Check Out These Comic-Con Food, Drink, and Party Specials

Lionfish is the kind of spot that holds up whether you’re coming straight from panels or winding down after a long night. Reservations fill fast during Comic-Con week, so book ahead.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 435 Fifth Ave, San Diego
🎟️ Book your table now
ℹ️ Find additional details

barleymash

Gaslamp’s barleymash is going full sci-fi for Comic-Con week, transforming into Area 619 with a themed menu that’s worth the detour from the convention floor.

The cocktail lineup includes:

• The Mothership (Patron Blanco, ube, coconut, and lime, $19)
• Warp Speed (Bacardi, pineapple, orgeat, blue curaçao, and lime, $17)
• Close Encounter (Grey Goose, melon, lime, mint, and melon balls, $18)
• Galactic Buzz (Cazadores Reposado, cold brew, coffee liqueur, and banana cream, $18)

On the food side, the Zoidberg-er is a crab Rangoon-style patty with sweet chili sauce and green onion cream cheese on a brioche bun ($22), while the Drax-A-Roni and Cheese piles ale-braised pork, salsa verde, and Mexican street corn sauce over mac and cheese with tortilla crisps and cotija ($22). Pizza Planet Pockets bring pepperoni pizza empanadas with za sauce ($18), and Experiment 626 sandwiches peanut butter ice cream and strawberry jam between rice crispy treats ($14).

The real flex though is getting into the invite-only Space Smugglers Cantina – DM @barleymashsd for the secret password.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 600 5th Ave., Gaslamp District

The Smoking Gun

The Smoking Gun is leveling up for Comic-Con with extended hours, retro arcade vibes, and a menu packed with playful food and drink specials. They’ll be opening early at noon on Thursday and Friday, making it an easy spot to recharge between convention adventures.

Sip on themed cocktails like the Power Up Punch, Bonus Round Rita, Centi-Bean Martini, Prickly Kong, or the rum-packed Pac-Tai, while digging into arcade-inspired bites including The Final Boss Burger, Level-Up Nachos, Frogger’s Frito Pie, and 8-Bit Fries.

After lunch, we can keep the fun going in the on-site arcade with Pac-Man Battle Royale, air hockey, Skee-Ball, basketball, shuffleboard, table tennis, a photo booth, and more.

📆 Opens at noon on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24, with Comic-Con specials available throughout the weekend
📍 555 Market Street, Gaslamp

The Deck

The Deck at Moonshine Flats is going full Marvel for Comic-Con week with themed décor, 32oz bucket cocktails, and an open-air backyard setup that works whether you have a convention badge or not.

The drink lineup includes the Wanda-melon Magic (Hooch Brothers Vodka, watermelon liqueur, lime juice, and watermelon Red Bull), Captain Moonshine (Ole Smoky Blackberry and White Lightning Moonshine with lemon and lemonade), and the Loki Lit (Captain Morgan Coconut Rum, Cutwater Dark Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and grenadine).

Between rounds, there’s cornhole, giant beer pong, pool, and arcade games to keep things going alongside wings, burgers, wraps, and more.

📆 Wednesday, July 22 – Sunday, July 26
📍 335 6th Ave, San Diego

Cloak & Petal

Comic-Con week calls for themed bites, and MICHELIN Guide-recognized Cloak & Petal is leaning all the way in with a menu inspired by Marvel favorites.

Executive Chef Robert Cassidy has created the Spidey Sense Roll and Deadpool Sashimi, while Bar Director Johnny Perez is serving up three Wolverine-inspired cocktails – the refreshing Shinobi Logan, the smoky Ronin Wolverine, and the bold Berserker Weapon X.

Set against the restaurant’s colorful Japanese street art and vibrant Little Italy atmosphere, it’s an easy stop for fans looking to keep the Comic-Con fun going over lunch, dinner, or happy hour.

📍 Cloak & Petal, 1953 India Street
📆 Comic-Con week | Happy Hour Monday – Friday, 4 PM – 6 PM
🎟️ Make your reservations here
ℹ️ More info here

Union Kitchen & Tap

Before hitting the convention floor on the weekend, Union Kitchen & Tap is running a Pokémon Brunch Buffet with house-made pastries from Molly’s Mission Beach, fresh coffee, and hearty brunch favorites – the ideal power-up before a full day at Comic-Con.

On Saturday, a Cosplay Contest opens to all – anime, superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, whatever you’ve got – with prizes for the best looks of the day.

📆 Brunch: Saturday, July 25 & Sunday, July 26 | Cosplay Contest: Saturday, July 25
📍 333 Fifth Ave, San Diego
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Tajima

Tajima is getting into the Comic-Con spirit with two limited-time specials inspired by iconic anime worlds. At the East Village location, the exclusive Pokémon Sake Flight features three colorful sake pours in red, blue, and green – a fun tribute to the original starter Pokémon.

If ramen is more your speed, the Naruto Ramen is available at all Tajima locations, loaded with egg noodles, pork chashu, a half ramen egg, naruto, green onions, corn, baby bok choy, fried garlic, and sesame seeds. Whether we’re fueling up before the convention or winding down after a day downtown, it’s an easy stop for fans.

📆 Available July 19 – July 26
📍 All locations around San Diego | Pokémon Sake Flight available only at East Village

Romanissimo

Romanissimo is getting into the Comic-Con spirit with Hero’s Happy Hour – four exclusive Comic-Con-inspired cocktails, Italian happy hour favorites, and a Cosplay Rewards experience that actually makes it worth showing up in costume.

