1030 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-0550
Tues-Sun 5pm-2am
http://www.eldoradobar.com
Full Bar
Smoking Patio
Live Music: Electro; Indie; Underground Hip Hop
Happy Hour Specials
GREAT Service
*Hipster*
The vibrant neon green glass pillars and the tired, red glow of its COCKTAILS sign are the only sources of light on its dark corner. But enter El Dorado — and you’ll see why the crowds have flocked here.
The interior is wacky: clearly by intention.
The interior pays tribute to the western frontier — if, that is, stagecoaches had red leather sofas and a jukebox. By virtue of the upbringing of the four owners – three brothers, Matt, Marshall, and Nathan, and their friend, Ryan Koontz– in the Pacific Northwest and their admiration for the American gold rush, they call their home El Dorado: an homage to the memory of the “city of gold.”
But if El Dorado knows how to stay true to anything, it is their dedication to crafting the classics: Behind the bar in their Prohibition-meets-Hipsterdom attire, the El Dorado boys and girls pour, muddle, and shake quality ingredients and house infused liquors until they become perfectly handcrafted classic cocktails with their own inspired twists on each.
Some of my favorites on the menu include the Corn n’ Oil ( Black Rum, Lime House made Falernum) and the Moscow Mule (Vodka, Lime, Ginger Beer, Aromatic bitters). If you’re a man’s man ask for the Whiskey Mule instead.
OFF the menu, and therefore for my favorite (the typical female “want-what-I-can’t-have” complex) is the Serrano Mojito. Watch out, it’s muy espicy!!! Ask for it only when the boys don’t look too busy, and tip well: Because muddling is mean, and because the service is AMAZING.
While waiting for your cocktail, check out what’s on El D TV: Perhaps an 80s era soft-porn exercise video might peak your interest? Movies about ninjas tickle your fancy? Miss Beetlejuice? Well, El D certainly has all your favorite VHS tapes; and then some. Check out to see what treat you are in for tonight. Like to keep it real? Then Otis will certainly put you into a tizzy. Who’s Otis? Oh, see thatdelightfully massive faux water buffalo head, just above the juke box? A treasure the El D boys found in the basement of the club upon moving in, in a box marked “Christmas Decorations”- that’s Otis: The Christmas Miracle.
Weeknights are Juke Box kind of nights – which could mean anything. The jukebox is filled with anything from Honky-tonk, hip hop, to electro. Thursday night is the more underground old school hip hop/indie kind of night; Whereas Friday & Saturday nights consist of hipster action, well-known and local indie DJs, superfluous themes, and unrelenting electro blaring from the speakers. In other words: my kind of party.
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[...] Parallels: Behind the bar at both, El Dorado Cocktail Lounge and 15 Romolo, you won’t find your run of the mill bartender: These men and women are [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — February 16, 2010 @ 9:34 PM
[...] Craig continues to develop his technical studio skills, and takes time to explore the dirty electro hipster underworld, 2010 will definitely be the year of the [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — February 24, 2010 @ 1:14 AM
[...] Boots @ El Dorado Cocktail Lounge ¡Olé Mixsters! TheMixster.com will be hosting this massive dance frenzy! Guaranteed to be an [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 11, 2010 @ 8:51 PM
[...] Casbah, that cute little Brit will be clunking her little boots over to my favorite hipster haven El Dorado Cocktail Lounge, for a night that is sure to provoke at least one or two fire [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 12, 2010 @ 7:36 PM
[...] El Dorado Menu Release Party @ El Dorado Cocktail Cocktail Lounge [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 24, 2010 @ 12:22 AM
[...] going down in nightlife this past weekend. We also talked a little about the new concept from The El Dorado boys & Neighborhood going into Little Italy very soon, in the former Illume Bistro venue, and [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 29, 2010 @ 4:38 PM
[...] up and taking you back to the poptastic & straight up G era of da bomb jams and phat rap beats. El Dorado will also be rollin’ out the hot dog cooker out back so go all out – GET YO’ [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — April 16, 2010 @ 2:10 AM
[...] to El Dorado a little earlier in the night to take advantage of awesome $5 drink specials and for a great cause. [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — April 22, 2010 @ 6:43 PM
