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Nova SD

3.0 (208 reviews)
Closed 10:00 pm - 3:00 am (Next day)
Updated 2 months ago

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They brought the marquee
Michelle R.

NOVA SD We've come here for years but our favorites times are getting booths. It's nice to not feel crowded and actually have room to dance. They have multiple levels. And the top floor is the rooftop where it's a different DJ with a different vibe so if you want fresh air, go to the rooftop. Pro tip: always get with a VIP host to find which dates and prices, if you're looking to splurge on a booth. And make sure you get the booth you request. Even on the cheapest of nights when we spend a date night here, it's always over $1500. We spent my birthday here and it was well over $2k so even though they say the booth price and drinks, you end up spending a lot more. The VIP servers were so accommodating! When we first checked into the booth, I ran back to the entrance to get my other friend and they brought the Marquee with my name and sparklers. Haha awkward without the birthday girl (me) in the booth so after talking to them, they came back later. I would suggest that the servers make sure to tell the guests "stay in the booth since we'll be back with your marquee" since I'm sure I'm not the only one. Also, we usually always have someone in our booth at all times while there's drinks there but we noticed the booth next to us was a group of guys and when they left the booth, someone in the crowd stole their bottles. It was pretty messed up so if you get a booth, watch your drinks. Overall, this is a fun place to go with the best DJs! And you wouldn't know it but I'm completely sober in these photos. The hostess were all really sweet and made sure we had other juices for me to have. It took everyone by surprise that I'd spend my birthday at a club and not drink but we all had a blast and I'd go back any day of the week!

San Holo
Laura B.

Really Loved This Venue! It Didn't Feel Over Crowded And Did Not Get To Hot. Bathrooms Were Pretty Clean. Hoping To Go Again!

Outdoor rooftop area
Leslie B.

My husband and I went to Nova to see Deadmau5, one of our favorite old school DJs, perform on NYE. Though I had never been to Nova, I had spent many weekend nights back at this venue when it had been the old beloved Stingaree or the more recent Omnia. We arrived around 10 PM, following a dinner nearby. There was no line to get in. I was a bit surprised to find that not only was my bag searched and I was wanded by a metal detector, but was also patted down. The bouncers confiscated my husband's eye drops (he has issues with his contacts), saying the the eyedrops could be drugs. I know it's good to be safe, but these exaggerated antics make me wonder what is wrong with this place. When we walked in, the show hadn't really started yet. The dance floor was empty at that time. We decided to head to the rooftop to get some air and a drink, sit down and relax. The best things about the club were that the rooftop had a lot of seating, as no one had purchased the tables up there, the bar service was fast, and the restrooms were clean with polite attendants. When it was after 11 PM, we headed down to check out the show. The floor was full... and I mean so full you couldn't get onto the floor. If you were there, you couldn't move to dance, nor move on or off the floor to get drinks. We stood back by the wall, in one of the only areas where you could actually see the performance without security telling us we couldn't stand there. Since the floor is completely surrounded by bottle service tables, the rest of the crowd has nowhere to stand other than to fill the walkways. This did not make for a fun night of dancing at all. Another huge disappointment is that the club did absolutely nothing at midnight. I mean, this was NYE! There was no balloon drop, no streamers, no fire, no nothing. It was just basically a crowded club night as usual. We got tired of standing in our corner, so we retired back to the rooftop to watch the performance from the screen and listen to the music piped through speakers. It was kind of a bummer that the only comfortable way to listen to the music was to remove ourselves from the stage area. Late in the night, closer to 1 AM, we went back inside to the balcony where we could mostly see the show and actually dance a bit, but that was after many other patrons had already left. The website states that there is a dress code, but many people wore sneakers and some were in sweats, or even pajamas. It is nice to have a place that hosts some great EDM artists, but it defeats the purpose if there is no space to dance, or breath, or a way to get to and from the bar. I will definitely continue to look to other venues to see my favorite artists.

AMF
Ashley P.

Everything was good! The vibes! The drinks! The AMF will get you haha but it was really good. We went to see Sabai and he was such a good performer.

Upstairs patio
Mimi M.

My group & I came to Nova SD for Sullivan King and overall, everything was absolutely perfect. The drinks were pretty good and the interior was great. It was much bigger than expected. The bouncers were kind as well as the bartenders inside. They even had a little patio upstairs if you needed a smoke break or a breather from all the loud music. I'm not very big on clubbing but I would most definitely come back to Nova after that wonderful experience.

