University of San Diego - Nightlife

‘Canes is one of the most schizophrenic clubs in San Diego. It’s located right near the Belmont Park roller coaster and all of the local color of Mission Beach. On any given night, you might find a local band belting out songs, a few hundred Lakers fans watching the dozens of televisions, Prince, Ron Jeremy, or a Van Halen cover band. One thing is certain, every Friday and Saturday night you’ll find two or three hundred local hotties looking to enjoy themselves. ‘Canes puts on big time shows, and yet, can easily double as a regular beach club. Sometimes there is a cover, sometimes you need tickets in advance, but you always come home with a story. The dress code is not terribly strict, but you aren’t getting in to a big show with your beach gear. There is a separate and newly-remodeled cantina to go along with patio dining and a dance floor that is crushed after 10 p.m. Happy hour is Monday–Friday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Many students swear that ‘Canes is the hottest spot in San Diego. There is plenty of parking available in nearby Belmont Park.

About as hip as it can get, The W is a hotel located in between little Italy and the Gaslamp. It’s a great place to take out of state guests who like to roll their eyes at all things California. The “Living Room” is the downstairs lounge is called “the ultimate chic destination,” for it transforms a bar into a nightclub, and they can throw on some techno and charge twice the price. Still, there are close to a million great bars to enjoy, and a huge concentration of student type bars in Pacific Beach. Traffic enforcement is very strict in San Diego, so always consider walking or taking a cab when you make your evening plans, for your legal (as well as physical) safety.

According to their answering machine “Like visiting Spain without the airfare,” Flamenco and Salsa dancing occurs nightly with professionals and near professionals. Lessons are often offered at around 8 p.m. at night. A night at Sevilla can be absolutely magical, but while you save on the airfare, drinks and cover can be brutal. Get here early to avoid the cover, or bring a rich salsa-dancing junky to sponsor you. Parking is abysmal; you can find a spot in a pay lot, or better yet, take a cab.

Avenida Revolucion is the party boulevard in Tijuana. It’s hard to say what clubs to go to, to check out, because frankly, the names change rather often. Some stalwarts include Mister E’s and Safari. It doesn’t really matter where you end up. Travel in a manageable group and just go where the music, and your instincts, take you. All up and down the street, you can expect to be incited into the club to have a good time. You can negotiate drink prices. Nothing is more uncomfortable than being separated, or losing someone, even for a short period of time. There rarely is reason to panic, but telling that to the drunk freshman who just lost his or her roommate may lead to tears. It’s also a good idea to take a cab back and forth from the border simply because there are so many drunk visitors walking back and forth, and they are often looking for trouble. It is also imperative to have a designated driver, or take a cab back to campus. Highway 5 is full of police who are on the lookout for drunk drivers in the wee hours of the morning.

If college night in TJ has got you down, try Wednesday night at the Blue Tattoo. Just wear something you don’t mind getting wet. Like everywhere else downtown, it’s expensive and the lines can be long, but if you eat at the upstairs restaurant, you get a free pass, and you don’t have to wait in line. It’s definitely worth it. The wait can be abysmal; parking is available in nearby pay structures, but there won’t be room if the Padres are playing in town.

Maloney’s is one bar downtown that is near and dear to most students’ hearts because the place is nice and actually reasonable. It’s got a huge lower level complete with bar and dance floor, and it is about as casual as you can get in a large Gaslamp night spot. You are actually able to hold conversations if you want, but there’s plenty of loud music and dance space if you are more into body language.

Often referred to as “TJ North” the place actually has a lot going for it. Constant crowds and lively bartenders make this place an adventure every time out. It is the meat market in a neighborhood known for its beef. Specials are great for the budget conscious hunter.

On Broadway is the hottest spot in the super-trendy downtown bar scene. The high-energy club is built inside the old Home Federal Bank building, and features multiple levels of dance floors and bars. There’s also a high-end sushi bar and restaurant. Twenty dollars gets you in the door, and once inside, there are VIP rooms that require further buy-ins. Inside the VIP rooms, the drinks are often less than the $7 or $8 and has cocktails you’ll find at the “common” bars. The dress code is strict—no jeans, tennis shoes, T-shirts, or hats, and parking is the downtown version of impossible.

