Things to do for St. Patrick’s Day in San Diego

The luck of the Irish returns on March 17 (Good news: It’s a Saturday this year!), bearing all the beer, whiskey and corned beef one’s stomach can manage. With San Diego being such a large city, it’s hard to know everything that’s going on. So, to save you more time for fun, PACIFIC has rounded up some events and specials.

Barleymash

Hit the streets of Gaslamp and stop by Barleymash for green beer all day and traditional Irish dishes like corned beef hash and corned beef with cabbage. There will be live music from DJs and a special appearance from a bagpiper guaranteed to liven the restaurant.

600 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp, 619.255.7373, barleymash.com

The Bell Marker

On St. Patrick’s Day, The Bell Marker will offer $5 house pints and a 3 Licks 4 Paddy cocktail, which includes Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, Fernet Mentha, Kerrygold Irish Cream, Giffard Creme de Cacao, nutmeg and mint. For food, the brewpub will have vegan sheppard’s pie, corned beef sandwich, pretzel with beer mustard and a corned beef plate. Live music by “Coral Bells” will take place from 4-9 p.m.

602 Broadway, downtown, 619.756.7598, thebellmarker.com

Carnitas’ Snack Shack

Festive specials offered at the Embarcadero location include Shamrock Sour, a fruity tequila cocktail, and West Coast Luck, a ginger whiskey mixture.

1004 N Harbor Dr., downtown, 619.696.7675, carnitassnackshack.com

Downtown San Diego Pub Crawl

The St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl will partner with various venues to provide access to free welcome shots, drink specials, music and cover-free entrance. Crawl begins at Tin Roof.

Gaslamp, clubcrawlsandiego.com

Duck Dive

If Pacific Beach is more your scene, Duck Dive is sure to please. On St. Patrick’s Day they will open at 8 a.m. and offer early bird specials until 10 a.m., which include green beers for $3 and house made corned beef and hash with a green beer for $12.

4650 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach, 858.273.3825, theduckdive.com

El Chingon

The Gaslamp Mexican restaurant and bar will blend Irish flair into their margaritas this St. Patrick’s Day with the Irishman Abroad. The cocktail will include Tullamore Dew, El Jimador tequila, fresh lime juice, Cointreau and R&D House Bitters. El Chingon will also be one of several SD ShamROCK (see further down for more info) VIP locations, offering Bud Light pints for $4.

345 Sixth Ave., Gaslamp, 619.501.1919, elchingon.com

Irish 4 A Day

Kick off St. Patrick’s Day early with an opening party at McFadden’s on Friday Mar. 16, followed by specials from different bars and clubs on Friday and Saturday. The weekend will come to a close at OMNIA on Saturday where there will be an official finale party.

Gaslamp, irish4aday.com

Nautilus Tavern

Enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day-themed menu that includes a grilled pastrami sandwich and corned beef with cabbage and potatoes. Jameson and Guinness drink specials are available throughout the day.

Nautilus Tavern: 6830 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla, 858.750.2056, nautilustavern.com

One Door North

This North Park bar will offer the St. Patrick’s Day classics: $5 Guinness pints, $5 Jameson shots, $10 Irish Car Bombs, $5 green beer pints and $12 corned beef and cabbage platters. The celebration begins early, with doors opening at 12 p.m.

3422 30th St., North Park, 619.618.1285, onedoornorthsd.com

PB Shore Club

Another bar opening at 8 a.m. is PB Shore Club. Sip green beer or green Red Bull vodka slushies on the open air patio with views of the ocean. To complement the booze, PB Shore Club will offer a breakfast menu with omelets, burritos and benedicts

4343 Ocean Blvd., Pacific Beach, 858.272.7873, pbshoreclub.com

Park 101

The St. Patrick’s Day festivities are not limited to the adults. Carlsbad Park 101 will offer a family and pet-friendly place to celebrate, with green donuts from Deli & Dough and green cotton candy for the kids (or kids at heart). Parents need not worry, there will also be specialty themed cocktails, such as the Kiss Me, I’m Kiwi, which is made with a low ABV sabe cucumber botanical, sabe yuzu citrus, kiwi syrup, lemon and orange bitters. With any luck, you might catch a leprechaun running around, too.

3040 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad, 760.434.2217, park101carlsbad.com

ShamROCK

Perhaps one of the more notable St. Patrick’s Day events in San Diego, ShamROCK is back for its 24th year to shake up the streets of the Gaslamp. The 21+ event will have three stages for music, various performers and dancers, and Tullamire Dew galore. In addition to closed off streets, various bars around the area will be part of the VIP locations offering up drink specials.

Gaslamp, sandiegoshamrock.com

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Festival

Revel in the floats, bands and dancing groups comprising this St. Paddy’s Day parade, then soak up even more Celtic culture at the following Irish Festival with craft booths, live entertainment and oodles of food and brews.

Balboa Park, stpatsparade.org

If you’re looking for somewhere more casual, here are a few bars and restaurants that will have specialty drinks for the occasion.

Havana 1920

Another Latin establishment will bring Irish influences to their cocktails. Havana 1920 re-imagines the mojito, cleverly named the Sunburnt Irish. Made with Jameson Caskmates, fresh lime juice, fresh mint fresh blood orange puree, Demerara syrup, fresh sugar cane and R&D Bitters Sarsaparilla, this cocktail is sure to bring a little Irish to the tropics.

548 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp, 619.369.1920, havana1920.com

Prohibition

The elusive underground bar will offer a specialty cocktail, the Irish-2-for-1, which incorporates two beloved Irish ingredients: Jameson and Guinness. The drink includes Jameson Black Barrel, Guinness Demerara reduction. R&D Bitters Aromatic #7 and R&D Bitters Cherry Apple and is available Mar. 13 through Mar. 18.

548 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp, prohibitionsd.com

Tajima

The Japanese restaurant is bringing a twist to the green cocktails with the special green-tinted Matcha-Hi drink, made with lichiko Shochu sake and matcha crisp iced green tea. The drink is available throughout the month of March at all five San Diego locations, giving plenty of time to try it out once, or twice, or three times…

Various locations, tajimasandiego.com