Stout Public House

Stout is my go-​to bar. Absolutely love this place and the atmosphere. There’s a patio outside where you can enjoy your drinks while you smoke, or just enjoy being outside people watching. The bartenders are top notch, owners are wonderful (and also are bartenders there) but most importantly and most underrated is their food. SO GOOD! The Reuben, burgers, wings, corned beef hash, turkey wrap, corned beef and cabbage, etc etc… Freaking amazing! For being a place that is centralized around their bar atmosphere and not so much focused on food; their food is above reproach. Would recommend this place to anyone and everyone… As long as you don’t take my table outside ;)

Best Pub in DT San Diego! Bartenders and Wait staff are great! Nice enviroment, good times, and good people!

I’m traveling for business and was concerned about missing a Stanley Cup final game. Based on (excellent) Unilocal reviews, I went out of my way to find this place and I am so happy I did. Perfect Guinness pour. Not an empty seat in the TV viewing house and a passionate hockey crowd. In San Diego. Oh — and the food is outstanding. Never would have expected that walking in the door but amazingly delicious food. Super attentive staff. All around a perfect experience. This place is super casual and very low key but I have a feeling that is exactly what they are trying to pull off. Check this place out!

This… THIS is a hockey pub if ever was one. Irish to the hilt, great menu, stiff drinks, happy hour! Everyone in here seems TOUGH! but friendly. You need to visit if you are in the area. Neat spot. THUMBS UP!

Living downtown for a couple years, this was one of my go-​to spots. The food was always pretty good– the fries are among the best I’ve ever had, and the Reuben has become the standard by which I compare all others. Plus, they know how to pour a proper pint of Guinness. It’s generally pretty quiet during the day, so I often came here to do homework over a nice meal and a couple drinks.
I also liked that, while slightly pricier than I would ordinarily prefer, the atmosphere isn’t as pretentious as a lot of the bars downtown, while also not being dive-​y to the point of being a dump. It’s also a good place to catch just about any game you might want to catch, as well, across just about any sport. All told, it was definitely one of my favorite parts of the downtown living experience.

Okay. When you type in Hockey Bar in San Diego, this is what should pop up as the top choice. It will have your hockey game on. It’s an Irish pub, true. But when I judge sports bars, I judge them by do they know how to get the game on that I want without asking. This is your pub. Yes it caters to hockey fans, but it will have other sports as well. They are on it.
I’d call the food a mix of traditional pub fare and American pub fare. That’s a good thing. When people say pub food you know what to expect. Also a good thing.
To sum up, it’s a great Irish pub in San Diego, and if you love hockey and the NHL playoffs and want to watch with sound. This is your spot amongst friends.

Super solid place to watch a hockey game any have a few drinks. The wings were also solid. The A/​C pretty much not. People are friendly and into the good old hockey game is the main thing.

