Carlsbad Taverns By Wendy Hinman | Photos by Sam Wells
Looking for live music, good pub grub or just a cool place to hang? It's all here in our guide to "The Crawl."
Back to Home

When Carlsbad was a small town it had, of course, small-town nightlife. Everybody knew everybody and by 8 p.m. they were all home doing the dinner dishes. Evenings out were for the occasional shindig. An old-time resident once described going to Escondido for “big doings” and then climbing in the buckboard and going to sleep—their horse knew the way home.

For years, there were just a few bars in Carlsbad. The barrios went from Villasenor to Gastelum to Trejo proprietorship and were the hub—at least for men—for socializing. Milt’s was on State Street, and the story goes Milt himself didn’t like to stay up late. He’d call it a night around 10 and if you wanted a beer after that, you got it yourself and put your money in the cigar box. Last one out hit the lights and locked the door.

As Carlsbad grew, so did its nightlife. The tempo quickens as the sun goes down on any given night, but on the weekends it throbs. We grabbed a designated driver and hit the Village bar scene—known as the Carlsbad Crawl—plus a few outliers to get the vibe. Though most restaurants, such as Norte or Garcia’s, have bars, we went to drinking establishments or the few restaurants where the suds surpass the grub as a draw.

ON ELM (CARLSBAD VILLAGE DRIVE)

Señor Grubby's

New on the “Carlsbad Crawl” is a stop (or a start) at Señor Grubby’s. It’s not just a place to get a fantastic breakfast or killer street tacos like you remember when Tijuana was safe. The late happy hour (7 to 10 p.m.) gets you a pint and two tacos for five bucks, and who else sells shrimp by the pound? The restaurant stops serving alcohol at 11 p.m., but keeps the kitchen open until 2 a.m. to end your crawl with a late-night grind and to get some grub in you.

And it’s not a bad place for the day after the crawl. It’s a challenge to finish the machaca or huevos rancheros and with $2 mimosas all day, well, a little hair of the dog, eh?

377 Carlsbad Village Drive
760.729.6040
www.goodtacos.com

The Golden Tee

We call it Elm not just because we are recalcitrant and still do, but The Golden Tee has been around since Elm days. So has its décor and some of its customers, but that’s what makes it the ultimate hometown dive bar. It’s an old-fashioned, 6-to-2 bar with not a lot of extras.

In the afternoon it is fairly blue collar and mellow, but in the evening it fills up with Gen Xers, Gen Yers and octogenarians. And though it may be the oldest of the gang, it has stamina. Until recently it was the last of the smoke-filled bars and it has the last call on the crawl.

1065 Carlsbad Village Drive
760.729.2626

ON STATE

The Village Pub

Popcorn and train beer: That’s what we like about the Village Pub. We love the trains. You can tell out-of-towners because they complain about the train whistle. They celebrate it at the pub. Every time it goes by you get a special deal: $1.75 for a 12-ounce domestic beer. It’s only a single-wide as far as pubs go, but the milling masses always seem to be in a good humor.

2990 State St.
760.434.2114

Mas Fina Cantina

This is as close to a biker bar as Carlsbad gets. You can park ‘em out front and watch the chrome shine from the patio. Like the Village Pub, the place is not a whole lot wider or longer than the bar itself, but if the crowd was tatted, we also found it amiable.

The cocina of the cantina is more than enough reason to bring a Harley—or a Schwinn—by. Of course there is Mexican food—such as nachos in every variation—but also burgers and wraps, ahi seared or blackened, and pizza with homemade dough.

2780 State St.
760.434.3497
www.masfinacantina.com

ON ROOSEVELT

Hennessey's

Sure, you can get a Guinness or an Irish Coffee, but it’s summer, so try the Irish Lemonade. It starts with Stoli vodka and fresh-squeezed lemons, and gets better from there. Hennessey’s has a front porch and a back patio to enjoy, with fire rings if the marine layer sneaks in. And then there is “the world’s largest pint”: It weighs in at 64 ounces and you get to keep the glass.

