Somewhere along the sprawling stretch of South Park is Hamilton’s Tavern, a local pub boasting as many returning customers as it does beer taps hanging down from the ceiling. But if the dozens of stout-dispensing stalactites fail to impress the common San Diegan barfly, Hamilton’s large chalkboard of featured beers should.
This tavern boasts 28 beers on tap, each ranging between $4 to $8 a pint, which is not necessarily inexpensive, but standard fare for most bars in the area. However, while Hamilton’s has many of the conventional beers most bars serve, it really shines in its selection of beer from local breweries.
San Diegan standbys such as Ballast Point Brewing Co. and Coronado Brewing Co. make appearances at this humble hideout, as well as other not-so-local favorites, such as Sierra Nevada and Avery Brewing.
That being said, Hamilton’s Tavern is anything but just a place to drink beer. The pub features a pool table, shuffleboard table and a jukebox that never seems to die down. Hamilton’s café neighbors the bar, though food is also served through a small window in the back of the tavern. The café serves a standard variety of bar food, but nothing washes down with a good many beers like nachos, wings and burgers, especially when it’s right at one’s fingertips.
Admittedly, Hamilton’s isn’t the kind of place to bring a significant other on a romantic occasion, but it’s the perfect place to bring the guys. There’s a constant raucous babbling that continues throughout the night, but the pub’s rowdiness only adds to the weekly hangout factor of the tavern. In fact, the bar bears a distinct resemblance to MacLaren’s Pub in “How I Met Your Mother.”
But Hamilton’s is just as appropriate a venue for the wandering beer snob. The pub has received a copious number of awards, including best atmosphere for a beer bar by Beer West Magazine, best beer selection by San Diego Magazine and a spot in DRAFT magazine’s top 100 bars.
Beware, though: Seats and stools go fast, and tables even faster. It may be worthwhile to show up early if going with a large group. The bar fills up, and there isn’t much space to stand around. However, if one’s looking for a good place to grab a pint after work with friends, look no farther than Hamilton’s Tavern.
