Belly Up

On our list of the best live music venues in San Diego.

A converted Quonset hut in Solana Beach's design district holds this 600-capacity concert room, which opened in 1974 and still has a papier-mâché shark hanging over the bar. Bookings run from reggae and blues to indie rock and hip-hop. The floor is mostly standing, with a few first-come seats, and reserved loft seats on a balcony beside the stage go only through the box office at first. Some shows are fully seated. Tavern, in the adjoining Quonset hut, serves burgers, tacos and salads.