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Side Bar
Categories: Nightlife Bars Lounges Nightlife Dance Clubs Restaurants American (New) Lounges, Dance Clubs, American (New) [Edit]
536 Market St(between Columbia St & 5th Ave)
San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhoods: Gaslamp, East Village
(619) 696-0946
- Hours:
Mon 9 am - 5 pm
Wed-Sat 7 pm - 2 am
Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ages Allowed:
- 21+
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
148 reviews for Side Bar
Review Highlights
"It's Industry Night and Noelle W."
(in 10 reviews)
"...cage shaped DJ booth that go go dancers sway and writhe on..."
(in 7 reviews)
"S, Ciro's pizza is an amazing way to end the night."
(in 4 reviews)
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148 reviews in English
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Review from Warren C.
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Divey kinda bar that wants to be a club. It's not very big inside either, and people are trying to dance pretty much in every possible space. Drinks are average price, and birthday groups seem to occupy most of the tables.
My cover was only $10, not sure when it's $20 like some other Yelpers say. In fact, this almost makes Stingaree seem like a deal if it's only $20 cover there as well. At least I would be paying for the space to dance in. -
Review from F-eezzzyyy N.
San Diego, CA
12/14/2011
Wait time to get in was short. We knew someone so all the girls got open bar and the guys in free.
Music was AWESOME. We went on a friday night. DJ was sick.
Bathroom was super small but it was clean
it was super packed, i dunno if its because it was the day after thanksgiving or whatever but it was packed. Not too much room for standing. I didnt really hit up the dance floor.
I had fun but it was too packed for me.Also a lot of SNOBS. -
Review from Archie A.
Coronado, CA
11/11/2011
My reason why I will return to the Side Bar.
Wait in line without guest list: Less than 15 minutes before 11
Hostess - Kind
Cost - Not so great 20 bills pre-person
Security - Not Rude and professional
Bar staff and Drinks - Kind, fast, and expensive
Bath Room and Attended - Clean and courtesy
Entertainment - Hot Go-Go Dancers and Bird Cages on Fire, Crazy!
Dj - House and Hip-Hop
Dance Room - Shuffle all day long and not hit anyone
All in all great experience = 4 stars -
Review from Blanche R.
San Diego, CA
1/17/2012
I'm not really sure what all the hype is about this place. The only way to get in is if you know someone who works there. I tried to go once before with a friend and neither of us knew anyone, so come 1am (on a Wednesday night!) we were still waiting outside and the bouncer told us we basically had no hope of getting in. Since then I have been back a few times with friends that were able to get me in, but it really is just another nightclub. It's nice inside and of course you have good looking people serving you drinks, but there isn't much space to move around or dance. Basically I have had fun here but I'm not in any hurry to get back.
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Review from Ace M.
San Diego, CA
10/17/2011
I think the rating describes it perfectly:
'Eek! Methinks not.' -
Review from Jackie M.
San Francisco, CA
12/15/2011
For the two nights I was in San Diego partying it up, I found myself at Side Bar at some point in the night. Side Bar is def a good time no matter what. I heard its even poppin on Sunday nights! Anyways my girlfriends and I on Friday night came to Side Bar as our first stop and on Saturday Side Bar was our last stop. The decor is pretty, it's dark, and the music is good. It's more of a lounge than a club so there's not a lot of room to dance, but who cares? Make room! haha. Anyways I really like it here and I prob. will find myself coming here again
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Review from Sharon V.
8/16/2011
I don't get downtown to party much these days for many reasons but this past weekend, a friend of mine had a fundraiser here so a group of us made the trip out.
Aside from the whole parking situation, we had a blast partying it up in here. We arrived at 9:30pm which is early in terms of going out. The place was not packed but this soon changed. There are two sides to this joint and both are pretty tight quarters. When the place is packed and you have people partying it up on the dance floor, it can be a bit difficult to navigate towards the bar or the bathrooms without getting in the middle of someone busting a move.
The ladies tending bar were pretty hot and made great drinks. Not watered down at all but they are pretty pricey. Vodka and cranberry - $13! Yikes! Loved the half naked ladies dancing on the bar. Great dancers and loved to see the married men in our group trying not to look with their wives by their side. LoL
I'd definitely hit this bar up again in the future...well, after recovering from this outing. I'm getting too old to stay out until the wee hours of the morning. Takes much longer to recover. Definitely worth coming out to support a great cause.
