Norm's Cocktails

Locally owned & operated

Family-owned & operated

My friends and I are making this spot our neighbors waterhole.... Even when Steven is coming all…read morethe way from North Park.... "Worth the drive." Mostly because we had the absolute best waiter: Damian. Thank you hun for reminding us birthday months are a thing, the best things.

My friends and I stopped by The Hills Pub for breakfast, and we definitely left happy!…read more We ordered the all-you-can-eat waffles, and let me just say--they are very much worth it! If you're a waffle lover, this is definitely something you'll want to try. I ordered the Breakfast Burger, and it was delicious! The flavor was on point and definitely worth trying. It also comes with fries, which were a great addition to the meal. And if you're a ranch lover, this is your spot! They do not disappoint when it comes to ranch. Overall, we had a great breakfast, and the food was flavorful and satisfying. Definitely a place I'd come back to!

Remodeled back yard

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Hoops

Sportsman Pub

4.3(23 reviews)

1.8 mi

I went there on a random Tuesday night and it looks like they were playing bingo. All you have to…read moreis buy a drink, which was why I was there in the first place, and if you get a bingo you get to spin a prize wheel! It was really fun and everyone seemed super nice. The bartender was amazing and attentive. They had flyers for bingo which look to be every Tuesday night at 8pm

Great dive bar in lemon grove. 2 pool tables a dart board,…read morebeer pong some nights. Friendly bartenders 20 beers on Tap Great Vibes!

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Always a great place to meet somebody.

Del's Hideout

4.3(1.3k reviews)

2.8 mi

Wow, how have we never heard of this place before?! Literally a "hole in the wall" establishment…read morethat we found by chance after a medical appointment down the street in Mission Gorge. We got the 2 Meat Combo and when my husband told the server he didn't care for chicken breast, she offered to swap it out for a hot link. For our sides, we got baked mac n cheese (an extra $3), coleslaw, and baked beans. Everything was delicious! Seasoning was perfect, not salty at all yet flavorful. The brisket and pulled pork were soo tender and that hot link was really good. The sides were also seasoned to perfection. The baked beans had bits of ground beef in it! We came at happy hour which ended at 4. I got the cranberry cocktail and it was refreshing!

i'd give it 5 stars bc the good was fire, i had the pulled…read morepork with sides of beans, potato salad and texas toast it was 10/10, our server was super friendly as well as we sat at the bar. the only thing that made want to leave was the general manager Sabrina, she was yelling super loudly and being very obnoxious to the staff and some costumers she was "greeting" she really made the ambiance awkward as we could see the staff was being treated poorly in front of all the costumers. the tension in the air was so bad. i really wish that wasn't the case bc i really loved the food but id hesitate to come back.

Main dining area

Bar

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The best mac & cheese

The Hearth House

4.6(219 reviews)

1.3 mi

You gotta be high if you think Patrick isn't the best in town. Memory is sharp as it gets,…read morehospitality and service from him is second to none! This MF'r oughta be mayor of la mesa too! He is the reason I go there and it's gonna be a sad day when he leaves! Truly, The Goat and I mean that , Patrick!

Came through with the hubby after a looong work week. Also for a little celebratory drink since we…read moreFINALLY found the elusive Hello Kitty Godzilla. Lol.... Hearth House is one of our favorite spots. We don't mind driving from National City to visit them. Great drinks, great service & amazing food vendors throughout the week. The vibes here are AMAZING. We always leave happier than we came.

Bartender on her phone

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Dirty Birds

3.6(891 reviews)

1.3 mi•Rolando

Thought the wings were great - particularly on a Tuesday evening when they have a Happy Hour for…read moreHalf Off Wings. Food: 4/5 We tried the Lemon Pepper Dry, General Birds and Flaming Honey Mustard. I've always been a big Lemon Pepper dry fan, but it doesn't hit the same here (probably my least fav of the 3), because it wasn't as flavorful/tart as ones I've had in the past. General Bird's is their version of General Tsou's Chicken which is savory, but my favorate was the Flaming Honey Mustard. I'm a sucker for honey mustard anyways, and the kick was good. None of the 3 were that spicy. Service: 4/5 They weren't that busy on a Tues evening, and service was relatively prompt. The wings do take about 10-15 minutes, and drinks came quickly, but it did take a few minutes to get our order (probably cuz a sudden influx of people). Will def go back as we explore the different Dirty Birds, but this so far has one of the larger locations and great for Sports Viewing!

It's a nice sports bar. Their menu revolves around mostly chicken…read more It was a fun lunch stop for me, we had mimosas, but be advised the juice they serve a bottle of champagne with us about 10oz. Definitely the spot to go if you want to get hammered early. I ha

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Flaming Honey Mustard

Mastiff Kitchen - La Mesa

4.5(322 reviews)

1.6 mi•Cajon Heights

Private parking lot, 2 gender-neutral restrooms and space available for large groups…read more We drove down to La Mesa just to check out this place and it was worth it. We ordered the 'That's My Boy' and 'Meet Meat' pizza plus their fries. Their deep dishes were light and crispy. I loved the sweet sauce, jalapeño and ricotta cheese combo on That's My Boy pizza. The Mastiff Fries had a wonderful crispy texture. They are like thinly sliced potato wedges. (Our order is without cilantro which normally comes with it) The staff was super friendly and the restaurant was clean. They did have two tv screens playing the sports channel and had a variety of draft beer options.

