Fun experience and very cool inside! We love speakeasies and heard about this from a friend. We only had time to stop by for a quick drink on our way to a dinner reservation nearby, so they were able to squeeze us in since it was pretty early still, but I imagine it may be harder to get in without a reservation later in the night. I loved the concept of ordering here how you describe some drinks you like and they come up with a cocktail for you - whatever they made me with Chareau was fantastic but I forgot the other ingredients in it! read more

Young Blood - Very cool ceiling inside - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Cocktail bar from heaven. Young Blood is tucked inside Neighborhood, and apparently San Diego decided one secret bar wasn't enough. There are multiple worlds happening here. Young Blood is classic, glamorous and completely committed to the ambiance. Then there's Noble Experiment on the other side, which is exactly what the name suggests... experimental. We chose Young Blood. And holy bananas. This bar is DONE. The lighting. The design. The details. The entire experience. I love a cocktail and I'm not saying the cocktail wasn't good, I think I was just mesmerized by the spot! I REALLY love an ambiance. Give me a beautifully designed room, a good drink and a bartender who knows what they're doing and I am apparently very easy to entertain. read more

Young Blood - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Parking was bad around the Neighborhood corner. I was lucky and found a spot in the Lay-z parking lot right across from Neighborhood. I recommend a Lyft-Uber-Waymo in and out. In through the Neighborhood bar and restaurant door, I asked, "Where is Youngblood?" The bar lady said around the back end of the bar, in the back hall, push the kegs. Blythe was my hostess inside, welcome to Youngblood, Francesca the bar server, Demi also at the bar. 3-drinks was the course menu, and I was done. The last drink was real heavy whiskey and I was toast, it was pretty good. Amber the water-bearer refilled my glass- thank you so much for the water refills, that was pretty good. I like calm and quiet speakeasies, but tonight I didn't like the loud chatter noise. At 8pm it's loud, I couldn't hear the background music over the talking. I will try for an early reservation, I think the first open hour is quieter and more enjoyable. Blythe said costumes were welcome. Good to know, I'll be back for Halloween and Christmas. read more

Young Blood speakeasy was recommended by another friend so we visited earlier in the day (late afternoon) & made a reservation for 9PM, as it is very difficult to accommodate walk ins due to limited space. The speakeasy is located within Neighborhood bar, behind a false wall of beer barrels (there is a host for Young blood behind the barrel door) & the large refrigerator door which is the entrance to Young Blood. The menu features a choice of 3 courses of cocktails where the 2nd course is called Dealer's Choice where your mixologist will craft a unique cocktail for you based on your preferences. Service was outstanding & attentive & cocktails were beautifully crafted, balanced & flavorful. read more

Young Blood - Drink menu - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

If you're a fan of personalized crafted bespoke cocktails, I highly recommend coming to Young Blood! They're typically reservation-based but it doesn't hurt walking in. Young Blood is located behind the Neighborhood, and is one of two speakeasies here. We lucked out and was able to come as a walk-in on a Sunday. While waiting for our turn, we had a drink at their other speakeasy (the Noble Experiment, which I also highly recommend). Ambiance is sophisticated and elevated, with great mood lighting. Generally, the menu consists of 3 drinks - with one being a bespoke cocktail. Since we only stopped by, we opted for getting one drink. We wanted a different variation of the Manhattan and was asked several questions before concocting the drink (i.e. more bitter, floral, what whiskey do you typically like, etc.). The result? Magnificent! They used Nikka from the Barrel, chocolate bitters, along with other ingredients to provide a different depth in the Manhattan. Also had a pleasure to try the Floral+Juicy+Elegant cocktail from their first course menu. It consisted of juniper, lychee, grapefruit, bergamot, and sakura cherry blossom. They used sakura cherry blossom powder on the rim so you can change the drink profile as you take a sip. It's floral, refreshing, and light. Service was wonderful! You can tell that the bartenders really care about their craft. Remember to book a reservation in advance! read more