Rooftop
Amanda J.

I love this club! Great DJs and a good venue. They have the main floor downstairs where the DJs perform. They have a second floor with a good view down to the stage and then they also have a rooftop where they play music and you can hang out. I like going to the rooftop for fresh air when it gets too hot and packed inside the club. Every level has a bar. I don't think they have food.

we finally made it to the very back middle at 1:30 am when a few people left
Janessa H.

Sorry Insomniac but do better. I'll start with the good: -paramedics on site walking around -decent bathroom lines / # of stalls -short bar lines (usually no wait) -bar staff was friendly could be better: if the only areas people who do not have a table can stand at is the center of the floor and the top floor center than stop overselling the show, it's ridiculous you have absolutely zero view upstairs in the center and SO MANY people stand there it's crazy. We luckily found a spot in the back by the stair entrance at the bottom and the garbage can that we could stand at and security didn't boot us away. Thank you! They were actually pretty chill about it because we weren't being drunk messes just trying to vibe without being trampled on. A bottle of water was $7.50 before tax. The ghost energy drink was $8.50 for an 8oz but tastes pretty good! Those are vegas prices tho! Big issue here is they over sell the venue so it is not comfortable at all. The only reason I went is because Kaskade was playing, anyone else it's a hard no.

Adios
Aaron R.

The place is pretty big. It's 2 floors so it wasn't too crowded on the second floor. The drinks were pretty good not too strong and not too weak.

Club nova my bridal shower

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2 years ago

Best club atmosphere w the best DJ's, top edm artist. Had the best experience of a lifetime this past weekend @ Matroda's set!

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2 years ago

Bartender refused to give me water when I asked for some, which in pretty sure is illegal. I will never spend any money here again.

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4 years ago

World class venue! The staff is so professional and are always willing to help. Such a blast!

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Nova SD Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Nova SD

Is there a coat check?

Yes there is a coat check next to the entrance!

Am I allowed to wear revealing rave attire to see yellow claw? Like super short cheeky shorts and fishnets?

Is some of these folks could come in there with slippers then yes LOL

I lost an item at NOVA this past weekend... How quick is response time on these issues? When is the venue available for lost item pickup?

Hi Melissa, you can email us at info@novasd.com. We're back in the office from Tue-Fri of next week from 10am - 6pm.

Is there a coat check in the winter?

Hi Melissa! We do offer a coat check. It's just $5 and located in our Box Office, near our front… Read more

Going to nova for the first time what's up with parking would anyone recommend any free parkings I'm willing to pay but what would be my best option?

There isn't really any free parking in that area. I'd recommend parking in one of the $10 flat fee garages and walking a few blocks.

Is this place 18 + on saturday?

No it's 21+ for every event

Can we wear Dj's jerseys?

Yess!! I see people do it all the time 😍

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Review Highlights - Nova SD

We worked with Paz and he went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing night for our friends bachelorette party!

Mentioned in 5 reviews

Read more highlights

Side Bar

Side Bar

4.4(201 reviews)
0.1 miGaslamp
Luxury
Private events

This place is awesome and one of my go-to spots downtown. It's always crowded, which says a lot…read more There's a front area with the main bar and tables where you can hang out, then a back area with a DJ and tables you can reserve for the night. The music is always great. Shoutout to Jason behind the bar. He's consistently friendly and makes the night even better. Honestly, the whole staff does a great job. If you're going with a group, I'd recommend getting a table since it can get really busy. On weekends they have a cover, and it's cash only. There's an ATM inside. Also, pay attention to the dress code. No baseball hats, and they do enforce it. Overall, it's a solid spot for a night out.

