Mothership has already risen to the level of San Diego institution a must-visit that nails it every time. Simply put, this is the best bar experience in town. They serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks alongside a growing menu of vegan bites. They do have a seasonal cult favorite: savory donuts. If they're in season, do not leave without trying them. Note that there are no clear signs marking the entrance done intentionally as a nod to the speakeasy vibe. Once inside, the spaceship immersion is taken to another level. And if you're lucky, they'll trigger the spaceship lights-and-sounds sequence, which to me resembles a ship under attack. It's incredibly cool. The ambiance is fantastic, and so is the food and drinks everything here delivers. Do pay attention to the alcohol content of each drink, as some run quite strong. Reservations are strongly encouraged, as they book up early and walk-ins may not be accommodated. read more

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I like themed restaurants and bars, so Mothership was high on my list of San Diego destinations. The outside of the bar looks like a Mexican restaurant (which it was a few years ago), but the inside has been transformed into a scientific base on an alien planet. The decorations, colors, and music all fit the vibe perfectly and look great! If you've been to any of the Meow Wolf locations, it reminded me of that minus the interactivity. I guess that's my one criticism is that I wish there were points of interaction around the place. For example, the bar had these cool recessed lights that looked like control panels, but they could easily be made into an interactive element. A lot more could be done with projection technology too. We didn't eat dinner, but the menu looked interesting with all vegetarian entrees with futuristic names. We did have some drinks. I had a non-alcoholic Tang & Tonic which was yummy and reminded me of something I drank in the UK when I was a little kid. My friends got alcoholic drinks which they both enjoyed. The drinks were a decent size and not overpriced. read more

Mothership - Dining area. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had been looking forward to this place for awhile, as I always enjoy Kindred. The decor and vibes are definitely next level. We ordered a few bites to share, and each had two drinks during our time there. Service was a little slow, but mostly friendly. Good suggestions and helpful answering questions. The only issue we had, which I know they needed to do on a busy night, was how pushy they were with getting out of our table right at the time limit. I am sure people try to take advantage of it - it's just not my favorite to feel that the whole experience is on a timer. Overall I am glad we went. I think I am just more of a Kindred person than a Mothership person. If you haven't been though, definitely go check it out. read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Favorite cocktail bar in San Diego! We make it a point to come here every time we visit. The inside is incredibly well-decorated and detail-oriented. It really feels like you've stepped onto another planet. The whole space-themed concept is so fun, from the drinks to the food. Every cocktail we've tried has been delicious and surprisingly strong. The cups are super cute too, and we somehow always end up buying one to take home. The staff are very friendly and helpful, especially if you can't decide what to order. It's a really casual and fun spot for date night or hanging out with friends. read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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The concept of this speakeasy is so cool. The interior decoration is above and beyond and the vibes are perfectly out of this world! Service was nice. Their menu is very cool, designed to fit with the theme from the names to the descriptions. I got the Revival Mission and unfortunately, it's just not for me. The combination of the acidity and bitterness... at worst I can describe as tasting like vomit... literally... I tried my friend's Mindchiller and hers was good! The coconut cream really complimented the drink nicely. Unfortunately, I think I just picked the wrong drink. We ordered the pancake and while it was tasty, it was so expensive. All in all, I'm glad I went because the experience really made it worth it. If I come back, I'm definitely getting a drink with coconut cream in it. I'm intrigued. read more

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We booked a reservation at Mothership for a Sunday night after spending a full day in the zoo. We were dehydrated, cold, and exhausted upon arriving, but the environment was really cool to see. The wooden seats in the half booth were supremely uncomfortable, so I did that annoying couple thing and sat next to my boyfriend on the same side of the booth. Oh well. Since we were dehydrated, we didn't check out the famous bathroom -- which I did not know was famous until this past weekend, whoops. We did each order a cocktail and split the tofu, which was very tasty. My boyfriend had the Polaris and I tried the Harmonic Tremor. I liked that the menu provided booziness levels, as I was way too zonked to go ham that night. Service was mostly prompt. It took some time to grab our check, but they were busy busy. It's a popular spot for good reason. Definitely come here for the atmosphere and tiki drinks. read more

