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A cocktail night in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

A proper drink between dinner and dessert.

5 spots · Jump to the list

These are bars you go to for the drinks themselves — a considered menu, careful technique, a bartender who can make you something that isn't on it. They sit best in the middle of a night: after dinner, before dessert, or as the nightcap. Restaurants with a strong bar are on the restaurant lists instead.

This guide ranks 5 cocktail bars in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.

Nights people planned here

Published date nights with a stop on this list.

Make a night of it

Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.

Around Good News Bar

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
0.8 mi
5:30 PMDinner
The Marketplace
The Marketplace

Restaurant

2601 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103, USA

Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

5.0

2
0.9 mi
7:00 PMCocktails
Good News Bar
Good News Bar

Cocktail Bar

3821 Park Boulevard, San Diego, California 92103, United States

Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

4.5

3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Bread & Cie
Bread & Cie

Cafe

University Avenue, San Diego, California, 92103

Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

4.9

Around LaFayette Hotel

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
0.7 mi
5:30 PMDinner
Shank & Bône
Shank & Bône

Restaurant

2930 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

North Park

4.9

2
0.9 mi
7:00 PMCocktails
LaFayette Hotel
LaFayette Hotel

Hotel Bar

2223 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, California, 92104

Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

4.0

3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Nomad Donuts
Nomad Donuts

Restaurant

3102 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92104

North Park

4.8

Around Carlo

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
< 0.1 mi
5:30 PMDinner
Farmer's Bottega
Farmer's Bottega

Restaurant

860 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103, United States

Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

4.9

2
0.8 mi
7:00 PMCocktails
Carlo
Carlo

Cocktail Bar

4033 Goldfinch St, San Diego, CA 92103, USA

Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

4.0

3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Gelato Vero Caffe
Gelato Vero Caffe

Bakery

3753 India Street, San Diego, California, 92103

Little Italy / Middletown

4.4

Cocktail bars in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

Editors' picks first, then by rating.

Good to know

What's the best cocktail bar in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill for a date?
Our top pick is Good News Bar, rated 4.5 out of 5. LaFayette Hotel and Carlo round out the top 3.
Are there affordable cocktail bars in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill?
Yes — Good News Bar, LaFayette Hotel and Gilly’s House of Cocktails are all $$ or under.
Do I need a reservation?
It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Carlo, while Good News Bar takes walk-ins.
What should we do before or after?
Make it a cocktail night: dinner, then cocktails, then something sweet. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.

More nights in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill

Cocktail bars in other neighborhoods