Best places: Cocktail bars in San Diego, United States

Elegant fine-dining chain with a seafood & steak menu, plus a cocktail lounge featuring live jazz

Elegant fine-dining chain with a seafood & steak menu, plus a cocktail lounge featuring live jazz

Intimate, moody bar pairing handcrafted drinks with New American plates featuring exotic meats.

Casual cafe serves coffees from South & Central America, teas, pizzas & light fare.

Local watering hole draws a crowd with pinball, a pool table & an extensive whiskey selection.

👍👍 What's not to like about this place? It is small and parking us extremely challenging (be prepared to pay if you can't find street parking) but other than those two things, we were really pleased to find this little gem. The bar tenders were friendly and clearly enjoyed their jobs. They were able to...

Apothecary-esque bar offers craft cocktails & microbrews in a stylish, retro space with an atrium.

Whimsical, eccentric space for contemporary vegan fare & drinks complemented by death-metal tunes.

Old-world decor & oak-clad walls give this hidden cocktail bar a sense of mystery & opulence.

Inviting, well-appointed space for seasonally driven New American fare, cocktails & wine.

Refined yet homey eatery featuring upscale American comfort fare made with garden-fresh produce.

Casual Irish pub featuring imported draft beer, local craft brews & a weekly karaoke night.

👍 I had one of the best espresso tonics I’ve ever tried there but also top down the worst when I went another time. It got me confused for a moment, but it’s still a great place to go and sandwiches are good too. I’ll just avoid coffee next time. I only took a pic of the bad espresso tonic (which was...

Cocktails & beer served in an easygoing setting with TVs, games & frequent live music.

Upscale 3-story live-music venue serving craft cocktails & a variety of small plates.

One of the city's first openly gay bars continues to draw crowds with large cocktails & a patio.

Taxidermy & old books line the walls of this hip gastropub, serving seasonal eats & craft cocktails.

Homey smoking space complete with leather furniture, a cigar store & vast tobacco selection.

Craft thin-crust pizza, beer & cocktails served in an open & modern warehouselike space.

Stylish, red-hued haunt with a 1930s vibe, featuring live music & seasonally inspired cocktails.