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I love a bar with a curated vibe, and Mothership is definitely it. My friend booked a reservation here and our table was ready when they said it would be! I got the Tracking Device, and my friends got the Mindkiller and Away Mission. The Tracking Device was zeroproof and a very delicious mocktail! The tang from the lime and floral taste from the hibiscus made it very pleasant to sip on as the night went on. The cocktails here are STRONG, so drink accordingly lol. My friend couldn't finish his entire Mindkiller drink because it was so strong, but he did enjoy it. The bathrooms are super cool, and the interior is very trippy and chic. I'm a big fan of how much effort and attention to detail the creators put into this location. read more

Mothership - Away Mission, Mindkiller, and Tracking Device - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Disappointed- we read so many great things about Mothership so we had high hopes! And there were some cool things! The commitment is definitely there! Immediately upon entering, you're engulfed in a very dim atmosphere. It takes a minute for eyes to adjust. We would have given a better review but despite being there on a Sunday night with a place that looked, not even half full, two of three of our drinks took over 20 minutes to get out. And one wasn't good at all. We didn't drink it but our server didn't seem to notice. We didn't get any napkins, not even a cocktail napkin under our drinks. Service needs a little work. Bathrooms weren't clean and we had to find someone to get our bill. read more

We stopped by on a Saturday night without a reservation so we waited for a bit around the street for about 15 minutes or so Only standing room still but it was a Saturday night after all Drinks were delicious!! The candied orange on the mezcal cocktail was so good!! The decor is definitely super space themed and takes it all the way Loved the theme read more

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I've been to Mothership a few times now, and the experience is always excellent. This time, I popped in for a rum tasting event which kicked off The Rum Curious Summit, which my friend Bryan organizes. Highly recommend the Warbird if you're a fan of Aperol or Campari. I didn't eat this time, but the vegan menu has always been delightful, even for myself, an omnivore. The cocktails, service, and ambiance are always immaculate. read more

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Pretty neat place! It gives space mountain vibes. My friend and I both got drinks, I felt mine (zero proof drink called tracking device) was too sweet for me to finish. It was nice to have a slice of carrot cake with our drinks and even better there's bites to eat along with your alcohol. We sat at the bar (have had a reservation for a month) but they were so busy it at times felt we weren't attended to as quickly as we liked. Either way, neat experience and I am happy I finally got to check it out. read more

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Great cocktail spot ! We went on a Friday night with a party of 6 and it was busy! Good thing we had made reservations and were seated right away. Our server was fun and entertaining. We loved the creative drinks and the decor was perfect for the name mothership! Very quirky and fun! I could see why this place is so popular. read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The scenery was awesome! Absolutely love the gimmick here. It feels like you're ripped straight off of a cross between Star Trek and Star Wars. And the bathroom is super trippy. Didn't have any bites here but stopped by for some late night drinks. The bar was quick but it can get quite packed in there. Our drinks were strong but tasty. The only downside is the standing room is pretty crowded but overall pleasant experience read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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What a fun speakeasy. It was super chill and the service was awesome. Chole was our server and she was so nice and attentive. We shared the potato 001, and it was good. It was a like a mini hash brown with vegan cream cheese. If you plan on coming make sure to make a reservation, you definitely will not be disappointed coming here. Thank you Morhership for your hospitality and fun experience. We will definitely be back. read more

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We were in North Park for a show and lucked out to grab a reservation. I will be looking to returning anytime that we are in the area. The environment is wicked fun, and everyone that we interacted with was helpful and kind. I do not think that we had anything that we did not enjoy. Drinks Mindkiller 5/5! Astro Zombie 5/5 Food Potato 5/5 Bao Bun 4/5 read more

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Was in the area looking to try another speakeasy and came across Mothership about an hour before they closed this night I went. Overall, the theming was very cool and well executed, and very popular since it was quite packed with only standing room for me and a friend to order drinks but not something surprising at all. No food as well since the kitchen was closing when we came but that was okay since we were only there to have a drink. We eventually got moved to a table when one opened up. Since they were about to close we got to order one drink each & they were both pretty sweet! It was pretty dark inside with all the colored lights glowing and the fixture lights came on when it hit midnight since they had closed. I would definitely love to come back to try out more drinks but was a short nice experience regardless. read more

