It's amazing to read some of these reviews and the foul accusations some people are making. Â I've lived in North County since I was 10 yrs old. Â My friends and I - the "soul friends" have been coming to The Saloon for years. Â Never once have we ever experienced a horiable afternoon, evening or night. Â We've been in the bar when there was two bodies in there and we've also been there when it's packed wall to wall with bodies. Â Never once did we ever leave feeling like we'd never return again. Â It's an awesome spot to come and chill with the North County coastal chill crowd. Â The bartendars are AWESOME (LOVE Joe!) and the owner is super chill & sweet. Â The Saloon is a straight up institution of Encinitas! Â Keep up the good works peeps! Â And Soul Friends...cya soon!!!
Review Source:This bar is an institution. Great old murals. long wooden bar. A Dive Bar.sure. I have been going here for over 18 years. I was there Friday and was happy to find no urine or cigarette  smells . I once in a while meet friends there when Tab is working. The drinks are great and cheap. I have no complaints! Caveat I have never been to the bar past 7 at night. Also I noticed they now have security at 5 . It used to be 9.
Review Source:It's a good little bar, I'll come here before a house party or when there's nothing to do on a weekend night and I don't want to drive anywhere. The things that I like about it are things other people might not like; I like the fact that it's dark, dank, and a bit grimey. drinks are quality as well. If i could relate this bar to a beer it would be a budweiser, it's a traditional taste thats not necessarily "quality" but I wouldn't have it any other way. Cool crowd cause everyones pretty laid back and just swilling brews all looking to party. Attracts a lot of the local yokels, hippies, and encinitas brothers and sisters, good little bar, good little time.
Review Source:If I could give this dump -8735089327 stars, I would.
The only good thing was the DJ..but, any place can have decent 90s hip hop. I'm not going to start paying compliments just because they had a guy w/ itunes on his laptop.
The 'part owner' of this place is not only a grade A douchebag bro, but a huge coward as well. He was blatantly rude to my gf--she was reaching for some napkins and he threw em out of the way so she couldn't reach. WHO DOES THAT? Simply bc she stepped a little behind the bar to grab the napkins. This was AFTER the bartender (Joe) told her she could grab napkins/limes if she wanted some.
So her bf tells her, that if the guy disrespects her again, to let him know. All of a sudden, 2 bouncers grab him and tell him he has to leave. Seriously? So your a-hole boss can be rude to his paying customers..and if we don't like it, WE get thrown out??
One of the bouncers even apologized, and said that he knows my friend didn't do anything..but the douche is a 'part owner' so they had to do their job. Oh, that's lovely.
Go elsewhere for your dive bar experience. After reading all the negative reviews, I don't even know why it was as crowded as it was. Wake up, Encinitas!
Oh, and he also came out AFTER throwing us out..to talk his smack. The entire time, Â cowering behind the 2 bouncers, mind you. His employees even looked a little embarassed for him. Grow a pair--mommy and daddy's money can't buy you dignity, you little twerp.
Before I turned 21 I swore I would never step foot into this place; mainly because you can smell the urine, beer, and puke from outside the front door... even when they're closed. But, of course, once you finally give in it turns into a love-hate relationship. I'm 26 now and I'm back to the "I sweat I'll never step foot in there" mind set.
It's a dive bar so go in with NO EXPECTATIONS and you won't be disappointed. Don't wear your favorite shoes, they will stick to the floor, someone will step on them, and drinks will shatter on the floor and ruin them. If you go on a weeknight, heck, if you go on any night, make sure you stop at Urban Outfitters first and just take the first outfit you see of the manniquin so you fit in. Hipster city ladies and gentleman. They DO finally let you use credit cards, and they remodeled the ladies bathroom which is nice. There's a toilet seat now, soap, toilet paper, and even doors. Now if they could just get that patio finished.
I would comment on their bartenders but just in case I want to go back I want to still be let in... see... love... hate....
Cool place filled with young good looking people who are down to party.The DJ's are alright, they play some sic stuff but the majority is top ten. The bouncers are really big tools that have been grated too much control of the establishment.They think they're running some type of Gas Lamp Hipster Bar... We can let them have their fantasy.
With no website and over zealous bouncers this place is definitely not controlled by a good business person; probably just a trust fun.
