Gay Bars San Diego

Not only is the gay bars San Diego scene home to one of the warmest areas in the US, but it is also the home to the hottest gay bars and clubs in the world. From bars on the beach to rooftop patios, the gay scene in San Diego is one of the best in the world. From the beginning of gay bars until now, San Diego has always been on the map for having the most friendly, chill bars. If you decide to go out here, you will become a pool shark in no time, there are pool tables in almost every gay bar. Gay bars are an important part of San Diego. Since they have popped up everywhere and are sometimes more popular than straight bars, they really are the nightlife here. In San Diego, long ago in the 60’s and 70’s, it was hard to start up a gay bar so a lot of the owners (who are still owners), would have to open up bars pretending to be straight in order to get their liquor licenses. These were usually underground and hard to find, but were only known of by the gay community. Some of these bars still exist but many of them are runned down and aren’t like they used to be - spinning with energy and hopping with good tunes. There is much of a gay clubs San Diego scene, but there sure are gay bars. Downtown San Diego is home of tons and tons of gay bars and restaurants that are waiting to be visited by you.

Gay Bars San Diego: History

Gay bars in San Diego are like sand on the beach, there are tons of them and they are all very close to the same. San Diego has had gay bars since the mid-50’s and they have been multiplying since then. When gay bars began to open, they were seen as the masculine place to go, they all had pool tables, dart boards and greasy food. Whether you were gay or straight, heading to the gay bar was a manly thing to do and to this day, nothing has really changed.

Gay Bars San Diego: Best Times and Dates

If you have been going out to gay bars for a long time in San Diego, you probably know what the best days are to go out. For anyone who is new to the scene, the prime days and times to go out in San Diego are Thursday-Sunday from 10:30pm-2am.

Gay Bars San Diego: Directory

Manplay.com has the scoop on all of the best gay bars San Diego spots. In this article, you will receive all the information you need when it comes to gay bars in San Diego. Whether you are re-locating, visiting or live in the area, the bars bellow will be sure to wow you and ensure you have a great time.

Pecs

Type: Gay Bar, Restaurant
Space: Large Room, patio
Crowd: 21+ (after 9pm), Mixed
Address: 2046 University Ave, San Diego
Brief Description: Pecs is one of the favorite gay bars in San Diego for so many reasons. Once you walk in the door, you will feel a sense of community and will literally feel the good vibes flow through you. There is always something great bumping from the jukebox and there is also always good company. Whether you head over on your own or with a big group of people, you never need to worry about not fitting in since everyone (the staff and customers) are very welcoming and friendly. Pecs is usually filled with gruff, handsome men in front and behind the bar. You can tell that the staff cares about their customers by the way they are so quick to jump up and help you out with whatever you may need. They are quick behind the bar and very officiant. Along with the jukebox, there are pool tables, darts and also a great pinball machine that sometimes people will line up for! Along with the strong drinks and great times, Pecs is open Monday-Saturday from 12pm-2am, and on Sundays from 10am-2am. This is definitely the bar to visit in San Diego.

The SRO Lounge

Type: Gay Bar, Lounge, Restaurant
Space: Large Rooms
Crowd: 21+ (after 9pm), Mixed
Address: 1807 5th Ave, San Diego
Phone: (619) 232-1886
Brief Description: This very inexpensive, but beautiful gay bar in downtown San Diego is definitely what you need for a successful night out. Bring your friends and hit the SRO Lounge hard. When trying a new bar it is easy to feel unsure (especially if you stick to what you know), but in The SRO Lounge you will feel very comfortable and will blend in with the mixed crowd perfectly. The crowd is full of young trendy and friendly people. Whether you feel like sitting, talking and having a drink, or dancing, you will be able to do either and more. Here, you will feel like putting your pinky up while drinking your $2 drink since the interior is so beautiful and posh. Chandelier posh. This Lounge is open every single day from 10am-2am. There is food and drink served during the day and drink and appetizers during the evening-night hours. If your usual drink limit is 5, take it down to 3 while drinking at SRO Lounge since the drinks are almost too strong. This is a great place to end your night because of the relaxing atmosphere. Since mostly locals come to this bar, everyone is comfortable with everyone and everyone knows everyone therefore everyone is comfortable being themselves. Everyone who is a regular here is a character and isn’t afraid to show it. Great times are ahead for you if you decide to head out to The SRO Lounge.

The Loft

Type: Gay Bar, Dive Bar
Space: Small room, patio (no seating)
Crowd: 21+ (after 9pm), Mixed
Address: 1807 5th Ave, San Diego
Website:loftsd.com
Brief Description: If you are looking for a local hangout, this is it. The Loft treats everyone equally whether you are gay, straight, blue or green. No matter what, you are welcome and will be treated as if you are family. When your name and drink is remembered, it feels good, and that’s what will happen after going here only a few times. The loft is the chillest bar in San Diego. Right beside the beach, you can hangout with the coolest bartenders and meet locals just like you. Often, people will make friends just hanging out at the bar and run into each other time and time again. That wouldn’t be a good thing if the people weren’t as cool as they are, but there are always good times and laughs here. The drinks here are very reasonably priced with free pool games, whats better than that? Often times there will be a group of people looking for others to start a group pool game with, and that’s when there is a chance to make friends and start conversations. There seems to be tons of other conversation starters when it comes to The Loft. The staff here know a ton about San Diego and will know exactly where you should go and explore and will be happy to talk to you for a while and let you know all about the area. The Loft is open everyday from 11am until 2am.

