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    Live Wire

    3.9 (395 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

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    Business Info

    LIVE WIRE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Divey
    Loud
    Happy hour specials

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    Reviews With Photos

    Arielle H.

    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!

    people playing pool in a bar
    Martha W.

    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.

    High end spirits in this bar such as... Forteleza, Weller (Green, Blue and Black), Eagle Rare and Taylor.
    Snowflake J.

    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.

    Dog trying to hide from noise
    Cheryl P.

    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.

    Jaime C.

    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.

    Quality
    Ryan F.

    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.

    Tom Collins - yum
    Venus A.

    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!

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    7 years ago

    Love this place. A perfect night out for me is grabbing some beers at Live Wire and then getting some pizza next door at Luigi's.

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    17 years ago

    I totally think they should play their music louder because I could almost hear my friends talking to me.

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    17 years ago

    OHHHHHH !!!! Yelp has a LOT to say about this place! It's OH MY GOD great!

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    Page 2 of 10

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    Review Highlights - Live Wire

    This is a great place to ride your bike, grab a beer, and listen to some great metal and punk on the juke box.

    Mentioned in 39 reviews

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    Aero Club Bar - Burns Vista

    Aero Club Bar

    4.5(892 reviews)
    2.3 miMiddletown, Mission Hills
    $$

    If you're reading this, it's because you're desperately hunting for a place that lives up to (or…read moreoutlives) what you thought was your old favorite spot. We've done the rounds. Everywhere. And nothing touches this scene. Great drinks. Even better people. The kind of place where you walk in for "just one" and somehow look up three hours later wondering how you got so comfortable, so fast. Whether it's your first stop of the night or your last, you'll spend the entire time grinning like you're exactly where you're supposed to be and nowhere you're supposed to be. Pro tip: mention the name Lee at the door for free popcorn all night. (Okay, fine. The popcorn's already free. But now you've got an excuse to say Lee's name with confidence.) Get yourselves down here and plug into the energy. We're officially hooked. See you at Aero Club.

    Aero club has been a decently good place to visit when you want to drink & have some snacks, up…read moreuntil my last visit this past Friday. I visited with my roommate, my cousin,& his girlfriend. He went to the restroom and us girls went to ours, they're in the same hallway & you have to pass the women's restroom to get to the men's. As I was exiting the girls bathroom he walked directly past me and I trailed behind him, then all of a sudden I hear one of the girl bartenders ask him to leave because she said she saw him exit the women's restroom. She was LOUD & reactive, like she was 100% sure she saw that, she grabbed 2 of the security guards & asked to get him out because she saw him come out of the girls restroom. WHICH WAS A LIE!! It was humiliating & if she would've just ran back the cameras she would see that is absolutely NOT what happened. It was unprofessional, ridiculous,& tasteless. I get you have to be aware in these situations but she was SO WRONG in this particular instance I was appalled. Therefore if the manager or owner would like to run back tapes on January 30th around 12 am, they will see he did not exit the women's bathroom. I really hope there's some type of repercussions for type of accusation.

    Photos
    Aero Club Bar
    Aero Club Bar - After wedding tings

    After wedding tings

    Aero Club Bar - Outdoor bbq area

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    Outdoor bbq area

    The Silver Fox

    The Silver Fox

    3.8(319 reviews)
    6.3 miPacific Beach
    $

    If you're ever sitting at home asking yourself important questions like:…read more "Do I want to spend more money on TouchTunes than actual beer?" "Would I like to open a bar at 6 a.m. beside men who look like they know three different ways to lose a fishing boat?" "Should I buy a cheesesteak at Jersey Mike's and proudly eat it at the counter cuz the Fox can't be trusted with a fryer?" "Do I enjoy low inhibitions, lower beer prices, and conversations with cougars named Tammy who smoke Misty 120's and call everyone 'baby'?" Then the Silver Fox is not just a bar, it's a sanctuary for the gloriously untethered. Like a Robert Frost poem if Frost had chain-smoked cigarettes and played pool until sunrise. When you come to the fork in the road, and to the left lies reclaimed wood, Tulum inspired bars, and rosemary craft cocktails, and to the right lies the cold silence of your apartment. Dare to go straight. Straight into the Silver Fox, for one last five more beers.

