The Local Pacific Beach

Pros: fun menu (katsu chicken? loco moco? hell yes!), decent drink selection, killer view of PB from the second floor
Cons: the food was on ok but not great, same with the drinks, soooo many loud bros on the deck (even at noon)

This place has all the ingredients for a decent hangout spot… pretty good food, a nice selection of craft beer, really close to the beach (you can see the ocean from the patio) and happy hour until 8pm on Fridays. We went there on a Wednesday and they had live music downstairs. The craziness doesn’t usually start until later, so if you’re looking for that, then this is your typical PB joint, if you’re looking for something a little more chill then, earlier is better. I like that it’s a good spot for both environments depending on what you’re in the mood for.

Food was excellent. All of the tacos were killer. Beer was ice cold and service was great. Definitely a must stop

Skip the fried rice. It is insanely salty-​to the point where you can eat it anymore.
Don’t skip the Cuban sandwich. I’ve had it at the other location they used to have downtown and it’s worth the trip.

The service is a bit slow but the vibe is relaxed compared to some of the other eateries in PB do that’s cool. I ate the fish taco with a side of fried rice with Spam. You gotta have spam! Mmm mmmmm! Yummy! Check them out.

*My FAVORITE’IST spot in all the land (…OK, maybe just PB)*
The Local is super versatile:
*“Ta Party”: we’ve been here for just about every sort of debaucherous, slammin ass event. F/​bday parties (which they sectioned off a killer spot for us with a great vantage point), to a bachelorette party for my wife’s sister (complete with themed island entertainment I’m told) to just Friday’s, Saturday’s and holiday weekends which never disappoint.
*“Breakfast? Im sorry, did he just say Breakfast!?” No bullshit … Their breakfast is the best kept secret at the beach. Never a line, HUGE portions, and killer in the flava category.
*“Watch sports and chill.” Not quite as fun as the Netflix version… But with their local beer list, Armada of TVs and not horribly overbearing atmosphere it’s a great spot to catch a game.
BONUS:
*2^nd floor patio deck is dope, and the floor is heated for marine layered evenings.
*My wife’s a big fan of the «wine on tap»
*2 levels — so hit up the lower floor to easily break up the vibe in case you’re not there to tie several on

Ahhh the Local. I was so excited when this place opened! Walking distance from my house, a roof top deck, a basil drink thats to die for! The two stars you see are for two things. The Basil Collins drink and the chicken spring roll.
The service here is definitely not what you should come for. Out of the 5 or so times I have been here, I have been forgotten about for so long that I left my table to sit at the bar, I’ve had countless orders put in wrong or not come out at all, and I’ve never gotten an apology for any of it. I’ve sat at the roof top bar for far too long before a bar tender even said «I’ll be right with you»
The servers do not seem like they want to be there and seem hungover from the night before. I’ve given this place many chances, and I am bummed that the experience hasn’t been the best for me. Seems like a fun rowdy place for night life but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re sober.

I love the atmosphere here! My friend use to work here so this is how I heard of this place. I love coming here during the day and at night! The music is always great and loud on the second floor! The location is great and parking can be hard to find sometimes! The food was also great as well. I can’t wait to come back in the summer! The outside decks are great as well :)

The drinks were very light tonight… Seems to be a pattern for this place. But the nachos were pretty good. They put basically no guac on them though and then when I asked for more, they charged more. Great vibe with an ocean view is what they have going for them… And very nice customer service.

Awesome bar! We miss the old Nicks location, but this place really goes above and beyond! Amazing dog-​friendly downstairs patio with water bowls and leash hooks, best beers in town on tap, and upstairs patio with ocean views. No one can say no to The Local! Our Zoey loved soaking up the sun as we enjoyed Grapefruit Sculpin with friends.

It’s a fun time. You just need to know what you’re getting into…
It’s a very loud, very packed bar, but with that being said it’s usually a good time. One of the major drawbacks is the wait time for drinks. No matter the time of day or night, you’ll wait 10 – 15 minutes for one beer. Kinda annoying. Oh and the $ 10 minimum per card is annoying as well.

