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If you’ve been eyeing a new luxurious shampoo or have just been thinking it’s time to try something different, we’ve got you covered.
Men’s Shampoo
Your grooming rituals and habits can help keep you sane during troubled times. Life almost seems normal when you get out of bed in the morning, hop into the shower and lather up your favorite shampoo. Maintaining these rituals and routines allows you to ease into your day. But maybe you noticed your shampoo bottles getting a bit low, or are looking for a new addition to your daily morning ritual. We’ve got your back – or, rather, your head – with a list of today’s best shampoos for men.
We’ve searched high and low among the many products available in today’s online market to help you narrow down your search. Performing self-care rituals isn’t just about getting clean but about the experience and desired effect. It’s about taking care of your image and showing the world your best self.
If you’ve been eyeing a new luxurious shampoo or have just been thinking it’s time to try something different, we’ve got you covered.
Our No. 1 choice this year is a new kid on the block, Blu Atlas Shampoo. Featured in Men’s Journal and Forbes, this product stands out with its simple, clean design and incredible formula. Blu Atlas only includes high-quality, natural ingredients in their shampoo to give your locks the love and attention they deserve. From the first lather to the final rinse, this product only introduces natural elements to your scalp, which makes it the perfect candidate for anyone with sensitive skin.
We love many things about the Blu Atlas shampoo. It’s not going to leave your hair greasy after washing, but it will leave you feeling refreshed and moisturized. It is sulfate-free, paraben-free and phthalate-free, making it one of the best natural options out there. We also love that they spent less money on advertising and more money on science-backed research to bring you the finest shampoo and their exclusive men’s grooming product line.
Spice up your morning routine by trying out this year’s best shampoo for men, Blu Atlas Shampoo.
With the almost shocking number of options available when shopping online, there is no reason to settle for a product you don’t love. SACHAJUAN stands out for its simple, no-fuss product that deeply moisturizes the hair from scalp to tip.
Along with their standout product, they have a distinctive ingredient list that diverges from most standard men’s shampoos. Their shampoo hosts “ocean silk technology,” which is a fancy way of saying it’s a blend of natural products from the sea, including nutrient-rich algae. This new approach to hair care helps leave the hair feeling lightweight while also sated and supple. Oh, and more importantly, non-greasy and oil-free!
Along with their simple organic guidelines, their products are paraben-free, sulfate-free, vegan and cruelty-free.
You’ll be itching (pun intended!) to run to the shower for your next rinse with this dandruff-blasting shampoo. Paul Mitchell took on dandruff with this revolutionary product, and happily for us, they were the victors. The uniquely formulated Tea Tree Special Shampoo will rid you of your dreaded dandruff and itchy scalp.
The shampoo a one-stop shop for treating dandruff while not compromising on scent. This product will refresh your tired scalp and leave you with thick, full hair. The unique ingredient list includes tea tree oil, peppermint, lavender, rosemary and nourishing jojoba oil.
We love the tingling sensation it creates on your scalp. It’s like an awakening and rejuvenating spa treatment from the comfort of your home. It’s also paraben-free and vegan, making it an easy addition to your hair-care routine.
Hair loss is a common issue among men (and, to a lesser extent, women) as they go through life. Most people lose an average of 50 to 100 strands of hair per day, making this an area of significant concern for many. That’s where Lumin’s Keratin Recovery Shampoo steps in. It targets this hotspot issue to help you maintain your full, abundant hair and sacrifice fewer strands.
This shampoo starts by clarifying at the roots and then boosting your natural keratin from the roots out to help strengthen your hair. You will have a fuller, healthier look after each wash. Along with the fuller feel, men love the minty smell of the shampoo.
If you’re looking for a way to create healthy, tough hair, this product is for you.
Stepping into the shower and washing your hair doesn’t have to result in flat, dull hair that won’t grab others’ attention. This Jack Black Shampoo helps increase hair volume and thickness with seamlessly blended ingredients. The choice ingredients also create a wonderful scent that lingers after every wash. If you’re looking for fuller hair that will be the envy of everyone at the bar, this is your shampoo.
