Pacific Beach, in a Nutshell
Article written by Kristel
Boe
Pacific Beach keeps that California Dreamin' alive. Known as
one of the best party spots around, it's considered by many
as San Diego's hippest beach town. There's not many dull moments
in PB as early risers get up to catch the waves or cruise down
the boardwalk and the night owls keep it goin' into the wee
hours of the night at one of the many bars or night clubs along
the strip of Garnett.
Pacific Beach sits snugly between the Pacific Ocean and Mission
Bay Park, a 4,500-acre water recreation area, and for this reason
it's one of San Diego's favorite places to stay and visit. With
resorts and hotels along the coastline amongst bike and board
rental stores, beachfront dining as well as bars, and many green
parks make it easy to experience it all by foot. There's no
time to be bored when you're in PB, as there's plenty of shops,
restaurants, bars, parks, and the ocean to keep you busy.
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Pacific
Beach Restaurants & Best Places for Breakfast, Lunch
& Dinner |
Best
Places for Breakfast
It truly is rare for most to get up before noon in Pacific Beach.
With the lure of hot nightlife, sometimes the aftermath of a
long night will keep you in bed into the afternoon. But, if
you are able to peal yourself from your sheets there are some
excellent places offering something better than your nightly
12 ounce nutrition.
If you are up early, low on cash, and looking for something
absolutely delicious, you must check out Kono’s
Surf Club Cafe, at the very end of Garnett next to
Crystal Pier. Arguably the best place for breakfast in PB, Kono’s
has a great selection of breakfast foods averaging about $6
for a filling portion. Kono’s Potato’s (smothered
with cheese, onion and bell pepper) are a must have! But, if
you want Kono’s you better be prepared to wait. The line
always extends out of the building and a 20 minute wait (at
least) isn’t uncommon. But, believe me, it's worth it.
If you’d rather sit back, relax, and maybe get some sunshine,
the Broken Yolk (Garnett), is your next best
bet. They have plenty of seating inside, as well as an upstairs
seating area on the top patio. Best known obviously for their
omelets, they also have a full menu with all basic breakfast
items.
Café 976 (Felspar St.) is also a great
local breakfast joint that is away from the hussle and bustle
of Garnett. It has healthy breakfast items available and the
outside seating (which is surrounded by trees and foliage) is
a relaxing way to start your day! They also have great coffee
drinks to help give you the kick you’ll need!
Best
Places for Lunch
Bars and grills are PB specialties so there is a lot to choose
from. Some stand out among the rest though. For delicious burgers
and a fun laid back attitude, try Big Bertha’s
(Garnett), which is also attached to Fred’s. Big Bertha’s
is "Home of the Bad Ass Burger" and it has a great
traditional “American” menu, while Fred’s
goes south of the border and has great Mexican dishes, including
delicious Margarita’s.
Another Local Favorite is PB Bar and Grill
just two blocks from the Crystal Pier. With a large patio for
outside dining, PB is a great place for people watching! The
Grill offers a full-service menu including appetizers, salads,
Mexican entrees, pizza, pasta, burgers, and sandwiches. Delicious!
To further entertain its guests, 72 large televisions are placed
throughout the grill showing every sporting event available!
PB Bar and Grill is 21+ after 4pm.
If you’d like to steer clear from the Garnett traffic
jam, opt for Rocky’s on Ingraham Street
and La Playa. It’s a small beer and burger place that
packs quite a punch! Rocky’s is a fun bar and grill for
anyone looking for a traditional menu (they basically only serve
a standard burger, fries and beer) but is a local favorite and
a great meeting place. Just one bit of advice, if it is game
day (either Chargers, or Padres) be prepared to compete for
sitting room! Rocky’s is relatively small and draws quite
a crowd on certain days.
Best
Places for Dinner
Restaurants that don’t turn into a bar after 9 in PB is
rare, but there are still some to choose from. Depending on
what you may be craving, I suggest you go to dinner early or
prepare to circle a few times to find a parking spot. PB usually
gets more packed later in the evening.
A great location for a seafood inspired dinner is World
Famous on Mission Beach Blvd. The setting is a little
classier than most of Pacific Beach. You definitely will want
to ditch flip flops and shorts for something a little more dressy.
This restaurant is a great place for a romantic dinner, and
is definitely one of the nicer locations in PB.
If you want something a little more casual but definitely a
good dinner setting, you may want to check out Gringo’s
Cantina (Garnett and Mission Beach Blvd.). Gringo’s
has inside and outside seating, as well as great drinks and
appetizer specials. The food is delicious and the atmosphere
is welcoming. Valet parking for guests is also available.
If neither of those locations get your stomach in a rumble,
there is always Filippi’s Pizza Grotto
on Garnett, right in the war zone. It is a great restaurant
for dinning with a group, but the low lighting can also be a
very romantic setting. Having another location in Little Italy,
Filippi’s is well known throughout San Diego for great
Italian dishes and filling portions. If you’d like to
make your visit memorable, you can order a special glass of
wine to decorate and hang in the restaurant when you're finished.
