By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.con San Diego Nightlife Blogger
The weather outside is not frightful here, but inside this place is quite delightful.
It’s a themed pop-up bar for the holidays and PubClub.com takes you inside this fun and festive San Diego Christmas bar.
Called the Xmas bar, it’s located on the corner of G Street and Fourth Ave., in the Gaslamp Quarter. The venue is Tin Roof, known for its live music, tho the Tin Roof website has been taken down and the bar is listed as permanently closed. But the Xmas bar is there and thriving.
The decor is all Christmas starting with three snowman out front. Through the doors are Christmas lights – lots of Christmas lights – and murals of Santa Claus (holding a big beer, no less) and the Abominable Snow Monster of the North on brick walls. There are Chrsitmas trees, big boxes wrapped as presents, holiday decorations, an Ice Box area at the bar down the couple of steps and a big chair popular for selfies. Natitional Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer play on TV screens.
A DJ plays a lot of Christmas music – more so in the early evenings and mixed in with fun party music at night – and a lot of the patrons are wearing Santa hats and dressed in Christmas colors in an upbeat setting that even Scrooge could enjoy. It’s fun, festive and everyone is in a happy holidays move. Plus, it’s unique and adds a new and excitement element to the San Diego nightlife scene.
@pubclub.com @tinroofbars in San Diego’s @gaslampsandiego is now a cool Christmas bar for the holidays! #christmasbar #christmas #holidaytiktok #holidays #holidayparty #bars #nightlife #pubclub #sandiego #gaslampsandiego ♬ original sound – PubClub
The Grinch Who Stole Chrismas, written by former La Jolla resident Dr. Seuss, would probably drink the cocktail named after him. Oh yes, the cocktails. There is a menu of Christmas-named drinks (Misletoe’s Kiss, Santa’s Little Nightcap, Here To Sleigh among them, $14-17) and shots ($11 & 12) as well as beers ($6-8 tho when I get a Kona or Stella priced at $7 I’m charged $8). Pro’s tip: Go upstairs or to the bottom bar to get a drink as the one on the main floor gets busy and it will take a few minutes to get the attention of a bartender. There is no cover charge.
There is a limited food menu – a burger for $9, smoked turkey empanadas for $10, a “big salad” (nice Seinfield reference) for $12– among them.
The San Diego Xmas bar is owned and operated by Forward Hospitality Group, which also has Xmas bars in St. Pete and Cleveland. It will remain open until Jan. 6 when the owners transform it into – get this – a disco bar. Yes, San Diego will have a disco bar. That will open sometime in mid-March.
For now, tho, all I want for Christmas might be you but the Xmas bar is also a fun gift for the holidays Go there and you will not be having a “Blue Christmas.”
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