Walked across the street from the Cordova Bar to check this spot out, and it did not disappoint…read more Service was great from the start, and the drinks were solid as well. They've got basketball, pool, and a few other games. Reasonably priced too. One game of basketball is only $1! I ended up playing a few rounds of basketball and had a blast. Overall, great energy, fun crowd, and a solid place to hang out. Definitely a good spot to come with friends and just enjoy the vibe.

Spontaneous visit to Sidecar Bar and it ended up being one of the best decisions of the night…read more We just kind of wandered in without much planning, and it immediately had that perfect San Diego bar energy. Their Old Fashioneds are seriously on point. What started as a quick stop turned into us hanging out longer than expected just because the vibe was that good.

Stopped by here after dinner and had a blast. This place is a vibe…read more They had a DJ. There's plenty of seating, both indoors and outdoors. Service was awesome from start to finish, and the drinks were reasonably priced, which is always a plus. They're dog friendly, which is awesome. Overall, it had a great crowd and an easy, laid-back atmosphere. Definitely a fun spot to hang out.

Dope cocktail bar in Morena area. Just dropped in on a routine Saturday night for 1 cocktail and…read moreended up having many lolol They had a DJ in playing which was cool and kept the vibes right for the night (although I think the volume could have been a bit lower as I felt like I had to yell to talk or do the awkward lean in to hear). Bartenders were cool. Nick was our fave though for sure. He made some mean cocktails. Solid liquor selection plus a list of cocktails to choose from. I initially ordered the something and picante (can't remember the full name) and found it to be way too sweet. Then switched to a basic Lalo with soda and lime to cleanse my palette. After tried their version of an espresso martini which was quite good but made with nitro brew and kahlua so a bit on the sweeter side. I ended the night with my fave drink though which was a Hugo spritz and it was perfectly balanced. Definitely will be going back, especially for the love band Sundays. Parking is all street parking.

I loved how cozy this place was. My group of 4 sat at the bar. Super fun to watch the bartender…read morecraft the drinks. Very friendly staff and gave great recommendations. My favorite was definitely the Sloth. The marshmallow was out of this world. Pride is also good. Tastes like a healthy morning juice with a hint of alcohol. Lust was unique. Love how frothy and smooth it is with the egg whites. Also the hint of cheese! Surprisingly delicious. Gluttony was super smoky and loved the presentation.

The self-appointed king of speakeasies is back at it with another one. I stopped by Oculto 477 on a…read moreWednesday evening an hour before close. Located in Old Town San Diego, we had dinner at a restaurant within walking distance from Oculto. I parked for free on the street and made a reservation day of. It's a pretty small speakeasy so if you're going on a weekend, you're probably going to have to make a reservation in advance. Ambiance (4.5/5): Oculto has the seven deadly sins theme going which is pretty cool. I've been to a similar speakeasy in St. Pete, Florida. Once you arrive at the mezcal bar that houses Oculto, check in with the host, and he will bring you to a "confessional." There, you must confess one of the seven deadly sins before the door to the speakeasy is opened for you. Naturally, I went with "lust." Once you get inside, it's a charming speakeasy. Service (2.5/5): This is one of the areas that leaves a little to be desired. There was only one bartender working when I was there. Since speakeasies have elevated cocktails, service was quite slow. They definitely needed two bartenders there to speed up the process. They also have a two-drink minimum which I was annoyed about on principle. I often have multiple drinks at a bar, but I never feel like I'm forced to do it. Food (N/A): I'm not sure if they have food, I don't believe they do. Regardless, I was on a liquid diet. Drinks (4/5): Pretty interesting menu of craft cocktails. When I'm at a speakeasy, I look for unique drinks that have an interesting combination of ingredients and flavor profiles. In addition to a nice list, they also have a dealer's choice cocktail where you can tell the bartender what you're into and they will craft a custom cocktail for you based on your taste. Another cool thing about Oculto is that it's located next to the cemetery in Old Town. That adds to the spooky theme.

Food was good! Miki was a great server, we had a great time! We were there for a bachelorette…read moredinner and there was a lot of heaters available during colder weather

Hand made tortillas and hand made green house sauce, absolutely amazing. I wanted to drink it…read more Had the pato tacos and cleaned house, the owner Gustavo is very personable and he even helped us set up an anniversary surprise for my cousin. The food is quality, the vibe is immaculate and the staff are super caring.

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!

This is a great space! Love meeting friends here - locals and tourists are always pleasantly…read moresurprised by this literal 'hidden' gem tucked in the middle of an industrial area (parking may take a bit to find). The main food available is from Pizza Cassette, which has delicious sandwiches and wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza pies. Drinks are available from a brewery, a trendy and unique wine spot, and a meadery! Truly something for everyone. It's dog friendly and great for groups to still feel intimate with standing areas, barrel table tops and picnic style tables. There's usually always something happening like trivia night or live music, but heads up, they don't stay open too late - won't be an issue for most, but in case you're looking for a spot at 8pm, double check the hours, especially for food.