If you're down to get really fked up this is the place to be.
I think you have to be a certain kind of barfly to enjoy a place like this.
I came here with a friend to drink until we couldn't feel feelings anymore, and it was actually kind of hard to do that here. Â The place gets RIDICULOUSLY crowded early on, and it quickly becomes one of those "how much money do I have to flash in my cleavage to get the bartender's attention" situations. Â
With all the people, it gets fucking hot and fucking loud, with a DJ on top of it, don't try to tell me things because my ass is just going to hear many different kinds of BURRRRRRRR while I get hammered.
Street parking, enjoy that (obligatory call a cab).
If you like to dance, you won't be near the bar, which is fine, if you don't actually care about having alcohol.
Drinks aren't cheap at all. Â Not even standard. Â I ran up a bar tab of $150 for 6 shots and 3 mixed drinks. Â Balls.
Come here loaded, and double fist double drinks. Â Or get 4 beers at once. Â That way you won't have to make your way through a sea of drunk individuals more than is absolutely necessary.
One perk was that it's a short walk to 7-11, where I enjoyed a slushee  after leaving.
I mean, it'll get the job done, if you want to. Â It's just not my kinda scene.
I had fun:) and the drinks are great! People that come here are pretty cool---
booking shows is pretty hard here, especially given that they don't have a website....
The bouncer freaked me out though!! He pushed a drunk bum so hard outside of the saloon that the bum's head cracked open on the pavement. After a while he got up- probably with a serious concussion - no help from the bouncer and stumbled down the street with blood dripping from his head... I suggest not going out for a smoke--- this really upset me and ruined my night because the bouncer was so violent. The ruckus was so loud and no one could get in and out of the bar for a while- out of being scared and the constant fighting situation.
I mean if they want this place to be a bar for badasses then great! But wow- this sure does not make me want to go back. Ever.
Been to this place a couple times not that great. Takes about 15 minutes to get a beer and it's so loud in there they can barely hear you so one time I ordered a jack and coke, the guy gives me a PBR. The worst part it took another 5 minutes just to get his attention that he gave me the wrong drink. Service flat out sucks. Been to way better dive bars then this dump.
Review Source:The place is okay, decent music but very busy on weekends. I end up shoulder to shoulder with everyone in the place and it's one of those places where I need to practically yell in my friend's ear to have a conversation.
It's hard to squeeze through the crowd to get to the bar.
I've been here several times, and normally I'd give it 2 or 3 stars, but my last experience left me feeling cheated.
I came in on a busy night, ordered a drink for me and a girl I came with. I asked them to close it out, but the bartender convinced me to keep it open by saying there's a $2 close out charge every time.
So I end up leaving the place, (and my credit card!) after the one drink for me and one for my friend. I realize this the next morning, so I swing by at around 1pm to pick it up, and I see a $30 charge on the receipt, which has no detail. I ask the bartender how much a Stone IPA and a vodka soda costs? I said I didn't know the brand of the vodka since I just asked for a vodka soda and he said it wouldn't be more than 6 or 7 bucks. $4.50 for the Stone. Not sure where the other charges came from, but he seemed to think I drunkenly forgot what I'd ordered, which adds a bit of insult to financial loss.
I'll probably be back at some point because D street is lame and Keno's closes early, but this leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
Bummed by the Saloon!!!
My wife and I used to meet here with friends and family for birthdays etc. for almost 7 years...... UNTIL.... the night before our good friends' wedding my then fiancé (now wife) noticed she had lost her engagement ring right before closing time (we had photos of her by the pool table with it on at 1:25am). Sadly, the bouncers were adamant about not letting us back in to look for the ring. When we wrote the owner on several occasions we received no reply, sad stuff.
As a former bartender etc. I can't imagine not letting a couple (regulars even) in to find a missing engagement ring knowing full well they had 1-2 hours of side work to handle.
We have never been back...................
I've given this place 2 attempts to prove me wrong and it's just not my cup of tea. Obviously it's a fun place for a lot of people b/c both times that I've been here it's been completely packed.
The layout of the bar makes it really hard to stand around without someone spilling their drink on you. The sewage smell that consumes the bar every 30 minutes or so is enough to make you throw your drink up.
