San Diego Bars with the Largest Number of Beers
Whether you’re a local craft brew fanatic or a foreign beer aficionado, San Diego has you covered. The San Diego Brewers Guild is the third-largest guild in the U.S., and California boasts over 550 craft breweries—more than any other state! What’s better than a state full of breweries? Well, a bar full of beers of course, where you can centralize your experience. Here we’ll take a look at where to get the broadest exposure to the largest number of beers within single bars in San Diego.
Toronado
Toronado is a pub conception originally brewed up in San Francisco. Located on 30th avenue in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood, this pub boasts an impressive 30 beers on tap, with hundreds of bottled brews to back them up. With knowledgeable bartenders and a crowd that is well-attuned to the beer scene, Toronado is the place to find both well-crafted beers and well-crafted conversations. As if its amazing collection of local beers wasn’t enough, it packs a double punch with its amazing menu. Nothing spells satisfaction like smoked mac and cheese and locally made sausages, so check out this great bar for both its beer and its eclectic menu. On our North Park brewery tour, we explore some of the best brewers in the neighborhood.
The Public House
Situated in beautiful La Jolla, The Public House is a scenic bar with indoor and outdoor seating. This bar hosts up to 43 drafts at a time, and specialized in difficult-to-find taps from around the world. Backed by over 350 bottled beers, this bar brings in the best of California, surrounding states, and far off places. If you’re looking for some good grub to complement your draft from near or far, The Public House also offers humanely raised bison, venison, lamb, duck, rabbit, alligator, wild boar, camel, and ostrich, to name a few.
Slater’s 50/50
Slater’s 50/50 was named for its owners’ burger concoction made up of 50 percent ground bacon, and 50 percent ground beef. This highly acclaimed burger threw Southern California for a loop, and soon after the first restaurant opened in Huntington Beach, a second followed in San Diego. Slater’s has 113 beers on tap, and every server or bartender is Cicerone certified, ensuring that they are well-educated beer professionals ready to answer your questions and suggest brews that will expertly suit your taste.
Hillcrest Brewing Company
Hillcrest Brewing Company serves the local community with great ambiance, a good handful of board games to choose from, and amazing craft brews. HBC features nine handcrafted homebrews that are brewed on-site from secret recipes, as well as handmade pizzas, long-marinated wings, pretzels, and salads. They also feature a list of 16 guest taps, ensuring you’ll find yourself at home in Hillcrest. This brewing company rotates its styles and seasonal beers throughout the year, so you’ll never show up unsurprised with their offerings.
YardHouse
If you’re looking for a never ending line of taps, the Yard House is the house to stop into. Despite being a chain restaurant, the YardHouse has made a name for itself as a Downtown San Diego beer hot spot. With over 250 beers on tap, the Yard House comes in as a frontrunner in the city’s premier locations for beer variety. With a traditional fare and a fine dining flair, the Yard House can host just about any type of patron from the high end business lunch troops to the sports-watching afternoon wing-loving crowd.
Blind Lady Ale House
The Blind Lady Ale House has well-earned its place on the list of Draft Magazine’s 2015 list of America’s 100 best beer bars. With a good old-fashioned ambiance and an amazing beer selection, the BLAH is anything but a hum-drum experience. Hosting 26 beer taps and a menu full of locally sourced ingredients, this ale house offers both ambiance and a broad array of the best brews to round out an amazing pizza menu. With communal seating and a great vibe, the BLAH may be the place you finally find that perfect remote craft brew that’s been evading you.
Take a trip to Toronado, the Blind Lady Alehouse, or any of the others on this list and maximize your pub time in the city. Whether you’re looking for a little bit of everything or that one favorite hard-to-find beer, San Diego has got you covered. If you’re looking to get a taste of the best local brewers, check out our San Diego brewery tours.