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West Coast Tavern

3.8 (1.4k reviews)
Closed Closed
Updated 3 months ago

West Coast Tavern Photos

WEST COAST TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Trendy
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating

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Shwarma hash
Michelle A.

I have only been in for brunch and for whatever reason they have been close to empty both times. Pros: Brunch is 11a-4p so you can do brunch without having to be up and moving early. Bottomless mimosas $17 with choice of juice, 2 hour limit with food Dogs allowed. We all enjoyed our food. Cons: Bottomless mimosas haha - while there is bottomless, they are made in a carafe with your choice of juice and all of us felt that we were just drinking juice so I'm not sure how great the juice to bubbles ratio is. The menu QR we were provided on site has far less items than the menu available under brunch online. The first person we interacted with wasn't very friendly. We stuck our heads in the entrance to let them know we were there rather than just sitting on the patio unnoticed, because we had our dog, and she reacted like we planned to sit inside with him, and it just could have been handled a bit friendlier. We kept being asked if we wanted our tabs but hadn't hit our 2 hours yet, a limit which was repeated twice when we arrived, so we kept saying we weren't ready yet. Later we were given it whether we were ready or not, and before our 2 hours was us, and to no surprise that's when the visits and refills slowed as our server was inside talking with friends or coworkers. No tv's outside for games and the sliding door was left mostly closed so you could only semi see what was going on with Sunday football.

Kara H.

Great place to stop in before or during an Observatory show! Staff is super friendly, it's a very easy going environment, and the food is great.

Ramp to the left takes you to a bigger dining hall.
Jenn R.

The restaurant has an entrance into the Observatory venue; both for general admission and VIP ticket holders. Food and drinks are good. The staff are attentive and cool. Let's dissect the experience... THE FOOD ELABORATION. - Disco Tots | Brown gravy and mozzarella cheese on crispy tater tots. I liked it, but would've wanted just a little more brown gravy on top. - Tavern Burger | It's a great tasting burger with a handmade beef patty, caramelized onions, aioli sauce, creamy port daily cheese, and the typical vegetables (tomatoes, pickles, onion, & lettuce) all on a warm brioche bun. I added fries for $3 and enjoyed the golden crisp potatoes. THE DRINKS DRUNK. - Mike Hess Hopservatory 2.0 | Hazy IPA. Hoppy and perfect for drinking on a semi-warm day. - The Blackjack | Blackberry flavored with Jack Daniel's and a splash of lemon for a bit of zing. The drink is okay. - Gin and Tonic | Beefeater gin and tonic. Crisp and light with hints of citrus. I was cool with this drink. THE VIBE EVOCATION. I thought it was a small bar, until they walked us up a ramp and made a left into an expansive dining hall and an even bigger bar towards the back. A small outdoor patio is at the front of the restaurant and enclosed. It's dive bar vibes, but nicer. If you're pre-gaming it before a show at the Observatory, there's no need to worry about leaving to stand in line outside. Let 'em know you're going to a show at the entrance and they'll scan your ticket right there and slap a wrist band on you. Drink up and when the venue opens, you can enter through a door located behind the bar. The VIP access entrance is next to the bar too; just take the stairs up. THE PARKING AFFAIR. We parked in the Ace parking structure located on 29th St. and North Park Way (next to the Observatory). There's street parking which has a 2 hr. limit from 8AM - 6PM. So, it looks like you can park for more than 2 hrs. after 6PM, but read the signs carefully before parking; there are things like street cleaning and the Farmer's Market that alter the parking rules. THE RESERVATION DETERMINATION. They take reservations through Open Table, so it's probably a good idea to do it. THE RETURN QUANDARY. If I'm going to a show at the Observatory, I'd definitely come back for food and drinks while waiting for the doors to open. It beats having to stand in line outside and silently judge everyone walking by.

Sarah P.

The drinks and food are pricey for the portions. Great place to pregame before a concert or just for a quick drink

Bar
Jiansen W.

AMBIANCE Former movie theatre, West Coast Tavern, is now a bar and kitchen serving American fusion fare and drinks in a casual setting that feels a bit industrial with its brick walls and polished concrete floors. Even with a huge crowd of people at the venue for a rock concert West Coast Tavern delivered - and for that mid-May 2023 night I echo the Tavern's motto - in food and booze we trust. FOOD 5/5 CHICKEN SHAWARMA TOTS / $14 djaj seasoned tots (delightfully crispy with a unique seasoned taste) topped with mozzarella, pecorino sardo, a sprinkling of chicken thigh (wish there was more!), caramelized onion, and drizzles of aioli and lemon parsley tahini. I think my item was missing fresh cilantro & parsley garnishes, but even without them these are the best tots I've had! DRINK 4.5/5 KENTUCKY BUCK / $15 Strong Buffalo Trace Bourbon mixed with fruity peach and lemon juices and effervescent ginger beer Liquid death water / $5 SERVICE ?/5 service was a bit slow, but to be fair there was a a huge influx of people here for the Thrice concert (myself included). Staff were friendly and helpful in my interactions. I'll reserve my rating of the service for another time. P.S. I'd come back for their daily happy hour 5-6:30pm. $9 for 90 Minutes - Mules + Donkeys, Wings (5), Gastrique Fries, Tots with Gravy & Mozzarella, Hummus, Nachos!