In their defense, the staff and security staff seemed nice enough - but I'm a girl so what do I know about rude bouncers. :)
I love Encinitas and am looking forward to venturing out to try other places. Probably won't be back here unless it's for a specific occasion (friends birthday) when I don't have a choice.
I would give less then a star if I could.
I used to really dig this place. I would come a lot but I moved out of the area but recently came back and wanted to wander into my old spot.
Interestingly enough I ordered a water for myself (wasnt drinking) and Jack & Cokes for a couple other people.
Bartender says "water?" I say yes and 2 Jack and cokes.
Bartender gives me my drinks and water then points at me. I turn around and 2 bouncers drag me out of the place. I of course paid first.
I ask WTF just happened and the little short douche of a bouncer says you are slurring your words. I said thats interesting because I am not drinking. Little short douche walks back in.
Still utterly confused (I have never ever been thrown out of any bar before in my entire life) I ask the doorman again "Sorry man I dont mean to be a d!ck but I am just still really confused as to what the buck just happened. I have not even been drinking. You can smell my breath.
Doorman seems to understand and gives me the thumb to wander back in. Little short douche walks back out and gets into an argument with me saying I am drunk a a$$hole.
To the point now where I want to fight the guy. Thankfully my 2 friends who were looking for me wander out and pull me away. Little douche says have a nice night a$$hole to which I reply Yes I am an a$$hole but your the one working as a bouncer at a sh!t bar.
Never again will I go to the Saloon.
Go to Peabodys. Way more chill.
Jesse D and I found ourselves in Carlsbad last weekend while he had some friends visiting from out of town. We decided to cab it up to a bar for some late night fun! We found ourselves at the Daley Double Saloon. So, like I always say when I review bars... I'm not a bar person. I'm just really not a fan. It could be because I'm not much of a drinker, so I get annoyed with out of control, hammered people easily. It could also be because I'm a psychology major who is very intrigued by human behavior, which causes me to observe it almost constantly... and I am not a fan of the human behavior I typically witness in bars. You know, scantily clad whores trying to bang douche bags (respect yourself ladies). This isn't the case for all bars, but you know those bars... ANYWAY...
Daley Double Saloon isn't THAT bar. Everyone seemed very cool. It wasn't very crowded for a Saturday night either. What impressed me most was the selection of tunes being played out of the jukebox. I was super confused. Did I already get my grubby little hands on that juke or what? Bee Gees, Gladys Knight and the Pips, ALL KINDS of delicious, classic 70s! My favorite. I was sold. I was obviously surrounded by people with class. They have relatively comfy booths to sit in and I browsed the drink specials... they have discounted drink prices at night, which is pretty sweet compared with the places I've been to. Either way, this is a place I would for sure find myself in again if I am ever in the area again looking for an entertaining bar!
A fine place - not a dive bar. More of a Silverlake/Eastside LA Â bar smack in the middle of Coast Highway. There really isn't too much to say.
The Good:
Clean, nice booths, bar stools, TV Screens, music, DJ's
The bad:
About five too many bouncers. Really - take it down a notch.
Bartenders they'll pour but they don't seem to remember. If I arrive well before the evenings crowd - it is nice when you remember me or at the very least some of my order when I order after the crowd arrives.
The payment process. Don't charge for credit cards. step up.
I have been to this bar before during day and thought it was fine...I like dive bars and this is your typical dive bar. Â However, just went there last night (Saturday night) and the bouncer at the front door just started power trippin and was giving me a hassle about my MN ID which I have never had a problem with being here for almost a year (yes I'm going to get a Cali ID soon). Â He was acting like I was giving him attitude (which I wasn't) and he was sooo rude. Â I know dive bar's staff like to act like dicks b/c they think they are soo cool, but this guy was a complete asshole and I couldn't believe how he was talking to a woman. Â And the other bouncer was standing next to him laughing. Â 2 of the other guys I was with had Indiana ID's and they got in fine. Â The bouncer wasn't educated enough to know what a legit MN ID should be. Â So after he was being completely rude to me, my girlfriend said she would grab my other friends that were already inside (there were 7 of us) and we left b/c of the rudeness of this ignorant sorry excuse of a bouncer. Â So, long story short, this dumbass lost business from 7 potential customers b/c he isn't educated enough to know what a real out of state ID should be. Â We are in California..people come here from all over the world..get with it. Â So we went up street to 1st Street Bar (which the bouncer at Saloon said we wouldn't get into) and we got right in b/c the bouncers are smart enough to know what an out of state ID looks like. Â So bouncer at Saloon...learn how to do your job and not loose business that would be paying for your low salary.
