We love a good dive bar, so while exploring San Diego's Old Town we did what any responsible day drinkers would do... we Googled "dive bars" & ended up at Old Town Saloon. And honestly? This place was exactly the vibe we were hoping to find. The second we walked in, I loved the vintage feel of the decor. It has that authentic old-school saloon energy that can't be manufactured. A genuine neighborhood watering hole with personality - a little worn in, full of character & packed with stories. One of the best parts of our visit was the bartender, who also happened to be the third-generation owner. He struck that perfect balance of being super friendly & welcoming without being all up in our business. You could tell he genuinely cared about the place & its history. He shared some great stories that made the experience feel personal. We settled in for some drinks & soaked up the atmosphere. The history of San Diego Old Town swirled around us as we enjoyed our time at the Old Town Saloon. Highly recommend. read more

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This is a great spot to grab a drink when there is a crowd outside. We were waiting for the Whaley House tour and stopped in for a drink. Liz was awesome and even made recommendations for restaurants for us. She was talkative and engaging while also serving everyone quickly. Looks like a great spot for the evening, but we were just starting out the lunch drinkers for the day! read more

Old Town Saloon - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

We vacationed to San Diego back in March and we were only there for about 2.5 days. In those 2.5 days we visited Old Town Saloon TWICE, so that should tell you how much we liked it here. My husband and I are sucker for divey spots and the Old Town Saloon looked EXACTLY like our vibe. It definitely was a cool spot and not sticky or on the dirty side like a lotta dives, but still had that classic dive feel to it. We had different bartenders both days we came, and both of them were great. Not too talkative but still really nice and quick to get our drink orders. Like most of Old Town, the Old Town Saloon is themed to fit the rest of the area. They have TouchTunes here so you can play plenty of music, and also at least one pool table (I only saw one, not sure if there were more around the corner). Only "downside" is that they don't have any food here, but you're allowed to bring food in (which we did from a local vendor). If you're in the area it's definitely worth it to stop in for a drink or two - we could've spent all day here and would definitely stop in again when we're back in town. read more

Friendly staff. A reliable go to bar. Nice spot to meet up with friends. Not the largest space so my bf and I love it on the weekdays. read more

Old Town Saloon - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

Had a great time here. Great group of patrons and the bar tender was awesome to talk to. My buddy and I were waiting for the girls to finish their shopping so we came in and had a few drinks. Made the time pass quickly. We had beers and shots so very basic but the bar tender kept the drinks coming and it was a very nice bar. Lots of locals coming in with their pool cues but plenty of visitors like us, so it was a nice mix. read more

Old Town Saloon - Let the girls shop!!!! I'll be fine. - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

Went to the Saloon with a group of 12, prior to the Padres game. We are all clearly of age (30-60), but one had a temporary drivers license. Bartender told her she couldn't be in the bar - even if she didn't drink - and she had to leave. When the group decided to leave with her, to find another place, the bartender first told us we didn't need to go (only she did), then when I said that wasn't going to happen, he started mouthing off at us, and didn't stop the whole time we walked out. When I turned and looked back, to figure out what his problem was, he was shouting stuff and peacocking like he wanted to start a fight. Completely unnecessary and stupid. The guy's a complete d*ck. So we instead went and spent $800 at Doc Holliday's -- a much, much more welcoming venue. read more

Better have your California state ID, because even when you're obviously over 30 and have a military ID, they will say that state law enforces only state IDs. (It doesn't - https://www.abc.ca.gov/education/licensee-education/checking-identification/) Businesses can choose to reject military IDs, but the bartender used state law as an excuse instead of just saying they do not accept these IDs. read more

Another visit with Justin. Well worth the stop while pursuing a passport renewal. The man is super friendly and super helpful for all things Old Town. Food options are slim with chips, etc. Locals vibe and environment, which makes for a friendly locale. read more

