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The SRO Lounge

4.0 (144 reviews)
InexpensiveGay Bars, Lounges, Cabaret
Closed 10:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
Updated 3 months ago

The SRO Lounge Gay Bars Photos

Business Info

THE SRO LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Juke Box
Divey
Classy
Loud

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Recommended Reviews - The SRO Lounge

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Reviews With Photos

SRO Entrance
Christopher J.

Bartender was nice. The vibe of the bar was status quo dive bar. Older crowd of people.

I will bartender Robert and two patrons playing pool in the middle of the day. Only in San Diego. Looks like two liars oops I mean lawyers
David S.

Well no I'm not gay. In fact I'm not lgbtq plus plus plus or minus. I just love the vibe here. Robert is outstanding. My partner is a she and she is my better half. The drinks here are very, very strong. The music is fun. The atmosphere is fun and parking on the street after 6:00 p.m. Is free. What else do you want from a bar that's been around for just about 50 years come here you won't regret it. Oh and the service Robert is serving us not only serving us but he's singing and his voice is supreme. Last time I was here which was the first time I was here. Service was A+

A sanctuary for beautiful cross dressers and trans women and the straight men that love them. Friendly bartenders , strong drinks . Lots of fun dive vibe

AYCE fried chicken w/ salad and bread.

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11 months ago

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9 months ago

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Photo of Anita S.
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4 months ago

Super fun during the day and at night on the weekends. Im straight and have always had a blast!

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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10 months ago

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2 months ago

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6 months ago

The bar tender was rude! I don't like this tiny little place. I will never come back here again.

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3 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Amazing bar! The vibe was awesome and the staff were fantastic! It was inviting, fun, and friendly:)

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Comfortable. Haven't been in five years or so and used to be very cool place where you could be you.

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Marty is fucking greattt!! He provided w everything we needed we're definitely coming back I loveeeeeeee itttt

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Meh. It's ok and not that bad. Place smells like urine and tobacco, otherwise it's a place to have a beer before you go to another bar.

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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7 years ago

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9 years ago

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The SRO Lounge Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The SRO Lounge

18 year olds allowed in?

21+ only.

Hello, are you open again? I've tried calling the number but get a busy signal.

YES ! 2021 Aug. [ OPEN ] Same owners - Same Vibe💃 💃 Sat Nights after 10pm 👯‍♀️ it gets very busy !

What is the average age here? As someone in his mid 20s, would I find other people my age?

25 - 35 years old

What is the average age of the clientele here? As someone in their mid 20s, would I see other people my age?

After midnight the very hot and gorgeous people come in.

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Review Highlights - The SRO Lounge

I wanted to check it out because of me being a transgender woman and this being known as the only transgender bar in San Diego.

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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ALTITUDE Sky Lounge

ALTITUDE Sky Lounge

4.0(1.7k reviews)
1.1 miGaslamp, East Village
$$

Altitude Sky Lounge in downtown San Diego has an absolutely beautiful rooftop view. From the top,…read moreyou can enjoy views of both the waterfront side and the downtown skyline, and honestly the scenery alone makes it worth visiting. To get inside, you have to go through the hotel entrance and then take the elevator to the top floor. There was no issue going up or down, and everything moved rather quickly considering we visited on a Friday night. Up top it was a little crowded near the edges where everyone was taking photos, but people moved around pretty quickly so it was still easy to get some really good pictures from the rooftop. I didn't order any drinks, so this review is based solely on the location and the views, but once you're up there it's just absolutely beautiful. We stayed for about 20 minutes, enjoyed the views, took in the atmosphere, and then headed out. Definitely worth checking out if you're in San Diego.

I've been here multiple times before heading out for a night on the town, but this was my first…read moretime visiting during the daytime. It was nice to switch things up and catch a sunset from the rooftop. The drinks are always solid and this spot has become a staple first stop before hitting Gaslamp.

Photos
ALTITUDE Sky Lounge - The perfect drink paired with the perfect view!

The perfect drink paired with the perfect view!

ALTITUDE Sky Lounge - Altitude is situated on the rooftop of the San Diego Gaslamp Marriott. Enter through the hotel lobby & take our express elevator to the sky!

Altitude is situated on the rooftop of the San Diego Gaslamp Marriott. Enter through the hotel lobby & take our express elevator to the sky!

ALTITUDE Sky Lounge - Birthdays, bachelor-/rette parties, private events or just a regular happy hour - we're downtown San Diego's preferred special event spot!

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Birthdays, bachelor-/rette parties, private events or just a regular happy hour - we're downtown San Diego's preferred special event spot!

insideOUT - Chips and dip

insideOUT

4.4(1.4k reviews)
1.8 miHillcrest
$$$

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.

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insideOUT - Spring oasis

Spring oasis

insideOUT - Dip and chips

Dip and chips

insideOUT - Pear mocktail

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Pear mocktail

Prohibition - Our famous Prohibition Old Fashioned

Prohibition

4.0(1k reviews)
0.9 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 am writing this review to bring a serious safety and security issue to management's attention. On…read moreMay 18th. around 10pm, I was at this establishment and was unfortunately dealing with a male date who became erratic, weird, and made me feel unsafe. Multiple bystanders witnessed his behavior but failed to intervene, assuming it was just "relationship drama" After the man finally left, the venue's security completely misread the situation. Instead of checking on my well-being or ensuring the aggressor had left the premises, security targeted and chased me as if I were the problem. It is incredibly disappointing and dangerous for a business's security team to lack the basic situational awareness and training required to identify the actual victim in a situation. I felt entirely unprotected by the staff here. I hope management takes this as a serious sign that their security team needs immediate retraining on bystander intervention and de-escalation, rather than harassing women who are already in vulnerable situations.

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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)

Part Time Lover - The bar at PTL San Diego

Part Time Lover

4.3(506 reviews)
2.4 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

False Idol - Isn't it gorgeous?!

False Idol

4.4(1.4k reviews)
0.6 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)
0.8 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

The SRO Lounge - gaybars - Updated May 2026

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