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Old fashioned with an orange peel.
A cocktail at Kingfisher.
Kelly Bone

The Hottest Cocktail Bars in San Diego, March 2024

The newest drinks in the city can be found at these bars

by Kelly Bone and Candice Woo Updated
View as Map
A cocktail at Kingfisher.
| Kelly Bone
by Kelly Bone and Candice Woo Updated

As spring arrives, San Diego welcomes a fresh array of cocktails. Bitter grapefruit and rhubarb nestle with abundant botanicals and espresso liqueur, offering unexpected flavor combinations. Bartenders throughout the city elevate cocktail programs by sourcing high-quality spirits, employing culinary techniques, and mindfully utilizing every part of their ingredients, from leaf to rind.

The Eater Cocktail Heatmap will be updated frequently to highlight new openings or fresh menus that are generating serious buzz around town.

Know of a cocktail spot with a decent amount of heat that should be added to the list? Send us a note.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Frankie's

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In March, Oceanside unveils a trove of enticing new cocktails, each named after historic landmarks. Each named for historic landmarks, like La Jolla’s The Rock with bourbon and toasted pecan star anise-infused sweet vermouth. Or head down out to Saint Malo Boathouse with sips of gin, cynar, grapefruit and shio koji.

406 Pier View Wy, Oceanside, CA 92054
(442) 266-2270
(442) 266-2270

Also featured in:

Matsu

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While the ten-course Japanese menus at Oceanside’s Matsu steal the spotlight, be sure to make room for the harmonious cocktails. Begin your meal with the smoky Koi, a delicate blend of mezcal, bitter Aperol, and pineapple, or opt for the Tanuki, their twist on an Old Fashioned infused with the deep intensity of Okinawan brown sugar.

626 S Tremont St, Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 681-6152
(760) 681-6152
Tall pale cocktail getting dusted with matcha.
Matsu.
Coursey photo

Also featured in:

Jeune et Jolie

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North County’s Michelin-starred establishment continues to impress with its exquisite cocktails. Beverage director Andrew Cordero infuses new flavors into beloved classics, like his springtime French 75 with a twist of calamansi citrus. The ever-popular Espresso Martini is blended with vanilla and koji while the new Old Fashioned features cacao and hazelnut and peach bitters. 

2659 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760) 637-5266
(760) 637-5266
Round bar in soft greens and pinks.
Jeune et Jolie.
Coursey Photo

Also featured in:

California English

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A favorite retreat for Sorrento Valley workers, Richard Blais’s California English recently updated their cocktail for the changing of the seasons. Toast to the lifting of the marine layer with the London Fog, crafted with locally distilled Storyhouse gin, raspberry, elderflower, and topped with an elderberry-infused fog.

9276 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
Looking out into a covered patio with hanging plants.
California English.
Courtesy Photo

Also featured in:

The Whaling Bar

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After a decade-long closure, The Whaling Bar returns to La Jolla’s La Valencia Hotel. Now reopened, guests can indulge in beverage director Eric Johnson’s vibrant cocktail menu, which pays homage to the bar’s illustrious past with classics like the Whaler, alongside new creations inspired by the charm of La Jolla, such as the Pink Royale with vodka and raspberry cream cheese. To honor the tradition of the three-martini lunch, happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. offers $10 martinis daily.

1132 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037
Pink frothy cocktail with a raspberry on top.
The Whaling Bar
Joann Van Noy

Marisi

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Marisi channels the spirit of the Amalfi Coast into San Diego. Led by Vice President of Bar and Spirits, Beau du Bois, the lauded establishment features classic cocktails with innovative twists. A fresh spring collection jointed the bar menu with notes of budding citrus. The Grapefruit 75 combines botanicas gin with bittersweet grapefruit and crisp sparkling wine while the Adriatic Spritz evokes the ocean air with blanco tequila, Italian dry vermouth, lime, and cucumber.

1044 Wall St, La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 401-6787
(858) 401-6787
Grapefruit slice in a tall cocktail.
Marisi.
Kelly Bone

Also featured in:

Realm Of The 52 Remedies

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Tucked into the bustle of Convoy, Bar manager and beverage director Chris Lee’s current creations quietly capture Japan’s essence. His inspiration is clear in the Shota no Negroni, featuring wasabi-infused gin with kelp bitters and sherry, garnished with pink pickled ginger. Not to be missed is the Kasato Maru, a blend of cachaca and gin infused with clarified milk, stained pale green with pear and elderflower.