Sorry for the hostility, but I have NEVER been treated this way by staff at a bar before. Â I almost feel violated. Â After that experience I never want to go to this bar again...even though I liked it the first few times I have been there. Â I wish this guy would get fired....or a good ass beating for treating a woman with such disrespect.
A super DIVE bar. Great tunes. Cool people.
My birthday fell on a Monday and what better way then to celebrate it at the Saloon for "Dirty Mondays". They always let a group of girls come in, so if you're a dude you probably have to wait in line. Getting girls in there is their first priority. Sorry dudez.
You get the dive bar ambiance right when you walk in. There is no lighting, completely dark. The place looks old like back in the old Western times.There is a pool table and the bathrooms next to them are atrocious. I mean you can't expect much, but seriously these bathrooms are bad. The bathrooms are a coke whore's dream. I think they are remodeling them right now, THANK GOD. As a girl, you'll always experience the "creepers", and most of them that are there look like surf bums or skaters.
I love this place solely because of the music and the people. You always end up meeting cool people that live in your area. The DJ performing usually plays electro/indie/nu-disco/80s/old school on the weekends. Downside: Small dance floor.They also have "secret shows" that are invite only. Crystal Castles performed there recently, and the Twelves have made an appearance.
When I came here on a random, spontaneous night out with my recently graduated friends on a Sunday night, as expected, the place was EMPTY. I think there was a total of 15 people in the bar, including the 6 of us. Even though it was completely dead, my friends and I had a blast as soon as we ordered drinks, playing some pool, owning the jukebox (playing some Gags and Britney) and dancing all over the place.
BUT, I heard from my friends that live in Carlsbad that this place is usually POPPIN out of control on Fridays and Saturdays, so I advise you to avoid Sunday nights if you're planning to mingle with strangers.
I absolutely do not get the attraction of this place. On a Friday or Saturday night there is a freaking line down the street. For this crap bar? It's a cave of a place that hasn't had a remodel since it opened around 50 years ago. And that includes the plumbing. There are no beers on tap and they have a back patio but you are NOT ALLOWED TO BRING YOUR DRINKS THERE!!!!!!!! they will kick you out. WTF is the point of having a patio then?
You can smell the bar's ass right when you walk in this place. I love me a dive bar but this one is beyond the sewer dive. So if you decide to visit this establishment you will need to bring your galoshes and gas mask in case you are brave enough to venture the toilet area.
There are some hot guys here and for that reason alone I will be back. Note to the ladies: they are typically super wasted and slightly douchey BUT nice to look at and the more you drink the less douchey they get; the problem is I could down 7 cocktails at other establishments in the time it takes me to get 1 here so pre -drink ladies and stick to double fisting.
I really can't stand any of the other bars on this Encinitas drag and you can sometimes catch a dancefloor here so this one wins by defalut of me living in North County and not wanting to drive into San Diego to drink and flirt.
This place boasts a large sprawling bar and a mural to match it on the opposite wall. My BF and I stopped by here after a yummy dinner up in the north county. We caught the end of happy hour which makes me and my pocket book happy as well.
The jukebox is full of great music, and the drinks were nice and stiff. If you are into pool they offer a table in the back of the bar, so you can get your game on. With a patio on the side of the building, so if you fancy a cigarette it is just calling your name.
Bartenders were nice and on top of it, and there is plenty of dance space or side booths if you need a sit. My only down would have to be, that I didn't see any beers on tap. Tall boys it is!
I really want to like the Saloon...really...just need one reason. Drinks...slow, weak, cash only. Not that. Hmmm...what about service...slow, weak, rude and not in a cute dry humor way, just rude and uninterested in serving people drinks. OK, Not that either. Ambiance (and we're talking dive bar ambiance)...lame too.