Young Blood - Floral+Juicy+Elegant cocktail & Dealer's Choice - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The self-appointed king of speakeasies is back at it for another one. I stopped by Young Blood for some drinks on a Wednesday night. Given the name, I was expecting this to be a vampire hangout or for some animal sacrifices of sorts to take place, but I'm happy to report that Young Blood is none of that. It's a top-notch speakeasy in line with some of the best I've been to. Ambiance (4.5/5): Young Blood is a relatively small speakeasy with some great vibes. To get there, walk inside Neighborhood and find your way. There are actually two speakeasies inside the same restaurant, with the other being The Noble Experiment. Young Blood seats 20-30 people or so. We made a reservation to be safe. If it's a weekend, it's probably a must. On a week day, who knows. It depends on how much you'd like to roll the dice. One of the coolest parts of the ambiance is that they have these huge six foot candles or so. One was right by us at the bar. My only complaint about the bar area? Back-less bar stools. I need some support for my old man back! Service (4/5): Overall, the service was quite good. There were two bartenders working that both served us. They were both attentive and pretty efficient at their jobs. They also hook you up with a little amuse bouche which is always much appreciated. Food (N/A): I was on a liquid diet on this visit. I don't think they have food anyway though I'm not 100%. Drinks (4.5/5): Think of this as a tasting menu for drinks. It's three courses. Meaning you're required to get three drinks. Normally, stuff like this annoys me, but the drinks are so well made here that I was cool with it. While Young Blood isn't cheap, given the sophistication of the cocktails, it's worth it. For your first course, you have your choice of eight or so cocktails. What's interesting is that they leave out the main spirit in the description purposefully. So as to not sway you to go for your poison of choice and instead focus on the flavor profile. It's rolling the dice a little bit but it worked out. My first course was gin-based which was right up my alley. The second course is dealer's choice. You tell the bartender about what liquors you like, flavor profiles, what to stay away from, etc. and they will craft a cocktail to your taste. Well done yet again. And finally, the third course is a "desert course" and you have your choice of four or so options. I went with the lemon meringue cocktail which tasted as good as it sounds. They even toast the meringue with a blow torch. Impressive. I've been to a lot of speakeasies in my day nationwide. Young Blood is in the top 10. Hands down. read more

Loved this place! My friend recommended this bar to me for my time in San Diego and I'm so happy we went. The menu is broken up into three sections: first course (lighter, fruity, floral), main course (dealers choice based on your preference), and third course (dessert flavored cocktails). Everything we tried was absolutely delicious. I did the Lush + Tropical Fruit + Citric which was one of the best cocktails I've ever had. The coconut wine float gave it a really unique taste that I was a big fan of. Our server also did a great job crafting my second course, and the Butterscotch Budino as my final course was such a good choice. I loved this so much that I finished it within maybe 4 minutes. Tasted like a biscoff cookie in a cup! Our server was very kind and attentive. For the two of us, we spent about $200 after tip. Definitely not somewhere I'd frequent, but was good for a vacation treat. The space is very small, so I'd recommend a reservation. Decor is beautiful inside which made for an elevated and enjoyable date night :) read more

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Would give it more stars if I could. By far, one of the best cocktail lounges in San Diego for its integration into an amalgamation of a 3 lounge, prohibition-style slice of mixology heaven. *Check out the Neighborhood btw* Austin, otherwise known as Marty Supreme, is excellent in both his skill craft and knowledge, whom offers a complete experience of drinks from a fresh seaside inspired cocktail to a Willy Wonka-like full-course min a shot (changing flavors) to a caramel Biscoff inspired dessert drink. The environment is refreshing and truly embraced its purpose: fitting in its time, exclusive, and wonderful. Service was impeccable and informative. Thank you for making San Diego interesting. read more

I had such a great time doing their three-course cocktail menu. Every drink was delicious in its own way, and you can really taste how much thought goes into each one. The second cocktail was my favorite. They asked about my preferences and tailored it just for me, and it ended up being the best drink of the night. The whole experience felt really fun and relaxed, and the staff made it even better. They're super friendly, easy to talk to, and clearly passionate about what they do. One thing to know is that reservations can be hard to get, so I'd definitely try to book early if you want to check it out. It's totally worth the effort. What a unique experience. read more