South Beach meets San Diego. This club is a clever place that plays off the coastal resort rivalry between Miami and San Diego. This is actually the third bar downtown worth at least one visit just to check it out (we lied before). The bar is ridiculous, the dining room is reminiscent of Versailles, and the dance floor looks like Miami Vice with a Steven Spielberg budget. A wise old man once said, “You can judge the cost of a club by the price of their Long Island Iced Tea’s.” Decos' teas start out at $11.50—yikes! It’s definitely worth a visit if you like to go out, dance, and dress to impress. Hopefully you have the parking axiom down by now. Downtown parking is bad—spring for a cab. Specials are apparently persona non grata in South Beach; there are no good deals at Decos.

The only other nightclub, besides on Broadway, cool enough to visit just for the interior. The Bitter End features three totally different floors of action. There is a great view from the third floor lounge out onto the bustling Gas lamp. The drinks are stiff and the staff is great. Prices are high, and you’ve got to get here before 8 p.m. to avoid the minimum $10 cover. Complimentary happy hour appetizers on Padres home dates. $5 drinks are considered a special.

The ultimate hybrid PB club/bar, the Bar and Grill serves every purpose. Ridiculously packed from Thursday night through Sunday, you can dance, play pool, watch sports, ogle locals, and eat great pub grub all in one spot. Serviced by two square bars, and attached to a massive dance floor known as “Club Tremors,” Happy hour is everyday from 4 p.m.–8 p.m.

Typhoon Saloon is a semi-recent addition to the ongoing party that is Garnet Avenue. The place is packed nearly every night of the week. As well as having great drink specials, and a feverishly loyal student clientele, Typhoon Saloon is attached to Fred’s.

A lot of USD kids avoid Ocean Beach, an area that really gets a bad rap. Sure the town is extremely localized, and it has its share of bums and addicts, but OB definitely has many redeeming qualities. For one, OB is like its own little country. There used to be a popular bumper sticker that read “U.S. Out of OB.” Another great reason to visit OB is Winston’s. Winston’s is simply a great place to hang out and listen to great live music. Matched only by its sister bar blind Melon’s, Winston’s caters to a crowd that appreciates performance over videos and juke boxes. The staff is great, from the bouncers to the bartenders, and after your second visit, you’ll probably feel like a local. Parking is good.

Barefoot bar is really designed to snare tourists fresh off, or about to get on, massive cruise ships. The place used to be the spot to go on Sunday nights, but now a visit is just to pay respects to a once brilliant past. The right-on-the-bay location can’t be beat, and men in the midst of mid-life crises like to pull their boats in and walk up to the bar. It’s definitely still the place to go to be casually impressive, and honestly, a good time with the right group. A visit just for the sand-covered dance floor is worth it.

Everyone who truly loves “the Fox” comes close to shedding a tear when it comes up in conversation. The sunken bar on the eastern nether-regions of Garnet Avenue is exactly the bar you imagined it would be the first time you walked by it on your way to the Broken Yolk, or to Hair-E- Kari’s to get a haircut. The Fox is every newly turned 21-year-old’s Christmas present. Spectacularly unassuming, the Fox has only a few TVs, a pool table or two, darts, and a couple video games. The long bar stretches down the length of the building, and panoramic pictures are lit up behind it. Locals, students, and tourists all end up here to relax. Even on the most crowded of nights, the “San Diego Vibe” is in full evidence here. There’s no better place to find this feeling in Pacific Beach. Other highlights include the hot dog vendor right outside and the local flower lady selling roses at 1 a.m. You can park across the street in the large lot, but don’t even think of driving away if you drank at all. The police usually set up the Garnet paddy wagon in the same lot.

Great Britain hits the West Coast. Fellow patrons will probably ask you if you are British or Australian when you sit down, but don’t be put off. This could be the most enjoyable bar in San Diego County. The Princess Pub is an excellent place to grab some real pub grub and down excellent pints of beer. It’s also a spectacular bar for soccer fans to catch international action. On days featuring important matches, the crowd can spill out onto India Street in chic Little Italy. Pub fans looking for a long night of beer, darts, and English atmosphere can’t do better than the Princess, and she’s just a short walk from the Little Italy trolley station, which is only two stops south of USD on the Orange Line. Happy hour is Monday–Friday from 4 p.m.–7 p.m., and will save you a buck or two per pint.