    I actually really love this bar and would be a 5, but I HATE Alex. I'm a local and frequent here…read morejust to play a couple games of pool, and every-time he truly makes it the most unenjoyable experiences every time- from him being rude to us personally & telling us disrespectful slurs to be waiting for our beers and hearing him shout similar slurs + racist remarks to young girls behind bar!!! I wish I could say it was just him, but sadly this is NOT a safe space, which is so sad being that we literally live around the corner:( frankly there have even been occasions where strangers have spoken up for us in situations where we were not being left alone, and the staff has refused to do anything and even made remarks back towards us, super disappointing. shout out to Jason(i think) super pleasant experience every time he's working, keeps it cool

    Photos
    The Silver Fox
    The Silver Fox
    The Silver Fox

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    The Loft - View in from the front patio

    The Loft

    4.3(198 reviews)
    1.3 miHillcrest
    $$

    It's really known as a local gay dive bar, and that's exactly what makes it so special - it's…read moreauthentic, unpretentious, and just overflows with good energy. What I truly appreciate is how inclusive it is; when they say "all are welcome," they genuinely mean it. You feel like part of the community the moment you step through the door, no matter who you are. The folks working behind the bar are absolute superstars. They're not just great at mixing up a delicious drink, but they're also super friendly and always up for a bit of banter. It's the kind of place where striking up a conversation with someone new at the bar is effortless. There's a constant buzz of friendly chatter and laughter, making it such a wonderful place to just relax and be yourself. And let's talk about value - they truly know how to pour a proper drink, and their prices are incredibly fair. You definitely get a fantastic drink without feeling like you've splurged. It's just an all-around great spot to unwind, meet some cool people, and enjoy a top-notch beverage in a relaxed, friendly setting. Highly recommend giving The Loft a visit!

    When I visit San Diego, The Loft is at the top of my "must visit" list and is normally one of the…read morefirst places I go after getting settled in. Situated on 5th Avenue in beautiful Hillcrest, The Loft is a small, but mighty place that is near and dear to my heart for a variety of reasons. From the bartenders, to the patrons, and of course the drinks...this spot is an absolute vibe! Everyone is beyond welcoming and fun here. The space is a great combination of indoor/outdoor. The drinks are strong and well priced, which is not a combination you can find many places these days! They don't serve food, but they are fine if you want to bring your own, which many folks do. We have enjoyed a cocktail and UberEats'd something so we didn't have to leave. Overall, while I am not a San Diego local (yet), I consider The Loft my local spot. Love this place!

    Photos
    The Loft - $8 Bloody Mary

    $8 Bloody Mary

    The Loft
    The Loft - Inside

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    Inside

    Old Town Saloon - Cheers

    Old Town Saloon

    3.3(210 reviews)
    3.1 miOld Town
    $

    We love a good dive bar, so while exploring San Diego's Old Town we did what any responsible day…read moredrinkers would do... we Googled "dive bars" & ended up at Old Town Saloon. And honestly? This place was exactly the vibe we were hoping to find. The second we walked in, I loved the vintage feel of the decor. It has that authentic old-school saloon energy that can't be manufactured. A genuine neighborhood watering hole with personality - a little worn in, full of character & packed with stories. One of the best parts of our visit was the bartender, who also happened to be the third-generation owner. He struck that perfect balance of being super friendly & welcoming without being all up in our business. You could tell he genuinely cared about the place & its history. He shared some great stories that made the experience feel personal. We settled in for some drinks & soaked up the atmosphere. The history of San Diego Old Town swirled around us as we enjoyed our time at the Old Town Saloon. Highly recommend.

    This is a great spot to grab a drink when there is a crowd outside. We were waiting for the Whaley…read moreHouse tour and stopped in for a drink. Liz was awesome and even made recommendations for restaurants for us. She was talkative and engaging while also serving everyone quickly. Looks like a great spot for the evening, but we were just starting out the lunch drinkers for the day!

    Photos
    Old Town Saloon - Corona, Midori sour

    Corona, Midori sour

    Old Town Saloon - Dive bar hopping

    Dive bar hopping

    Old Town Saloon - Been a rough week. Time for Tito's !!!

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    Been a rough week. Time for Tito's !!!

    Live Wire - divebars - Updated May 2026

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