Hell yeah. Best bar not located on the beachfront for day dranks in PB!
We walk in and we have one extra person that can not fit at the table and a guy brought a chair within seconds without us asking! Hell yeah good looking out! We had great drinks, Orange Wheat beer, Cali Crème, and pickle back shots!!! For once in the whole day everyone was happy to get exactly what they wanted! Also, I might add when trying to order a random beer I thought I would gamble on the bartender told me «it had a lot of flavor» I then asked for a sample. Sooooo glad she gave me somewhat of a heads up-​I did not like it at all and ordered something else I really ended up liking! Thanks!
Had no idea until we were about to leave at 9pm Sat that there was a poppin upstairs! Everyone was dancing and soooo happy and friendly cept some 21 prep douche on a cell phone that told us to randomly shut up and flipped us off. WOW. I got up in his face and then I told security about it. He immediately took care of the situation in such a friendly way I was really impressed.
I would have given 5 star but this really isn’t my scene anymore. I’m more of an 80s/​North Park, hell even industrial kind of gal but if ever in the area again I might come back.

We watched the AAC semi final game here on Saturday and had a great time!
The security guy was awesome and helped us relocate when we realized we couldn’t get the sound on upstairs– which was kind of a bummer.
We ended up having a good time but our first server upstairs started things on the wrong foot. She was kind of rude and made us feel that we were bothering her by ordering food/​drinks. The experience improved but with that and only okay food we likely wont go back for brunch.
That said, with cool décor and tons of space I am already looking forward to going out here! Patio is awesome!

The bartenders here will OVERCHARGE and SCAM YOU!!!
I have been coming here for as long as they have been open however recently I have been noticing weird things happening with my bill when I order a round of drinks. Let me start by saying this only happens at night, when I come here during the day it never happens, which is weird because it is usually the same bartenders working.
I came here last Friday night and ordered two Fireball shots and a Dos Equis draft from the upstairs bar. I know for a face their Dos Equis drafts are $ 4 all day every day. The bartender gave me my drinks and I handed him my credit card and asked him to cash me out. He brought me back my bill at is was $ 30. $ 30 for two shots and a $ 4 beer??? It was so busy and my friends were dancing I didn’t feel like arguing at the time. I know Fireball shots arn’t more than $ 10 at the VERY MOST. The next bar we went to I asked how much they charged and they said $ 7. Either way they at least overcharged me $ 5 which is still a dishonest move. This is not the first time this has happened either. My friend was ordering us drinks last month and the bartender charged him $ 40 for two tequila shots and two coronas. Even if it was Patron, $ 40 still sounds a bit pricey.
I do not appreciate bartenders trying to take advantage of intoxicated patrons. I am not a tourist. I live in Pacific Beach. I do not like to be scammed. Whoever manages this place GET YOUR BARTENDERS IN LINE!!!

I have been here several times and every time I come in with an open mind but the food is overpriced and mediocre. The service on fight night is just laughable. Step up your game if you want people to come back. When your servers are saying they can’t provide good service because they have too many tables you should over staff or maintain the flow of traffic.

Do not come here unless you have an ample amount of time to spend waiting. Waiting for menus. Waiting for your order to be taken. Waiting for food. So much waiting. I had to ask the food runner to relay to our waitress that we wanted our check because she never even checked on us the hour we were there. It also took her about 20 minutes to get me a box for my leftovers, I seriously contemplated just wrapping my burrito up in a napkin to take it home cuz I was so tired of waiting lol. The food was pretty tasty, but for $ 12 I expected my shrimp burrito to be a little larger and contain more shrimp. It was good tasting, just a little too pricey for what you get in my opinion. I’ll consider coming back to give them another chance when I know I have a lot of time to waste, since their $ 10 bottle of champagne mimosa deal is pretty enticing.

We went here on a Monday night, and downstairs it was pretty slow. We received awesome service, and the food was great. The portions were very good, and the appetizer came out quickly. I recommend the «Local Lumpia».
Another bonus they are not only dog-​friendly, they have hooks specifically for dog leashes and bring out water bowls for your buddy. Guys add a dog menu!
When my Entrée came out it had the wrong side order, but they fixed it quickly with no hesitation.
Most of the other reviews that complain talk about the service, but for us it was great. Maybe because it was slow on a Monday, but they seemed ontop of it. I’m adding this to my list when at the beach for sure, I have a feeling I will be moving this to a 5 star review after our next visit.

