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Little Italy · $ · Ranked in 1 list
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The Waterfront Bar & Grill is a Little Italy spot ranked #1 of 8 in our Best Dive Bars in San Diego list, scoring 92/100 in our Best Dive Bars in San Diego. Order the well drink and the burger. San Diego's oldest bar, holding its ground in the middle of gentrified Little Italy.
We scored The Waterfront Bar & Grill 92/100 in our full editorial review.
Read the full The Waterfront Bar & Grill reviewThe Waterfront Bar & Grill sits in Little Italy — downtown San Diego's northwest edge, walkable from the waterfront and the Gaslamp. The area is known for the Saturday Mercato farmers market, Piazza della Famiglia, and the best restaurant density downtown, and the feel is polished and food-obsessed — the neighborhood locals take visitors to first. Parking: Metered street parking and garages; the Little Italy Trolley station is on the Green Line.
Explore Little ItalyThe Waterfront Bar & Grill takes the top spot on our Best Dive Bars in San Diego list, ahead of Aero Club Bar (90/100).
See the full Best Dive Bars in San Diego rankingThe Waterfront Bar & Grill scores 92/100 against a best dive bars in san diego field that averages 88.9, running from 87 at the bottom to 92 at the top. That puts it 3.1 points above the category average and ahead of 7 of the 7 other places we scored. It lands 1st of 8, and nothing in the category scores higher.
Judged criterion by criterion, The Waterfront Bar & Grill separates itself most on extras (92/100 versus a 86.3 category average). Its softest showing is drinks at 86, 1.2 points over the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for extras, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | The Waterfront Bar & Grill | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character | 98 | 93 | +5 |
| Drinks | 86 | 84.8 | +1.2 |
| Value | 90 | 88.8 | +1.2 |
| Crowd & service | 92 | 87.5 | +4.5 |
| Extras | 92 | 86.3 | +5.7 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best dive bars in san diego.
Little Italy is dense enough that The Waterfront Bar & Grill rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Born & Raised (93/100 in our best steakhouses in san diego list) or False Idol (93/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
93/100 · #1 in best steakhouses in san diego · $24–28
93/100 · #1 in best tiki bars in san diego · $$
92/100 · #1 in best farmers markets in san diego · Free entry
92/100 · #1 in best live music venues in san diego · $15–35
91/100 · #2 in best ice cream in san diego · $6–10
91/100 · #1 in best seafood restaurants in san diego · $$$
If The Waterfront Bar & Grill is booked or closed, these score closest at the same $ spend in the same list:
Yes — worth going out of your way for.
The Waterfront Bar & Grill scores 92/100 in our Best Dive Bars in San Diego list (#1 of 8). It is strongest on character (98) and crowd & service (92). San Diego's oldest bar, holding its ground in the middle of gentrified Little Italy.
The Waterfront Bar & Grill is a good fit for dive bars. Because it ranks #1 on our best dive bars in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Little Italy rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: The burger is genuinely one of the better cheap burgers downtown — order it.
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Score 92/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Well drink and the burger · $
The Waterfront has been pouring since Prohibition ended and it never got renovated into something else, even as Little Italy turned into a restaurant district around it. The crowd runs from dock workers to condo residents, the drinks are cheap, and the kitchen puts out a better burger than it needs to.
Local tip: The burger is genuinely one of the better cheap burgers downtown — order it.
Scored with our ranking methodology — dive-bars.
Published by the Sandi Spots Editorial team at Sleep Coast LLC. Guides combine local perspective and source research. Check the individual guide for firsthand observations and follow official links to confirm current details.
