Comic-Con Cocktail & Dining Specials in Downtown San Diego

Comic-Con will be here before we know it, meaning it’s time to start planning your restaurant stops for when you need to refuel during this glorious event. Stop by these conveniently located hotspots boasting culinary excellence suited to the occasion!  Experience Comic-Con in the heart of the Gaslamp District at THE US GRANT where guests and locals alike can find a speciality Game of Thrones cocktail, Tohrren Square, available on THE US GRANT’s new lobby cocktail cart. Receive a table-side experience while people watching in the lobby. The Tohrren Square features scotch, sweet vermouth, cynar, essence of oak barrel, and pastis, and like each of the other cocktail cart cocktails the Tohrren Square is named after the major city square in Game of Thrones. Enjoy the speciality cocktail for $19. For the third year running, Don Chido will celebrate San Diego’s Comic-Con with an expanded menu inspired by the renowned convention. A special menu design with fun new dishes allows convention-goers and comic lovers alike to experience a full weekend of Comic-Con fun. Guests can indulge in delicious entradas such as a salsa flight, nachos, shrimp ceviche, an array of especials, including chicken enchiladas, carnitas plate and Don Chido fajitas, as well as an array of savory street tacos.  Celebrate all things Comic-Con-related at the Manchester Grand Hyatt with a variety of character-themed cocktails inspired by iconic movie, TV show and comic book favorites! Guests can channel their inner hero or villain while sipping on various hand-crafted cocktails, including Wonder Woman, Deadpool, The Hulk and White Walker, as they enjoy waterfront dining at its finest at Sally’s Fish House & Bar. Located just steps away from the convention center, guests can delight in top-notch crowd watching outside on the restaurant’s recently expanded deck, which also features warm fire pits for when the temperature drops, or from inside the dining room and bar. For guests looking to really explore the “force” of Comic-Con, Sally’s will also offer a Star Wars-inspired sushi menu and light saber chopsticks. Character-themed cocktails include:

• Wonder Woman: Blueberry vodka and lime muddled with mint and blueberries 
• Deadpool: Cucumber vodka and Bloody Mary mix topped with celery, pepperoncini, blackened shrimp, bacon, olive and lime
• The Hulk: Tequila, spinach, lime, lemon, agave nectar and white grape juice blended together
• White Walker: White Rum mixed with coconut rum and shaken with pineapple juice, Tuaca and blue Curaçao

 Located in the heart of San Diego’s lively Gaslamp Quarter and just blocks away from the San Diego Convention Center, Rustic Root has curated three exclusive menus dedicated to this year’s Comic-Con festivities. Guests can drink and dine in Rustic Root’s expansive restaurant space and find delicious scrambled skillets, eggs Benedict and brioche french toast for brunch, or mac n’ cheese, Rustic fried chicken, miso glazed arctic char and more for dinner. Those seeking a social experience on the restaurant’s rooftop (the only one of its kind in Downtown) can indulge in a variety of handcrafted cocktails and creative dishes, with a “front row view” of 5th Ave. and the Comic Con hustle and bustle. Located just blocks from the excitement, The Commons will offer specialty ComicKaze shots for $5 each during ComicCon 2017 weekend. As an added bonus, any patrons dressed in costume visiting the bar during the action-packed weekend will be greeted with a “welcome” shot upon arrival. Union Kitchen & Tap in the Gaslamp is a prime go-to for those seeking dining spots suitable for bonafide superheroes during Comic-Con. Boasting a modern atmosphere conducive to people-watching in downtown’s bustling Gaslamp District, this spot on 5th Avenue is idyllic for the occasion. Be sure to order theBison Black & Bleu Burger, stacked with peppercorn crusted Colorado bison, smoked bleu cheese, pickled red onion, tomato, garlic aioli and crispy bacon, all sandwiched between two warm buns. We recommend snagging a seat on the patio to watch all the Con-goers in costume! If you’re hankering for one of San Diego’s signature bites, the taco, look no further than The Taco Stand’s downtown location. Dine in a Tijuana-inspired atmosphere or grab some tacos to-go at this San Diego gem. Enjoy their Carne Asada tacos, made with flame-grilled angus steak, cilantro, onions, guacamole and salsa.  Fuel up before the convention at Breakfast Republic in East Village. Showcasing a fun and quirky atmosphere paired with inventive breakfast dishes, this restaurant is the right way to kick off a day spent at Comic-Con. Dig into their signature Breakfast Sammie, crafted from Jurassic pork bacon, tomato, herb spread and eggs sunny side up, all sandwiched between sourdough bread and served with house potatoes.  Start this Comic-Con weekend with a party at The Waterfront, San Diego’s oldest bar. Sam Jones, a.k.a Flash Gordon, will be showing San Diego how to party like its the 1980’s. This blast from the past movie star will be guest bartending and serving up special Flash Gordon inspired drink specials all night. DJ Raji Rabbit will be providing the sound and keep the party going into the late hours of the night.   Give back while having fun! As part of the San Diego Comic-Con convention, Hard Rock Cafe San Diego is hosting a comic book drive to send to the United States Marine Corps who are serving overseas. Starting on Monday, July 17, 2017 through Sunday, July 23, 2017, fans and Comic-Con attendees will be encouraged to show their support by dropping off comic books at Hard Rock Cafe San Diego. The first 300 people who donate a comic book will receive a free limited-edition True Hero VIP lanyard that includes a San Diego cityscape image. The San Diego Cityscape image is the perfect accessory to accompany the Superhero Girl Pin Set available for purchase at the Hard Rock Hotel and Hard Rock Cafe Rock Shop.    Florent Restaurant & Lounge is located on 5th avenue in the Gaslamp and is home to crazy cocktail infusions and an Americana menu with fresh seafood and unique flavor combinations. This year they will be serving a specialty Beer of the Month just in time for Comic-Con; The Bend the Knee Golden Ale, inspired by the Game of Thrones. The newest beer is a collaboration series between the Brewery Ommegang and HBO and highlights fruitiness, citrus and honey notes. GOT fans can grab this limited edition beer on tap at Florent for $8.  Prepare for a disaster of biblical proportions! Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! The Werewolf on 4th Avenue will be celebrating the past, the present, and future of Ghostbusters. They will be throwing their 4th annual “Mass Hysteria” party from 8 a.m.- close on July 21. The event will be hosted by the Real Tampabay Ghostbusters, who will be present in costume ready to get the party started with awesome Ghostbuster products giveaways from, Diamond Select, Factory Entertainment, and Ghost Corps! The creators from IDW Comics will also be on hand to talk about the ongoing Ghostbuster Comic Book.