My first time here was a big blur and I don't really remember much of it. I just remember it was pretty crowded and a lot of shots haha. My second time here was on a Monday night and just looking to grab one beer after eating at city tacos across the street. Pool is only A QUARTER a game which is incredible because I've never seen it that cheap anywhere else. Great place to chill when it isn't super busy. read more

Pete's Place - Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I think it was a little over 6 years ago I was introduced to Pete's. It's becoming my go-to after work spot. Gets the job done!

Pete's is handling Reopening with Covid regulations like a boss. There is socially distanced tables, plexi glass at the bar, and everything is clean and spotless. The music is great and the ambiance isn't lacking in the slightest! The bartenders are super cool, easy to talk to, and make killer drinks. I've been coming here for a few years and they're still killing it, restrictions and all! Thanks Pete's place crew for entertaining my drunk weekend shenanigans read more

I am so heartbroken I have been going to Pete's place since before the renovations when they were a tiny little hole in the wall with green smelly carpet has a bar dingy gross lights up until now tonight when I was told to go to the regal where I came from because one of the people that was in our party tripped over her sandal and the man said she was too drunk I am so a palled at the service that we had this evening after two decades of service. Also we were not at the regal we had a full dinner at curbside down the street decided to have a nightcap come down and spend a little bit of money at Pete's place enjoy ourselves and then go home but instead we were denied because somebody had a jacked up sandal read more

What's not to like about this place? Seriously, it's a clean, fun hole-in-the-wall bar with cool peeps, great music (the juke box is packed) and cheap drinks. Has anyone mentioned the pool tables are FREE during the day and only a quarter at night? Yup, just 25 friggin' cents, dude. I'd like to say this place is so hip because of the locals (go La Mesa!), but have you seen Brandon, the 6'5 Viking UFC fighter by the door? I would NOT like to cause him grief. I run into friends I hadn't yet met every single time I walk into this place. Celeste, the cutie behind the bar, is cool and keeps the drinks flowing. There's a selection of the cheap-o routine beers and some good stuff on tap, can and bottle (excluding PBR, which --to my amazement and entertainment -- folks still like to guzzle) In La Mesa and looking for a great time with some laid back folks? Pete's is the place. read more

Pete's Place - Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

Dear Mr Royal Hampton, I am a WHITE WOMAN IN AMERICA & I LOVE PETE's PLACE. I especially love Jesse's hawaiian shirts and Sunday morning michi's and bloody mary's. I'm also a HUGE fan of Matty's Blueberry Kamikaze's. Hands down Pete's is the best bar in La Mesa and the staff are legit! All sorts of drinks on hand, bartenders are friendly and entertaining, and the bouncer is a class act. If you come in on a Friday night I recommend picking a seat towards the back and watching the magic of pussy hunting unfold. Pete's draws in all walks of people and everyone is really friendly. If this review hasn't drawn you in yet..... I caught 4 Pokemon on the Patio last weekend - GO GET EM!! read more

Pete's Place - Best bartenders in San Diego. #ServiceWithASmile - Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

St. patricks was chill at petes, crowd is always clean and casual. No creepy crack heads at this bar. Juke box is loaded up Prices are Great. one complaint bathrooms are to small, and no real food sold in here. If they'd just sell some nachos or something it'd be perfect! Pool tables are nice and people are quick to share read more

Great little trendy dive bar. I didn't realize it at first, but they have every Jazz Fest poster since 1996!! Sports bar, pool tables,, etc. Great prices, nice staff. read more

I've been here four or five times and each time have been impressed by the friendly and personable staff. They are all always willing to engage in conversation and remembered me each time I came back, which was cool. They have cheap pool, great drinks, and a juke box. read more

Pete's Place - a glass of beer on a bar - Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

5 stars for Pete's Place. Great place to come on a weekend or week day. Happy hour during the week makes a long day after work , refreshing! read more

