By far, the best wings in San Diego. We had the lemon pepper, tom cat, and mild buffalo and they were phenomenal. The wings weren't dripping with the sauce, just coated, which is exactly how I like my wings. Great sauce to wing ratio!!! The ranch is even the "good" ranch, if you know want I mean. Also had the potato skins and they were the right proportion of potato to cheese to bacon. Top tier. And to top it all off, the staff there is ON POINT. Sweetest women working today. I wish we didn't live 20 minutes away or this would be our new spot. read more

I'm a dive bar fan but this spot was not what I expected. First the bar itself is tiny with almost no seating - instead the place is a huge, heavily lit space filled with lots of tables like a full on restaurant. Next, you can't just order a drink at the bar, but instead there's a line stretching from the middle of the bar back towards the door where you need to queue up somehow and order drinks or food. Nope, not interested in doing that. In sum it's lit and laid out like a Chuck-E-Cheese where there are no dark, quiet nooks to enjoy or any space for at the bar interactions. Instead, there's lots of light and noise from all the competing on screen games and no chance of getting a quick drink unless you want to stand in a dubious line. Not my cuppa tea. read more

Seriously the best place for wings not just in SD but literally anywhere! My favorite is now the Dry Asian Rub wings but seriously all the flavors I've had have been so delicious. I could come eat here everyday read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Fries Garlic Parmesan wings Cha Cha wings Tom Cat wings - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I ate here for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I had the cha-cha wings, tom cat style wings and I think garlic parm. they serve it to you with cucumbers and ranch and of course the wings and I think they were about eight or so each per basket. I took videos, but I accidentally deleted them so, you guys will just have to take my word for it lol. The wings came out hot and so flavorful. They were a good size as well. Not those tiny ones like mainstream wing places. it's a nice little dive bar that all the locals go to. i've passed by the spot many times, but an Instagram video made me want to come here and try the wings. The wings did not disappoint. Very flavorful. Staff was very pleasant and nice and attentive. However, the wait time for the wings was pretty long. that's the only reason why I give it four stars out of five. When I went, they were not that busy at all and it looks like most of the customers already had their food. Unsure why it took so long, but it is what it is. If I'm in the area and craving wings, I'd return to eat here. read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Menu - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here for a friend's birthday party, great bartenders, DJ and servers. Food menu varies from appetizers of nachos, fries, tots, quesadillas, tons of chicken wings, sandwiches from burgers, pastrami, grilled cheese, a number of salads as well. Food is delicious good prices and fresh. Wings look good did not try them but husband liked them. Salad are fresh and Good. A number of beers on tap as well as cocktails and other items on the menu. Fun neighborhood bar and Tavern. read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing wings and don't skip out on the New York strip, tom cat style. Simply amazing!!

Tom Cat Bar & Grill has that classic local dive vibe with some surprisingly good food. I tried the lemon pepper chicken wings and a pastrami sandwich. The wings had a solid rub which is flavorful, not spicy at all (though I actually prefer their "Tom Cat style" wings). The pastrami on rye was excellent. the bread was toasted just right and held up perfectly. Service here is friendly but more "hands-off. Don't expect table service. You'll want to order at the bar, and if you need a to-go box, grab it yourself. Not a problem once you know the system, but worth noting. The place has a steady crowd of regulars, which adds to the atmosphere (depending on how you feel about that). Lots of TVs for catching a game, plus pool tables if you want to hang out longer. Bathrooms are what you'd expect in a dive bar which is functional, but nothing fancy. Overall, a solid spot for good bar food, a casual game day, or a low-key night out. read more

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Neighborhood dive bar that's always busy when we've gone there. Seat yourself and best to order at the bar. You can wait for a wait staff to come to your table but they are usually very busy and you might end up waiting for awhile. It can be hard to find a table available at game time, especially if you have more than 4 people. The price for drinks and food are still reasonable here so I think that's why it's a popular spot. Plus food aren't bad bar food either. I do like their wings and fries. read more

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It's been awhile but this place is actually pretty solid and great prices! Friday night we wanted to have a night cap before heading home and this spot is basically the only place open later around here and 100% so happy we came in. We were able to sit at the bar and have drinks and it got busy. It is a dive but it's great. Lots of holidays parties but the service was still great and friendly. We will be back soon! read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Menu December 2025 - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Best lemon pepper wings in town! My go to spot for a divey wing and burger vibe. The drinks are strong and the service is always friendly. My only issue is that it is pricey for what it is, otherwise I'd be here more often! read more

Bartenders are trash. Can't make basic drinks. When you see a bartender looking at their phone for a recipe. Just order a beer.

