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    The Rooftop

    3.7 (175 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Rooftop Photos

    THE ROOFTOP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Rooftop

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    Reviews With Photos

    Food
    Keri W.

    This bar/restaurant is on the roof of the Carte Hotel on Ash. We have been here twice now. The first time was when a friend was visiting from out of town and then we decided to stay for the weekend and bring the pups. Staff are very nice. The views are great too. They have 2 outdoor areas and one of them has a huge tv. The drinks are great! The food was a mix between good and eh. Steak sandwich- my husband said it was good. Charcuterie- was really good. It had 2 cheeses and 2 meats and all the extras you would expect like pickled veggies and fruit. Pizza- this was a miss. It honestly tasted like microwaveable pizza and it wasn't even fully cooked on the bottom. Everything other than the pizza was good. Also, we were able to bring our pups with us! The video was when we had dinner and we were inside.

    Deanne L.

    We stayed at the Carte Hilton hotel, which is where this rooftop bar is located. The hotel gives you $15 restaurant credit so I took advantage of that here. We were only there for a short time, but everything went well. I ordered the Strawberry Fields, a strawberry basil tequila cocktail, while my boyfriend got the Rosemary Smoke, a mezcal with rosemary. Mine tasted great with a couple pieces of strawberry inside. Pricey with the cocktails $17 each, but glad I got that credit to use. Highly recommend sitting outside with a view of downtown plus a huge big screen TV and fire pits. Looks perfect for groups. Service was nice and was easy to apply credit from hotel.

    Dara T.

    We went there for some drinks after lunch. Service was great and the ambiance is really nice. You go to the hotel and take the elevator to roof . It's a digital button elevator so it'll say roof. Drink was pretty good. I got a pomegranate Mock tail drink. We went around 4pm so it was nice to get away from the sun and into the breeze of a rooftop where there was a big screen TV and plenty of spaces to lounge around.

    Cocktails
    Vida K.

    Rooftop bar at the Carte hotel. Beautiful cocktails with a nice indoor/outdoor feel. Fire pits, heat lamps, seating and a large TV for watching sports. $17/each cocktail. They also have wine, beer and food.

    Risto K.

    Cute location for drinks - but I would not eat dinner! Came in on Thursday night for dinner. Located on top floor of Carte hotel, it is an awesome location for happy hour and drinks. Food was disappointing! Burger came in cold, and likely it was made in the kitchen on lower floor and carried upstairs to restaurant. Caesar salad consisted of four leaves of romaine with dressing on them. Service was all right, but nothing special.

    Relaxing by the fire pit drinking a Cali Creamin'
    Anabel H.

    I love coming here every time I am in Downtown SD! The ambience is great and the service is amazing, our server Jessica always greets us with such Joy and makes us feel welcomed:) They have a great selection of draft beer, Cali Creamin' Vanilla cream ale, Mother Earth 5% is my favorite draft beer! They had a Valentine's Day specialty menu and we tried the bucatini pasta with lobster and for desert we had the chocolate and strawberry. The carte burger was very good and so is their calabrese pizza!

    Menu
    Troy H.

    Service is iffy. The menu is limited, ambiance is nice but not worth the price in my opinion. I ordered the burger and it was missing topping. Remind you this burger cost $24.

    Truffle poutine
    Sam E.

    What a lovely rooftop restaurant at the modern style Carte- Hilton in San Diego! Loved coming here for an easy fun and delicious dinner. The service was great, one of the waitresses Jhezzie was the best she brought our drinks & food out immediately, always greeted us with a smile and gave us great recommendations of fun things to do in San Diego. One dish that stood out was the truffle poutine. The only thing better than fries would be fries topped with fried cheese & gravy and this did not disappoint. The truffle flavor brought it from a 10 to an 11/10. The restaurant lounge space itself is very modern in its style & appearance, great for anything from family vacation dinner to business dinner. I would definitely come here again to both stay in the hotel and dine in. This restaurant and hotel definitely made my stay in SD extra enjoyable.

    Truffle Poutine
    Jane A.