You don’t have to worry about harmful chemicals or additives with this sulfate-free shampoo. Natural ingredients like creatine, tea tree, basil and white lupine protein will help your hair retain its shine and luster long after washing. All of Jack Black’s products are cruelty-free, which means they are never tested on animals.
Coming in at number six is Nioxin’s Cleanser Shampoo. Nioxin brings to its customers different levels of treatment for all types of hair-care needs. From thinning hair to color-treated hair, Nioxin has your back when it comes to gentle deep cleansing. This cleanser shampoo helps your scalp recover from harsh products and restores your natural scalp health and wellness. With its peppermint oil, it will help you rejuvenate and heal your scalp and damaged hair.
Their product range boasts six levels of hair-care treatments and products that target thinning hair, color-treated hair and bleached hair. (Basically, any hair that has suffered and needs immediate help.) The products aim to stop thinning at the roots and scalp, and help you maintain the thick, full hair you are accustomed to. Nioxin classifies its products for either “light thinning” or “progressive thinning,” and can help you at every stage of your hair journey.
For those suffering from frizzy hair days, this oil-infused shampoo is here to save you. Kiehl’s specially formulated oil-infused shampoo can treat the issue at the root, with no frills or fuss involved. It’s an easy solution for those with the problem of untamed hair.
The shampoo packs a host of natural ingredients, including indulgent argan oil and babassu oil, which help tame the frizz. This product is a gold mine for those living in a country with high humidity. Kiehl’s shampoo is excellent for straight, curly and even fine hair because it won’t weigh your hair down with product. It’s important to note that users of this product say that it has a strong earthy scent. So, before hitting that purchase button, think about whether you’d be happy with a woodsy, earthy scent or would prefer something fresher.
Looking for a product that won’t leave your hair feeling dry and thirsty after your daily wash? This Balancing Wash Shampoo by Kevin Murphy is formulated to combat that particular problem created by other average drugstore shampoos. Balancing Wash won’t leave your hair stripped of essential oils and amino acids after your daily wash and rinse. Instead, it will help you strengthen your hair from the root to the tip with its rich blend of ingredients. Most importantly, you can use it every day, so it’s perfect for those of you who love a daily wash!
Balancing Wash hosts a VIP list of dynamic ingredients, including grapefruit, ylang-ylang, sage, wheat amino acids and green tea. These powerful ingredients are the perfect solution for anyone with a sensitive scalp.
What do men love about it? The shampoo leaves you with fresh, springy hair that smells amazing!
Yes, that’s right: There’s no capital letter on this powerhouse of a product. hims is a new product in the men’s grooming game, and they are also championing men’s health and creating other effective products for both men and women. Their goal with hims Thickening Shampoo is to help men recover their hair, one strand at a time, by targeting bald patches or areas on the top of the head (known as the vertex). They achieve this by using the ingredient minoxidil and other hair-loss treatment methods. Their hims Thickening Shampoo also contains saw palmetto, which is known to stimulate hair growth. Be sure to check out their site and ingredient list before purchasing to ensure it can help you with your specific hair thinning or balding area.
We love this product because it helps men reclaim their hair, and for its refreshing eucalyptus scent. It’s price point is accessible to most people. hims has your back on this one: You don’t have to be a millionaire to fight hair loss, thinning or balding!
We love this product for its great natural ingredients and unique scent. The Balancing Shampoo from Hello Jupiter is safe for all hair types and is perfect for every scalp and hair need. As well as balancing your hair’s pH, it will leave your hair feeling fresh and full. It’s sulfate-free, paraben-free and phthalate-free, making it an incredible choice for lovers of natural hair-care products.
This natural shampoo possesses many beneficial and stimulating ingredients. An active ingredient, 1% zinc pyrithione, targets dandruff in a simple, organic way. Other components include mint, vanilla, sage and lavender, which boost overall hair health and create a soothing scent. The coconut oil and sugar kelp extract hydrate and nourish the scalp and hair in the way nature intended.