I like beer, cocktails and dive bars just fine, but I just can't seem to like the Saloon.
My memory of the Saloon is very limited-- not just because of the glorious amounts of beer consumed on the night in question, but also because it's absolutely nothing special, making it easily forgettable.
While nothing stands out in particular, aside from the generous helping of flannel shirts, I vaguely remember the presence of a very large outside patio. I'm not sure why, since the patio is fenced in from the sidewalk, but you can't bring your booze outside which I am most certainly not a fan of.
The bartenders seemed pretty nice and the bouncer was friendly enough, although the triple and then quadruple checking of my I.D. seemed like an exaggerated attempt at looking as though he gave a crap. He paid more attention to his on-going cell phone game of Tetris than he did to half of the entering patrons.
Take away the band that was playing that night (Red Octopus, completely freakin' awesome), the hot cocktail waitress and her painted-on white pants, and the mean ol' buzz I had going at that point, and the Saloon ain't nothing special-- just another congregation spot for the young, bearded, and Brawny Man style-jockin'.
This was the last stop in my birthday night celebration.
I remember it was loud.
Bathroom smelled like a herd of elephants' week old piss,as in the Wild Animal Park on a hot summer day.
But the drinks were cheap,and strong. Â
I think I had fun.
When I started to sober up, I realized I was shirtless. Â My belt was missing,and I had bite marks.
Or, Maybe someone else had fun.
Hey,now.
Nobody calls this bar Daley Double. If you hear someone say, "Hey let's go to Daley Double tonight", then you know, they are not local, and I offer no apologies but they should not be allowed to visit. Not counting the Mexican bars I went to on the night I graduated high school, Saloon was the very first bar I had ever stepped foot in. I was 21 and it was 5 minutes from my house. To me, Saloon was the perfect bar.
But then something happened.... my friend stopped cocktail waitressing, they took on a new owner, Â too many east county folk, too many marine folk, too many scenester folk, and not enough north county coastal laid back vibes. Yes, I ride my bike to get myself to downtown Encinitas on a Friday night, but when I arrive, I want to sip a cocktail, grab a booth and chat with my friends.... I don't want to have to worry about whether or not I have the latest Raybans on my head or Vans on my feet. I just couldn't do it anymore, I could not bring myself to wait in line for what was just another dive bar on the 101.
However, a couple weeks back, that all changed. My friend and I are known for partaking in spontaneous adventures and after dining on sourdough grilled cheeses and sipping wine in a cup over at Keno's, we felt like our Wednesday night needed some added spice. When we arrived at Saloon, we were pleasantly surprised. Where the pool table normally lived, was a small stage with drums, guitars, mikes, and a single red spotlight. We chatted with the bartender and got the scoop. Dynamite Walls, a local San Diego band was scheduled to perform that night. We quickly grabbed a booth and set up camp. The band was so good, we quickly took note. North county needs a place for people to be able to enjoy a couple of beers and listen to some live music. North Park can be a bit of a drive and for all obvious reasons, Belly Up can get crowded. If Saloon hosts regular live shows with local bands, Â I am sure to be a true fan again. In the end, it was, a good night, a very good and perfect night.
The women's toilet is always overflowing and never has toilet paper. Â Yet, the boys always have long curly hair and/or beautiful scuff. So Yeah I'm gonna have to say the positives cancel out the urine infested hole.
This is my favorite bar in Encinitas. Â
Dive Bar-esque. Dark. Cheap Drinks. Young Crowd. Â This bar does it real big!
The Daley Double is often referred to as The Saloon.
This is because it is a saloon.
Really.
It also says SALOON outside real big. Â
Anyway, the reason that I think it is fair to call this a Saloon as opposed to a bar is that it really has kept its feel of being an old time establishment. Â It is nice to see a little bit of Encinitas holding on as the La Jollafication takes place downtown. Â This is one of the little bits of Old Encinitas that is suviving.
It is a GREAT Saloon.
It is a GREAT place to drink.
The Saloon makes me happy.
This place has been here forever and a day, and you should respect it just for that. Despite what some other yelpers have said, the ambience is classic...murals of early Encinitas, the Wild West...tile floors...mahogany walls that've seen better days...something historic in a town with little history.
