Hamiltons Tavern

MiScusi

California

4.65/5  rDev +5.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Top notch atmosphere here. Seems to always be crowded, but for some reason, the more crowded the better at this place. Tons of great local beer flowing, TV's with games on, pool tables, a pretty extensive beer fridge and cask options make this place a must stop when in the San Diego area. You can also bring you dog in. Usually there are 2-3 dogs in the place at any given time. Hundreds of tap handles hang from the ceiling with strands of light. Old fashioned chalkboard beer menu. Top quality in terms of the beers served.

Most popular food option seems to be the hop sausages. On the 2nd saturday of each month they also offer free food, and the spread when I was there was awesome.

02-16-2009 17:59:05 | More by MiScusi

claspada

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75 | $$

At first glance it looks like a dive bar but then you see the draft list and you are set as ease.

Medium size bar, some tables behind. TVs with sports games on in the background.

They had a bunch of one-off stone barrel aged beers and special adjuncts added beers as well. Also plenty, mostly everything actually was from California which is pretty cool if you ask me. Enjoyed watching the hockey game and sipping some CA stuff I would never be able to try.

Service was more than helpful, prices were reasonable enough. I would definitely recommend if in the area.

06-19-2013 00:41:02 | More by claspada

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.49/5  rDev +1.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Probably our favorite place in San Diego. A neighborhood place owned by the same crew behind Small Bar, Monkey's Paw and others, Hamiltons is a dark local taproom that serves great craft beer.

One long bar on the left hand side as you enter, with tables behind and a walk up window to order food in the far corner. We got three seats at the bar and were quickly welcomed by the bartender. Very friendly guy, as was the night bartender/co-owner Dennis. We had some nice drafts (strong local presence with lots of Green Flash on our visit) from the strong tap list. The bottle list was similarly excellent.

Food was fine. We had sandwiches from their extensive grilled cheese menu. Nothing outstanding but on par for our food experience in SD.

We loved the gritty feel of the place and the welcoming environment. We would have spent more time and more visits there if not for the distance from our hotel downtown. This is a can't miss spot.

05-08-2013 14:29:54 | More by sholland119

FlyingBull

California

4.35/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Hamilton's is one of my most favorite places to go and enjoy a good beer, some good food, and friends and family. It's a dark, old school kind of place with a wide variety of people. All ages - all backgrounds. And...and! No kids!

They generally have a good rotation of craft beers on tap, a great bottle list, and 1-2 beers on cask starting Fridays. Their staff has always been helpful and knowledgeable. This is a must visit place when in San Diego.

04-06-2013 05:45:25 | More by FlyingBull

KidsDoc

California

4.49/5  rDev +1.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 3.5 | $$

Great hangout. Has become hugely more popular over the past 5-6 years since I first went there. The tap selection is outrageous! They keep pricing very reasonable. Food used to not even be offered but now has a great little short order joint connected that keeps a good menu.

Eclectic group of people make this place awesome. You see all walks of San Diego life at Hamilton's. Very cool environment.

Biggest down fall is the limited flow to the bar. When it's busy, it sucks getting to the bar to order a beer. There is only a narrow stretch of walkway. Limited seating area and standing room is limited if people are playing pool. But...it's still worth it!

03-12-2013 05:22:28 | More by KidsDoc

slander

New York

4.44/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Back down from up north, pondering what to do with our day before the flight tonight. Presently mulling around San Diego suspiciously, we have options, sure. I mean, we already looked in on daytime Toronado, so what else? Well, we bagged Hamilton’s the other day having seen the event madhouse that was on the drive by, but with time on our hands now, maybe a visit weekday midafternoonness is in order...

It’s a dark room and the blinds are drawn; a safe haven for vampires, no doubt. Your eyes adjust, and your nose knows of dank beerings. We drop to the bar; a long “L” to the left, wood top, slat wood base, foot box, and seating for 2 dozen on stools of leather. A row of 24 taps on the barback, plus a kegerator to the right with 2 more handles and a pair of handpumps up front for 2 ciders (Their regular use handpumps are further down the bar and are currently off), so 28 taps in all. A mounted flatscreen sits above the tap tower on center. To the left, a large horizontal board along side with tap selections printed in alt colored chalk; beer, style, ABV & price in 2 rows, and cider flights listed below, along with wines & sake, and to the right, a specials board listing cider flights (seems there’s something cidery going on, eventswise). Clutter countered and baby sampler glasses tucked below. On the front side below the bar are the ‘faces with the double set of eyes’ bottle openers shown on the front & back covers of the Pink Floyd ‘Relics’ Album (have never seen the female one before). Instant street cred.

