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Nightlife:

A-

(explain this grade)

Comparable Schools'
Nightlife Grades:

Quick Stats

Useful Resources for Nightlife

  • San Diego Reader
  • signonsandiego.com

Student Favorites

  • Effin’s Pub & Grill
  • Fourth and B
  • In Cahoots
  • Moondoggies
  • Onyx and Thin
  • Pacific Beach Bar and Grill
  • Tavern at the Beach
  • The Bitter End

Primary Areas with Nightlife

  • Ocean Beach
  • Downtown
  • Gaslamp District
  • Pacific Beach

Local Specialties

  • Stone Brewery
  • AleSmith
  • Alpine Beer Co.
  • Firehouse Brewery
  • Gordon Beirsch
  • Karl Strauss
  • Oggi’s

Other Places to Check Out

  • Red Circle Café
  • Airport Lounge
  • Bar Basic
  • Bar Dynamite
  • Belo
  • Ole Madrid

Favorite Drinking Games

  • Waterfall
  • 4 Corners
  • Beer Pong (Beirut)
  • Caps
  • Edward 40 hands
  • Flip Cup
  • King’s Cup
  • Quarters

Bars Close At

2 a.m.

Cheapest Place to Get a Drink

Effin’s Pub and Grill, but keep your eyes open for happy hour specials listed almost everywhere you go.

College Prowler Take

San Diego State is known as a party school for good reason; it has the biggest college nightlife scene in San Diego, and one of the largest in California, along with UC Santa Barbara and CSU Chico. There is always something going on during the weekend, whether it is an ‘80s party on Fraternity Row or a triple-kegger at a random house down Montezuma Road. As long as you have some connections, you will always have something to do every weekend night. For those over 21, San Diego offers one of the best bar and club scenes in the nation. Pacific Beach and downtown San Diego are the two biggest hotspots. Mexico is always an option for anyone who wants to cut loose across the border.

Greek parties often get all the attention regarding nightlife. Unfortunately, fraternity parties can be a hassle to get into for non-Greek guys, and girls may be harassed by the fraternity members themselves. House parties occur just as often as fraternity parties do, though they tend to get broken up by the police. The police have become really strict during the evening, and have sucked a little fun out of the party scene. However, when one party gets busted up, you move on to the next. The nightlife around campus is incredibly strong, but it gets tired after a while due to the monotonous nature of it all. However, once you get tired of the San Diego State parties, you’ve still got plenty of bars and clubs to visit in La Jolla, Pacific Beach, downtown, and Mexico.

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

Anonymous says:

I’m not too much of a party...

I’m not too much of a party person. My idea of a good time is going out with a tight-knit group of my friends and just hanging out with them. You don’t have to be a party person just because you go to San Diego State.

Nightlife
Report

Anonymous says:

Parties on campus are crazy! SDSU...

Parties on campus are crazy! SDSU is, after all, one of the biggest party schools in the nation. There are a multitude of great bars and clubs to go to off campus once you’re of legal age.

Nightlife
Report

Anonymous says:

The party scene is always...

The party scene is always available if you’re looking for it. Word is San Diego has an awesome bar and club scene for the over-21 crowd. I can’t wait for the magical day when I get to visit the bars and clubs.

Nightlife
Report

Anonymous says:

I’m not 21, but there is always...

I’m not 21, but there is always Tijuana and Rosarito Beach in Mexico. Plus, there is always a big party to go to around campus.

Nightlife
Report

Anonymous says:

Well, aren’t we like the second or...

Well, aren’t we like the second or third on top the list of party schools? Campus parties are pretty much going on every weekend. I have attended a few of my friend’s parties on campus. They were pretty kick back and a nice way to reduce stress.

Nightlife
Report

Facts

Organization Parties

Many clubs and organizations at San Diego State rent out venues at the end of each semester. These parties are always a rocking good time—you already know everyone there, and it is a chance to hang out in a much livelier setting than the usual mundane surroundings.

Club Listings

Located on the outskirts of downtown, On Broadway hosts well-known DJs and performances.

On Broadway

615 Broadway

Downtown San Diego

(619) 231-0011

www.obec.tv

Bar Listings

The classic Jack and Coke is served in a coffee mug and is one of the bar’s specialties. Onyx has jazz on Tuesdays, and DJs spin house and club tunes on the other nights.

Onyx and Thin

852 Fifth Ave.

Gaslamp District

(619) 235-6699

www.onyxroom.com

Café Sevilla also offers a dinner show on Saturday nights, as well as a tapas bar and a late-night dining menu. The property also includes Club Sevilla, which hosts live music seven days a week.

Café Sevilla

555 4th Ave.

Downtown

(619) 233-5979

www.cafesevilla.com/SanDiego

The martinis and cosmopolitans are some of the best drinks served here.

Beach Bar and Living Room

W Hotel 555 West B St.

Downtown

(619) 231-8220

Tavern is a pretty chill sports bar with constant weekly events, a happy hour from noon until 7 p.m., and it has awesome specials.

Tavern at the Beach

1200 Garnet Ave.

San Diego

(858) 272-6066

www.tavernatthebeach.com

Typhoon saloon has four different levels, including a balcony, pool lounge, and dance floor, as well as being host to frequent live music, making the club appealing to various crowds.

Typhoon Saloon

1165 Garnet Ave.

Pacific Beach

(858) 373-3444

www.mooserestaurantgroup.com/typhoon/index.html

Both beginner and seasoned cowboys and cowgirls can work on their country moves on the dance floor. Cahoots also offers free country dance lessons five days a week, three full service bars, and some of the best country music.

