5 San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bars To Get in the Holiday Spirit

The holiday season is arguably my favorite time of year in San Diego. With the cooler weather comes strings of Christmas lights and of course, the pop-up holiday bars that will immerse you in the yuletide spirit. Discover the most captivating and Instagram-worthy spots across San Diego as we reveal the city’s best-decorated holiday bars with the best-tasting drinks. Here are 5 San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bars To Get in the Holiday Spirit.

San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bar #1: Grass Skirt

Tucked in a shopping plaza in Pacific Beach, you’ll find one of my favorite decor displays in the speakeasy bar, The Grass Skirt. This Tiki-themed spot features delicious food with a lot of spice and flavor and a refreshing cocktail list. While I love their usual offerings, the Christmas drinks don’t disappoint either. My recommendation is to go with a few friends and split a bunch of dishes while you sip on different holiday cocktails.

Address: 910 Grand Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 5–11 PM, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 5 PM–2 AM and Sunday 5 PM–12 AM
What to Order: Holiday on Ice and Dan Dan Noodles

San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bar #2: Raised by Wolves

If you follow me on Instagram and keep up with the blog, you know Raised by Wolves serves up some of my favorite cocktails around town. During the holidays, they don’t disappoint with their festive and not cheesy decor and seasonal cocktails. The best part is this speakeasy is located at the Westfield UTC mall, so it’s perfect for multi-tasking with Christmas shopping.

Address: 4301 La Jolla Village Dr #2030, San Diego, CA 92122
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30 AM-11 PM and Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM-1 AM
What to Order: “Home for the Holidays” or “Winter Paloma”

San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bar #3: Fort Oak

Last year, I stumbled into Fort Oak, awaiting our dinner reservation across the street, and it did not disappoint. As you guys know, I’m not a huge drinker, but Fort Oak really knocked it out of the park with our cocktails. The decor was more minimal than the Miracle Pop-Ups, but tasteful and still provided a good amount of holiday cheer.

Address: 1011 Fort Stockton Dr, San Diego, CA 92103
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 5–9 PM, Friday-Saturday 5–10 PM, Sunday 5–9 PM and Monday 4–9 PM
What to Order: The Fairline or Stingray
Tip: Grab a drink and head down the street to Cardellino for dinner.

San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bar #4: XMAS Bar

XMAS Bar is a new pop-up on the block this year and one of my favorites! This one feels right out of a Hallmark Christmas movie in the best way! It’s cozy, fun, Instagrammable, and has a great cocktail and bites menu.

Address: 203 G St, San Diego, CA 92101
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday, 4 PM-Late, Thursday 6 PM- Late, Friday-Sunday, 12 PM- Late
What to Order: Jingle Juice or The Snowbird

San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bar #5: Miracle at Draft

Another new bar to enter the San Diego Holiday Pop-Up scenes sits at Belmont Park. Draft is a fun spot to grab lunch when walking the boardwalk or watching sports, but they’ve transformed it into an incredible winter wonderland. Miracle is behind Polite Provisions too, but with Draft, you won’t get stuck waiting in line outside for 3 hours to get a table and enjoy a Christmas cocktail in a fun mug.