The Gartën is one of my favorite "third place" with tasty pizza, mead, wine, and beer options…read more The Gartën contains 4 businesses: Lost Cause Meadery- world wide award winning mead from traditional to more experimental Oddish Winery-- by the same minds of Lost Cause, fun funky wines Deft Brewery-- from European style beers to classic Cali IPAs deft will have something for everyone, beer wise Pizza Cassette- one of my favorite spots for pizza, with amazing gluten free crust as well as vegan cheese so definitely something for everyone. Weekly specials for their pizza too so stop by often. I love the staff at all of the establishments, I can tell they enjoy working here and believe in their products. My only "complaint" has nothing to do with the businesses but rather the parents who can't control their kids. Please please please keep an eye on your kids. It's not the job of the people working here to keep your kids safe. Please rein them in so they aren't trying to go into the "behind the scenes" area with all the equipment and machines are. At the end of the day this is a place as alcohol-centric, so it also makes me wonder why on earth you're bringing your kids here to begin with but c'est la vie.... If they're going to be here, keep them safe and in check.

We met up with a friend out here. This place has been on my list for quite some time so I was glad…read morewhen she recommended it. As soon as you walk in, you are captured by the beautiful parade of cherry blossoms and flowers. It definitely felt like spring when you're in there. Everywhere you look it's a beautiful scene. The bar is beautifully set up where you look through a waterfall. There's open air seating, surrounded by towering buildings. It is multilevel, so it is neat to see the layers of the space. Our server was very welcoming and pleasant. He was on it. He checked on us often. Our drinks tasted great. Perfect balance of a cocktail. I really enjoyed my lychee Martini. We ordered a charcuterie board with meat and cheese, and it was a perfect amount for three of us to enjoy with our drinks. I would recommend coming to this spot to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather in a beautiful space.

The restaurant is beautiful with an amazing ambiance and many great photo opportunities. I found…read morethe drinks to be fun and tasty, and the food was delicious. However, I did find the bathroom setup quite unusual; the coed design lacks privacy as the interior is visible from the outside. Additionally, the parking situation was very frustrating. It took me 25 minutes to find a spot, and I eventually had to park quite far away to ensure I wasn't late for my reservation. Moving forward, I would recommend that guests use a rideshare service instead of driving.

Great staff, cheerful and helpful with suggestions if you just aren't sure in what to get. The wine…read moreis good, the red is not your typical dark red it is very light and almost reminds me more of a rose color. Different but tasty and refreshing. Their sangria is really good I think I of my favorites. Location is great, fun to grab a glass and enjoy some live music!

Audish wine is the coolest winery in all of San Diego because they are biodynamic wines with…read moreminimal intervention that are all organic and all grown here! Other San Diego wine clubs focus on things like Spanish and French wines, fancy bubbly wines, Santa Barbara or Santa Rita.... This is truly San Diego. Oddish also has some of the craziest wines I've ever seen. For example, they had one called the hybrid that mixed wine, Mead, and cider. If you're looking to have fun and try a wine that is not full of itself but instead full of character, this is what you want. Also, I have a lot of friends who say that drinking wine makes them feel sick and that they never feel sick when they drink Oddish wines. Must be the way that they produce it and just how natural it really is. It's inside of a space called The Garten which is also such a must-see spot. They have Mead, beer, and a pizza truck? Pizza, outdoor oven type thing haha. And a stage that sometimes has live music. You order your drinks, sit on picnic tables with others, and enjoy the beautiful San Diego Sunshine

They were the cocktail vendors at my niece's wedding! They don't have many options for mocktails,…read morebut they were quick at making drinks!

Came for happy hour and saw they had a good seasonal menu, but ordered the espresso martini. Really…read moregood (dairy free) espresso martini! Good blend of flavors not too sweet or tasting too much of the spirit . I've had other espresso martini's that were too sweet and that is not not for me. With this one you can appreciate the coffee and the liquor (not too much so this can be a dangerous drink). Only had time for one cocktail, but next time I'm coming prepared for at least two lol. Bartender was great and answered all my questions. Loved that he took his time to make the drink taste and look good.

I am honestly surprised I have not written a review for this place yet, I found this place in 2021…read more I bring visitors here all the time, and it has become my ultimate comfort food spot. I tend to keep it simple and order the same items every time. My go to is the crispy Brussels for $14 and the chicken sandwich for $16, and I usually rotate in the parmesan fries for $10. While they do offer other dishes that are worth trying, these favorites always keep me coming back. The service and ambiance are consistently great. It is located in Hillcrest, so the area is always lively, which adds to the overall experience. The energy, combined with the quality of the food, makes it a reliable choice whether I am dining with friends or hosting out of town guests. Parking can be a bit challenging, but that is typical for Hillcrest. I usually plan ahead and look for street parking nearby.

3 stars for the food, 5 stars for the drinks, so I gave em 4 stars. Got the brussels sprouts and…read moreartichoke hearts and they were doused in far too much sauce and insanely salty. I love the vegetables for what they are and want sauce and seasoning to enhance them, not be the star of the show. Got the hot honey chick and pork belly bao buns which were pretty good, nice and fluffy. Drinks wise, I got the blueberry bramble as well as the berries & cream (both vodka drinks). they were fantastic, so refreshing. Old fashioned was also top notch! server was wonderful and kind. the ambiance is amazing and is a great spot for a date or cozy evening with friends.