Thrice Concert at the observatory which is connected to West Coast tavern.
Dan A.

If you're going to a concert at the observatory in North Park, and feel like getting there a little early, I highly recommend stopping by West Coast tavern. It's connected to the concert venue. You can show your tickets and get into the bar/restaurant early. After you had a few drinks, they have some next level chicken tenders with some delicious ranch. Strong drinks, great music, and outstanding service, even when the place is full! Absolutely love this place.

Fannie H.

Breakfast Burgers and fries...yes please! This place was a gem on a late night hunger crave. They were having a show but we were able to sit and be taken care of quickly, and the food was delicious.

Mimosa
Catrina R.

Been searching for brunch places and glad we checked this one out. This review is only for their brunch as I have heard the evening experience is different for a show. This is a bar that's connected to the observatory venue. Both are now owned by Live Nation. During the evenings you can get a drink here before seeing a show. We went around 10:30am for breakfast and it wasn't busy at all so that was lovely. Numerous television screens so this is a good place to watch a game. Let me break down the items we had: Chicken and Waffles - 10/10 would absolutely have again. The chicken was on the thinner side (which we loved!) And the breading was amazing. Their waffle was tasty but man did the chicken shine here. We also got dipping sauces all of which slapped: ranch, hoisin sauce, house aioli. Eggs Benedict - everything about this was good not great EXCEPT for their hollandaise sauce. It had the slightest kick to it and ooo was that great. Deviled eggs - the consistency was weird here. It wasn't fluffy and was more on the liquid side. With that said still good Bottomless mimosas - 17 all around but their pineapple was 18. Very good! Strawberry Ginger Lemonade - oh man this was a tasty cocktail. It ran at 9 bucks so although it was delicious the bottomless makes more sense here. The entrees were a tad expensive but the drinks evened it all out. The service was phenomenal (shout out to Mars!). Very attentive and honestly just chill humans. Parking: street. Don't recommend getting one in the front as that's rare. All side streets are easy for parking. There's also a parking structure off of 30th and University. May make this a regular rotation for brunch! Great for groups as well. Would recommend.

Chilaquiles
Diana C.

I love me a good bottomless and our server did a great job always keeping our drinks full. We went on a Saturday at noon and I was surprised at how dead it was. Bottomless was $17 which is a great price. The food was okay. My chilaquiles were cold and not really flavorful. Tried a bit of the crème brûlée waffle and that was really good (also really sweet)

Sami L.

I went with a group, it was clean and fresh. It was a little expensive, but the service was great and the menu seemed to have signature items. I had kimchi tots, which I have never saw anywhere. They were good and it was a huge portion. It might be good to share something like that with another person or two persons.

birthday brunch dessert
Michelle G.

Came here for a friend's birthday. Pleasantly surprised by the food & our server Renee was awesome!!!!

Horses Neck -- great place for cocktails after the show
Leslie B.

I have been to this restaurant dozens of times, but only twice in the past year. Once, I went after a show at the Observatory for cocktails, and the other time, just last Friday, went for dinner and drinks before the show. I have really liked it in the past, as I felt that they used to have a pretty good menu and some interesting craft cocktails. One of my favorites was the Salted Caramel Blood and sand, which sadly, they no longer make. I was also surprised to find out they they don't have brandy at all in the bar. Anyway, when we went before the show, it was a bit awkward. We went through the line at the Observatory to get our tickets scanned, did the vaccination check and went through the metal detectors. Then we walked through the bar and asked for a table for dinner. We were sent outside to the front of the restaurant where they wanted to re-scan our tickets (they only scan once) and used a metal detector wand. It is strange because if we had wanted only drinks and not a dinner table, we would have simply just sat at the bar. Anyway, once seated, I thought our server was very nice. The restaurant is comfortable and clean. I was disappointed at the menu. It is really just a bar food menu. I remember it used to be much bigger. I also remember that they always had a variety of flatbread to choose from. Now, there was none. So, I tried to order the pretzel (not much of a dinner but that's all that sounded good), but they were out. So, I ordered the chicken schwarma tots and shared the deviled eggs with my husband. He ordered the burger and fries. I also ordered the Bourbon Cherry Smash to drink. My drink took a while to make, but the food came out quickly. I didn't like the tots at all, horrible flavor combination. The eggs were OK...husband didn't like them. He really did enjoy his burger and fries. My drink was good and I ordered a couple more to enjoy during the show. I guess I didn't enjoy my dinner very much, or the experience of getting seated. I thought it was a nice atmosphere to spend time before a show. I had a 2-star experience, but am rounding up to 3 because of so many positive experiences here in years past. I hope they update the menu, and I'll try it again. I do like that they are open late. My husband and I like to come and have after-show drinks on weekends. For now, I'll stick to getting drinks there.

