By Kevin Wilkerson, San Diego Blogger
Just because it’s rolling into the holiday season doesn’t mean it’s time to roll up the fun. There’s a lot of it to be had all around San Diego. There’s all cool stuff happening around town and at our bars and restaurants. Here’s a rundown of everything, including a special feature on where to take advantage of Daylight Savings Time by combining it with sunset Happy Hours!
Best Places In San Diego For Daylight Savings Time Sunet Happy Hours
Yeah, it blows that it gets dark by 5. But hey, think positive because when it’s 5 0’clock here that means we can get some great sunset views at Happy Hour prices. Here’s a few of my favorite places to watch the sunset during Happy Hour in San Diego during Daylight Savings Time:
• South Beach Bar & Grill, Ocean Beach. If you can get a seat on the balcony, you’ve got it made here. The view is right over the surf and OB Pier. My favorite here is a really good Mai Tai that’s only 7 bucks during Happy Hour (M-F until 6). The beers and house wines are only a buck off the regular price but you can get a margarita, a shot of good tequila or a Mule and a couple of other drinks for $8. Appetizers are half price and there are also also other specials for food and drinks on different days of the week which are too numerous to list here.
• Holding Company, OB. Across the street, you can watch the sunset from its third-floor rooftop. Here’s its Happy Hour specials: 1/2 off select drafts, $7 beer & shot, $4 well drinks, $3 shots of Tully or Skrewball, 1/2 off most spirits, $15 Off Towers, 30% off entire food menu.
• Bali Hai, Shelter Island. Who doesn’t love the Bali Hai with its great Mai Tais!? Heck they are only $12 regular price and there’s a discount on pupus (appetizers) tho need to go back to get the exact prices. M-F 3-5 and there’s live music, too. The view is from the back of the bar, tho you can see the sunset.
• Portside Pier, Downtown Bayfront. Here, you have Miguel’s and Brigantine with Happy Hours at each running from 2-7 every day except Saturday, which means you can get a margarita for $7. Under the glass dome, Dockside has replaced Ketch; don’t know (yet) if has a Happy Hour.
• Baja Beach Cafe, Pacific Beach. All regular priced drinks are 2-for-1 Monday- Friday 4-7 p.m. If memory serves me correct (and there’s no guaranteeing that after a couple drinks at this place!), a large margarita is $10 or $12. And you get two. I’m a bit unsure about the seating policy on the deck. I’ve been there with just a drink for Happy Hour but have also been told you need to have food to be there, tho I think it really depends on how busy they are at the time. If that fails, go to the small bar in the back and lean on the railing, which has a limited view of the beach and the sunset.
San Diego November & Holiday Events
• San Diego Beer Week is Nov. 7-16.
• The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival, the highlight even being the Grand Tasting on the Embarcadero, is Nov. 7-9. Once a full week of events, it’s now down to three days. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are not at all cheap: $215.
• The East Village Tree Lighting & Holiday Market is back. It takes place on Sunday, November 30th, from 4-6 p.m., at the new and expanded location of Faultline Park at 14th & 15th streets between Island & J. It features live entertainment, food and drinks in a curated holiday market by Las Jefas Market. Santa will be there, too. The traditional tree lighting ceremony is at 6:45 p.m.
“There is something truly magical about turning our beloved neighborhood into an unforgettable holiday experience,” said Dominic Li Mandri, District Manager of East Village Association. “This year, we’re especially excited to bring the celebration to Faultline Park, a vibrant space that allows us to grow the event and welcome even more of the community. We cannot wait to see everyone at the East Village Tree Lighting & Holiday Market!”
• The Liberty Station Tree Lighting is Friday, Nov. 28 from 5-9 p.m. Taking placein the North Promenade and Vesper Venue it has, among other things, live entertainment.
National Happy Hour Day In San Diego
Here’s something to get you off your hump and out for Hump Day. National Happy Hour Day is Wed., Nov. 12 and several San Diego bars and restaurants are offering specials.
