Food, music and plenty of beads make their way into San Diego for Fat Tuesday

Looking for a place to celebrate Fat Tuesday next week in San Diego? “Let the good times roll” at these hot spots boasting special dishes, cocktails and Mardi Gras happenings starting this weekend.

The Big Easy Bites and Booze Self-Guided Tour includes 20 bites and 20 New Orleans-inspired sips. 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Gaslamp Quarter. $25 by Friday; $30 the day of the event. Attendees must be 21 years or older and have a valid ID. Tickets: sdmardigras.com

Guests will sample craft cocktails from 21 of the best bars in San Diego County at the San Diego Bartender Shakedown. The one-night-only event takes place under one roof from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Liberty Station, Building 177, 2875 Dewey Road, San Diego. $100 VIP (6 p.m. access), plus admission to the VIP lounge throughout the evening; $65 general admission (7 p.m. access with no VIP admission). 21-and-up. bit.ly/2It5d2T

Point Loma Fish Shop will celebrate the holiday with a special shrimp gumbo. Pair it with your choice of the restaurant’s wine or bring in your own bottle with a $5 corkage fee. Guests can also choose from pale ales to IPAs and stouts to ciders. Monday through March 7. 1110 Rosecrans St., Suite 100, San Diego. thefishshoppointloma.com

Ginger’s, just steps from the Barleymash, will celebrate Fat Tuesday with karaoke and classic martinis like The Cosmo, a blend of Skyy Citrus Vodka, Cointreau, fresh lime and cranberry juice. Bar bites can also be ordered from Barleymash’s menu. 8 p.m. Tuesday. 600 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 255-7373. gingersgaslamp.com

Barleymash will host its Beads, Brews & Bacardi Mardi Gras party featuring New Orleans-inspired food, drinks and music. Bites include a shrimp po’ boy with golden fried shrimp and gumbo and sips like The Nola, with Bacardi Superior Rum, raspberry and lime or the Bourbon Street, a mix of Teeling Whiskey, coconut, coconut milk and nutmeg. 10 p.m. Tuesday. 600 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 255-7373. barleymash.com

The Smoking Gun will serve a $25 All-You-Can-Eat Crawfish Boil. Wash it all down with specialty cocktails, wine, beer or boilermakers (a beer and shot) such as the Ramrod, made with Henebery Whiskey and a pint of Cali Creamin’. 555 Market St., San Diego. (619) 233-3836. thesmokinggunsd.com

The world’s biggest hot dog chain — Wienerschnitzel — is expanding its pioneering chili cheese fries line with three flavor extensions as part of a limited-time “Chili Cheese Fries Around the USA” offer, available through April 28. The three new loaded chili cheese fries spotlighting regional tastes: Italian chili cheese fries (New York City’s Little Italy); Tex-Mex chili cheese fries (San Antonio); and Thousand Island chili cheese fries (central California coast). San Diego (4), National City, La Mesa, Chula Vista (2), Imperial Beach, Spring Valley, El Cajon (2), Escondido, Santee, Oceanside (2). wienerschnitzel.com

The 17th annual Hillcrest Mardi Gras celebration returns with a neighborhood-wide party bus party crawl. The event features six party buses, five party stops, dozens of participating bars, clubs and venues, along with exclusive drink deals and entry, circus performers, drag queens, giveaways and plenty of beads. 6 to 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Hillcrest. $10 advance; $15 after the first 300 tickets are sold. bit.ly/2GFd1Nn

Read more from Caronlina Gusman’s The Dish, here.