The Best San Diego Bar for Every Possible Vibe (2024)

By

Mary Beth Abate

Spanish for “rooftop kiss,” Techo Beso sits high atop the new AC Hotel Gaslamp San Diego, overlooking the Gaslamp Quarter. Evoking the sunny beaches of Tulum, the beverage program uses house-made syrups and fresh juices in creative co*cktails like a vibrant Yucatan Margarita, made with butterfly pea tea infused Fords gin, rose syrup, and lemon juice and Zama, made with Evan Williams bourbon, Aperol, lime juice, and passionfruit/vanilla syrup. The main bar features a raised DJ platform connected to the pool deck for easy lounging while gazing at expansive views of the Gaslamp Quarter and downtown San Diego.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Leave of Absence is located on the pool deck of the boutique Kimpton Alma Hotel and is the third on-site bar/restaurant from acclaimed chef-restaurateur Jason Neroni. The breezy, beachy vibe makes tropically leaning co*cktails a no-brainer, starting with Raspado, a Jamaica-lime slushy spiked with mezcal, or Belo, a Brazilian-inspired combo of cachaça, falernum, pineapple, and coconut. A trio of spa-like nonalcoholic juice drinks, available in shots or full pours over ice, make excellent chasers. Start your weekend early at the all-day happy hour every Friday from 11 am to 4 pm.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Mothership imagines what might happen if a band of space marauders made an emergency landing on a planet that produced not only intoxicating spirits but bountiful plant life. A slate of tiki co*cktails is conveniently ranked from “Cruising Speed,” like Nostromo’s Stowaway, made from aged Guatemalan coconut water rum, light Nicaraguan rum, black sesame infused crème de cacao, Italian sweet vermouth, orange, tangerine, lemon, walnut infused grenadine, coconut cream, and ginger bitters to “Ludicrous Speed,” like the notorious Mindkiller, a riff on a Painkiller that’s made with Navy Strength West Indies rum, white overproof Jamaican rum, amaro meletti, coconut cream, pineapple, tangerine, orange, lime and Tang cordial. It’s so potent that you’re limited to two. A half-dozen vegan options fill the food menu, ranging from Potato—a scallion latke, kimchi cream cheese, everything furikake, nasturtium leaf, Japanese cucumber, and black radish to Tofu, banana leaf-wrapped Otak tofu, tomato saffron sambal, nước chấm, crispy shallot and lime.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

After successfully launching the wildly popular Forbidden Cove adjacent to Kilowatt Brewing’s Kearny Mesa tasting room, the owners decided to open The Space Pad alongside the brewery’s Oceanside taproom. In an about-face from Forbidden Cove’s beloved tiki theme, The Space Pad features futuristic co*cktails that employ molecular tricks and treats like color changes, pearlized surprises, jelly textures, and smoke bubbles. A state-of-the-art lighting and sound system simulates alien abductions and other paranormal events, and ordering a particular drink could trigger an interactive experience like a visit to a tropical paradise or a mock liftoff. Also on the menu are Kilowatt beers, an absinthe fountain, and a seafood-centric bar menu.
How to book: Reservations are required and can be made online.

Botanica’s bar program highlights genever, one of Europe’s oldest distilled spirits, which is served in elegant flutes, as well as one of San Diego’s most diverse selections of gin and other botanical spirits from around the world. Like its sister bars, Tahona and Wormwood, Botanica also plans to offer educational genever and gin tastings and other events themed around both spirits. The chic lounge area features an art gallery of carefully curated pieces by local and international talent and is one of the few co*cktail bars in the United States with an onsite NFT gallery. An art-centric co*cktail program, with each drink reflecting a famous work, features standouts like potent Letters to Theo—bourbon, Brucato Amaro Woodlands, chocolate bitters, and allspice leaf or ethereal Meditative Rose with genever, vermouth blanc, rose, sandalwood, harissa, champagne cordial, and egg white. There’s also a contingent of classic genever and gin co*cktails like the Negroni and French 75, plus non-alcoholic options, including Cacao Mushroom Chai with Meow Meow chai, a 10-mushroom blend, turmeric, cinnamon, and cashew milk, and Kentucky Rain, a tribute to Elvis Presley made with spiritless Kentucky 74, lapsang demerara and Aztec chocolate bitters.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Frankie’s is a charming, comfy traditional whiskey bar at the recently renovated The Brick Hotel in Oceanside, with a long, inviting wood bar and lots of cozy leather banquettes against a backdrop of rustic exposed brick. It features a killer menu of rotating co*cktails ranging from refreshers such as Strawberry Queen; gin, strawberry mulled wine, honey, Curaçao, lemon, and soda to savory World Star; shiitake mushroom-infused bourbon, salted coffee, and Aztec chocolate bitters or warmly spiced, luxurious After the Storm; vodka, cognac, Abuelita, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream, and masa. Frankie’s doesn't have a kitchen, but Copper Kings Burgers makes a regular stop there on Wednesday evenings, and you can bring food from the nearby Oceanside Sunset Market on Thursdays.
How to book: Seating is on a first-come basis.

