With its year-round warm weather and stunning seaside atmosphere, San Diego is the perfect city for rooftop bars. But which one is the best? From the Mission Pacific Hotel to the Gaslamp Quarter, here are the top rooftop bars in San Diego for a night out with friends. The Rooftop Bar at Mission Pacific Hotel is a great place to start. Located on the sixth floor of the hotel, this bar offers lounge seating, a lively poolside terrace, and handcrafted cocktails and Mediterranean-inspired snacks.
As you sip your drink, you can enjoy the beautiful sunsets and sweeping views of Oceanside Beach. Live DJs and vibrant music add to the atmosphere. The Nolen Rooftop Bar and Lounge is another popular spot in downtown San Diego. Located 14 floors higher in the Gaslamp Quarter, this bar specializes in impressive, well-crafted cocktails.
The sophisticated and glitzy lounge atmosphere is complemented by a delicious selection of bar snacks. Rustic Root is a cozy rooftop bar and restaurant located in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. Here you can enjoy a food and drink menu that has a modern and creative touch, with high quality ingredients. Whether indoors or on the rooftop terrace, you can grab some friends and enjoy happy hour cocktails, nighttime ambience, or weekend brunch.
Kairoa Brewing Company is a New Zealand-inspired brewery and restaurant with a modern farmhouse design. The 10,500 square foot space has plenty of space for private events, a play area for children, and fire pits for the night. Enjoy their own beer plus cocktails with wine, hard kombucha, mineral water and cider. The food menu pays tribute to New Zealand with dishes such as sausage rolls, lamb lollipops and French fries with 26% fish.
Fairweather is located overlooking Petco Park and serves tiki, mai tais, pisco sour and other warm-weather concoctions that match its vibrant decor. You can order food from its downstairs neighbor Rare Form who is known for its tacos and burritos. Kettner Exchange is one of Little Italy's best nightlife spots with a lounge and rooftop patio with views that extend to San Diego Bay. The restaurant is named after William Kettner who brought the military to San Diego so you'll see a nautical-themed decoration.
Enjoy live music every day plus progressive American food served on small plates. Cannonball in Mission Beach's Belmont Park has San Diego's largest waterfront rooftop. The Pacific Coast-inspired restaurant offers sushi rolls, sashimi and nigiri plus salads and larger main courses. In the drinks menu you will find Japanese whiskeys, sake and other cocktails.
Every Thursday they offer live acoustic music on the rooftop during sunset with local artists. Float is located atop the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego offering panoramic rooftop views of San Diego's best attractions including the harbor, historic Gaslamp sign and Coronado Bridge. Lumi features world-famous celebrity chef Akira Back creating an energetic and exclusive rooftop experience that serves innovative Japanese dishes and sushi accompanied by artisanal beverages.
