The coolest, friendliest, manliest dive gay bar, EVA. It's a small joint, was crowded when we arrived. I ran into Sam and made a few friends :) The wonderful David G took me here after Red Sea, and I had a blast!!!!! The drinks are strong and cheap. The patrons are friendly. Hugs abound. Everyone is having a good time. Guys are singling along to Madonna's Holiday shakin their pool sticks. You have everyone from the young and old to everything in between. It's my kind of place, and I will be back. over and over and over. The only downside is the bathrooms- it can get pretty gnarly there. read more

I love The Loft! It is a very friendly neighborhood bar that offers good drinks and affordable prices. One of the owners Andy is the best bartender in San Diego. His Mai Tai is the best in town! Don't believe me? Come over here and try it yourself! The best gay bar in town. Period! read more

The Loft - Very refreshing rum&coke at the best bar in the neighborhood! - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is FUN. I like my cocktails like I like my men, CHEAP and STRONG! This place is totally rad. I've been here while waiting for Hash House on Sunday mornings, and man (no pun intended), I find myself torn between hanging out at the Loft and FINALLY eating breakfast. $3 Mimosas, super strong and cheap Bloody Marys (they taste good too), a juke box belting out Fancy, and a pool table! Ultra divey. Heaven. 2 things though. To pee or not to pee...uhhh, do it if you are absolutely dying, like, you have to pee so bad you can taste it. Second thing...it's a good idea to drink from a straw. On every glass (4 mimosas, 1 bloody, 2 waters), there was a grip of lipstick hanging out on the sides of the glass. This is not the kind of place you complain to management, so get a straw and suck it up (pun intended). read more

WOOHOO! Friendly staff, reasonably priced drinks, & pool...what more could you ask for? Sometimes it is challenging to find a place to grab a drink in the hood that is not pretentious and trying too hard. This place keeps its down to earth and that is why it gets 5 solid stars. Oh also... the drinks are really strong, and that is never a bad thing... read more

My girlfriend and I and another couple wandered in here yesterday and it was a one awesome afternoon of football and Elton John hits! I highly recommend this spot for a fun atmosphere of lightheartedness and good people! We will be back for sure for the people and the bartenders who were great and friendly! read more

Strong and stiff drinks!!!! Damn...just like the other Yelp reviewers for this business are saying, these people make very strong drinks. I came in like around 830pm and asked if there were any specials going on, and the guy said that happy hour was done, but he said no problem on my case. Cool!!! I got my usual well drink of rum and pineapple juice ($3.50 HH price) and was essentially 3 parts rum and .25 parts pineapple juice. Holy schomly...good drink but too damn strong..ha good stuff. Ambiance is kinda dark, music varied and wasn't just limited to a certain crowd. Pool table in the front by the entrance. They have the old school popcorn ceiling with the asbestos and everything. Max capacity sign says 108. Yah I dont think so...more like 25 at the most. Everyone seemed cool in the bar, having a good time, talking about random stuff. People were nice as I was looking for the Extraordinary Desserts and everyone just started talking about it, where it was and their recommendations. Decent bar...you want to get drunk quick and cheap...come here. read more

My husband and I wondered in here, after being told, by Hash House (restaurant) a few doors down, that our wait time, to be seated, was 2 hours! It was Labor Day Weekend, so I understand. We found two empty seats at the end of the bar! The bartender was the sweetest man, super friendly, and took our drink orders, right away! We ordered 2 Bloody Mary's , spicy! We saw him use this chili pepper, infused vodka. When he brought them over, my husband and I took a sip, and it knocked our socks off! (in a good way). The drinks were made to perfection. Best Bloody Mary's we've ever had! Can't wait to go back, when we are in San Diego, again! read more

MY Neighborhood Bar. I don't always drink . . . but when I do, I prefer The Loft. Mostly because I can walk there and stagger home. C'mon: I can almost always get a place to sit, I really like all of the bartenders (especially Gerald, Jeff and Andy), the drinks are stiff and cheap, and I can usually find someone interesting to talk with. I've even scored a time or two. I'm not a regular, and so the regular regulars, who usually occupy half of the bar, can be a bit stand-offish. That's alright: we're all entitled to clump and there's still plenty of bar for the rest of us. I've met interesting people here: a piano teacher who has played for the Queen four times; a software engineer who is reinventing the sales process online; the prison guard from Atlanta who just wanted to go back to his hotel room . . . . The nasty bathrooms add to the ambiance. Get over it. Bottom line: if you check your judgement at the door, this is a great little bar with great (usually drunk) people. If you can spot me sitting at the bar, come over and introduce yourself and I'll buy you a drink. But only on $3 Wells night. read more