Found my way here for a burger. I had heard of it but never had been. So my expectations were…read moresomewhat up. Since I am gluten free I got my burger lettuce wrapped. I had never had a smash burger before so again my expectations were a little more than the average person. They did not disappoint the flavors were so delicious. I especially enjoyed the garlic aioli more than I thought I would (it is more like a mayo for this burger). The burger came with a a handful of pickled peppers and mini pickles on side. They were good but felt a little out of place for my taste. This place is definitely more of a bar feel than I expected and smaller than I thought it would be, and the seating was tight with most all the tables being bar height. The last thing to keep in mind the parking lot is small but there is street parking, but is leads to residential area so it can be limited to. Overall the burger had good flavor and I will be back to try more on the menu. If you are looking for a beer with your burger there was a lot of choices. Also, if you are into sports, there are several televisions on with a few different events playing.

Double Smash Burger

Left is 'That's My Boy' and right is 'Meet Meat'

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Mastiff Fries

Hooleys Public House

3.8(702 reviews)

1.7 mi

Flew in to town for brief business stop and friend recommended meeting here. Excellent choice to…read moreenjoy pub style food and drink while catching up. Good for groups big or small. Service was in point and food was quickly prepared. Staff is attentive to ensure a good dining experience!

We came after we saw a post for their Irish New Years toast! I have to say this will now be a…read moreyearly thing!! So much fun!! Absolutely love the vibe! Our server was Allie, and she couldn't have been better!! We hadn't the Guinness, bratwurst, and the large pub pretzel which is our usual go to anyways. But wanted to try the bratwurst this time. It was so good! There's cabbage... really a must try even if you were as a side. We will be back before next new years, but wanted to highlight the New Year's Irish toast, because in looking for places to hang out and go to to celebrate before the actual midnight time is hard to find. Love it!!

THE BEAUTIFUL BODD LOOKING MAGICAL

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My New Friend Kenny. He's A Cold, Dark Little Guy

Deano’s Pub

4.3(68 reviews)

0.7 mi

First time visiting, looking to try something new. Something more than just drinks. I give this a 5…read morestar review and I will tell you why. 1. They have a calendar of events, like open mic, karaoke, country social, trivia night, live music and more fun stuff. They also had two pool tables and TVs for watching sports. 2. The drinks are pretty well priced. While they do not offer food, they do welcome outside food. Which is cool if you have a specific craving that wouldn't normally be at a bar/pub. 3. Tonight was live music and the band had a really chill vibe and had good musicians. (Lunar conspiracy ) 4. It's not a huge place but it had plenty of seating, a dance floor and outdoor seating. 5. Last but not least they have friendly service. I wasn't in the mood for alcohol, and they were accommodating. I plan to go back and check out some of the other events. Tonight was not a packed night, but I'll have to compare it to other event nights in the future. If you are in the area you might already know about them but if you don't, I say give it a shot.

I had a lot of fun hanging out at this bar. There was a 80s cover band playing that was pretty…read moregood..The customers were friendly and I felt very comfortable. My only complaint was the drinks were not good. That was kind of disappointing ,so we didn't stay very long, but the atmosphere is really great..

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The Regal Bar

3.9(143 reviews)

1.1 mi

Came out with the hubby to visit one of our favorite bartenders Angel. She just recently started…read moreworking here. First time at this bar. Very cool vibes & music. Drinks were amazing as always.... We can't wait to visit again!!

We went as our Bartender Angel from another bar was there it was her first day and we wanted to…read moresupport . Love the vibe of the place excellent service and the decor was awesome . They have a Hot dog vendor also on Fridays the have a farmers market so a plethora of options.

Outside

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Pete's Place

4.0(196 reviews)

1.1 mi

I cool dive bar with pool tables. Our bartenders were pretty cool and also gave us recommendations…read moreof good places to go eat at and also have delicious cocktails. I definitely am going to come back to this bar because it just felt like Home.

The security guard with the beard was extremely rude and acted more like a barback than security…read more We've been coming here for years... and last Friday a group of people took a table we were using, even though two of our friends were already sitting there and told them the table was taken. We were a group of about 7-8 people total. When we came back after grabbing drinks, we saw that the other group had completely taken over the table. They said they didn't care that we were regulars and called the security guard over. We explained the situation, and his response directly to us was: "I don't care, you can shut up, close your tab, and leave." We had already spent plenty of money there and were not asking for special treatment, but the lack of professionalism was awful. I've worked in customer service for almost a decade and have never spoken to a customer that way. This is exactly how a good place can lose loyal customers because of incompetent staff.

A couple pool tables

Bar

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Outside smoking patio

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5 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Ross M.

