The Best Rooftop Bars in San Diego
Here’s a list of some of the best rooftop bars in San Diego that we just love visiting! Put your head in the clouds and enjoy some of San Diego’s finest rooftop clubs. Sip cocktails and nibble on tasty fare with unbeatable views. A few of our favorites:
The Rooftop by STK: Located atop the Andaz Hotel in the Gaslamp, visitors and guests enjoy stunning views of the Coronado Bay Bridge and Downtown San Diego while dining on SoCal-inspired dishes and sipping craft cocktails. On the weekends, the rooftop transforms into a high-energy nightclub and lounge. Treat yourself to amazing sunsets, great dining, or just chill around the rooftop pool.

Food was absolutely delicious and quick service. We were also told by check in that we should not tip at all, as the free breakfast includes a tip too!
Great views! Excellent bar vibe! Not much options for menu and the drink I requested tasted like lemonade. They ran out of blue curacao so made up a drink for me. Not impressed! We left the Hotel indigo just to realize STK in the scruffy part of town, had to call uber to rescue us from this mess.
ALTITUDE Sky Lounge: This open-air rooftop is attached to the Marriott Hotel. 22 stories high, your bird’s eye view includes Petco Park, the Coronado Bay Bridge, and the city skyline. Altitude is an elite rooftop bar that has a sleek modern atmosphere, accented with a blazing communal firepit. Truly a great place to catch a Padre’s game.

As a tourist, I feel they could have cut me some slack, who bring the hard copy of their passport to a bar, but some people just hold on to the little authority they have to bring some meaning to their boring lives 🤷♀️
Downsides: Great views IF you can get a seat near the edge (difficult with large groups), long lines (10+min) for drinks means you’ll very soon be paying non-happy hour prices.
Great environment and some of the best views of San Diego... great music... great drinks! I’ve freestyled with friends finding a spot of our own in the crowd AND I’ve also gotten bottle service (reserving a spot to lounge).
Choose your experience but Good Times is a guarantee!
Hello Betty Fish House: Just a few blocks from the sand in Oceanside, enjoy Baja SoCal beachside favorites such as margaritas and fish tacos while taking in the amazing ocean view. The menus are an updated spin on classic Baja SoCal beachside favorites such as margaritas and fish tacos, using only the freshest, local ingredients and seafood. Hello Betty Fish House will offer locals and visitors the most inviting and relaxing way to end either a long day on the beach, boat, or office.

manager even helped out to make sure tables were satisfied.)
Clearing a very critical person. I hope you try this place out if you haven't been. Good food, each side has its own style. Even something that can seem plain or a regular entree has more thought put into it from the chefs.
Ice cold beer is great here.
Lastly, be insistent WHERE you want to sit. That makes the experience of this fresh spot as well.
The staff was great and the place is super cute. Definite beach vacation vibes. I can't wait to return. They have a lot of other delicious looking tacos.
Poor server - like all places, they were short staffed. She was very friendly and very sweet.
I also ordered some kind of spicy drink (margarita or something) that was outstanding.
George’s Ocean Terrace: One of the best things about being in San Diego is that you can be outside year-round. It’s a part of our lifestyle. And when you want to eat outdoors, there’s no better place than the Ocean Terrace, acclaimed as the region’s best rooftop dining. So join us at a table overlooking the Pacific, or grab a seat at our elevated bar, for a perfectly relaxed Southern California lunch or dinner with a million-dollar view.

Not sure if I would come again.
What it made it worse was the hostess’ attitude about it. Completely unnecessary and so rude!
Go to Eddie V’s instead. Views are more spectacular and service is impeccable (esp Aaron, he’s awesome).
Terrific fish selections cooked perfectly and friendly valet car service right in front for $14 bucks. The decor is a mix of well lit New York subway, which strikes me as a bit strange and unsettling for an upscale $50 a plate restaurant and the 30 foot human brain painted on the wall is also hard to look at throughout a two hour dinner but I can't say enough about the terrific food, cooked to perfection and the over-the-top service. The drink selections are spot on and even great mocktails for those that want a delicious cocktail without the alcohol. 5 STARS .
Michele
Our server, Shannon, was a delight! She was warm, friendly, and completely on top of our every need.
One of the best dining experiences we've had!
Level 9 Rooftop Bar & Lounge: Located high above Petco Park, Level 9 Rooftop Bar offers an unparalleled atmosphere to drink and dine. Warm yourself beside a fire pit and take in the evening air while snacking on the likes of grilled salmon tacos, roasted beet salad, and sweet potato fries with chipotle bacon jam.
This past weekend, I had a terrible experience at the hotel's rooftop bar. I was there for three hours ($164.00 tab) with a potential business partner. Things were going fine with our male bartender until the Padres game started, then another bartender showed up (Kimberly). She made us a couple of rounds before deciding she didn't want to serve a glass of ice water. I politely asked for a glass of ice water. I assumed that she would grab it, but I noticed she continued serving others and walking back and forth behind the bar. The disregard went on for about 5 -7 minutes until I decided to ask again. She said, " there is water at the end of the bar you can go get." Blown away at this comment, I said, " Well, I ask you for the water. I noticed the frustration on her face as she reluctantly served us two glasses of ice water. Let me remind you, earlier; my guest asked the male bartender for a glass of water that he poured without question and never mentioned that we would need to fetch our water. Management, please conduct customer service, diversity & inclusion training.
The Nolen: The Nolen rooftop bar and lounge is a downtown San Diego destination for local and visiting imbibers alike. Enjoy our modern, yet timeless cocktail menu while taking in all the beauty of America’s Finest City—including spectacular views into Petco Park and all the way to the Coronado Bridge. The Nolen San Diego’s open-air lounge is a quick elevator ride up to the 14th floor at the Courtyard Gaslamp. They invite you to enjoy the season and their brand new summer food and drink menus.

