San Diego’s past is filled with Prohibition drama. Discover the speakeasies you can visit today that make you feel like you’ve gone back in time.
In the 1920s, the 18th Amendment prevented the sale of alcohol; but just because it was illegal, it didn’t stop people from drinking. Believe it or not, San Diego’s past is filled with Prohibition scandals. Bootleggers would travel into Mexico, bringing back hundreds of cases of alcohol. In 1930, a boat off Coronado was caught with 138 cases of rum and two dead runners.
To catch bootleggers and rum runners, the city and police teamed up by ordering $27,000 ($340,000 in today’s money) worth of alcohol. When they received it, everyone involved went to jail. It was later discovered that the alcohol was 44 to 58 percent, or 116 proof. This period’s cocktails were no joke!
The days of Prohibition and flappers may be long behind us, but with a history like that, San Diego speakeasies are still thriving. Although we can mingle in bars without fear now, there is fun to be had in going back to the 1920s by visiting a speakeasy. The idea of secrecy adds to the experience.
Many of the speakeasies in San Diego are actual hidden gems. To find them, you might have to locate the bookcase or special freezer that leads you to the secret area. These details make it feel like you’re being transported back in time.
Relive San Diego’s controversial past by visiting one of the many speakeasies throughout the city.
1. Room 56
Location: 831 Sixth Ave, San Diego
If you’re looking for a speakeasy, the Gaslight District is the place to be. This was one of the key locations during Prohibition for secret drinking. The area leans into its past by keeping speakeasies alive and well, long after the 18th Amendment was repealed.
Room 56 is a popular speakeasy located inside the Moxy hotel. This detail makes it feel like you’re back in the 1920s, in a respectable business with a secret hidden away. Enter the hotel to be transported back in time.
Finding the speakeasy is the best part. It’s located behind a secret bookcase. However, we won’t tell you more about this. Instead, you’ll have to experience it for yourself.
Room 56 is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
2. False Idol
Location: 675 W Beech St, San Diego
False Idol in Little Italy is a unique speakeasy experience. If you love a Tiki bar, this is the spot for you. Located inside Craft & Commerce, a gastropub with a unique ambiance, this secret bar takes you on a tropical vacation.
To get into the bar, you’ll approach the host at Craft & Commerce and request to be taken to False Idol. They will lead you through a secret door that looks like you’re walking into a giant freezer, but instead, you enter a Hawaiian oasis.
The menu at False Idol is fun, featuring Tiki classics like the Mai Tai and Painkiller, as well as more original drinks that include matcha, ube, and other delicious, unique ingredients. Before you visit, check out their amazing online menu.
Tiki bars are all the rage, and for good reason. Add in the speakeasy element, and you’re in for a good time. False Idol is open 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
3. Prohibition Lounge
Location: 548 Fifth Ave, San Diego
If you’re looking for an authentic speakeasy experience, Prohibition Lounge in the Gaslamp is the perfect place to go. Inspired by San Diego’s 1920s history, you can enjoy your drink in the presence of live music.
Prohibition Lounge was the original speakeasy in San Diego. Well, of the modern-day models. They wanted to stay true to the original concept, describing themselves as a real-life “The Great Gatsby” experience. Instead of reading the book, you can enjoy Gatsby’s type of party with your friends.
Finding your way in is the best part. If you see a door that says “Eddie O’Hare’s Law Office,” you’re in the right place. A nice lawyer (wink, wink) will let you in and lead you to all the fun. Prohibition Lounge wants you to feel like you’re actually sneaking into a bar.
The lounge is open Monday through Sunday, 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Come hungry, as they also offer luxury meals to go along with their drinks.
4. 52 Remedies
Location: 4805 Convoy St, San Diego
52 Remedies is one of the most unique speakeasies San Diego has to offer. It’s an upscale, Chinese-medicine-themed bar. Inspired by “The Wushi’er Bingfang,” which translates to “Recipes for Fifty-Two Ailments,” the longest medical text discovered in ancient China, the bar treats its menu like an apothecary.
This speakeasy challenges you to find something on their menu to cure what ails you. They serve cocktails and small plates inspired by the Far East. Along with the delicious menu comes the incredible atmosphere. Exotic herbs and tonics are on display in the beautifully decorated lounge.
Finding your way in is part of the fun, and we won’t give away the experience. To access the speakeasy, you’ll enter through the Common Theory gastropub. From there, you’re in for a unique experience.
52 Remedies is open 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
5. Noble Experiment
Location: 777 G St, San Diego
Do you want to visit a bar that feels like the Paris Catacombs? Noble Experiment is your dream destination. Once you enter this speakeasy, you’ll be greeted by a wall covered in skulls behind the bar. The ambiance is part of the draw.
Located within the Neighborhood, a local eatery and bar that has a 1920s feel to it, you’ll find a doorway that leads you to this secret saloon. Noble Experiment is known for its delicious craft cocktails, landing a spot on both “Esquire” and “Playboy’s” best bars in America lists.
Open nightly from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., this location doesn’t take reservations. Plan ahead and walk in for an unforgettable experience.
6. Raised by Wolves
Location: 4301 La Jolla Village Dr #2030, San Diego
The exterior of Raised by Wolves is an Art Deco dream. Before you get inside, you’ll already feel like you are in the 1920s. This hidden cocktail bar takes pride in its old-world decor.
This joint doubles as a retail space and speakeasy. When you enter, it looks like a simple store. However, with the spin of a secret door behind a fireplace, you are taken back in time to an authentic Prohibition bar experience.
Raised by Wolves has an impressively long cocktail menu, guaranteeing there will be something for everyone in your party. It’s advised to book a reservation online to ensure your spot inside this well-loved speakeasy.
Their storefront is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and the speakeasy operates from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.