8 years ago

Norms is a dive bar, nestled between Seedy motels that offer transvestite hookers. The bar tender at night, a man with a huge beard is strange and aggressive. We had a group of 12 guys showed up and we took up the tables, he over road the jukebox music to play the most offensive music possible which drove out the rest of his customers. He ignored our group serving others that were not waiting, and walking to the other end of the bar and talking to customers instead of taking orders and pouring drinks. He did pour good drinks when he was bothered enough to take our orders. He was aggressive and stared the entire night in a attempt to make us feel uncomfortable. read more

Keith S.

162

12 years ago

Show up with a couple girls. Literally nine dudes. They won't take out card without a ten dollar charge. Order a shot. Bartender says he doesn't want to pour me a shot. I tell the woman to shave his beard. He throws the beers we have. Get our card back. Bar decides they want to fight me. I'm crow hopping down the street against probably 7 dudes. After I decide I can take the first two, they pansy out and go back to their hell hole. Place is filthy and full of washed up loser old men. Hope it shuts down. read more

John G.

103

150

16 years ago

Great neighborhood dive bar. Great staff, strong drinks, and great prices. Breakfast early Saturday mornings. Great, pint-sized bloody-mary's. Lots of friendly regulars make this a great place to spend a couple hours and not break the bank. Kudos to the new bartender - Stacy - great improvement. read more

Vicky H.

4 years ago

Jennifer "manager" has horrible managing skills! She's rude and unprofessional. I will never go there again

Bryan M.

2 years ago

Great place to go to relax and have a beer. Awesome atmosphere, with amazing staff. Highly recommend

Norm's Cocktails - sportsbars - Updated October 2026

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The old Good Guys tavern was sold and morphed into this new place. Let's just say I miss Good Guys…read moregreatly. When they first opened under the new name, the place had super bright lighting. Really it was weird, like medical operating room brightness...They ended up shading the lights and painted the walls dark?? Better, appropriate ambience. It's a lot more modern and cleaner than ever though. Well, so they call it a taphouse now. Which means they are a craft beer bar. With less than average beer selection on tap for a taphouse in my opinion. They do have a large can selection that pushes them up a star. Many one-off beers and smoothie styles which can be difficult to obtain. There's only one person working the bar, which has always been a friendly female. Which is appropriate for the 90% male clientele. You gotta figure this works everywhere. Take it from someone who knows, as I worked as a bartender and barback for many years. Serving beer is one thing, but it's tough getting a male bartending job in general. The selection could be better. However, the problem I have with this place is the exorbitant prices of the draft beers. This is considering the area, which is on Broadway in Lemon Grove. I mean we are talking 9 and 10$ beers here. For example, Frank the Dank- a double IPA is 10$ here. And I know where I can get these for $5 a pint... and I'm not telling where either! Actually if you do really read my reviews, this information will be eventually leaked out if it already hasn't been.. But yeah I'm sorry, but this why you are empty 80% of the time. Who can afford this in this permanently depressed area/neighborhood? The working men of course, who aren't ready to go home and deal with that nagging significant other..

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Alright Dirk's…read more. Just like a handful of the other reviews on here, I was initially reluctant to check this place out. Let me tell you something tho, this place is bitch'n! Super solid on the dive bar vibe which is exactly what I'm lookin for. Pool tables with actual good players, same with Darts. Great music and cool people, most of them are regulars. This is my sixth visit and I already get welcomed back by the bartender and a couple of the local folk. It's also fun doing a little bit of people watching, the place makes me feel like I might actually be normal! But comfortable too. There is this one guy who's been in here every time I've belly'd up, he's always telling people he has 13 kids but has only met 5 of them. So that's kinda weird. But there's a good mix of young, old, diverse human beings just chilln out for some drinks at Dirk's. Dirk the owner is always in and out getting stuff set up and going for the place. You can tell he digs his bar. And likewise! Not sure why everyone is saying the drinks are cheap, I mean they're average with any other spot. Not a big enough deal to remove a star tho. The bartenders are cool as well, Crystal is a total sweetheart and very attentive. Davinda is nice also, a bit abrasive but she's cool and won't keep you waiting. The dude at night is great as well and he'll take care of you. Lastly, this place is well kept and I'll be coming back for a while. Good vibes and good tunes are always playing on the jukebox. The place is solid.

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I recently went in to Grover's to have a: drink and relax. When I walked in there was a foul stench…read moresmell. I try to not pay attention but the bar just smelled unsanitary. I ordered my drink to have my drink handed to me warm. When I brought it the attention of the bartender she had a bit of an attitude and was a bit rude. I didn't let it get to me. I got up to use the restroom only to walk into a restroom that was dirty that I decided not to use it. I asked the bartender for Karla or Sandi when I walk in they make me fell welcomed and are so polite and respectful. The bartender did not look happy that I was requesting the ladies. So due to her lack of respect I will let you know I am a very big Social Media Influencer and be informing my followers to not go in unless Karla or Sandi are there. My followers are my everything and I know that they will be taken good care of if Karla or Sandi are working.

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