Training for a cure: http://pages.teamintra... -
Review from Alysha M.
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I live in San Francisco & I thought Side Bar was a nice lounge with good music. There was not much of a dance floor (just the bar area) & it does get crowded.
I can't comment on cover or drink pricing because the party I was with got bottle service. Our cocktail server was really attentive & customer service was good. I would go back! -
Review from Mireya V.
8/16/2011
We were supposed to go here after dinner at Searsucker for a birthday party but never made it in.
Yes, we were on the list but we showed up a minute after the birthday girl and the bouncers gave us the hardest time. One of the bouncers acknowledged that we were on the list but he was going to "check and see" if he could get us in. What the hell is the point of being on a list then? So we can BEG for you to let us in? Yeah, like THAT'S going to happen.
The bouncer never got back to us. Instead, he allowed his mustache-sporting-beefed-up hipster friends to go in. The bouncer was too busy fist-pounding his homies to give us an answer. I swear, the bouncers here are made up of guys that never got into fraternities and they are trying to relive their college party days. Sprinkle a dash of Napoleon syndrome and you have yourself the perfect disaster.
Needless to say, we left as we didn't feel like playing games.
+1 star for the $3 parking across the street. -
Review from Tinie T.
Encinitas, CA
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like all the boobs everywhere. They have artsy topless paintings on the walls, and artsy topless photography on the TV display screens above the bar. They're uber mesmerizing. I was totally ENTRANCED, and it was so hard to have conversations with people when my eyes would keep drifting back to the screens to see what boobies were up next.
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Review from Russell Z.
Del Mar, CA
9/26/2011
Last time I went with a friend, it was $20 to get in. The appeal of the place marked by big basslines and people dancing in the dark with few lights was enough to hold back my surprise that the cover was over $10 for a really small sized club.
The minute I got in, I knew this would be a mix of fun and bloody stupidity.
People here are fun. Dance and meet new people. Looks like there was bottle service at the tables. Bartenders know their stuff.
But the drinks couldn't hide the average (read, bad) music selection. Sure, hearing "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" by Skrillex is nice the first time, but not when you hear it almost 10 times in 2 hours. Then you start to hear average music from the top 40 charts, and then... classic rock stuff mixed to club-style? This is why I don't club in San Diego anymore...
This place is way too crowded. We're talking serious fire hazard, people. At one point, people were falling into each other. Ok, it's funny to watch. But it wouldn't be funny if a fire went off and people ended up trampling over each other trying to get out, which they wouldn't, because a club full of drunk people trying to get out through 3 tiny cramped doors around the establishment just isn't going to turn out well.
But hey, I guess the crowdedness is what really fueled the whole sensual reality to start my night off, but you can't get over that there's just too many people here.
Oh yeah, parking's a pain, even on Sunday. Good luck.
Not going back. This place is average, and if you're average, then go, but if you want better, find better, because there is better. -
Review from Svetlana V.
San Diego, CA
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Conveniently located on Market St.
It has 2 large bars, a lot of couches and dance floor area. It is easy and convenient to do birthday party celebrations here.
I loved their erotic black & white pictures of girls periodically shown on their large screen throughout the club.
I absolutely did not like the music. So, I do not look forward to coming back there. -
Review from Eric S.
San Diego, CA
5/26/2011
What a shady place.
The five of us arrive at 9:30 on a Wednesday (yes, seriously, Wednesday) night. Three hot ladies, and two dudes, dressed nicely.
As I look at the line, I can tell that they're charging a cover, which is just plain silly. It's not even ten fucking o'clock, on a WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
My wife asks the chick at the front, "Is there a cover?" She doesn't even look at her, and says, "Ten dollars." What the best part is, she says this as SHE IS HANDING OUT FREE PASSES to some skanky looking broads in front of us.
When we get to the front, she asks the male bouncer if there's a cover. He says, "If it's just you three ladies, I'll get you in, no cover." She tells him there are two gentlemen as well, and sighs loudly. "Yeah okay, but they still have to pay cover."
Okay, all bar/club/restaurant owners, please listen to me. If I am Downtown, it's because I am going to drop some cash. Between the five of us, we're spending a couple hundred bucks, easily. Why would you charge me money to come in to your crowded ass, hot club? DO YOU HATE MAKING MONEY?
This place is on Bar Dynamite status for me. You're basically charging me money, so I can come inside your establishment and spend more money.
We all went to Prohibition, where we had amazing drinks, and paid no cover. -
Review from Shaina B.
