The Best San Diego Neighborhoods for Night Owls
While San Diego is world-renowned for its year-round sunshine, there are several neighborhoods that don’t come alive until after dark. Here are four neighborhoods that each put their own spin on a perfect night out in San Diego, with picks for the best nightclubs, lounges, and 24-hour restaurants to check out.
The Gaslamp District
The Gaslamp is where San Diegans land when they want to get dressed up, eat a late-night dinner they made reservations for weeks ago, and hop from one high-end dance club to the next.
On the weekends, you’ll find the sidewalks packed with a mix of revelers, some of whom wouldn’t be caught in any nightclub that doesn’t have a dress code or bottle service, others seeking more casual, less expensive options on the outskirts of the neighborhood.
Altitude Sky Lounge
Sitting 22 stories above the city atop the Marriott on K Street, Altitude Sky Lounge is a rooftop bar slinging pricey drinks to go with the 360-degree view of the downtown area including San Diego Bay and Petco Park.
Noble Experiment
Harkening back to the days of prohibition, the bar is hidden behind a fake barrier made up of beer kegs. Inside you’ll find an intimate and impeccably decorated nightclub with hand-crafted, delicious, and pricey cocktails. Just be sure to make a reservation before you go.
Tabac
For those who might prefer a late night out that involves something other than alcohol, Tabac allows night owls to indulge in another vice. This hookah lounge and cigar shop also doubles as a coffee shop packed with little tables surrounded by groups of friends smoking and talking.
University Heights
University Heights is most likely not the first neighborhood that comes to mind when a late night out is mentioned. Despite its quiet demeanor, it offers a lot of options for night owls. Instead of competing with the glitz of the Gaslamp, University Heights offers something a little more laid back. San Diegans looking for a slow-paced night involving good food, drinks, and company should consider this little pocket of town.
Lestat’s on Park
For the past decade Lestat’s has been an institution. Open 24 hours, this coffee shop and community hub is more than somewhere to get a shot of espresso. It’s an office, a meeting place, and a host of many community events and open mic nights.
Awash Ethiopian
Open until 1 a.m., this is the perfect post-bar stop for a carb-heavy dinner to soak up that last drink you shouldn’t have ordered. They serve lots of meat-focused and veggie-centric dishes to meet the needs of a variety of diets.
Live Wire
Straddling the edge of University Heights and North Park, Live Wire sits in dive bar infamy. Dark and a little rough around the edges, the bar has an impressive whiskey selection, plenty of local beers on tap, and arguably the best, loudest juke box is San Diego.
Pacific Beach
When you think of the San Diego nightlife hub where you might make the kind of decisions you can’t share with your kids until they’re adults, Pacific Beach (PB to locals) may be the first neighborhood that pops into mind. A prime surfing spot in the day, at night PB’s streets are lit up with neon signs and glowing taco shop menus beckoning merrymakers in for a drink or something to soak up the alcohol.
Pacific Beach Shore Club
One of PB’s most popular bars, it’s not uncommon to see a line snaking out the upstairs door and down the stairs. Beyond laid-back, beachside vibes, they’ve got classic bar food and alcoholic slushies.
Duck Dive
Even though it’s got dive in the name, this place has taken bar food and elevated it, which is evident by their famous duck fat french fries. Duck Dive also has an impressive drink menu, with everything from trendy cocktails to craft beers.
Kearny Mesa
Whether you’re yearning for a night spent devouring the best Korean barbecue San Diego has to offer or taking on the most recent chart-topper at the karaoke bar, Kearny Mesa has some of San Diego’s best late-night establishments where you can hang out until today turns into tomorrow.
Kogi BBQ
While Kearny Mesa doesn’t have a shortage of Korean barbecue places, this one is popular among the late-night crowd because they have a happy hour that starts at 9 p.m. The quality of the meat they serve is considered some of the best in the city.
Jin Music Studio
If late nights that stretch into the wee hours of the morning are your thing, Jin Music Studio might be a great way to spend an evening. Open until 4 a.m. almost every night of the week, this karaoke spot offers private rooms so you can sing in the privacy of your own social circle. Jin’s is BYOB, and you can bring in your own food.