A cool dive bar teeming with locals. This is a great place to ride your bike, grab a beer, and listen to some great metal and punk on the juke box. The no frills service offer quick drinks and cheep beer for a nice late night hang. Looking to escape the monotony and play pool, or board games at the booths then this is the spot for you, read more

Live Wire - Pickle beer - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

carly and aliana totally killed it last night. they took care of me each time quickly, despite the crowd. this is an amazing dive bar that has great music, with a sick selection of beers. if you like dive bars, you ABSOLUTELY should check this place out. read more

I will say that i'm sorely disappointed at this bar. I had heard good things from people. So I thought yea this bar might be fun and chill. I wasn't a fan of the staff. Especially the bartender that was there. I get it, you only have one person working. But the fact that it took as long as it did for me to even try to get a drink with my friends was a bit excessive. The bartender seemed like he didn't really know how to manage a large crowd by himself, and the fact that he came over and then seemed like he was going to take our drink order and then just left and then we had to wait again! To me is not acceptable and he was rude to the people that were sitting in front of us at the counter. So yeah, I ended up just leaving because I was like I'm not dealing with this, and I'm not dealing with a bartender who doesn't even know what is currently happening and doesn't pay enough attention that you neglect other people while insistingly being rude to the people in front of us that had already ordered a drink! I don't got time for that level of service when I'm willing to spend the money, no thank you. I will say the vibe inside. As far as the environment goes seemed okay. I will say that I did like in the center of the bar. There were like these little countertop spots where you could stand and they still had a place where you could put your drink.And I would have really have liked to try those out, but I didn't get that opportunity!. No drink to be able to do that with. read more

This bar is both San Diego royalty and is also one hell of a place to throw a good old fashioned termination party. You know, when you have a friend that got fired? Time to throw a termination party! That's what we did. Shucks, it's a great bar for just about any occasion. The jukebox is fantastic, always has been all 30 years, though I've only been old enough to walk throught the doors for 24 years. Tons of great San Diego music to take you on a little trip back in time. Canned beer a slice of pie from Luigi's next door and a game of pool are always in the cards, and don't forget to wear your beard! You'll fit right in... I do? I do. read more

I fucking love this place. Used to get off work @ C&C. A Pliny and mezcal shot, along with the most sincere and sweet ass bartenders. Miss going here! read more

Live Wire - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Ordered a sprite, lemonade and a Dirty martini. Was given two soda waters and a disgustingly made martini with no choice of gin or vodka (I wanted vodka). He proceeded to pour with gin, I said I wanted vodka and he said "it's already poured... went back to the bar for our sprite and lemonade that I had already asked for, and was charged for the change of drinks in which he got wrong the first time. Horrible service on top of a shitty attitude. I've had lovely experiences here in the past. Don't know who this guy was, he never gave me his name, but I wouldn't recommend him to my worst enemy or anyone in the north park area! 6/22/25 6:40pm read more

Always love a good dive bar! Staff is friendly and the drinks are good. They have a pool table, juke box, and a pinball machine. Had a great time and would definitely come back for a drink! read more

This is where you go for good beer and a great time. Killer tap list everyday and an awesome happy hour. Be sure to say hi to Freddy :). Cheers! read more

Livewire is life and community for alt folk. You'll see a lot of black-clad friends here As it has been for years! Not suitable for pretentious yuppies or broey types though - don't even bother...you'll be sniffed out fast Was worried the nature of Livewire would change given the "luxury" hi-rises that were thrown up or the expensive renovation of Lafayette Hotel. For the most part it's still lively locals, especially on Sun-Thurs nights. read more

Great bar for pool tables, great beer and local flavor. The crowd is so cool! Wish I could have my birthday here. Put your name on the list to play pool. read more

Live Wire - people playing pool in a bar - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Walked in to sit down to the jukebox play. Dark and red lights. It's been around along time. It use to be a hang out for USD students with not much money and a skip away from Lafayette Hotel. It's a dive bar... SD has plenty of them. Was a cash bar but not anymore. High end spirits. read more

Live Wire - High end spirits in this bar such as... Forteleza, Weller (Green, Blue and Black), Eagle Rare and Taylor. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Live Wire is what a dive bar should be like. Great beer on tap (they have a relationship with Russian River), great music on the jukebox, great service. I recommend bringing in pizza from Luigi next door, but there are other options in the area, too. I like the classic movies that they show (with subtitles, of course). Prepare to be carded. The crowd is pretty young, which is fine by me. Unlike in some dive bars, I don't sense any hostility from the crowd. Maybe I got a couple of looks when I sat at the bar last night, but it may have been my crazy t-shirt. In this economy, I really appreciate that we were charged $7 a beer. Who thinks Live Wire opens at 1? Hours are 5 pm to 2 am. Cold Beer. Warm Friends. I am not lukewarm about Live Wire. read more