If PB bars were cola, Moondoggies is the Pepsi to PB Bar and Grill’s Coca-Cola. A little more upscale, Moondoggies is the best place in PB to watch sports (and the only place in San Diego to watch out of market NHL games). Moondoggies has excellent food specials, and a solid happy hour; they just don’t have the dance floor to openly compete with neighboring PB Bar and Grill in full thermonuclear bar warfare. The absence of a large dance floor makes this a bar more than a club, although there is live music all the time. There is a second Moondoggies in La Jolla, but unless you live closer to La Jolla, the Pacific Beach venue is your best bet. Happy hour is every day from 4 p.m.–7 p.m.

If you want to sound like a local, you can offhandedly refer to the days when The Tavern was known as the Daily Planet. If people look at you suspect, just reminisce about Fetch’s old spot across the street. The Tavern used to be an afterthought, a little to the east of the action. Nowadays, you have to wait in line. Another recently remodeled house of party, the Tavern rarely disappoints. Excellent drink specials. There is a small parking lot in the back, but don’t park at Henry’s unless you want to get towed.

Is it spring break already? Lahaina’s is a converted wooden beach house with a patio right on the boardwalk in PB. The place is always packed during the day with beer swilling revelers. It’s as if someone cut out a little piece of Cancun and dropped it on an old Pacific Beach bungalow. It is loud, casual, and perhaps the premier daytime meat market in San Diego. The beer is cheap and it comes—you guessed it—in plastic keg cups. Lahaina is a great place to watch people, as well as show off your own wares.

Known to strike fear into the hardiest of dive bar aficionado’s, the Nite Owl is even farther east than the Silver Fox on the Garnet strip. Although recently renovated, its shanty exterior and distant location make it intimidating. Everything about the look of of the place screams “regulars only.” Inside the low ceiling, red carpet, and red lanterns don’t really combat the dive bar image. A trip here is worth stories for at least a week. The only consistent special is the Early Bird Bloody Mary, available daily at 6 a.m. If that doesn’t say all there is to say about the Nite Owl, what would?

Nick’s is really a two-story restaurant, but USD students tend to spend most of their time upstairs, in the bar. Tucked away on Thomas Avenue, Nicks is almost always forgotten until late arriving partygoers encounter the long lines on Garnet Avenue. Inspiration usually hits someone quickly, and “Let’s just go to Nick’s” is a popular offering. In all fairness, Nick’s is a great place in its own right. A pen-air patio and a cool layout make it a hard spot to leave. Specials vary, and there are occasional late-night deals. Nick’s is a little more expensive than the other bars and clubs, but there is no cover, and no line. Parking is alright in surrounding areas, but PB is under the constant watchful eye of the police. If there is even the chance you’ve had too much to drink, spring for the cheap cab ride, or walk home down the boardwalk.

Often crowded, the Field somehow manages to pull off an Irish feel in the middle of downtown San Diego. Fan’s of all things Irish swear by this place, as well as anyone who appreciates a good pint. A tremendously welcoming atmosphere sets the Field apart in an area known to turn you away if you are carrying last spring’s bag. There is almost always a special or special event, but checking the Web site and looking over their calendar is always a good idea. Or you can just go every day. Parking at night is impossible.

Okay, so everyone knows Hooter modus operandi, students will agree that it’s the number one spot in PB to watch Lakers’ playoff games. Located right on the beach, you can hear the cheers and feel the intensity all the way to the surf. The atmosphere really is great if you are a Lakers’ fan, and since more than half of USD seems to live and die with the purple and gold, Hooters is begrudgingly included. Specials include deals on pitchers and wings. Bring an iron stomach. Parking is adequate and there is an underground lot.