The food is sort of like the ambience, Irish pub meets So Cal casual—Irish nachos, anyone? Two-Timein’ Tuesdays will find a lot of Carlsbadians at Hennessey’s, taking advantage of the two-for-one breakfasts in the morning and two-for-one burgers the rest of the day.

2777 Roosevelt st.
760.729.6951
www.hennesseystavern.com

ON GRAND

The Alley

While the sun is shining, the Alley cats are a few regulars shooting the breeze on a first-name basis. The bartenders are old school—they are good for a chat or will leave you alone, depending on your mood. But after sunset it becomes “cougar corner” or “the wrinkle room” to habitual crawlers. Live music, deejays or karaoke tunes get the crowd moving and the mirrors all around help you check your dance moves or keep an eye on your date.

Despite its nicknames, we found the crowd mixed in age, but heavy with men. In fact, we found this true in almost every bar in Carlsbad, which prompted one of my 25-year-old researchers to inform me that we are, as a county, dubbed “Man Diego.”

421 Grand Ave.
760.434.1173

Grand Avenue Bar and Grill

The G Spot, as locals know it, has been a full-service bar for 17 years. Co-owner R.J. Barberio says the G Spot’s fare is “not just tavern food; it’s a surprise to people.” Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served, including “every kind of burger you can think of” and oysters and clams in every form of preparation.

The place is too small for live music so there is an Internet jukebox; the 20-something crowd I was with approved of the tunes immediately. But it’s the 25 flat-screen televisions that instantly impress. If you buy the beer, they’ll find your gamel.

752 Grand Ave.
760.729.4449

O'Sullivan's

Three Irishmen walk into a bar…The first one, Dooley McClusky, built the place and when he left town many Carlsbadians never thought they’d laugh again. Then Tom Giblin took over and Irish eyes could smile. Now it’s Dennis O’Sullivan’s gig and we can still escape to the Isle of Erin within its walls.

There is traditional pub grub as well as American fare, and a large variety of Irish whiskeys and scotches to wash it down with. Wednesday through Sunday there is live music mostly, but not exclusively, Irish. Tony Cummings does Irish and the Clay Colton Band can, too, but they also rock and roll. Sunday is open mic, for the brave and the daring.

640 Grand Ave.
760.729.7234
www.osullivanscarlsbad.com

Boar's Crossing

Boar’s Crossing is part of “the golden triangle” due to its close proximity to the Alley and Coyote Bar and Grill. Don’t let the English pub name fool you; it has eclectic décor and an urban mood. The stage has either a deejay or a San Diego band on the weekends, with plenty of room to dance.

Like many places downtown, there is a cover charge later on Friday and Saturday nights because of the crowds. But there are $1 Buds on those nights from 8 to 10, so hit this place early.

390 Grand Ave.
760.729.2989

ON THE 101

Dini's Bistro

A night out on our town should start on Dini’s patio watching the sunset with a wonderful view of the Pacific. Grab an Iguana (a concoction of banana, fresh-squeezed orange juice, coconut, pineapple and lime with vodka and triple sec) and join the natives hoping to see the green flash. And from 4:30 to 7 p.m., Dini’s has a special sunset menu.

Co-owner Michael Dini is descended from the owners of San Diego County’s oldest bar (1890) and the current Dini’s has been in Carlsbad since Reagan was president. Dini’s has quite a knack, not just in cooking and pouring, but in creating an environment to please locals.

3290 Carlsbad Blvd.
760.434.6000
www.dinisbistro.com

Coyote Bar and Grill

Alfresco music is Coyote’s signature. Whether it’s a live band or a deejay, the patio is thumping every evening. On Saturdays and Sundays the tunes start in the afternoon. Monday and Tuesday are karaoke nights; please sing responsibly! If you’re going to try and imitate Beyonce or Sinatra, maybe get your DD to do a Simon Cowell impression.

