San Diego Bars Are Open – And Some Nightlife Venues Are Thriving

There Is A Party But COVID-19 Rules Limit The Singles Scene

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com San Diego Blogger

The first impression visiting friends said when getting a look at the bar and restaurant scene in San Diego’s Gaslamp was this: “wow!”

Used to the closed confines of Los Angeles, they marveled at the lively scene along Fifth Ave., and spilling out onto other streets. People were outside with full tables and even lines to get into popular spots such as American Junkie, Barleymash, Tipsy Crow and Whiskey Girl.

So yes, bars in San Diego are open and even some are thriving, at least to the degree a bar can be thriving in this COVID-19 era.

There are even football fans going to bars on Saturdays and Sundays to watch their favorite teams as the NFL and college games are back on the air.

The bars and restaurant-bars have taken over sidewalks, streets and even alleys to put out tables, some expanding into vacant areas no longer occupied by places that have either closed or have yet to re-open due to the pandemic.

There is even indoor seating, as long as the venue limits capacity (currently at 25%). In fact, one recent Saturday night, I sat with two friends at the upstairs of Tipsy Crow and had some friendly conversations with the two bartenders on duty that night.

It was interesting – and nice – to be able to have this cordial back-and-forth chat with the people making and serving us drinks.

Now to be sure, San Diego is not back up to its full party and nightlife glory it was before COVID. The nightclubs are not open, live music is rare (bands are all but banned) and some favorite spots are closed, such as the “Alice In Wonderland” bar Vin Sirah and Trailer Park After Dark.

With a limited number of people allowed and the requirement that everyone must be seated can make it tough if not impossible to get into a place, so PubClub.com recommends being flexible and taking what you can get at the moment. With bars closing between 9 and 11 p.m., (this varies by venue and you must be seated by 10) this adds to the challenge of having a big night of nightlife.

You do have to wear a mask when going up to a place to get a seat and while moving around, but are not required to wear it while seated.