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YoungBlood - 9/10 Aesthetic & Ambiance: 9/10 - From the mirrors to the backhauls and into the dungeon bar, it gave off the same vibe as Noble Experiment but elevated. They offer a omakase-style menu for the drinks, so come thirsty! - Sadly my phone died shortly after arriving so I wasn't able to capture much. Service: 9/10 - Our server was amazing...I wasn't able to remember his names for reasons unknown, but I do remember having a great time and all three courses of drinks were delicious! There is minimal seating and much as everyone will tell you, you need to make ressys in advance! read more

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This was our second time going to Youngblood. The first time was two years ago. Drinks were just as good as we remember, however they did change up the experience. Previously you got three custom drinks based on your preference starting with a starter, main, and dessert style. Now, they kept the starter, main and dessert, however the "bartender's choice" is only for the main. Both the starter and dessert are options. The starter is purely based on preference and intentionally they leave out the alcohol included so that doesn't sway your decision. Their bartenders explained that this change was to meet people in the middle of experiences they might get elsewhere at speakeasy's while keeping their originality. Honestly, both experiences were great so I can't complain. For my starter, I went with the Lush + Tropical Fruit + Citric. I was stuck between that and two others, but from talking with the bartender they help break down the drink experience further. It was super helpful. We heard that some people, forgo the main drink of bartendar's choice and instead just do two starters... that is an option, but I LOVE and highly recommend going with the flow and letting the bartenders make you a drink based on your preferences. They're great at their jobs. For my husband's starter, he went with the beeswax + barley + orchard. If you like honey, you will love it. The other he was choosing between was the herbaceous + bright + oceanic, and that one looked fun. Someone else got it, and it was Icey-like (in looks). Would want to try it. For my second drink, I explained my preferred drinks are margaritas, mezcalitas, or punch style fruity/floral, smooth, and spicy drinks. I got a drink that was mezcalita based with passionfruit and spicy pepper basically. It was yum and definitely like drinks I would normally have. My third drink I went with the strawberry fields.... Highly recommend. It was in an underrated, simple glass, but has a fantastic flavor. My husband got the lemon meringue pie (as did so many people in the bar), and I was slightly worried I would have liked his more. But the strawberry fields ended up being our favorite drink of the drink between everything we had. It was just great. read more

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Excellent speakeasy bar with great drinks and unique creations. The staff is also friendly and amazing, Alexandra took good care of us. My husband and I did the 3 drink menu prefix, which is about $72 per person, but you can just order drinks individually if you want. For the first course we ordered the carribbean bitter spice and the lush tropical fruit citric. I did like the lush tropical fruit citric, however, I could have done without the red wine float on top. My hubsband ordered the carribbean drink which i was not a fan of. The second course is a dealers choice. This is where the dealer/bartender creates a drink that is tailored to customer's liking. My husband got an old fashion type drink and I got a fruity one with coconut flavors. For the dessert/ 3rd choice, I ordered the strawberry fields and my husband ordered the coffee cake. All the drinks I had were delious, minus the red wine float. My husband also enjoyed his drinks but i think he likes the old fashion one the best. Alexandra was great, she was asking what our go to drinks were and tried to get a better understanding of what we liked. Her and the bartender Franchesca were great at explaining each of the drinks' ingredients. Very crafty and delicious. I would recommend this place to anyone who's in town. It's a small and intimate spot, maybe only seating about 15 people or so. It's great for a date night or a small group. Highly recommend making reservations but they also take walk-ins if space is available. We also got to take home a youngblood commemorative pin, which was part of the 3 course prefix. read more

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Drinks are amazing, the atmosphere is incredible, and the staff are knowledgeable and welcoming. My only complaint is the change in the overall experience. It used to focus on three personally crafted drinks, which made the experience feel unique and worth coming back for. Now, only one drink is personally crafted, while the other two are selected from the menu. If I wanted to order drinks off a menu, there are other experiences in San Diego that I would opt for instead. I'm a bit disappointed with this change, and after coming here multiple times specifically for the unique experience, I don't think I'll be back or continue recommending it to others as I have in the past. read more