[...] up DO IT. Regardless of which ’stache you end up choosing to don for the night, head down to El Dorado and celebrate the album release with these guys. It’s bound to be a wild night, so get your [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — April 27, 2010 @ 11:20 PM
[...] your typical hipster get-down, DJ Saul Q has put together an event that will totally put a 360 on El Dorado’s routine. Azucar, featuring Kid Wonder, Da Perv, and the Office Twins, will be playing best in [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — May 3, 2010 @ 7:41 PM
[...] Friday night DJ and his more locally ubiquitous counterpart DJ Groundfloor-most notably found at El Dorado Saturday nights, Bubblegum Sci Fi has continued to make strides in the producing field: Whether [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — May 4, 2010 @ 6:27 PM
[...] If you weren’t at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge the last time The Villains played there, you are in for an absolute nightmare of a night. [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — May 14, 2010 @ 8:22 PM
[...] and gave me a look, of mixed excitement and concern. I couldn’t imagine why? Doesn’t El Dorado want to do a little “remodeling” that night? Get rid of that pesky roof above and all? [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — May 26, 2010 @ 8:23 AM
[...] El Dorado this Saturday will be a night of local mayhem, featuring Miss Toats, from the world-renowned music blog Discodust playing her selection of new and exclusive music from around the blogsphere. Opening up will be local veterans Adam Salter, and Kid Wonder (SQZMYLMNZ). It’s safe to say that El Dorado will packed to the walls with sweaty hipsters. Get on the guest list HERE. [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — May 27, 2010 @ 1:14 PM
[...] Jeans has become a regular San Diego flyer jockey the past year as a featured headliner at El Dorado, U31 and Voyeur, and his unique blend of indie/ house/ hip hop has made him stand out as one of the [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — July 27, 2010 @ 6:08 PM
[...] specials include El D’s famous Mules for only [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — July 28, 2010 @ 10:20 AM
[...] craft cocktail movement: True to their interior’s “Gold Rush” theme, the El Dorado staff is adorned in era-appropriate attire with a modern twist, yet their strict technique in [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — October 26, 2010 @ 11:00 AM
[...] be wreaking havoc on the dance floor. If you were there the first night Designer Drugs played at El Dorado, and you were amongst the chaos and hysteria that resulted in arguably one of the most magical [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — December 8, 2010 @ 9:42 AM
[...] + U-Tern at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge (1030 Broadway, SD [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — January 7, 2011 @ 1:56 PM
[...] El Dorado Cocktail Lounge 9pm-2am 21+ [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — January 24, 2011 @ 1:44 PM
[...] Bananas at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge RSVP: PRESALE TICKETS + Guestlist [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — February 1, 2011 @ 1:11 PM
[...] seeing the Cosmic Kids play an awesome house-filled set this past weekend at El Dorado, this song has been stuck in my cranium ever since, and I’m sorry to do the same to [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — February 2, 2011 @ 12:09 PM
[...] ‘Garage Artists” BLORR and SD locals Lady Dottie and The Diamonds at our fav haunt El Dorado Cocktail Lounge. A few other brands will be repping at the event including our fellow East Village homies at [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 10, 2011 @ 3:08 PM
[...] & Girls Presents: Groundfloor + Kid Wonder + Adam Salter at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge (1030 Broadway Ave SD [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 18, 2011 @ 2:37 PM
[...] Note: I decided to send our intern by himself on his first adventure to our favorite hipster haunt EL DORADO COCKTAIL LOUNGE. The same night 12th Planet was going to be playing a surprise set. In other words, on an evening of [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — March 27, 2011 @ 8:37 AM
[...] BY BOYS & GIRLS, Light Year, off Bang Gang 12s Record label, will be touching down May 21st at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge, and they plan to make the dance floor go techno-galactic! When I was first asked to host this [...]
Pingback by The Mixster — May 19, 2011 @ 1:09 PM