Can anyone think of a good place for an afternoon cocktail in downtown San Diego?

A view would be nice but old, historical, quirky, etc is also good.

Thanks for your help!

gotravel...on my trip to san diego, i couldn't miss a martini at the hotel del coronado! i don't know where it is in proximity to 'downtown', but if you have a car, it's unmissable. it's awesome! right on the beach, a beautiful, classic american hotel.

The cocktail lounge on the top floor of the Hyatt has a wonderful view. It is a well appointed room and a bit pricey but the view is worth the price.

It's not exactly downtown, but Mr. A's is a lounge on the top of a tall building overlooking the airport and surrounding vistas. You'll swear that you can reach out and touch the planes as they land.

More downtown is the W hotel. Their outside roof-top bar is a beach -- complete with sand, umbrellas and bonfire pits.

Coronado is just over a bridge from downtown so if you've got a car, the Hotel Del on a nice day on the outside "deck" over the beach is lovely. I was less impressed with the other bars there.

Without a car, detraveler's Hyatt suggestion sounds good. There are places (restaurants) in Seaport Village on the water but not sure which ones would have a bar with a good view.

don't count out the hotel del c. w/ out a car. ferries leave every hour on the hour from broadway pier for a 15 minute crossing to coronado for a buck. it puts you at the bayside but there are regular transit shuttles that bounce back and forth from the bay to beach side where you can get to the hotel.

of course, you did want downtown. the hyatt definitely has the view, but it is your generic sterile hotel bar. boring as all hell without the view, if you ask me. although off the beaten path, try the waterfront on kettner in little italy. it has some claim to fame as the oldest bar in SD (either oldest license, or longest running bar ownership, or something). the tuna boats used to dock rigt behind it years ago (now it's filled in -there's harbor dr.).
there really isn't much that fits your total bill in downtown, as it's reached it's full realization as a convenvtion/tourist/ballpark area and about all of the unique places have shutdown. the joke around us locals is that we're waiting for the wal-mart to open up down there.

now there is the star club on e st.... hmmm... that's quirky! their happy hour begins at 6am sunday morning -- no joke!

Anthony's?

A short ferry ride to Peone's?

We went to an older bar in the Gaslight Distr right over the RR trax from the Convetion Center last year that was really nice but the name escapes me.

Thank you all for the replies and they sound lovely! Since I'm staying at the Hyatt, I'm sure I'll have a cocktail there.

I think the idea of a martini at the Hotel Del is simply divine!

I have printed the replies and am going to try them all.

Not the Star Bar! Seriuosly, I'm sure that was a joke. The smell walking past it is enough to make you walk on by...

"I have printed the replies and am going to try them all."

Sounds like a fun afternoon!

Wow, Jocelyn, that's a lot of cocktails for one afternoon. hic.

The Prado in Balboa Park is a perfect place to relax after visiting the museums or the zoo.