We recommend this product to anyone looking for authentic ingredients in a powerful shampoo.
Don’t overlook this award-winning men’s hair-care line. The Daily Fortifying Shampoo by Baxter of California is loved by many. It is formulated for daily use to help strengthen the scalp and hair while retaining moisture, hair volume and thickness. It even comes in a one-liter bottle, so you don’t have to keep running back to the store for more.
Its extensive ingredient list includes wheat protein and vitamin E to support hair health and shine and coconut to treat dry scalps. It’s paraben-free and made for all hair types.
Olaplex is a shampoo that hairdressers and professionals recommend to their clients. Yes, it’s that good! If you love salon-quality products that you can use at home to turn your bathroom into a spa, this is for you.
You can use this shampoo if you’re trying to restore your hair to its former glory. It dives deep into the scalp with natural ingredients to rejuvenate your hair from the follicles to the ends. Along with its natural ingredients, Olaplex is paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free and gluten-free. So you can take comfort in the knowledge that you’re putting a safe liquid on your head.
We love that this is a profoundly moisturizing shampoo, but it won’t leave your hair heavy and oily after use.
This Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo packs a significant punch. R+Co is known for its high-quality products and salon-level care. This no-nonsense thickening shampoo will leave your scalp sated, fresh and clean. Their products are created by a team of professional hairstylists who know the ins and outs of hair care and top-shelf hair products.
It has no parabens, sulfates, mineral oils or petrolatum, and is full of potent ingredients like pro-vitamin B5, saw palmetto, loquat fruit extract and coconut. Their product will richly nourish your hair and make it feel alive again. A pleasant side effect of these clean, pure ingredients is the smell. Trust us: The scent is incredible!
R+Co recommends this product for anyone with fine, flat hair looking for a rich, nourishing shampoo.
We have many strengthening shampoos on our list of the best shampoos for men. So what makes Brickell’s Men’s shampoo stand out? Brickell’s Men’s shampoo has created a product to treat and soothe your scalp and dandruff in one fell swoop with their exceptional blend of peppermint and tea tree oils
. It simultaneously thickens your hair and gets rid of pesky, flaky skin. With ingredients like pro-vitamin B5 and organic lavender, it’s not surprising they have such a winning product. The company only uses high-quality, natural, mostly organic ingredients, and the shampoo is made for all skin types.
Men love this product for the deep clean feeling it leaves after shampooing and the rugged scent, look and feel. It’s the perfect bottle to grab and take with you on your next adventure. They even offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you don’t love it, just send it back!
The Every Man Jack shampoo product line targets your whole head and hair health. They have created a group of products to support men and their hair-care needs. With six variations of their shampoo, they have a scent and formula that can treat most hair issues. Their collection includes menthol, activated charcoal, citrus, tea tree, sandalwood and natural hemp. Each scent and ingredient combination targets a different hair treatment.
Pictured above is Every Man’s 2-in-1 Daily Shampoo and Conditioner Sandalwood. This product will soothe, treat and refresh your scalp with a unique blend of ingredients from the root to the tip. Its impressive ingredient list includes shea butter for smoothing and taming, aloe vera for hydration and sodium coco-sulfate for its cleansing properties. Every Man Jack recommends this product for men looking for an intense level of hydration and purification.
We love the Every Man Jack line because of their numerous options when it comes to two-in-one shampoo and conditioner choices.
This shampoo will serve best as a clarifying agent to rid your scalp of gunk or goo left behind by other hair-care products. In an unyielding but gentle fashion, Acure’s shampoo will treat product buildup while leaving your hair fresh, soft and perfectly tousled (after drying, of course).
If you’re a man about town, chances are you use hair products regularly. These can build up on your scalp, roots and hair strands. Acure’s Curiously Clarifying Shampoo will step in to cleanse your hair and scalp in a gentle, stress-free manner. The ingredient list includes lemongrass and argan oil to smooth the hair and give it a phenomenal fragrance.
