Best Nightlife near Qualcomm Stadium

JT's Pub and Grille is popular with SDSU college students. Located in Grantville neighborhood pretty close to the stadium, go for friendly bartenders and cheap bar food in a dive bar ambiance. In addition to occasional live music, entertainment offerings are rounded out by a pool table, beer pong and karaoke. The Bloody Mary's receive high praise as does the Guinness on tap. There is even complimentary WiFi and a patio for al fresco sipping. Try the blue cheese sliders and tater tots. There are a ton of TVs showing sports and there seems to be a different theme or special each night.

Dance club, live music venue, karaoke bar, chill place to hang out; U-31 is all of these, with a mechanical bull. If you're not feeling the music, there are pool tables and plenty of comfy booths if you just want to relax. Bull-riding nights are wildly popular and lots of fun, especially for spectators, and CD release parties are scheduled fairly often. Awesome happy hour specials are also on tap. Goings-on vary from night to night, so call ahead to find out what sort of fun is on the schedule. Bottle service can also be arranged in advance at this North Park hangout.

San Diego Brewing Company brews five unfiltered beers on-site adding a few seasonal brews here and there. The good news is that their beers are free of preservatives, with some containing only 4 ingredients. Otherwise, there's a long list of other beers on tap, including those from other local breweries. The bar area is separated from the dining area, which is a perk for families. The food menu was recently revamped and is getting better reviews than its former offerings. All in all, there's standard bar food plus salads, pizza and wings... the wings are excellent. It's about 1.5 miles to Qualcomm Stadium and is walkable, if you dare.

You'll have a rollicking good time at this country-western haven in Mission Valley. There's beer to drink and a large dance floor so you can boot scoot along with all your favorite country songs. Free dance lessons are held most evenings, and happy hour specials appeal to the pocketbook. Once in a while, InCahoots books country music headliners for a live performance. There's also Kountry Karaoke and an outdoor deck allows party goers to take advantage of the moderate San Diego weather. Parking is free but you can walk here from a trolley station. Don't forget your boots but note that it's the more casual country option.

A self-proclaimed dive bar, The Air Conditioned Lounge is one of San Diego's happening nightlife hot spots because of its retro vibe and friendly bartenders. Fans love the Mad Men-like feel, comfortable sofas and booths, reasonably-priced drinks and dancing the night away. Join for Drink and Draw nights where models are on display for guests to paint, sculpt and sketch. There's even a VIP room with bottle service and a dedicated host for the times you feel like going big or skipping the weekend lines to get in. Happy hour is daily from 4:00-8:00 pm where everything is a mere $4. Now that's value.

Seven Grand is a whiskey bar that has its roots in Los Angeles. As the logo implies, the ambiance is hunting themed with deer antlers and other old-school decor. The international wall of whiskey features selected products spanning the globe from North America to Asia. The Whiskey Society meets twice per month for comparative tastings hosted by master distillers and international brand ambassadors. A happy hour offers $5 house cocktails and there is now live jazz and blues to enjoy without a cover charge. Pool tables and a decent beer menu round out the offerings of this awesome local hangout.

West Coast Tavern is a cool place to have drinks and food in an old converted movie theater, one of North Park's most historic buildings. Chef Abe Botello is a native San Diegan and locals are raving about the upscale-casual American menu featuring seasonal ingredients. Highlights include an eight ounce bone-in brined pork chop, a charcuterie board with house made apple-rhubarb chutney and a dulce de leche panna cotta. They are praised also for innovative craft cocktails featuring bourbon and whiskey. DJs spin tunes almost every evening and they are available for private events. Bottle service is also available by reservation.

Polite Provisions serves up cocktails and classic American fare in University Heights. Their massive custom tap system not only features 18 craft beers on tap, but eight white wines, nine red wines, three carbonated cocktails, two non-carbonated spirituous cocktails, two spirits and one tap of each--amaro, dry vermouth, aperitif and sherry. There's also four seltzer water draft handles and iced coffee on draft brewed with beans roasted just four blocks away at the locally-owned Coffee & Tea Collective. The coffee is kept at temperatures just above freezing so it stays fresh. The also offer a rare line-up of amari. Come here to lounge with friends until late night.

McGregor's is an awesome sports bar in Mission Valley that has been around since 1996. Some think it's the best in town. Go to watch your favorite team play, obviously, but there's also vintage shuffleboard, four pool tables and darts. The Baja-style fish tacos are delicious and a deal on Saturdays and Mondays. Find also a reasonably-priced, hearty list of burgers and bar food to choose from. The kitchen is open late and they serve drinks until 2:00 am every day. Looking for event space? McGregor's is already a sizable sports bar but they're happy to host your next party.