Just about any kind of Margarita can be had at Coyote. The Cadillac is the most popular, but there are five blended varieties and just about every fruit version on ice. The kitchen serves up mainly Southwestern cuisine—such as carnitas, fajitas and ribs—but the must-have dish is the rattlesnake eggs: jalapeños sliced in half, stuffed with cream cheese and shrimp, wrapped in bacon and then deep fried and served with an avocado ranch dipping sauce.

300 Carlsbad Village Drive
760.729.4695
www.coyotecarlsbad.com

Mr. Peabody's Steak and Ale

Hidden in a corner near Vinaka’s in the Village Fair complex, Peabody’s location is its secret weapon. It’s the quiet spot on the crawl. During happy hour the well drinks and domestic beers are inexpensive. The patrons and the bartenders give it a “Cheers” atmosphere.

300 Carlsbad Village Drive, #202
760.434.4412
www.mrpeabodys.net

Ocean House

Though considered more of a restaurant than a bar by day, Ocean House is officially on the crawl by night. Local bands on the rise love to play here. (There is a cover when the band is live or the crowd substantial, which is most Friday and Saturday nights). Wear your dancing shoes because there’s plenty of room to cut a rug; there’s even room for breaking or moshing.

If you hear locals say “The Twin Inns,” in the present tense they mean Ocean House. In the past tense they mean the original restaurant in Carlsbad’s anchor, historic landmark. Ocean House’s menu varies from surf cuisine to So Cal gourmet, but on Monday there is a chicken dinner special “Twin Inns style.” At $9.95, it’s not bad for a taste of home.

300 Carlsbad Village Drive
760.729.4131
www.oceanhousecarlsbad.com

The Carlsbad crawl is attractive to some, disconcerting to others. But alcohol, like a skateboard or the Internet, is a benign object. It’s what you do with it that makes it enjoyable or destructive. For the most part, we found the barkeeps a congenial bunch well versed in security and moderation. A sense of community is what most patrons seemed to be looking for—a good conversation, a game of pool or a discerning dissection of the Padres.

We also found that not-yet-endangered sub-species of homo erectus that is transformed by certain libations into homo prones-gutterus. On Friday and Saturday nights there was beefed-up security within and plenty of cops and cabs without; almost every establishment gave free sodas or juices to designated drivers if the wait staff knew who the DD was. What we didn’t discover was a single reason not to drink responsibly.

Not officially on the crawl, but worth the extra two-minute drive

Fenway's

Not too far from the madding crowd, if you want a great spot to take in a game, is Fenway’s Sports Bar and Grill. It has spectator ambience and sports décor like Seau’s, but without the traffic of Mission Valley. But when your team has a bye, there’s also live music or a deejay, comedy and karaoke.

Fenway’s team motto is “Great food at a great price.” Co-owner Dave Oslinger is a graduate of New York’s Culinary Institute of America and has been a chef for more than two decades. There is plenty of pub grub, but also entrées that are as good to look at as they are to eat.

1814 Marron Road
760.720.4300
www.fenwayssportsbar.com

Hensley's Flying Elephant Pub and Grill

The first thing you notice in Hensley’s Flying Elephant Pub and Grill is the rock art. Not the Ron Juncal towers type you see at Southside, but Keith Richards, Johnny Cash, Iggy Pop … portraits of some of rock’s icons. More art can be found on the underbelly of skateboards and old accordions, all expressions of owner Matt Hensley’s passions. He is a member of Flogging Molly, a band that is sort of Celtic punk.

“It’s a scenester spot,” says Vory Edelmann of the young crowd jamming the place. Besides good food, Hensley’s is one of the few places in Carlsbad for stand-up comedy. Local comedian Rich the Stitch hosts comedy nights every first and third Tuesday: “I bring Hollywood to Carlsbad.”

850 Tamarack Ave.
760.434.2660
www.hensleyspub.com