Updated - 8/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So apparently during the summer months this is the "after party" for Intervention or whichever one it's called at The Hard Rock.
It definitely gets packed Sunday about 5pm. What a bunch of annoying people. I need to either travel back in time because I'm getting old and can't tolerate drunk college kids or I need to start drinking more so I can be just as sloppy and oblivious as the rest of them.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2011
If you like douchebags and short guys, you should come here! But that's pretty much most guys that… Read more »
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Review from Dimitri K.
Buena Park, CA
7/19/2011
Guys, go there on Sunday afternoons this summer, and you will not be disappointed!
I don't wanted to ruin the surprise .....
Four stars for:
* nudge
* nudge
* wink
* wink -
Review from Charlton Y.
San Diego, CA
4/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
As a dude, paying cover is the norm, but if you should get so lucky as to happen upon a nice place and cover is "only" $10, then you've already had a good night.
Had no problems with the bouncer, drinks are the standard pricing, expensive, and the decor and entertainment are nice. There's a birdcage for the dj with dancers climbing all over it. The place itself is rather small, but it provides for a cozier, more relaxed club atmosphere (if thats possible) Bartenders are friendly and hot too! -
Review from Brenna P.
5/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Overrated, expensive, and snoody. All these words essentially sum up Side Bar. If you're looking to get roofied, felt up, or possibly taken advantage of, I assume this would be your type of place. The atmosphere is quite nice, as were the hot, scantily clad bartenders. Unfortunately, the people in this place don't make all the other aforementioned benefits worth a visit.
Being in San Diego, with your girlfriend, you'd likely expect that people would get it and at least not bother you after you tell them you are there with your girlfriend. Well, this is the type of meat market where that only encourages people once they hear you are with your girlfriend. Ick. -
Review from Steven M.
5/18/2011
Another Saturday night - another club. Went here after hanging at our usual spot at Stingaree. Side Bar is of the same family as Sting and we thought we'd keep the business in the family and do our second bottle here.
The club was small but the music was great, different than Sting and the service was equally as terrific. Hands down to the ownership and management of these two places, they really know how to hire the right people. No attitude, smiles at the door, smiles from the VIP staff and dead on service from some very nice young ladies (yes you Jamie and Jenny) and of course thanks to Eric "Worm" for making the table happen.
Also, I'd like to add that the security was spot on. Nice guy (whose name I did not get) kept wanna be's out of our table area and away from the $350.00 bottle of Absolute and walked the ladies to the rest room, waited for them and escorted them back. Where do you get that kind of service at?
Hats off to these guys all the way. Great place to party with friends in a small group.
Have fun!!! -
Review from Raechel L.
San Diego, CA
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Maybe pretentious and upscale bars where couches are placed in the middle of the bar just aren't my thing, but if it is...go to Sidebar. It's not a bad place to be if you are looking for girls that are dressed to the T and are ready to mingle. The men there are also of the same caliber...I love the staff there, as I used to work across the street from them. It's the establishment that just doesn't do it for me.
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Review from mandi d.
San Diego, CA
2/22/2011 ROTD 12/15/2011
I love me some side beezy. The crowd is nominally attractive, and the staff is both aesthetically palatable (my non-creepy way of saying hot) as well as pleasant.
Again, as a female I'm sure this review has a slight tilt. I'm not sure what the cover policy is, but I've been ushered in for free, boozed up for free, and been the victim of whiskey fueled banter about what it's like to be a CPA for free.
The venue has birdcage hipster decor with some bordello accents, so me likes very much. It looks like the kind of place Twilight vampires would lounge in, if that helps any. I know that raised some half-chubs...
Side bar is also extremely versatile, its a great place to kick off the night, end the night, or for those without nightclub A.D.D, stay all night.
**Bonus, Ciro's pizza is literally next door. So you if you walk your drunk ass over 15 steps, you can cry into your folded slice of pepperoni pizza while you text your ex-boyfriend.Listed in: Skank Diego Nightlife and…
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Review from Becca K.
San Diego, CA
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
FUN TIMES here! a bit small but if you go with a group of friends (preferrably girls, you'll get more free drinks! can i get an AMEN?!) its super fun! great dancing and great music to go along with it. I know a few of the bar tenders but they are super nice to everyone and never jip you on your drinks, they keep the al-co-hol flowin'!!
great place to go after the other clubs get boring :)Listed in: Out on the TOWN!
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Review from E G.