Don’t Forget Dessert
Mr. Frosty (Haines and Garnett) will have a
line down the street any sunny afternoon in Pacific Beach. There
must be something in their ice cream that causes people to wait
in the heat for one of their delectable treats!
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Pacific
Beach Nightlife & Best Places to Smoke, Drink and
Dance! |
Best
Dive Bar
Bub’s Dive Bar and Grill is relaxed and
inexpensive. Features a full bar and lots of TV's. If you're
looking for a casual place for some drinks, Bub's is your place.
Best
Place for Smokers
The Open Bar (Mission Beach Blvd.) has a large
patio outside with tables and stools. It is usually packed on
the weekends but it is a great place to socialize with others
while you are having a nicotine fix.
Best
Place to Shake It
With only two official clubs in PB (Typhoon and Club Tremors)
Typhoon (Garnett) is the BEST place to get
your groove on. With elevated stages to dance above the crowd,
two bars (upstairs and downstairs) and music video’s projected
on the walls with great dance music, Typhoon is a crazy wave
of dancers!
Best Place to Be Seen
The Tavern (Garnett), and Moondoggies (Garnett) are the trendy
clubs in PB. Attracting good looking people, it's a hot spot
for singles or anyone who is looking to mingle.
Best
Place to Kick Back
R.T.'s Longboard Grill(Garnett) is a bar and
a grill but in the evening it definitely turns more into a bar
atmosphere with the same ample seating room. With pool tables,
TV’s, and fun eighties cover bands on select days of the
week, it's a great bar to drink and socialize without feeling
claustrophobic.
Best Wine and Beer Bar
Cass Street Bar and Grill (Cass St.) is simply
a great bar. It's away from the Garnett traffic, but still attracts
a fun beach combing crowd. It only serves wine and beer but
it has a great selection. The people and bartenders are always
in a good mood and everyone seems to check their ego’s
at the door.
Best Beach Bar
Lahyna’s (Located right on the sand near
World Famous) can’t be beat. If you want to drink at a
bar but still wear your boardshorts and bikini, Lahyna’s
is the place.
Pacific
Beach Boutique Shopping District
Pacific Beach's boutique shopping district features hundreds
of choices for shopping and plenty of opportunities to find
treasures amongst the sand. New and resale clothing stores,
salons, and retail stores make up the majority of the shopping
district, which is also sprinkled with tattoo parlors and surf
shops. The strip along Garnett features some great surf equipment,
eclectic boutiques, and up and coming designers. More shops
are also along Mission Blvd. You can check these spots out by
foot or by bike.
Best Place to Buy Trendy Fashion
Buffalo Exchange is unique because clothing
and accessories are bought, sold and traded directly with store
customers. Bring in your former favorites for trade or cash
on the spot! Buffalo Exchange will buy quality items that can
be resold, making their selection eclectic and fun.
Best Place to Buy Vintage & Funky Fashion
The Buff is a vintage clothing store that has
some of the most funky and eccentric fashions. This place draws
in a huge crowd around Halloween as it boasts tons of costumes,
wigs and just weird, cheesy stuff.
Best Place to Buy Organic Food
Most organic foods sell for much more than their regular counterparts
because of the extra costs to produce them, however Trader
Joe's works closely with several producers, which allows
them to sell at prices comparable to "regular" foods.
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Ocean
Beach Recreation & Best Places for Surfing and Dogs |
More
than Walking on the Boardwalk
The boardwalk stretches along Mission Blvd. for miles, connecting
both Pacific Beach and Mission Beach. Though it is called a
board “walk” there is much more going on sea side.
Bring or rent a beach cruiser and cycle down the path, but be
courteous, you’ll be sharing this space with in-line skaters,
skateboarders, and pedestrians.
Surfs
Up!
Tourmaline (Beach) Surfing Park is a precious gem to surfers
and locals who know this spot located north of Crystal Pier
at the base of Tourmaline Street just south of La Jolla. The
waves here are generally slower and mushy, making it an ideal
spot for beginners and long boarders. Even though the conditions
aren't optimal for extreme and advanced surfers, the people
who surf Tourmaline love it. As a social gathering place, and
center of a community, the parking lot and beach at the end
of Tourmaline Street is something to be cherished... Locals
and old timers stand in the parking lot before and after they
surf to tell old stories, hang with friends, and enjoy the sunrise
and sunset.
OTL on Crown Point
Crown Point, equivalent to the Point Loma of Ocean Beach, is
far from the bustle of Pacific Beach but still packs in a good
party. In the spring and summer months, and just about any sunny
day of the year, don’t be surprised if you see groups
of three playing dysfunctional baseball in the sand on Crown
Point. They are actually playing an organized sport called “over
the line” that is all the rave in Pacific Beach, and most
San Diego Beach Communities. Several Tournaments take place
throughout the year, including the largest on Fiesta Island,
across the bay.
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