I hesitated this one. Don't expect a welcoming committee from the staff/owner. I lived across the street from this joint for three years and watched them treat customers most unpleasant, unless you were the annoying local that thought you owned the place, that rolled in every day to hit the pool table or drink the semi-cold beer. The jukebox was pretty awesome with a good mix but just like the owner/bartenders shitty attitude and lack of safety in the joint, it's needed a change as Thad (the owner) only puts in what he supports. The door guys, aren't going to protect you from shit. They're likely too drunk to actually read your ID, but they like to perk up on the stool and pretend. I guess girls fall for that kind of thing. So, when you roll through, roll by only taking a glance, because that's about all it's worth tbh. It's another hole in the wall bar, with shitty people thinking they are cooler than you because they crack a can! Enjoy the Lafayette and its beauty! read more

Cool bar and great atmosphere, but while the music is good the DJs variation tonight (Friday) is horrible. While the bar is dog friendly the music volume is not dog friendly and hardly human friendly. I spend half the night feeling bad for the dog in the bar. read more

Live Wire - Dog trying to hide from noise - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I wish I could write a positive negative review if it meant that the yuppies would stay away from this place but that's just not the case and definitely unethical lol this place is a gem and I've been coming here for quite some time now. My wife and I have a traveling ritual where either the night before or the day of we'll catch a nice buzz here before the airport, if they've got the younger ones tap we scurry over because they're the only bar that plays it fair and give you a whole pint for the cost of a regular beer. Unless consortium tries to put their hand on this place, I'll never stop coming here. read more

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Live wire is my neighborhood dive bar that I have been to a few times since living in San Diego. Its dark interior makes it look mysterious from the outside, but once you are in, I have experienced nothing but friendly vibes from the bartenders and people patronizing this spot. This is a no frills spot with a decent amount of seating and a pool table in the back. They also have a virtual jukebox too. You can't go wrong with their $5 pints of draft local beer, which is probably the reason why I like coming here. No food is served here, but it's conveniently located next to Luigi's next door which has great pizza and other bites. Glad that this spot survived the pandemic as it is an establishment in the neighborhood! read more

This place is my type of bar, good drinks, good music and cool people. Every time I go there I end up having a good time.

Knowledgeable staff, delivering reasonable prices for the upmost in quality of product. 30 years in the community bringing strangers together, that eventually create pillars of a San Diego foundation. Credit Cards accepted. read more

Live Wire - Quality - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I just love this place. It's an OG spot here in SD. First off, it always stays chilly inside so it is a great place to come and get some AC. Most importantly, this dive bar is awesome. The staff members are great. Awesome beer selection. They can get very busy, but it's definitely a fun, chill spot. read more

Love this place! My boyfriend and I were in the area just looking for somewhere new to check and we stumbled across this gem. Cool vibe and really nice bar tenders who know how to make good drinks. Definitely will be coming back! read more

Live Wire - Tom Collins - yum - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Excellent water. It is cold and with ample ice in a good-sized glass. You can request water from the bartenders. The service was fast. I recommend this water. read more

Live Wire - Water - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is the dive-iest it can get. This spot has become a favorite neighborhood go to. It sits on a corner in North Park and stays open super late, even on the weeknights. I love coming here to play pool, or grab a causal drink with friends. The bar is honestly nothing special visually speaking, but the vibes are amazing - super chill, easy going, and fun. It's always a great time here, especially on the weekends. Live wire is honestly usually filled with a good amount of people and the drinks are very reasonably priced and decent. Recommend coming here after a night out or for a night cap! read more

Horrible service , horrible vibes , horrible drinks, horrible bartenders, all in all horrible bar. Its a bar just like the show shamless but 10 times worse. If you drink there you honestly probably have a sad life or just lost in life. read more

+ 5 Russian River beers on tap + 4 High on Fire albums on the jukebox + 1 dog sitting on a barstool like a person = a great way to spend a couple of hours We were at the recently opened Pure Project taproom up the street, and it was a complete zoo. Left after a beer and decided to try Live Wire, and it was waaaaay more our speed. Dark dive with an excellent jukebox (mostly punk, metal, surfer rock, and some good ol' Desmond Dekker). A beer selection that rivals O'Brien's without the strip mall vibes, and the beers were $6 a piece, crazy. Nice bartender. Clean bathroom. I've been staying out of bars during the pandemic, but I love a good dive. In SF, my local was the 500 Club, and in Chicago it was the Rainbo Club. Live Wire is cut from that same cloth. We came here in the early evening, so no idea how it is late night, but will definitely be back. read more

