London's West End is by far one of the best dive bars in all of San Diego. I organize a Dive Bar group. We have been to 10 other locations in the last six months, and this was by far one of the best!! I think what makes it so fun is that there is plenty of room inside. Many dives are too small. We brought in a group of 35 and never felt cramped. Yet it's not so big, as to where you would feel like it's empty. The location seems random at first, but it's really not. It's just enough outside of PB, where it can be a true dive. They have two of everything: two pool tables, two dart boards, two Megatouch machines. The jute box was a bit random but we were able to find enough songs to play all night. The drinks are very very reasonably priced! And the bartender was awesome! Having a friendly bartender can make all the difference. Most dive bars are staffed by people who like that the bar never gets busy. At least half of the bartenders at the other 10 dives we've visited seemed openly annoyed when our 30 person group showed up. Haha! I am not even kidding. All in all, this is a great dive bar!! I will def be back!!! read more

Man alive! If you are rolling into this place it is because you are planning on getting your load on. Can't really think of much else to say about it... other than there are a lot of bushes near by to puke in. Been there, done that. Oh and there is a damn good taco shop a little ways away from here, never been to it sober, don't know if it is north, south, east, or west, and don't know the name. They have a 2 burrito combo that you and your friend can split for fairly cheap, so save a couple bucks in your shoe or something. read more

People may think ambiance, amenities like pool tables or a view, or location are what make a good bar into a good bar, but the truth of the matter is the Bartender makes the bar. A shitty bartender, a rude bartender, a slow bartender, a clueless bartender or a bartender that is just "too good" to serve you a drink and you've got a shitty bar. PJ at West End rocks my socks. He was fast, he acknowledged our presence immediately and came for our order as soon as he had finished the other drinks. He had a hustle that you don't see in most bartenders. Yes, you should respect your bartender, but it should be a mutual respect. All too often bartenders abuse their power. Sure, the guy who is waving money around being a DB at the end of the bar has probably led most bartenders to be the way they are, but it was refreshing to see PJ work. Keep up the good work sir, and I'll be back. read more

I dont understand how this is classified as a dive bar because I dont think it is. Well, maybe compared to whats around the area then I suppose it could be but bear in mind, this place is practically in La Jolla I used to come here when I worked in La Jolla and lived In PB. I liked it alot better than the PB bars, that I will admit to. It was also on the way home so I used to go often. Come on a Friday or Saturday night and its still packed with PB types sprinkled with older, more mature Bird Rock folks. This is another bar that opens really really early, like 6 am I think. Crazy. Its a cool bar. I do like it and theres a taco shop right next door. I cant remember if you could bring food in here or not. read more

If it is after midnight and you still want to grab a beer or a cocktail in North PB, this is the place. The only place. All the others are closed. We met a group of friends on a Friday night at the West End. We walked in and found a spot at the bar on the eastern part of the bar. We soon found out why the bar stools were unoccupied, every few minutes or so the people playing pool would need you to move so they could take a shot. After a while, we just moved around the corner. What a waste of prime bar space. By 11:00, the bar was pretty packed. They have upgraded the place in the last few months. They now take credit cards, have draft beer (Sculpin! Yum!), new carpet, new hdtvs and in general a new look. We drank beers but friends reported drinks were strong and tasty. Aside from the nonsensical placement of the pool table on the east side, we had a nice time. Besides, after midnight, it is the only place to go. read more

Well what do you expect from a dive bar that's been around forever. All the furniture is smelling of the past. Tobacco and beer stained pool tables. The smell of hard liquor imbedded in the upholstery. The aroma of drunken fools and merriment of the past permeating from the premises. Bartenders with old stories and new bottles of alcohol. A mix of well-to-do younger patrons and "never have done well" older wants to. It's fun to visit places like this to remind you how important life is what is important in life. Yelp Now that I have been yelping for a while, I realize what a cool application this really is. Yelp has become my "go to" site whenever I go to new city around the world. I've also been able to communicate with yelp friends from around the world whenever I travel to a new city in order to get advice of where to eat and also for business information. Yelp is also a great way to keep track of your past experiences and it has become a digital record of where I have been and how much I enjoyed those locations. Yelp is also really great place to connect with people in your own town to see what is going on and what is fun and which restaurants are new and exciting. Try it, you may very well enjoy becoming a yelper also. read more

Saw a review for "PVs" so I had to try it. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. This is the spot to start and end your night out in PB.