All American
Tania H.

I used to go to WestCoast sooo much, day, night, brunch, dinner, club scene. It's been nearly 2-3 years now, and I was a bit bummed...it wasn't crowded for brunch, I did go at 11am. The foos was okay. I ordered the All American, the pancake and the compote was delish, the eggs were mediocre scramble squares, and the potatos were good. My mimosa waa amazing, large in a wine glass I enjoyed. Server took too long to come by after our drinks were served, and we almost didnt want to eat but we were hungry! My friend enjoyed her benedict but warning the sauce is spicy if you don't exedct it.

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Great place to watch games. The food was good, drinks were on point, and it's a much larger space than I realized.

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Ask the Community - West Coast Tavern

Is it only open when there is a show at the Observatory & can you get in without a show ticket? - Thank you everyone

No, they are open their own hours

Is this place accessible for someone in a wheelchair?

yes, it has a ramp going into the back towards the bar and other indoor seating .

Is the outdoor seating dog friendly?

Yes

Is this place kid friendly?

No it's not.

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Review Highlights - West Coast Tavern

And if you're wondering what that drink is that they serve in a mason jar, it is their "Mule"...

Mentioned in 47 reviews

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Part Time Lover - The bar at PTL San Diego

Part Time Lover

4.3(506 reviews)
0.1 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.

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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 - Bar area

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Bar area

Mothership - Amazing decor

Mothership

4.3(931 reviews)
1.3 miSouth Park, Golden Hill, North Park
$$

Favorite cocktail bar in San Diego! We make it a point to come here every time we visit. The inside…read moreis incredibly well-decorated and detail-oriented. It really feels like you've stepped onto another planet. The whole space-themed concept is so fun, from the drinks to the food. Every cocktail we've tried has been delicious and surprisingly strong. The cups are super cute too, and we somehow always end up buying one to take home. The staff are very friendly and helpful, especially if you can't decide what to order. It's a really casual and fun spot for date night or hanging out with friends.

I love a bar with a curated vibe, and Mothership is definitely it. My friend booked a reservation…read morehere and our table was ready when they said it would be! I got the Tracking Device, and my friends got the Mindkiller and Away Mission. The Tracking Device was zeroproof and a very delicious mocktail! The tang from the lime and floral taste from the hibiscus made it very pleasant to sip on as the night went on. The cocktails here are STRONG, so drink accordingly lol. My friend couldn't finish his entire Mindkiller drink because it was so strong, but he did enjoy it. The bathrooms are super cool, and the interior is very trippy and chic. I'm a big fan of how much effort and attention to detail the creators put into this location.

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Mothership - The bar area

The bar area

Mothership - Mindkiller

Mindkiller

Mothership - Vegan (?) soft serve

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Vegan (?) soft serve

Seven Grand - "Happy Hour" Old Fashioned (Happy Hour 4-8pm)

Seven Grand

3.9(844 reviews)
0.2 miNorth Park
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This is my absolute fav spot in North Park! We've been coming here for years! Always love the vibe,…read moreambiance and well crafted cocktails. This stylish whiskey lounge features pool tables, darts, and live entertainment. It's always a good time here! Early birds are highly recommended, long lines of people form outside towards the end of the evening. There's definitely a trick to getting a drink- it's called push your way to the front (it's all part of the experience). For the most part, bartenders are quick, fast and efficient! Making great recommendations for first timers. We made a late night stop with friends after dinner. First round of cocktails- the legendary Old Fashioned! Because why the hell not? It's a classic- Bonded Bourbon, Aromatic Bitters, Sugar, Citrus Zest. Very smooth! Unfortunately, I did not take pics of our drinks (sowey), just enjoyed livin in the moment with great friends and good conversation! No doubt we'll be back soon and I'll post some pics of some their signature cocktails. Till then, cheers my friends!

Great whisky cocktails. If you're a whisky lover, this is definitely a place you'd want to check…read moreout. It's in the main stretch of North Park, but easily missed because of its muted external decor. The service is alright. I've had times when they're friendly and others when they're more standoffish (but not rude). It doesn't bother me. I'm there to spend time with a great glass of whisky and that's what I get every single time.

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Seven Grand - One of the best tasting gins I've had

One of the best tasting gins I've had

Seven Grand - Selection of whiskeys

Selection of whiskeys

Seven Grand - Old fashioned and neat whiskey

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Old fashioned and neat whiskey

Side Bar

Side Bar

4.4(201 reviews)
3.0 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.

West Coast Tavern - lounges - Updated May 2026

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