I watched it go from a dive bar in the 80's frequented by hippies, surfers, weirdos, and hard-boiled reporters, to the place we all hung out after high school in the 90's, to its current incarnation--a flashy dive, but with all kinds of kooks still in the mix.
The only downside is there's a lot of fights, this town's major flaw. Â Everyone is so mellow by day, but they're repressing something. Â Like that Seinfeld episode, "serenity now leads to insanity later..."
Full-on fights with fists flying can break out any moment, the later and drunker the better. Maybe I'm exaggerating, maybe not, depends on what night you go...but it does give it an element of danger, and that's what u want in a dive.
Came to the Daily Double after a Yelp brunch Event at D Street (yeah, I know this review is waaaaay overdue)... We were already drinking a bit before coming over, but trudge on, right!?
Anyhow, the place was nearly empty, and the bartender, Tab, was pretty much all ours for most of the visit. Â He was on top of it the whole time. Â Meg fiddled with the jukebox, while (excuse me while i name-drop) Robert, Jae, Ruggy, Julia, and I hung out playing pool (in mine and Julia's cases pretty badly), and drinking cocktails.
I don't have much to say about the look of the bar. Â It's pretty non-descript, with white tiles, a long fully stocked bar, and two pool tables. Â There were some other booths on the side, and a smoking patio (which felt more like a courtyard for another business.) Â The bathroom was graffiti'd up and small, with a door that seemed not to close on the main area where the sink was (there was a swinging door for the stall itself, thank goodness, as I am no exhibitionist.)
Toward the end of our stay (which lasted five or so hours) Tab allowed us to order pizza, and even provided some plates and napkins for it. Â Unexpected, but really a bonus. Â He's a stand-up dude. Â If I'm ever in Encinitas, which almost never happens, I'll go back in and give him a high-five. Â Thanks Tab, for getting me drunk and giving us styrofoam tableware.
Ahhh... The Saloon. Â Many memories flow through my mind when I think of this classic watering hole. Â Like the time we had a bet amongst some buddys of mine on who could get a girl into the phone booth 1st and make out, winner takes the pot! Â Lo and behold, somebody cheated and made a monetary bribe to seal the deal....doesn't he know cheaters never win? Or on the not so pleasant side, the time where Johhny deuschbag's head rolled onto my feet after being knocked out by some ogre for mouthing off in a drunken slur as I casually sat back with a coil jamming me in the leg in one of the illustrious booths a la Saloon. Â
Another thing about this place; wear shoes, and tread carefully with sandals! Â As Rome is to ringing church bells, The Saloon is to breaking glasses. Â I'm not talking about breaking beer bottle mayhem like a scene outta Road House with Patrick Swayze, just that inevitably, people get really wasted off the stiff drinks they serve up here and tend to lose their grip on reality, and as such, the drinks in hand. Â No worries though cuz Mr. Sweeper guy always comes to the rescue and the juke box continues to wail on providing bar revelers a typically classic rock and buttrock infused batch of ear candy. Â
"Warning"- At times this bar has a  massive case of "ManDiego" like most North County bars, which if witnessed, bar patron should immediately finish beverage in hand and exit stage left.  For a single male such as myself, The Saloon seems to be the best on Thursday nights, but don't hold me to it. Â
All in all, a fun place to kick back a few grogs and not take things too seriously. Â Also, wear a t-shirt and leave the collar poppin' for nights in Del Mar and Downtown. Â On 2nd thought, if you do pop your collar, consider yourself uninvited to The Saloon. Â Cheers!
Pros:
Cheap prices for generous drink
Good people to socialize with
Cons:
Dirty- everything is old and decrepit
Sticky- you WILL stick to these floors
Smelly- while socializing with your friends you can enjoy the aroma of sewage wafting through the bar
Must wait to get in- on any busy night you will need to wait in line outside.... MOOOOOOO
You can admit it guys, the saloon isn't that great.
One of the last great dive bars and very reminiscent of those I frequented back in the Lower East Side of NYC. Â Locals refer to it as The Saloon but it attracts people from all over the country. The drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is always on. They have a pool table that is always in use and you even have to que up on certain nights to get in. On any given night you'll find a mix of college kids and business folk mingling and most likely talking about the surf.
They also have a great Jutebox.