Cancel

Open app

Search

The Bancroft Bar

4.0 (71 reviews)
Open • 12:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
Loading...

The Bancroft Bar Photos

Business Info

THE BANCROFT BAR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Live music
Moderate noise
Divey
Casual

You might also consider

More like The Bancroft Bar

Recommended Reviews - The Bancroft Bar

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

a band performing on stage
Andreas K.

Okay, I admit, this is not my venue. But what can you do when you have no choice as that one live performance of W.o.R. (www.worband.com) that I promised to attend was just there and nowhere else. Again, not the place I would normally go to, but I did enjoy it nonetheless and it was a memorable performance.

I wasn't sure what to expect but it's pretty cool here
Yasuko K.

So far so good. Not because I'm drunk... I think it's pretty cool place I never realized it was so close to home

Dope little spot All cool people And staff and it was clean which I highly appreciate
Berlyn J.

This place is an awesome little stop with great service and chill atmosphere most definitely will be back !

Orphic Eye!
Pete T.

I used to frequent this place when it was Fannie's. I've been back twice since it has become The Bancroft. Both times to see a friend's band play. It's a pretty cool little dive bar and works pretty well as a live music venue. It is relatively small, but both times it didn't seem overly crowded. The acoustics are surprisingly good too. There was a $5 cover charge, but that didn't bother me. On Saturday it was pretty busy, but the bartenders did a great job of keeping up with the demand. I didn't catch their names, two lovely young women pouring and mixing. Only four bucks for a domestic pint. It was a good time. Well done Bancroft.

Cool people
J W.

Absolutely friendly!! Local, open, nice! Sunday night was quite but welcoming. Enjoyed a refreshment, good company & relaxation!

Friday night! Drinks and mlb post season
Alfred A.

This is a fun little dive bar with good drinks, good beer on tap and good atmosphere. This place isn't far from my buddies place so we like going here bc the drinks are reasonably priced and the service is great!

Schlitz and a shot. Can't go wrong.
Mark W.

We started our evening with hors d'oeuvers of sautéed brussel sprouts with pork belly over a bed of arugala. We washed this down with a dry Californian pinot noir. Our soup was an eggplant puree with shallots and ginger. The main course was a stuffed goose with fois gras and steamed vegetables. Simply delightful. Ok. This place doesn't have any of that. And if that's what you're looking for then you're in the wrong place. This is as divey as a dive bar gets. They've tried cleaning it up since it was Fannies. Now they have a credit card machine and a really good jute box that plays a huge selection. Great place for a shot and a beer.

See all

Photo of Lo L.
12
53
0

10 years ago

I love this place. It's local and laid back! All the bartenders and always so friendly.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Afab M.
17
29
0

12 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Nice place to hangout with friends! Very cheap drinks! I love coming here during mondays and tuesday where in they offer free pool.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Lots of really cool improvements since the new owner took over the bar. Awesome Bands and female friendly!

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jenn P.
153
71
17

13 years ago

Cool little dive. Cheap drinks, nice bartenders, and AC!

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Tan P.
116
152
11

11 years ago

Great venue. Not full and good crowd. Good beer selections. The employees have a wonderful attitude and are great as well!

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Great locals and good beer. Live music on the weekends. My new new favorite local dive. Jillybean rocks.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of A D.
105
52
11

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Music was good, beer was ok, atmosphere was pretty trashy. Not recommended for a first date.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Rita S.
10
10
0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

A music venue and bar should be owned by a musician, who likes drinking. And that, my friends, is really the bottom line.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of David R.
172
51
3

11 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Rob L.

Rob L.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Rob L.

Rob L.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of C C.
0
43
0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

i was at this bar when they filmed a series back in the early 90's great place to hang out and amanda's bloody mary's are the bomb!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 2 of 2

Ask the Community - The Bancroft Bar

Review Highlights - The Bancroft Bar

“Now all of this has changed for sure, and I can see The Bancroft becoming one of the better bars for live music in East County.”

Mentioned in 6 reviews

Read more highlights

You might also consider

Antica Trattoria

Antica Trattoria

4.4(1.3k reviews)
2.8 mi
•$$$

Came here on a whim for dinner as I was craving Italian food and this did not disappoint. Upon…read morestepping inside, the interior was decorated beautifully and reminded me of Italy. We got the fresh homemade bread, polpettine, insalate venere, linguine, and lasagna. The herb infused dip for the bread was delicious, and the bread came warm wrapped in a towel. The polpettine was my favorite appetizer, the meat was so tender and delicious and paired perfectly with the whipped ricotta. I appreciated the olives and onions in the dish as well, and the sauce was great with the bread. Our server was extremely kind and offered to split the salad for us. My boyfriend loved the salad and loved the pairing of the greens, goat cheese, and walnuts together. He got the lasagna for the main and noted that there were about 12 layers beautifully stacked upon one another. My linguine was delicious and packed with seafood which was cooked perfectly. The texture of the linguine was delicious and seemed home made. Overall the food and service were excellent. I'm so glad I found a gem near my home and will be back to try more of the menu.

