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    The Haunted Head Saloon

    3.3 (305 reviews)
    Fri 12:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Sat 12:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    The Haunted Head Saloon Photos

    Business Info

    THE HAUNTED HEAD SALOON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Juke Box
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Never heard of the issue from here, but at least they're prepared... because O'side is Sketchy
    Kareem P.

    If you're ever in the Downtown Oceanside area and you're hanging out past 9PM at night, there's a good chance that you will find yourself at this local hideaway. Welcome to The Haunted Head Saloon. It's one of Oceanside's most famous Dive Bars. Actually, The Haunted Head Saloon is one of the only bars in Downtown that can be considered "Divey". Because they do not have any food for sale here, you MUST BE 21 OR OLDER to enter. NO EXCEPTIONS. What I love the most about The Head is that their security is on-point and it's relatively safe inside (considering that it's a dive bar). The few times I've seen drama, it was quickly addressed and carried outside. One of the BEST aspects of The Haunted Head is its location. You can find it right off of Mission Ave & Tremont St in the heart of the Downtown Area. It's just north of the Regal Movie Theater. Because of its location, you can walk to the movies, to the pier or beach (2 blocks away) or to any of the parking garages nearby (within 8 minutes). In addition, there is Pier Pizza located right next door to them selling pizza by-the-slice, tacos across the way at Sanchos Tacos, Strawberry Shack for cake desserts & Fugu icecream shop just around the corner. So, you can always find something to eat BEFORE you start drinking AND the pizza shop typically stays opened late for the crowds. The bartenders work quickly (especially considering the crowds) and there is a Full Bar at their disposal. I wouldn't come here for a "foo-foo" pretty cocktail, BUT, simple mixed drinks or shots are best. They've got some TVs in there (just for decoration because everyone's drinking), a pretty solid pool table (that they maintain monthly) and a jukebox that patrons can customize their songs too (download the AMI MUSIC APP). PRO-TIP: There are snack bags by the bar to nibble on, ask the bartender for one There's also a 5 gal water dispenser in the back. The interior is dark, pirate themed and decorated in $1 bills. The tradition is to get yours from the bartender, sign it and tape it up! There's booth seating in the corners, 2 long wooden tables for seating, bar seating & multiple high-chair tables too. The only aspect lacking in this bar are the bathrooms. Well, I can only speak for the men's bathroom. It's small. Cramped and no privacy. Pretty much exactly what I would expect from a dive bar! Anyhow, The Haunted Head Saloon has been around for as long as I can remember and I always recommend passing through late at night when in the Downtown Oceanside area; besides, everything else is closed!

    Taufiq H.

    Best prices drinks in town. Friendly bartenders, great atmosphere. Pool table. Love visiting

    11$ for a short glass not tall or double.
    Evee G.

    Tried it again and same person Alex was there and when we came in and she gave me a look. She did gave my partner his drink and asked me then the security came behind us saying that we needed to leave because she said we were drunk and wanted us out. I told the security guy we just got in and that she has had a problem with me after I called her out on my charges. I did ask for the owner or person who is in charge of the bartenders and he said that he's in vacation and not sure when he's coming back or no way to get a hold of him. I asked what days is he usually checking in and he said "I don't know but you got to leave." Security guys always changing and too crowded, sinks and drunks hardly can walk there and spend more than 20 minutes to get a drink. Alex needs to get herself checked out since I'm not the first person she's done this too. If she doesn't like you she'll kick you out and if you don't tip more than 5$ for a drink she will also not serve you again. Always rushing everyone and picks and chooses who she makes the drinks for mostly drunk ones so she gets a big tip. Just wished I had my phone on record when we got in and after the incident happened. Like that I would have my proof and she will not get her way with others and maybe the owner will finally step up.

    You gotta be there to see!
    Sabrina O.

    Fun, super divey, loud good music., wild customers. Definitely go after you've had dinner and want to be out late getting your drink on! The girls bathroom is WILD!! What an experience I had funn!

    Dive bar at Beach town
    Tyler B.

    This is just an OK. A very Diveey bar. Don't complaint about the service, Bartenders are nice but they can't afford to retire yet ! #ykyk Atmosphere is cool, pool table and the indictment against Donal trump was on the news. I grab a quicky BPR & small talk with San Diego locals. Interesting place !