Havana 1920 has an all-day celebration beginning at 11 a.m. Its Havana 1920 Daiquiri and Havana 1920 Mojito are $7.50 and pitchers of Caribbean Sangria, Hotel Nacional and Cuba Libre are $31 (the regular price is $38).The food menu has its croquetas for $2; papas rellenas for $3 and empanadas for $4.
Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails is extending its Happy Hour from 6 to 7 p.m.. Draft beer is $2 off the regular price, bottles of Modelo and Modelo Negra and glasses of wine are for $5 and carne asada tacos and crispy fish tacos are $5.
The Happy Hour at El Chingón is from 2-6 with a house margarita and tequila of the month for $6 each; shots of Patrón, for $8 and $7 off any Bad Ass cocktail.
And while not having any extended or all-day Happy Hours for National Happy Hour Day, here’s a few more places to consider. Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine has wine and beer for $8, craft cocktails for $10 and appetizers for $8 from 5-6 p.m. In Little Italy, Bencotto has Aperol Spritz and other cocktials for $8, a selection of Italian wines for $9 and small plates for $9, including its rispy Parmigiano risotto balls with Bolognese meat sauce (3-5:30). Also in Little Italy, Monello has a very long Happy Hour starting at 11:30 a.m., and going all the way until 5 p.m. Cocktials are $9 and various Italian-inspired bites are $8-14, including Raspadura which are thin slices of Lodigiano cheese served with homemade bread for $8.
San Diego Bar & Restaurant Happenings
Speaking of Happy Hours, Lionfish now has evening Happy Hours on weekends. It goes 9-10 p.m., every Friday and Saturday (beginning Friday, Nov. 7). The .394 Pale Ale is $6, wines by the glass are $8 and select cocktails are $10 (Elyx Mule, made with Absolut Elyx vodka, lime juice and Remix Mischievous Mule; and the Smoky Margarita with Casamigos Blanco tequila, 400 Conejos reposado mezcal, lime juice and agave). Hot and cold plates are $9.
• Rustic Root in the Gaslamp Quarter is having a Roarin’ 20s party on Thursday, Nov. 13. It features à la carte dining, bourbon & whiskey tastings, and optional tableside martini service. Reservations recommended.
• Aero Club is closed the first few weeks of November for “a few more bolts tightening,” it posted on Instagram. The big-time whiskey bar (1,200 labels) which dates to 1947, is “getting a little love behind the bar – we’ll be back open November 26th and better than ever.”
• Clicquot in the Clouds, an elegant Veuve Clicquot lounge (a famous French champagne house) on the 32nd floor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt’s Seaport Tower is now open to the public. This normally private venue has sweeping views of the San Diego skyline and bay. How elegant, you ask? it has Dom Pérignon by the glass. Its cocktail program has creative creations such as the Bad & Boujee and the Wagyu Smoked Old Fashioned, paired with refined bites including Sanctuary Oysters and Grass-Fed Beef Sliders with Truffle Parmesan Frites. It is open Fridays through Sundays from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and daily from Christmas Day through New Year’s Eve (closed December 12–14). Hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., with the kitchen closing at 10 p.m.
On New Year’s Eve, Clicquot in the Clouds is is open with a music by a DJ.
• Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails in East Village’s Indigo hotel has a new Happy Hour, daily from 4-6 p.m. Considering sunset is now at 5 with Daylight Savings Time, you can get in a nice view with these specials. It has $2 off all draft beer and wine, which consists of a rotating selection of local tap and bottles of Modelo and Negra Modelo for $5. For food, the following two tacos are $5: carne asada with onion, cilantro and roasted green salsa; and blackened grilled fish topped with mango slaw and avocado.
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Duck Dive in PB is having a Friends trivia night. It starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are required and can be purchased here ($7.18 with all the fees). You must call to make reservations to sit together after tickets are purchased (858) 273-3825).