A pair of phat tubes run from behind the bar overhead and to the rear; the lines a glycol system, need I say more? Further down the bar, a pair of 3 door coolers split by shelvings in between. On of one of them, empties of all sizes, mugs, glassware & growlers lining above, coasters plastering the top trim, and a flatscreen atop, and the other cooler holds shirts shelved above. Blackish walls, and the rafters above lined with tap handles past. Strung sprucings, white holiday lighting, blended ductisms, and another flat in the front corner.

A slat ½ wall divider off the bar with 4 bar counter spurs offshooting, and a pair upfront, 1 to each side of the door. Slight rampings down into the other room (Ben nearly wiped) beyond the divider. 4 more counter spur shortys on the inside wall and 3 booths up front. 2 pool tables in the center and a looong table bowling game. A large Guinness mirror on the far wall lined above with bottles not so random, and the walls and ceiling plastered with neons, placards, & flaggings otherwise.

We have decided to engage in table bowling; the pieces given to us in a box, handled. I talked some smack and then got smoked, badly. The table slants to the not where I can hit, apparently, and has nothing to do with my skills or drinking.

They’ve got a killer corner juke of put together mixes. Most are by group, but some are themed. I’m angry I didn’t scope out the tune scene first and then ply the juke with music to exceed the length of time we’d be here. Any juke with the Stone’s ‘Time waits for no one’ is instantly credible.

28 taps in all, 10 of them Bear Republic offerings on the heels of that maddening event they did the other day (Hop Rod Rye, Red Rocket Ale, Double Rocket, Ryevalry Belgian IPA, Big Bear Black Stout, Sour Black Mamba Wit, Cher Ami Belgian Pale Ale, Carburetor Doppelbock, Pete’s Tribute Brown, Rebellion Delta). The remainder is a mix of mostly west coast craft (Rubicon Monkey Knife Fight, Green Flash Palate Wrecker & Imperial IPA, Port Hop 15, Stone Old Guardian, Drake’s Dry Stout, Ballast Point Sculpin, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Big Sky Heavy Horse), scattered imports (Unibroue Trois Pistoles, St Bernardus Tripel, Celis White, Guinness, Professor Fritz Briem Piwo Grodziskie – Grätzer Ale, Stiegl Paracelsus Zwickl, Staropramen Lager), and a pair of ciders (Wandering Aengus Anthem & Wanderlust). I drank the Ballast Point Sculpin & Deschuttes Black Butte Porter. Beer was clean and fresh.

Damn, it’s dark. I am writing by damn near neon light, they’re hiding something. Oh, this is the sister act to Monkey’s Paw; I see what you mean there. Some of the best bars are not so shiny, pretty, clean, neat, and new, and this is one of them. I mean that in the very very best of ways. I could do some good time here. And we stumbled back out into the light…

10-18-2012 15:06:24 | More by slander

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $

This is a great stop in SD. It is near the big park. Inside it is dark, the music was super loud when I walked in on a crowded Saturday afternoon. They turned it down though, maybe someone else complained.

About 30 taps and they are all pretty high quality brews. The Avery white rascal is all over town and they had it as well, and they were probably wasting a line with guiness and anchor steam but w/e. Some of the cool stuff were 2 Schlenkerla beers, PtE, ballast point oatmeal stout on nitro, Samichlaus . Nothing over the top exciting but enough to keep it real interesting. Soe unique rarer beers in the cooler.

The service was good. 2 broski bartenders but they were chill, and good guys. The one lame thing they did though was chill every glass. For being such a respected bar that seems really out of place, but then again it is rampant in SD.

