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    Balboa's Tap House

    4.0 (455 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Bars
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Balboa's Tap House Takeout or Delivery

    Balboa's Tap House Photos

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    BALBOA'S TAP HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Balboa's Tap House

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    The rude staff

    Listen, the place is really nice for some drinks and for watch parties with friends, but the service is absolutely terrible . Tried going with family on a busy night and there was a table we couldn't get unless we bought pitchers which was completely fine so we asked how much we needed to buy with who I'm assuming is the manager ( someone with curly hair) . He said that is "that is not your business, if you're gonna have just water, you can't be here ". We asked with the intention of buying, but yet he was completely disrespectful throughout the whole interaction. The rest of the workers are the same as well. It's a shame since it's a nice location for sports

    Sergio D.

    Balboa Tap House in Clairemont is a solid neighborhood bar. 30+ beers on tap with a good local selection, plus surprisingly great wings and burgers. Chill vibe, TVs for games, and the patio is clutch when the weather's nice. Gets busy during happy hour but service is fast. Easy spot for a casual beer and bite.

    Football and futbol. Love Sundays
    Matt Y.

    They are under remodel but drink (beer liquor seltzer etc) all super discount. I want to say they have all the games but call for UFC and boxing. Patio is amazing for dogs and daytime. Next to sprouts and a laundromat for those of you who know how to drink multitask. Unlimited parking. Get a taste of the beer first if you wanna snob on fresh. Otherwise $5 .394 or wells. Needed the SDFC game, an owner or son came in yelled at direct TV and got it 45 mins before the playoff game. So if you want Buffalo Wild Wings fine, but support small SD businesses...I'm here.

    Hidden charges with no explanation.

    Rude bigoted bartender. Didn't know it was a maga bar either. Hidden charges in drink prices. Avoid.

    The spicy hummus, babbaganoush, falafel, pita, everything just perfectly prepared. Generous portions too.
    France C.

    The freshest most delicious Mediterranean food in the city. Not everything pictured but, it's all prepared on site & make with care & love.

    Shawarma fries omg
    Sharon F.

    Two years since my first post. Shawarma fries are still epic. Bar still has a great selection and I wish it were in my neighborhood. Cans of Cutwater for $5? Yes, you read that right. Great Kentucky mule. How are more people not flocking to this place??

    They support all sports equally.
    Chris G.

    One star deduction because the air conditioning is nonexistent, we went on the hottest weekend of the year, 09/07/2024. BUT, 4 stars because the food was great and so was the service, thanks Ryan!! Even though there was a few college football games, Ryan was awesome for finding the USC vs. Utah State game on the Big10 network. We kept the volume on the Padres game until that game was over, understandably so, then we piped in the USC color telecast. The Trojans defeated Utah State, 48-0. The place has a good view of all TV's and has a good array of food and spirits. There is a lot of beer on tap and canned alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. A good place to try if you are around the neighborhood. My daughter lives locally so this was our go to spot for the night. We really liked the chicken tenders 5 pc (tossed with garlic and chili), and the Beef Shawarma bowl with half yellow rice and half Iraqi salad. Balboa's Tap House for the win!

    Adam & Jacob Grilled pastrami, Black Forest ham, bacon, pepperoni, onions, peppers, melted provolone, creamy garlic chill sauce
    Jeremy C.

    Great place to go. The food was great and so was the service. Even though there was a few games on they helped us when needed. The place has a good view of all TV's and has a good array of food. There is a lot of beer on tap and canned alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. A good place to try if you are around the neighborhood

    Interior
    Audra H.

    The beer is on point! Tons of craft brews to choose from. The location seems a bit interesting but when you get inside, it's super welcoming and very cozy. I quite enjoyed the ambiance! The service was quick and friendly overall. We got garlic tater tots and mozzarella sticks. They were good and crispy and fried! I'd come back here.

    Chicken shawarma and Iraqi Salad
    Jay H.

    This place was actually a surprise. I went thinking it was going to be a dive bar with cringy music but it was the complete opposite. It sort of gave me BWW vibes but more pubby. We went around 915p-930p and it wasn't packed at all even for our large crowd. Your order at the register and the first time I ordered with a gentleman, easy and quick. The second time, went back up and there was a woman there packing orders who didn't acknowledge me for at least 3-5 mins - not a "be right you" nothing ; yes I could see what she was doing but there was still a lack of customer service. She made up for it when she brought us our meals and was very quick with all the extra stuff we asked for (salt, pepper, etc). OH!!! The biggest surprise was that they actually served a Greek / Mediterranean cuisine and not the typical bar food. I was impressed and it was actually pretty good! Overall - it was a nice spot, good food, good drinks, and okay service.

    Chicken Burger

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    22 days ago

    Great service, delicious food, and a clean, welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend!!!

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    1 month ago

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    2 months ago

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    7 days ago

    Aiden was very welcoming and knew his cocktails well. Great place to have a drink and watch a ball game or just to escape for a couple

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    24 days ago

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    9 months ago

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    22 days ago

    This place is amazing has great food and wonderful service! Love the staff here they are so friendly and on point!

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Thanks for the awesome feedback! See you again soon!

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    7 months ago

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    Shandelle H.

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    4 months ago

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    Shandelle H.

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    2 years ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Cheers Jeremy!

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    Shandelle H.

    Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again soon!

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    2 years ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Cheers!

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    1 year ago

    Great hangout for a couple teddy brewskies......beer, burgers, sports...nothing says tap house like this spot

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    Shandelle H.