This place reminded me of a drunk girl; starts the night off with a bang and then turns into a fucked up mess by last call. Now I've been told by people with discerning taste that this is the best dive bar in SD and I was on board with that drinks 1-3 (which were Pliny the Elder). The bartenders were friendly at the beginning of the night, the pours were substantial and they moved quick. By the end of the night they were complete dicks to everyone. There was a girl sitting at the bar watching the bartender mix drinks and he said "why the fuck are you eyeballing me." My fella ordered the same drink all night and it was a different price every time he paid. The pours got shorter as the night went on and so did their tempers. Chill out, people are there to have fun. read more

Live Wire - Tight butthole - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Such a fun place. Everyone is nice, bartenders are quick, affordable drinks. Def a fun dive bar!

It's a dive that allows dogs and still knows how to make a proper cocktail. Typically at a place like this you should stick to a whiskey and coke type of drink but these guys are capable bartenders, let them make something better for you. read more

Drinks were fine. 1 star for a betray of trust. Pay attention to your check! Bartender had tip amount set to 69%. Just in time for unsuspecting St. Patricks day weekend patrons. read more

Smells like gam gam and pop pop's basement in here. I must be home. Live Wire is your typical punk rock dive bar with loud music and even louder customers. Do not be deterred though, this place offers so much life and local spirit(s) it's hard to leave once you've plopped your booty down at the bar and ordered a strong, but cheap drink. The bartenders here are unique. each one has his own personal style of drink slinging and if you're lucky, and don't piss them off, you'll probably hear some amazing anecdotes. "So this one time, my pet snake..." Meh, you get it. The Jukebox has a ridiculous music selection, so after you have slammed a few whiskey shots along with a tall can of "Hipster Juice", why not thrown on some Minor Threat and enjoy a nice peaceful game of Buck Hunter. Pew, Pew, Pew! If you happen to stay here a little longer than you anticipated and get the munchies no need to worry. Luigi's, the pizza place next door, usually brings over their extra slices after they have closed. So help yourself they offer them to the hungry customers at no charge, but hold up! The bartender always eats first. "Cold Beer, Warm Friends" - Live Wire Cheers. read more

Customers that arrive on motorcycles are extremely rude. Blasting their loud pipes in the middle of the night, waking the neighborhood. Owner has been made aware of the problem and apparently doesn't care. Unfriendly neighbor and bad for the neighborhood. 0 stars. Motorcyclists continue to loudly rev their engines and race through the neighborhood, setting off car alarms at all hours. "Bouncer" at 9:45 pm on 3/6/22 was laughing with the motorcyclist prior and encouraging this behavior. Owner has been made aware many times and still does not care. They are a bad neighbor and a nuisance in the neighborhood. We are tired of their loud and obnoxious customers waking us up late at night (late as 1 or 2 am). read more

All drinks under $10. All beers are $6 straight across. Try the Mexican candy drink.

The short chubby bouncer had 2 braids, I asked if he was is indigenous, since I am was hoping for camaraderie. He said "No" as he snatched my ID from my hand. Should have realized at that point what a toxic environment this was going to be. #SDE My 2 friends, that are women proceeded to the bar where a very young-looking girl wearing cat ears was bartending. At first, she ignored us. There were very few people there and we were the only women patrons. When she finally decided to take our order, she looked angry like she just wanted to serve men #pickmegirl and we were bothering her. As I was ordering my basic ass drink, Vodka Soda I attempted to talk to the little girl. Mentioned my friend was also a manager at a dive bar down the street. Somehow that offended her, as I turned to greet 2 guys that I had asked to meet me there for my birthday, the rolly-polly bouncer, grabs my drink and said I need to leave. I look at the bartender and she has this smile on her face now. I asked for my money back as I am outside, which he declined but I was able to reverse it via my credit card company. My friends and I walked over to Gilly's where we had a blast. Live Wire is trash but if that's what you are into, go for it. Gilly's has always been a fave. Protip: I don't like writing shitty reviews, especially during covid but people be acting up and need to be checked. read more

I'm just so sad to post a 3* review of Live Wire. Full disclaimer: I still appreciate this bar for what it is, but I don't think it's my kind of bar anymore. I haven't been to Live Wire in like 10 or 15 years, as I moved out of San Diego and just returned last year. It's rad that it's still here, and I always drive by and appreciate their sign out front. It's classic San Diego. But when I went in last weekend, it was super crowded and the bar was understaffed. I had to wait so long for a drink, I decided to just skip ordering a drink at all and just catch up with my friend. The jukebox was almost exclusively playing old Rocket from the Crypt, which I will never ever complain about. That is rad, but it was pretty loud. There's a ton of people in there, all trying to talk to each other, so they're yelling to be heard over the music. There's a balance in there, and I know it's a rock and roll bar, but don't make your patrons shout. Damn I sound old. But for reals. I guess I should go again on a non-Saturday and maybe I'll be more into it. I don't usually go to bars on Saturdays, I'm usually working. read more