We came here 'cause of all the great Yelp reviews! I expected a bar that looked like... a loft lol. But yeah, it seriously is a bar with very dim lights, awesome music and very strong drinks. Our bartender, Gerald, made my cousin and I sweet tea... with 70 proof alcohol! IT WAS SO GOOD. And my friend's "very dirty shirley" tasted so good, like cherry ICEE and alcohol. I enjoyed drinking at the Loft... I felt like I was treated like family. This place is awesome. I am coming back for sure. Gerald, you're awesome. - Drinks are amazing - Service is amazing - People that were there were amazing - There's a pool table on the side if you wanna play - This place is amazing And it's also next to Hash House! I have yet to go there. read more

I love the loft bar I have been going here for many years, tonight was a big disappointment with the staff. The door man Paul seems to have bias towards people, for no cause he arbitrarily 86 my friend, that sent the five other of us out of the bar with our friend. I don't know why Paul singled out my friend but it was unwarented, he was with a group of friends enjoying a night out in Hillcrest. Paul seems to have it out for certain customers, how sad. read more

Gerald, Jeff and Andy always make me feel welcome and mix great, potent drinks. Beyond the bartenders, pool here is great. The regulars are friendly and fun to hang with while you're waiting six-names-deep on the list to play pool. For those who give negative reviews, i can only assume that their negativity is boundless and has nothing to do with this fun, friendly neighborhood bar. One of the new regulars...NL read more

This bar was super divey but the drinks made me forget that if you know what I mean ;).

It was a Monday night, just got out of a 3 hour class, found out my cousin was in town and one of my close friends wanted to chill. Where to go? The Loft. I heard about the Loft through Yelp. When I turned 21 I looked up excellent bars and this place was at the top of the list. Walking in, there weren't that many people (given it was a Monday night) and the three of us took our seats at the bar. We were immediately greeted by Gerald--one of the coolest guys I've ever met. He made us feel like we were at home. The music was bumping, sometimes it got too loud but it's a bar, what do you expect? He made my cousin and I some mean Sweet Tea's and was open to utilizing our "wants and needs" and conjuring up something amazing. Maybe he's a wizard? Maybe. Regardless the service and quality were top notch. What's stopping me from making this 4 stars 5? Maybe it's because I haven't experienced the place on a packed day yet. If I go back I'm ordering a dirty shirley temple because according to Gerald, she's one "dirrtttyyy" girl. read more

Have been here a few times with my husband and with friends. Also attended some team events here. Cheap drinks, a pool table, (mostly) friendly folks that attend here. Watch out for the young twinks that come here as they are mostly looking for a daddy. read more

Literally the most friendly bar i have been to in so long. Not only are the bartenders freaking awesome but their patrons are super nice. AND happy hour all day everyday, um yes please. Love this place, can't wait to go again! read more

This place is a mixed bag, just like most of the regulars. I've had great times here, as well as some bad ones. I don't particularly like being harassed by some drunk-ass accusing me of stealing his jacket, to the point of physically pushing me. Also not a huge fan of drunken weirdos across the bar blowing kisses my way, only to grope me a few minutes later. That said, the drinks are strong and cheap. Andy was responsible for my first ever blackout, due largely to his Long Islands. Gerald and Jeff always made sure that momentum continued. read more

Love this place, very friendly and comfortable atmosphere... Drinks are really affordable and this place makes you feel at home (like you're chilling in your living room) crowd is relaxed and bartenders are funny and interactive. I would come Back again :) We loved Chris and Gerald read more

This place is very clean and fun! Really good crowd of people, everyone I interacted with was so sweet. They're mindful of their neighbors and close their patios at 10 but the bar itself stays open later than that if you snag a seat inside. Bartender Shane was wonderful, you have to ask him about his Mexican Candy drink. They have a deal every day if the week and don't have food, but there's a pizza place in walking distance and they don't mind you bringing it in. There's a fancy machine much like a high tech jukebox where you can queue songs. I believe there's a smoking section in the back. I don't remember the pricing but I do know I wasn't upset by the wells. They carry Deep Eddys! I adore the brand and can't find it at any other bar. Inside there are fun colored lights and a very clean bathroom. Someone outside does a temperature and id check and if I remember correctly there is sanitizer at the tables (this could be wrong!) I highly recommend this spot! read more

