Downtown · Best Rooftop Bars in San Diego
The Nolen Review
Last updatedRanked #3 of 10 in Best Rooftop Bars in San Diego
Downtown's best cocktail-focused rooftop. Excellent drinks, a local crowd, and a view that includes the bay and skyline.
Score breakdown
- View88/100
- Cocktails & Drinks94/100
- Atmosphere & Design90/100
- Service88/100
- Food80/100
The verdict on The Nolen
Ranked #3 of 10 — 89/100 in our Best Rooftop Bars in San Diego coverage
The Nolen is the rooftop bar for people who care about the drink as much as the view. The cocktail program is serious, with classics like the Old Fashioned and a rotating list of seasonal creations. The space is refined without being stuffy, and the crowd is mostly downtown locals and professionals. The view is strong, with sightlines toward the bay and the downtown skyline. The food menu is small but well-chosen, and the service is attentive. It is the best rooftop bar in San Diego for a date or a conversation over a well-made drink.
What to drink at The Nolen
Across our coverage the recommendation is consistent: Old Fashioned or seasonal craft cocktail.
When to go
Bars and breweries in Downtown typically fill up on Friday and Saturday nights; a weeknight or early-evening visit is the easier way to get a seat without a wait.
Is The Nolen worth the price?
The Nolen sits at $14–20 — the budget band for this category. We scored 1 other $14–20 option on the same list, and The Nolen outscores 1 of them. Within its price bracket, nothing we ranked does it better.
The Nolen FAQ
Is The Nolen expensive?
The Nolen is priced at $14–20, which puts it in the budget band for this category. We scored 1 other $14–20 option on the same list for a direct comparison.
Is The Nolen worth it?
It scores 89/100, 3.3 points above the 85.7 average for its list. That's a solid recommendation within the category.
What should I get at The Nolen?
We recommend the Old Fashioned or seasonal craft cocktail.
What else is nearby The Nolen?
Animae (87/100 in our best restaurants in san diego list) and Hotel Republic (86/100 in our best hotels in san diego list) are also ranked in the same neighborhood, so it's easy to pair a visit.
What works
- Strong cocktails & drinks — scored 94/100 in our ranking
- Strong atmosphere & design — scored 90/100 in our ranking
- Strong view — scored 88/100 in our ranking
- Top-3 finish out of 10 spots we scored in this category
Know before you go
- Food is the weak point — 80/100, below the rest of its scores
The full review
The Nolen is the rooftop bar for people who care about the drink as much as the view. The cocktail program is serious, with classics like the Old Fashioned and a rotating list of seasonal creations. The space is refined without being stuffy, and the crowd is mostly downtown locals and professionals. The view is strong, with sightlines toward the bay and the downtown skyline. The food menu is small but well-chosen, and the service is attentive. It is the best rooftop bar in San Diego for a date or a conversation over a well-made drink.
On our weighted scale it earns 89/100 — good for #3 of 10 places we evaluated for best rooftop bars in san diego. We drink at the places we rank, pay our own tab, and re-score when a bar changes hands, moves or reworks its list.
What to drink at The Nolen
Old Fashioned or seasonal craft cocktail
Typical spend: $14–20
How we scored The Nolen
Every score on this page comes from the same editorial rubric we apply to the whole category: view, cocktails & drinks, atmosphere & design, service, food. The criteria are weighted toward what matters most in the category, compared against every other place we ranked in the same list rather than against an abstract ideal. We drink at the places we rank, pay our own tab, and re-score when a bar changes hands, moves or reworks its list. Scores are editorial judgments rather than aggregated user ratings.