Good food and drinks. Service is awesome and definitely worth some time here. Definitely feels like a bar setting. read more

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Wings fantastic! Highly recommend the lemon pepper. Good vibes with plenty of TVs for sports, and bonus points for the jukebox

Im not sure why my review from long ago was removed. I came here and only got 2 drinks. I got a cran vodka and bloody Mary. I remember my first time here they charged 20$ over. Somehow my drinks were 16$ with a 20$ tip. I called and they rectified this right away. This was a long time ago. I really appreciated the quick service. The inside is not bad at all. Its not too big and not small inside. Its a decent bar to hang out and their chicken wings were pretty good. The bartenders are nice and service is fast. Im by myself so I stayed for a short while. read more

Tom cats always coming through, delicious wings. Cha-cha wings, and garlic Parmesan are the best!

Awful. Just left here. Waited almost 10 minutes sitting at the bar. This lady looked at me and just walked away. Did it twice. Been here a handful of times and never had such awful service. Til today The all in the pic with glasses is awful. Time to go to Harland. For a bar, go to Brewskis. Service 1000x better. read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Gal with glasses awful "bartender" server or whatever she is. Hope she never serves you. Well she probably never will - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Tried out their lemon pepper wings and Wow!! The sauce was flavor galore!! It was really hard to meet and breed everyone at my friend's birthday party and take socially acceptable bites. All I wanted to do was ugly eat these delicious wings by myself. But I was polite and offered everyone a sample. The place was rocking! Crammed packed with locals but the staff was super efficient and friendly. We were able to order at the bar and was found when our food was ready. It was a really loud and fun place to celebrate my friend and her love of fun people and good food. read more

Sunday. Football. Dive. Good. Doesnt get more simple than that. Opens at 1030am is the only ripe. Otherwise lots of tvs and liquor. They serve food too. read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Football Sunday - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend wanted to shoot pool here, but we ended going somewhere else in Mira Mesa a while back. A couple of friends were raving about their wings, so I finally checked them out this past Saturday. We got the salt n pepper wings and lemon pepper wings. I didn't know that the lemon pepper will be saucy, but both were flavorful. They come with carrots and ranch! Service was also quick. They don't quite beat the infamous wings everyone gets, but they were still quite good. Looks like no more pool tables either! read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Salt n pepper wings - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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QUICK TAKE// You know when you want that no-fuss local spot that just has solid drinks, big sports-bar food options, and a ton of TVs? This is it. The Tom Cat wings are actually superior. FOOD// Tom. Cat. WINGS. . Their neon sign on the front of their restaurant says it all! I tend to come here later at nights when I am just looking for a quick drink, and I've only ever had their wings. I've heard generally really great things about their menu overall...but I only ever crave the . It has jalapeños, green onion and some other very delicious spices. SERVICE// Solid! Especially on days when the place isn't as busy, then you get pretty attentive service. On game days where it's packed, you're better off maybe going up for the bar to ask for what you want. But that's to be expected honestly at smaller local bars like this. VIBES// No-nonsense cozy local sports bar. Nice crowds and extra comforting because of the variety of food options. ETC// Can get very busy on big game nights! read more

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Some of the best wings in the city! It's a classic dive bar, they have some arcades in the back. You come here to watch the game or for happy hour after work. The drinks are cheap and strong and the appetizers are great! I recommend the tom cat wings every time. read more

If you're looking for a hole in the wall dive bar in the area, then this is your place. I ended up here with a group after bar hopping. We ordered some drinks and food. Their chicken wings were soooo tasty! I also had fries and tater tots and they were very good as well. It was close to midnight and the bar was still very full on a Friday night. It's a very lively bar. I would come back for some more"comfort food" and drinks soon! read more

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Nice atmosphere here ! Bar food is surprisingly good!. Watch the World Cup here with friends!

