Here's Why San Diego's Tourist-Riddled Oceanfront Boardwalk Doesn't Totally Suck

The Oceanfront Boardwalk is sort of like the public transport in San Diego . We all sleep together it ’s there , it ’ll get you from stop A to point B , but most of us avoid it like the plague – a pest distribute by gang of tourer . The two - lane slip of pavement that runs from Law St in PB to Mission Beach might be heavy on the T - word , but peradventure , just possibly , they screw something the locals have forgotten : the boardwalk is jolly great .

cogitate of it as a 2.5 - mile oceanfront fast raceway from Pacific Beach to Mission Beach with plenty of pit stops along the room where you could catch a insect bite or find some grownup hydration . hop-skip on your bike or detritus off your hair curler blade : here are 15 places to stop over on your boardwalk bar crawl this summer .

JRDN/Tower23

Attached to the Tower23 hotel , JRDN is the smirch on the boardwalk for high - close dining with a fancy ocean view , so it ’s best to stop here before you get all sweaty on your journeying down the boardwalk . Have a cocktail while you crock up open Alaskan king Cancer the Crab , slurp down some oysters from one of the seafood phonograph record , and follow the surfers catch waves around Crystal Pier . During weekend brunch , you could build your own mimosas with a pick of blood orange rosemary , Ananas comosus mango , or blackberry mint slosh with either cava or prosecco because nothing complements an sea eyeshot like a silver wattle .

Kono’s Cafe

This beloved PB basic serves up hot coffee and the right breakfast on the boardwalk that wo n’t break the bank . start at 7 am , seven days a week , you could get a lusty breakfast plate mob with enough solid food to run a small village for around eight dollar . They ’re subject for lunch until 3 or 4 pm everyday , too , serving American classics like burgers and grill cheese with steak Roger Eliot Fry . Get your food at the cafe and take it down to the beach , or walk across the boardwalk to check out the sea view from its hidden out-of-door seating area dominate Crystal Pier .

710 Beach Club

710 is more than just a beach bar ; it ’s a summercater bar by twenty-four hours and a cabaret / euphony venue after the Lord’s Day goes down . From trivia and Liquid Courage Karaoke to live band , there ’s plenty going on in there to keep you harbor all day . There ’s an all - sidereal day happy hour until … wait for it … 7:10pm . Every twenty-four hour period of the week has a different special , like 2 - 4 - 1 whisky crack , $ 17 pitchers of margarita , or $ 5 dateless pulled pork slider .

Firehouse

This is n’t the Firehouse you cogitate you be intimate that open by the beach almost a decade ago – the restaurant underwent a million dollar redevelopment last twelvemonth . If that is n’t enough to offend your curiosity , then the new menu from Chef Brian Redzikowski of Kettner Exchange should be . Now , the cocktail are a little craftier and the food is a little fancy , but is there a someone on Earth who would sound off about eating bacon fat mac & cheese or Kobe beef cattle sliders on a rooftop with the ocean breeze on your face ?

PB Shore Club

Shore Club has always had one of the best beach panorama on the boardwalk , but it stepped up its game last summertime with the addition of a sword - spankin’-new opened - gentle wind rooftop patio . It ’s still give masses stultify hangovers with those infamous goblets of Red Bull vodka slushies ( worth it ) , but now you could guzzle them while catching some rays and watching all of those sand - covered suckers down on the beach . The kitchen is unfastened late nighttime so they ’re catapult sautéed lobster tacos and brisket nacho chips from 9 post-mortem until close . It ’s a unspoilt thing , too , because you could crop up quite the appetency during those Wednesday night goldfish race , which do n’t go until 10 atomic number 61 .

Pacific Beach Alehouse

Last year , Alehouse was such a raging spot that the piazza literally burst into flame . OK , so peradventure that was just a kitchen fire that got a little out of hired hand , but it reopened five calendar month by and by like a phoenix rising from its greasy ash with a new award - succeed pass brewer , updated interior pattern , and two remodeled bar . The young head brewer , Jonathon Rielly , brought along several mansion - made micro brews with topically revolutionise name like the Slomo Saison and Law Street Lager . This rooftop bar is made for weekend brunching with ocean vista , but come by for special during the calendar week for $ 1 oyster all day on Wednesdays , or all - you - can - rust Cancer on Thursdays from 5 - 10pm . Five hours to eat all the crab you may bear ? Challenge accept .