4805 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
(619) 780-6675
(619) 780-6675

Also featured in:

Paradisaea

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This stylish Bird Rock restaurant, recently added to the Michelin Guide’s culinary gems of Californa, features a lively cocktail bar renowned for crafting trendy drinks like the espresso martini. Paradisaea’s rendition infuses smooth cold brew liqueur with cinnamon, accentuating the coffee’s natural chocolate notes with a swirl of smoked salt. Additionally, their happy hour, available on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., offers signature cocktails, beer, and wine and includes 50% off the bar food menu, plus $1 oysters (not on the menu but now you know to ask).

5680 La Jolla Blvd, San Diego, CA 92037
(858) 255-8011
(858) 255-8011
Pale brown martini with a swirl of smoked salt.
Paradisaea
Kelly Bone

Also featured in:

Captain's Quarters

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The latest cocktails on deck at this nautical speakeasy next to the Grass Skirt in Pacific Beach include the Sirens Spritz with butterfly pea tea-tinted gin and the Skippers Colada, which blends mezcal, lime, toasted cocktail, Ancho Reyes poblano liqueur, and mirto verde.

910 Grand Ave Ste 105-107, San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 412-5237
(858) 412-5237

Also featured in:

Swan Bar

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The $5 draft cocktails at Adam’s Ave’s Swan Bar may be the best happy hour deal in town (4 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily). You’ll want to stay all night to enjoy a burger alongside well-balanced drinks like the Deadly Sin #4 with shishito vodka, melon liquor, avocado, honeydew, and lime.

2933 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116

Also featured in:

Gilly's House of Cocktails

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This neighbor pillar recently came under the ownership of renowned bartenders Erick Castro (Polite Provisions, Raised by Wolves) and Jacob Mentel (Youngblood, Polite Provisions). The duo is blending is their years of experience at high-end cocktail bars with a dive bar atmosphere and reasonable prices, making it the kind of place you’d be just as comfortable ordering a 100-proof bourbon and chocolate bitters Old Fashioned as you would a Miller High Life.

2306 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, California 92104
Phone number (619) 298-6008
Phone number (619) 298-6008
Golden Cocktail on a tile bar.
Gilly’s House of Cocktails.
Kelly Bone

Happy Medium

Copy Link

The long-awaited bar from beloved industry veterans Eric Johnson (the Whaling Bar) and Christian Siglin (Fernside) has landed in North Park where the neighborhood has quickly embraced the friendly and relaxed hangout that can do everything from classic to custom cocktails. The menu features draft cocktails and slushees as well as bar bites like fried cheese curds and roasted cauliflower.

4002 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
Kimberly Motos

Botanica

Copy Link

Under the guidance of General manager Marina Ferreira, guests can indulge in a menu of gin-centric classics and innovative cocktails, each as visually stunning as it is delicious. The highly seasonal Garden Cocktail plucks inspiration directly from the onsite plot currently blooming with ginger mint. For those seeking a unique experience, the Teatotalism beckons with its infusion of tamarind into bourbon, accompanied by Moroccan mint, all elegantly served from an iron teapot.

3139 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104
Cucumber in a cocktail.
Botanica.
Kelly Bone

Mabel's Gone Fishing

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Awarded Bib Gourmand status by the Michelin guide, this North Park wine bar and restaurant also excels at cocktails. Gin and tonics are the specialties, from the London Dry with grapefruit and jasmine to the Spanish with nordes, lemon grapes, and sage.

3770 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 228-9851
(619) 228-9851
Warm bar filled with bottles and painted green below the counter.
Mabel’s Gone Fishing
Kimberly Motos

Also featured in:

KINDRED

Copy Link

Celebrating its 8th anniversary this month, the vegan cocktail palace’s recently overhauled menu introduced a slew of concoctions to their occult-tiki line up. Go strong with their Skullstorm, a run and coconut cocktail with banana and makrut lime leaf or stick to the Kult Classics like the rhubarb and strawberry gin Spinal Tap.

