This spot has quickly become a go to for daily specials, both college kids and locals of all ages, sports watching, and even night parties!! This place does it all and most importantly, has great deals and great food EVERYDAY!! It's also black owned and idt there are many in the college area and I feel like since they opened, it's gotten traction quickly and I ain't mad at it!! We've been here for their Wednesday Karaoke and wing night and their Friday half off wraps/sandwiches. They recently redid their menu and offer more wing flavors and new items. The lemon pepper wings cooked extra crispy are absolutely perfect. The club sandwich - also a banger. Tots are allllways a great choice if you have to choose. So glad to have a spot close by I can count on for good food, good prices, a diverse crowd, and a theme/event going on. My only complaint is every time I've gone, the music/microphone or the tv volume is on blaaast. Makes it hard for me to talk to anyone. I can barely order my food standing right beside the waiter. Aside from the high volume, I choose to keep coming back for the food and the vibes. read more

They used to have so many games here. Now not pool or all the other drinking games they used to offer. Sadly they didn't upgrade with the renovations. Bring back the games. read more

Came in to try the AYCE tacos was super happy to see they added more types of tacos Had carnitas tonight and was amazing I love having options when I come here from the smashed spicy to now the tacos it's all top for me I love being being kept in the loop by the instagram account being ran to tell my family hey let's go try this after being at the baseball fields all day Keep it up!! read more

Came here for brunch and was not disappointed. The food was good and the DJ was on point. The drinks were great and the staff was friendly. read more

The Mesa Bar & Grill - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Wow, extremely disappointing first impression of a place I've been excited to try. I live in the neighborhood and love a restaurant group investing purposefully in our area but this was really bad. I DoorDashed some bar food to check it out: loaded fries, queso, Caesar salad, a side of brisket to evaluate their brisket game. Half my order didn't arrive at all (including the salad that I was most craving). The loaded fries had a weird fishy smell, too much sweet baby rays bbq sauce (or something that tasted very similar), dry brisket with no flavor, and a McDonald's-esque fry base. The queso was okay but coagulated and the chips were a little overfried. Nothing else came in the order to evaluate them on. $52 later I've gotta say... never again. So wildly mediocre and disappointing! I guess the other reviews are about the in-person vibe because I feel misled about the food. read more

The Mesa Bar & Grill - Queso - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is a sports bar near the SDSU campus in the Rolando neighborhood. As a matter of fact, the Aztecs were playing a home basketball game on the night that I visited which may have explained why there were few customers because many people may have been in attendance at Viejas Arena. There was limited on-site parking which meant searching for a curbside space on El Cajon Blvd or a side street. I never patronized the predecessor to The Mesa Bar & Grill so I can't comment on how much the interior was redecorated. At least a dozen flat screens were televising sporting events. Seating was available at the bar or at several high-top tables around the room. Munchies, chicken wings, salads, sides, burgers, and wraps made up the menu categories. Daily specials were also offered. It happened to be Taco Tuesday that featured some special deals like AYCE tacos for $18 until 9 pm. I didn't indulge in the AYCE, but I did order a Chicken Taco and a Ground Beef Taco for three dollars each. I also selected a side of tots with garlic parm seasoning and a Strawberry Lemonade. There were refills available on my beverage so I got two rounds. It was the sweetest lemonade I have tasted in a long time. I had to dilute the drink with ice water from a separate glass which was rare for me. As for the food, the tots were crispy with a healthy amount of garlic parm added to the top. On the other hand, the tacos seemed to be hastily assembled. They should have been made using a larger tortilla as you couldn't see it on each plate because of the ingredients (see my photos). The chicken and ground beef were on the dry side too. The service from the bartender was good as she walked out from behind the bar to check on my table periodically. For the food quality and price, I gave a 3.5 star rating for my meal at The Mesa Bar & Grill. read more

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Had such a fun time at Mesa Bar & Grill in La Mesa! The music was on point,everything from oldies to hip hop to EDM, so there was literally something for everyone. The vibe stayed upbeat all night. And let's talk drinks they were GOOD. Even the margarita actually tasted like a real margarita (not that overly sour mix some bars try to pass off). Definitely a solid spot if you want good music, good drinks, and a fun atmosphere. Would for sure go back! read more

The Mesa Bar & Grill - Part of the bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I was recently staying a block away from The Mesa so I visited around 4-5 times on various days of the week to watch NFL, college football and UFC. I sat at tables some and directly at the bar and each time the service was top notch. The televisions were all easy to see wherever I sat. The foods that I tried were all fresh and tasty as well. I had the queso three times because it's my fav and a great snack when drinking. The beers were priced reasonably and had plenty of taps to choose from. Great place! Oh, between games and at halftime, they let the sound system play and I loved that. It sounded great and made me want to dance. read more

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Family owned sports bar where Effin's used to be. Small parking lot in the rear (entrance at the right of the building). Group of 6 came in to watch football. We were greeted as soon as we walked in. Tasty drinks, good food, love the vibe. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Staff was really nice. My son ate enough tacos for 3 grown men, so I'm pretty sure he liked them .