Okay, let me start off by saying I’ve been going to Stout Public House for a very long time. How long? How about over ten years? Well, how is that even possible when not even this establishment has been around for ten years? Well, here’s the simple answer. I remember when this establishment was owned by the previous owner (Jason) who was an exquisite chef and the name of the restaurant was Café Cerise. No, you can’t make that stuff up it’s all true. Now I discovered Café Cerise because the architecture firm I was working with at the time (M.W. Steele Group, Inc.) was located nearby in East Village and I believe we either had an office lunch there or was it a holiday dinner? Well, either way we’re talking about Xmas 2003, or maybe even 2004, so we’re going back some 12 years now — so yes my memory is foggy, perhaps a little less than San Francisco in May?
Okay, origin story has been established. Fast forward some two years after initial visit and occasionally (maybe once every two or three months?) I’d stop by after work for a drink at there really cool bar at the top of the stairs. This was in the middle of the week and probably just before 5:00pm and low and behold I am the only person in the entire place. Not the only customer mind you. The only person. No one behind the bar. No one in the kitchen. What the hell? It’s like the movie where the end times have begun and the rapture has cleared out the entire place (I can’t imagine San Diego’s population would drastically drop, right?). So I wait quietly and about three minutes pass with nothing but silence. But then I hear something. It’s a low humming sound like a garage door might make and I look over my shoulder (remember I’m at the mezzanine level) and I see the full-​length mirror which I’ve sat in front of on several occasions retracting into the ceiling and behind it a stair appears while two gentleman appear casually walking & talking as the descend this staircase. I recognize one of the two guys as the owner of the restaurant, and the other introduces himself as the owner of the building and apparently his offices are directly above (from whence he had just descended). Being an architect and fairly intrigued by this hidden stair and clever device for making said dramatic entries. I immediately inquire as to when he installed said device. His answer was telling, because he simply stated that «oh, I didn’t install it. It came with the building.» «They used to call these types of hidden devices ‘Stairways to Heaven’ «, because above in his former offices were a series of small rooms barely large enough to hold a small bed, and it was for customers. Yes, we are talking about a house of ill repute. A brothel. A whorehouse. Right here in downtown San Diego unchanged since the late 20’s when the room off the street was a speakeasy. Yes, what was formerly known as a bar before Prohibition made such «public houses» or «pubs» an illegal business. Of course, this speakeasy had another venture far more illegal (and profitable I imagine) than the illegal bar. The hidden stairway behind the mirror prevented to cops (or likely Vice Squad) from seeing exactly how patrons could access the floor above. And like all good stories one could only wish the walls could talk, because I’m sure most of went on within these walls would certainly curl your hair. Or as your grandmother would say, make a pastor blush. Please Like & Share if you are so inclined.

Came upon this place as we were walking around looking for a place to eat near our hotel with my coworkers and found this little hidden spot. Ambiance is what you would expect at a public house/​pub type place. We grabbed a table and noticed that we were just in time for HH! So we decided on what to order (drinks wise) we asked our waitress if we’re still good on HH and she said yes, so then proceeded on asking what select beers were on the HH list and she just flipped over the other side of the tent card and showed us the list (didn’t say anything else) so we assumed it’s that whole list that was good to go on HH, so we placed our orders for drinks before deciding on food.
I got the Flat Iron Steak Spinach Salad which had organic spinach leaves, blue cheese crumbles, grilled onions, walnuts, tomatoes, carrots and choice of dressing (i opted for a side balasmic) it was actually pretty darn tasty for a pub! Steak was cooked perfectly!
Okay, so my rating was more so based on the communication issue on things they didn’t really address to us. Like… what were the actual beers that were listed on the HH list and charging us for everytime I wanted water? I was wondering for a good 5 mins on what was this mysterious $ 3 charge, but I noticed it was marked off like a hash mark (3 times) and it was the amount of times I got water refilled, at least tell us! I thought that wasn’t fair on their part, otherwise I’d give them at least 4 stars overall. Maybe I would come back to give them a try again because their food isn’t bad at all! We’ll see Stout Public House…

Great bar for locals. Good drinks! I’ve had almost everything on the menu and haven’t ever had anything I didn’t like.
They are dog friendly which is nice as well!

Their drinks are stiffer than my 24 year old husband. Fast service even on a busy night, these guys are my local heroes! ¾ jack with a splash of Coke! Viva la Irish!

Got here a little before 6 pm on a Friday to have dinner before a performance at the symphony nearby. It was quiet and low key. A Hockey game was on tv. By 6:15 pm, more people started showing up and the music came on — Bees Gees, Journey, CCR.
Ordered the Guinness Stew. Super hot (in temperature). I had to blow on it. It was also quite spicy. Not sure if it was intentional or someone added too much pepper. Definitely opened up the sinuses. It was spicier than I like but tasty. The meat was nice and tender. The carrots and potatoes were cooked perfectly. Soda bread came along side of the stew. It was my first time eating soda bread. When I picked it up, I thought it was extremely heavy so I expected it to be dry and hard but it was quite the opposite. It fell apart when I bit into it. Good flavor. Consistency of a scone. Could definitely eat a couple.
Customer service was good. My waitress was nice, friendly and pleasant.
I would probably come back. Would like to try the pot pie.