    Maya D.

    Best place definitely a must go if your in Oceanside and just looking for a good vibe and a great drink this is that place first time going last weekend I'll most definitely be back this weekend

    Inside the car
    Austin M.

    Great atmosphere, fun thing to do once the sun goes down if you like lively bars. Went 2 nights in our trip and was fun both nights.

    a man hanging from the ceiling

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    14 years ago

    Cool dive bar, with a pirate theme. Who knew there was so much pirate decor out there, other than at Disney? Fun place to people watch.

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    8 years ago

    the bartender, the owner, and the guest were all friendly fun atmosphere love the pirate theme

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    Outstanding Service great customers I would recommend this bar. 5 Stars Thanks for a great Experience.

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    13 years ago

    Love this place its like pirates of the carrabean meets haunted mansion.. $3 Coors lights and good music.. Fun place to end the night

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    11 years ago

    I enjoyed myself here. Bree the bartender was awesome. The price weren't too bad. And the pattins were pretty friendly.

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    12 years ago

    The drinks were cheap. The overall atmosphere is have to say was pretty cheezball ! Service was ok.

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    Page 7 of 8

    Ask the Community - The Haunted Head Saloon

    Review Highlights - The Haunted Head Saloon

    Valerie and she will HOOK you up, the ambience is something like a pirate ship and so are the guests...

    Mentioned in 15 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The Shore Room

    4.3(105 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    Wanted to find a place that was near the beach, had good food/drinks and could view the sunset…read more This place checked all the boxes. As soon as we came in for the reservation we were seated immediately and got to sit next a fire pit with a great view of Oceanside pier. The server was such a good guy too. Very friendly and very funny. We were deciding what drink to get and he recommended the pineapple suite since it matched my shirt and I'm glad we got it because it was very refreshing. We also got the fish and chips to snack on. The fish was so crispy and yet so soft and adding the lemon and tartar sauce made it even better. The fries were also very crispy, which I loved. We got to enjoy the fire pit and relax while watching the sunset. Would come here again.

    Holy moly. The worst burger in the world award for you! I…read morereally have no other words. With how small the menu is and how expensive, you would expect everything to be great. Why a disaster. The gunk that was in the middle of my overcooked burger oh man. A thick patty overcooked with some yellow slop. Disgusted all day by the fact I had more than one bite. After the first bite I attempted to scrape it all off but that was where I realized it was over before it even started. Maybe 4 total bites. Yuck! That purple ube coconut drink was however divine along with my server Seth! Thank you Seth but maybe get me some better food for 40% tip. That was clearly not enjoyed but you are a nice man. Take care. I will not be back.

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    The Rooftop Bar - Spread Trio

    The Rooftop Bar

    3.9(591 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    Came for Father's Day without a reservation and also with a baby. The hostess stand was not that…read morefriendly or helpful. There was a wait of course but we were told there was open seating at the bar area. It was busy but I noticed there were a lot of families with kids so I didn't feel as out of place bringing my baby. We were able to find a table in the bar area thankfully and our waitress was amazing. Unfortunately, I forgot her name but she was so friendly, gave great recommendations from the menu and was very attentive. It's hard to come across that kind of service these days so I really appreciated it. The food was pretty good. We got the steak that came pre sliced with flaky salt and a side of zhoug sauce...so good. The artichokes with the aioli were also very good. Brussel sprouts were good but prob my least favorite of the 3. The vibe and ambience was great and there were ocean views, I would def recommend.

    On July 4th at 5pm, I visited the rooftop bar by the pool area of the hotel we booked for the…read moreholiday weekend. Instead, I had a highly unprofessional experience with bartender Eric. I simply wanted to ask what he was serving and clarify the seating/pool arrangement, including any differences for hotel guests versus outside visitors. Instead of answering or letting me finish a single sentence, Eric repeatedly talked over me, curtly stating it was "sold out" with no explanation. When I tried to understand what exactly was sold out (the hotel, the pool, the rooftop bar, or seating), he continued interrupting and directing me to the hostess stand. He even scolded me that he had already repeated himself four times, while adding that I wasn't asking the question that mattered although he never let me finish a sentence. The entire interaction felt dismissive and almost hostile and condescending (insinuating I can't understand because of my ethnicity and that he was actively trying to make me leave rather than provide basic service or information) It was especially disappointing on a holiday when hospitality standards should be at their best. No amount of busyness excuses such rude, impatient, and condescending behavior toward a guest who was simply trying to ask a reasonable question. The hostesses were extremely nice and explained to me the difference between cabana, restaurant, and the pool seating for hotel guests vs non guests. Shame that staying at the hotel, we haven't been able to utilize any of the amenities