The vibes. Karaoke Night is 10/10 so fun! I always order the Michelada yummy. The towers are also highly recommended. They always fun events here. Great place for a good time. And great music. read more

Newly open bar and grill..owner is a local high school football coach. Me and my husband went during the week to check it out. They have weekly specials and different activities on the weekend. Brunch Saturday and Sunday. Chole was our waitress and bartender. She made sure we were good. Burger, fries and wings hit the spot. Only downside is parking. read more

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Came here on a Friday evening just to try them out. Me and my husband had driven by a few times and decided to finally try. Would not recommend this place if you don't like chaos. We sat at the bar and were greeted by a bartender who said she'd be right with us. We waited probably ten minutes before she came back even though it wasn't very busy. She eventually took our order but when we only ordered one appetizer her attitude changed and was not as friendly. A group of older laddies came in wanting margaritas and it was pure chaos. We couldn't get our check for a while while these women tried ordering margaritas and flights. These bartenders could not multitask so be ready to wait. Aside from the service being less than ideal, the entire restaurant smells like deep fryer. It was actually making me nauseous. Will likely not be back. read more

Food was good, friendly atmosphere, good sports atmosphere and good service.lots of televisions for watching every sport. Great outdoor feel as doors open out to the street read more

They use AI generated photos in their menu instead of photos of the food. The mesa tower cost $65 and only comes with 3 tiny sliders, 4 small wings, about 6 fried pickle chips and a small serving of fries with cold shredded cheese thrown on top. Service was very slow. It took almost 20 minutes for someone to take my order and another 30 for my food to come out. read more

The Mesa Bar & Grill - Menu representation of the mesa tower - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Absolutely unacceptable service. My friend and I came in on St. Patrick's Day for trivia night, ready to order food and drinks, and were completely ignored. Not one server acknowledged us, not even a quick "be right with you." We sat there for over 40 minutes while staff walked by and continued serving other tables like we didn't exist. And no, it wasn't even that busy, so there's really no excuse for this level of neglect. This wasn't a staffing issue, it was a service issue. We came in ready to spend money and support the business, and instead got treated like we were invisible. We ended up leaving without ordering anything. If this is how customers are treated during an event, I won't be coming back. read more

To the fine folks of The Mesa... thank you! Why the big ol' "thank you?" Well the neighborhood needed a fun bar that isn't phoning it in, kicking out good food, creating a vibe, and highlighting entertainment and fun promotions to compliment the food and drinks. Some say that they're working out the kinks and that is not a bad thing for me. In fact, I didn't notice too many kinks if any at all and I'd say that The Mesa is doing an excellent job at breathing life into College Area. Good job, Mesa, you're in my rotation! read more

Great customer service ... bartender multitasking and took good care of us since we got there right at 11am on Sunday 7/26. She took drink and food orders ...she's an asset to the business! Comfortable atmosphere and good food. I had the Mesa Breakfast...good food but not surpassing other breakfast eateries. Needs a bit of adjusting to make it more exciting. Companions had the breakfast burger and raved about it. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. read more

Awesome sports bar. Lots of televisions, lots of good seats, mostly high chairs and tables and seats at the bar- I think they only had one real booth. BUT, the vibes here on a good game day are 10/10. It's really the only cool "dive bar" that's walking distance bar nearby so it could get packed quick, but still super worth the trip. Not to mention the food is delicious, the drinks are great, the waitress we had helping us was super cool, funny, sweet person. We even met the owner that night and he was super cool dude, seems to be a great person so I was definitely happy to support his business. Warning: Lots of 49r fans. read more

I ordered wings for myself on DoorDash, they were okay, but my wife ordered the steak sandwich, and it was so tough she couldn't even eat it. She might as well got a beaver tail sandwich. The tots were mostly filled with grease and they weren't in any way enjoyable. And it wound up being over $75 for sub par food. This place was much better when it was Effin's, and I expected that quality, looks like I was dead @$$ wrong. read more

DO NOT GET THE MESA TOWER!!! It is 8 wings 6 mozzarella sticks, 3 tiny sliders, 8 fried pickles and a handful of fries for $65?????

