As a frequent gig / concert / festival-goer, I'll keep this review brief and to the key points that…read moremake or break a decent show: 1. Sound: The main factor, and this place is not bad at all. The vocals were maybe a hair low, but that's based on a three-man band so I dunno how they'd check a bigger act. Volume not high enough to merit earplugs when standing just in front of the sound booth, but might have been close to necessary by the stage. System sounds pretty clear and well balanced overall. 2. Temperature: Eugh... Warm, oppressively so. Dunno if the AC was broken or just off, but it got toasty considering it was a show where most of the crowd were pretty static and there was solely a headline and no support sets. Outside temperature wasn't oppressive either, seemed worse than similar sized venues. 3. Plenty of parking for (what still seems to me an excessive amount of) $20 outside. Traffic getting out was chaos, with people cutting queues and nobody organizing egress until the actual gate.

I bought a combo ticket to the San Diego Fair and to see Andrew Santino & Dvonte Coleman comedy…read moreshows at 8:00 pm on June 28 at "The Sound" in San Diego, CA. I was disappointed on several levels: First and foremost, the quality of the comedians was mediocre at best! The crowd rarely laughed and when they did laugh, it was weak and unenthusiastic. I recently attended Jim Gaffigan's performance and laughed my ass off (and I don't laugh easily). Secondly, I got to the Fair a few hours early to see some exhibits and get dinner. When I presented my ticket at the main gate, I was told I needed a different ticket to enter the Fair. The gate agent referred me to her supervisor who said this problem has been happening all day to other guests. The supervisor directed out of line and to the Box Office. The Box Office agent said she could not help me even though I showed her my official eTicket to the Comedy event. She directed me to the far end of the fairgrounds to get my ticket to the Fair from The Sound box office.

One of our long-time local favorites. In warm weather, we enjoy the patio and watching the…read moreever-changing array of characters ambling along South Cedros, some destined for shows at The Belly Up. The inside dining room and bar is cozy and decorated with posters from musical acts. Tavern is popular before shows and we go early on weeknights to beat the crowds and enjoy the food. The menu is reasonably priced. The tasty pan seared lemon and butter scallops on linguine was $29. The lobster tacos are $28, with the lobster chunks in a bowl with a subtle tomato sauce, and choice of torillas, with Spanish rice and black beans. Tavern has a full bar and a short but excellent wine list, reasonably priced, and mostly from California. Wines by the glass start at $11 and go to $14. A bottle of William Hill, Central Coast, Chardonnay, wsa $42 and the Rombauer Carneos, $65. Corkage is $25. Most cocktails are $15. It has local beers on draft and in the cans. Service is always fast and friendly. They check regularly for water refills, and any thoughts on the meal. We enjoy the casual, neighborly feel to the Tavern. A California beach town classic.

Best place to eat before a show at the Belly Up!…read more My go-to has been the filet medallions. Always great! Perfectly cooked each time. Cocktails are on point. Old fashioned was excellent. Wine list is what you need. Not huge, but full of solid wines. Review for the attached restaurant: Kind and efficient service. Joy was stellar!!! Nice welcome upon coming in. Server had it all nailed down. Look forward to coming again! 5/20/26 visit

We had a very strange and hostile interaction with a bartender there. I'm not sure what was going…read moreon with him but I wouldn't recommend this place.

Not quite the same vibe as the old Surf n Saddle Bar but still a decent watering hole / dive bar…read more. they have all the popular beers in draft. Usually there's some good music playing, sometimes live...

This is a three-day yearly jazz festival in San Diego (actually in Del Mar Hilton hotel). As a…read moreswing dancer, I only attended the late Saturday night dance (11PM to 2AM). The party happens in a large ballroom. However, the good dancing space is limited and split into two tiny floors on the right and the left of the stage, each good for 4-5 couples. The carpet covering the rest of the ballroom is smooth and perfectly danceable in your good dancing shoes. The attendance is pretty high, about 200 people, but most of them come to listen to the music. The dancing group was about 20 people total, with slightly more follows than leads. The skills of most are above intermediate. Hints: the crowd is thin. Unless you really know the swing dance community, it is wise to bring your own partner. The parking ticket ($10) shall be pre-paid in the lobby hotel upon entering, otherwise exiting will take a lot of effort. Overall: if the late night dance happens next year, definitely put it onto your calendar.