    See you again soon! Cheers!

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    1 year ago

    Great food, great drinks, great service, comfortable environment, clean, plenty of screens !

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    Shandelle H.

    Cheers!

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    1 year ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Hope to see you again soon! Cheers!

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    1 year ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again soon, cheers!

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    1 year ago

    Used to love bringing my family here for the good food. Will never go back again since it's now 21+. Someone messed up a good thing.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Always simple but fantastic burgers & garlic fries delicious. The ambiance is fantastic very quaint.

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    Shandelle H.

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    2 years ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Thanks for the review Grace! See you again soon!

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    2 years ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again soon!

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    Shandelle H.

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    3 years ago

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    Shandelle H.

    Cheers!

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    Page 1 of 12

    Ask the Community - Balboa's Tap House

    I see some wine in the pics -- anyone know what the selection is like?

    Wine selection is large not sure of the quality. I drank beer.

    Are dogs allowed?

    Yes they are

    View All 4 Questions

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    We stopped by Friday at noon for lunch. It was not crowded. They validate parking for 3 hrs. The…read morehost was really helpful getting us situated on the patio- he set up the umbrellas for us. Things went downhill from there. We saw our waitress 2 times. 1st time to tell us she was really busy & instructed us to use the QR to scan menu & put in our orders 2nd time, she dropped off water. Food was average. We had the beef rice bowl dish, chicken katsu & the cheesesteak. Best dish was the appetizer Thai Brussel sprouts. They were delicious We needed salt & pepper, we went & asked the bartender We needed extra napkins, we went & asked the bartender It was warm on the patio & we'd like more ice for water. We had to ask the bartender. We were there 2 hrs & not once did anyone waitress check on us. I had to go & flag down someone to give me a to-go box Dirty tables/dishes around us didn't get bussed for over an hour++ If the place was swamped, I'd understand the complete lack of service, but they weren't. Just overall horrible service

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    O'Brien's Pub

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    O'Brien's is the original beer bar for SanDiego... This is the place where I first had MANY…read moredelicious IPAs as SanDiego was becoming the capital of HOPPIness and their selection is Still incredible. Old-school dive bar, Field with leather chairs and the staff to match... This place is the real deal. In the middle of nowhere shopping center in Kearney Mesa. It's very unassuming... from the outside ... But this place brought all the GOOD beers to SanDiego in the early 2000s. Thank you, O'Brien's!!

    This was a small pub in the Kearney Mesa area that serves craft beer and classic bar food. The San…read moreDiego Brewing Company lager and the Brewmaster Plate paired perfectly together! The service from Tori & Sig was excellent, but I recommend that on busy sports days, bring your patience as they are a bit under-staffed. I was surprised to see so many people with their laptops using the WiFi at the pub. This place seems like it caters to a crowd of regulars who work in the area. The outdoor patio looked like it had more seating outside than there was inside, and there was a large TV outside for viewing of sporting events. Although I wasn't impressed by the specials menu posted outside, the regular menu inside had similar prices and better options. I was also very surprised that they were no women in the pub to speak of, so be aware that this is mainly a guy's hangout, if you're planning a night out. Thanks for the experience, O'Brien's!

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    Bar
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    Ahi Nachos  Crispy chips, seared ahi, salsa fresca, avocado, Big Nate sauce, wasabi aioli, scallions
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    Great place to go with friends and enjoy a relaxed, social atmosphere. The space is very spacious,…read moreand they offer a nice selection of food and drinks. We also enjoyed the live music from a couple performing, it added a great touch to the experience. It's a very kid-friendly spot, which was a plus for our family. I ordered the fried fish tacos, and while they were decent, they weren't my favorite. My son had the birria taco and absolutely loved it, it was packed with a generous amount of meat for a small taco. My daughter ordered the shrimp tacos and really enjoyed them as well. Will be going again to try something different from the menu. The staff was friendly, and overall it was a comfortable place to relax, grab a bite, and spend time with friends and family.

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    STP Bar-N-Grill

    STP Bar-N-Grill

    4.5
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    Quick and great service! We got the Hellcat Burger and the Mango Habanero chicken wings- man were…read morethose spicy! I would say be cautious if you're looking for a more sweet and spicy wing, as these were very habanero forward- still delicious though. They were still smoking hot by the time it got to our table! Food came out fast, the burger was immaculate. Fries were perfectly done too. They've really nailed their ratio of sauce and burger. The prices are a little on the steeper end, but the quality of the burger was worth it. Decor was awesome too! I definitely want to come back to try their other stuff as what we had was already so great, another table nearby had gotten their beef stroganoff and that looked delicious. We'll be back!

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    Drinks Excellent! Service Excellent!…read moreBurgers and Wraps Excellent! Apps were small and ok. Fish and Chips zero. The fish and chips were apparently covered-up or blocked off on most of the menus (not mine, didn't know that until after I ordered) but regardless, they were slivers of chewy fish... not good at all. The nachos and carne asada fries appetizer portions were small for price. They were served on small round plates, maybe enough for 2 to share. Not worth it. Drinks were great, their happy hour has delicious house margaritas and cold beer. The atmosphere was fun. The place is decorated nicely, and there is enough seating inside and outside the restaurant for small to large groups. The seating at our table was a little funky, some of us were on high shared benches while others were on lower chairs. I'd return for some drinks and maybe a burger.

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    Interior setting.
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    Country Fried Steak & Eggs
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    Balboa's Tap House - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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