La Sala Lounge

Hand-painted, cathedral-like ceilings cover the lobby bar of La Valencia Hotel, a Spanish Colonial Revival building that opened in 1926 and became a San Diego Historic Landmark in 1987. Guests order the house Pink Lady cocktail or an espresso martini alongside oysters, crab cakes, and burgers, with a view that stretches over La Jolla Cove. Live music plays several nights a week, and seating is first come, first served — the lounge doesn't take reservations.