We love Acure because they offer stellar products at an affordable price.
Are you the lucky man in your friend group with springy, bouncy curls that need endless products and treatments? Are you always looking for curly hair products to help keep your hair in check? We know keeping your curly hair cared for can be an annoying and challenging task. That’s where DevaCurl steps in. They create products for people with coarse, unruly curly hair who can’t use just any product off the shelf.
If you haven’t tried DevaCurl’s No-Poo Decadence shampoo, this is your sign. It was formulated specifically for dry, coarse, curly hair to keep moisture locked in and ensure your curls aren’t dull, dry and weighed down with product. It is a non-lathering rinse, meaning it won’t create suds when you use your fingertips to work the product into your hair. This sulfate-free shampoo option should be high on your list for curly hair products!
The list continues with another shampoo staple. The krieger + söhne’s natural shampoo can treat hair with dandruff issues, or dry hair and scalps. If you suffer from dandruff, or are just looking to try out a new refreshing shampoo option, this product is for you.
The main ingredients include tea tree oil and peppermint oil to help stimulate the scalp and heal any flaky patches of skin. This shampoo will make your head tingle due to its natural ingredients and can help wake you up in the morning.
We recommend this shampoo if you have dandruff or enjoy the scent of peppermint blended with tea tree oil.
This crowd-pleasing product line has been a stalwart in men’s medicine cabinets and shower caddies for over two decades. It is a simple approach to a men’s deep cleansing shampoo with its powerful citrus mint scent and leaves your hair smelling fresh and your scalp feeling invigorated. Perfect for deep cleaning your scalp after a run or a trip to the gym.
American Crew wants you to have a shampoo you can use every day. This daily deep-moisturizing shampoo won’t strip your hair of oils and leave it feeling parched. Instead, it will help deep clean, from the scalp to the ends of your hair. American Crew recommends the product for use on normal to dry hair.
Sometimes you just need a shampoo that is quick, easy and to the point. Dove’s Men + Care excels at that. They have created Dove Men + Care 2-in-1 Fresh and Clean Shampoo to help men with busy lives maintain their full, lustrous look. Fresh and Clean contains a unique ingredient, caffeine, which will wake up your scalp and invigorate your hair while blasting away any dirt and grime. Dove recommends this product for men with normal to oily hair.
We love this product because it’s great for every man, especially those of us in a hurry! Just toss it in your gym bag, and you’re ready to take on the day.
Old Spice is a household classic, now best known for their popular deodorants and the hilarity and hijinks of their commercials. You might be surprised to learn that their selection of men’s grooming products extends to quality hair care.
With their Thickening Shampoo, they aim to bring you the full, healthy head of hair you’ve been dreaming of. The shampoo contains biotin to help your hair stay healthy and thick from the root to the tip.
Most of their products boast rugged, manly scents, and this shampoo is no exception. It doesn’t pack an overbearing scent that will take your breath away; rather, it offers a subtler scent than that Old Spice is traditionally known for.
You don’t need to break the bank to find a richly lathering shampoo. Head and Shoulders is a wildly popular, affordable household name. Their products excel in the market as a leading dandruff-taming option. If you suffer from dandruff and are starting to experiment with different products, their shampoo is an excellent place to start. The low price point makes it a great shampoo to try out.
Their product list includes ingredients like tea tree oil and lemon extract to help fight the dandruff issues many men struggle with. They promise to leave your hair free of visible flakes and dry scalps. If you’re looking for an affordable option and are interested in trying something new, pick up a bottle of Head and Shoulders, available in most stores near you.
There is no compromising on time, shine or hair care with the Redken Brews Daily Shampoo. If you’re a rugged man looking for a shampoo that carries the scent of malt, Redken is here to supply you with your new shampoo brew. If you’ve ever wondered what a “beer” shampoo might smell or feel like, this is your opportunity to rejuvenate your morning routine.
