Great place had so much fun. Crowd and staff super friendly…read moreand gracious. Strong drinks at a very good price. Awesome classic dive bar. No food when we were there but said food trucks are there on the weekends.

The Shanty is an iconic dive bar in Cardiff by the Sea. I had never been, but my companions all had…read moreon multiple occasions. They have a very large detached outdoor patio that was really cool, but we were all about the dive bar vibe inside. Upon walking in I immediately loved it. Dark, but not dank. More like a neighborhood hangout for locals but welcomes visitors. We sat at the bar where we were warmly greeted by our friendly bartender. We were just in for a couple. Beers for the guys, White Claw seltzers for the wives. Prices were reasonable, lots of TVs, surprisingly clean bathroom, pool tables, just a really cool spot. Totally a 5-star experience EXCEPT. When the girls each asked for a pint glass of ice to pour their seltzers into, I'd swear that I saw the bartender scoop the ice directly with the glasses, rather than using a scoop to pour ice into them. A huge no-no. Never risk a chip of glass into the ice well. Always use a metal scoop. Our friends went the next day and said it wasn't the case with them, so I hope I'm wrong. If not, perhaps an OSHA refresher training course is needed.

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.

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.

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

Came in on a Sunday. Chelsea made a great old fashioned and was so personal and friendly . Hard to…read morefind good staff at restaurants now a days z Will definitely be back.

Never come here on opening day. Only one bartender. He was working as fast as he could but it was…read more25min for a drink. Go somewhere else.

I finally went to the Cardiff Office with a friend during the 4th of July. We loved the dive vibe…read moreeven if we were around 4 pm only. Nice sports decor and artsy stuff like the nicely painted surf board. Very interesting folks and I am sure this will be a super fun bar for those summer nights ahead. We didn't have issue with parking nearby.

I love a good dive bar. The Cardiff Office was a sad, dark dive bar…read more Four of us wandered in for an afternoon drink. There were two dudes sitting at the end of the bar. There were three empty barstools in front of us when we entered. A woman was sitting next to them, and her backpack was occupying another one. On the other side of her were two more empty seats. She clearly had no intention of moving so the four of us could sit together. I still haven't figured out why her backpack required its own seat. There was also a bartender. We received no greeting, no welcome, just silence. The two guys at the end glanced our way briefly. The woman stared into her drink. The bartender just stood there looking at us. TVs were showing World Cup games with no sound. There was no music. Only silence. Clearly not welcome, we left. My friend described it as "murky". He was spot on. Sad and murky.

Beachside bar near Del Mar…read more Went for some dinner after the track. The restaurant is next to the beach which is great, but there was no air conditioning so it was very stuffy in the restaurant. Service and food is your typical sports bar food.

Great location, across the street from the beach. Good food, especially their pizza. Casual and…read morechill atmosphere.

Lobster tail, delish. But most fun was great server Jessica! She's a keeper!…read moreShe was attentive, always available and she is efficient with a great personality. Will ask for her next time

We had a fantastic experience at Poseidon Restaurant in Del Mar! Coby was our waiter, and he was…read moreprofessional, friendly, and made excellent recommendations that did not disappoint. The braised short rib sandwich was incredibly tender and tasty, the mahi tacos were fresh and flavorful, and the oysters were some of the freshest we've had. The drinks were just as impressive! Old Fashioned was outstanding. We also appreciated how kid-friendly the restaurant was, which made dining with our family easy and enjoyable. Excellent food, outstanding service, and a beautiful atmosphere. We'll definitely be back. Highly recommend asking for Coby if you visit!

Always a good time downing some local beers and delicious pizza pies at this casual sit down, right…read morenext to the fresh ocean air. Pizza Port, a local favorite on the main road up and down the coast, has served up their fresh made pizzas and self-brewed beers since 1987. Now situated across a few locations within San Diego county, this spot is where it all started. The brewpub holds a great dining space with seating indoors and out, arcades for those looking for a bit of entertainment, and a bar tap full of their own creations sure to satisfy all tastes. Street parking or public transport is how you'll get here but once you've arrived, might as well stay awhile as Solana Beach has much to offer. Head on inside and peruse their menu of pizzas to the left and beers to the right. You'll order the food and drinks separately but I recommend putting in the order for the food first as it'll take about 15-20 minutes to cook it up. In addition to pizzas, they have salads as well so you can get a nice balanced meal. All of their pizzas are made fresh unless you decide to order slices I suppose (I've always ordered the whole pizzas). As you wait, grab a drink and some seats and chill awhile. All of their tables have napkins dispensers and you can get the shakers for additional parmesan cheese or peppers. They also have a self service water and soda station. Their pizzas are delicious and generous with the toppings. If you're a pepperoni fan, they do a fine job spreading them out and crisping them up. Their white sauce pizzas are pretty good as well; creamy and melty which pairs well with the toasty and springy crust. I've never had a bad pizza here so you won't go wrong with your order. The staff are friendly and helpful. You'll definitely get the socal vibe here if you're not a local. Very hospital and relaxed atmosphere. Overall, Pizza Port is a great destination for out of towners to get a taste of the San Diego pizza and beer scene. In addition, it's a watering hole for many locals so you're bound to meet some folks who live or work nearby and perhaps can provide you a few other recommendations of places to visit and things to eat. Consider coming out to some of their local events too or checking out their other locations further south; it's always a good time for pizza and brews!

Food is good We ordered "imperial beach " pizza and it's darn good! Soo good that I totally forgot…read moreto take a photo. If you are vegan and want a little lower calorie pizza, that is definitely the go on pizza. It comes with garlic, and poblano chicken with a kick. Love it. I do need to say they need a little better music especially when everyone is watching the FIFA right now :) Also the bathroom is quite disgusting. People don't flush on every single stall .

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.