As far as neighborhood dive bars go, this is my haunt of choice. The drinks are poured with a heavy hand, but come without the hefty price tag. Bottled beer selections are decent, and even though I tell myself to order a different beer each time I go in, I just can't tear myself away from the Guinness (it comes in a bottle, so ask for a chilled glass). The two pool tables at each end of the bar are sure to keep you occupied. And if that isn't entertainment enough, their online juke box will do the trick. And if you find yourself the designated drive amongst a rowdy group of friends, don't be afraid to have some conversation with the staff (who won't be as drunk as your compadres). Each and every one of them is friendly, and has a great story to share. But remember: cash only! So leave the plastics at home. read more

The bartender was very friendly and kind. I went with my Mom to play pool and she made us a fresh pretzel. The drinks were strong and delicious, just how I enjoy them. The pool tables were not terribly dirty, however, they could use a little dusting. They have a bunch of TV's playing the sports and had really affordable food. For example a $6 panini sandwich with chips. Def. a dive bar. read more

Great group of local personalities. Home of the Mac Meda Destruction Co crowd. Very good collection of rockin tunes on Juke Box. Full Bar. Note: Only packaged Snacks. Problems?: Popular bartender Jack Macpherson died, and new owners; Will it Maintain same feeling? read more

With one toilet in the men's washroom, 2 dart boards, 2 pool tables, an electronic punching bag game, and plenty of torn up bar stools, the West End isn't exactly the most upscale bar in PB. Our hero witnessed a guy sinking in 4 balls with a single shot on the pool table here. Come here instead of the Society if you want to learn a trick or two with the pool cue. It's a pretty bad dive, but they have bottles of Molson Canadian for $3.50, which is a plus. PROS: - There's a BBQ grill stand outside selling food on the sidewalk. CONS: - No beer on tap at all; only bottles are available. This is definitely more of a shots and highballs kind of bar. read more

Top 3 dive bar in SD! Cheap drinks, friendly people, close to options, pool tables decent and almost always a theme party there on the weekend to laugh at or join. Almost always guaranteed a good time there. Good local neighborhood bar- (related to dive bars) Price- 9 Atmosphere- 8.0 Service- 8 Overall exp- 8.25 Drawbacks- Dive bar (you know what youu are in for) read more

A dive bar standard of excellence. Cocktails are nearly always poured double strength and are inexpensive. Good juke box. Good neighborhood crowd. Friday and Saturday nights usually feature Mateo on the sidewalk making hotdogs. Order the dog with cream cheese, beans, bbq sauce, onions, and peppers. Eat, go home, and wonder what's all over your shirt the next day. Cash only, and that includes the Monkey Toss. read more

This a great bar in North PB set away from the major crowd and drunken craziness of PB. This is a cash only bar with darts, pool tables, and plenty of seating. The staff here is nice and makes everyone strong drinks and their prices are very cheap. Staff likes to talk to you and make sure you come back and drink another day. One of those bars where you feel like a local after one or two times. Very laid back bar with no real crazy people and everyone wants to chat or play pool or darts or tell you about their lives while sharing a beer. Little hesitant to try here at first but for the price and the atmosphere I love it. Great place to go watch the soccer or football games as they have TVs and a large space so that you arent pushed up against a wall in a typical PB bar trying to watch the TV and cheer for your team. read more

It is what it is, so don't expect to get what you don't see. With that in mind, this place is perfect. They have two pool tables, a nice jukebox, and excellent bartenders. Just last night some moron brought a six-pack of beer into the bar... and I was thinking "uh, sorry dude, it doesn't really work that way." To my surprise, the bartender put it on ice behind the bar, and he took it back on his way out. That's fuckin' awesome service! Oh ya, no beers on tap, but a wide bottle selection. This place is the definition of a dive bar. read more

Their jukebox takes a good half an hour to play your music. If I'm trashed and I want to hear Avril Lavigne sing sk8rboi, I want to pay face value for it. That extra credit to hear it now is lame. Selection is pretty iffy too. Aside from Avril. I've slowly come to realize the west end sucks unless you are trashed. It's dirty, ghetto, and its got too much of that high school dropout feel to it. There's just this aura of a higher amount of dumb legal decisions made by the average crowd here as opposed to another bar. I have a feeling that West end would win a 'whose bar has more arrests?' competition vs even a megalopolis like PB bar and grill. Just an observation. Anyway, you need to start drinking their cheap liquor to forget about all that. Maybe they planned it that way. Crafty devils. Go there, get trashed = good time. Anything else = i hope you really like pool and burnout convo read more

5-star dive bar in my book! For a while there it seemed I would always end up here at the end of the night when I went out.. Kind of a phenomenon..but hey after a few drinks at any other bar in PB when you realize how much the bar you are in SUCKS its time to head to West End for the finisher, where they have darts, pool tables, fun laid-back crowd, and most importantly (and a rarity in SD...drumroll please): CHEAP and STRONG drinks. See ya there read more