The shampoo was formulated for regular, everyday use to get in, get out and get the job done. With this simple approach and method for clean hair, it is a perfect tool for a quick shower at the gym or before you start your working day.
If you’re sold on the idea of beer shampoo but don’t think you’d love it for yourself, you can always make it the go-to gift idea. It makes the perfect treat for any beer lover.
If you’re looking to switch up your shampoo, this is an excellent time to consider what ingredients you want in your self-care products. It’s easy to find a high-quality shampoo that is sulfate-free, paraben-free and vegan. Every day, we come across new research indicating that the chemicals we use in our everyday products can harm us. If you’d like to avoid all that, now’s an easy time to switch to a product with all-natural ingredients.
What do you want your everyday hair to look like? These days, shampoos are formulated to target specific problem areas or hair goals. If you’re still on the fence over what new shampoo to buy, simply write down the hair desire that comes to mind. For example: “I want more volume,” or “I want to find a shampoo to help thicken my quickly thinning hair.” Knowing the most critical area you’d like to target will make finding a new shampoo a breeze.
How much are you willing to spend to attain the hair you want? While we always recommend staying within your spending lane – don’t go over budget! – it’s sometimes necessary to purchase a higher-cost product you love. The great news is that we’ve put the 23 best shampoos for men on today’s list, so there’s an option that will fit every budget.
Many shampoos and self-care products include sulfates. Sulfates strip the hair of oils, dirt and grime. This means the chemical is stripping your hair of its natural oils, too, which can cause dryness on your scalp and harm your hair.
An easy way to test if sulfates in your shampoo are irritating your scalp is to swap out your shampoo and conditioner for a sulfate-free option for a week. If you see improvements in your scalp or hair, chances are you should be purchasing sulfate-free shampoos.
If you’re ready to ditch the sulfates, it’s easy to find a new sulfate-free shampoo. A few excellent shampoos that use primarily natural ingredients are Blu Atlas Shampoo, Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo and Hello Jupiter Balancing Shampoo.
Everyone’s scalp and hair are different. A product that works for your friends or family may not be the best for you. Trial and error is an easy way to find the correct shampoo product for your hair type.
Some recommended dandruff shampoos are Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo, Head and Shoulders and krieger + söhne’s Men Shampoo.
If these options don’t work for you, you can always contact a hair professional or dermatologist to talk about your dandruff.
Blu Atlas wins hands down because of its high-quality natural ingredients and science-backed formula.
Yes! Many products can help you with the issue of thinning hair. Today’s guide introduced R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, Old Spice Hair Thickening Shampoo for Men, Nioxin Cleanser Shampoo System 1, hims Thickening Shampoo and Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo. Each of these shampoos uses different natural ingredients or synthetic ingredients to help your hair feel fuller and thicker.
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The San Diego home remodeling company works on full homes, kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, ADUs, garages, landscapes, and hardscapes.
Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.
“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”

Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.
At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.
Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.

The Campaign for La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) will fuel scientific innovation and medical advances
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is going public with a bold bet: a $55 million campaign to propel medical research into a new era. The Campaign for LJI will fuel discovery, empower scientific innovation, and expand the impact of immunology on human health.
The Institute quietly kicked things off in 2023, guided by its Board, campaign volunteers, and early believers. Nearly 80% of the $55 million goal is already in hand. Now LJI is opening the doors and inviting the whole community to carry their visions across the finish line and back discoveries that change how LJI researchers understand, treat, and prevent disease.
And there’s a bonus. To mark the public launch, LJI Board member and Campaign Honorary Chair Anthony R. Carr is offering a special matching gift so new donors can double their impact. Full details are here.
Immunology has already rewritten human history. Advances in immune science helped wipe out smallpox, pushed polio to the brink of elimination, and revolutionized how we prevent and treat infectious disease. Today, immune-based therapies are opening doors for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious illnesses once considered untreatable.