From the owner: The San Diego Jazz Party has more than 20 of today’s top Mainstream Jazz Performance Artists from…read morearound the world. Enjoy live music in an informal jazz club environment at the San Diego Hilton in Del Mar. Attendees can choose the full weekend or special focused programs within the Jazz Party. The Hilton Hotel is offering special rates for those who choose to stay at the hotel. You may come for the full weekend as a Patron with reserved table seating and full access to all performances including a brunch on Saturday. Or you may purchase tickets for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday performances. This is a unique opportunity to hear some of today’s greatest Jazz Artists performing together right here in San Diego.

In 1994, Del Mar started holding free concerts after the races on Fridays and sometimes Saturdays…read more 2011 marks the debut of the new Seaside Stage, which is located just west of the race track's Grandstand, with the ocean as a backdrop. Before, concerts took place in either of two locations- Saturdays in the infield area of the racetrack and on Fridays at the racetrack's Plaza del Mexico. "This year we decided to create one stage to accommodate all of our shows," said Josh Rubinstein, senior vice president of development for the Del Mar Racetrack, in a story on www.signonsandiego.com. "We feel the new stage location will provide better sight lines and a better concert experience for everybody who attends. Having one stage allows us to invest more in one location, as opposed to having two," Josh Rubinstein said. The new Seaside Stage is nice. It is a big step up from the previous staging area where music-lovers would need to traipse through the tunnel and walk far to get to the area. With the Seaside Stage, you just walk right into the betting area and then down past some tents, and voila! It's very cool to watch the Amtrack & Coaster trains buzz by and all the potted palm trees swaying in the refreshing ocean breezes gives the place a nice Humphrey's by the Bay ambiance. Del Mar has it all . The new Seaside Stage= 5 YELP STARS for sure!

Free concerts with track admission on the infield area of the racetrack? Count me in! We caught…read moreshows from Weezer and Offspring here after an afternoon of watching the ponies. Combined with a beer or two simply a fantastic way to spend a Friday or Saturday with friends.

This is a fascinating venue with lots of indoor and outdoor space. I attended a Masters party for a…read moregolf-related company, and they had cornhole, seats, bar tables, and even televisions set up outside while the large inside (2 large rooms) had the food, drinks, vendor tables, and TVs, tables, drinks, and plenty of room to roam around. The bathrooms are pretty and clean, and there's even an interesting lounge with quirky memorabilia. Since I wasn't the event organizer/host, I can't speak to how it was to plan the event. However, as an attendee, I was pleasantly surprised at what was here in the middle of an industrial area and would definitely keep this on my list of possible venues for events.

Great venue for private parties! Attended a formal event here and they had a great setup with…read moreseveral bars, indoor and outdoor seating and nice ambiance. Unsure if they provide their own catering or if you can bring outside catering services there as I wasn't part of the planning. Worth checking out if in need of a venue for around 100 people.

The Kraken is easily one of my new favorite dive bars. It's been around since the '70s, and it…read morestill has that wonderfully unapologetic coastal biker-bar personality. It's exactly the kind of place that looks like it has some stories to tell, and probably shouldn't tell half of them. The vintage décor, random ornamentation, pool tables in the back, and laid-back crowd give the place an incredible amount of character. Everyone was having a good time, the bartender was quick, professional, and genuinely fun, and the drinks were surprisingly well-priced for being this close to the coast. We happened to come in while The Kaotics were playing, and these guys absolutely crushed it. Classic rock covers, great energy, and a packed bar enjoying every minute of it. Huge shoutout to the band! Cold drinks, pool tables, classic rock, good people, and decades of coastal character. The Kraken isn't trying to be anything other than The Kraken, and that's exactly why it's so damn fun.

Good: It's a decent bar during the day time: You can actually talk to people and easily get a…read moredrink. You can see the ocean and the vibe is chill. Bad: It's a terrible bar on the weekends. Sure, sometimes there is good live music, but it's hard to get a drink, it's packed full of a-holes, the staff is also overwhelmed a-holes, and there's no view. But it's sometimes full of cougars though for the Marines, good luck boys.