On the same day, Temaki Bar: Handroll, Sushi, Sake in Encinitas is having – are you ready for this – an all-you-can-drink package for $50. Featuring well spirits, beer and wine, it goes from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. You can pair their pours with Temaki’s craveable rolls, including the Caterpillar Roll with Krab, eel, cucumber, avocado, eel sauce and goma, priced at $15; the Super Ninja Bunny with blue crab, toro, bubu arare, chives, brown butter aioli, caviar and truffle oil, priced at $25; and the West Coast Philly with salmon, cucumber, everything spice and vegan cream cheese, priced at $12; along with monthly rotating specials and handrolls.
Not all the restaurants in Little Italy are Italian. And now, in true San Diego style, it’s has a place for tacos, too, as Taco Centro has opened a location there. It’s an open-air place on the corner of at Kettner & Ivy.
“I have lived in Little Italy for the last seven years, and it has been my dream for quite some time to open a taqueria here,” said founding partner Adrian Gutierrez. “I have always loved this neighborhood, and I am grateful that the success of the first Taco Centro allowed me to pursue this second location. I am excited and humbled to bring all the Mexican favorites to the residents and visitors of bustling Little Italy.”
Thanksgiving In San Diego
There are themed pub crawls and restaurants and bars have turkey dinners for those who can’t go home to spend the weekend with their family. Sports bars are also buzzing as it’s Rivalry Week in college football (Alabama-Auburn, Michigan-Ohio State, just to name two) and Sunday it’s the NFL. Here are some highlights of Thanksgiving meals at San Diego bars & restaurants.
In the Gaslamp Quarter, The Smoking Gun has a Smoking Gun Thanksgiving Plate with house-smoked turkey breast, garlic-mashed potatoes, cheesy Brussel sprouts, stuffing and gravy, and habanero-cranberry sauce. Around the corner, barleymash has a three-course meal created by CHOPPED Champion Kevin Templeton and Sous Chef Rose Lane. The first course includes a choice of house salad, Caesar salad, or French Onion Soup. Second course is Andouille Stuffed Turkey Roulade with Wild Turkey brown-butter gravy, mashed potatoes, artisan stuffing, corn pudding, farmhouse veggies and cranberry slaw. And for dessert, your choice of Dutch Crumb Apple Pie or Pumpkin Sticky Pudding with toffee sauce and pepita brittle crumble. The price is $56.95. Barleymash will also be offering a Gobble Til You Wobble Sando ($21), with roasted turkey, artisanal stuffing, ale aioli, habanero cranberry sauce, arugula, and tomato on sour dough, with fries, for $21.
Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine has a Friendsgiving Feast, available from 5-9 on both Wednesday and Thursday. For $45, you get a bucket of crispy deep-fried turkey, Boursin mashed potatoes, truffle macaroni and cheese and buttermilk biscuits. Exclusively on Wednesday it has $5 shots.
In Pacific Beach, Duck Dive has a traditional Turkey Dinner that includes all the classics: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, for $43. Those looking for something different can enjoy the Prime Rib Dinner ($52), with prime rib and horseradish cream, accompanied by mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and pumpkin pie. Duck Dive will also feature a selection of fall-inspired cocktails and is hosting a Canned Food Drive on Thanksgiving, collecting unexpired and clearly labeled items to donate to a local food pantry. Duck Dive opens at 10 a.m, with food being served starting at 11 a.m.
In Mission Beach, Sandbar has one of – if not the – least expensive deals of any place in San Diego. It’s Traditional Thanksgiving Plate is $15, and it’s available all day starting at 9 a.m., It’s also available for takeout. A few blocks down the beach, Miss B’s Coconut Club – home of San Diego September Bartender of the Month Cute Kate – is adding Chef Troy’s Thanksgiving Plate to the menu featuring Dominican-style turkey smothered with Jamaican gravy, Cuban-style ham, Caribbean cranberry sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, curried cream corn, and Haitian-style cornbread. The massive plate goes for $28 and is available from 9:30 a.m., until it run out and oh, there are also $6 beer and rum specials. The Miss B’s blonde beer and it’s own rum are both very good.