    16 FLOORS ABOVE ASH (5 stars) - FOOD/DRINKS: yums - SERVICE: excellent - PRICE: hotel prices - AMBIANCE: beautiful What a gem! I love how it's NOT located in Gaslamp where all the other rooftops are or in overly populated areas like Little Italy - not into crowds (obviously) haha. It's a bit off to the side. The vibe is cool, mostly business/grown people and very mature crowd. It's smaller than the pictures portray but it's still spacious in its way. Part of it is indoor, part of it is outdoor, stunning views of downtown and buildings (not so much the water). Playing 90s r&b and 90s hits (SO MY VIBE). :: FOOD/SIPPIES :: TRUFFLE POUTINE ($24) - French fries, beer braised short rib, cheese curd, truffle + mushroom gravy, truffle zest. My goodness, this was super delicious. It's very hearty, very heavy, yup likely make your tummy turn a little, but all worth it. I tend to stay away from truffle flavored stuff if it's actually not the real truffle because truffle flavor can be quite overpowering. This has truffle flavor but was not truffled out. Plenty of fries coated with gravy that had small shavings of mushroom and light truffle flavor. The short ribs were very tender and flavorful. The cheese curds to my surprise were touch. It was exciting when one popped into the mouth because the flavor of truffle, gravy, fries, short rib and then cheese curd all in a bite was deeeeeslicious. Whatever you don't eat you can pack to-go. Did you know this is only $12 during HH. HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOREVER YOURS ($18) - You & Yours Sunday gin, pandan, lemon St. Germain, camomile, soda. I loved everything about this drink from the light spritz feel, to the refreshing flavors, and of course a loyal consume to You & Yours. Perfect drink to sip on during a meal. HIGHLY RECOMMEND :: SERVICE :: I had a really good server named Bernadette. She recommended the right items when in limbo, checked up on all her tables at the right times, not too much and not too little. Very good customer service that you don't typically see from an average server. Tip those people tell! Will I be back? This could be a regular occurrence. JABA APPROVED. Until the next review...

    Hosai W.

    The ambiance is cool, has plenty indoor, out door seating. The outdoor is kinda odd because it is does get hot during summer ( they have umbrella but doesn't help on a hot SD day). I can only comment on the HH, the food options were meh in general, nothing light or summery or hot weather friendly; so got pizza, dip n fries ( not the choices I will make in summer for HH). The food was okay, drinks were alright. The service was great, very attentive, checked on us often enough but not too often to make us uncomfortable. The views are great, multiple TV playing games so it is a good place to watch a game, catch up with friends. I might go again- to watch game or quick drink with friends but not food.

    Alicia S.

    Nice rooftop bar and lounge. They have an outdoor big screen TV and typically show relevant sporting events live. Servers are all friendly and the food is good. They have a nice range of highlighted cocktails and a full bar with beer on tap. Prices are elevated as a result of being attached to the hotel. Service was exceptional!

    Lisa S.

    Super fun spot! We went up twice since we were staying at the hotel. Drinks were yummy and the music was on POINT! Such a chill vibe with a great view. We sat at the bar once night and struck up great conversations with the bartender, Danyelle! She was fabulous!

    Chilaquiles
    Gaby J.

    Located inside Carte hotel, Above Ash Social is a hole in the wall spot that is too good to gate-keep! I learned about Above Ash from my favorite SD instagram influencer, @mish_critiques. I usually love all her stuff so I was surprised with the low reviews on yelp. I decided to go anyway for the great views and to try something new. My friends and I ordered the chilaquiles, iced mocha, and creme brûlée. which were all so good! I will definitely come back here on another Sunday brunch or an evening dinner date. The view was amazing. It overlooks Little Italy and the Midway. If you don't mind walking, there are a lot of parking spots available within 5 minutes of carte hotel. It's also really close to extraordinary dessert so if you want to grab dinner and go there, you totally can but they do have desserts available and their crème brûlée was really good. In regards to service, it was great at 11 am but slow after 12 since there was one server for 5-7 tables and it was busy!! She was still really sweet tho but I can see people becoming impatient with the wait time. Parking: Valet or meter parking. Free street parking on Sundays. You welcome ;) Food: $$ Tip: come early and order the chilaquiles! So good!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Rooftop

    Is there a dress code or is shorts and a shirt ok?

    It was a casual environment. Shorts and shirt ok

    Are Reservations required?

    We went on Mother's Day evening, 2022 (on a Sunday obviously), and did not require reservations. Friday and Saturday may be another thing. I'd give them a call to verify, especially if those are the days you are interested in.

    Do you need to take an elevator to get there or are there stairs?

    You take an elevator -just push the button at the elevators that calls for the 16th floor Above Ash Lounge/Restaurant. I believe it is elevator #1 that takes you!

    Can I bring my baby at night?

    Yes

    Are pets allowed?

    Pets are not allowed

    Happy Hour menu?

    I've only been there once but the Brussels sprouts app was delicious!

    View All 11 Questions

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    False Idol - Isn't it gorgeous?!