Great neighborhood bar, filled with locals. They got two draft beers and most of the domestic cheap beer. Pool tables are $.75 per game and busy, you can meet new people by playing against the people who won the previous game. Hours are very consistent, some bars close when it gets slow but they are open to their specified close no matter what. This is my favorite SD bar (it doesn't hurt that it's less than a mile away from where I live). read more

I dig this dive-y dive bar. It's on the edge of PB, so it gets skipped by most of the typical PB crowd (that's a bonus in my book!). Drinks are pretty average in price, but have always been strong. They do serve pizza here now, but it's just your average frozen grocery store variety from what I can tell. People get attached to their pool tables here, so it can sometimes be a problem to get one. As others have mentioned, this is a cash only bar. There IS an ATM, but every time I've tried to use it it hasn't worked. read more

It is what it is. A bar with great deals. Friendly bartender. Low key vibe. Hidden gem that may be empty on occasion. Recommend starting or ending the night here. read more

Oy. I've given this place 3 chances, and unfortunately they were all strikes. Unfriendly staff. Creepy alcoholic regulars. Smells icky. Just not my idea of a good time. at all. read more

London's West End Between PB and La Jolla. Friday December 3, 2010 3 Stars I hate cash bars because I always want to drink more than the cash I have on me (even when I prepare to go to a cash bar). Plus its just bad business. As I get drunker, I want to drink more and buy other people drinks. For example, the last time I went to the night owl I spent $150 there's no way I have that much cash on me at the bar or at any other given time. They have a ATM but thats a huge deterrent for my drinking habit. I have a hard enough time getting money out of an ATM when I am sober. After I run out of cash, I don't want to read and especially not in Spanish. The bar itself looks super dive-y but it was really crowded. The drinks were not cheap and not strong unless you are a chick. Then you are going to get hammered. When I gave money to a beautiful girl to buy me a drink, it was twice as strong as my two previous drinks combined. I do applaud them for this smart business practice. Get Chicks Drunk and deter douche-bag guys from getting belligerent. Or it could be that its a bar for guys to pick up "tipsy" girls while not being intoxicated themselves. *If you are girl who is into creepy guys named Todd or Creepy guys with beard, this is the place for you. Side Note #1: The pool table is only 50 cents a game but it really unbalanced and hard to play around all the people surrounding it. Side Note #2: Hey lady bartender, when I shake my empty glass in the air and then put it on the bar and gently slide it towards you, it does not mean just take my glass and never return. It means I want another drink! Side Note#3: There is late night hot dogs stand directly outside. They served it in a waffle cone with mashed potatoes deep fried and topped with chocolate sauce. Overall, I get the appeal of this place. Bring Cash! read more

Such a fun spot! It's local and easy going vibes plus they have fun games to play in the bar. My friends and I have a great time at this bar! read more

Love this place!! Such a relaxed atmosphere and the bartenders are the best! The drinks aren't too pricey and it's a fun crowd!! Will miss this place when I leave read more

OMG how can you not like the West End?!?! Get real!!! It's a dive in North PB. It's supposed to be dive. Get out of here if you can't dig it! First of all, if you are a dive, you can't be a dive with out burned out locals. Second of all, the smell is part of the ambiance. And Third, where the hell else are you going to get real drinks in North PB or Bird Rock - NOWHERE!!! That's where. So relax, enjoy the ride, and ease into it! You'll thank me later. read more

Great dive bar! One of the few bars in the 'hood that's open until 2:00 PM. 2 pool tables, a punching bag game, two electronic dart games, and jukebox (wish it were real darts, but maybe there's something to be said about not having real darts in a dive bar). No tap beer, bottles only. Big bar. Went on a Monday night, around midnight. In addition to the bartender/owner (Tom), there was one guy. Within 1/2 an hour, there were nearly 20 people there with us. Fun place to end the night. read more

This place is the definition of dive bar. This place is great for my group cause we can walk to it and stumble home. The not so great things are the beer selection and the fact that it is cash only. The place feels a little small and it often feels crowded. You have to be careful though, there has been a case of a swiped drink by another patron. read more

Josh is the best bartender, plus he's witty and hot. Truth be told he's hotter with facial hair but I'm a Beardo Update: super comfy barstools with lumbar support . Oh and Cori is the bestest read more

Fabulous and fun dive bar! Especially Trivia Night. Drinks are fairly priced and the crowd is also fun. read more