For nearly four decades, LJI scientists have stood on the front lines, driven by one insight: the immune system shapes disease in virtually every organ in the body. By decoding how the immune system works and how to harness it to prevent and treat disease, LJI researchers are chasing the Institute’s ultimate mission: Life Without Disease®.
To make that mission real, the Institute pairs world-class scientists with cutting-edge technology, speeding up breakthroughs and turning discoveries into transformative new therapies that ease suffering worldwide.
The Campaign for LJI supercharges that momentum, uniting the vision of the Institute’s scientists with a community that believes in research. Focused on advancing LJI’s most promising areas of study, the campaign aims to help build a future free from the burden of disease, a goal that demands bold ideas, lasting partnerships, and generous philanthropic support.
The Campaign for LJI will advance research across three critical pillars:
1. President’s Priority Fund. Flexible, unrestricted dollars let big ideas move now, not later. Scientists can launch high-risk, high-reward projects, bring experts together across disciplines, build transformative technologies, and train tomorrow’s scientific leaders.
2. Center for Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System. Male and female immune systems don’t respond the same way, and LJI researchers are tracing the fundamental differences down to individual cells and molecular pathways. The Campaign will speed up this pioneering work, revealing hidden drivers of disease and paving the way for more precise, biologically informed therapies for autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and beyond.
3. Center for Vaccine Innovation. Immunologists, bioengineers, and vaccine experts are teaming up to design the next generation of vaccines and immune-based therapies. With donor support, LJI scientists can engineer longer-lasting and more personalized vaccines, pinpoint the cellular mechanisms driving protective immunity, and refine delivery methods to prevent autoimmune disease and treat cancer.
As the campaign enters its public phase, LJI welcomes new partners and supporters to join this landmark initiative. Community support is essential to accelerating scientific discovery, and there are many meaningful ways to help shape the future of immunology. Donors may direct their gifts to any campaign priority or other area of interest. As a comprehensive campaign, all gifts to LJI count toward the campaign goal, regardless of designation. Join the campaign, and multiply your impact with our limited-time matching opportunity.
To explore the campaign, visit imagine.lji.org.
Scripps orthopedic surgeons are investigating stem cells as an alternative to joint replacement
Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic recently received a $12.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to investigate whether they can transform stem cells into tissue that can repair some types of knee injuries. Currently, if a patient has lost most, if not all, of the cartilage in their knee, then their doctor will recommend a total joint replacement. Joint replacement is safe and effective, but patients who’ve only lost part of their cartilage often don’t qualify. A stem cell-based treatment would provide these patients an option that doesn’t involve donor tissue. Click here for more on the preclinical trial process.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Artwork throughout the Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas promotes hope and healing
The recently opened Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital staffed by dedicated team members who’ve helped make Scripps one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems. Complementary to that medical excellence, the Lusardi Tower also represents the latest expansion of the Scripps Arts for Healing Program. The philanthropic initiative strategically places nature- and community-based artwork throughout the hospital to support health and well-being. Both Scripps Encinitas and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla have healing arts programs as part of new building projects and growth on the campuses. Click here to read more about the Healing Arts Program and how residents from a nearby retirement community showed their support.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
From century-old Craftsman homes to vegan fantasy bars, dive bars, and a tiki room built for exactly two people, this is one of San Diego’s great little neighborhoods
You may not realize it, but Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park (in fact, 1.5 times larger). Pressed right up against its southeastern edge is a little architecture farm built on old trolley bones, where houses look like someone was collecting architectural styles and local businesses are still run by people who seem personally invested in keeping this place interesting.
This is South Park.
To understand why it feels the way it does today—less like one commercial strip and more like a handful of tiny villages—you have to go back to the trolley.
The land that became the original South Park Addition (the subdivision’s original name) was surveyed in 1870 and officially filed in 1890, but the neighborhood really started becoming a neighborhood in the early 1900s. The Bartlett Estate Company began developing and marketing the tract in earnest around 1906, pairing lots and new homes with something extremely useful if you lived outside Downtown in the horse-and-buggy era: an electric streetcar.