Man I have to say I was pretty disappointed with this place :( What was once a unique 'omakse' style speakeasy now has a set menu and only 1 'omakse' style drink. Not really a unique place anymore and seems vastly overpriced (to me) now. They were objectively well made, but I don't think they're necessarily good. Almost all of my drinks felt like they had 2-3 too many ingredients. I understand it's a speakeasy and if I wanted simple drinks then just go outside to Neighborhood, and maybe I'm just a simpleton, but the drinks I ordered had too much going on and wasn't giving me enough of the flavors I wanted out of the drink. For example my first course I was having a tough time picking a drink because I like sweet drinks and don't like bitter/floral/herby/smokey drinks. Most of the drinks sounded good but then would have one of those characteristics on there. I ended up going with the lush + tropical + citric because that sounded right up my alley, but they there was a coconut red wine float on the top which really ruined the drink for me. I was not a fan of the floater and it was too strong and overpowered the drink and all you tasted was the wine. The next course was the dealers choice and I said I like tropical, tiki bar drinks, stuff like pina coladas and daiquiris. And I saw what they were going for in my drink, it had a lot of those ingredients but I didn't love it. I did like it, but was too much going on again, and I didn't get the real sweet tropical flavors like pineapple/mango. Was mostly getting rum, which maybe isn't that bad? It's strong. But wasn't for me. The last course (dessert course) I did love, because again I love my sweet dessert type drinks. Got the butterscotch and loved it, wish I could have had 2 more drinks just like it. The staff was absolutely excellent, real highlight of my time there. They were fast, kind, and knowledgeable. 10/10 on them. But it wasn't enough to sway me. Goregous interior and lovely decorations definitely feels nice and old school And when it's $85 for 3 drinks (no tip, after tip is closer to $100 for 3 drinks), I better love every drink and I just didn't. I loved one, liked another, and disliked one. So I was pretty disappointed with my time here :( Don't think I'll be back read more

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My husband and I recently went to Young Blood. It was our second time there; the last time being almost four years ago. We walked in for our reservation which was at 10PM on a Tuesday night. The bar is quite small. It is one of the two speakeasies inside Neighborhood (bar). What I loved from the previous experience is that is used to be a full three-course "dealer's choice" prix-fixe experience. That meant that you would let the bartender know your favorite liquors and your preferred flavor palate, and they would develop a three-course drink menu for you to enjoy. This time, I was disappointed to learn that the "dealer's choice" was only for the "main course" cocktail rather than the whole menu. The "appetizer" and "dessert" cocktails came from a small menu. To me, that change makes the experience much less original. That said, I will say that we still had a really lovely experience regardless. Even though I would have preferred the full dealer's choice menu, I enjoyed the selections from he menu as well. There were two small drinks which served as sort of palate cleansers between the three courses. The first was slightly spicy and served with a small serving of potato chips and pickles. The second was light and refreshing. I enjoyed all of my drinks, and luckily was able to choose a drink that wasn't too sweet from the dessert menu. I did enjoy my "dealer's choice" drink most of all. I like the wide variety of liquors that they have, as well as the variety of house made syrups and infused liquors. Though I am disappointed that the format of Young Blood has changed, I still like the three-course experience. I still do recommend the experience. Also, I recommend a reservation made well in advance due to the small size of the restaurant. read more

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Young Blood is shooting for speakeasiest. Sure there's Prohibition, Noble Experiment, and False Idol within proximity. In Kearney Mesa there's Realm of the 52 Remedies and Convoy Music Bar. There are a myriad of other "hidden but not really" cocktail bars scattered around San Diego. Young Blood stands out as being a curated experience. For anyone confused by the yelp or google maps directions, Young Blood shares the same parent venue as Noble Experiment: Neighborhood. Same style of entrance, same prohibition-era vibes, but taking it a step further. It's a prix fixe-style menu. You're served three-ish courses: first and third of which are among a pre-selected set of cocktails. The bartenders make small talk, give probing questions, gauge the style and preference of their guests, then customize a second course based on their findings. In between, you're given experimental martinis and some sides of potato chips and pickles. It's a good middle ground between allowing the bartenders to flex their skills and try new things while ensuring guests aren't alienated by avant garde bs. Apparently the experience was $65 not too long ago. At now $85 per person, it's a tough sell. At basically $30 per drink, is the experience worth almost double what a competing cocktail bar is charging? With the special attention from the staff, acoutremont, extra martinis, heavy pours, and exclusivity, some would argue that it's well worth the higher than average price tag. If you enjoy cocktail drinks even broadly, Young Blood is an experience to try at least once. Reservations are made weeks in advance. It's not a casual weekend night out, it's a special occasion. Give them a try and let me know what you think. read more