Overall a nice nightclub and bar to hang out in downtown San Diego. It's right across the street…read morefrom the ACE parking lot called "Park It On Market" so easy parking. Parking is $10 after 6pm until 3am. The ambiance is modern and sexy. The front part of the venue is a bar with several tables and love seats spread throughout. There's also a small outdoor area with a few tables and bar stools if you need some fresh air. Behind the bar is the actual night club area with the DJ booth, several VIP tables, and a smaller bar. There isn't a dedicated dance floor so people are just dancing wherever there's space. You can get on the guest list through their website for free bar/club entry before 10pm. After 10pm, there is a cover fee of $20 per person. It was quiet around 930pm when we arrived but it got pretty busy by 1030pm and crowded by 1130pm. Note: the back night club area opens at 11pm. If you come before then, only the front bar area is open. They apparently serve food as well but we didn't try it this time. I felt service was great from the bartenders to security to the servers. The DJ was playing awesome hip hop music which was perfect for the vibe. They even have a professional photographer who takes your photo. If you like it, it's $20 for your picture in a frame. Two things that can make it even better: - wish there was a bigger dance floor for those without tables to enjoy the music and dance - wish there was more than 2 bathroom stalls in the women's restroom. With hundreds of people inside, the line can get pretty long.

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Side Bar
Side Bar - Wine by the glass in a whimsical lounge setting.

Wine by the glass in a whimsical lounge setting.

Side Bar - Gorgeous tasting 'Hush Money' cocktail in the Side Bar Lounge.

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Gorgeous tasting 'Hush Money' cocktail in the Side Bar Lounge.

U-31 - Cheap drinks that aren't bad!

U-31

3.4(750 reviews)
3.2 miNorth Park
$$

Saloon Sunday at U 31 was an absolute vibe! From the moment I walked in, the good vibes were…read moreflowing--everyone was upbeat, welcoming, and ready to have fun. The music was great, the drinks were on point, and the country dancing made the night even better. Em does a fantastic job teaching the dance lessons--she's clear, patient, and makes it fun for dancers of all levels. One thing I've noticed, though, is that it seems like she only teaches a few dances now. I feel like she used to instruct more in the past, and it would be awesome to see her bring back a wider variety. Her instruction really adds to the night, and a few more dances would make Saloon Sunday even stronger. Honestly, Saloon Sunday should definitely happen more often--maybe even every Sunday. It's the perfect mix of great music, good drinks, friendly vibes, and fun dancing. Already looking forward to the next one!

Wow... where do I even start?! Sunday night at U31 Country Saloon was absolutely incredible. U31…read morehas quickly become one of my favorite places to go line dancing, and every time I'm there it just gets better. I seriously wish they had country nights more than twice a month because I'd be there every time. The vibe is always so welcoming -- from the staff to the crowd, everyone is friendly and makes it such a fun, comfortable place to dance. Huge shoutout to Lexie for the amazing decorations -- she did such a beautiful job and really set the tone for the night. I also have to give some love to Country Dancing Em. Her lessons are always a blast, easy to follow, and full of good energy. You can tell she genuinely loves what she does, and it makes the whole experience even better. Already counting down the days until the next event -- I'll definitely be back on the dance floor!

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U-31
U-31
U-31

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Parq Nightclub - Videos that you take from the wall upon entry to choose your welcome drink and admission ticket.  Ig mel_foodie_ventures

Parq Nightclub

3.6(740 reviews)
0.4 miGaslamp, East Village
$$

PARQ NIGHTCLUB @ DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO…read more Parking is available for street for pay or you can also purchase parking in their garage lots. I definitely wished Downtown was good for parking but it's the worse and can get pretty busy. I was invited to the Up & Up Festival Event yesterday for DJ Odd Mobb to perform, located at Parq Nightclub. The event started at 8pm but I did arrive at around 9:45pm, and the line was wrapped around the entire area. We did make it in within 10 minutes. The place was spacious, huge, and I really loved the ambiance. The decor makes it special and unique, there are also rooms downstairs! Overall, the venue itself was spacious and very well designed. The staff were friendly, but definitely were strict! I was able to get two guest passes for my friend and I to go behind the side stage which was nice! Overall, great place and vibes

An absolute rip off. These guys will get you in for a free bottle of cheap champagne, charge you…read more$700 for a bottle of tequila in an empty ass club and then kick you out at 11:30pm WHEN THERES NO ONE ELSE THERE. It was a Friday night! I had bottle service and the security had the audacity to be mad that I called him sis for storing his bottle of water under our table after we had to get our own water, AGAIN WITH BOTTLE SERVICE. LITERALLY EVERY SERVER apologized for how bad this place sucked.

