Moonstone Lounge

Why and how this place closed down yesterday.
Watch the video blog now!

If you like to people watch and can put up with a whole lot of posturing, this is the place for you. I have NEVER worked so hard to get into one place. It got a point where it became a mission to get in. The bouncers had better be getting free drinks because they act like they own the place. Once in, it was worth it. Run a tab because its easier than seeing so much cash leave your hand while paying for overpriced drinks. $ 450 for bottle service — I would suggest buying a bottle of Grey Goose and letting in chill in your hotel room. Place closes at 1:30 anyway.

Dear Moonstone,
Get over yourself. I’ve been here many a times whether it be for work, play or just because there was nothing better to do. I’m just as happy at a super nice club as i am eating popcorn at the waterfront.
First off, why is there so much hype with rooftop bars in San Diego? This is not New York City, there are no glorious views to be had. Really.
I love The Hard Rock, the people we work with there are always so amazing and i always refer people to stay there when they are visiting SD and we always put people here for work. Maybe its because i have such a good impression of the peeps at this place that makes me so disappointed when i go to moonstone.
Word to the wise:
boys —
girls don’t like it when you wear an entire bottle of cologne, no really i’m serious. really.
Stop pushing your way in front of girls to get a drink at the bar, it only confirms to us that you are as big of a douche bag as you come off as.
Speaking of douche bags… The «doorman» Mo is a complete and total jerk. I have NEVER had a good experience with him and i don’t understand why he still has his job there.
I’ve always been on a list when im here so i don’t know about the price of the cover but its probably something comparable to the price of the drinks which is a joke.
The one awesome thing about this place is that if you are there over a weekend, there are always really cool parties going on after last call in people’s rooms. I have gone to many a fun crazy parties which usually end up being more fun that moonstone itself.
Bottom Line… I wouldn’t waste my money there…

80% of the time I have fun here. Once you get past the drama at the door (which is all hype to make the place seem cool).
They have strong drinks, good music. Sometimes the crowd can be a little too touristy but usually I meet cool people.
I bring out of towners here and they have a good time! Be prepared to wait in line and when you get inside the place may be empty but it will fill up by 11:30pm.

I was on the guest list, and the bouncer was a total douche about it. He almost didn’t let me in, but after I name dropped a few of his bosses he let it slide. When I went upstairs it was empty. Every section was clear to sit in, and the bar was easy to get drinks at.
I wish I had come here over the summer and during the day, as I’ve seen pictures and it looks like fun. Oh well… there’s always next year.

Too crowded. Drinks were way expensive. Tons of hot chicks though.

Meh. Some friends raved about the Hard Rock and Moonstone so after all their fantastical stories, I couldn’t help but have high hopes.
I was pretty underwhelmed. Even though this was another one of those private parties thrown in conjunction with the convention I attended last week, it was still kinda, ho hum. The Eden at the Ivy’s view is much better, albiet less expansive than theirs. They had fire pits, but they weren’t as cool as Eden’s either.
I kept getting my heel stuck in their wood planked platform floor. That’s just a lawsuit waiting to happen by some 4 inch heel wearing Cougar looking for her payday so she can finally free herself of her potbelly bastard of a hubby. God forbid she has to go out and find a job to make her own cash. Oh my!
I mean, the place is nice, but I wasn’t WOWED like I was expecting. I guess the «trendroids» out there might disagree with me.
Looks like most of the people working there were young and aesthetically pleasing. Must be a pre-​requisite for applying. The bartender who helped me was pleasant. Didn’t get any assholes. At one point during the night a waitress was passing out free samples of pinkberry.
With the rent they’re probably paying, they need to sell tank loads of their tarty treats, so kudos to them for their savvy cross-​marketing strategies.

HUGE CAVEAT — 4 stars for lounging not clubbing!
If you’re there in the afternoon through evening hours this place is quite nice. There are more seats and fire pits than all of the roof top bars. Well, maybe the W Beach level can compete on that aspect but the view from the Hard Rock is very much nicer.
Honestly, I avoid this place during club hours. I’ll stick around past 9pm if I was there earlier but I“m not going to put up with waiting in line. I’m the same way with Altitude so I’m not going to change that rule for Moonstone.
Service can also be spotty but the ambiance and view stop me from giving it a 3. At the very worst we had a manager debate with us on a policy issue and at its best, very pleasant. Come here after and evening dinner with friends or a date but don’t hinge your plans for a night out on Moonstone!

