barleymash

**What sets it apart:** While The Waves keeps things calm and Señor Taquero feeds the early crowd, barleymash runs a completely different operation—this is the rare Gaslamp spot that works at 1pm and 11pm for entirely different reasons. The scratch kitchen turns out actual food (house-made ketchup, banana cheesecake) instead of heat-lamp nachos, the bourbon selection runs deep enough to matter, and the mod interior stays comfortable whether you're closing a deal over lunch or watching Sunday football elbow-to-elbow with strangers.

The Mash Burger earns its reputation—massive, messy, paired with that house ketchup everyone mentions. Chicken tenders come in portions that suggest the kitchen doesn't understand the concept of an appetizer. Flatbread pizzas work better than they should in a sports bar, probably because nothing here comes from a sysco truck. The craft beer list goes beyond the usual downtown suspects, though reviews warn the tap lines need attention—if your draft tastes funky, switch to bottles.

The patio pulls double duty as pre-Padres staging area and weekday lunch refuge. TVs are everywhere but not oppressive. Service stays professional even when the place is slammed, which happens often around game times. Kitchen gets backed up during rushes—order fast, especially if you're on a timeline.

The space morphs as the day progresses. Lunch skews business casual and reasonable. Evenings bring DJs and the energy shifts toward party district mode without fully committing to club chaos. Late-night it's still feeding people real food when most of Gaslamp has switched to survival snacks.

**Practical notes:** Reservations accepted, which matters downtown. Pet-friendly patio. Kitchen runs slow when busy—budget extra time. If the draft beer tastes off, say something and switch to bottles.