    False Idol

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    0.1 miLittle Italy
    $$

    My False Idol experience was memorable, albeit blurry toward the end! My boyfriend and I had been…read moreon a half-day tour beforehand, but I saw that False Idol was near our hotel and I insisted we stop in for a cocktail before calling it a night. I knew it was a speakeasy but he did not. I was trying to double-check on my phone that Craft & Commerce was the right restaurant its housed in (yes) when he tried to jet set off down the block "to keep looking" rather than listen to me. I yelled, "MOTHER!" by accident and then he did truly leave me hahaha. He resurfaced a few minutes later, and then we walked in. It was 5:15 at the time, so 15 minutes after opening. I had NO IDEA how popular this spot was, nor anything about its nation-wide reputation. I actually didn't know that until two days ago when a Yelp-friend at home here in Richmond, Virginia, exclaimed excitedly when I told her we stopped in. The host who greeted us was kind, informed us there had been a line to get in that day, but that they had one barrel left; we jumped on it of course. It was happy hour, so the first cocktail I ordered was dirt cheap at $9. It was the Imperial Hawaiian with gin, rum, lemon, pineapple, and orgeat. I really shouldn't have ordered a second drink after that one, but I did have the classic Saturn later on in the night and it was absurdly good! Definitely my favorite of the two. The moody tiki vibe was so cool and fun. They even had frogs you could play on the tables. We had some fun neighbors too, which livened up the experience even more. We had a great time and both walked out heavily buzzed. We were asleep by 8 that night, but it was worth it!

    False idol is a tucked away Hawaiian themed speakeasy behind a restaurant. Reservations are…read morerequired so be mindful of that before going. Once inside seating is first come first served so the place is insanely crowded with people trying to get drinks. Service is a little confusing as the waiters will come up to you with a menu asking for your order instead of an order at the bar type of thing. Once we actually got a seat things were okay. The menu is mostly rum drinks since this is a rum bar however since I'm not the biggest fan I ordered the only thing with tequila on the menu. My drink was actually really good, it was refreshing, not too sweet or strong at all. I just wish there would be more variety.

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    False Idol - Tiki themed decor

    Tiki themed decor

    False Idol - Rum barrel

    Rum barrel

    False Idol - Back bar rum selection

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    Back bar rum selection

    Noble Experiment - Strawberry cucumber Gin cocktail

    Noble Experiment

    4.5(1.9k reviews)
    0.7 miEast Village
    $$

    My brother-in-law and I were looking for places to drink....And we just wanted somewhere chill. We…read moreknew that any bar by tacos el gordo would be too wild for us, so we walked a couple blocks and approached Noble Experiment. I would say this was probably our highlight of our trip in San Diego. Garrick, the bartender there, was super accommodating. Not only was he and the other bartender were making damn good drinks, they would legit talk to you. The ambiance of the place is cool too. Felt like I was going inside some continental room like John Wick. Definitely my vibe and definitely coming back. But if you ever get Garrick as your bartender, you're in for a treat!

    The Noble Experiment: 9/10…read more Aesthetic & Ambiance: 9.5 - This place gives "speakeasy haunted mansion" vibes. You walk into the barrels, down the mirrors, and into the skull room...IYKYK no less. The waits to get very deadly so make sure to put your name on the list early. Service: 9/10 The host was chill, and we had Quintin as our mixologist. There are no menus he told us, he just went off of our flavors, and palate, so I can't really speak for how to order the same drink. First drink: 9/10 (profile) Vodka bases with cucumber and strawberry. Second drink: 8.5/10 (profile) Smokey, deep old fashion. Overall a MUST-GO to if you're in the area stopping by!

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    Noble Experiment - Spiced banana flip! Delicious!

    Spiced banana flip! Delicious!

    Noble Experiment - Bartenders creations.

    Bartenders creations.

    Noble Experiment - Skull wall

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    Skull wall

    Part Time Lover - The bar at PTL San Diego

    Part Time Lover

    4.3(506 reviews)
    2.9 miNorth Park
    $$

    Fun speakeasy in North Park. Probably the most popular bar in the area. The DJs are unreal and this…read morespot always has the best music. The drinks are creative and fun. The vibe is immaculate: dim-lighting, wooden furniture, nice wallpaper, and dark curtains. Cute but very overpriced vinyl shop in the back, it's more for show. It gets insanely busy here every night. There will always be a wait after 9 PM. Wait isn't long, but it's essential as it gets PACKED inside. Seating is always full and people will throw hands for a table. There is minimal room to stand. Unfortunately, there is NO DANCEFLOOR :,( The bar lines are INSANE and can be hard to follow. But the bartneders are patient and helpful when it's finally your turn. While I warn about the crowds, this place is awesome. 10/10 one of the best spots in San Diego, the staple of North Park.

    This is a nice establishment, especially for lounging with a date. Very clean and nice drinks too…read more A little pricey however that's the norm in this area for the more popular out of towner type spots. The servers are friendly. But you have to be patient as they are often quite busy. The record store and records theme is what they present online but to be honest that is only a minute section of the establishment. It definitely doesn't describe the theme of the place neither. The worker in the record section simply ignored me when I tried to purchase a record and after a minute I had to ask for him to please ring me up. No apology from him. No biggie, I still had a decent time drinking here.

