The restaurant guide for SDCC is back again for a second year and yes, some of us still actually eat during SDCC. And if you typically don’t, maybe you’ll find some time this year to do so. With that in mind, we’ve reached out to several restaurants in the Gaslamp and surrounding area to see what is being offered; from special menus, themes, great prices, and more.
Below you’ll find the restaurant with a link to either their site or social media and the distance from the convention center. Keep in mind, this list is not exhaustive, but only those we are aware of and have spoken with. (And if you’re a restaurant who would like to be featured, use our Contact Form).
barleymash
0.5 from the convention center
barleymash, located on the corner of Fifth Ave and Market St, will have a trio of themed cocktails Friday-Sunday during Comic-Con. The Oz includes Bacardi White Rum, ube, coconut cream, and lime garnished with a custom Comic-Con sticker. The Cat’s Meow mixes Grey Goose Vodka, cold brew, coffee liqueur, sugar, and activated charcoal whip, topped with a sugar cat. The Flying Falcone includes fiery strawberry, sparkling water, and a red wine float garnished with a mini, decorative rose.
The Butcher’s Cut
0.5 from the convention center
The Butcher’s Cut has confirmed that they will be opening extended hours for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Comic-Con. They will be opening at noon each of the three days instead of the typical 4PM.
Cloak & Petal
1.9 from the convention center
From July 25 – 28, if you show your Comic-Con badge at Cloak & Petal, you’ll receive a complimentary salted edamame or California Roll (max two per table).
Enjoy the Hong Kong Chicken & Waffle with chili yuzu honey, sriracha powdered sugar, and a caviar bump – the first ten guests to order this item per day will receive a collectible World of Super Mario figuring with Comic-Con pass. The Master Roshi Roll features chipotle crusted albacore, blackened shrimp, charred poblano, spicey tuna, cucumber, avocado, meyer lemon ponzu, chipotle aioli, dehydrated orange zest, and micro citrus herbs – the first ten guests to order this item per day receive a collectible Dragon Ball Z figurine with Comic-Con pass.
Lastly, sip on Joker Juice with gin, fernet, midori, passion fruit, and soda water. If you’re more of a Marvel fan, you can order the Marvel Universe with pineapple rum, mezcal, grilled pineapple syrup, and aromatic bitters.
Coco Maya
1.7 from the convention center
Coco Maya will present a specialty menu available July 25-28. Guests with a Comic-Con badge can enjoy 15% off their bill. The Coco-Con menu includes items like Princess Peach’s Poke, Stormtrooper Spare Ribs, and Dragon Ball Z Drunken Mussels, alongside cocktail offerings like the Infinity Stone Flight, The Baby Yoda, and Siempre Sailor Moon.
City Tacos SD
0.3 from the convention center
City Tacos will be offering free chips and salsa for each party throughout Comic-Con with at least one person in costume. City Tacos is located at 323 Seventh Ave, just adjacent to Petco Park. They offer 18 different tacos on the menu (with 16 of them being less than $5.00). They do have a taco of the month for July which is the Scallop Fuego Taco, made up of flambeed scallops in a chipotle tomato sauce, cooked with onion, poblano pepper, and corn then topped with cabbage micro green, bacon bits and their signature sauce. You can snag this taco or any of their 17 others from 11AM – 8:30PM each day of the convention.
El Chingon
.4 from convention center
Visit this Mexican cantina to find Joker-inspired cocktails for $13, including the “Madness Like Gravity” (tequila, lime, melon liqueur, agave and Tajín), as well as their regular rogues gallery of wanted cocktails.
Hasta Mañana Cantina
0.2 from the convention center
Three specialty cocktails will be offered in celebration of Comic-Con: the Pantera Negra with blanco tequila, lime, agave, activated charcoal, and agave bitters with a skull glass giveaway for the first 25 orders everyday. The Super Juice has blanco tequila, lime, agave pineapple juice, and blue curaçao, and El Storm features blanco tequila, lime, agave, white peach, and edible glitter.
