The Coolest Christmas Bars & Pop-ups in San Diego, CA
Welcome to the season of peppermint shots and parties! While San Diego may not be the place to see snow at Christmas, the fun piles up with help from San Diego’s collection of Christmas bars and holiday pop-up bars. While some of the best Christmas bars in the city simply “pop up” overnight with help from elves, other top spots for holiday libations are actually existing bars that transform into holiday havens for the season. Are you feeling festive? Don’t miss this list of the best Christmas bars and holiday pop-up bars in San Diego, CA!
XMAS Bar in Gaslamp Quarter
401 G Street, San Diego, CA
(216) 704-0439
This glitzy, merry pop-up Christmas bar has cocktails, shots, cans, wine, and a hot bar with spiked hot chocolate. Enjoy a glowing, candy-coated ambiance with a live DJ as you mingle with a crowd in high spirits! The over-the-top setup here offers plenty of opportunities for photos. The Naughty or Nice glitter bomb cocktail made with house prosecco sparkles in your glass as you sip! Other cheerful cocktails on the list include Jingle Juice, the Drunken Gingerbread, Mistletoe Kiss, and Here to Sleigh. There’s also a food menu with burgers, flatbread, salads, and Christmas empanadas. This Christmas pop-up bar in San Diego is known for its festive late nights.
Santa’s Lair
615 Broadway, San Diego, CA
Santa’s Lair is an immersive holiday experience that transports guests to a bright, glowing atmosphere that’s decked out in wall-to-wall decorations and holiday lights. Yes, Santa will be in attendance for photos! Of course, what makes Santa’s Lair stand out is that guests can look forward to premium spirits. Santa’s Lair actually does an incredible job of upgrading the thrill and excitement of the holidays to satisfy sophisticated adult tastes.
Santa’s Lair works a little differently from other pop-up Christmas bars in San Diego. If you want to check out this festive spot for sipping spirits in the Gaslamp Quarter, you’ll need to book reservations ahead of time. Each ticket grants you a fun and festive 90-minute experience that’s the closest thing to the North Pole you’ll get in Southern California!
Cutwater Tasting Room and Kitchen
9750 Distribution Avenue, San Diego, CA
(858) 672-3848
Locals who know Cutwater Tasting Room and Kitchen already know that this popular distillery and restaurant goes all out for holidays and special events. Christmastime is no exception. Cutwater has transformed into an ultra-cozy lodge setting until the end of the season! A special menu full of holiday cocktails has been unveiled to satisfy all your dreams of cinnamon-infused bourbon and peppermint cocktails. This year’s official holiday cocktail list features the Frozen Peppermint White Russian, Poinsettia Punch, Ski Patrol, Negroski Flight, Frostbite, Hot Rum Time Machine, and Nice List Mocktail. Cutwater will also be holding a Snowflake Scavenger Hunt event every Sunday!
Duck Dive’s Great Dickens Holiday Popup Event
4650 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, CA
(858) 273-3825
The Duck Dive is hosting its annual Great Dickens Holiday Popup event once more! During the event that lasts throughout December, this beloved San Diego restaurant launches a limited-edition Dickens-themed cocktail menu. Head down to Pacific Beach to enjoy a glistening setting that’s all decked out in gorgeous holiday decor! The signature drink on the menu full of literary libations at the Great Dickens Holiday Popup event is the Bah-Rum-Bug made with Aperol, rum, pineapple, maple, lime, and cinnamon.
Sippin’ Santa at the Grass Skirt
910 Grand Avenue, San Diego, CA
(858) 412-5237
Do you want an experience that takes you from grass skirt to tree skirt? This Pacific Beach bar transforms into a seaside winter wonderland through Dec. 31! Sippin’ Santa is everything you’ve dreamed about if you’ve always wanted to experience a tropical Christmas celebration. The bar is transformed into a festive space full of bright decorations. The cocktail menu at Grass Skirt is taken over by a list of seasonally inspired drinks that includes the signature Sippin’ Santa, Jingle Bird, and Surf Nut.
Miracle at Draft South Mission
3105 Ocean Front Walk, San Diego, CA
(858) 228-9305
Draft South Mission’s Miracle pop-up experience is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that serves holiday sips and nibbles. Draft South Mission goes all out with lights and projection screens to create an immersive experience. The highlight of the event is a menu of 12 original Christmas cocktails. Guests can even look forward to bumping into Buddy the Elf! The Rudolph’s Replacement cocktail that offers hints of an espresso martini is one of the coziest drinks on the list. The hot buttered rum made with aged Jamaican rum, velvet falernum, mixed spiced butter, oat milk, and nutmeg is like Christmas in a cup! You can even take a little bit of the magic home with you by scooping up a Miracle holiday mug.
For more recommendations on where to eat and drink in the city, check out our San Diego page, here!
Featured Blog Posts
12 Michelin Star Restaurants That Are Actually Worth The Hype in San Diego, CA
There’s no mincing words when you’re putting in the time and money to visit a Michelin restaurant. 9 times out of 10, you’re going to be spending a pretty penny, so you want to make sure everything about the experience is impeccable. So which prestigious San Diego eateries are actually worth it? Get your money’s worth on the SoCal dining scene with these 12 Michelin star restaurants that are splurge worthy in San Diego, CA!
The Best Restaurants in Downtown San Diego
Downtown San Diego is a location for a constantly evolving and suddenly very lively food scene with options for all. Let’s take a look at just some of what Downtown San Diego has to offer!
12 Incredibly Fun Restaurants in San Diego, CA
San Diego has so many fun restaurants! In a choosey city like this one, no restaurant can get by on gimmicks alone. That’s why these lively restaurants also offer premium food, drinks, and ambiance. Why let dinner be dull? Check out these 12 fun San Diego restaurants for an epic meal out on the town.
The Best Restaurants for Live Music in San Diego, CA
What’s the best place for dinner and live music in San Diego? San Diego has a long list of eateries that mix tunes and tastiness for an incredible lunch or dinner experience. The dining scene here offers piano bars, live bands, and everything in between. The beautiful year-round weather in SoCal allows some restaurants to move the music to the back patio. Check out our list of the eight best restaurants with live music in San Diego, CA.