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Parq Nightclub - Welcome drink options for Back to the Video Store pop up.  Ig mel_foodie_ventures

Welcome drink options for Back to the Video Store pop up. Ig mel_foodie_ventures

Parq Nightclub - Next to check in desk.   Ig mel_foodie_ventures

Next to check in desk. Ig mel_foodie_ventures

Parq Nightclub

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Onyx Room

Onyx Room

3.7(694 reviews)
0.3 miGaslamp
$$

Place is great, bartenders are fast workers are cool and Can we please get The doorman and outside…read moreSecurity some Heaters. It's getting cold out and having to work outside with no heater source sucks Let's get them some heaters and keep them warm

Hello, I go to Onyx…read morepretty often, that is my friends and I go-to spot for night outs. It is usually a good time, but last night was so out of line... I (25F) got kicked out by security for pushing one of the security guards. I was walking over to one of the rooms downstairs when I just felt a huge body shove from a man, my I guess natural and protective response was then to shove them back. The I then get grabbed by my arm with force VERY AGGRESSIVELY by a man yelling at me saying I am done, I'm out, etc. I have to hold on to a wall to get myself not to get dragged by this man. My friends come in to help sooth the situation, but no matter what they say the security guard is yelling at them, at me, and continues to pull on me along with other security staff. I did not know that man who had pushed me was security and once I realized it was, I immediately apologized by saying OMG I didn't know you were security, I just thought it was a random guy pushing people! Keep in mind, I am a 4'11'' woman, in heels, a little tipsy, so when I got shoved over (for whatever reason) it made me lose all of my balance and I believe there was absolutely no need for all of that aggression. Anything my friends said or I said did not matter. They wanted me out. Once I was outside this security guard just kept talking down to me and laughing at me. It was the most disrespectful thing I've experienced here. I'm not sure what that security guard was going through that night or even personally, but he can not be grabbing people any way he wants just because he is having a rough night.

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Onyx Room - Upstairs bar

Upstairs bar

Onyx Room - Best night club in San Diego!!  come visit Juan for the best service

Best night club in San Diego!! come visit Juan for the best service

Onyx Room

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Good Night John Boy

Good Night John Boy

4.3(73 reviews)
0.2 miGaslamp

A great time was had last night celebrating my seeester. Happy early birthday Angelica!! We love…read moreyou MUCHO. Hoping you had a memorable night. You truly deserved it. Great first time experience at Good Night John Boy. We ended up getting a VIP section. Started off with a yummy Disco Ball. Then additional bottles started to follow. They have really tasty food too.... Our table ordered a few pizzas, wings & tots. All very yummy. Service & ambiance were top notch!! We're looking forward to our next visit. GREAT MEMORIES!! #CelebratingKicorics #BirthdayWeek #AdultShenanigans #VIP #BottleService

Went here for a night out with some friends and had a great time! We did get bottle service and our…read moreown separate area behind the DJ which probably helped too because it definitely got packed as the night went on. The space is 70s themed and they have two disco balls right in the center of the dance floor. The music was mostly 70s right when we went around 8 but as the night went on they mixed in a lot more genres. So everyone will find something they like. The DJ definitely could have been better though. They rotated through songs really fast so just as we were getting into something it was already changing. Service at the bar was really friendly and prices aren't unreasonable. Cocktails were tasty, albeit a little sweet.

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Good Night John Boy - Inside

Inside

Good Night John Boy - Upper level bar

Upper level bar

Good Night John Boy - Partial view of the dance floor from the upper level

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Partial view of the dance floor from the upper level