On May 1, 1906, the South Park and East Side Railway made its first trip. Developers didn’t just build near transportation; they helped pay for the transportation, then used it to sell the dream. Downtown had industry, noise, and congestion. Out here were palms, sidewalks, utilities, room to breathe and a four-cent ride back to the city.
It worked. Homes began filling in around the streetcar route, and little commercial clusters grew around the places where people got on and off. That transportation pattern is still written into South Park’s geography. Some of the neighborhood’s odd street geometry is also due in part to the trolley—the old line cut across parcels instead of politely obeying the grid, leaving behind pieces of land that later businesses learned to build around. Places like Station Tavern sit on the former easement and station site of San Diego’s No. 2 trolley line.
Then San Diego went big for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in neighboring Balboa Park. The exposition transformed much of the park and helped push the city through another burst of building and growth. South Park was right there to absorb some of that momentum.
And the people building houses here had taste.
Walk the residential streets now and it can feel like somebody planted an architectural sample garden: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival. Creedence Clearwater Revival. All the revivals. The neighborhood includes work by Irving Gill, one of the defining architects of early modern California; Gill-designed Prairie homes still stand along Granada Avenue.
The city formally designated the South Park Historic District in 2017, recognizing roughly 400 properties and a period of significance stretching from 1906 through 1949. In other words, a lot of what makes the place feel old is actually old.
While the trolley eventually disappeared, the basic idea behind it didn’t. South Park is still a neighborhood organized around little pockets of human activity: a couple blocks where you can buy a record, drink a beer, find a 60-year-old lamp, eat a vegan burger beneath gothic beasts, browse a bookstore, and walk home past a century-old Craftsman.
The 30th-and-Fern area may be the clearest example. Several surviving buildings there date to South Park’s early development, including the old Fire Station No. 9, Rose Grocery building, and Burlingame Garage. What began as infrastructure for a young streetcar suburb became the neighborhood’s commercial heart.
That history is also partly why buying a house here can be competitive. There isn’t some endless supply of vacant land waiting around the corner for another subdivision. Much of the neighborhood filled in generations ago, and the architecture itself is part of the appeal.
San Diego Mag’s been documenting the city for 78 years. And we’ve been looking for a partner who loved the city enough to help us tell its stories. Redfin is that partner. They’re helping us tell the story of some of the city’s most unique neighborhoods. They launched Redfin Early Access this year to get their people in first and to see certain coming-soon and exclusive listings on Redfin before they appear on other major real-estate sites.
First up: South Park.
Here are some of the people and places worth knowing here:

Start with Judy “the Beauty” Forman, because it’s difficult to explain South Park without her. The former social worker bought Big Kitchen in 1980 and turned a neighborhood breakfast joint into a gathering place for artists, musicians, activists, politicians, eccentrics, and pretty much anyone who needed somewhere to belong. As Judy puts it, “I built this for people who others passed over.”
One of those people was a young single mom named Whoopi Goldberg, who worked as a dishwasher here before the Whoopi Goldberg part of her career happened. Today Big Kitchen still serves breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday.
3003 Grape Street
Whistle Stop reopened in 2001, right as South Park’s little independent-business ecosystem was finding a new generation. Owner Sam Chammas—also connected to Live Wire and, later, Station Tavern—helped turn it into the kind of neighborhood bar where the calendar can jump from a DJ night to live bands to some strange communal event nobody at a normal sports bar would propose.
The room still has that laid-back, slightly sweaty house-party quality. Check what’s happening before you go, because Whistle Stop changes personality depending on the night: sometimes neighborhood beer, sometimes everyone dancing beneath the disco ball like work tomorrow was canceled.
