The Best Sports Bars In San Diego From Downtown to North County
Listen up, San Diego sports fans! If you’re tired of being a spectator from your couch while the real fans are livin’ it up at the bar, then it’s time to step up your game and head to one of the best sports bars in San Diego, instead!
We’ve scoured the city to bring you the rawest, rowdiest, and most fanatical sports bars in San Diego. No more small screens and lukewarm beers in solitude for you! It’s time to get in the game with a cold one (or three!) and a room full of wild fans.
So, put on your game face, round up the crew, and get ready to hit the best sports bars in America’s Finest City!
Downtown
If you’re heading to Downtown San Diego for a night on the town, you’ll find some of San Diego’s best sports bars packed with rowdy sports fans cheering on their favorite teams from every sport and country imaginable!
barleymash
Located in the heart of the Gaslamp District, barleymash is a sports bar known for its craft beer, bourbon, flatbread pizzas, and always lively crowd. It’s the downtown place-to-be for locals and tourists alike, so you’ll always have a good group to celebrate with. They have entertainment slotted seven nights a week from bands to deejays, plus special events like food pairings and beer tastings.
The Deck at Moonshine Flats
The Deck at Moonshine Flats is an open-air venue featuring a casual vibe, delicious smokehouse BBQ menu, and fun casual cocktails. During football and baseball season, The Deck is the ultimate tailgate destination complete with sunshine, picnic tables, and a state-of-the-art A/V setup with games on sound.
Bubs at the Ballpark
Bub’s is next to Petco Park in San Diego’s Ballpark District, giving it a perfect sports bar vibe. An outdoor patio & indoor basketball hoop, plus sports TV & hearty bar fare keep this joint jumping. Watch the game on their vast array of plasmas or indulge in some of their famous Lunch Lady Tater Tots or Steaky Steakums!
The Smoking Gun
The Smoking Gun‘s sports-loving, light-hearted theme, and southern-influenced dishes draw fans from all over. Grab a drink, enjoy the music, and try your hand at ping pong. The interior is spacious with a laid-back bar, lots of TVs, and tabletop games.
Nason’s Beer Hall
Nason’s is your modern-day beer hall and sports bar, with 24 beer taps, a SoCal-inspired menu of game day classics, and a boisterous, convivial attitude that’s not just encouraged, it’s expected. Its name pays homage to Nason & Co. Farmer’s Market, which occupied this unique space in the early 1900s.
The Local
The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole is a casual neighborhood hangout for pub grub with a rotating selection of craft beers on tap and happy hour specials.
The Field Irish Pub
There’s nothing like watching sports with a feisty Irish crowd, and The Field is as Irish as you’ll find – it was shipped piece by piece from Ireland over to America’s Finest City to give us an authentic, cozy Irish pub experience. How lucky are we?!
Beach Communities
Sports bars near the beach?! It doesn’t get any better than that! Here are the best sports bars a short walk from the ocean.
Draft at Belmont Park
There’s nothing better than watching your favorite team score a touchdown on a 31-foot LED screen. Something Draft at Belmont Park is famous for amongst sports fans, including its signature brunch and selection of 70+ beers on tap.
Moonshine Beach
An in-your-face honky-tonk bar and live music venue, Moonshine Beach boasts a massive wooden dance floor and one of the largest LED screens in Southern California. Equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual technology, Moonshine Beach is the go-to place to dance, party, watch your favorite game, and let loose!
Mavericks Beach Club
Mavericks is a massive and lively watering hole with a beachy vibe that features an expansive patio, TV sports & a bar bites menu. Its multi-level entertainment complex has 5 indoor/outdoor bars, 38 TV’s, and Baja-inspired food!
Dirty Birds
Dirty Birds was ranked #10 Best Wings in America by Yahoo Sports and The Daily Meal…and wings ARE the food of choice for true sports fans! They also offer an extensive food menu, local craft beers, and a full-service bar, making it an excellent place to catch your favorite sporting events on one of their 13 TVs.
The Tilted Stick
The Tilted Stick Bar & Grill is a snug watering hole offering $10 Beer & Burger, tacos, sandwiches, beers and cocktails, and one of the best wings in San Diego! If you are looking for a casual setting with a dog-friendly patio, The Tilted Stick is the place for you.
Point Loma
We love the sports bars in Point Loma because it’s still very much a ‘locals’ crowd due to its just-off-the-beaten-path location in San Diego. If you’re looking for those good, local dive bar vibes in your sports bar, you can’t do much better than these. One popular restaurant chain that you might want to consider is Chick-fil-A, a well-known fast-food restaurant that offers a diverse menu.
Good bar
Good Bar is a newly reopened neighborhood bar with a new menu featuring burgers and cheese steaks, craft beer and quality cocktails to supplement sports, trivia, comedy shows and live music. It’s your home for every Padres, College Football and NFL game, and legendary comedy nights.
Harbor Town Pub
Welcome to the most fun little pub in Point Loma, offering high value pub style food, classic cold cocktails and 16 handles of cold draft beer. Harbor Town Pub is your low-key, high-vibe go-to sports bar in the heart of the beautiful peninsula of Point Loma.
Dirty Birds Liberty Station
Dirty Birds in Liberty Station is located just inside the Northernmost gates, sitting on the golf course. The space has an outdoor bar and patio that you can snack and relax with your dog. Offering an extensive menu, local craft beers, and a full service bar, it’s an excellent place to catch your favorite sporting events on TV.