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    Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen - Pork Verde Chilaquiles (Pulled Pork, Salsa Verde, Tortilla Chips, Fried Egg, Cotija Cheese, Cilantro).

    Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen

    4.4(2.6k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    This is probably our favorite on Mission. Food is always good as are the drinks. Service is always…read moregreat we usually eat at the bar if dining just the two of us. They can accommodate large groups in their main dining room. Priced right for the location & food choices. You can't go wrong.

    I have been to Flying Pig before about 8 years ago on the East coast during a work trip, and was so…read morestoked to see it in Oceanside. I recall it being a delicious and a wonderful dining experience. I have been looking forward to bringing my family and friends here all week. I am giving this restaurant 3 stars, because their food is still AMAZING and their staff is super nice and I believe deep down inside that they just had a REALLY OFF night. We had reservations for a party of 9 last night. The table was set up nicely and accommodated a few extra if needed, which I thought was cool. We started with some adult beverages: an Old Fashion, some Hotel Nacionals, a Fashionably Late, and a couple of beers. Everything started great. Dennis, our server was very cool and friendly and gave great suggestions. We ordered the mac and cheese sides and they were delicious with huge pieces of savory bacon in them. We also ordered the brussel sprouts which we never received and didn't even realize it until the very end when we received the bill because of all the other issues we had... but we'll get to that in a moment. But let's talk about what did go well... the delicious food we did get. We ordered the Pig burger which was sooo good and came with crispy fries. The fish for the fish and chips were 2 huge pieces and were delicious, came with yummy seasoned waffle fries and the tiniest tartar sauce and malt vinegar. I had to request 4 more for that amount of fish, but no big deal. Dennis brought out as much as we needed. Their ranch sauce is really good too. Don't judge just because it's a little peachy'ish and looks thousand island'ish. lt's still some very good ranch. My son said he really tasted the bitterness of beer in the fish batter but maybe it was just in that piece he had; I could not taste it in the piece of fish I ate. The short rib was really tender and delicious... the sauce was just a tad salty for my taste, but the mashed potatoes it sat on sort of balanced it out a little. The fried chicken thighs were really cooked well, juicy, crispy and seasoned perfectly. We ordered two Teres Major steaks. One rare with mashed potaoes, one medium rare with grits. The rare one came out medium and without any mushrooms, took FOREVEEERR to remake (the rest of the table was almost done with our meals...& not sure why it took so long since the restaurant wasn't that busy and it's a RARE steak). The one with grits came with mashed potatoes instead of grits. Dennis was super nice and apologetic and corrected both mistakes when we let him know. He then brought us a big bowl of grits. The manager (blonde gal) came over and apologized for the mistakes tonight, letting us know that usually does not happen, and let us know she'd be comping one of our steaks and would be bringing a dessert on them. We thought that was very nice of them. However, as nice a gesture. we never did receive that dessert. My husband handed Dennis his credit card before the bill arrived (before our friends could try to pay the bill) and not sure why but our bill never came, and we never saw Dennis again either after he boxed up our leftovers and took the card. We had to ask another server for our bill because we had been waiting for quite a while... and needed to head out as we were already late to meet friends at a lounge. The other server came back with my husband's credit card, the bill (that's when I finally noticed the brussel sprouts sides we never got but were charged), and let the server know. He immediately apologized and took it off the bill. So I'm not sure what happened last night at Flying Pig...missing and charged brussel sprouts, steak overcooked, missing mushrooms, mashed potatoes instead of grits, then a comped dessert promised but never delivered. WOW. I had to apologize to my friends. I was totally hyping up this place and it underdelivered. They automatically got their 20% gratuity for our party of 9 but anyone that knows me knows how much I absolutely love great service combined with exceptional food and that could have easily been a 30-35% tip had they been on their A game! We only come to Oceanside once a year. Maybe we will try again next year. Maybe not. This trip was about trying out a bunch of different restaurants and giving honest reviews on dishes/businesses we haven't tried before, or in a long time. Do better guys.