San Diego, CA
11/1/2011
I think if you're a guy it really matters if you like this place or not.... cause they have gogo dancers....so ladies don't bring your boyfriend if you're the jealous type.
The music was your standard, they come in and out with sparklers to keep it festive. Everyone was pretty much dressed nice. anyway, depends on who you go with and this place is definitely for groups. -
Review from alex c.
San Diego, CA
8/25/2011
I've been to sidebar on multiple occasions. On the positive side, on Wednesday, industry night at sidebar seems to be the best party in the gaslamp. However, I'm not sure this makes up for the charlie foxtrot that sidebar is over the weekend. Nor does it make up for the inexorable deterioration in the crowd that I've noticed for the duration that sidebar has been open. It's got all the typical gaslamp amenities- ie long lines, table service on weekdays and gogo dancers who seem to be provided with uppers during their breaks. C'est la vie.
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Review from Jonathan H.
San Diego, CA
12/29/2010 31 Check-ins Here
It's the eve of Thanksgiving and a 3 foot tall man dressed like a bird or a jester or a unicorn or some other fantasy creature stands on the edge of the bar, rears his head back, and unleashes a shrill cackle as he begins pouring bottles of Jameson and Ketel One into our mouths. Later, we toast champagne and drink shots that taste like turkey with stuffing and pumpkin pie.
It's the eve of Christmas Eve and some players from the Chargers are in the VIP. They're probably celebrating the fact that trying is what counts, not winning, or training, or training to win. They've got private security and one of the goons weighs about 350 pounds, sweats like he's Pamela Anderson at a spelling bee, and frowns at me like I took his candy. He pushes me into a poor, innocent, drunk-texting man, and the man falls on the ground, his gaze still locked onto the tiny keyboard of his bootycall device even as he lays supine upon the sticky floor.
It's Industry Night and Noelle W. is guest bar tending. She does a great job mixing drinks and pouring shots, smiling the whole time. Her cheer turns to dismay when she witnesses a now-ex-girlfriend and I get into an argument over the girl's -- how shall I say it -- promiscuous tendencies? The girl throws her purse at the wall, for reasons I still don't understand, commencing to curse me out in a purposely attention-getting manner. She storms outside and I turn to Noelle and mouth "sorry!" above the din as I chase the girl outside, with her purse in my hand. She clings to the metal fence screaming, "Do you want to hit me again, like you always do?" as police mingle nearby.*
It's a Thursday night and a particularly inflammatory (in more ways than one) ex-girlfriend is usually at Bar West so it's safe for me to go to Side Bar. Not tonight. My friend and I walk in and see her and her BFFL (that means best friend for life) at the table directly in front of the entrance. She looks away, pretending not to notice me. I talk to her BFFL for a bit while my friend schmoozes with the "lady." She attempts to "dance sexy baby" (her words) while telling him a story about losing her top at the beach and then tries to give him her number. Classy.
It's a Wednesday night and we have bottle service near the DJ booth. The music is a little off tonight but the crowd is friendly and Sheri our cocktail server does a great job keeping up with our endless thirst. We order a second decanter of vodka and the VIP manager gives us a discount on it. We trickle out around 1:30 a.m. and don't end up leaving the street until 4:30 a.m. That's a story for another time.
* Note: I never hit her.Listed in: San Diego after sunset
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Review from Sal A.
Riverside, CA
10/2/2011
Good place to hang out. I liked Friday night more than Saturday since I actually was able to dance. It's too packed on Saturdays!! Not really a fan of the go-go almost naked girls having dance orgy!!! But I guess thats how you get the boys in!! Dj was ok. I can't help but compare these guys to the better night life of Sin City and LA!!
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Review from Brittany M.
Murrieta, CA
8/7/2011
Went here last night with my girls for the first time... really lame. Maybe it's because I don't drink .. no wait it was lame because it's the same typical shitty college crowd... won't be back here.
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Review from Joey M.
12/6/2010
Noting Special
Went to Sidebar on a Friday night. Here are my complaints;
-No designated dance floor
-Over priced drinks
-Bad DJ
-Strange crowd
Seemed like they had a ton of old dudes who would just stare at young girls the whole night. Advice to old creepy dudes, STOP! Its gross/sad when you stare at women that could be the same age as you're daughter. Ok end of rant
I do have to say the place looked really cool, and the staff seemed real nice. -
Review from Jaime L.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Unlike the other reviewers, the problem wasn't getting in, it was staying in.