Awesome speakeasy thay offers a curated cocktail experience! Service is high class with amazing knowledge of mixology and flavors to come up with inventive ideas based upon your preferences. The vibes are immaculate and you have to use the restroom while you are there! read more

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I absolutely love Youngblood! This is by far my favorite speakeasy. The bartenders are so knowledgeable and make the entire experience incredibly fun. The curation and attention to detail throughout the night are unmatched. I love the whole experience so much! I will never get tired of coming here and will always try to snag a reservation whenever one is available. 10/10 recommend! read more

Great cocktails and wonderful service. You will need to make your reservation weeks in advance. The room is very intimate and only fits about 10 people max I'd say. There's a fixed menu of three "courses" for cocktails. I enjoyed every single one I had. This is a fun and swanky date night place. The neighborhoods food is fabulous and a great place to eat prior to going into Youngblood. Best cocktail I had was dealers choice ( I asked for gin and lemon to incorporated). I finished off with a lemon merengue drink for dessert. read more

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This was one of my favorite experiences while visiting San Diego. I know a lot of people in the reviews are complaining about only getting three drinks, however, I do think that the three drinks you get are of really good quality. I'd also like to point out that in addition to the three drinks, you also get a small sampling of a martini, and a side of these light snacks. My favorite was obviously the custom drink, I asked for a vegetable based drink, and I really enjoyed it, felt it was unique, and I had never had a cocktail similar in taste to what I got. The bar itself is small studying, which I got more pictures. And the experience is totally personalized. Even if you think you might not like the place, I would still recommend visiting this bar at least once. read more

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The ambiance is very chic with a bit of a retro vibe. Arrived for reservation about 15 min early and they were able to seat us pretty quick. Once seated, bar tender came to introduce herself and go over the menu. She then returned and took our first order. Drinks were phenomenal. The second drink they ask you some questions and what kind of base spirit you like. I went with rye and they made a fantastic herbal/ floral notes. The desert drink was also excellent. I was surprised that that the coffee cake was spirit forward and direct. Overall great speak easy and highly recommend. read more

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This was my third time visiting this speakeasy, and it's still one of my favorite spots for drinks in San Diego. Service was outstanding as usual--friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. They now have a menu to choose from, which is a nice change from my previous visits. You still get to choose three courses but it's easier to order if you don't know what to ask for. My favorite drink of the night was the Lush+Tropical Fruit+Citric. It was such a unique cocktail and the flavors complemented each other perfectly. If you're looking for a great cocktail experience in San Diego, this place continues to deliver. Highly recommend! read more

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My friend and I treated ourselves to the young blood experience after many years of it being on our list. Our drink omakase started with an aperitif and then the waiter asked us for details on what flavors and spirits we liked to make us each a special drink. After that we chose a couple more drinks and had some pickles and chips in between. Definitely come fully satiated or else you will feel the alcohol! Of course consortium holdings kept the theme the same and the space is small, reservations required, and low lights. Expensive for sure so I'd only really come for special occasions. read more

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Made reservations exactly 28 days in advance on OpenTable to make sure I could secure a spot here while we were in town. Location is a vibe, getting inside is a vibe, the whole experience is a vibe. We came in with no expectations and now we'll definitely be back. We had reservations for 6:30pm so that we could have dinner at Neighborhood afterwards. The price you pay for the drinks + the experience at Young Blood is worth it. Staff is super cool and knowledgeable and you can tell a lot of effort was put into these drinks and atmosphere. Every single drink felt like it was made just for me (perfectly delicious and full of flavor). If you like menus, you're gonna GEEK over theirs. 10/10 would come back. read more