First visit here and it was okay! Nice cozy atmosphere and a large menu! The expresso martini was…read moreoutstanding. They offer nightly specials as well. The food was just okay for me nothing blew me away. The burrata was good but the sauce underneath it didn't mix well in my opinion. We did try an appetizer special of the fried squash blossoms and those were delicious! For our mains I got the seafood pasta and it just didn't blow me away. All the seafood was cooked nicely but the pasta was rubbery and there was no flavor overall. Everyone else thought their meals were average. Service was great the whole time but with the price point we were disappointed with the food.

Photos
Antica Trattoria
Antica Trattoria - This homemade gnocch with short ribs iwas to die for

This homemade gnocch with short ribs iwas to die for

Antica Trattoria - Sangria and dirty Martini

See all

Sangria and dirty Martini

Coin Haus - Coin Haus Located in the Village of La Mesa

Coin Haus

4.2(646 reviews)
1.5 mi
•$$

Such a unique spot where you can play games for free all day on Sunday! Combine that with their…read morehappy hour and you're in for a good time. They have classic arcade games here like Frogger Pong, Super Mario and pinball. There are a few newer games like a version of beer pong, Halo, Mario Kart and 4-person Pacman. We played every game within an hour and felt a bit bored after that. I'd love to see a Dance Dance Revolution game here! The plethora of beers, hard seltzers and ciders on tap looked like an expansive collection. There was something here for everyone. They even had a chocolate espresso martini on tap. I didn't drink but those in my party enjoyed every sip and got a good buzz goin. I love that you can pay for your drink by the ounce and you don't really have to commit to a whole drink if you don't want to. Perfect to taste test everything if that's what you desire. I'll be back in the area when I'm feelin in a fun and drinky mood.

Coin Haus is such a fun concept. They always have something going on, whether it's weekly specials,…read moretrivia nights, or other events that give you a reason to come back. It was a little smaller than I expected, but it's still easy to spend an hour or two here with friends. They also serve food, which I'll have to come back and try another time. Instead of ordering drinks at the bar, you start a tab by leaving your credit card with the cashier. They give you a tap card that lets you pour your own drinks. You can sample just a little or fill up a whole glass. It's completely up to you. They have everything from beer and wine to a few craft cocktails on tap. If you want to try something different, you can swap out your glass and keep exploring. The same tap card also activates all of the arcade games, which I thought was a really cool touch. It makes everything feel connected instead of having to carry around a bunch of tokens or cash. When I visited, they were hosting trivia night. It definitely brought in a crowd. Most of the tables were full, so walking around got a little tight because the space isn't very big. Even so, the atmosphere was lively. It felt like everyone was having a good time. I ended up trying the Cranberry Mule, which I really enjoyed. It was nice being able to pour just the amount I wanted instead of committing to a full drink. Overall, I had a really fun time here. It's a unique spot that gives you something a little different from your typical bar. Once you're ready to leave, you just close out your tab and head home. I'd definitely come back with a group of friends.

Photos
Coin Haus - Coin Haus located in La Mesa

Coin Haus located in La Mesa

Coin Haus - Self-serve taps

Self-serve taps

Coin Haus

See all

Starlite - Starlite Burger

Starlite

4.1(2.7k reviews)
10.2 mi•Middletown, Mission Hills
•$$$

Starlite delivers that quintessential sleek, mid-century modern lounge atmosphere right along India…read moreStreet. The iconic geometric wood ceiling, dramatic chandelier, and moody lighting make the space feel effortlessly cool. The craft cocktail program is legendary, and the elevated gastropub menu is just as impressive, the grilled octopus was tender with a wonderful smoky char, the Jidori chicken was remarkably juicy with perfectly crispy skin, and the sea bass was delicate and flaky. Taking off one star because street parking along India Street can require quite a bit of circling during peak evening hours, and the dining room gets rather loud and dim once the crowd settles in. Still, an absolute San Diego staple and a top choice for a stylish date night, late-night craft drinks, or dinner with friends.

Every thing from the food to the service was amazing!! My fiancé and I went for our anniversary,…read morethey sat us next to the waterfall and it was absolutely beautiful! Our favorite meals from our trip were actually from here! The sides are best in my opinion but we did not have a single dish that we thought could be improved! Our servers were so sweet and on top of it!! We also really enjoyed all of the cocktails we were able to try. If you're thinking about going here I'd say book the reservation!

Photos
Starlite - Bar area after entering

Bar area after entering

Starlite - Chef's vegetable salad, beautiful presented and super yummy!

Chef's vegetable salad, beautiful presented and super yummy!

Starlite - Cocktails are fun!

See all

Cocktails are fun!

The Bancroft Bar - musicvenues - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...