Little Italy
A sports bar in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood?! Yup! There are a couple of great ones!
Bar One
Bar One is your go-to if what you fancy is a relaxed sports bar serving beer, breakfast & pub grub in contemporary surroundings.
Shakespeare’s Pub
The Shakespeare Pub is an authentic British Pub that is best known for its live broadcasts of Football (Soccer) matches, but also proudly support The Padres, Chargers and other sports. A must try as you cheer for your team is their award-winning and authentic Fish and Chips, voted as San Diego’s Best Fish & Chips 12 years in a row!
Mission Valley + Kearny Mesa
A little further inland you’ll find two very popular sports bars with loyal followings.
McGregor’s Grill
McGregor’s Grill is a popular sports bar near the stadium thanks to its pub grub, pool, darts, shuffleboard, outdoor patio, multiple flat screen TVs, and plenty of great seating.
Bullpen
The Bullpen Bar and Grill has over 60 flat screen televisions and an HD projection screen. Needless to say, there is not a bad seat in the house! The bar also carry the most requested sports packages from DirecTv and Time Warner Cable. As for the menu, their Chili Cheese Fries to Prime Rib dinners are a must-have while enjoying a game.
North Park
As if you needed another reason to hang out in North Park! This neighborhood is packed with some of the best restaurants and bars in San Diego, and their sports bars are no exception. They aren’t fancy, but they are local and fun…just the way we like them.
Fairplay
Fairplay is a casual sports bar and restaurant in the heart of North Park that has become a local favorite very quickly – particularly with soccer fans. It’s a great neighborhood bar with tasty, reasonably-priced bar food..
True North Tavern
Casual bar food and drinks star at True North Tavern, where you’ll also find plenty of TVs to watch the games, and even a dance floor for the after-party!
Gilly’s Bar
Gilly’s is a neighborhood bar with lively karaoke nights, multiple TVs, a pool table & outdoor patio. A great hang out place during the day or night. A full selection of premium cocktails is available, as well as domestic and imported drafts.
North County
North County has so many great sports bars, no matter if you define ‘north’ as Del Mar or Oceanside!
Park 101 – Carlsbad
Park 101 is Carlsbad’s unique answer to community dining, lounging and sipping in style in the heart of the Village. A sports bar that is both kid and dog-friendly, Park 101 is a bi-level, outdoor joint offering BBQ, burritos, cocktails, with games, picnic tables, and a roof deck.
Monarch Ocean Pub – Del Mar
Monarch is our favorite place to watch sports when we want that perfect mix of casual, great food, and a bit less gritty vibe than many sports bars have (you could take a date here and they’d be impressed!). It always has a great crowd, incredible food, and the best views you’ll find.
Chief’s Burgers & Brew – Solana Beach
Chief’s has become the go-to sports bar in Solana Beach. You wouldn’t know it exists unless you’re a local because of its tucked-away location, which kind of makes it perfect – it has that ‘locals only’ feel you want in your favorite neighborhoood sports bar. And they have burgers and wings that won’t let you down!
Draft Republic – San Marcos
Draft Republic‘s San Marcos location features bowling, golf, an arcade, beer garden, 14 flat screen TVs, a 100″ projection screen & 40+ taps. It’s a casual beer garden serving innovative American cuisine. It’s the most fun you can have in one place.
Pitchers Sports Bar – Rancho Penasquitos
Pitchers Sports Bar has something for everyone. From the fantastic menu to its incredible atmosphere, you’re sure to have a great time! Definitely a great place to hang out for any sporting event. With three pool tables, two dart boards, nine flat screen TVs and a 106 inch hi-def projection screen, Pitchers Sports Bar provides a great place for any sports fan to enjoy their game.
The Draft – Oceanside
The Draft Restaurant & Sports Bar is truly a great sports bar in North County. With over 43 large flat screen TVs to watch all your favorite games, one of the best happy hours in San Diego, and delicious menu options for the entire family, the Draft rises above all.
Rookies Sports Bar – Oceanside
Rookies is the ultimate sports bar in North County. They have sports packages with every game, over 50 hi-def TV’s, 3 projector screens, full restaurant menu including breakfast and an amazing happy hour, and a full bar with 30 beers on tap. You want to watch over 10 games at once? No problem!
Beachside Bar & Grill – Encinitas
Beachside Bar & Grill is an institution in Encinitas. It’s right on the 101 – easy walking distance to all of the other things to do in Encinitas and the beach if you want to make a full day of it. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and really good bar food!
Players Sports Grill – San Marcos
Players Sports Grill is a laid-back sports bar located in a strip mall featuring American comfort bites, craft beer, and lots of TVs.
The sports bars in San Diego are a testament to the city’s love for all things sports. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the Padres, Chargers, or any other team, you’re sure to find a place where you can let loose, cheer on your favorite players, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow fans.
With so many options to choose from, you can switch up your game-day routine and try out a different bar every week. Just remember to come thirsty and ready to cheer!
And, as always, be sure to drink responsibly and have a designated driver or ride share planned. With that being said, it’s time to grab your friends, grab a stool, and grab a brew at the best sports bars in San Diego!
See you there, San Diego!