San Diego’s Hockey Bar. I love it! Enough TV screens everywhere to see the game you want to watch no matter where you’re sitting. The poutine is OUTSTANDING — and definitely enough for two hungry adults to split. (I do NOT recommend the bangers and mash.) I’ll return for watching more hockey games, esp during Stanley Cup season.

Good gas lamp district location. Good place for hockey fans. I think the owner is a Canucks fan. Good pub style restaurant. Full bar. I guess what I’m trying to convey is that it’s all good :)
Ordered the bangers and mash. My girlfriend got the pot pie. Which they do different then I’ve seen before with a puff pastry on top of the inners. It was all yummy!
Customer service was excellent. We had two employees helping us. Great team work! My gf and I went on the patio and when our food arrived they told us rather then let it sit there. I thought that was cool.
We got there around 5pm. I’m pretty sure this place gets super busy at times. It was pretty calm. We left around 6 and it was picking up a lot.
I’d return here to eat and drink.

Decent service at the bar. Being a tourist and not a local you can tell. Not much chatter. What do you want and give me your money.
Food was ok
Still looking for a good pub close to GL or where ever

I’m giving this five stars because I’m a hockey fan living in San Diego and this place is a little slice of heaven for us. It is a straight up hockey bar (if you couldn’t tell from the décor). It’s got a nice divey feel to it. Food is good & the Irish gentlemen holding down the fort are great.
Must-​visit if you wanna watch a game!

I love coming here. It took me a couple years walking past it and their dodgy neighbours in 2007/​08, but when I finally walked in. what a gem. Pints are good, they’ve got bottles as well, spirits, food, etc. The staff and bartenders are great. It’s a great place for the corporate crowd, sports fans, and pretty much anyone that has a job. The local riff raff aren’t welcomed here.
THE BEST PLACE TO WATCH HOCKEY. I’m not even a hockey fan but love coming here for a playoff game just to be a pet of the atmosphere. If you’re around for the Stanley Cup Final, no matter who is playing, come here.
Cheers!

Go ‘Nucks!
We visited this place for Stanley Cup playoffs and were pleasantly surprised. The bar/​restaurant is small, but has great character and a good atmosphere. Staff was friendly, the food was good, and the service was fast.
There were multiple games going on at the same time, and it seemed like that particular night had a large number of Chicago fans on hand, so we can’t really blame the staff for catering to them by putting the Blackhawks came on more TV’s than the Canucks game.
If I would make one suggestion, it would be to invest in a good sound system so that the audio from the hockey games come thru nice and clear. A couple more TV’s, or a larger TV’s, also wouldn’t hurt.
We’ll definitely be coming back!

So many great things in one place. I can’t even begin to tell you.
1. This place doesn’t really belong in downtown San Diego, that much is true. It reminds me of a place I spent countless hours escaping the crappy weather in Chicago. But, hey! I am not complaining. I am glad it’s here and I am bummed I never knew about it before now. Where the hell have I been hiding for the last 5 years?!
2. Canadians. I may be biased, but there is nothing better. Period. Canadian flags. Canadian hockey jerseys. Canadian bartenders. Canadian whiskey. Canadian POUTINE (with actual cheese curds, the only way it should be prepared). Do you want me to say Canadian again?
3. Hockey. 7 or more screens with pretty good views depending on where you sit. I counted 4 different games on last night. Be warned, if the Canucks are playing, it’ll take over at least 3 screens– as it should, lets be honest.
4. Good service. I’ve read that people think the bartenders and servers can be rude. I didn’t get this vibe at all. I’m an avid fan of sarcastic people and if you take it as being rude, you need a better sense of humor and more wit. (In my humble opinion)
The only downside? It is true that as the night goes on, the chain smoking starts and any breeze pretty much fills up the interior. It would be an easy fix if they made the people smoke further away. Just saying.
I would be doing myself a disservice if I never returned. I will definitely be back many times! You should, too!

