They're in virtually every neighborhood worth its salt in character. And if you ask 10 people what their favorite dive bar is, you'll get 10 different answers. Be as it may, there's something appealing and decadent about having a drink in that local hole-in-the-wall that time forgot. Sure, it's not all slick and shiny and full of beautiful people - but that's the appeal right? So, here are my Top Picks for Best Dive Bars in San Diego.
This hipster bar in the middle of Golden Hill is about as cool as it gets. The Turf Club had become rundown until a few years back when new ownership rejuvenated and renovated the bar back to its '50s glory. Retro, original naugahyde booths and one of the best jukebox selections make the stiff drinks go down sweet. But the real appeal is the grill in the middle of the room where steaks are fixed strictly do-it-yourself style. Way cool. 1116 25th St., Golden Hill, 619-234-6363.
This hangout, between Banker's Hill and Hillcrest, is one of those places you've seen but would never think to stop in. But then you do, and you think, "This place is pretty cool, in a tattered way." Large vinyl booths surround a curving padded bar where barflies seek the darkness during the daylight. The drinks are stiff and cheap, and there's a funky kitchen in the back where you order your food through a, yes, hole in the wall. 3537 Fifth Ave. San Diego (619) 295-2878.
The Ken Club has two personalities: during the day, it's a barfly hangout, where you wonder, "Do these people work?" Then you realize you're in there drinking, too. At night, it transforms into a hipster nightclub, with music in the adjoining space. Situated in the middle of the nifty Kensington business district and next door to the venerable Ken Theater, the Ken Club is one long and narrow room, typical of the old school local taverns. It's all about the vibe. 4079 Adams Ave. (619) 284-2848
4. Red Fox Lounge - North Park
The Red Fox Lounge isn't exactly a dive bar, but more of a retro piano bar that never left the Rat Pack era. And it's dark and has vinyl booths and in a funky urban neighborhood (adjacent to a hotel), so we'll give it honorary dive status. Besides, it's a lot of fun to go to a place where our parents (or grandparents) went to have drinks and sing along with the pianist. It's definitely a step back in time. 2223 El Cajon Blvd. (619) 297-1313You always know when a dive bar gains street cred when the hipsters co-opt it as one of their own. And the Alibi in Hillcrest is one of those places. For decades, just one of the oldest bars in town and home of the $3 Big Dipper beer special (source of several "liquid lunches" I must admit), the Alibi is now one of those late night hip hangouts. And to be a hip hangout in Hillcrest without doing a whole heck of a lot to the place says something. 1403 University Ave., (619) 295-0881.
6. Aero Club - Middletown
It's beer and wine only at the Aero Club, but it's a heck of a selection of beer and wine. Which is probably why it attracts the young crowd. Located on the un-gentrified part of India Street tight against Interstate 5, the Aero Club used to be a hangout for local aerospace workers. Now it's just a cool hangout that you probably discovered when some friend took you there, and you went back with another. And that, my friends, is what constitutes a good dive bar. 3701 India St. 619-297-7211.7. Ould Sod - Normal Heights
This is an Irish pub through and through. And a fine one indeed. Smallish (long and narrow), this is a place to knock back a pint without the forced affectations of your typical, slick Irish pub. It's legitimate because it doesn't try so hard to be. And you can hear some fine Irish music most nights. 3373 Adams Ave. 619-284-65948. The Waterfront
The Waterfront, in Little Italy, claims to have the city's oldest liquor license, and that alone gives it street cred. Besides, it's a cool neighborhood bar that is also known for its great burgers. It's a place where the local tuna fishermen used to hang out, and this place reeks of history. In fact, the Waterfront will always be around as long as there's a waterfront in San Diego. 2044 Kettner Blvd.(619) 232-96569. Pal Joeys - Allied Gardens
I had to throw in one of those neighborhood bars that you find in a strip mall, and Pal Joey's is one of those quintessential throwbacks, straight out of the 1960s, with padded booths and that swanky cocktail lounge vibe. If you ever want to feel like the youngest one in the bar, hit Pal Joey's during the early evening. But later on, the crowd gets younger when the music starts. A sure sign that this is a cool place. 5147 Waring Road, 619-286-7873.10. Joe 'n Andy's Hole in the Wall - La Mesa
The name says it all, and it couldn't be more descriptive of this matchbox of a bar in downtown La Mesa. Not only is it a hole-in-the-wall, but it's one grimy dive at that. And if tiny, narrow bars with grotty toilets are your thing, then Joe 'n Andy's is your place. Live music, with bands somehow shoehorned into the front corner of the bar, turns this place into a sweaty mess. It is dive bar in every sense, and that's what makes it appealing. 8644 La Mesa Blvd.(619) 589-8684