2236 Fern Street
Station Tavern may be the most literal example of old South Park becoming new South Park. It opened in 2009 on land once crossed diagonally by the No. 2 trolley line, and architect Lloyd Russell incorporated that history into the design rather than pretending the weirdly shaped lot wasn’t weirdly shaped. The project won the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Grand Orchid Award the same year it opened.
Sam Chammas built the place as an open-air burger-and-beer spot with big communal tables, a backyard, room for kids, and room for dogs. It still works exactly that way: get a burger, get the tots, let everybody spread out, stay awhile.
2204 Fern Street
Kindred arrived in late 2015 looking nothing like the beige-and-leafy vegan restaurant stereotype. The place went full gothic fever dream—heavy music, wild cocktails, decadent plant-based food—and eventually collected national vegan accolades plus local Restaurant of the Year and design honors.
And in 2026, it got even weirder. Hidden behind a chain-mail passage inside Kindred is Throne Room, a medieval-fantasy cocktail chamber whose mythology grew out of a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired map the Kindred team created for a 2017 Coachella pop-up. The 90-minute experience has scroll menus, plant-based mezze, cocktails and zero interest in pretending restaurants need to behave normally.
1503 30th Street

Vinyl Junkies has good music-scene DNA. Founder Eric Howarth previously ran indie label Hi-Speed Soul, whose roster included acts like Nada Surf and Swervedriver, then teamed with Casbah owner Tim Mays after the pair had spent years putting on Vinyl Junkies record swaps.
They opened the South Park brick-and-mortar shop in 2017, and it remains a buy-sell-trade temple for people who understand that owning music on a physical object is irrational in exactly the right way. Go flip through the new arrivals. Leave holding something you had absolutely no intention of buying.
2235 Fern Street
Bad Madge is what happens when “vintage store” doesn’t quite explain the situation. Owner Tanya McAnear and her team fill the shop with furniture, clothing, barware, records, art, jewelry, collectibles, and various objects that seem like they may know things about their previous owners. The shop opened in 2011 and has made reuse and upcycling part of its identity ever since. Go in without looking for anything specific—specificity will only slow you down.
2205 Fern Street
Across the neighborhood’s vintage-and-vinyl universe sits Thread + Seed, a local boutique built around clothing, denim, gifts, and personal styling. Its South Park shop has an especially deep denim program—petite, tall, wide-leg, straight, flare—and the store also offers one-on-one styling built around color and body type. In other words, this is where you go after deciding the jeans currently on your body have betrayed you. South Park understands that sometimes personal renewal begins with pants.
2220 Fern Street
Seth Marko started The Book Catapult as a book blog in 2006. In 2017, he and his wife, Jennifer Powell, turned it into an actual bookstore in South Park, specializing loosely in fiction, local interest, and children’s books while maintaining the more important bookseller skill: putting something into your hands that you didn’t know you needed.
There are staff picks, author events, signed books, and the dangerous possibility of walking in for one title and emerging with four. Because no one ever died thinking, “I shoulda read less.”
3010-B Juniper Street
Chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and craft mixers - meet our 2026 Tastemakers, the minds behind the magic.
Chef Roberto Alcocer showcases all that Mexican cuisine and culture has to offer at Oceanside’s Valle. The Michelin-guide recommended restaurant takes inspiration and techniques from all over Mexico—with a heavy Baja influence—and blends them with local San Diego ingredients to create original and delectable contemporary Mexican cuisine. The seasonal tasting menu allows Chef Alcocer to experiment with the freshest available ingredients, creating dishes that defy guests’ expectations, while the wine list features more than 100 labels from Mexican artisans. Even the restaurant’s walls are a celebration of Mexican culture, all decorated with work from artists of Baja.
“My favorite part of being a chef of Valle is being able to showcase the Mexico that I know to everyone who visits,” Chef Alococer says. “Not only through the food, but with the design, culture, and welcoming service.”
Lobster Taco: Flour sourdough tortilla with lobster shell bisque and local red spiny lobster

222 North Pacific Street, Oceanside, California 92054
866-723-8906 | valleoceanside.com