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If you want to feel like you've stepped onto another planet, Mothership is an absolute must. The entire space has this immersive, spaceship vibe that makes the experience feel so unique from the moment you walk in. The best part. It's completely plant based, which is such a hidden gem in itself. You wouldn't expect the food to be this good, but every dish is packed with flavor and creativity. They also have a great variety of mocktails, and they are just as fun and delicious as the atmosphere. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time because it fills up quickly. Such a fun surprise all around. Incredible ambiance, amazing plant based food, and drinks that make the whole experience even better. read more

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Unique Sci-Fi Speakeasy - worth going once! Food/Drinks: 4.7/5 The highlight of this speakeasy is the unique theme of all the cocktails. The menu helpfully indicates the strength of the drinks and the attention to detail is lovely. The drinks here are almost all rum-based and some can be quite sweet. Mothership offers a limited selection of finger foods but no large dishes. Away Mission: Not too sweet, refreshing Mindkiller: Very sweet, very strong, not a fan Ambiance: 4/5 The decor exudes spaceship/sci-fi/galactic vibes. It's not really my cup of tea but I'm sure any Star Wars fan would like it. There's lots of super cool details that you have to see in person. Unfortunately, the bathrooms are a little dirty and the bar area can be tightly packed. Service: 3/5 Our server was lovely but service took ~30min to get our drinks. Overall service is pretty slow. Parking: North park street parking - can get rough on the weekends. read more

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We had a great experience at Mothership from checking in to all the staff serving us and interacting with us was amazing. Everyone is so kind and you can tell they want you to have the best experience. We ordered Mindkillers, Saturn & Away Mission for drinks my favorite was The Saturn but they were all good. The food we had the Bread, the Rice & carrot cake all we would have again. I normally would not mention the bathrooms but go because it is really cool experience. Our party of GenX & GenZ approved read more

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I really like this spot - for various reasons. It's speakeasy enough but not hardcore. There's no password, no serious advertisement or big sign, and there's no dress code to give off a snooty vibe. There's a small sign near the door area that's somewhat discrete and if you see their door, just open it. Love the entrance. Every design and decor looks to be well thought out. The music is a bit loud but not so loud that you need to talk over it crazy. I came on a Tuesday and there were some groups but it was rather empty otherwise. Nathan was at the bar. He knew everything about the menu and had a great balance between conversation and bartending. Dive simulation: loved this drink! I love creamy sweet drinks and this has a great balance. Star Rider: I was expecting this to be creamy also with the banana but it wasn't. It very much tasted like a raspberry popsicle that Nathan described it as. For being tiki drinks and heavy on the ice, I wasn't disappointed in the alcohol content on both drinks. Rice: this was a kimchi crispy rice that was a full meal. Priced appropriately and well presented. My only gripe was that the mushrooms which I was soooo looking forward to were extremely over salted. Everything else was well put together and balanced. Watch out for the lemon. Take a couple of bites before committing to squeezing the whole slice. Overall, very happy o stopped by and would love to try more on their menu. read more

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Came here with some friends since there has been so much hype about this place. Parking was relatively easy for a late Sunday afternoon. The inside was so immersive and I felt like I was in an alien planet which was such as cool experience. It wasn't too dark either; I could read the menu easily and enjoy the decor. The drinks...wow they were very strong. All of them tasted very very strong. Some of the drinks also had limits you could order too. Although pricey, the drinks were large and pretty tasty. We also tried the potatoes, which had some crispiness as well. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. Check it out! read more

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I loved the design of the Mothership. Even the bathroom is unique Order a bowl for some special effects The drinks are pricey but they are strong so worth it The food was decent but you come here for the atmosphere and drinks Make sure to make a reservation as they book up read more

Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Food: 4/5 Drinks: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Parking: 4/5 Love Mothership! Coming back made me enjoy this space all the more! Mina was our primary bartender of the night, and she was phenomenal. She was so kind and helpful and made delicious drinks. Can't wait to return to this aliens-meet-tiki bar down the road! read more