Old Town Saloon - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

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Visited Old Town Saloon twice while staying at a hotel nearby for a conference. It's a straightforward dive bar with a pool table and a local crowd. Compared to other bars in Old Town San Diego, it feels less like a tourist trap. During my second visit, a fight almost broke out. The bartender defused the situation by giving everyone a free shot, which actually helped change the mood. I appreciated that it didn't make things worse. Overall, it's a good spot if you want something casual and more local. read more

The fact that the one star reviews on the Old Town Saloon are almost as many as the five Star reviews, speaks volumes! Most of those 1 star reviews are about the Old Town Saloon being rude. Add mine. I never post reviews unless I feel compelled to, so I am reviewing the Old Town Saloon! I am just a normal guy, a Senior Citizen. To start off, I went to the Old Town Saloon bar on Cinco De Mayo 2026@ 4:00 PM. Grades? I would give the Bar Staff an B, The drink pricing a C-. The ambiance a C-. The guy at the door who claimed to be the owner, Id give an F-. He was totally unprofessional. Customers should be treated with respect. The owner carries himself as if he does not care about customers, they come and go. In my particular instance, his demeaner was so bad, he escalated ("Do not bringing a plastic cup of water outside"), to the point that people walking by were completely disgusted with his actions and finding another bar. They all saw that I had put the water back down in the club. He definitely enjoys bullying his customers. If you are going to treat a Senior citizen that way then what about everyone else? Stay far way from Old Town Saloon! ~Philip G read more

The owner and the employees are rude and don't appreciate out-of-towners so if you're from out of town visiting, Old Town don't bother stopping there don't waste your time! read more

Old Town Saloon - It's a Bar, owner and employees are rude !! Stay a way especially if you're from out of town, they care for visitors!! - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

Best memory of this place. Drinking with my groomsmen the night before the big day. People ordering me shots to help celebrate. It's a dive bar nothing fancy but great service and good place to drink. Not to mention it's located in old town after a couple of drinks head over to cafe Coyote for some freshly made flour tortillas or carne asada fries! read more

Called for a simple question. If they played the ufc fights. Guy on phone was super rude and hung up on me. Little run down place anyway.

Good vibes, good drinks..all that was missing was the hip hop n Latino music to get me moving and shaking the hips yet service was pretty good! Thank Old Town Saloon to remind me Johnny Cash is one of our good idols..THANK YOU read more

Old Town Saloon - Corona, Midori sour - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

Just stopped in for a quick drink while wandering around Old Town and really liked the place. Plenty of seating drinks were priced good nice selection of booze they have pool tables and a jukebox really has an old school pub vibe. plenty of TV's if sportsball is your thing. read more

I stopped in on a monday night what a little gem. a liitle hole in the wall you don't see any more. The bartender Beetle was great. Had a tresure trove of history about Old town. And he made me a Old Fashion as the likes I never had before... It was devine !! No food but he said you can bring in food to go from anywhere.. A+++ on that read more

Oscar the Bartender was very rude. We are always there when we come to old town. This time we walked in to have some drinks but we had our hydro's because we were drinking water. No one said anything about not allowing them there. As owner was leaving we talked to us so he saw we had them, said nothing to us. No one did. Throughout the time we were there Oscar the bartender questioned my husband about having another drink after only 2 drinks. When my husband told him yes, he want another drink he gave him a drink with only coke! Thought he could pull one over on my husband. My husband went back to let him know that all he'd given him was coke so he redid his drink. Crazy!! Then at the end of the night when we are getting ready to pay he comes over and grabs our hydros very abruptly and tosses our drinks out of them!!! And told us to not come back! We walked out stunned wondering what had just happened!!! As far as we knew everything was fine, we had our drinks while we watched the fights on my husband's phone. We talked to the owner the following day and he was not very friendly but he did apologize and said he would look at video to see what happened. But that we would be good to come back... we walk in that day after talking to him and another bartender comes up to us and says that owner said they couldn't serve us. That he had seen the video and the reason the Oscar had poured out our drinks was because he saw that we poured our drinks into our hydros! Which we did but what we had poured was the left over ice!! But either way even if we had! He could have came up and talked to us not snatched our hydros very abruptly like he did!! It's called communication. And the fact that we now are banned for that reason, is crazy!!! We have gone there every time we come to San Diego old town! We are good paying customers and for this to happen is so appalling! I will never go back especially because the girl bartender that came to talk to us, instead of calling us over to talk to us in private, told us in front of everyone, and didn't give us a chance to say anything just walked away, like we had committed a crime! It was handled very unprofessional! The owner comes off snotty and can be very rude also, from what bartenders from the other bars told us. They said that's why they don't go there. Well now we know. read more