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    Finney's Crafthouse - Oceanside

    Finney's Crafthouse - Oceanside

    4.1(421 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Went here yesterday for a late lunch. They have a rooftop seating option that was perfect since the…read moreweather was so nice. It has a great view of the city! We got the Prosciutto and Arugula flatbread, which was very thin and crispy. The truffle fries were really good and we had them with their chipotle aioli. We also both got raspberry lemonades which were very sweet and refreshing. The coconut shrimp was really really good. My boyfriend was obsessed. I don't often love any kind of fried or battered shrimp but these were so good. I definitely want to come back!

    We stopped by Finney's Oceanside on July 4th while looking for a place that was open due to the…read moreIndependence Day festivities that weekend. Having previously been to the one up in Orange, we decided that this was the best place to go. We were seated right away on the rooftop deck with a pleasant view of the downtown area. Our server was very patient with us and once we were able to find an order that we both liked (we were both exhausted from the San Diego County fair) our food was delivered to us in under 10 minutes. Our meals were both very well done in terms of quality and presentation. The biggest issue that we had is that because there is so much corn on the menu and because we generally avoid corn whenever possible due to dietary restrictions it seemed to really minimize what we could get as even most salads had corn inside of it. The portions provided were perfect for the two of us and the bison burger in particular was delivered to my exact cooking specification. What's interesting is that this restaurant does not include any sides in terms of their menu offerings so what feels like a discount when you see a burger for $13 to $15 you actually make up for by having to spend 4 to 6 dollars on a side. Well, I understand that this may be easier for them with some of their customers. It is not a trend that I enjoy seeing as ultimately the prices are not as cheap as you would expect. They were a bit busier than expected on the holiday, but that's because so many other restaurants were closed so it looks like a large part of the crowd went to Oceanside as well just to go to Finney's. Overall, we enjoyed our experience, but the menu having limited options if anyone has a hard time with corn really puts a damper on it along with having to pay for the sides separately makes for a weird experience. Even with those in mind, I still give it four stars.

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    Mission Ave Bar and Grill - Best Burger in Oceanside, CA

    Mission Ave Bar and Grill

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Kitchen open late

    I had gotten an email wishing me a happy birthday and to come in for a FREE ENTREE. I was like,…read morewhat!? Yeah a lot of places give a free dessert but you almost never see a free dinner. I instantly set a reservation (didn't really need it) and we arrived around 4pm on a Tuesday and sat on the patio. Happy hour is daily from 4-6pm and if you sit on the recently renovated patio, drinks are 50% off. I ordered the Ribeye as my birthday entree and we also ordered the Fried Zucchini ($7), Popcorn Chicken ($9), Guajillo Braised Pork Shoulder ($21) and several cocktails ($7 each during HH). Everything was great honestly. No complaints. My wife REALLY loved the braised pork shoulder. My steak was excellent and even though it was free, $32 for a ribeye is the lowest you'll find anywhere. It was nice having not having to fight for a seat. Enjoying a cocktail on the patio in perfect weather is something everyone should try. Highly recommend coming to Mission Ave Bar & Grill for happy hour and to check out the new patio. Make sure to register for their mailing list to get birthday offers too!

    Mission Ave Bar and Grill is basically the type of place that says, "just one drink," and suddenly…read moreit's three hours later, you've made new friends, and you're emotionally attached to the Peanut butter stuffed french toast. From the juicy breakfast Burger to the dangerously good country benefit and spicy blood orange, everything feels a little too easy to fall in love with. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staff make it feel like your favorite neighborhood hangout -- even if it's your first time there. Honestly, if good food, great cocktails, and happy vibes had a love language... this place would be fluent. What I got: Peanut butter stuffed french toast $16 Country Benedict $17 Breakfast burger $18 Arnold Palmer Spicy blood orange $10

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    The Haunted Head Saloon - bartenders - Updated July 2026

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