Meat Eateries and Wine Joints for a Modern Man's Night Out

How does one define the modern man? Is it by the cut of his suit? The trim of his beard? The collection of his records? Or is it, perhaps, the whiskey in his glass and the meat on his plate? There’s no night quite as classically masculine as one spent enjoying a meaty meal and a stiff drink with your friends. In history, that meant retreating to the library with your colleagues, a scotch in one hand and a cigar in the other, after a feast of exotic fare like quail and partridge. Today, it means a night out with your boys; a dinner of greasy grub, followed by a stop at your favorite watering hole, where the whiskey runs like rain. These are the nights you’ll never forget—or you’ll struggle to remember. Either way, if you visit the right dives, it’s bound to be a night for the books.

Luckily for us, San Diego has no shortage of eateries stocked with flavorful, protein–packed dishes and saloons to keep your whistle wet. In fact, our city is home to some nationally–recognized and award– winning peddlers of whiskey, bourbon and scotch. Start the night strong with a meaty, manly entree, then hit the town for a drink that bites back. Your friends will thank you later. 

The Tractor Room

3687 5th Ave. San Diego, CA 92103

Begin the night at Hillcrest’s favored meat eatery The Tractor Room. When it opened back in ’06, The Tractor Room was lauded for its fresh take on food and an old–school appreciation for a well–made drink in an era when "craft" and "cocktail" were rarely said in the same sentence. Today, the menu retains its allure with distinctive dishes like Wild Boar & Potato Spring Rolls, Big Sky Buffalo Corn Dogs and Venison Meatloaf.

You’re always bound to find an array of exotic meats on the menu, including buffalo, boar, duck, pheasant and venison. If you’re more of a simple man, there are plenty of other meats to munch on, like fried chicken, lobster, crab, beef and—of course—bacon. These aren’t dishes for the faint of heart; they’re hearty, succulent twists on the traditional. To start the night off right, pair your meal with one of their takes on classic cocktails, like an Old Fashioned, Sazarac or Mint Julep, or maybe something a little sweeter, like their Sage Germain or Midnight Pineapple. With their incredible selection of drinks, you may never make it to that next alehouse, after all.

Salt & Cleaver

3805 5th Ave. San Diego, CA 92103  

A more recent addition to the San Diego meat scene is Salt & Cleaver, located just a stone’s throw from The Tractor Room. If you’re looking for a relaxed dinner scene to bro out with your buddies, Salt & Cleaver is for you. Pull up an industrial stool or park it in a vintage–chic wooden booth and pig out on pig—and just about every other meat you could think of. With classic comfort–foods like Mac and Cheese and Chicken Nuggets, plus a selection of Loaded Fries (like Bacon & Bleu and Parm Garlic), you’re bound to leave with a solid stomach for a night out.

But the real star of Salt & Cleaver’s show is their selection of Sausages; try the Duck.Duck.Pig, featuring a duck and bacon sausage topped with crispy duck confit, baconaze and orange marmalade. Or fill up with their take on Chicken & Waffles: a fried chicken sausage paired with sweet and spicy bacon, hot sauce and gravy, wrapped in housemade buttermilk waffles. Much like their posher neighbor, food isn’t all Salt & Cleaver offers: you can also prepare your palate with a signature cocktail, like the Sir Angus Chiggins or the Kentucky Bloomer. 

Aero Club

3365 India St. San Diego, CA 92103

If Bar Three Piece is for the gentleman, then Aero Club is for the man’s man. Aero Club has been an iconic San Diego landmark since 1947, when pilots would gather to tell tales and drink whiskey. Since then, it’s been favored by police officers, Greyhound bus drivers and, today, whiskey aficionados from across the country. With a selection of over 800 whiskeys, bourbons and scotches, Aero Club’s inventory is the highest in the county and one of the highest in the country. Maxim recently voted the tiny tavern one of the best dive bars in the nation, and it’s always cited as a finalist in countdowns of whiskey bars.

Step under the glowing neon light of a classic Delta Dart and into the dimly lit interior, the walls and celling plastered with the memorabilia of generations. Pony up to the bar on a crooked stool or plant yourself in a cracked booth and ask the bartender for a recommendation. Sure, you could order a cocktail, but that seems almost sacrilegious in a place like Aero Club. Instead, talk through flavor profiles and price points with the expert behind the bar, then savor every sip of your neat whiskey, bourbon or scotch. Time seems to pass quickly under the orange glow of Aero Club’s lights; before you know it, you’ll hear that grating sound of last call and you and your buddies will be shuttled out and into a cab. The night may be over, but with Aero Club’s selection of whiskeys, there’s always a reason to return.

Bar Three Piece, Seven Grand

3054 University Ave. San Diego, CA 92104

After dinner, head east to North Park for drinks. University Avenue may be bustling with bars, but if you’re looking for a good drink, there’s only one place to go: Seven Grand. Step back in time with rich woods, plush carpet and walls of whiskey. The iconic watering hole recently got a facelift; nestled in the back of the building you’ll now find Bar Three Piece, a classically–styled whiskey bar heavily influenced by the iconic Whisky Shot bars in Japan. Slide into a cozy booth dimly lit by oil lanterns, then sit back and enjoy jazz and blues standards, good conversation and a stiff drink. 

A whiskey selection of over 250 curated bottles graces all corners of Bar Three Piece, a deep library–style collection containing multiple vintages of old, rare and privately–selected single barrel whiskeys hailing from all the iconic whiskey making regions of the world. The back bar focuses on whiskey neat, on a hand cut cube or in an Old Fashioned, but you can also partake in a signature whiskey cocktail from the draft. And if you’re looking to invest in your night out, check out the Bar Three Piece Private Bottle Locker Program, through which you can purchase a bottle from their selection and have it held in a locker at the bar for your enjoyment upon each visit. Pour a glass, pick out a cigar and head to their private smoking patio for a gentleman’s night out