Beach Bungalow Hostel

OK , so you ca n’t really eat or drink anything here , but that ’s fine – you might make a tourist ’s day or learn a little something about the world . Travelers are always hanging out on this beach - face patio , and they ’d probably jump at the opportunity to cruise the beach with a local . Do n’t be diffident : make some new friend to bring in along on the residuum of your journey down the boardwalk .

Baja Beach Cafe

The Baja Beach Cafe epitomizes everything a beach taproom should be , from the color scheme and palm fronds lining the cap to the mammoth margaritas with bantam report umbrellas . you’re able to get along in early for breakfast or continue for the two - for - one belated - night happy hour , because it ’s summer and everyone should be three-fold - fisting giant margarita at half preceding midnight . The beach - level patio is perfect for masses watch on the boardwalk or for turn back in after a little surfriding . The food wo n’t do anything for your beach trunk , but are you gon na guide up prime rib specials or lobster chowder in a sourdough lucre bowl ? Thought so . Plus , you ’ll need those carbs for the margarita double duty .

Lahaina Beach House

Despite being a immediate payment - only bar , Lahaina ’s is a boardwalk deary . Their wooden deck is normally bursting at the rails with people hear to get their drunkenness on , so if you detest crowds … we did n’t want to hang out with you anyway . If you ’re lucky enough to find a seat on the deck then order yourself a mound of beer or margaritas and do n’t give up your postal service until you see the sundown . There ’s also wad of bike parking conveniently flop out front so you wo n’t have to worry too much about losing your ride while you ’re otherwise too occupy with the beautiful sunset .

World Famous

Who do it if World Famous is really world famous , but it ’s certainly screw for breakfast by the beach in San Diego . Go for brunch and order the smoke carnitas chilaquiles or one of the house eggs Benedict bag made with carne asada , lobster , Cancer cakes , or BBQ pork . wash off it all down with a blue SKYY Bloody Caliente Bloody Mary , made with atomic - grade horseradish .

Sandbar

If you ’re looking for the best fish taco on the boardwalk , take care no further . SandBar has won so many awards for its TKO Fish Tacos that we ’ve mislay counting . It of late switched thing up behind the bar with a serioustequila programand some fancy cocktail . Even though it ’s focused on the agave , Sandbar just tote up a few young beverages for summer , like the completely Instagramable knockout antecedent beer air bladder , made with vanilla extract vodka , Coney Island Hard Root Beer , and trounce cream , perfect for sip on the rooftop terrace .

WaveHouse

It does n’t matter if the actual waves absorb when WaveHouse has arrant never - finish waves flop next to the beach . derive by the rooftop forRhythm and Movesat 6 post-mortem examination on the first and third Midweek of the month until September . you may get your vinyasa on with a disk jockey for 75 minutes , followed by craft beer or wine . On June 18th , it ’s host theSecond Annual US Open of Flowboarding ; compete will be its own professionalflowboardingteam . overtake them in action atNight flight of steps every Thursday after sunset .

Draft

While Draft has a full bar , it also has 69 craft brews on rap – this is the stop for beer on the boardwalk . If you ca n’t decide on just one , there ’s a Flight Night on Tuesdays . pluck any four beer to construct your own while listening to live music from 6 - 9pm . Draft ’s boardwalk terrace is also a prime spot for grabbing a bite with an oceanfront perspective , but you ’d be content to only park your towel on the George Sand out front and pop in for beers during your beach twenty-four hour period .

Cannonball

The largest oceanfrontrooftop patioin San Diego is perch right above Draft at Cannonball . Take in the mad vista of the Pacific while sipping on a tricky cocktail and eat on sushi around a flak pit .

Belmont Park

Carnival rides , arcade games , hot frump on stick … we could go on , but do you really ask more convincing ? Do something good for your inner 10 - year - old and take a ride on the wooden roller coaster , spend all your quarters on Skee - Ball , and rust cotton candy until you ’re sickish , which should n’t take long because you do n’t have the blade stomach of a preteen anymore . Sign up herefor our daily San Diego email and be the first to get all the food / crapulence / fun in townsfolk .

San Diego oceanfront illustration by Daniel Fishel