The Dubliner Is Closed, Cleaned Out And Gone
The Irish flag still flies in front of the Dubliner in San Diego’s Gaslamp.
It should, however, be a white flag.
The Irish bar has surrendered to the COVID-19 lost business and has closed its doors. For good. The building has been cleared out and now sports a big “for lease” sign over one of its windows.
This is a real shame, not only for the bar itself but for the PubClubbers of San Diego. The Dubliner – on 4th Ave., between Island and J streets next to La Hadas – was about as authentic as Irish bars get in the U.S. It not just had Guinness and Harp on tap, but bands providing live music several nights a week.
Some of the decor was imported from pubs in Dublin.
And now it is a victim of the pandemic.
I spent St. Patrick’s Day there last year, just as the pandemic was rearing its ugly head. The place was “fun crowded,” a PubClub.com term meaning it had many spirited people inside but was not shoulder-to-shoulder, someone-always-in-your-back packed.
It was one of the last real true bar moments many of had, something that has still not occurred since that time.
I have to admit that the Dubliner was not often my first choice of bars in the Gaslamp. Not even for Irish bars, either, for I preferred The Field (it it still open, serving thirsty customers on its makeshift in-street patio, tho I really miss that Irish band on Friday nights).
Still, I enjoyed going in there for the bands and also the decor. It was like taking a mini-vacation to Dublin and drinking in a true Irish pub.
It is a shame it is gone, along with all that cool decor. Unfortunately, the sign of the times these days is seeing a lot of those “space for lease” banners on bars and restaurants, not just here but across the globe, as well.
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