Menu & drink menu looked great! I didn’t get to try anything because when I tried to order a vodka tonic at the bar at 10:20 the manager asked us to leave.
But I can definitely say their old fashion is on point and really good. For a guy that never drinks them, I got 2!
Been there on multiple occasion and never had a bad experience. The staff is super kind and attentive as well. A friend and i we’re once even offered blankets on a windy night and we really appreciated that.
Definitely check it out, you can’t beat the views and it’s a great escape from the chaos everywhere else throughout the city.
This is a great romantic night out or a great way to spend the evening with a small group of friends, or in my case, they were very accommodating to enjoy the night with my kids for my birthday (kid friendly). The staff was beyond courteous and made the night special. The food was delicious, and the drinks were top notch. Definitely recommend The Nolan for any occasion.
Small plates and cocktails are their thing
Booking needed in advance, if you are late they cancel the booking and charge $10 per person (crazy right!)
Mister A’s: The most spectacular views in San Diego. Bertrand at Mr. A’s is just minutes from Downtown and eternity from the ordinary dining experience. Be pampered with an extremely attentive staff and enticed with the finest cuisine. See the beautiful San Diego skyline, with views of San Diego Bay, Balboa Park, Coronado, Point Loma, and even the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Toast an inspiring San Diego sunset from our outdoor, wrap-around balcony. And watch the jets gently glide into America’s finest city. Bertrand at Mr. A’s. A dining experience you will never forget, and always treasure.

Overall, it was a really good experience, but we won’t be returning. Personally we prefer C Level Lounge for a beautiful view of San Diego but a little less “elite” so we feel like we can relax and really enjoy the meal.
View from the top of the building was unreal you could see a great deal of the city sky line.
The food was delicious and perfectly prepared.
Not once did we feel rushed and it seemed every stage of the meal was perfectly timed.
The evening view was breathtaking!
Mr. A’s, you outdid yourself! See you next time we are in California!
All of the food was delicious and our waiter was very nice and attentive, the wine pairing suggested with our lamb and duck was perfect. He even brought us a dessert with the words “happy 3 year anniversary” written in chocolate. We will definitely be returning whenever we visit San Diego, it is worth every penny!
And the food was delicious, and service outstanding. Well worth what it cost to dine here.
I recommend this place for a perfect cocktail with an amazing view, or perhaps some starters. But I will be choosing another destination for a full meal fine dining experience.
The cocktail menu is great and has some unique items that were awesome. Our server (and everyone else we encountered) were top notch - attentive but not too much. Our entrees were good but didn't knock my socks off but the ambiance, view, service, and food presentation are more than enough for me to come back. Well done!
Made reservations for outside on our anniversary. The view was spectacular. The suave heated kept us nice and toasty. The service was amazing. JP was attentive, friendly and had excellent recommendations. All of that and the food was superb. We can't wait to return!
Our server Wendy catered to our every need and request as the professional she is. Overall, it could not have been a more enjoyable evening.
Ron Harper
The food is always amazing here. It’s pricey, but you get what you pay for. Everything on the menu is so flavorful and well-thought-out. I love the pork belly, creamed spinach, truffle fries, duck, and creme brûlée.
The staff is also on point and extremely polite and helpful. They create a very warm and welcoming atmosphere.
It was plenty of street parking near the restaurant. For outside sitting they have a heaters so you will stay warm during the dinner.
We ordered glass of red wine, non-alcohol cactus/pineapple drink ( was nice and refreshing), mussels for appetizer, scallops and salmon for entree. All good was delicious! Don’t forget to order the bread! It was so good with mussels.
Recommend for special occasions!
The food was simply amazing. Escargot and the prime ribeye were my favorites.
The staffs there were all very friendly and the service was awesome. We were there for celebrating my boyfriend’s birthday, which I put down the notes when making the reservation, so the restaurant served us a nice plate of cake for celebration.
Will definitely visit again for special occasions!
View is fantastic too. I love watching the planes already in their low approach right in the middle of the city.
And the view - sitting at table in the outdoor patio on the 12th floor perched at the top of Bankers Hill - showed me San Diego harbor is stunningly beautiful.
Definitely put Mr A's on your special occasion to do list. But the experience is worth making it there more regularly.
Reservations in advance are required, but if just happen to be in the neighborhood, check to see if they can squeeze you in as a walk-in.
Addendum: I have gone back quite a few times since I first reviewed the place. The last 2 being immediately before the pandemic and most recently, just after California opened up again. And with each visit, I love the place more and more. Great ambiance, great staff/service and great food. We were lucky enough to get patio seating ( early reservations ). The plan was to watch the sunset. However, the weather did not cooperate and was cloudy that evening. It still afforded great views of airplanes landing, if you're into that.
I give 5 stars because it was really fabulous! Thank you to all of you!