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First visit to Mothership, and totally based off of recommendations. I have to admit, this blew the other local Tiki Bars out of the water.... The drinks here are incredibly well balanced, and so much fun. The decor here is amazing, fully immersive and completely transformative. It's like being inside a Disneyland ride, but it's even better than that, there is rum.... The bathroom on its own is an experience, and you have to go check it out, even if it's just for the photo op. Our bartender was also extremely friendly and went out of their way to make it special for the birthday we were celebrating. I can't wait to come back again... False Idol? Pfff. No fam, go to mothership. read more

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Had a GREAT experience with Chloe & Suz. Seated quickly, atmosphere is giving Space Mountain. Drink recommendations were on POINT. And the bathroom is giving Kylo Ren. I can't wait to return. read more

Mothership - Saturn & revival mission drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

When you walk into the Mothership, it immediately throws you into the sci-fi feeling when you step through the doors making you feel as if you had crash landed on an uncharted planet. The service was great, very attentive and very informative to any questions you had about their menu and how their drinks, and food, are made. It is an all vegetarian venue, which was a surprise for me in how well they put everything together. They even have an amazing menu that had a great design and special names for their food and drinks. I got their Bao-Buns; "Sandwich 001" and Rice; "Rice 002" plates that were good for two people, and had their Warbird cocktail which paired perfectly together! While you don't need a reservation to dine-in, I would highly recommend making one since it does tend to get busy later in the night and on the weekends. I'll definitely come back for another great escape into space! read more

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Flew to space and back in the matter of an hour. Strong drinks, great flavors, immaculate vibes. Bartenders are friendly and service is kind. Do make a reservation, space fills up fast! read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I came here for a friend's birthday. I had no idea this was a vegan spot. As a non vegan, I was pleasantly surprised! The food was soooo sooo good. The ambiance was spot on. I will be coming back! read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This space-themed tiki bar will transport you out of this world with excellence drinks and energy! This bar does a great job of making you feel like you are in a different place. As soon as you open the front door you see dark rocks and vibrant colors. The bar looks like a spaceship with friendly bartenders providing you with great drink recommendations. The menu is even well themed! Make sure to also just make a trip to the bathroom because even that makes you feel like you are on the Death Star. They have great drink options. Very great tropical flavors. Also really strong drinks if thats is what you are into. read more

We only came here for drinks as we have a dinner reservation somewhere else. It's a cute tiki bar. I love the decor, the lights - it's pretty cool. The bathroom is for individual person only so you need to wait to take turns. They ask everyone for individual IDs before serving drinks. I got the Mind Killer for $19, and I liked that a lot, served in a glass shaped like a lava lamp; it was sweet but really good too. They serve different unique cocktails, and the amount of alcohol is shown on a chart in drawing that determines how strong the drink. We were celebrating my friend's birthday, and her surprise bridesmaid's proposal and even though we didn't order food, they were still very nice and brought us a small cup of ice cream with a candle for her to blow and make a wish, which was nice. The location was a little off, but once you go inside, it's pretty. read more

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Super cool themed bar, had no idea what to expect and had a very fun time. Plus for me was the fully vegan menu- even the soft serve! Plus for my friend was the tiki style drinks- think strong, mostly rum based, themed and STRONG. Highly recommend a reservation, we parked down the street in a neighborhood early, explored a few shops, and headed in at reservation time. Time limit is 1.5 hours, which we went just shy of, you are definitely not rushed out and everything comes out at a pretty even pace. read more

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I absolutely love this place. It's probably my favorite bar in SD. The decor inside is so fun. I always feel like I'm at Disneyland. The drinks are also super fun and dressed up and they are strong. I appreciate them telling us how strong the drinks are on the actual menu. Also the food is so under rated! The food is fusion and really yummy. I highly recommend a visit here. Make a reservation because it gets crowded! Park in the nearby neighborhoods and walk over. read more

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Drinks: expensive, you're paying more for experience and a nice surprise for someone new. My cocktail lacked flavor or fruitiness even though it was staff recommendation Service: fine, nothing special Food: expensive, potatoes are delicious and nice crisp with kimchi cream. The baos were not satiating, expected it to be more creamy. Tasted fine but not worth $25 at all. Atmosphere: it's a small space but very immersive with the decoration and even the bathroom. The standing area and entrance are breaks the immersion but they work with what they have. Overall, I'm not sure I'd return. The high prices and mediocre drinks make it hard to justify unless you're really into aesthetics. read more