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I came here with some friends last year and we had some caviar bumps and shots before heading in for our reservation. Youngblood is a speakeasy located inside the Neighborhood, right next to Noble Experiment. The experience includes 3 drink "courses." The drinks are custom made to your liking! Mine were all mocktails and I even asked for extra mint to take home LOL. It was definitely a fun and unique experience. read more

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This is the best speakeasy I've been to. Try finding the entrance! I unfortunately asked if I was in the right place, and one of the Motherblood employees just pointed out the entrance to me, so I spoiled it for myself. Once you get in, you're treated with a classy, bespoke service in a warm, ethereal setting. The bartenders were some of the friendliest people. Your experience is set up as three courses: the first being a fixed menu of 5 options. The second being a drink they make ON THE FLY based on your cravings and preferences. The third is a dessert-like drink. Each cocktail was expertly crafted and smooth to drink. It's worth it. I paid around $70-80 read more

Young Blood - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Young Blood will set you back about $65 per person but here's what you get: - 3 cocktails per person. The concept is appetizer, entree and dessert; so light, heavy then sweet. - 90 minutes; roughly 30 mins per drink - No menu. You tell the bartender what sorts of flavors you're into and they make a customized drink for you on the spot - Really fun, old world, speakeasy decor - You get to enter through a faux door made of false beer kegs and then enter the bar through a faux door disguised as a fridge Really fun experience. read more

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Great experience with custom craft cocktails. The service was phenomenal. The atmosphere of the place felt like you were in the 1920s. I would rate the service at 10 out of 5 stars if I could. You definitely need to make reservations ahead of time. read more

Hands down this is one amazing speakeasy! Its small and very personable. For starters, get yourself on the reservation list. No reservation, no entry. Young Blood is tucked behind a bar and hidden within ANOTHER speakeasy, Nobel Experiment. Kinda trippy. We didn't even notice Young Blood was here when we came to Nobel Experiment. Young Blood is a 3 drink experience. No menus, no selection, just you and the bartender. It starts with an appetizer drink, entree drink then dessert. The bar tender asks you questions what kind of stuff you like in a drink and away they go!! They came back with some really unique creations! One was more impressive than the next. We love desserts and the dessert drink impressed our socks off! We wish we remembered all the names and details they gave us about our drinks. But no worries, more reason for us to return for another round. read more

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Finally got to come here after making a reservation for Sunday evening. Youngblood is inside the Neighborhood and offers a unique and immersive cocktail experience. Inside the speakeasy, it's an intimate setting characterized by warm lighting and elegant décor reminiscent of the 1960-70's. Perfect for a classy date night. The bar operates on a reservation-only basis, and it can be tough to get a seat especially for a bigger party. Would recommend making reservations well in advance. When we arrived, we were welcomed with a glass of champagne, followed by a three-course cocktail tasting tailored to individual preferences. For my first course, I asked for something with lychee, the second a more direct cocktail similar to an Old Fashioned, and the third something akin to a Pina Colada. The bartenders met the brief with every drink and crafted such beautiful, complex, and delicious cocktails. This 90-minute journey is currently priced at $67 per person, with an updated menu-style format launching in February. If you're looking for a unique experience and well-crafted cocktails, I would highly recommend checking out Youngblood! read more

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This is a fun and creative experience. I love the ambience inside, it feels like a very classy speakeasy. I also love the concept of a starter, Main and dessert drink-Kinda like Omakase drinks. I took off one star because it was $85 for three drinks and some freebies like chip snack and an extra small taster. So pretty pricey but I do think it was really worth the experience, especially if you're going for a special occasion. It was kind of tight seating wise, but the bartenders made it very comfortable. I was very impressed by the drink they were able to make based on my liquor, choice, and flavor profiles. Drinks for super solid! Despite the price I do want to come back. read more

