2 Best Bars in South Park and Golden Hill, San Diego

Launched by the team behind Kindred, Mothership is a cocktail experience right out of the most fantastical science fiction. Its interior has to be seen to be believed, half of it resembling a cinematic spaceship and the other half looking like the alien worlds it landed on, while the drinks they serve—with names referencing the likes of Alien and Star Trek—are dazzling and delicious tiki concoctions. Reservations open up 21 days in advance but fill up fast, but bar seating is first-come, first-served.

As one of the few true late-night supper clubs in San Diego, Turf is often bustling until last call every night of the week. The somewhat gritty, old-timey interior harkens back to the 1950s, but the only cloud of smoke hovering around the dim lights and vinyl booths comes from the communal grill rather than Marlboros. Grill your own steak, order a martini, and enjoy a San Diego institution.