On Coronado, Serẽa Coastal Cuisine at the Hotel del has the following Thanksgiving Day treats, running from 5-9: stracciatella cheese and preserved pear salad with frisée, pumpkin spice walnuts and lemon vinaigrette, priced at $28; roasted turkey paired with crab macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, creamy horta and turkey gravy, priced at $48; and bone-in braised short rib, served with smoked Gouda polenta, beef au jus, Aleppo crispy asparagus and microgreens, priced at $75. Those with a sweet tooth can cap off the meal with brown butter pecan pie, featuring an all-butter crust topped with orange whip and shaved orange zest, priced at $22.
Belmont Park Black Friday Deals
Belmont Park turned 100 in July and it’s not just for kids. And here’s two great incentives to check it out with these Black Friday deals:
• Black Friday / Cyber Monday Deal. From November 24-December 1, guests can snag a 2026 Belmont Park Season Pass for only $100, unlocking unlimited fun at San Diego’s historic seaside amusement park. Purchase here.
• Giving Tuesday: Gaming for Good at Belmont. Every Tuesday in December, guests who donate two canned goods at the park’s arcade will receive a FREE $5 Game Card (valued at $10 if used the same day during Half-Off Arcade Tuesdays).
Meet Natalie, PubClub.com’s San Diego Bartender of the Month!
Behind the bar at 710 Beach Club in Pacfic Beach is the very lively Natalie, who is PubClub.com’s San Diego Bartender of the Month for November!
From the tiny town of Issaquah, Washington (the corporate home of Costco) outside of Seattle, Natalie displays a playful energy that makes everyone on both sides of the bar smile and laugh. She might break out into a dance when getting a beer or seltzer out of the cooler, play around with the ski shot ski that’s hanging above the bar or add some type of funky flair when handing a drink to a customer. She’s always interacting with people, which helps give 710 a beach-loose party vibe. She is the roommate of past Bartender of the Month Cute Kate and she does crazy things there such as putting a skeleton in a doorway to keep Kate on her toes.
“I just like to laugh,” she said in a soft, high-pitched voice that is as sweet as the bar’s Mission Beach Mai Tai. “Work is hard enough, you might as well smile.”
And smile she does, and that spills over to the patrons. Natalie’s personality almost quite literally leaps out from behind the bar and you can’t help but get caught up in it. 710 is a laid-back beach bar for sure, and Natalie helps to keep it that way.
“This is who I am,” she says somewhat sheepishly.
As for the key ingredients that makes for being a great bartender, she listed the following: “have fun, speed, accuracy and being personable.”
But there’s more to her that meets the customer. She is also a gifted self-portrait photographer and you can see her work on her Instagram account.
Natalie can be found at 710 Beach Club on Sunday mornings and afternoons, Wednesday nights, Saturday days and somtimes on Thursdays and Fridays. You can read more about her in this full Bartender of the Month feature article.
Name: Natalie Kralicek
Occupation: Bartender
Bar/Restaurant: 710 Beach Club, Pacific Beach
Hometown: Seattle, WA Area
How Long Have You Been In San Diego? 3 years
Personality: “Fun. Funny. Creative.”
Favorite Drink To Make: A shot of tequila. Sshe makes a “Natalie special” tequila shot that’s awesome!
Favorite Drink To, Well, Drink: A shot of tequila and wine.
Things You Like To Do When Not Bartending: Photography.
Available For Hire For Private Parties & Events? “Yes I am. I thought you would never ask!,” she said with her characteristic laugh.
Instagram: @natalicek
TikTok: @natalbear
This story was written by a human with no assistance from AI or ChatGTP.
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