Havana 1920
.4 from the convention center
Havana 1920 will pay homage to Batman’s sinister super-foe, Bane, with a special cocktail as dark and treacherous as his tortuous origin story. The restaurant’s Bane-inspired Comic-Con cocktail, “I Broke The Bat“, is crafted with coconut rum, lime, Demerara and activated charcoal, and priced at $15. Havana 1920 also features authentic Cuban cuisine, lively music, and a vibrant bar scene.
HOB Coffee East Village
0.6 from convention center
Starting on Wednesday of Comic-Con week, HOB Coffee will be open 7am – 5pm the duration of the convention with a special drink menu pictured below. Also HOB Coffee will have a House of the Dragon inspired shirt in limited quantities.
Le Charcuterie Bar
.7 from the convention center
Le Charcuterie Bar is excited to join the festivities of the con this year and will have themed food items as snacks ranging from Hello Kitty, Star Wars, and Star Trek available Wednesday – Sunday. There will be free character stickers with purchase (while supplies last) and 10% off all food and wine by the glass for people in costume.
On Saturday from 4:00p – 8:00p, Julie Albin from TarotVin will be on site chatting about wine & tarot connections and offering readings using the Marvel Tarot Deck!
Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine
.3 from the convention center
Lionfish is centrally located at the Pendry, and will feature a drink menu of “Comic Con-coctions”, including the “Regeneration Refresher” (a twist on the Dirty Shirley made with Grey Goose Vodka, grenadine and Sprite); the “Cowabunga Cooler” (a green TMNT-inspired cocktail featuring Sipsmith Gin, Midori, cucumber, honeydew, lemon and simple syrup); the “Joker’s Jive” (a villainous espresso martini crafted with Belvedere Vodka, espresso, St. George Espresso Liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream and simple syrup); and the “Elven Elixir” (an energizing mixture of St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, rosé wine and Fever-Tree pink grapefruit soda). Comic Con-coctions are $18 each.
Prohibition Lounge
.4 from the convention center
Step into Gaslamp’s “Gothic” Quarter (sequestered discreetly behind a clandestine entrance), a secret hideaway where you’ll find the Penguin-inspired “Gentleman of Crime” (whiskey, lemon, and ube), the “Hanzo Sword” (Umiki Japanese Whisky, Yellow Chartreuse, Cointreau, and lemon), the “Sisyphus” (Castle and Key Gin, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, lime, lemongrass and cucumber), “All My Heroes Are Dead” (Old Forester Bourbon, Lo-Fi Hibiscus Amaro, lemon, hibiscus and R&C Citrus Bitters), and more. All Comic-Con cocktails are $18. Comic-Con attendees and henchmen wanna-be’s can find the lowkey cocktail lair’s secret entrance behind the Fifth Ave. door inconspicuously marked as “Law Office – Eddie O’Hare, ESQ.”
Tajima Ramen – East Village
0.9 from the convention center
Tajima Ramen will have a “Naruto Ramen” which features original pork bone broth, thin noodles, narutomaki, pork chashu, 1/2 ramen egg, corn, baby bok choy, green onions, and sesame seeds. Also, for the month of July, Tajima Ramen has a Pokémon Sake Flight. Get two cards with the purchase of your flight and mention “Gotta Catch them All” to get a secret 4th flavor!
The Smoking Gun
0.5 from the convention center
The Smoking Gun’s 80s-inspired interior matches perfectly with their theme this year: Beetlejuice! The Beetlejuice-themed cocktail, available throughout Comic-Con, features Astral Blanco, Italian liqueur, melon, lime and a ava salt rim. On Friday, July 26th, The Smoking Gun will host a Mario Kart N64 competition. Sign-ups begin at 6:00PM with races beginning at 8:00PM. Prizes include gift cards to both The Smoking Gun and their arcade, along with merchandise.
Spill The Beans – Coffee and Bagels
Gaslamp location – 0.5 from the convention center
Seaport Village – 0.6 from the convention center
The Gaslamp location is going all in with pop culture and will be celebrating with a Shrek theme July 24th-28th. Shrek’s Swampaccino includes iced Chaga and Taro Tea Latte with a Matcha Cold Foam, available hot or cold, with the option to add espresso. Donkey’s Morning Waffle features French Toast Waffle Bagel, Maple Butter, 2 fried eggs, American Cheese, and Chicken Sausage.