My first visit to Stout was … interesting, to say the least. It wasn’t what I expected. However, it wasn’t crowded and I got a really good breakfast burrito dinner, so I can’t complain. I was lucky, too, and found street parking really close to the pub.
When I first entered Stout around 5:30 p.m., I was a bit confused because there was a crowd of people gathered outside the pub, just hanging out. I stayed outside for a few minutes because I thought perhaps they were waiting to get in … but they weren’t. They were just chilling outside. So, after a few minutes, I squeezed through the crowd and entered the eatery.
Stout might be bigger than you might think because there’s a second level (which probably is quieter). I didn’t even see any servers when I walked in – there were probably 10 or so people seated at the bar, so I just sat myself down at one of the tables. No one even directed me and there seemed to be a lack of waitresses.
My friend came in a few minutes later, and at that moment, a waitress came to our table – she assured me that it was fine to sit anywhere, as it wasn’t crowded at all inside the pub – and handed us menus and took our drink orders. The place was pretty loud, even though it wasn’t that late yet, and it seemed like it could get rowdy later. While it wasn’t super bright in there, the interior was still brighter than I expected. Service was pretty good overall once we were seated, and our waitress gave us good tips on what to order since it was our first time dining at Stout.
Here are some of my dos and don’ts when it comes to ordering:
«Jumbo Chicken Wings»: First off, these chicken wings were not jumbo … I think there were only three of them on our plate. We only ordered these wings because it was one of the few items that were featured on the Happy Hour menu … we never would have paid $ 8 (regular price) for these wings otherwise! There weren’t too many of the appetizers featured on the Happy Hour menu, so given our limited selection, we decided the try the wings. The wings were tender and flavorful, but they weren’t anything special (again, not worth $ 8 if you aren’t there for Happy Hour).
«Breakfast Burrito»: Part of the «Anytime Breakfast» section of the menu, this breakfast burrito was probably one of the better ones I’ve had. It was chockfull of potatoes, bacon and Cheddar cheese, and it also featured a marinara-​type spread on top. While I scraped the marinara sauce off my burrito, I enjoyed the full entrée in one sitting. So much for saving half of my burrito to take home … all of the warm contents were wrapped nicely in a fresh flour tortilla, and it was so delicious that I just couldn’t stop eating it. I would definitely order this beast again.
«Chicken Pot Pie»: You don’t find too many places that serve up a good chicken pot pie, so my friend was excited to try this supposedly authentic version at Stout. However, we were both disappointed with the dish. Instead of sporting a nice, buttery, flaky pie crust all around the entire entrée, a flaky puff pastry was simply placed on top of the chowder-​like mixture. There was no crust anywhere else! My friend said the puff pastry was good, but we both thought there would be more of it to mix well into the chicken-​and-​veggie mixture. I had a bite of my friend’s dinner, and though the chicken chunks were tender and the meal was good, I still prefer the «Chicken Pot Pie» at Claim Jumper and Marie Callendar’s, just because there’s a more even pie crust-​to-​broth ratio. However, if you don’t like as much of the flaky pastry in your soupy meal, this dish is sure to satisfy.
«Brie Cheese Quesadilla»: This appetizer sounded appealing to me to try, but it wasn’t on the Happy Hour menu so I held off. It features creamy Brie and White Cheddar paired with pico de gallo and sour cream. While I’m not a fan of pico, I’d probably want to try this appetizer in the future because I absolutely love Brie cheese (and you don’t find too many dishes with it).
«Baked Three Cheese Macaroni»: I love my mac ‘n cheese made with lots and lots of cheese, so I wouldn’t mind trying the version at Stout. Plus, there’s always the option of adding bacon to this dish as well.
«Fish and Chips»: Now, pubs (especially Irish pubs) are supposed to have good fish ‘n chips, and I’m always on the hunt for a good fish and chips. I haven’t tried Stout’s version yet, but it’s on my list if I ever return. This entrée features crispy, beer-​battered Alaskan cod served with steak fries and tartar sauce. This dish sounds promising based on the fact that it includes steak fries – I love thicker, soggier fries! – alone. My hopes are high when it comes to this fish ‘n chips dish, so hopefully Stout doesn’t under-​deliver.