The Hole in the Wall

Type: Gay Bar, Dive Bar
Space: Large room, patio
Crowd: 21+ (after 9pm), Mixed
Address: 2820 Lytton St, San Diego
Website:theholesandiego.com
Brief Description: With the sweetest and most courteous bartenders, The Hole in the Wall is San Diego’s greatest hidden Gem. Even though it is a hard bar to find, once you do, your extra searching frustration won’t mean anything anymore. The best way to describe The Hole in the Wall is cozy. SO cozy. Cushions outside cozy. Christmas lights when it isn’t even Christmas cozy. Cozier than your grandma’s living room cozy. When you first enter, your first impression will be that the staff is almost too friendly. Hellos will be thrown at you from the time your body is halfway through the door. The Hole in the Wall has different events throughout the week that make it hard to stay away. There is karaoke and beer pong. The Hole in the wall has been around for a long time. Men in the military used to sneak off base and grab drinks here before their early rises. The original Sunday Funday is the reason that so many people love this bar. On Sunday Fundays, you can grab cheap drinks and food while listening to great, catchy music while hanging out with old and new friends. The hours of oppression are Monday (weather appropriate game day) 4pm until 12am, Wednesday (board game Wednesdays) 5pm until 12am, Thursday (no cover comedy show) - Friday (Karaoke and beer pong) 4pm until 2am, Saturday (random events) 12pm until 2 am and Sunday (sunday funday) from 12pm until 1am.

Baja Betty’s

Type: Gay Bar, Mexican Restaurant
Space: Large room, patio
Crowd: 21+ (after 9pm), Mixed
Address: 1421 University Ave, San Diego
Website:bajabettyssd.com
Brief Description: Baja Betty’s is a gay bar and Mexican restaurant. The best of both worlds for sure! The best times to go are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for brunch and dinner. The best foods are definitely served during those times. The food here is absolutely amazing and come in huge portions. The staff is very officiant and easy to talk to and get along with. After a couple times visiting, they will know you and your name. When you first walk in, the smells will take over and even if you came in only for a drink, you will need to buy food. Every Mexican dish you can think of is served here, you will never be disappointed with the meals. On Wednesdays, there are fajitas on special, and what makes that even better is they cook out back on the grill everything you need for your fajitas which means; the meat, vegetables and also toast your wraps to perfection. If you are looking for somewhere to dance the night away, this isn't the place. the music is usually low, which makes it easy for you to have a conversation with the person or people around you. Baja Betty's is open on weekdays from 11am until 1am and on weekends from 10am until 1am. The kitchen closes every night at 12pm, but the bar continues serving until close.

Urban MO’s Bar and Grill

Type: Gay Bar, Mexican Restaurant
Space: Large room, patio
Crowd: 21+ (after 9pm), Mixed
Address: 308 University Ave, San Diego
Website:urbanmos.com
Brief Description: Home to "the gayest burger in town" Urban Mo’s is one of the most popular gay bar and grills in San Diego. With a regular pub menu you expect regular pub food, but all of the food is one or two steps up from the norm. Fancy and delicious pub food is whats served at Urban Mo’s. From the outside, this bar looks small until you get inside. With the upstairs patio, there is a ton of room. This bar and grill seats more than 75 people, which is usually how many people are there on a weekend. The hours that the bar are open are the same every single day. This bar and grill opens at 9am (for breakfast) and closes at 2am (after drinks have been served). There are so many things to say for Urban Mo's, but where do we begin? The staff is incredible to say the least, it's almost as if they know exactly what you want and need before you even mention it. Need extra ketchup? They'll notice. Drink refill? They'll ask. They are always on top of things even on the busiest of nights, it’s quite impressive actually. The ambiance in Urban Mo's is very easy going and friendly. Though it is a very fast paced restaurant and bar, you can tell that there is a lot of care put into the plates and drinks, but beware, the drinks are extremely strong - but no one is really complaining. With daily drink specials, you are sure to get tipsy or even drunk on a dime. Everyone around is very friendly and fun to be around which makes it an adventure every time you enter the doors. You never know what number (or person) you'll go home with that day. On a day or night out at Urban Mo's you will spend from $11-$30. It isn't too expensive, especially with bottomless fishbowls on Thursday nights.

Gay Bars San Diego: Concluding Thoughts

Now that you have learnt all the information you need about gay bars San Diego, it’s time to go out and have fun! The next time you have a night off or are feeling like you need some excitement, hit up your best friends and go out to one of these awesome venues!