Once you’ve visited here, you can claim grandparenthood of all San Diego bars. Tivoli is over 100 years old and has found hot spot status once again. Located profitably close to the new ballpark, and staffed by exactly the kind of people you’d want if you owned a bar, Tivoli is a bar lover’s bar. Ask about the antique call button used to warn prostitutes about impending police raids many-a-moon ago. Parking used to be a disaster, but there are new parking structures nearby for Petco Park. Obviously, if there is a Padres’ game, you should take a cab or trolley.

Sixty-eight beers on tap, foosball, and a newly renovated interior keep Plum Crazy at the top of the list. A small joint known for being crowded and cheap, Plum Crazy is often the spot to stop at on the way to or from somewhere else. And you don’t always get to where you were going. Friendly staff and a great regular crowd keep this place high on the coolometer. Plum Crazy is a popular target for hyper-attractive representatives of liquor companies selling surprise (and cheap) samples of their product. Bacardi and Jack Daniel’s representatives may actually live in the back. PB parking and traffic enforcement is a nightmare. Take a cab or get dropped off and picked up.

The Beachcomber is the penultimate USD bar. A large percentage of off-campus USD students live within a mile of this place, and they love to walk over on Friday nights and take advantage of crazy drink specials. The bar is in an old wooden building, and almost feels like you are below boards in an old ship. The staff is great. Ask them about the bar’s connection to Olympic Swimming. The “Comber,” as it is normally called, is a great place to go any time of day or night. Grabbing a pitcher and playing pool or throwing darts while talking over romantic disasters should earn class credit at USD. Everyone does it. Friday nights, the welcoming pub turns into dance inferno. Drink prices plummet to less than $1 for cosmopolitans and domestic beer. The old ship starts to feel like Noah’s Ark, but it is too fun to pass up. As a good friend named Chad once said, flying back from grad school on a Friday afternoon, “Not going to the ‘Comber tonight is not an option.” They should make a plaque. Sunday nights are also insane. Parking is impossible. Park at a friend’s place or on one of the points and walk.

The Coaster Saloon gets an ‘A’ in marketing class. You may think the name comes from it’s proximity to the Belmont Park roller coaster, but bar management was not sleeping on the opportunity for one of those clever double entendre deals that bar-goers live for. For 14 bucks, patron’s can buy eight coasters, and then turn the coasters in for a pint of beer. And the beer is good. You won’t get stuck with Meister Brau. Mondays and Thursdays get kicked up to 10 coasters for 14 bucks. Leave your car at a friends’ apartment and walk or take a cab.

The most original good time bar south of Los Angeles (and maybe west of Chicago). The Red Fox room is a lounge that serves devastatingly powerful cocktails. Said cocktails fuel the enjoyment of listening to local seniors (citizens not upperclassmen) who visit the lounge and belt out show-tunes accompanied by the in-house keyboard, masterfully hosted by one of two or three talented ladies. Out of the way in North Park and difficult to find, you’ll probably feel like you are trying to find a bar out of “Swingers.” It’s worth the effort. Parking is good and readily available.

Walking by the Open Bar, many people are amazed that the place is still standing. There always seems to be an enormous crowd spilling onto the deck and out of the windows. The atmosphere is also always tremendously raucous. The Open Bar is primarily a daytime bar. On weekends, neighboring Lahaina’s is its only rival. Anything goes at Open Bar; yelling, dancing, and blatant scamming are constant. Monday night is a $2.50 drink special for those who won’t let the weekend die, or can’t wait for the next to start.

The obvious answer here is Tijuana. Every Wednesday night is college night. One cool place to check out in Tijuana that isn’t on Revolucion is “Baby Rock.” You can ask for a cab ride there at the border. If you are all tuckered out on Mexico, there are still plenty of things to do for a pre-21 night out. First of all, there are house parties from Encinitas all the way to San Diego State. San Diego is a young city, and you may find yourself partying with people you meet on your way somewhere else. Popular areas for student parties include Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, the Wind-and-Sea area of La Jolla, and Mission Valley. For those who are all partied out, there is also the roller coaster at Belmont Park, a great place to meet people, as well as 40 or 50 bonfires along Mission Bay every Friday night. Torrey Pines Beach is also a great local hang out for younger students. Coors Amphitheater hosts regular concerts, and Petco Park is brand new and is tremendously popular.