San Diego Recommendations

[BRM21o]

I'll be heading out there very soon. Any recommendations for:

Bars?

Cheap Mexican Food?

Housing?

In that order....


I'm looking at a few places that are just a few blocks from the Tourmaline Beach in North PB... any suggestions?

Thanks, and remember, Red Bull Air Races this weekend!

 

[Uncle Fester]

If you're single, PB is a great place to live. Lots of bars and cheap Mexican food, not to mention beach bunnies, and you're within walking distance of both the beaches and Mission Bay Park. I lived there for two years and had a blast.

Downtown is nice, too, and more affordable than you'd think. It became trendy to live there a few years ago, and about the time they finished converting every warehouse and office building into lofts, the bottom fell out of the market.

Lots of apt complexes in the Mission Valley and Fashion Valley areas, and the trolley line runs out there now. The Trolley is your friend...get to know it well. It'll take you everywhere except Coronado.

Two of the great things about living there are In & Out (I believe there are whole threads on AW devoted to worship of I&O; they make their burgers from a blend of unicorn meat and crack) and Rubio's (Baja-style Mexican chain... effing awesome burritos).

Get a roommate. It's hard to find a good place on single BAH, but two single BAH's can do quite well, plus it helps to have somebody looking after your stuff when you're on cruise/det.

And get somewhere with an enclosed garage - car theft is rampant. I read somewhere that if you live in SD for more than five years, your probability of having your car stolen or broken into approaches 100%.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

There's a thread which primarily focuses on places to eat in San Diego.

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144732

 

[MH-Z]

What Fester said.

There are plenty of bars that will suit any taste here. Thurs I think Moondoggies ($2 you-call-it) and PB Bar & Grill ($2 pints) have specials still. A lot of the people in my squadron hit up the Shore Club, at the end of Grande right on the water. Lahaina's is another hang out right on the beach. The Silver Fox opens at 0600 . Oh, and there are a ton of small breweries here where you can buy/fill up a growler (1/2 gal jug). Coronado Brewing Company has a special on Sundays to fill a growler for $5!


Cheap Mexican? There are great places all over. There's a little hole in the wall off Ceaser Chavez on the way to Coronado called Las Quatro Milpas that everyone needs to try once. Although you need to get there around 1000 or the line starts getting really long. Costa Azul on Coronado still has some good food, but it is a little more expensive. I can't go a week without hitting Rubios for a burrito.

Housing? If you are looking to buy, now is the time to do it. The market has come down significantly in the last 2 years. Traffic flow is north in the morning and south in the evening, so if you live in PB and work on North Island you are counter-flow to traffic, which is nice. If you live in Chula Vista and work on North Island, be prepared to fight traffic both ways. The 8 is usually pretty congested, especially around the 5 interchange, no matter what time of day. Traffic out there is always busy with the malls, hotels, and restaurants that are there.

 

[Brett327]

For the record, PB is a great place to party, but the crime there can be pretty bad these days. I wouldn't live there if you value your stuff. Same can be said for OB, which seems to be undergoing some regentrification, but still stetchy. Anyway, just use caution and don't let proximity to bars be your only criterion for housing. I'm actually in SD TAD for a couple days and driving around all the old hoods makes me miss not living here. SD rocks.

Brett

 

[MPH]

Coronado Brewing Company has a special on Sundays to fill a growler for $5!

Costa Azul on Coronado still has some good food, but it is a little more expensive.

I second the CBC growler deal.

Costa Azul is great, but their salsa is terrible enough that is loses my recommendation. Miguel's would certainly be my choice if it weren't perpetually busy.

 

[villanelle]

What kids of bars do you like?

PB tends to be the place for cheaper, mellow bars. Favorites tend to depend soley on preferences, but they all have a low-key, mellow, beachy vibe. Flip flops welcome.

If you are looking for fancier places and women with smaller clothes, you'll want to head downtown.

I like PB a lot, but wouldn't live there, primarily for the reasons Brett outlined. If I were single, I would probably live in Mission Valley at La Mirage. It is a huge complex. Very centrally located, within walking distance (a longish walk) of the trolley, and a very fun place. Great facilities, activities, etc., and a young, fun demographic. Ask to be located on the fun side of the complex.

 

[Brett327]

What kids of bars do you like?

PB tends to be the place for cheaper, mellow bars. Favorites tend to depend soley on preferences, but they all have a low-key, mellow, beachy vibe. Flip flops welcome.

If you are looking for fancier places and women with smaller clothes, you'll want to head downtown.

I like PB a lot, but wouldn't live there, primarily for the reasons Brett outlined. If I were single, I would probably live in Mission Valley at La Mirage. It is a huge complex. Very centrally located, within walking distance (a longish walk) of the trolley, and a very fun place. Great facilities, activities, etc., and a young, fun demographic. Ask to be located on the fun side of the complex.

Which is where Brett lived when he was there.

Brett

 

[MH-Z]

For the record, PB is a great place to party, but the crime there can be pretty bad these days. I wouldn't live there if you value your stuff. Same can be said for OB, which seems to be undergoing some regentrification, but still stetchy. Anyway, just use caution and don't let proximity to bars be your only criterion for housing. I'm actually in SD TAD for a couple days and driving around all the old hoods makes me miss not living here. SD rocks.

Brett

Shoot... nothing is sacred in SD. My friend's Jeep was stolen in Coronado!

 

[Thisguy]

If I were single, I would probably live in Mission Valley at La Mirage.

Great place...I lived there from 2003 - 2005. They have a nice gym that costs a few bucks for your entire lease, definitely worth it. Plus if you walk in the gym at 6AM to get a work out before you head to work there's already ridiculous talent in tight clothing going through a spinning class.

That being said, check out the pools too.

 

[Brett327]

Great place...I lived there from 2003 - 2005. They have a nice gym that costs a few bucks for your entire lease, definitely worth it. Plus if you walk in the gym at 6AM to get a work out before you head to work there's already ridiculous talent in tight clothing going through a spinning class.

That being said, check out the pools too.

Hey, we were neighbors. What do you know.

Brett

 

[Rubiks06]

El Indio...you must go there and have a burrito....A-mazing...and cheap too. Also...Clayton's on Coranado....a breakfast burrito that will pretty much fill you up for the rest of the day.

 

[tlord82]

Thanks, and remember, Red Bull Air Races this weekend!

Couldn't find anything with search, so does anybody know a good spot to check out the Races this year? I'm gonna scope out North Island, but the view might be limited. Any gouge would be appreciated.

 

[HooverPilot]

Couldn't find anything with search, so does anybody know a good spot to check out the Races this year? I'm gonna scope out North Island, but the view might be limited. Any gouge would be appreciated.

Best seats in the house...

 

[SteveG75]

For Mexican, I always try to hit Loma Bonita whenever I am in San Diego. 1155 Scott St (between Avenida De Portugal & Shelter Island Dr) one block off Rosecrans. I agree with the reviews here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/loma-bonita-mexican-food-san-diego
It is Bucket List level. Huge burritos for under 5 bucks. Awesome stuff. It is little purple hole in the wall but worth the trip.