Discover Ocean Beach Nightlife

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Sure, Southern California is known for its status-seeking, superficial stereotypes. There aren't too many other places where a night out means V.I.P access, $15 flavored martinis, and a pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans.

But if you look a little deeper, the San Diego nightlife scene is full of pockets where dress shoes are not required and anyone can take a seat without taking out a loan for bottle service.

Set against the Pacific shores, Ocean Beach bars invite everyone to remember a simpler time before guest lists and check cards (literally, most bars only accept cash). Surfers, bikers, hippies, college students and everyone in between flock to Ocean Beach for its carefree attitude, oceanic sunsets and neighborhood bars.

Gallagher's Pub & Grill, the newest kid on the OB block, recently replaced Bullfrog's with the luck of Irish. This remodeled, spacious pub is charmed with old-fashioned lampposts, mahogany wood and luminescent green and of course, serves Guinness on tap.

Also on Newport Avenue, PacShores is a dive bar right out of The Little Mermaid--believe it or not. PacShores is dark and dingy, yet is enlivened with delightful "under-the-sea" décor with blue walls and large seashells. The drinks are cheap and the service is friendly, but stay away from frou-frou drink--PacShores is a beer and hard liquor with a single mixer kind of place.

Ocean Beach is not known as the place to get your groove on. However, you can dance to the beat of your own drum at Winston's, with live music seven days a week. Winston's offers a full bar with genres such as rock, reggae, jam bands, world beat, hip-hop and experimental fusion as a musical backdrop. You can relive the 60's every Monday with a Grateful Dead tribute band that's been playing for over fifteen years, or participate in Ocean Beach Comedy every Friday and Open Mic every Sunday.

Sunshine & Co. is another local favorite for its view of the boardwalk and chill-out vibe. Smokers will favor this joint for its open air bar downstairs and its large outdoor patio upstairs. This OB bar features pool tables, a jukebox and daily happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. with half-price pitchers including margarita pitchers. Match up with some grub from Livingston's, a taco stand attached to the bar.

South Beach sits just across from the Pier and has some of the best seafood in the city. It's the place you'll want to take friends from out of town for fish tacos and fresh oysters. Order a plate of fried mushrooms with ranch dip as a sinful but satisfying appetizer. Although the food is tasty, because South Beach is primarily a bar it's not the most accommodating restaurant. You have to seat yourself (making you feel like a shark looking for prey), order your own drinks from the bar, and be ok with loud noise.

For a more upscale restaurant vibe, check out Nick's by the Pier on Santa Monica. Open last May, this seafood restaurant/bar is by the same owners of Nick's by the Beach in Pacific Beach. The upstairs restaurant features wooden booths, modern lighting and large windows for a great view of the ocean. Some dishes are a seafood fusion, blending the fruits of the sea with Mexican spices, and include steamed mussels steeped in cilantro, crab cakes served with chipotle mayonnaise, and shrimp scampi flamed in tequila. The menu has plentiful fish dishes, a long list of salads and a decent wine list.

True vino lovers will want to check out The Vine, a wine bar with Ocean Beach flavor. The intimate setting is great for a date and the menu specializes in small production, high quality wines. Even if wine is not your forte, The Vine also serves hand-crafted beers. Along with seven pages of wines from around the world, this spot features cheese plates served with bread, salad and tapas like crab cakes and mushroom pâté.