Great dive bar in old town- recently came here with a few friends and had an awesome time. Good priced drinks, pool tables and jukebox to pick our songs. If you're in the old town area make sure to stop by read more

Justin is an amazing & friendly Bartender ! Great personality!!! Miller High Life for $4 ! Great fresh squeezed limes for margaritas $8 !!! Go see him!!!! read more

This is the perfect Pit Stop if you've been walking around old town all day and need a cold beer or cocktail Have a great selection of beer, tequila and mezcal. There are pool tables in the back if you feel like catching a quick game of billiards while you enjoy your beer, and they have a great patio in the back The bartender is always fast and friendly, if you tip them right he'll take good care of you. read more

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Head bar tender in his late thirties with a beard and glasses was very rude. And prices of drinks kept getting higher through the night. I do not recommend this place, very racial, prejudice. read more

Service with a smile. Pool tables and cues nicely kept up. However, I've never been in a bar that doesn't have coffee.That was a disappointment. Also, they said theyt didn't know how to make the drink my friend wanted, a cappachino martini. If you want to shoot a few games and drink a few brews, this is the place for you. read more

For being in a super touristy location this place is great. Not for the hoity toity but better for a San Diego local. Not overly busy during the day or dinner hour but does get busy in the later evening hours. It's a dive bar with good pool tables and a great chance to people watch. Set the right expectations and you'll enjoy yourself. read more

Old Town Saloon - Friday Night Beers - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

I went there with my friends and the bartender by the name of "Mike" kicked us out of the establishment not even five minutes after walking in because one of my friends changed her mind about the drink she wanted to get. Mike immediately said "I don't have time for this, there's the door" and pointed to the exit. In my humble opinion I don't think a bartender who's representing this establishment shouldn't be talking to his customers like that. Respect is a two way street and luckily we chose the high road and walked out because I don't want to waste my hard earned money to pay for a rude employee who clearly doesn't care about the respect and feelings of others. People have the right to change this opinion on drinks especially if it's their first time at this establishment and it would behoove the owner to pay more attention to his employees and keep them on check unprofessionalism that received from Mike made me so upset I had to publicly let others know and hopefully the owner reads this an actually talk Mike. read more

Sal... your Bartender on the afternoon/ evening shift on August 6th 2023... an older guy with a stale attitude. Took our debit card to hold for a tab , which is fine. We played pool had a few beers and when we went to close out, he couldn't find our card and said we closed out... well we didn't! He obviously gave our card to someone else , and wouldn't let us see the signature on the Cc receipt until the door guy grabbed it to show us... well it's Illegal To have a bartender drinking on their shift and also your doorman... so now because of your business negligence we have lost a card that is linked to our accounts that will be declined ... And your employees response was to shrug his shoulders in denial!!! Lame Being a local and bar owner/ manager... this is not a good . Hire professional people who aren't drunk behind the Bar!!!! read more

I've been to this bar once was visiting from out of town. Lasted about 5 minutes. Ordered drinks at the bar from Mike, male with a beard. He refused to serve us because we switched up our drink order. Instead of asking us for clarification, he just pointed us to the door. He was very disrespectful and made us feel very uncomfortable. We left without hesitation. We felt very disrespected. I do not recommend going here if you are visiting. We recommend being patient with the paying customers. For most of us it is our first time visiting read more

Small quaint bar definitely a local hangout! The bartender was very pleasant. They have some chips snacks etc.