Best Dive bar in San Diego. Always games and craziness going on late. The new additions of brand new TVs make for a great sport watching bar now. Pool, darts and always a new friend to meet to play either way. Great bartenders like Trevor and PJ can mix a great drink to finish off your evening or get you started swerving on your bike ride down to PB. Jen the owner is wonderful and always greets everyone with a smile. The entire crew is great:) I have been going here for 10 years since moving from NY and it is one of the best dive bars I've been to anywhere, unlike so many other dive bars they are standoff-ish to new comers the West End Welcomes everyone and you will quickly become a regular... We don't call it the "best friend" for nothing:) read more

When searching a great place to watch the chargers game, I came across West End. I saw it was on the food network channel and had good review! And a HUGE plus there is AC!!!! But let me tell you that it feels grungy and the food is not close to good. The drinks are decent. Overall it just isn't my style and I wouldn't go back. I guess they can't all be good! read more

Dive bar thats near most Bird rock, P.Bians. Cash only, But they have an ATM inside. pool tables, darts, jukebox, No beer on tap. and Angry Drunks. Low key; But can be sketchy. I would suggest not to go solo. Your chances will lower for a drama drunk to power talk at you. Girls watch your drinks...... If you enjoy drama. This is for you. I guaranty that you will be approached by some local drama drunk.Try to not do one of two things. 1. Laugh your ass off at the douche bag in his/her face.( wait till they leave. Save your ears. ) 2. A @#$%^ in the face. As long as your enjoying yourself Ace's. Just know when to cash out. read more

THE BEST BAR IN THE WORLD. The West End is a legendary tavern located on the edge of La Jolla and Pacific Beach. Right up from Tourmaline Beach, so you can surf early and stop by for a brew. You will meet people from all over the world. All ages. All life stories. Famous because it was the bar of choice for Jack Macpherson, La Jolla mailman and Mac Meda Destruction Company CEO. Mac Meda integral part of Tom Wolfe's Pumphouse Gang. An additional plus, if you need a workman of ANY kind...electrician, plumber, computer tech, landscaper, contractor, realtor, nurse, painter...they're all there and will probably give you a good deal on their rates. read more

I live about 5 blocks from The West End..... or as me and my friends call it.... "The Best Friend" They will let anyone in, and they'll let you in 3 minutes to 2:00am.... It's a good dive bar to finish off your night or just chill at and play darts. Be sure to hit up Los Dos on the way out! read more

Place is a dive bar. Very crowded and a lot of drunks. Place to go if you want to party.

Three stars, with reservations... Definitely not the best dive in PB, but it's a block away from my place, laid-back and a good way to avoid MOST of the douche-baggery that you'll find on Garnet Ave. During the day you have retirees and at night you'll get local surfers and 30 something hood-rats, but you'll occasionally have the frat-boy element late Friday or Saturday nights. Not usually a place to pull tail; definitely a great place to go with friends, neighbors. For the most part this place is pretty good...it's cash only and none of the beer is on tap but among other things you have a selection including Molson and Sailor Jerry--which as a hockey player I think is totally awesome!! Here's the problem--the bartenders...last night the guy gave me a sweet deal on one round of Sailor Jerry (probably because he didn't know any better) and then fucked me on the next round. You're better off just ordering beer or have a female friend get the rounds. So, in conclusion, go to this place sparingly or only if it's convenient! read more

I love this place, so many fond memories. Playing pool and darts, having awful shots, getting to know people... We used to live in a space nearby and it wasn't just the closest, but the nicest place to go to, as well. Will never forget those people and they are exactly the reason why you should go there, too. read more

Had a great time at the westy. Good, down to earth atmosphere, No attitude or pretense here. It's just a good old fashioned tavern with good service and a pool table. It's sort of like the Ramones of bars: it's basic, it's simple , no BS and it's fun! Doesn't get too much better. read more

First off, let me say that Tom Brady lovin SOB bartender can serve a hell of a martini! I know, wtf am I doing drinking that shit at a dive bar!?! I blame that Peyton Manning lovin SOB brother of mine. Anyways, West End was a regular hangout for me when I lived in SD back in the day. This isn't the pretentious shit you get in LJ and is a little older crowd than the PB and MB daycare bars. Place smells like a bar, looks like a bar and serves up drinks like a bar. Always a great crowd looking to bullshit and maybe play some pool or darts. Great prices and bartenders make the West End a gem (rough one at that) of Bird Rock. BTW, Tom Brady may be a good QB, but what the hell with the skinny jeans and uggs? read more

I've known about West End for years. However, I just visited for the first time with my boyfriend on our way home from a dinner in La Jolla. Beer was cold and the service was great. I forget the bartender's name, which is ironic considering one of the reasons I am rating this place so high is that she remembered ours! She is the reason we'll most likely stop in again. You can find a dive bar anywhere, but to find a bartender who is friendly and shows genuine interest in customers is where this one shines! read more