Came to watch the Mexico vs England game yesterday and the atmosphere was great. Our group ordered food as soon as the game began. The game ended and our food never arrived. We waited almost 2 hours for a sampler and fries. Service in general is very slow and we had to keep looking for our server to ask for things or ask for an update on our food. This was upsetting because in general the place is great. Wouldn't recommend coming in hungry or expecting good service during an event. read more

We absolutely love this bar. The servers and bartenders are so friendly, the drinks are great and a good price! Plenty of TVs, super fun sports bar vibe. Big for chargers and sdsu but every game is fun here! Food is great and the menu is expanding! The chicken tenders are top notch and the lemon pepper wings are to die for. Delicious perfect crispy fries. Bar has barely been open a month but very impressed with how it's been so far. It turns into more of a dj/club vibe later at night. The owner is friendly and always around and making sure his customers are happy. We love being able to walk here, very conveniently located. It's awesome to have a bar like this in the college area! Cheers! read more

The Mesa Bar & Grill - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

10/10 -- incredible food and top-notch service. Makenna was a standout: attentive, friendly, and checked in often. Highly recommend! read more

The Mesa Bar & Grill - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The food is really good, service is great and drinks are good! Fairly new place and I highly recommend. Located where Effins used to be near SDSU! read more

The only reason why I'm giving this place 2 stars is because the owners were cool people. Other than that, the food came out cold. Ordered wings, fries and a double burger. My burger was not cooked all the way at all. The drinks were cools so there's that but that was it. The Dj id also give home a 2/5. He was not consistent and didn't know how to mix songs. Whew I was trying to give the place a chance but they need a revamp with the cook and servers and the very least. Our waitress had an attitude and it wasn't even busy so not sure why she was annoyed but next time I'm in San Diego I'm going somewhere else. read more

Came here on a Friday night to celebrate with some friends, and it was such a great time. I had the buffalo wings, which had really good flavor, and the Angry Pineapple drink (definitely not a waste of money.) The DJ had the place moving all night, playing music that actually makes you get up and dance. The energy was high. The restaurant was also very clean, which is always appreciated. Shoutout to Makena, she was super friendly and attentive, always had a smile, and even though it was busy, she handled everything like a pro while still giving great service. Overall, this spot is a whole vibe and I'll for sure be back. read more

This was our first time here and the service and menu selections were over the top wonderful! Austin gave us tastes of the drafts and Sydney served us great food. Amber was ever present and the whole experience was great! read more

We had a great time at "The Mesa". The owner was a real friendly guy who greeted customers and was very involved in the operations. The beer was cold, food was great and the atmosphere fun! There are plenty of big screens throughout the place. It was spacious as well! It's a great place to watch your favorite sport and team! read more

Great vibes great food great people, need I say more? Local San Diegan TRUST ME great place to be

Good neighborhood bar. The wings are one of the highlights and the Wednesday wings deal is a great value. Hoping they add a spicy buffalo or another spicy option for sauce but the current options are great. read more

Great to have another new full bar in this area, as there's only a few other options (Cheba Hut, Corbin's, Dirty Birds etc). Typical bar fare food, that was pretty good, not knock your socks off, but pretty good. It's a bit of a mixed vibe, maybe depends on what game is on that night, what DJ is playing, and what crowd is there for that evening. It's kind of a mix between bar, club, sports bar, dinner spot, etc. Cocktails were mostly on the sweeter side, maybe more for the college clientele. Great service and dependable food. Look forward to seeing this place grow into the neighbor staple it can be. read more

The food is great. The atmosphere is great. Nice clean place and have a lot of fun. Employees are wonderful. I recommend this place .You will enjoy yourself anytime read more

Great spot right near SDSU. The food was really solid across the board and came out fast, hot, and fresh. Everything tasted homemade and well seasoned. Also the owner was super kind and respectful! read more

Love this place!! great family restaurant during the day and love to party at night. the food is 10/10. my favorite thing to get is a caesar salad wrap with Carolina gold sauce on the side. The servers are awesome and so friendly. my new favorite spot! Doesn't disappoint read more

Great food great service! Nice TVs and cold drinks. I spoke with the owner and he was a super chill dude as well.

GREAT FREAKING PLACE , CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TOP AND FOOD AND DRINKS ARE GREAT . The day i went the atmosphere was very welcoming and everyone was just having a great time watching the forty niners vs the colts that night read more

Heard great things about this place. So my sisters and I decided to go check it out for the first time. Our server was Makenna. She was really good. A few times it took her super long to get back to us. But we understood. DJ was good. We were there for about 3 and half hours. Things were great until we paid the bill. I paid the bill, chose to have a printed copy of my receipt. We sat waiting for her to bring the receipt back, we waited about 15 minutes. It was taking to long so we left. We stood out front for a few talking about how it was a vibe and we will be coming back. We leave. I get a phone call from my sister telling me we didn't pay our bill. I said you're f***ing lying. And I need to go back. I get back there find the server tell her what I was told. She says you paid everything. Gives me the receipt with a zero balance. I will never go back there. The management/servers whomever need to thoroughly check receipts, registers etc before they accuse someone of not paying a bill. Tonight they lost 4 customers.....Damn Shame read more