The space is small. I mean really small. Too small for me as I don't like my personal space interrupted with pushing and tugging.
I pushed my way up to the bar and ordered a skinny girl margarita ($12) What I got was a shot of tequila in a martini glass. Hmm, to strong for me to drink, but my nerves were shot from the mayhem around me, so I went with it.
Next thing I know, my cousin fell flat faced on the ground and I was pulling her up we got bounced. Literally.
Guess they don't tolerate drunkies in bars anymore. interesting.
Bottom line, too small of a space for that many people. Cool crimson vibe. -
Review from Kiki N.
10/14/2010 ROTD 1/14/2011
Cozy, intimate, seductive crimson setting with attractive bartenders, go-go dancers and patrons.
I have never seen a Wednesday night anywhere (except maybe Vegas) as poppin' off as this place. I almost forgot it was a weeknight and continued my alcohol consumption late into the night. But geez, drinks are super expensive!!
1 vodka redbull + 1 vodka soda = $28??! Really?? For a small club/lounge, that is ridiculous!!
And they were charging $10 cover! Luckily, we were on the glist so we were fine.
Typical hip hop/dance music. Mixed crowd. Fun experience overall. I would come back, but definitely pre-gaming it!Listed in: ROTD's
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Review from Marcus K.
Palo Alto, CA
9/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars. The venue was dark, modern, yet mysterious and sensual. Line gets really long after 11 so get there early if you want to get in. Bird cages were a interesting addition to the decor. Couches in the front, in the front of the main bar has hidden storage for personal items at the top of the seat backs. Music wasn't really that good, but there's a fairly decent sized dance floor. Had bottle service, so can't comment on the quality of the bartenders, but the hostesses were very helpful in tending to our drinks at the table.
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Review from Dan N.
10/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Hott girls, great music, expensive drinks, I felt like I was in LA or Vegas!
I went here on a wednesday night thinking it would be low key and chill but it was wild! The place was packed, music was good, beautiful girls all around. You can't really ask for much more on a wednesday night.
The decor is really cool with naked pictures of girls hanging on the wall and bird cages hanging from the ceiling it reminded me of being in a weird dream.
The bartenders and dancers there are ridiculously sexy.
Music was great, a mix of everything good.
The place isn't that big but it was a nice cozy feel too it. And you don't have to spend forever looking for your group if you get separated.
2 draw backs I see here,
1) they charge cover but you can get around that if you guestlist and arrive before 10.
2) their drinks are super expensive! $12 to $14 for well drinks! that's twice as much as any other place in the gaslamp!. Pretty ridiculous I think. I expect to pay that much in LA or Vegas but not in SD.
So I would definitely recommend this place BUT only if you guestlist and get there early enough AND don't waste your money on drinks here. Drink before you go.
This review was for a wednesday night. -
Review from Angela H.
San Diego, CA
4/7/2011
I liked what I saw when I walked into this bar. I love the decor and the atmosphere. But on my very first time in this 'Side bar' that everyone talks so much about, I had a bad experience with a rude bartender. My drink was made wrong and normally I would be the girl to say whatever and walk away. But no one around me seemed to be waiting for a drink so I politely asked the bar tender if I could get a new one. He replied with a nasty tone 'I've been making drinks for longer than you've been alive, thats what you asked for'.......So I said forget it and walked away..
Its funny because I would have tipped him AGAIN if he fixed it but instead he was a jerk, and I probably wont be back for awhile. Way to treat your customers with respect, especially a lady! JERK! -
Review from christine c.
San Francisco, CA
7/22/2011
This place was a MESS early afternoon during what we thought was going to be happy hour, but in a fun way. There was some sort of drunken bar-hopping team going around and about 100 of them were at this place when we got there. We had a ton of fun, but when we got back later it was dead and not fun at all, and the cover was ridiculous even though we had been there just an hour or so before.
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Review from Ernesto M.
Bonita, CA
9/26/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Honestly i would never decide to go to Side Bar myself. Only reason I have ever been there is because of my friends celebrations.
This place is full of the biggest tools in San Diego, even the cast from Jersey Shore would talk down to these guys. The ladies are trashy and gold diggers, but they look fine, nothing wrong with looking.
I wouldn't know how much drinks are, but I can expect them to be pricey, since this place is made to be so exclusive. My friends always get bottle service, and if you are going with a big group thats the way to go.