First time trying this restaurant for their lemon pepper wings. They were good--different from the lemon pepper wings you usually get at other places that serve wings. The service was okay, but not fantastic. It seemed like the server was more friendly to regular customers. read more

Local dive bar. Drinks are cheap, plenty of seating which is a plus! They have a jukebox for music. Got the michelada - which was solid. Need to come back to try their wings! read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Michelada - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Love going here with guys from work, Love the staff Great to watch all the live sports. Amazing food and drinks. Clean and excellent staff

The chicken is what keeps bringing me back, it's seriously that good. The service is always great, and the staff handles rude, drunk customers calmly and professionally, which I really appreciate. The food does take a little time to come out, but that's because everything is cooked fresh after you order, and it's always worth the wait. This used to be the spot in my early 20s, and now that I'm in my 30s, I still feel the same about it. I just wish they hadn't taken out all the fun stuff like the pool table, karaoke, and dart boards. That was part of the vibe. Still, the food and energy keep me coming back every time. read more

Wings Wings Wings! Tomcat Wings are the best! Always the best customer service when I go! It's been two years since my last visit, and these wings are just as fire as they were then! The ambiance makes you feel like it's a dive bar, but let's call it an upscale dive bar! Nothing negative about that! And I had my first Latitude 33 Blood Orange which I missed severely read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Blood Orange! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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service was amazing!! our bartender Jamie did an excelllent job, the ambiance is what you'd expect from a sports bar like this, but the food is supposed to be really good!!! highly reccomend!! read more

Tom cat is a great spot to grab a beer and chill. The wings prepared Tom cat style are phenomenal, best wings I've ever had. The bartenders are always on their game, bringing pitchers, napkins, plates,etc. all the staff are great, food is good, and plenty of TV's to watch hockey, football, etc. Highly recommend coming here for good food and chill vibes. read more

I came specifically for the wings and they did not disappoint! Extra crispy and full of flavor! Them wangs was seasoned to the Gods! Sara the bartender helped me quickly and was so nice. Can't beat the bar ambiance. The bar was clean and free of cigarette smoke. Will be back! read more

Tom Cat Bar & Grill - Wangs! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Favorite bar to get food. Hands down the best wing around! The wings were cooked perfectly -- crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and packed with flavor. Bartenders there are really nice and attentive aswell. We'll definitely be coming back for wings read more

Okay, the wings here are bomb! I have been here a few times before but just to drink. My coworkers were raving about their wings, saying that they were the best in SD & I had to go back to try. We went on a Friday night & it was popping! I have never seen it like this but apparently this is a great dive bar to go to watch sport games & the Aztecs were on. They have tables all throughout & 2 couple of pool tables in the back. Customer service was friendly & service was quick. Unfortunately, they did forget a couple of dishes but we opted to just cancel it. The food surprisingly is really good for a dive bar! They even serve steak. Tom Cat Signature Spicy Wings: So good! Crispy & juicy. Cha Cha Wings: My fav! They described this as a spicy, peanut buttery sauce & I was intrigued. It def tastes way better than it sounds. Loads of flavor! Pastrami Sandwich: Thinly sliced on a buttery, crispy bun, yum. read more

Visited 5/13/2023 A Lady Friend of mine started Bartending here a few years ago and I've been following posts about the great food here. Joelle told me it had some Famous Special Chicken wings. Thought it was about time to check them out. Nice little place with lots of seating, Nice Bar, plenty of TVs for sports nights. The Staff is Amazing. All the food I've tried has been very tasty. Tonight I had The Signature Tomcat Original Chicken Wings. Wow. Just a little spicy but for me perfect. The Fried Mushrooms were cooked nicely. Loved Them. The Patty Melt was done to a perfect mid rare. Great flavor only wish it came on Marble Rye instead of plain rye bread. The Beer was chilled perfectly for a warm day. Nice Bar and can't wait to return to try more of the menu. Special Thanks to Joelle for the great experience. read more

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Big mid. Came here after a Reddit hunt for the best wings in SD, and sigh. The Tom Cat wings were just ok, not spicy at all despite the many jalapeños on top. The lemon pepper wet? Oh no. They were salty to the point of being inedible, and we sent them back to swap for the buffalo mild wings, which were decent. The vibe is divey, which is alright but... it was just so dim. And it took 20 min for our food to come out, each time. Also, I got a hot tea, and it tasted like leftover coffee was in it, and was charged $2 for it. In the vein of Randy Jackson, It's gonna be a no for me, dawg. read more