I'm a regular mostly because of its close proximity (read: stumbling distance) to my boyfriend's apartment. We usually come here toward the end of the evening for a couple of cocktails before calling it a night. I have a difficult time deciding what to say about this bar. It's like a neighborhood dive bar with a dark/edgy/hipster side to it. Lots of bearded men and handle bar mustaches, lots of tattoos, lots of Chuck Taylors and leather jackets. The jukebox leans toward the punk/alternative/metal side (no top 40!) so there is typically a pretty good soundtrack for the evening, and there is usually a cult film playing on the television. They have a nice selection of beers on tap, although at $6.00 each, they're just slightly pricier than other neighborhood dive bars. They also have PBR and Tecate in the big cans for those looking for an el-cheapo option (or looking to appear extra hipster-y). The cocktails are also strong and the bartenders can make some brilliant shots. (Bearded Matt makes a shot called "pepper popper" that is da' bomb!) The staff are all super friendly - but being a regular I can't speak for the masses on this point. My only complaint really would be the seating situation (huge oversized stools in disrepair, stationary and set too far apart with seat backs that are constantly getting bumped/jostled by ppl walking by) and the lack of places to sit or stand on a crowded evening. They pack this place really full. read more

Live Wire - All creatures get thirsty!!! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The bartenders suck here . They take forever to serve you unless you're a regular . Been coming here for while now . I guess is a little better than Gillys The good reviews are from their regulars . read more

This is a great neighborhood bar with a great selection of whiskeys and find. The G&T that I got was awesome and my friend loved her whisky mule. If you are in the neighborhood, you should definitely give this place a try. They will not disappoint. read more

My friend wanted to go here, insisting it was the Best Bar Ever, but we didn't stay long. They have a juke box with a good selection, but it's turned up so loud you have to shout. The pool queue was messed up and there were some folks hogging the table. read more

Been coming for years off and on, then I lived across the street for a year and a half. Came here a lot during that year and a half. The bartenders are friendly, and on point when you are a friendly customer. Don't come in here and act like you're better than the staff and customers and you'll have a good time. Great beer selection and strong/cheap drinks. Thad, Christina, Freddy, Matt S, Melissa, and Anthony are all very good at their jobs. I have since moved to Golden Hill and carve out at least a night a week to come have a beer here. Also, it is punk rock, as it should be read more

Wow, this place is still cool. Started frequenting again after not having been in a while. I like coming in here with my food from Mama's next door, listen to metal, and drink a Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge. It's usually on tap here which is lovely. It's one of those great dark bars that you can sit and people watch from a dark corner. And this is a good place to people watch. All creepiness aside I just like to chill in a dark place after work. You can do that here until about 7-8pm (ahem..happy hour ends) and then it's busy and loud with the night owls. They used to have The Twilight Zone, or something equally interesting, on one of the TV's all the time, but the last few times they were all sports...Yawn. As I mentioned before though, the people watching here is good, which means the people are interesting. Some of the best bar conversations I have ever had have been here. Good times, good beer, good music, good bartenders, tiny bathrooms, one pool table, shitty parking. read more

One of the better dive bar's in SD. Bartender is fairly quick at providing you with your libations. Super chill atmosphere and its very dog friendly. Not that I have a dog or care for dogs roaming all throughout the bar... i'm just saying, in case you have a dog, its very dog friendly. They have one pool table that is rarely played and a vid game to shoot up some deers like all the other bars out there. Also a pinball machine. The bathrooms used to be pure junk but they done fixed that up. I recommend the Tall drinks for $8 and they sure pour them niiiiiiiiiiiiice!!!! Someone lost a bet ;) so she had to take a shot of whatev. So she wanted a smooth shot, I asked for Patron but they didn't have that. I asked what they got... they had a $6, $7, $8 & $9 tequila shot. I requested the $9 but dude said that's more for "sipping". Funny cuz that's what she did anyway but dude said the $8 is best. And damn!!!!! It was some goooooooooood tequila. I can def see myself ordering it on the rocks and just sipping on the $9 one. This is a gr8 place to kick off a night or end a night. I also hear a pizza place is right next door. ;) read more

Live Wire - Dudes vrsn - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California