1503 30th St, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 546-9653
(619) 546-9653

Also featured in:

More in Maps

Kingfisher

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Beverage director Stephen Mallory collaborated closely with his team to completely reimagine the cocktail menu at this award-winning Golden Hill restaurant. Aligning the drinks with the essence of Kingfisher’s cuisine, their new introductions include the Favored Winds, which blends Wild Turkey with the nuances of de-acidified Chinese black vinegar and fennel-forward bitters while the Wake Me Up Before You Mango combines the distinct flavors of Mr. Black Coffee liqueur with unexpected fruit-forward elements such as mango, amchur (dried mango powder), and coconut fat-washed rum.

2469 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 432-1014
(619) 432-1014
Tall cocktail with leaf.
Kingfisher.
Kelly Bone

Also featured in:

Animae

Copy Link

James Beard Award nominated, chef Tara Monsod’s acclaimed global dishes pair with high-caliber cocktails like the Upside Down, a smokey mezcal and ume cocktail accented with guava and bitters and the bright lemongrass gin and tonic with shiso leaf.

969 Pacific Highway, CA 92101
(619) 432-1225
(619) 432-1225

Also featured in:

La Bamba Room

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San Diego-born bar manager Tony Roehr (Mabel’s Gone Fishing, CH Projects) settles into a new family at Barrio Logan's newest neighborhood bar where the ¡SALUD! Tacos-adjacent listening room offers a hi-fi experience for all the senses. With cocktails named for Salud and La Bamba owner Ernie Becerra’s life and family, the extensive menu is designed to be read slowly while sipping on cocktails like the Since I Fell For You, a gin martini accented with peach and passionfruit.

2196 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113
(619) 255-3856
(619) 255-3856
Thin stemmed glass with clear cocktail and lemon.
La Bamba Room
Kelly Bone

Also featured in:

La Nacional

Copy Link

This modern Mexican cantina offers a cocktail menu curated by Felipe “Pipo” Lopez. Highlights include perfect day drinks like the De Las Flores, a tequila and mezcal spritz with hints of elderflower and jamaica. Or take a break from espresso martinis with La Nacional’s take on the Carajillo with mezcal and local Cafe Moto cold brew with Mr Black, vanilla Licor 43, and a hint of orange.

279 Third Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910, Chula Vista, CA 91910
8584052646
8584052646
Three cocktails lined up.
Assorted drinks.
@iydeencaptures

More in Maps

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Frankie's

406 Pier View Wy, Oceanside, CA 92054

In March, Oceanside unveils a trove of enticing new cocktails, each named after historic landmarks. Each named for historic landmarks, like La Jolla’s The Rock with bourbon and toasted pecan star anise-infused sweet vermouth. Or head down out to Saint Malo Boathouse with sips of gin, cynar, grapefruit and shio koji.

406 Pier View Wy, Oceanside, CA 92054
(442) 266-2270
(442) 266-2270

Matsu

626 S Tremont St, Oceanside, CA 92054

While the ten-course Japanese menus at Oceanside’s Matsu steal the spotlight, be sure to make room for the harmonious cocktails. Begin your meal with the smoky Koi, a delicate blend of mezcal, bitter Aperol, and pineapple, or opt for the Tanuki, their twist on an Old Fashioned infused with the deep intensity of Okinawan brown sugar.

626 S Tremont St, Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 681-6152
(760) 681-6152
Tall pale cocktail getting dusted with matcha.
Matsu.
Coursey photo

Jeune et Jolie

2659 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008

North County’s Michelin-starred establishment continues to impress with its exquisite cocktails. Beverage director Andrew Cordero infuses new flavors into beloved classics, like his springtime French 75 with a twist of calamansi citrus. The ever-popular Espresso Martini is blended with vanilla and koji while the new Old Fashioned features cacao and hazelnut and peach bitters. 

2659 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760) 637-5266
(760) 637-5266
Round bar in soft greens and pinks.
Jeune et Jolie.
Coursey Photo

California English

9276 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121

A favorite retreat for Sorrento Valley workers, Richard Blais’s California English recently updated their cocktail for the changing of the seasons. Toast to the lifting of the marine layer with the London Fog, crafted with locally distilled Storyhouse gin, raspberry, elderflower, and topped with an elderberry-infused fog.