I will never attempt to go here again. Ridiculous. A couple girlfriends and I (accompanied by a guy or two, depending on what point at which you caught us) arrived at Moonstone one night only to find out that it was guestlist-​only, and the only way we could get in was to get bottle service. We are finding this all out as people exiting the elevator from the rooftop bar are muttering and telling the crowd that it’s crappy and near-​empty up there. We tipped the bouncer and got wristbands.
Then some corporate suit told us we would have to wait to get in. So we went around through the hotel lobby and talked to Ben, the bouncer working the hotel entrance to Moonstone. We were about to enter… then our friend joined us from Sweetwater (which we also hadn’t been able to go into because THEY were ALSO guestlist-​only for the night). She couldn’t get in with us. We were done. We ended up at Fleetwood.
This isn’t LA, it’s San Diego. The big city feel doesn’t do well here, because it’s a small town feel. I am never, ever attempting to enter this venue again. A waste of time and definitely not worth it.

The service is really slow. Treat the girls nice though, they have to dress in skimpy outfits and wait on 100s of people with only a handful on staff.
The place is gorgeous. The pool is awesome, but dangerous. I had a table pool side and there was only about 24 inches of walking space between the edge of the pool and our «loft» area.
The music was awesome (DJ FreshONE).
The place is expensive. You know you’re spending $ 1000 bucks if you’re going there with a few friends. If you aren’t prepared for it, go to another club. People that complain about the price of this place obviously can’t afford it. It’s new, and their operating cost is pretty high. Being in the business of business, I can understand why they charge so much for drinks. It sucks, but you’re not only paying for drinks, but you’re paying for the privilege of being there for no cover – if you’re on the list.
Moonstone is fun to go to every once in awhile, but there are a lot of arrogant pricks there. The ratio of women and men isn’t bad, but not always balanced.

A better part of The Soft Pebble Hoe tell… But still whack… you get bottle service… by 1:40am the bar manager comes takes your bottles away. no matter how full they are. and runs off saying it’s over…
Security… nice suits. we know you can’t afford them. .and w/​your great pay im sure you spend all you hard earned cash on the pomade in your hair… BRO!!! Get a real life and a real job and maybe you’ll be partying there someday instead of standing w/​your arms behind your back, thumbs up your ass pretending you can hear in your earpiece
The waitress girls up there? Maybe met one nice one in our bungalow. the rest? buncha whorecakes!!! Fake everything!
I hope the economy gets really bad that they have to fire the 10^th year Mesa College students that work here…
Then all these cool girls and guys that moved here from AZ, CO, or some other state w/​no life will have to move back home w/​mommy and daddy…
I hope you get pregnant by the fugly bell boys!!!

This was my 3^rd trip to the Moonstone Lounge.
First trip was cool, cuse it was a Unilocal party.
Second trip, nauseating yet slightly entertaining, with a little impromptu sprinkler and shopping cart dance in the Sweetwater Saloon. Or as Sarah S. put it «shortlandia».
Third trip:
Yes I give everything 3 chances.
It was my roommate’s brother’s 38^th Birthday, and I have to say him and his lovely wife are quite nice people, so I helped out by getting our names on the list for the celebration.
The Goo Goo Dolls were playing. I almost barfed up my $ 13 drink, but I know better than to waste a double for the price of a single (thanks unnamed bartender, your cute too!)
Don’t get off track now, he was the one and ONLY cute bartender. The rest have their skin painted Umpa-​Lumpa orange and dance around badly without smiles on their faces, NO THANK YOU.
Like I said, the drinks are around $ 13 a pop, what a fucking waste.
I love roof top bars, but this place is obviously reserved for the oldies but goodies.
And while I have to say that I am damn good, I ain’t old.

Never again will I go here. I was part of a group that had two reserved tables. The entire group was at the entrance and they let all of us girls in first. Once we got past the magic ropes the lame ass security proceeded to yell as us girls because we walked past the ropes, without our ID’s being checked and without stamps. Why was he yelling at 12 girls when he should be yelling at his own staff? No one should yell at the people paying for his living.
THE SECURITY AND THE DOOR STAFF — HORRIBLE!
Once got upstairs everything was fine. We had nice service and my drinks was never half empty.
Now I like places like Sting and the IVY so I am used to the people but these people at the Hard Rock are a league of their own. I felt like every turn I took I was being poked in the eye with another fake boob or looking at men’s chest hair because they don’t know the three button rule. The setting is nice and the view is decent but I would skip it and head to J Bar, Altitude, or the Ivy for a rooftop bar over this place any day.
I am planning to speak to the General Manager about the door staff as being yelled at is a legitimate complaint especially when we did nothing wrong.
One star for the setting.
One star of the cabana service — the only way to go if you are visiting this place.