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What a cool and unique experience! We have been here twice and both times were exceptional. Location: Hidden inside the Neighborhood restaurant right near the Gaslamp quarter. Reservations: Required and difficult to get, I recommend booking early. You can always set a notification on Open table for cancellations, this is how we got a spot the first time we went. Ambiance: Young Blood has a classic speak easy feel, the decor is unique and vintage. It's very small inside, with only 5-6 tables and about 8-10 seats at the bar in the center. It has an intimate feel, and is intended to take awhile so you can really enjoy the experience. The lighting is nice and it's quiet so you can have good conversation. Service: With so few patrons at a time, the bartenders are able to really spend time discussing with you what you like and describe the craft of the drinks they are making. The timing is really nice, you never feel rushed to finish a drink. Drinks: As other reviewers have mentioned, the drinks are formatted in an appetizer, entree, dessert fashion. The first course is designed to be lighter, usually fruity/acidic. The entree course is designed to be stronger, more alcohol-forward. The dessert course is sweet, creamy, and ties the whole meal together. Each time we got very different drinks, but each course was unique and made from flavors exactly like what we described This is a sensational experience and I highly recommend if you are visiting San Diego! read more

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So here's the thing; I've been going to Youngblood for years now with friends. I loved how it started as a speakeasy with no set menu where the bartenders would strut their stuff in an omakasse kind of way. You'd get three drinks that you wouldn't get anywhere else where your tastes and choices and types could evolve or alternate on the fly depending on what you were feeling like. So imagine my surprise and disappointment when I turn up with a good friend for a birthday celebration only to discover.....menus.....with set cocktails for two of the three courses. I can understand why to some extent you go with more set options as it eases workload on the staff and allows you to pre-make lots of different things to make those drinks special. But that's not what Youngblood was about. It was literally about not having menus, about having that 'dealers choice' experience where you will not have anything like that ever again. Now I want to say upfront that the staff remains friendly and amazing (shout out to Zach especially who is probably the best bartender I've ever seen in action), and the ambiance remains one of the best in the city. And the second course 'dealers choice' and third course 'dessert' were truly delicious and enjoyable. This remains a very fun speakeasy to go to and I'd definitely recommend it for visitors. But it's just NOT Youngblood when you start putting out menus. Then it just becomes a standard speakeasy bar, a very good one, but no different than any other one anywhere. I really hope they eventually go back to no menus but I might be fighting the tide. read more

Youngblood is located in the bar "neighborhood" in downtown SD. Walk into the bar and go to the right side where the beer kegs are and that should lead you to the Youngblood entrance. You will see a Youngblood display case and a hostess stand. Once the hostess checks you in you will enter through the glass case to a beautiful but small seating area around the bar. It's very classy and true to the speakeasy vibes. Once we were seated we were greeted with complimentary champagne. The host told us it would be a three course experience with a personal bartender who will ask us what we like and curate our drinks on our preferences. The first round was focused more on the spirit and a lighter taste. The second round the bartender wanted to focus more on a martini style and asked what we preferred. The third round was dessert and they were able to replicate our desired tastes. Truly phenomenal and a delicious experience! Our experience was roughly two hours and it was quite enjoyable. The experience does cost $65 per person so keep that in mind when booking reservations. You must do the experience but you can order more cocktails after if they are able to accommodate seating with reservations. Overall, a fantastic speakeasy. I recommend by all means. read more

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Young Blood gave me the best speakeasy experience. Its innovative approach to mixology really impressed me because instead of a traditional menu, the talented bartenders engage in a personal conversation to discover your tastes and preferences. You get to choose "3-courses", an appetizer - can be light, fruity, herbal, etc. Main course: heavier on the liquor side, and Dessert: sweet Despite its small size, the space feels incredibly cozy and inviting. Soft, dim lighting, vintage decor. The intimate layout encourages conversation, with just a few well-placed tables and a bar that invites you to settle in. I shared my preferences for fruity, herbal, and spicy for my first 2 drinks, and our bartender excelled in crafting the perfect drinks for me. What truly made my visit special was the way the bartenders took the time to explain the inspiration behind my drink. They made it feel like a personal connection rather than just a service. I left feeling inspired and delighted, eager to return and see what other concoctions they could create for me in the next time I plan to come here. read more

