Sidebar   

Don't be fooled by Side Bar's unassuming front. It may be just a door, but it leads to an urban lounge that has fast become one of the Gaslamp's most popular nightlife draws. Opened shortly after January of 2003, Side Bar features a spare, space-age interior within a 19th-century building, a historical San Diego treasure. Some might think that postmodern plasma TVs, digital sound systems, video art and retro Noguchi furniture are out of place in an 1882 brick-and-mortar. They'd be pleasantly surprised. Side Bar's appeal goes well beyond architecture and style. The large booths and sidewalk patio are spacious enough for large groups to kick back and enjoy the lounge's multifaceted sonic offerings, everything from hip-hop and acid jazz to dancehall, rare groove and reggae. Plus, there's no shortage of interesting thirst-quenchers to test drive; whether you favor Manhattans, Moet or martinis, Side has your back. Throw in some tapas and Bronx-style pizza straight outta NYC (from whence the Bar's two owners, James Brennan and Demien Farrell, hail), and you have a happy addition to an already hopping Gaslamp party scene.