Aero Club Bar

A really cool bar! Born and raised in SD and hadn't been until now. Was surprised to see so many pinballs and arcade games! Pleasently surprised by that 👾 Bartenders were so nice! Drinks were generous

If you haven’t been to Aero Club Bar, THIS IS FOR YOU. Off the bat, free popcorn and cookies at the door. Who even does that, I felt so incredibly at home as a fellow popcorn gremlin. A huge selection of whiskeys and promotions- we came on Whiskey Wednesday where we had two options of alcohol, 5/6 for a single or 8/10 for a double in any well drink. What an amazing price, especially in THIS economy?!? Every single staff member was amazing but my girl Lee was serving charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent (C.U.N.T). She was so sweet, sassy, and answered all our questions. TIP HER WELL SHES THE BEST!!! Also, if you like Dave and Busters there are a HUGE selection of games, and they have a similar power card system. If games aren’t for you, enjoy the BEAUTIFUL scenery inside - seriously the lights are stunning- and there’s plenty of great outdoor seating. A huge plus if you come here on your birthday :) I felt so loved and welcome and I will coming back here 1000 more to eat cookies and popcorn, drink whiskey, and lose myself in conversation with Lee

I have been around my fair share of dive bars. Some try too hard to fake grit, others just give up and let the floor stick to your shoes. Aero Club does not pretend to be anything it is not. It is the real deal, a San Diego institution where the whiskey flows like confession and the regulars greet each other like it is Sunday mass. Ava, the bartender, set the tone from the start with the kind of hospitality most luxury hotels could learn from. Free cookies at the door, popcorn in the back, a pool table humming, and laughter echoing through the room like a song you forgot you loved. The pinball machines clatter in a side room, and there is a food truck parked out back for when the whiskey starts whispering you need something solid. Even the bathrooms are clean, which in dive bar terms is a small miracle. The whiskey selection is a cathedral. Seemingly DOZENS of bottles lined like stained glass, each with a story. Ava knows them all. Ask her what fits your taste or your wallet, and she will get it right. Scan the QR code for the whiskey list, it is a rabbit hole worth falling into. If I am being honest, I would give this place a 9.9 out of 10. The only off note was another bartender asking me not to vape. We are standing in a temple dedicated to one of humanity’s oldest and deadly poisons, and we are worried about vapor. People die from the bottles, not from the clouds. Still, that is California for you. A liiiiiiiiiiiiittle too careful for its own good. Aero Club is the kind of bar Bourdain would have wandered into after a long night, ordered something neat, and stayed for the company. And so should you.