Club Train - Some Club Train guests out celebrating a bachelorette party

Club Train

4.6(25 reviews)
0.1 miGaslamp
$

I highly recommend signing up for an evening with Club Train versus just going out and showing up…read moreat a club on your own. No lines, no hassle, no cover fees and a free drink (shot) to start. I also enjoyed the entourage aspect of it with our Club Train leaders Alex and Vince, dressed in dapper bow ties and suits, shepherding us around the Gaslamp district of downtown San Diego. I tried out Club Train last weekend (bought my ticket through Pacific SD Magazine for extra savings). The itinerary included a set schedule for visits to Don Chido, F6ix, Side Bar and FLUXX with an hour at each location and 90 minutes at the last one. The evening was slow to start, as my friend and I found ourselves bored at our first stop, the new bar/restaurant Don Chido, where the group was to meet and depart to the clubs. If we could do it again, we would've shown up later for that first stop because it was not necessary to be there the whole first hour. We were told by our Club Train organizers that there were food and drinks specials at Don Chido. When we got there, we were seated at a table, then ignored by waitstaff for a long time before we finally asked someone who then told us we had to get drinks at the bar in order to get our Club Train deal. Also, we were told by the Don Chido staff there were no food specials. By showing our Club Train wristbands, we ended up with $5 margaritas (half price!) from the bar so it wasn't a complete loss but we felt like we wasted a lot of time in Don Chido and that the night was off to a rough start. Once our group leader summoned all of us (around 30 people), things went smoother as we then proceeded to each club. The evening then flew by as we had about an hour in each venue. Our Club Train leaders escorted us as a group from club to club but it was fine when we twiced missed our group leaving. We were still able to follow on our own with our wristbands. It was nice to be taken care of but not completely babysat, as once you are inside the club you're on your own. I didn't get a chance to talk to other members of our group, but theoretically you could probably make new friends in Club Train. A Club Train ticket normally costs $30, but I got the magazine deal where it was $20 with fees (total $22), which is a steal. The highlight of Club Train was the group photo at the end of the night. The group leaders always have the group gather together and take a photo in the middle of Market Street which is a lot of fun. Timing is everything with the traffic lights!

NYE crawl. No line, yea, right. Unorganized crawl from the…read morestart. Couldn't get any of the the crawlers into the first venue. The round up to each venue was poorly done. Skipped one of the venues for reasons they never told. Waited for too long to get into the last venue. Do yourself a favor people, skip this crawl and go to the other ones. By far the worse one in Downtown SD.

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Club Train - Sexy ladies on the Club Train club crawl

Sexy ladies on the Club Train club crawl

Club Train - Alex one of our host helping out two Club Train guests

Alex one of our host helping out two Club Train guests

Club Train - Party at Sidebar.  The 2nd stop for the Club Train club crawl

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Party at Sidebar.  The 2nd stop for the Club Train club crawl

The Tipsy Crow

The Tipsy Crow

3.7(1.5k reviews)
0.2 miGaslamp
$$

I've been coming to this bar since 2011. Never before in my life have I been so disrespected and…read morehumiliated by a security guard than on this night. On 01/03/26 I came up to the front entrance and I was either reciting a song or going over my own lyrics as I am a poet. After a few minutes of this I went to enter and a short hispanic security guard haughtily told me "You look odd. And I saw you over there talking to yourself. I'm not letting you in." I explained that I wasn't "talking to myself" I was reciting music (my own or somebody else's , as I often do karaoke). He said "Ok. I'm still not letting you in." with an attitude. What the hell? Never once have I caused an issue at this bar. All the security guards know me. I've never seen this guy before in my life so I guess he thought he could bully me for no reason. What a shame. To top it all off when I got irritated with him he laughed in my face and loudly yelled "Weirdo!!" at me in front of multiple witnesses. This is disgusting behavior and incredibly unprofessional. I've been to The Tipsy Crow countless times and never been so insulted and mistreated. I don't know the guard's name but is a short dude, I believe hispanic. I will find out his name and report this to the manager. This was beyond unacceptable. He continued to sneer and laugh at me while i was outside in shock at being turned away. What a jerk.

Been having a great time celebrating a gf's bday at Tipsy each year. Options of multiple dance…read morefloors & we always have a great time. However, shady billing when ordering drinks. I ordered 7 shots & Tipsy added some interesting numbers. They hid charges in the Toast payment terminal vs showing you an itemized list of charges. $109.88 for 7 little shots. I showed friends my receipt & they all agreed this is BS charging. My other tab for $40 for 2 drinks didn't text to me either. Special Taxes? Why put the credit card surcharge on the tab too? This is on top of service charges. County & State Taxes... Put very clear signs up if you're going to add all these extra fees. Other places in Downtown don't add these crazy fees on a tab for drinks... I went to other local places & made sure to check the final bills.

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The Tipsy Crow - Nice bar on the first floor

Nice bar on the first floor

The Tipsy Crow
The Tipsy Crow - Early in the night, ample space for people to catch up, have some food (might be sold only on the 1st floor) and drinks

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Early in the night, ample space for people to catch up, have some food (might be sold only on the 1st floor) and drinks

Nova SD - danceclubs - Updated May 2026

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