9276 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
Looking out into a covered patio with hanging plants.
California English.
Courtesy Photo

The Whaling Bar

1132 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

After a decade-long closure, The Whaling Bar returns to La Jolla’s La Valencia Hotel. Now reopened, guests can indulge in beverage director Eric Johnson’s vibrant cocktail menu, which pays homage to the bar’s illustrious past with classics like the Whaler, alongside new creations inspired by the charm of La Jolla, such as the Pink Royale with vodka and raspberry cream cheese. To honor the tradition of the three-martini lunch, happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. offers $10 martinis daily.

1132 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037
Pink frothy cocktail with a raspberry on top.
The Whaling Bar
Joann Van Noy

Marisi

1044 Wall St, La Jolla, CA 92037

Marisi channels the spirit of the Amalfi Coast into San Diego. Led by Vice President of Bar and Spirits, Beau du Bois, the lauded establishment features classic cocktails with innovative twists. A fresh spring collection jointed the bar menu with notes of budding citrus. The Grapefruit 75 combines botanicas gin with bittersweet grapefruit and crisp sparkling wine while the Adriatic Spritz evokes the ocean air with blanco tequila, Italian dry vermouth, lime, and cucumber.

1044 Wall St, La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 401-6787
(858) 401-6787
Grapefruit slice in a tall cocktail.
Marisi.
Kelly Bone

Realm Of The 52 Remedies

4805 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111

Tucked into the bustle of Convoy, Bar manager and beverage director Chris Lee’s current creations quietly capture Japan’s essence. His inspiration is clear in the Shota no Negroni, featuring wasabi-infused gin with kelp bitters and sherry, garnished with pink pickled ginger. Not to be missed is the Kasato Maru, a blend of cachaca and gin infused with clarified milk, stained pale green with pear and elderflower.

4805 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
(619) 780-6675
(619) 780-6675

Paradisaea

5680 La Jolla Blvd, San Diego, CA 92037

This stylish Bird Rock restaurant, recently added to the Michelin Guide’s culinary gems of Californa, features a lively cocktail bar renowned for crafting trendy drinks like the espresso martini. Paradisaea’s rendition infuses smooth cold brew liqueur with cinnamon, accentuating the coffee’s natural chocolate notes with a swirl of smoked salt. Additionally, their happy hour, available on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., offers signature cocktails, beer, and wine and includes 50% off the bar food menu, plus $1 oysters (not on the menu but now you know to ask).

5680 La Jolla Blvd, San Diego, CA 92037
(858) 255-8011
(858) 255-8011
Pale brown martini with a swirl of smoked salt.
Paradisaea
Kelly Bone

Captain's Quarters

910 Grand Ave Ste 105-107, San Diego, CA 92109

The latest cocktails on deck at this nautical speakeasy next to the Grass Skirt in Pacific Beach include the Sirens Spritz with butterfly pea tea-tinted gin and the Skippers Colada, which blends mezcal, lime, toasted cocktail, Ancho Reyes poblano liqueur, and mirto verde.

910 Grand Ave Ste 105-107, San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 412-5237
(858) 412-5237

Swan Bar

2933 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116

The $5 draft cocktails at Adam’s Ave’s Swan Bar may be the best happy hour deal in town (4 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily). You’ll want to stay all night to enjoy a burger alongside well-balanced drinks like the Deadly Sin #4 with shishito vodka, melon liquor, avocado, honeydew, and lime.

2933 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116

Gilly's House of Cocktails

2306 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, California 92104

This neighbor pillar recently came under the ownership of renowned bartenders Erick Castro (Polite Provisions, Raised by Wolves) and Jacob Mentel (Youngblood, Polite Provisions). The duo is blending is their years of experience at high-end cocktail bars with a dive bar atmosphere and reasonable prices, making it the kind of place you’d be just as comfortable ordering a 100-proof bourbon and chocolate bitters Old Fashioned as you would a Miller High Life.