I’ve been coming here for some time now and it rarely disappoints. Ive had food here on two occasions, both of which I sat at the first floor bar, which is quite spacious. The seating is open with a few tables on the sides and a couple in the middle, plus the bar. I believe the middle tables are moved when The Local gets super crowded at night.
The food has been better than what you’d expect from a PB bar. I’ve had fries, the calamari, and fried rice — all of which impressed me. These things were accompanied by a variety of sauces as well. To accompany the food, The Local has a good selection of beers. I’m not quite sure if their handles rotate, but I know they have San Diego staples like Sculpin as well as other options like PBR.
If you’re coming for the food, I would advise against coming on a weekend night after 8−9ish. This is when the party gets going, the skirts get shorter, and the bro tanks come out; it’s a beach bar, it’s expected. Be prepared for a packed house and sometimes a line to get both into the venue and then a second to get to the second floor.
The second floor is where all the bumping and grinding happens. They have a DJ and a bar pouring drinks and serving beer. I generally opt for Dos Equis Amber since they’re priced okay. There are outdoor patios on both floors, but I generally avoid them because I prefer to stand near the bar. Lines for drinks can get long so I like to stay close to the source.
Whip out your best pastel short shorts, do some push ups for that pre-​club pump, and toss on your most ‘merican bro tank before you get here… At least that’s the general dress code and vibe during the summer. Come here if you live that lifestyle or simply want to grove with some beach bunnies.

Love the view, food & drinks! Small parking lot in front but there is also street parking close by.
BRISKET NAAN is the way to go people, so amazing! Full of flavor and they add some chimichurri sauce to the mix which is delectable.
It seems like most people order the mule drink & I highly recommend it They also have a lot of beers on draft if that’s your style.
I tried some of their tacos and the pork one seemed to be the best, the fish taco was bland. Lumpia, potstickers & wings are great choices for happy hour.
The service was very attentive. Definitely would recommend this restaurant.

Date of Visit: 5÷5÷2015
We invited a bunch of friends down to PB for Cinco de Taco and were searching for a perfect bar to hang out, eat tacos, and drink margaritas. Since PB Bar & Grill closed, Fat Fish a little too fancy, and Fred’s too crowded, we chanced The Local based off of a sign I saw when grocery shopping the other day. We were pretty excited to see that they were serving tacos.
Upon entering the restaurant, the bouncers asked to see our IDs and then it was a seat yourself experience. The hostess recommended that we go upstairs since, «that’s where the party is.» We went upstairs and got lucky with a table outside on the patio. It was really noisy inside with the live music and enclosed space, but the noise level was much more manageable outside.
For Cinco de Mayo, the special was half off tacos, $ 5 margaritas, and $ 3 Dos Equis. This is what our entire table ordered. I was excited to see that they also serve lumpia here, so I’ll have to try that another time.
The five tacos we could choose from were lobster, fish, pork, beef, chicken. Their menu has fancier names, but the wait staff will get the gist if you order by meat type. Since the lobster taco was not half off, our table ordered a mix of the 4 different tacos. We didn’t know what to expect, so Cam, Amit, and Stan ordered 3 each, while Scotty and I ordered 2 each.
I ordered the fish and pork tacos with no white sauce on corn tortillas. I was little concerned about my order since it was very busy, but everything came our perfectly. I also requested the Andale hot sauce, which was HOT. I love hot sauce and this was a great addition to the tacos. In Amit’s words, «it has great tang.» I liked both tacos enough to polish both off, but I liked my pork taco better than the fish taco. Partly because it had a lot of guacamole and partly because the pork tasted very good.
Two important notes. First — the tacos served here are huge. The guys were struggling to eat through their third tacos, so two is more than enough if you are hungry. You can always order another if you’re still hungry after two. Second — the tacos are served with flour tortillas as default. If you want a corn tortilla, you need to request it.
Reviews for the other tacos: Stan was the only one who ordered the chicken taco and he did not like it. He said that it was too sweet for him and the combination wasn’t that good. Everyone else got the beef taco and they also said that it was just okay. Those also came with guacamole, but everyone preferred the pork taco to their beef taco. Our group’s taco ranking: 1) Pork 2) Fish 3) Beef 4) Chicken
The only poor part of our experience was the waitstaff. Since the upstairs is definitely a bar scene, the wait staff was overworked with trying to balance food and drink orders for all the tables and getting tabs out to everyone. The table next to us nearly left without paying their bill! We had to wait a long time for our bill to come and would have been longer if we had requested a split bill. Between 14 tacos, 2 beers, and 2 margaritas, the bill came out to $ 55, so I just paid for everyone so that we could get out of there faster.
Overall, The Local PB is a chill place to go. If you’re just going for drinks, upstairs is a great place to be, but I would definitely recommend eating downstairs first to avoid confusion with paying your tab off. I’ll probably drag Cam here again so I can try their lumpia.