Great dive bar located in downtown La Mesa. Drinks are cheap, service is friendly and music is good. They have good live bands sometimes and good music in-house. The have a great new outdoor patio and a few pool tables to choose from. You can't beat the local neighborhood dive bar feel! read more

You can catch me at this bar goofing off every now and then with my friends/ coworkers. It's not crowded, ever and it's just overall a fun place to chill. Shoot some pool and take lots of shots. The prices are so cheap. I stick to Jameson with Pickle backs and end up getting drunk and not spending a fortune. I love it. The bartenders are awesome! Don't forget to tip them, they deserve it! read more

To the security guard during Oktoberfest who let a couple in and the woman had a backpack which you let in and had the audacity to waste my time waiting. Just to check my ID only to tell me I'm not allowed with a backpack. I have my money to regal so you guys can shove a cactus up your arse. Also if you are going to let your friends in through the exit but deny other people then obviously you don't need your jobs. read more

Best dive bar in San Diego. The staff are super friendly and they make you feel at home every time you come in. Great place to watch the game or hang with friends. They go above and beyond for COVID safety while still making you feel right at home. read more

It's a dive bar with some really cool aspects to it... But the dive far outweighs the thrive. Nice jukebox. Prices are decent. Smoke from outside lingers near the door. Pool tables clutter the larger space. The bar is right when you enter and can cause major traffic jams. Beer seems to be the same every time I go in. Only local options are Sculpin and maybe a random other beer. Sounds good but can get old too when you know most people are drinking a Coors Light, and that Sculpin could be pretty old. read more

I never write reviews but I'm shook about this. The busboy took my vape off the table and threw it away while I was going to the bathroom for literally 45 seconds. I confronted him about it and he got aggressive and told me it was there unattended for 30 minutes so he threw it away and told me it was my fault, super condescendingly. Again, it was 45 seconds and he had just cleared our table 5 minutes before, so he knew we were just there. I always treat restaurant and bar workers well but I was shocked by this interaction and got no help trying to figure the situation out, only aggression. Not coming here again, that's for sure! read more

Love it here. Location is perfect, parking is abundant and the staff are all great. Keith, Jesse, Carl, Sheila and everyone else do an amazing job and keep us coming back read more

​ love Pete's Place ! Great place just to hang out or play some pool . It's always clean with great prices ! They have a nice patio out back just to chill out with friends . Great atmosphere with a good mixture of people , a little older and younger . The crowd is always friendly and get along well together . Pete's staff always make you feel at home . read more

Kind of a local bar for me. Absolutely love the ambiance and cheap drinks. Just another chill spot. It seems that they have a lot of regulars go there, gonna keep trying to become one haha read more

Pete's Place - Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

Never had a great experience with the owner. Numerous times he's yelled at customers and staff. Tip your bartenders, they are great, having to work with that guy must be tuff. Won't be back. read more

Hands down best bar in La Mesa. Always a good time going there. Very reasonably priced!

So I'm a little biased because it was my first visit ever and I went for the free show featuring Black Joe Lewis. The show was killer. Their sound system was fantastic, the atmosphere was great, and I had a total blast. That aside, the staff at Pete's are phenomenal. Sheila is a top-notch bartender with a wonderful personality. She chatted me up right away and made me feel comfortable. The bar manager, Scott, is a long-time Black Joe Lewis fan and a super nice guy. We shared our experiences with BJL and when I asked if I could have a spare wristband from the show as a souvenir, he gave me a whole sheet of them signed by the man himself. Every single person working there was personable and welcoming. Also, when some drunk dude started getting unruly, he was told "hit the bricks" and promptly escorted out. If I lived any closer, this would definitely be my neighborhood bar. Thanks for a great night, Pete's. read more

Went here the other night to play pool with a buddy.. Had two beers and that was it literally.. Woke up the next morning throwing up like I had the worst chills sweats and headache ever.. Nothing else to drink after nothing went home and passed out.. So reason for the low stars not sure what happened but I will not be going here again ever.. Maybe bad upkeep of some sort but be aware... read more