    Photos
    Part Time Lover - Bikini Kill (Serrano tequila blanco, mango, guava, tamarind, xila, lemon)

    Bikini Kill (Serrano tequila blanco, mango, guava, tamarind, xila, lemon)

    Part Time Lover - Record store to the left. Bathroom straight ahead

    Record store to the left. Bathroom straight ahead

    Part Time Lover - Record Store inside the bar

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    Record Store inside the bar

    Prohibition - Our famous Prohibition Old Fashioned

    Prohibition

    4.0(1k reviews)
    0.7 miGaslamp
    $$

    As I approached the old law office, we found a line wrapped outside ensuring ID was confirmed prior…read moreto entry. Our group was surprised as is was 2115, it's been open for about an hour and a half and packed. As you enter this old law office down a staircase one would find the "speakeasy statutes/rules" to maintain the 1920s atmosphere-- we loved the setting, the people, the drinks, and of course the live music!! One would not be disappointed. The cocktail menu was on an old record, which I thought it was so clever. Back to the rules, seems pretty easy! They mention to keep an open mind with the drinks as they do not carry vodkas, redbull, Budweiser or bulls**t. Mentioned a dresscode, more so be classic and states be respectful and don't be a di*k. I couldn't agree more with the rules. I don't think there is good at this establishment, as our group just came from dinner I wasn't looking for food. Just spirits, live music and a good time. Highly recommend if you are looking for live music and uniquely crafted cocktails.

    I had never been to an underground bar before. I expected more of a speakeasy vibe, but it didn't…read morequite feel like one especially with a security guard right outside the entrance, which made it seem less hidden or exclusive. There's a cover charge, though I'm not exactly sure how much it is. Once inside, the performance stage is to the left, while the bar and restrooms are off to the right as you go down the stairs. Drinks are pricey--starting around $30, maybe even closer to $35. For just two drinks, we ended up paying $71, which was definitely surprising. Seating is pretty limited, so expect to be standing for most of your visit. I might come back again, but probably skip the drinks next time.

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    Prohibition
    Prohibition - El Fruterio featuring Azunia GBOD single barrel reposado tequila

    El Fruterio featuring Azunia GBOD single barrel reposado tequila

    Prohibition - Live Jazz/Blues/Roaring 20's kinda vibe! My kind of bar/lounge! (5/5)

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    Live Jazz/Blues/Roaring 20's kinda vibe! My kind of bar/lounge! (5/5)

    Starlite - Pistachio ice cream sandwich

    Starlite

    4.1(2.6k reviews)
    1.3 miMiddletown, Mission Hills
    $$$

    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!

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    Starlite - Bar area after entering

    Bar area after entering

    Starlite - Herb Scalloped Potatoes

    Herb Scalloped Potatoes

    Starlite - Cocktails are fun!

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    Cocktails are fun!

    Kiku Room - DJ in the front room. Back room behind him that can be accessed from the side.

    Kiku Room

    3.6(33 reviews)
    1.0 miMiddletown

    One of the coolest new spots in San Diego in my opinion. This is the original location of the…read moreCasbah, it then languished for years as the Kava Lounge, a strange spot for wooks, and finally it became Kiku Room. Kiku Room has a chic minimalist interior, with polish concrete, metal, and glass as the primary backdrop. The DJ booth is large and separates the front sitting area from a lounge in the back that is draped in deep red lighting. The bartenders are cool and welcoming, the DJs who come through are usually really good, and the lounge is quite comfortable as well. Pretty good price on drinks overall, too. You can get a glass of draft Asahi here for $7, for instance, which is pretty good for a place that's in this DTSD-adjacent area.

    The music is their main focus -- and you can feel that the second you walk in. It's not random…read moreSpotify vibes. Yes the space is small but that helps make it feel more intimate. The cocktails are just as dialed. Balanced, clean, strong (in a good way), and not trying too hard. They have some great NA options as well. The NA Asahi beer is amazing. You can tell there's real intention behind the bar, which makes the whole experience feel cohesive. Yes, there's usually a line -- but that's what happens when something is this good. I've heard they're working on expanding, which would be amazing because the space deserves to hold more people without losing that energy. Five stars. For the music. For the drinks. For the vibe. I'll happily wait in line for this one.

    Photos
    Kiku Room - Pay to get in bar.

    Pay to get in bar.

    Kiku Room - Entrance to the back room

    Entrance to the back room

    Kiku Room - Dj area

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    Dj area

    The Rooftop - bars - Updated May 2026

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