A great casual breakfast and brunch spot in Del Mar. The food was fresh and flavorful, the prices…read morefelt reasonable for the area, and everything we ordered was well prepared. The outdoor seating is a big plus, with a nice view toward the ocean that makes the whole experience even better. Friendly service and a relaxed atmosphere make this an easy place to enjoy a slow breakfast or lunch.

A nice, fancy spot with a good view. Food was good can't complain about that. Place was clean…read moreportions were good. Customer service was ok, they were nice but could've been more attentive & alert. We came here for my Goddaughter's BDay so it was a big party of 14. So yes they can hold big parties which is cool. Most of us got the Steak, Pesto Chicken Sandwich & Burger meals. We all liked our food, fresh & good, one of the better burgers I've had. The chips & salsa was a no tho so I'd skip that next time. Like a said customer service was nice but there was a couple mishaps. One, a waiter dropped a whole soup on my Goddaughter's mom's back & hair & dress, yes he said he was sorry but could have meant it a bit more.. Luckily my friend didn't say nothing was calm got up went to the bathroom with friends to clean up came back & just said, this sucks I just had my hair done. The waiter could have offer a free drink or appetizer at least. Then when the bill came & we paid we noticed all our checks were wrong some of us paid for other people's items. They didn't know how to fix it so we just fixed it ourselves by paying each other on Venmo what ever we owed each other. It was an inconvenience, food was good tho & spot very nice & loved the burger but not sure I'll come back because it is a bit pricey & just expected a bit more customer service wise.

WORST EXPERIENCE!…read more Their violinist canceled on us two weeks before our wedding day!!! They had a contract with us for 8 months and acted like it was meaningless. The violinist booked another job shortly after our contract was signed in Jan and never told us for 8 months until Aug!! She tried to pass off her friend to fill in for her but her friend was a rock and roll singer/violist and it was not at all comparable to the vibe we wanted for our ceremony. The violinist said the other job paid more and that it was her 'breadwinner'. It was extremely hard to get a hold of the performer during the contract and The owner refused to pay for the difference to book another musician. The only reason we even found out was because I reached out to the performer and manager to send our ceremony songs and she replied saying she had another job booked!!! This place is a joke. They put an extreme amount of stress on my family and I canceling this late before our wedding. Thankfully I found someone to fill our wedding date on the side but the owner would not pay or contribute to the new cost. The owner also went black for 3 days w/o communication to us. It was an absolute nightmare!!!! They also had employees leave the company during our experience with them changing around our point of contact. Untrustworthy. Unprofessional. Unreliable. Poor business management.

A phenomenal company to work with for live music. They have a roster of some of San Diego's best…read moremusicians and artists, and are exceptionally considerate of their musicians and venues. If you need music for private events, weddings, corporate parties etc the Acoustic Spot is the best option for you!

Truly, one of the hidden gems of Solana Beach. Tucked in a little courtyard sits the pill box and…read moreif you know it, you know it and if you don't know it, you should know it. Fantastic menu something for everybody, you want a burger, best! You want it all day breakfast burrito again fantastic. How about a mahi salad?, yep! Patio or inside a great place to people watch and eat. Our server today was Kiley and she was just perfect. We haven't been in a little bit. Hope we'll be back right away. You gotta try it.

My friends had been talking about this place for a while, so we finally checked it out for happy…read morehour on a weeknight. We got there just before the 6 PM cutoff, and our server was kind enough to still honor the happy hour pricing for us, which was much appreciated. They have a solid happy hour menu with $2 off draft beers, $6 tequila and Fireball shots, $9 wines, and taco specials for around $7-8. We ended up trying the tacos, but they were honestly pretty average and nothing particularly memorable. The ambiance was nice, and it's always enjoyable spending time in the Solana Beach area near Fletcher Cove. Parking was easy with a dedicated lot, and the drinks were solid. Overall, a good place to grab a drink during happy hour and hang out with friends. The food didn't really stand out, but the friendly service, decent drinks, and relaxed atmosphere made for a pleasant evening.