Good old Pete's Place, where everyone WOULD know your name if they weren't so pissed drunk. This bar has been in La Mesa forever and I remember seeing that martini glass on the side of the building when I was a little kid. I know my dad used to go here ages ago, as did my grandfather when he was alive. A fun hole-in-the-wall dive bar full of colorful characters to say the least. If they are old, like to drink and live within walking distance, chances are Pete's is their watering hole of choice. They also have live local bands playing, which I've never seen myself but I hear it's a blast. My buddy Griffin frequents this bar regularly and swears it's the best place on the planet to get very drunk on very little. This is my kind of watering hole as well. It's a little musty and dirty, but what else do you want in a dive bar? When you are looking to get shitty without all the pomp and circumstance there is no place better than Pete's. Just watch that Art Madrid doesn't ding your car in the parking lot... read more

Been here several times when I lived in the area. This can be summed up as a biker bar and for those born in the 60-70s. If you are a local and frequent this place, you will always have great service and never have any problems with the regulars. But, if you are not a regular, bartenders tend to not give too much thought into how long you have been standing at the bar trying to order. Major plus: Drinks are poured super strong. Major minus: Expect to get hit on by older biker dudes. read more

I've been coming to this bar for a couple years now and I absolutely love it! They have a couple pool tables, an outside area where you can smoke, a good selection of beers/liquor, and great staff! Sheila, Carl, Richard, and Keith are absolutely amazing! They always make my friends and I feel super welcomed and taken care of! Drinks are cheap and always good! I've met some really cool people here throughout the years and have made some really good memories. If you're ever in downtown La Mesa I highly suggest you check this place out! read more

Cool bar, lots of potential, I can tell they just remodled it or something. My boyfriend and I stopped in here as we have been searching for cool bars in La Mesa, this one turned out to be just like the rest. Nothing wrong with it if you like a really "locals & regulars only" type of bar. We walked in and the bartender and patrons seemed to be very enthralled in conversation. When we walked in, the conversation lulled and everyone just kind of looked at us. Maybe it was a bad day or something. I just hate when places make you feel awkward because you haven't been going there three times a week since "87 or something. Like I said this place has potential to be a really awesome La Mesa bar, but the bartender and the patrons on the day I decided to go was just really... lame. read more

Good little dive bar to drink your cares away. Was brought here by a friend who loves this place. The music was good. Beer was cold. I'll return I enjoyed the people watching! read more

Seems like not such a great or friendly place. I witnessed some people dealing drugs on one occasion. On another, I saw a bouncer being rude and unpleasant to a homeless gentlemen, for being to close to the entrance. I prefer somewhere more refined and probably won't come here again. read more

This is my favorite place to hang out, when I was on my way I got nervous about how it would look. wow, I cant believe pete's is finally open again. I went on the 2nd night of the relaunch and couldnt believe my eyes. It was so busy and looked so different I thought I was in another bar, then I saw the owner scott and he looked so happy and asked,"griff, where the fuck were you last night?" and i knew I was in the right place., so that got out my worries and jitters away, then I saw part of the inner sanctum with monte ,tommy, bill, and the rest of the gang and knew I was back in the right place. New look, but same bar, It was good to be home again! read more

If you're in downtown La Mesa, this is one of the four options if you are looking for a bar. Pete's is a dive bar option. If you want classier, go to Hoffers (unless you don't like cigars). This place comes with its own version of Norm (Cheers reference)...it's the big dude with the long dreads. He kinda stares but he's harmless [I think]. The prices are cheap and the bartenders are friendly. The bald one is pretty cool and chatted me up when I was one of three people in the whole place. During the week, this place is just an assemble of the regulars. On weekends, this place gets pretty busy. It is best to park in the large back parking lot and walk in through the back entrance. It's metered spots but it's free after 6 pm. read more