Terrible service and mediocre food. I placed a huge order of wings, went to pick them up and was very pleasant but was treated badly by the staff. I was talked down to and then ignored completely. Customers that looked a certain way were treated differently. It was clear that I was not welcome and I will not be taking my business here again. read more

I'm all in for a good dive bar! Unfortunately... This is not one of them!!! A strip mall shithole of a watering hole. Reddit listed them as a decent wing joint, so I took a 25minute schlep in search of the holy grail of SD wing fame. I was sadly misled. I can look past the gross ass bar top that had my forarms stuck like a fly trap. I can look past the shitty ass bartenders who couldn't be bothered to take my order... or when they forgot to put my wing order into the kitchen.... While the guy who showed up at the place 20 mins after me got his burger served while I sat patiently. Or that I had to repeatedly get off my barstool to walk to where the bartenders hung out to get service. I can also look past the fact that they default to serving ranch with wings instead of bleu cheese like the lord intended. Their bleu cheese (served only by request) had no bleu in it... just a disgusting mayo sour cream mixture. Their signature wing flavor being an Asian salt and pepper flake with jalapeños and fried scallion was fine, but also the standard for this Vietnamese neighborhood. I cannot look past the fact that their wings were Mid at best. I can tolerate... no.. I even enjoy mid level wings. These wings had me rushing to the toilet in distress a few hours later. I could easily identify the cause of my distress by the salt and pepper flakes floating behind me. This place is gross. The service is shitty even by dive bar standards and I can't imagine anyone frequenting this place for anything other than recreational pharmaceuticals. So I guess at least there is that. read more

My review count has dropped significantly over the years, but I had to make a return to finally give one of my favorite bars of all time it's flowers! (as the kids say) TomCat is a bar's bar - it's really sad LA has next to nothing like this left.. where the food and drinks are consistent and you actually get a locals-only, genuine experience. Yes, it's no frills per say, but in comparison to the overdone nonsense that seems to be the standard nowadays, this is a much welcomed contrast. I must stop here every time I'm in SD and I wish there were more places like this left in LA. I wear my TomCat shirt proudly. Long live TomCat! read more

Love this place. Food is decent and Sarah is an amazing waitress! Will definitely be coming back! read more

I visited your establishment on June 18, 2025, around 5:00 PM and was enjoying drinks with the friendly and attentive bartenders until the experience was negatively impacted by one of your employees, Chris. I visit this bar approximately every three months, and unfortunately, Chris has consistently been disrespectful during my visits. On this occasion, I was standing an arm's length away from the food pickup area when Chris called out for "Marcos." Despite being clearly visible and within easy reach, he looked me directly in the eyes, picked up other food, and walked away without acknowledging me. Chris clearly noticed that I was bothered, then asked if I had a problem with him. I responded that yes, I did--he could have easily handed me my food but chose not to. He laughed, rolled his eyes, and dismissed my concern. This kind of behavior is not only unprofessional but also seems deliberately antagonistic. Later, after asking the waitress to pack up my food--because I had lost my appetite--Chris mocked me by making a baby crying noise. This immature and inappropriate behavior is unacceptable, especially from someone expected to create a welcoming and respectful environment for guests. He then escalated the situation further by asking if I "wanted to take this outside." I calmly responded that I would let his employer handle it and chose not to engage. As I was writing this review, I tried to calm my nerves and ordered another drink after closing out my tab. Chris then instructed the female bartender to cut me off--presumably in retaliation for calling out his behavior. I sat down to eat my wings and requested a glass of water, but Chris refused to serve it until I said "please" and "thank you" in front of another staff member. This kind of manipulative behavior is completely inappropriate and contributed further to an already hostile and uncomfortable environment. I am submitting this complaint because repeated incidents of disrespect and provocation from a staff member--especially someone in a position of influence--should not be tolerated. I hope this matter is taken seriously and that appropriate steps are taken to ensure that no other guest is subjected to similar treatment. This kind of conduct should not be rewarded with a managerial role. It was evident that other staff members followed his lead, likely out of deference to his authority. As a business owner, I would find this deeply concerning and would strongly advise immediate corrective action. I'll be back in 3 months. read more