SRO Lounge — Restaurant in San Diego

I came here to kill some time before a nearby event and rather than walk thru the heat up the hill this was the nearest open bar. When you’re a drinker like me and you walk in like you own the place it doesn’t matter what kind of bar it is. I’m a bit of an international man of mystery so I maneuver seamlessly across the world, but found this place to be perfect for locals. I’m straight, but that doesn’t stop the offers from coming. I try to let them down easy and well before they are offering to buy drinks, I still get a few even after they know.

It’s got a mixture between 1980’s Chinese restaurant vibe mixed with weird hotel steak house-ness and a traditional bar designed for a much bigger location.

I dug the chandelliers and the fresh weekly flowers. The fully lined mirrors made the smallishness seem less noticeable. The carpet and décor was red and the dark wooden accents were nice, but the booths were that fake pleather as was the bar pads. The stools were all patched and wobbly, but Matt was an excellent bar tender. Prices were fair, but they lacked some of the classier sprits like Fernet and their beer menu is dive bar ish, no craft. I don’t go to gay bars so I can’t tell if this is a trend in them not being up to speed on craft beers. We are the mecca so knowing their trendiness this was surprising, but I guess this is a dive, gay bar.

The crowd is full of characters, mostly locals, but people you can really talk to. It’s an older crowd and apparently gets popping on Fridays when the drags come out. The weird memorial alcove is kind of creepy. I half expect to see portraits of someone’s old dead relatives with flowers and personal effects. When it’s Friday and busy is the best time to come because you’ll probably have more people introduce themselves to you than anywhere/time else. If your new to the city I would actually recommend this. You’ll have a gaggle of new friends within minutes, all willing to show you around.

It’s a little hidden if your looking and actually quite unassuming for a...

This place has an amazing atmosphere, and amazing history! Well, the account may not be factual, but is the accepted story, nonetheless.

This place had originally been designed to be a bar for the actors & crew at The Old Globe in Balboa Park (only but a stone's throw away), hence the name "SRO", which is short for "Standing Room Only". Standing Room Only, in theater (and more specifically Shakespearean theatre) terms means the front area right below the stage where no chairs meant the serfs and lower class would stand to watch a play.

Nowadays, the SRO's title also refers to the busy and electric Friday and Saturday nights where you're very lucky indeed to find a place to sit. If you're looking for a quiet plave with plenty of personal space, I recommend any other night than Friday and Saturday. If you love hustle, bustle & all the glamour and glitz of Old Bourbon Street (with just a hint of diablerie), then those are the nights for you.

As for the atmosphere, this tiny tavern is a cozy dream. It's a dive bar's well-traveled and well-spoken aunt; she's got a lot to say, is a perfectly opulent, and loves her antiques. You'll feel a little like you're in a drawing room in a Louisiana mansion, where the dusty rose carpets meet the stark red, black and gold of the walls. Walls bedecked in mirrors, throwing off ghostly doppelgangers under deliciously glitzy chandeliers.

And the drinks? Expect them strong. Let them simmer. You have time to, as time always seems to slow down a little at this Banker's Hill gem.

In summary: Great Atmosphere Really busy Fri/Sat Strong Drinks Beautiful Decor Wonderful Staff Pool...

This is as real as a beloved neighborhood bar can get. Standing Room Only truly stands up to it's namesake on the weekends with an odd mixture of clientele that runs the gamut from twenty-something thrill seekers that revel in being exposed, most for the first time, to a world where social normality and it's rigid constructs are left at the door and give way to a glimpse of what it really means to "take a walk on the wild side" and a revolving door of weekend "tourists" who come to indulge in the opportunity to interact with a truly unique and beautiful subsection of San Diego's diverse LGBTQ community. Few local watering holes are able to boast such an eclectic mixture of transsexuals, cross dressers, drag queens, androgynous local rock stars and some of the most ruthless pool sharks in the city as SRO. The drinks are strong and the staff, and the regulars alike, are always friendly and welcoming to anyone who wants to see how the other half...