07-29-2012 16:41:43 | More by crossovert

mactrail

California

3.49/5  rDev -20.9%
vibe: 1 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I can't really add much to the many accurate descriptions of others, but every time I've been to Hamilton's I feel like a grumpy old fart. I hate this place.

Yes, the beer selection is among the best in San Diego. Just be warned, you have to be up for the mayhem. Besides the crowd and fragrant dogs tugging at leashes everywhere, the noise level is astounding. The sound system is like a bad muffler bolted to your skull. The seating and game tables seem to be designed for maximum confusion and elbow action.

Seems like the kind of place that should open at 6 a.m., but the bar stools would probably be full anyway. Between doing outdoor things and having to work sometimes, I haven't tried coming here in the early afternoon. So I've never been here when it wasn't filled with crowds yelling over the noise. Even on a rainy Monday night it was jammed, plus the gang of smokers lurching on the sidewalk. Enjoy!

03-22-2012 19:47:48 | More by mactrail

FosterJM

California

4.38/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $

Was in the area for work T-Th and had some free time for dinner so asked BdubleEdubleRUN and Nanobrew to hang out.

Atm- It's in a somewhat old school feeling neighborhood in North Park. A little bar tucked along a residential street. Parking is a bitch without a lot but I found a spot quickly. I will say its a hipster haven and I enjoyed making fun of the cut off pants and beanies when its 80 degrees out. Guess at 30 I am just old and out of touch. A nice dark bar with a few booths to sit in and a probably 20 ft bar. Big chalkboard with all the beers on tap and on cask.

Quality- When looking around the tap list I was a bit excited to see some really great things on tap that I thought were bottle only. Deliverance. Ta Henket, Tounge Buckler amongst others. Walking down the coolers its a dream cellar to see all of them in one locations.

Service- I will say its good service. Wasnt overly talkative or exciting. The guy with the stace was much more friendly. The girl in the kitchen was pretty good. Good info on selections.

Selection- Huge tap list, a couple engines and probably 10 doors packed full of cellarable beers. I was happy to walk back to my table for 2010 Olde Bluehair. Whole reason I went! Had RR, Cantillon, Drie, Lost Abbey, Nebraska, amongst many others.

Food- I ordered a grilled cheese and subbed the bacon for vegan bacon. IT WAS AWESOME(only for ash wednesday) with garlic fries. I want to go back for more food anytime.

Value- With food and 3 beers with tip 24 bucks. Not F N bad in my book.

02-24-2012 20:43:58 | More by FosterJM

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +5.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Stopped by this place a few times during a recent trip to San Diego. This is supposedly one of the oldest beer bars in the area and it has an old school European pub vibe. Pretty spacious but basically one large room with a long bar, booths for dining, two pool tables, a shuffleboard game and the ceiling covered with old tap handles. I loved the vibe of this place. Lots of locals and beer nerds but the crowd is a bit young and the place is packed on weekend nights.

There is plenty of seating at the bar and the selection is excellent. A large chalkboard displays the draft offerings and there is an extensive bottle list covering lots of styles, breweries(including Alpine!)and countries. East coast offerings are somewhat limited but it looks like they carry the most interesting options that are distributed to the area. 28 taps covering a wide range of styles and breweries but there is a nice focus on locals. On one of our visits we had a pretty nice IPA tasting including Pliny, Sculpin, AleSmith IPA, Napa Smith Hopagedon, Green Flash WCIPA and Mission Shipwrecked DIPA. Being able to drink all of these delicious hop bomb on draft at the same time was awesome. They had more on and Alpine Pure Hoppiness bottles but we skipped them because we were visiting the brewery the next day. I was very impressed with the selection and according to their site they often have cask and brewery events. Very impressive.

Another great feature of this place was the quality of the food. Considering the size of the place they have a pretty large menu with standard pub food and some more interesting options. You have to order at a separate window and you can't get soft drinks anywhere after the kitchen is closed but the food is excellent. We never had to wait long for a meal and everything was delicious.

I went to fifteen different beer related places on my trip to San Diego and Orange County and this was by far my favorite. It's just a great neighborhood bar with delicious food, an amazing beer selection, cool people and great service. If I was a local I would live in this place!

01-21-2012 03:48:21 | More by corby112