Post a photo in costume on Instagram tagging @RomanissimoSD and you’ll score a complimentary Limoncello shot, and the team picks a Best Cosplay of the Day winner for a Romanissimo gift card. Steps from the Convention Center and worth a stop between panels.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 644 Fifth Ave, San Diego

Borrego Rooftop

Nine floors above the Gaslamp, Borrego Rooftop is leaning into Comic-Con week with a Toy Story-inspired cocktail lineup – the Woody (Woodford Reserve), the Bo Peep Spritz, the Mr. Potato Head vodka cocktail, and a Galaxy Quest Herradura Tequila flight.

Specialty dishes round out the menu, with more details to come. Friday and Saturday, the Sunset Sessions live music series kicks off at 6 PM with local musicians setting the tone as the city lights up below.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26 | Live music Fri & Sat from 6 PM
📍 509 Ninth Ave, San Diego

Rustic Root

Rustic Root‘s multi-level rooftop in the Gaslamp is a natural pit stop for Comic-Con week. Spacious indoor and outdoor seating, a stylish rooftop bar, and a menu that covers both brunch and dinner.

On the brunch side, Southern Fried Chicken & Waffles comes with crispy bone-in chicken, Belgian country waffle, bourbon maple syrup, and house-made hot sauce, while the Rustic Breakfast Sliders stack pork sausage, American cheese, and egg on maple pancake buns.

Dinner brings Lobster Pappardelle with oven-roasted tomatoes, spinach, corn, and sherry cream, and a Chicken Pot Pie with thyme velouté and buttermilk biscuit. Playful craft cocktails and character-nodding shots round out the experience.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 535 Fifth Ave, San Diego

Temaki Bar

Temaki Bar in Encinitas is running an anime-inspired lineup of handrolls and cutrolls throughout July that comic fans will want to make the drive up for.

The Battle Beast brings shrimp tempura, albacore, lemon, yuzu aioli, and negi ($12), while the Matt Murdock – a Daredevil-inspired roll – layers spicy tuna, gobo, shiso, and jalapeño inside with krab, spicy mayo, brûléed peaches, and crispy onions on top ($23).

The One Piece stacks blue crab, asparagus, and cucumber inside with beef tataki, uni butter, lemon, and chive ($30), and the Darkseid Darko goes yellowfin tuna, ooba, and tempura-fried negi inside with seared Baja bay scallops, citrus, truffle oil, yuzu, and cilantro on top ($24).

📆 Available throughout July
📍 575 South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas

Greystone Steakhouse

Greystone Steakhouse is keeping it simple and dialed-in for Comic-Con week with the Hero’s Feast – a classic martini, Wagyu smash burger, and caviar fries, all for $20.

For a steakhouse steps from the Convention Center, that’s a deal worth working into the day’s plans. Limited time, so don’t sit on it.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 658 Fifth Ave, San Diego

Patrick’s Pub

Patrick’s Pub has been holding down the Gaslamp since 1933, and Comic-Con week gets the Super Mario Bros. treatment – themed décor, daily happy hour until 8 PM with $5 draft beers, $6 well cocktails, and $6 house wine, plus a free hot dog with your first drink to power up for the night.

A classic Irish pub with a nostalgic twist, right in the middle of all the action.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26 | Happy hour daily until 8 PM
📍 428 F St., San Diego

Lucky’s Lunch Counter

Lucky’s Lunch Counter is going full Pokémon for Comic-Con week with themed décor and specials steps from the Convention Center. Start the day with Machamp’s Mega Burrito – scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, cheddar jack cheese, and hash browns wrapped in a flour tortilla – or grab a quick sandwich on the way to the exhibit hall.

When afternoon hits and the lines have taken their toll, Smoliv’s Pesto Club brings grilled chicken, pesto, mozzarella, onion, tomato, and green leaf lettuce on ciabatta alongside hot plates and fan-favorite comfort food classics. Breakfast through lunch, it’s a reliable pit stop all week long.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 338 7th Avenue, San Diego

LandShark Lunar Landing Bar

Margaritaville Hotel San Diego‘s LandShark Bar & Grill is leaving the beach behind for Comic-Con week, transforming into the LandShark Lunar Landing Bar – an immersive tropical spaceport where island vibes collide with full-on sci-fi energy. Glowing cocktails, celestial décor, atmospheric lighting, interactive photo moments, and live entertainment make it one of the more committed themed experiences in the Gaslamp for Comic-Con week.

Whether you’re rolling in as a cosmic explorer, a bounty hunter, or just someone who needs a drink after a long day on the convention floor, this one’s worth a stop.

📆 Wednesday, July 22 – Sunday, July 26
📍 616 J St, San Diego

Hudson & Nash

Hudson & Nash is unveiling its yearly Comic-Con menu, and this year the hotel’s Pool Club transforms into El Luchador Tacos – a colorful taco destination with themed creations to match the energy of the week.

The lineup includes Deep Sea Dasher battered fish tacos, Crimson Horn flame-grilled Angus steak tacos, Showtime Strut achiote chicken tacos, and Whispering Chile roasted poblano tacos, alongside the Nacho Nova loaded nachos and shareable sides like Maize Maestro Grilled Corn and Sir Munch-A-Lot Chips & Guacamole.

📆 Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
📍 1 Park Blvd, San Diego

The Westgate Hotel

The Westgate Hotel is transforming its Grand Lobby into a superhero-worthy setting for one afternoon during Comic-Con week. Think gourmet tea sandwiches, house-made pastries, signature desserts, premium teas, and a glass of champagne, all set to live harp music.

A themed photo area rounds out the experience, making it one of the more elegant ways to spend a Comic-Con afternoon that doesn’t involve standing in line. Adults are $95 and children are $65.

📆 Tuesday, July 22 | 12 PM – 4 PM
📍 1055 Second Ave, San Diego
🎟️ Book your spot