's real intention behind the bar, which makes the whole experience feel cohesive. Yes, there's usually a line -- but that's what happens when something is this good. I've heard they're working on expanding, which would be amazing because the space deserves to hold more people without losing that energy. Five stars. For the music. For the drinks. For the vibe. I'll happily wait in line for this one.

    Photos
    Kiku Room - Pay to get in bar.

    Pay to get in bar.

    Kiku Room - Entrance to the back room

    Entrance to the back room

    Kiku Room - Dj area

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    Dj area

    Lala - bars - Updated May 2026

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