I like this place because this is where drinkers come to drink! I, am a drinker! Ha So, guess what, we saddled up to the bar, go figure! We had a great time and a ton of fun, each and every time I have been there - twice now - I have had a seriously strong drink and it's pretty damn cheap compared to the other places around. The Loft is definitely not fancy. Not at all. It's an old time bar. What i do like about it is we can roll from Lei to Urban Mo's to the Loft. And we have! I don't know if I would do it in the other order tho . . . . . . . . . . . . . read more

This is one my favorite bars when I visit San Diego. The customers are very friendly as is the bartender Andy. The bar is set up so that everybody sitting at the bar can talk to everybody else. It's very intimate. No attitude read more

The Loft is one of the most amusing bars in San Diego to visit. The Loft has the best knowledgeable mixologists that know their patrons by first name and memorizes their favorite drinks. Loft bar has a generous portion control system that uses the oldest and most excellent way of making a fabulous cocktail - free hand! Jeff is another reason to visit The Loft Bar. He is always accommodating to every patron that walks through the entrance. Jeff treats you like family and has great sense of wittiness. And he's good looking! Visit the bar the next time your in San Diego or looking for an inexpensive way to your pre-party event. read more

Kaveh was a wonderful bartender, and this was the best bar we found on our trip. I love a good dive bar, and this was perfectly homey and LGBTQ friendly. Highly recommend! read more

We wandered in here randomly not knowing what kind of place it was. The clientele and bartender (not sure who was who) was super nice and friendly. It was beer night they said and so the beers were bottled and cheap. I was just really impressed by how sweet they were. read more

A small little bar of love on 5th Avenue, The Loft is great for sitting, making new friends and enjoying some tunes from the good jukebox. However, I like a generous pour of alcohol in my drinks, but my vodka soda was WAAAAAAAAAY too strong. I had to ask for more soda water and only managed to drink half of my drink anyway. Don't let me lightweight ass discourage you though. You will like this place a lot!! read more

Gorgeous gay bar in Hillcrest. Really nice staff and friendly atmosphere. Gerald, the barman,.is an absolute honey. The first time I came here there were barely any people but this time it was packed and loads of fun! There are loads of other good bars in this area too. read more

Every time I come back home I have to come to this bar. Always have fun here.... unless I black out from the STRONG DRINKS :) always take a friend and uber. Area can get rowdy. read more

The Loft - One two three DAAAAAANCE - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Went to the pre-party (http://www.yelp.com/events/san-diego-the-official-un-official-pre-party-to-the-elite-party-part-ii) yesterday and had a nice time meeting fellow Yelpers. When I got there it was around 7 pm on a Wednesday and there were a few dozen people. It was a very chill atmosphere. Our group was in the pool table corner and everyone else sat around the bar area. Amanda G bought me a gin and tonic. It was only $2 that night! Some nice pre-party mingling and drinking. read more

My new favorite gay bar!! OK well maybe I didn't have an old favorite, but this place was a great little dive. Stopped in while waiting for a table at hash house and ordered 3 mimosas for a grand total of $12.00. They were served in pint glasses and filled with about 7 oz of champagne and 2 oz OJ. Not the tastiest mo-mo, but definitely a great value. The place had a lot of regulars, the service was fast and friendly. There was a mixed crowd some older folks mixed with some 20 somethings. This is definitely my pre hash house spot from now on, I don't even think I mind waiting for a table any more now that I have the Loft right there! read more

This is your neighborhood gay bar. I like it a lot. This bar has one of those garage doors installed in the front that, due to the stellar San Diego weather, often opens up and makes the bar an "open air" bar. The bar is one of those horseshoe shaped bars, which I love, and there's a pool table off to the side of the bar in it's own dedicated room. Full bar with strong drinks and friendly easy-going patrons. read more

If your looking for a local bar to hangout at around Hillcrest The Loft is the place to go. The Loft is a cute older bar with a lot of character. Bartenders here are always nice and generous with drinks. The Bloody Mary's here are on point. They are not the Bloody Mary's with a four course dinner inside the drink like most places now a days. The classic Bloody Mary is what they have at The Loft and they are delicious ! The Loft is a little dive bar that always seems to have at least one good size group inside, especially Sundays. So if your looking for a local dive bar with good drinks, low prices and about two blocks away from the heart of Hillcrest, The Loft is the place to go. Five stars for The Loft! read more

The Loft - Bloody Mary's on a Sunday - Gay Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I love this bar, and the bartenders are responsible because they make it the friendly bar in Hillcrest . Great cocktail , fun place to make friend, read more

Great hospitality here! Gerald and Kane were behind the bar and were so friendly and entertaining. We were two lonely boys from Kentucky and they made us feel at home. Great bar, great atmosphere. Very laid back. read more

