SAN DIEGO

San Diego | California

I moved to San Diego in mid-2008 and lived there until mid-2023. So, I have one gobillion recommendations. Here are some of my favorites that I try to hit when I'm in town. Ton more to recommend, so reach out when you go! Lots of places to go by boat, too.

[if the location is not marked, it's either downtown or close enough to it not to designate a specific neighborhood]

*Luce [Bay Park]. My favorite spot in SD. Was a regular there forever. Amazing local spot. Gets a star for the # of TVs, but not your average sports bar.

*The Bullpen [Kearny Mesa]. One of the best sports bars around. Hotties on staff. Will give another star if they bring back the pool tables.

JRDN [Pacific Beach]. On the boardwalk. All-around stellar.

*Knotty Barrell. Best wings in town. Great up-scale sports bar.

*Smoking Gun. My favorite spot downtown. Pool table. Arcade in the back. I am king of the duck machine.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines [La Jolla]. Best burger on Earf.

Portside Pier. Everything there is great and it's a beautiful venue.

Divanti. Stellar Italian. Amazing burger, too, oddly enough.

Island Prime/C-Level [Point Loma]. Excellent over-water steak & fish house. C-Level is the open-air, more casual bar next door/attached. Both excellent.

Eddie V's [La Jolla]. It's a chain, but this location is truly amazing.

Zama. Great Asian-Fusion spot owned by a friend of mine.

AKA. Same owner as Zama. Beautiful spot!

MIO + TUO. Coffee shop in my old building. Lovely all around!

Sushi Fish Attack [Clairemont]. Hilarious name, excellent sushi. They don't sell t-shirts. Gerald is sad.

**Home & Away [Old Town]. Great sports bar with a huge outdoor space and great food. My Lake of the Ozarks trip originated here.

**Old Town Saloon [Old Town]. Cleanest dive I've ever seen, but a hell of a dive nonetheless. This is a diamond in the [Spanish for] rough.

**The West End [Bird Rock]. Fifteen years in SD and never made it in till nearly three years after I left. Hell of a dive in North PB/Bird Rock!

The Waverly [Cardiff]. Definitely worth the drive!

Shake Bar & Grill. In the Marriott Vacation Club on A. Open to the public and surprisingly good. Unknown to the pubic, though, so there will be seats.

OB Surf Club [Ocean Beach]. Parking is really tough, but not early in the day. On Saturday, anyway. Been there eight years [as of 2026], but I somehow missed it till now [July 2026]. Great beach spot!
**Aero Club [Banker's Hill]. Top notch dive! Only went a time or two while I live there. Dumb. And their game card club is called Dino Club. If it was downtown, I'd have been there all the time.

**Star Bar. Downtown's premier dive.

*Tipsy Crow. Nearly a dive, but not quite. Funky place that's definitely worth a stop in.

Turf Supper Club [Golden Hill]. Only went once, but it was stellar. Bit of a cult following type place. Go see em! Might even qualify as a dive, but my one visit was, ummmmmm.......not sober.

Caffe Calabria [North Park]. Some of the best pizza on earth! Very cool spot!
Antique Row Cafe [University Heights]. Lovely locals greasy spoon. Went once before meetings. Will certainly be back.

Maggie's Cafe [Serra Mesa]. Again, one visit only for breakfast. Highly recommend it, though!