2306 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, California 92104
Phone number (619) 298-6008
Phone number (619) 298-6008
Golden Cocktail on a tile bar.
Gilly’s House of Cocktails.
Kelly Bone

Happy Medium

4002 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104

The long-awaited bar from beloved industry veterans Eric Johnson (the Whaling Bar) and Christian Siglin (Fernside) has landed in North Park where the neighborhood has quickly embraced the friendly and relaxed hangout that can do everything from classic to custom cocktails. The menu features draft cocktails and slushees as well as bar bites like fried cheese curds and roasted cauliflower.

4002 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
Kimberly Motos

Botanica

3139 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

Under the guidance of General manager Marina Ferreira, guests can indulge in a menu of gin-centric classics and innovative cocktails, each as visually stunning as it is delicious. The highly seasonal Garden Cocktail plucks inspiration directly from the onsite plot currently blooming with ginger mint. For those seeking a unique experience, the Teatotalism beckons with its infusion of tamarind into bourbon, accompanied by Moroccan mint, all elegantly served from an iron teapot.

3139 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104
Cucumber in a cocktail.
Botanica.
Kelly Bone

Mabel's Gone Fishing

3770 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104

Awarded Bib Gourmand status by the Michelin guide, this North Park wine bar and restaurant also excels at cocktails. Gin and tonics are the specialties, from the London Dry with grapefruit and jasmine to the Spanish with nordes, lemon grapes, and sage.

3770 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 228-9851
(619) 228-9851
Warm bar filled with bottles and painted green below the counter.
Mabel’s Gone Fishing
Kimberly Motos

KINDRED

1503 30th St, San Diego, CA 92102

Celebrating its 8th anniversary this month, the vegan cocktail palace’s recently overhauled menu introduced a slew of concoctions to their occult-tiki line up. Go strong with their Skullstorm, a run and coconut cocktail with banana and makrut lime leaf or stick to the Kult Classics like the rhubarb and strawberry gin Spinal Tap.

1503 30th St, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 546-9653
(619) 546-9653

Related Maps

Kingfisher

2469 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102

Beverage director Stephen Mallory collaborated closely with his team to completely reimagine the cocktail menu at this award-winning Golden Hill restaurant. Aligning the drinks with the essence of Kingfisher’s cuisine, their new introductions include the Favored Winds, which blends Wild Turkey with the nuances of de-acidified Chinese black vinegar and fennel-forward bitters while the Wake Me Up Before You Mango combines the distinct flavors of Mr. Black Coffee liqueur with unexpected fruit-forward elements such as mango, amchur (dried mango powder), and coconut fat-washed rum.

2469 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 432-1014
(619) 432-1014
Tall cocktail with leaf.
Kingfisher.
Kelly Bone

Animae

969 Pacific Highway, CA 92101

James Beard Award nominated, chef Tara Monsod’s acclaimed global dishes pair with high-caliber cocktails like the Upside Down, a smokey mezcal and ume cocktail accented with guava and bitters and the bright lemongrass gin and tonic with shiso leaf.

969 Pacific Highway, CA 92101
(619) 432-1225
(619) 432-1225

La Bamba Room

2196 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113

San Diego-born bar manager Tony Roehr (Mabel’s Gone Fishing, CH Projects) settles into a new family at Barrio Logan's newest neighborhood bar where the ¡SALUD! Tacos-adjacent listening room offers a hi-fi experience for all the senses. With cocktails named for Salud and La Bamba owner Ernie Becerra’s life and family, the extensive menu is designed to be read slowly while sipping on cocktails like the Since I Fell For You, a gin martini accented with peach and passionfruit.

2196 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113
(619) 255-3856
(619) 255-3856
Thin stemmed glass with clear cocktail and lemon.
La Bamba Room
Kelly Bone

La Nacional

279 Third Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910, Chula Vista, CA 91910

This modern Mexican cantina offers a cocktail menu curated by Felipe “Pipo” Lopez. Highlights include perfect day drinks like the De Las Flores, a tequila and mezcal spritz with hints of elderflower and jamaica. Or take a break from espresso martinis with La Nacional’s take on the Carajillo with mezcal and local Cafe Moto cold brew with Mr Black, vanilla Licor 43, and a hint of orange.

279 Third Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910, Chula Vista, CA 91910
8584052646
8584052646
Three cocktails lined up.
Assorted drinks.
@iydeencaptures

Related Maps