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The hype lives up to the experience here! Had a great time grabbing drinks. We enjoyed the Atomic Zombie and Away Mission. Great cocktails in a very well designed space made for a unique and fun date night. We only had drinks this time around and our experience with the host and server were great. The team really coordinates to stay on theme and extend the outer space experience through the entire space. They have an interesting food menu that we will definitely be back to try. Of note: there can be a wait even with reservations because they limit the number of people by the bar and in the standing area. You can leave your number and return if needed. (The waiting space is tight) read more

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We are vacationing out here from Arizona. We have had this place on our list the few times we have been out in SD and finally decided to pull the trigger for the spooky or enhanced experience of The Cocooning--overall it was mid. Don't get me wrong--if you never been inside (like us) it's cool to see. To see--key words. The drinks were average tiki cocktails--which for me, I have to be in the mood for super sweet tiki drinks. My fiancée and I were underwhelmed--especially when we have experienced Strong Water and Under Tow. Service was amazing though. One of those--we came, we saw, we experienced it and we good. read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

One of, if not the, best themed bars I have ever been to. As soon as you enter, you are transported to outer space. The walls are made to look like some sort of space cave or like a space ship that has crashed into another planet. The menu continues the theme with uniquely named drinks and food items. Even the restroom is space themed! While the decor, menu, and almost everything about the place was really well done, interesting, fun, and unique, the drinks weren't to my preference. Like many other reviews have mentioned, many of the drinks are very similar, using lots of dense fruit blends with various types of rum. I am not the biggest fan of tropical and very rich drinks and I am not much of a rum drinker, so I wasn't able to find something I really enjoyed--but that's ok! We didn't try any of the food items, but they definitely looked good on the menu. Our server went above and beyond for us. One person in our party had a nut allergy and our waitress made sure that he did not order anything that would have contained nuts and even warned about potential cross contamination. Our waitress also explained the menu to us in depth and made sure we didn't have any questions before ordering. Excellent service paired with a smile and a willingness to ensure everyone has a good time will always bump up my rating despite what I think about the food/drink. Overall, I appreciated my visit and I would highly recommend people to check out Mothership. Sadly, it is just not my favorite bar due to the drinks not being to my preference. Some of my friends really seemed to enjoy the drinks, so perhaps you will too! Definitely make a reservation as it was very busy when we visited on a Sunday night. read more

Mothership - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is super cool. Service was great and the design of the place is insane. Drinks were also good and I particularly liked how the menu had a variety of options. Presentation was nice and overall had a very positive experience dining here. The chairs are a bit shredded but maybe that's part of the aesthetics or whatever. LOL Will probably come back. Overall rating: Drinks: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Menu: 10/10 Restaurant Vibes: 11/10 Price to Overall Dining (POD): 10/10 read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for so long! It really is cooler in person & the decor for Halloween is up right now, they did a great job. We got the bread & dip (7/10). The dip would've been fabulous if there was some flavor added, even just some salt. The fried potato and kimchi cream cheese app was our favorite-- the potatoes are cooked to perfection and the cream cheese was unique & delicious! The scallion pancake was 6/10 for me, the texture was a bit strange and we asked for more kewpie to which they said they couldn't give us more of. I did love the pickled daikon and cabbage on top though. The drinks were all pretty sweet but I loove that they put a little scale indicating the alcohol content for each drink on their menu. Their menu is so wonderfully done as well. Definitely would come back for the vibes and to try more of their drinks! read more

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Wow!! What an amazing experience. Super awesome decoration inside with different vibes between the bar area and sitting area. I was awestruck!! Drinks were delicious, service was great! read more

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The interior is space themed and I love the starry ceiling. I would recommend to check out their cool bathroom! We came as a walk in around 10:30pm and got seated around 11pm, but we were welcome to sit at the standing tables inside while we waited. We sat at the bar and our drinks came quickly. Warbird: Sweet and super tasty! Rum wasn't too overpowering! It was $16. Such a cool and fun speakeasy! Definitely would recommend! read more

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