This place is a complete dump. If I could give it no stars I would. It's dirty. The bathrooms are just plain gross. The bartender guy was just plain trash. Many other business owners I talked to said to avoid the place. Don't waste your time or money!!! read more

Good old school bar. Good prices compared to the rest of Old Town. Bartender/Owner is a really nice guy that had a lot of cool stories to tell about his grandfather and the history of the bar. It was such a great place that we went back an hour later. read more

Good drinks Juke box with an unbelievable amount of music. Small bar feel. Bouncer happy to intervene with problems. WYBMADIITU read more

Old Town Saloon - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

Old Town Saloon is a great neighborhood bar located smack dab in Old Town with a great beer selection and super friendly service. You enter off San Deigo Ave. and the bar is to the left, round high top tables with a booth back to the right, and pool tables and additional seating in the back. The bar itself has a copper bar top with a large wooden rail. The barstools for both the bar and high top tables are square with a heavily padded seat, but not back support. A box footrest rests below a simple wooden bar face. The back bar contains bottle shelves that sit against mirrors. The overall bar is a little dark, so thankfully, there is a skylight midway through the bar. Several HDTVs hang throughout. The service was fast and friendly. In addition to the excellent beer selection, Old Town offers stiff drinks and jello shots. No food to review. This is simply a place to drink. If staying in/near Old Town, you should absolutely check out Old Town Saloon. I look forward to my next visit. read more

This is an amazing bar. Great bar staff and amazing drinks. They don't sell food but that's ok because you can order Uber eats or food delivery and eat it at the bar. read more

Old Town Saloon - Bar staff and my family - Pool Halls Near Me - San Diego, California

This place was ok to grab an expensive $9 beer. Plenty of options for your adult needs. Enough said! read more

Great local bar! Been there a few times before covid and now once since they re-opened. They've added food to their menu which was an awesome call! Seriously a really great backyard burger. The meat was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. Drinks are good. They don't have an extravagant cocktail list, but if you ask for it they'll make it for you. I had a great old fashion and a vodka with sour. Good pours for a good price. I'll for sure be going back for the burger and a drink soon. read more

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Dive with a full bar, 3 pool tables, a digital juke box AND they take credit cards. What more could a gal ask for?! Good for a good time AND a long time. Your mom would definitely approve. read more

Waiting to be seated for the restaurant next door, we all came to grab a drink or two at the Old Town Saloon. One couple, with us, had been here before, but it was my Girlfriend and My first time. To grab a drink, watch sports, or even play some pool not a bad place to have a beer! Definitely gives you that saloon feel, has a variety of beer and drinks, and TV's all in view! read more

Worst service as a bartender I've experienced. I came in with a friend and not knowing they were busy. I raised my hand to get the attention of the bartender and he said you have to wait like everybody else with an attitude. 0 for Charisma and 0 for customer service communication. read more

Anybody complaining about this place is an idiot. Period. It's a dive bar and the best kind of bar in an otherwise expensive (but beautiful) side of San Diego. Great bartenders. Has a personality and wears it on its' sleeve. Had a blast and stayed a block away- ended up here at the end of every night- it ain't the bar's fault you had a bad experience- it you. read more

Stopped in after a day of exploring the area to get a beer and kill a couple hours before heading to the airport. Had a great time while we were there. The bartender was attentive and fun to visit with. The bar itself was clean and well laid out with a couple of pool tables in the back along with a juke box. We will return the next time we are in town. read more

HORRIBLE horrible experience. I went with a group of friends (all of us are late 20s early 30s) and one of us show our ID to the bartender, claimed it was a "fake" and just snapped it in half! Without even asking for a second form of ID?? (Which would've been a military ID for him...). And when we asked for a manager the bartender said "google it." And walked away. Horrible. Seemed homophobic if you ask me....never coming back here and I hope no one else does either. read more