This place is awesome! The prices are amazingly cheap. Take $40.00 and a few friends and you can all drink on that for the night...Please note that they do not serve food there, just drinks. The Juke box has a good selection and they have a couple of pool tables, and a few large flat screens for entertainment. The crowd isn't bad either and they keep the place really clean! :D read more

I ordered Kettle one vodka- the drink for sure was not Kettle which lead me to believe they switch out the alcohol bottles with cheaper vodka. Disappointed. Went to another bar down the street because of the bad drinks here. read more

My husband Jimmy Goldbach and I met on eharmony.com in 2006. We had our first date, first kiss, we even said our first "I love you's & a little "hunky-dory" at Pete's place. We are practically regulars now ! PETE'S PLACE YOU ROCK ! read more

I remember going to this bar a couple of times before they remodeled it and I wasn't too impressed. Sure, the drinks were cheap & stiff, but the decor lacked- how you say? Panache! Don't get me wrong, I'm a fine connoisseurs of the dive bar, but something about the low tiled ceilings and office carpeting was falling short of the character I look for in dives. Recently, I moved back to the area and was seeking out some local watering holes near home. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Pete's Place is now right up my alley. They have created a more industrial look with concrete floors, exposed brick, and have removed the tacky ceiling tiles. The bathrooms are super clean and well functioning. I would still classify this bar as a dive, but a little more upscale without being filled with goofy skinny pant wearing hipster types and groupie wannabees. The drinks are still stiff and reasonably priced and the selection is pretty darn good. You can get a nice buzz on with less than $30 for the night...and I'm not what you would call a "lightweight." In fact, I take pride in the fact that I have refined the craft of drinking without being a total sloppy lush after I've had a few. :) The folks that frequent this place are pretty fun as are the bartenders. Sheila is a cool gal who remembers your face after just a couple of visits. I have had some interesting conversations in this joint and look forward to many more. Pete's Place is quickly becoming a staple in my local dive bar regime! Good on you! read more

Cheap stiff drinks and a jukebox. What more do you need?

From out of town.....I was shopping in this section of La Mesa and decided to stop in this neighborhood type bar to take a break and have a cocktail. I was immediately greeted at the door by a tall nice looking bar tender who had a smile on his face and a warm engaging attitude. I sat down and ordered my drink and ended up spending an hour Several drinks later I got up to finish my shopping When I left the bartender wished me well and said he hoped to see me again. If I were to own a business this young man would be the exact type of person I would hire. Whoever owns this bar you must know that this employee is worth his weight in gold....the customers seem to love him and I can guarantee that the next time I am in town that I will stop in Petes Place to have a drink and to have a chat with a lovely young man named Brandon read more

I really only stopped in here for a quick drink to celebrate the twelve hour trip we just made so this will have to be a short review. From what I could tell it seemed like a nice local watering hole with all the amenities one looks for, pool tables, big screen TV's and a great selection of booze. The staff greeted us and was very nice. Our drinks were stiff but not to bad the locals that were there seemed nice. Give them a try if your in the area. read more

Pete's Place - Excellent assortment of booze. - Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

I'm new in La Mesa and moved in just up the street from Pete's Place, so it's a natural relationship. It's sort of like the quarter back cheerleader scenario, only with less running and sexy bonfires. Everyone is welcome and fits in here, which is more than I can say about most bars I frequent, the mixed drinks are $3 for a decent pour that only seems to get stronger the more you're around, and total strangers are happy to span time with you. The only real buzz kill is that they're closing tonight for 2 months of remodeling, so I guess that would make them the cheerleader. I'm excited to see some cosmetic surgery, but I hope she doesn't go too big with the boobs or too small with the nose. read more

It would be NICE if they let you know that they stop playing the jukebox at 1:30 am so you don't waste your money putting songs at the top of the queue. I picked more than 5 songs to hear and only one played before they shut it down with no warning and I lost out on music and money. SHITTY. read more