This Gaslamp Quarter hotspot plays Asian and Latin American fusion cuisine against the backdrop of the Amazon jungle. Libations mirror the restaurant’s tropical flair, offering co*cktails like Junglerita, a tequila-based drink with prickly pear, guava, house-made Curaçao and lime, and Endless Nights, with espresso-infused vodka, Mr. Black coffee liqueur and walnut liqueur, topped with a boozy coconut whip, as well as strong, spirited choices with a dramatic, smoked-at-your-table finish. Stop by for happy hour, Sunday through Thursday, from 5 to 7 pm for $6 to $7 house wines, wells, and beer and a selection of craft co*cktails for $9.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Madam Bonnies is named for the notorious Bertha “Bonnie” White, who ran a brothel in the historic Hotel Lester building from the 1920s through the 1940s. Elegantly decked out with exposed brick, sleek banquettes, and three massive, colored glass chandeliers, the space is well-suited to everything from ladies’ night to a romantic tête-à-tête. The co*cktail program showcases spirit-forward drinks, light and fruity refreshers, mocktails, wines by the glass or bottle, and a daily selection of beer. Happy hour deals include everything from $5 well shots to $12 Padres Manhattans, Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 to 6 pm.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Go Go Amigo, Liberty Station’s south-of-the-border-inspired restaurant, boasts expansive patios, an outdoor bar area, and a beverage program showcasing tequila-based co*cktails like Mexican Candy shots, cucumber margaritas, frozen palomas, and spiked agua fresca. Brunch on weekends offers bottomless mimosas with an entree purchase for just $20. Join them on Taco Tuesday from 4 to 10 pm for $3 off all margs and $40 house margarita pitchers.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Explore the flavors of the Yucatan and Caribbean with Coco Maya’s cane- and agave-based co*cktails, enhanced by citrus and spices in direct and fruit-forward versions. Side Piece is a curious blend of tamarind and chili oil infused mezcal, watermelon, lime, and mint that straddles smoky and savory elements, while Cocomaya co*cktel, with a house rum blend, passionfruit, coconut cream, and pina orange cordial is a fresh, tropical escape. Daily brunch serves up coffee co*cktails, mimosas, Bloody Marys, micheladas, and mojitos alongside Bokits, a stuffed sandwich made with Guadeloupan fry bread.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

A combination listening bar and record shop, Part Time Lover is a visually dazzling room with an open layout for optimal sound, cushy seating, a custom sound system built by Chicago-based Uncanned Music, and music chosen by San Diego’s own Folk Arts Rare Records store. The bar program focuses on Japanese American highballs like Lovers Rock, made with Japanese whiskey, vanilla, Campari, sweet vermouth, and walnut bitters, plus amped-up takes on traditional co*cktails, like the Dirty Martini with Japanese gin, fino sherry, and PTL.’s olive-scallion brine.
How to book: Seating is on a first-come basis.

Elevate your craft co*cktail adventure at Understory, the resident co*cktail bar inside The SkyDeck at Del Mar Highlands Town Center. Named for the area between the main forest canopy and the forest floor, the innovative creations on the co*cktail menu evoke the denizens of the ecosystem, like the Satanic Nightjar, with Ford’s London Dry Gin, turmeric, ginger, chili, tamarind, lemongrass, mint, and club bubbles, or The Black Back Puffback, a cherrywood-smoked co*cktail with Cazadores Cristalino Tequila, Verde Mezcal, lime, agave, and cinnamon. Classic co*cktails, crafted mocktails, and a well-rounded wine list ensure there’s something for everyone.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

The centerpiece of Wolfie’s Carousel Bar, Little Italy’s buzzy drinking den, is a dazzling 24-seat, carousel-shaped bar that rotates slowly, giving you a 360-degree view of the room every 14 minutes. Sip NOLA-inspired co*cktails, such as a Belle Fille or a signature Wolfie’s Fantasy with cognac, rose, basil, and lime cordial. Have an international fling with spirit-forward Petite Mort; mezcal, passion fruit, lemon, egg white, and a port wine float, or tropical St. Barts, featuring dark rum, ginger, orgeat, pineapple, and a dash of Peychaud’s.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

The Waverly is a breezy, bright beachside eatery with a co*cktail menu crafted by some of the best bartenders in San Diego. The beverage program is specifically designed to provide options for all times of day, so there’s no shame in snagging a rum-infused Chai Town in the morning and switching to a smoky mezcal Bodega Boy in the evening. The Rockies Old Fashioned with Stranahan single malt, Licor 43, Nola coffee, Cacao Rum, whiskey barrel-aged bitters, and a sizeable sexy ice cube is a wonderful twist on the classic. Still, the amazing selection of wine, beer, and alcohol-free options means all bases are covered.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.

Wormwood brings a brand new drinking and dining adventure to University Heights as San Diego’s first absinthe bar, showcasing nearly 40 absinthes sourced from Europe, New York, Louisiana, and other distilleries. Like Tahona Bar and Botanica, its sister co*cktail venues, Wormwood will also be a place of education about this mysterious, often misunderstood spirit. Enjoy absinthe in the traditional fashion of early 20th-century Paris, served from beautiful slow-drip fountains with a sugar cube, or choose from a co*cktail menu showcasing revisited absinthe classics and a selection of non-absinthe drinks.
How to book: Walk-ins are accepted if seating is available; otherwise, reserve a table online.