Young Blood - Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I took my husband here for his birthday and my oh my what an experience. First, let's talk about the positives. This speakeasy is super cool inside and I like the 3 course drink concept. I don't know of any bars or speakeasy that is doing this. All our drinks were delicious and you can tell the bartenders pay attention to your likes and dislikes. My husband's entree drink was the best he said he's ever had. And both of the dessert drinks were very delicious. Now the not so great part, I felt like we were being rushed throughout the process. I understand that there was a 90 minutes limit per experience but I like to sip on my drinks not down them. I knew we were being rushed when we're being served the next course while still enjoying our current drinks. The drinks are super strong too so for a lightweight like me, no bueno. Also, they serve you a complimentary drink which I believe varies. But that night they served us a dirty martini which I wasn't a fan off. Lastly, I expected the drinks will be expensive. Just fyi, there are no prices on the menu and guests don't post their bill. But I didn't expect it to be too pricey to the point where I wish they would have served some sort of heavy appetizer at least. I felt like I needed to sell a kidney after seeing the bill. It was ridiculous for drinks. Anyways, at least I can say I've been to Young Blood at least once but I don't think I'll be back. read more

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So this is a speakeasy located inside the restaurant called The Neighborhood . When you get inside, you walk to where the restrooms are located at and to your right side you're gonna see kegs of beer. It's actually a door that opens up to a hostess . She is the one welcoming the people to either Youngblood which is on your right side or the noble experiment which is on the left side which is also another speakeasy in the same location.. When we talked to the hostess, I asked if there was any opening for either of the two speakeasies . I know Youngblood was two weeks out for a reservation, but we got lucky there was a cancellation that night. We had to wait an hour so we went outside to the restaurant to have a drink while we waited. The way it works with Youngblood you pay I believe it was $65 a person and the bartender pics three drinks for you. We had such an amazing time. It was such a unique experience. Zack was our mixologist that night he was amazing. He asked us questions and made us some yummy drinks according to our likes. All three drink drinks did not disappoint. The first drink was a refreshing one the second drink was a more liquor forward drink, and to end the night the third one was a dessert drink. He literally asked us what our favorite dessert was and made our drink based on that . It was delicious! Overall, I'm so glad we did this. It was a unique and fun experience for us . We had such a great time. Zack was amazing and the drinks were on point for us . The drinks were top shelf craft drinks. I loved watching how they mix the drinks is like watching art . I highly recommend this location and the experience was amazing.. also when you're done make sure to have some food at The Neighborhood restaurant it's delicious. read more

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Young Blood was a good experience. The bartenders were friendly and welcoming, and the whole place had a cool vibe. The atmosphere really made the experience feel special. Some drinks were spirit forward while others were well balanced and not too sweet. Recommend asking the bartenders based on your preference of drinks before ordering. read more

I had the best experience here! I was lucky enough to get a late reservation (10:45pm) on a Thursday night. You def need to book reservations early! There's no food, so eat before. You get an appetizer drink (your refreshing drink, more tropical), entree drink (the stronger one, think liquaaaaaa), and a dessert drink (mine was a crème brûlée/espresso martini). All of my drinks were so good, but the dessert one was def the best drink I've ever had. Our server was so friendly. I love the vibes in this place and def recommend. Pricing averages $20-$22 a drink is what it equates to, but it's one set price per person. read more

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The drinks were delicious, and the ambience was great. However, since the website provides no information whatsoever on what to expect, we were quite surprised to be presented with a three course/three drink menu. Cute concept, but is management actually ENCOURAGING people to get drunk there and then drive? My limit is one drink when I go out (lightweight, plus, I'm the DD), and my husband's is two. Fortunately, the bartender allowed us to just order one three course experience between the two of us, but the option to order a la carte should be provided and clearly stated on the menu. Since there was no info on the website and no price was listed on the menu, we wondered how much the experience would cost. We went to Yelp and found out in a review that it was $85. I understand that drinks are expensive nowadays. $15-20 a drink is quite standard, but $28?!? That's kind of ludicrous, in my mind. It's just a drink. Yes, they were delicious and pretty, but nearly $30?? If prices were closer to the norm and an a la carte option clearly stated somewhere, then I'd give 5 stars (even with the not-informative-whatsoever website), but as it stands, 3 stars is the most generous rating I can give. read more