In Cahoots

5373 Mission Center Rd.

Mission Valley

(619) 291-1184

www.incahoots.com

On Broadway has numerous distinct areas within its property, including a huge dance floor which offers house music, ‘70s and ‘80s, and hip hop, and a lounge where VIPs can relax and indulge themselves in luxury at a hip, trendy Sushi Bar.

On Broadway

615 Broadway

Downtown

(619) 231-0011

www.onbroadway.signonsandiego.com

Located very close to campus, Effin’s Pub is an Irish-themed bar that serves food late, so it’s a hot spot for college partiers. Effin’s also features a weekly Saturday night cover band, as well as a comedy night.

Effin’s Pub & Grill

6164 El Cajon Blvd.

San Diego

(619) 299-9800

www.effins.com

PB Bar and Grill keeps its guest occupied with pool tables, shuffleboard, darts, and NTN Video interactive television. There are 72 large televisions showing every sporting event.

Pacific Beach Bar and Grill

860 Garnett Ave.

Pacific Beach

(619) 272-4745

pbbarandgrill.com/grill_home.htm

A local sports bar, Moondoggies offers a great place to catch the game, munch on some greasy yet delicious bar fare, and have a few beers. Some evenings they also host live bands.

Moondoggies

832 Garnett Ave.

Pacific Beach

(858) 483-6550

www.moondoggies.com/pb

Fourth & B is a small-scale concert venue popular with SDSU students. Bands that play there are usually local or underground in popularity and rarely mainstream, but the place is always packed with music lovers or diehard fans of touring bands.

Fourth & B

345 B St.

San Diego

(619) 231-4343

www.4thandb.com

An imperfect place in a perfect world. They have always been known for their outrageous, surly, energetic wait staff who inflict humor upon their guests.

Dick’s Last Resort

345 Fourth Ave.

San Diego

(619) 231-9100

sandiego.dickslastresort.com

Belly Up has been continually voted “San Diego’s Best Live Music Venue”

Belly Up Tavern

143 S. Cedros Ave.

Solana Beach

(858) 481-8140

www.bellyup.com

They have an easy-access window into the Mexican Food restaurant next door called Livingston’s so you can grab food without leaving.

The Sunshine Saloon

5028 Newport Ave.

San Diego

(619) 222-0722

La Jolla’s only upscale sports lounge that overlooks the World Famous La Jolla Cove.

Prospect Bar & Grill

1025 Prospect St.

La Jolla

(858) 454-8092

www.prospectbar.com

Maloney’s Tavern

777 Fifth Ave.

San Diego

(616) 232-6000

www.maloneystavern.com

Gringo’s Cocina y Cantina

4474 Mission Blvd.

Pacific Beach

(858) 490-2877

www.gringoscantina.com

Side Bar is a very trendy cocktail lounge featuring video art and vintage films, and it is tailored toward the sophisticated crowd. The drinks here are relatively expensive, but they are almost worth their price.

Side Bar

536 Market St.

Downtown

(619) 696-0946

www.sidebarsd.com

Plum Crazy, though located within the heart of the Pacific Beach night scene, claims to be the local home of the Philidelphia Eagles football team, and caters to a mostly college-aged crowd. Inside, there are a dozen televisions, pool, air hockey, and foosball tables.

Plum Crazy Saloon

1060 Garnet Ave.

Pacific beach

(858) 270-1212

www.plumcrazypb.com

Sometimes the music is played by DJs and other times by local bands. This bar has great drinks and a fun atmosphere, but it is populated by a slightly older 30+ crowd.

The Bitter End

770 Fifth Ave.

Gaslamp District

(619) 338-9300

www.thebitterend.com

Hosts live music seven nights a week

Winston’s Beach Club

1921 Bacon St.

San Diego

(619) 222-6822

www.winstonsob.com

Casbah is a great place to listen to live music, have a few drinks, and enjoy good food.

Casbah

2501 Kettner Blvd.

San Diego

(619) 232-42355

www.casbahmusic.com

What to Do if You're Not 21

On Thursday nights, also known as College Nights, Deco's hosts 18-and-over events designed for college students to go out and party safely in Downtown. It is perfect for those who want to go party in downtown, but aren’t quite 21.

Deco’s Nightclub

731 5th Ave.

San Diego

(619) 296-3326

www.decos.tv/nightclub.php

An 18-and-over comedy venue

The Comedy Palace

8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.

San Diego

(858) 344-9252

www.thecomedypalace.com

House of Blues is a music venue located in Downtown. Although some nights are 21+, the majority of the time they host all-ages events. Many music artist perform here when they well known, but not quite big enough to put on arena shows.

House of Blues Downtown

1055 Fifth Ave.

San Diego

(619) 299-2583

www.houseofblues.com

Soma is a venue that hosts live music, usually pop/punk, hardcore, ska, emo, indie rock bands and occasionally hip-hop.

Soma

3350 Sports Arena Blvd.

San Diego

(619) 226-7662

www.somasandiego.com

Located two miles south of campus, students can relax and enjoy free Wi-Fi. It is a good place for students to study, it feels like you are in a living room.

Living Room Cafe and Bistro

5900 El Cajon Blvd.

San Diego

(619) 286-8434

www.livingroomcafe.com

On Thursday nights, also known as College Nights, Belo hosts 18-and-over events designed for college students to go out and party safely in Downtown. It is perfect for those who want to go party in downtown, but aren’t quite 21.

Belo

919 4th Ave. #100

San Diego

(619) 231-9200

checafe.ucsd.edu

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Brennan Wasan
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Major: Communications

Life without music could never be imagined.

Contributing Author Internship

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