What I don't like though is when you reserve a table why the fuck do you care how many males and females are in my group. If someone is gonna pay 10 times the price for a bottle of alcohol, they should be allowed to bring their dog and parakeet.
The assholes at the door are a whole other thing. My friends were inside and had purchased FOUR BOTTLES, and these mofos at the door wanted to charge me to get in. Yea it was only $10 but when my friend is spending more than $2000 no one in his party should have to pay. Finally someone inside with brains realized that you should act decent to your customers cuz they are the ones that keep you in business and they let us in. I still dont know why that pissed off the guy at the door....power trip maybe?
I gotta say though the music is pretty good, and of course the ladies are fine. -
Review from naomi p.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2010
I've only been to Side Bar on Wednesday nights. Sounds weird? Maybe, but why not? Wed night is industry night! The place is packed, drinks are flowing, and good energy. Definitely feels like a Friday or Saturday night except that the crowd is all locals who work in the industry or know someone who works in the industry. So, kind of has a non-pretentious and more comfy feel. So good that you'll forget it's a weekday and just keep drinking until closing, only to wake up 5 hours later for work and feel like death. Anyone can go, but there is a guest list that goes until 10pm, and then I think everyone has to pay cover after that.
I will add that I don't know much about cover or drink prices, so, I'm sorry that I can't put in my 2 cents on how the line is, how much cover is, or how expensive the drinks are. But, I know that drinks are expensive. I would estimate about $12/drink.
The front room is the bar with booth tables and smaller tables for mingling, the DJ is in a huge bird cage on the right side (pretty cool actually), and then the dance floor is in the back room. The whole club is not very big, but doesn't feel overcrowded. Definitely worth checking out. -
Review from Richard A.
La Jolla, CA
8/12/2011
Fun place if you are looking to party hard. Not ideal for anything else as you cant hear anything aside from banning music. Great looking crowd of people and Jeff ant the front door is the man
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Review from M D.
San Diego, CA
1/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
If you haven't been to Side Bar since they remodeled you need to get with the program and get out more. They have knocked down walls and moved Ciro's over to make a square shape for better traffic flow. I love what they have done with the mirrors and busts on the wall of the front room. Pay close attention to the lights above the back room or you will miss the art work. :-)
Sidebar chose a birdcage to use for its opening marketing. The birdcage theme carries throughout the whole bar from the wooden cages hanging from the ceiling in the front room to the bird cage shaped DJ booth that go go dancers sway and writhe on to various guest DJ's.
To avoid cover or a long line get there before 10. Sidebar has become the king of the Wednesday industry night with their idea of hosting guest bartenders from different other bars. They have had VIP clients do a guest VIP host spot and I wish they would do this more. Thursdays are house night for house heads and its a great time to come out and juke to dirty deep house. Fridays and Saturdays are hit or miss on the crowd depending on the DJ. In the summer they started an afternoon party from 5-10pm. Appropriately named Five-Ten, for those of you who have been to 14 in LA it is just as crazy but throw in an inflatable hot tub and bikini clad girls splashing and you have the same party done up SD style.
Thanks RMD for revamping the place and bringing a place that gives you the class of the downtown bar but the option to get down and grimy dancing. -
Review from lisa c.
San Diego, CA
11/29/2010
$10 cover even though we got there at 10PM and it was fairly empty. Drinks are very expensive $12 for vodka tonic! Music was whatever and the crowd is mixed.
Don't plan on going back to this place again.
Oh but they have really HOT go-go dancers! They keep you well entertained! The staff was very friendly too. -
Review from Erica F.
San Diego, CA
9/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has a good vibe. Since it's not on 5th, it doesn't get as many tourists (always a plus). My only real complaint is that this place is too expensive. They don't serve well drinks so everything is $10 up. Add that to the cover charge and you'll end up paying quite a bit on your night out. My recommendation: get on the list, then get in and stamped so you can leave and grab cheap drinks elsewhere. Return when the place is really poppin (and you've got a nice buzz going on).
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Review from Jennafer H.
Oceanside, CA
12/2/2010
I visited Side Bar a few weeks ago for yet another Bachelorette party. We had a reserved booth. The table service was excellent and I absolutely loved the decor. Very cool. The booths were neat - they all had little cubbies to put purses, jackets, etc. A great benefit especially in a crowded space.
The reason for three stars was because of the music. Interesting choices to say the least. Maybe it was an off night. Either way, I still had a great time but since there are so many places downtown, I doubt I'll go back.