«Kelly, do you have Phillipino Hooker perfume on tonight? Because all you attract to us is sailors.» Courtney shrugs as a man with a gold chain walks up and starts talking to her about cats. Weird man. I will sit here and drink my Vodka soda.
But then Lauren and I notice the vertically challenged assertiveness of every boy who walks by.
Old.
Rich-​that we are sure of.
But short.
And I am 5’3″. Hmmmm. So I pipe in for comedic entertainment:
«I dub the-​Shortlandia!» And it is. The land of short men and old people. Overpriced drinks. Standing room unless you have bottle service. The first time I came here I met my incredible boy. Coming back I wax nastalgic and talk to some weird English guy. Crazy Brits. I want to sip my drink in the corner, damnit.
This place has a really cool view though, and if you have the money and can get past the yuppies, it seems it would be cool to have a big party here. Otherwise, skip it. $ 16 martinis and skimpy waitresses that you can’t touch would be cheaper at Hooters.
Amen.

Why does Hard Rock make it virtually impossible to get in to any of its bars? It’s not THAT awesome. Maybe if you turn people away enough consistently enough, curiosity will just kill them enough to put up w/​all the BS to get in? You pretty much have to have a table or be a hotel guest to get through their crazy bouncers. At least the cokehead mohawk guy wasn’t working the door. Maybe he just stays at Sweetwater. Anyway so we fiiiiiiiiiiiiiinally got in. 5^th time’s a charm?
Not really a rooftop bar like Eden, JBar, Altitude… this is lower with less of a view. Closer to Stingaree’s height. A bit higher in floors perhaps. It was crowded, crowded, crowded. Granted it was a game night and everywhere was crazy. Nice VIP area with fire pits and loungey outdoor couches. Full grown olive trees in planters with gray stones. Nice touch. Pretty much one long bar with several bartenders. A pool is on one side too. No real room to stand around if you don’t have a table. A few bar tables and then wooden bench seating around the olive tree. The deck was cool but what a disaster for a bar with drunkards swaggering about, pushing and pushing. Ladies: beware of your heels. They will get stuck in between the deck planks! Good enough of a DJ. Crowd was typical downtown scene. Nothing unusual here.
Overall it’s just another rooftop bar in beautiful San Diego. Not one of my top rooftop bars but somewhere that’s worth checking out at least once. Definitely not worth the BS at the door though. Not at all…

Super stylish but overly packed since we hit the place up around 10pm — you could barely walk around once 12am hit. It took me forever to get a drink at the bar… probably because the majority of the bartenders were girls and flashing my boobs didn’t really get their attention haha.
The main thing that sucked about the «Hard Rock «in general… is that although we got a stamp to go to Moonstone, we had to go outside, wait in line and get ANOTHER FRICKIN stamp to get into Sweetwater Saloon (which we didn’t do).
It was just a tad bit overhyped for me.

Update:
Intervention this summer is going to rock!!!
Love this rooftop bar. The staff is super friendly and, due to it’s location, it gets tons of sun. It’s a bit pricey, but as a pointer, instead of mimosas, order a «Poor Man’s Mimosa» (Beer & OJ). I know, sounds gross, but its actually really good.
I’ve been here a few times at night, and as long as you don’t get here too late, it’s pretty easy to get in. Easy to get drinks (yes even for Friday nights), and a great scene.
I think the best way to hit it up is the following.
Cruise over to Maryjane’s for breakfast on Sunday (scrambles or the Benny rock), after you let your food set, cruise upstairs for some fun in the sun. I’ve definitely got to work on my tan for plenty of Sunday’s up here!

+2 stars for it being BEAUTIFUL. The pool, the cabanas, the fire pits, the view, all really really beautiful. So much more room to walk around that Eden, Ivy’s rooftop bar.
–3 stars for not being able to get a flippin expensive drink! Ok I was here on private event parties or hosted DJ nights so it was packed, but STILL. I had to stare down the chick for 10 minutes before she even stopped. Crazy crazy busy. If I’m going to spend $ 28 on two drinks I’d hope they’d be made relatively soon.
But will you see me wonder around up there at one point again? of course.

The plastic cups made me feel like cheap. Definitely not like Spitzer’s chick status Ashley or should I say, «Kristen.»
Something is wrong when a Grey Goose drink is the same price as a glass of beer on draft.
Summary: Service sucks but the atmosphere and view are killer

$ 10 for a well vodka tonic
$ 8 for a beer
pretty much just like every other place downtown