What an awesome bar! The service is great and the drinks are sooo cheap. We were served pretty quickly considering the bar was absolutely packed. The bartenders that helped us were so sweet and patient while we wrangled up a list of drink orders. For $17 we got three beers and a glass of wine. You can't beat that! read more

Awesome place. Came here because I was waiting forever for Hash House. Kaveh was very welcoming. I'm not a drinker so he offered me all the alternatives lol super great conversation. This place is a diamond in the rough. You should stop by and experience it for yourself... I would give this place 100 stars if I could. read more

The loft is my favorite neighborhood bar in all of Hillcrest. The drinks are relatively inexpensive and are super strong. Double Bonus! My partner and I have been coming here for over a year and the bartenders and staff are very friendly. It's great for the weekends if you want to day drink since they open a lot earlier than neighboring bars. read more

I used to frequent this establishment for years. They have strong, small drinks (much smaller than the normal drink at other local gay establishments) that are priced ok. Very small place, holds about 80 people with a pool table, 1 bathroom (yes for both men and women) and a juke box. Not very welcoming to new comers, especially if you are a woman. Gets really busy on Saturday and Sunday morning from a restaurant next door. They need to get new management - someone who will make sure all are welcome. read more

The 86 was just for a day. I love the whole gang except one. Guess who you are and win a prize.

The Loft in San Diego Me and my husband met our gay friends at The Loft in San Diego Hillcrest area on Monday 10/28/2018 at ~3pm. We live in San Diego, and my gay friends of over 25 years came to visit for their birthday from San Francisco this weekend. We were finishing up our weekend after a cabin trip, a family Halloween party and our annual visit. We were enjoying ourselves and hanging out at the one window in the front to the right (I think it only has one window). It was in front of a single red pool table. We (me and my husband) got there at ~3pm. We had a drink and a half each. I guess the pool game crew is very important there. An old white gay man thought it was ok to tell us to move because we were in the way, and then jabbed my friend repeatedly in the space of less then 7 mins. Brief background: my 3 gay female friends (2 white, one Latina) had already been there for ~1hr. They were having fun, and playing songs on the jukebox. A young gay white man with a tribal bicep tattoo on his right arm pulled up in a white Mercedes directly in front of the bar. He then started to play pool by himself. The young white gay male asked us to watch out 2-3 times to make his shot, and I, as well as my friend, obliged by ducking and moving. An old white gay man (more than 60-70 years old) then arrived to play with the younger man. He may have just come to play with the younger male. He then proceeded to jab my gay female friend in the ribs and tell her to move. He said "excuse me" for a second and was then already jabbing at her. I am straight and I am ashamed at my gay community in San Diego. Ashamed! Was it because she was a young gay female that you felt it was ok to attack and jab at her?!? Did you think yourself superior because you were an old white man and this was a lesser female person?!! Was it because she was butch-ish? Old gay white men, jabbing the end of a pool stick at my friend's face, side/ribs and neck?? She told him to stop, that he was being rude. She then grabbed the white ball and gave it to the bar tender. Gay men at bar then chastised her. She told them the guy was being a bitch and it's not a playground. Somehow another patron went behind the bar and handed the guy another cue ball. The two gentlemen stopped playing and started saying insults at my friend as she closed her bar tab. I don't play pool, but it seems like there might be an alternative shot to take? Or with at least an "excuse me". I've known my friend for over 20 years. She is not one to provoke or start an argument. They came to the bar thinking it was a nice bar in the "community" but apparently is not accepting of the whole LBGTQ community. I thought there was an accepting gay community (gay, lesbian etc of all races etc) In Hillcrest. The owner (? Or just a polite older black man) came out an apologized. Apparently the Loft Bar in Hillcrest is only for old gay (60-70s and the gay men who are into that) white men, no girls allowed, or you might get bullied, jabbed at and harassed if an old white man needs your personal space to stick his pool pole. I am ashamed of the "community" (haha.. what a joke) in San Diego. I am straight with gay friends. Friends who have been gay and dealing with opposition since they were 5 years old. Can't believe she would be attacked and bullied in a gay bar. Old white male "trumps" all the other determiners of hate.. he doesn't care if it is against his gay "community" or not. read more

Low key the best neighborhood bar ever. Please don't come here 'cause it's already amazing as is. JK bring your whole fam...

Love, love, love me some Andy, Jeff, and Gerald!!!!! Andy is my baby. For me, if you want to just hang out with the usual suspects and have a good time, this is the place. read more