A seat inside Petco Park is a great place to watch the Padres March 29 season opener—but it’s far from the only place. San Diegans have a long list of spots to fan out on their home team, all while availing themselves of the craft beer that’s rightfully become world famous, and the homegrown cuisine that’s getting there. These places are among your best options for watching every game, and with one exception, you won’t need a ticket to do so.
Wonderland Ocean Pub
What could be more San Diego than watching a Padres game from a bar that’s closer to the beach than the pitcher’s mound is to home plate? Ocean Beach’s Wonderland is the place for that. Located on the second floor of a building literally across the street from the O.B. Pier, the pub’s huge windows retract fully, letting in the sea breeze, afternoon light, and quintessentially beachy tableau below. Did we mention their numerous TV screens, solid craft beer list, and menu?
The Rabbit Hole
Crawl into Normal Heights’ The Rabbit Hole for upscale bar food, ample screens tuned in to Padres games, and a “High Five Hoppy Hour,” featuring $5 select local drafts, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Try the Cajun-spiced prawns in garlic butter beer broth, and the Cubano sandwich with slow-roasted pork, Black Forest ham, and gruyere. During the 7th inning stretch, you can retreat to the back patio for a round of corn hole.
Working Class
Diner-meets-sports bar is the vibe at this new North Park watering hole and kitchen with giant Jenga and other games on the patio. Early game time? No problem—they open at 9 a.m. for breakfast, serving eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and the like. The rest of the day you can fuel your fandom with burritos, burgers, a must-try Salisbury steak, and local craft beers aplenty.
Social Tap
You’d have to be inside Petco Park to get any closer to the action than this ballpark-adjacent sports bar equipped with more than three dozen TVs up to 110-inches placed around the bar and its three patios, one of which overlooks the field. The full menu sports salads, poke, truffle fries, braised short rib tacos, and more.
Petco Park Tailgaiting
Although loud music playing and games with balls and other projectiles—like the glorious pre-game pastime of corn hole—are verboten at the park, tailgaiting is very much an option. Stake out your spot, bust open your cooler, and create your own customized fun way of enjoying baseball season.
5 Best Places to Watch the Padres Season Opener
Petco Park is just one of many excellent places around town to catch the game.
