UP FRONT | BEER
WORT MENTIONING
Bottle Rocket Blasts Off in East Village Owners of Regal Beagle, Regal Seagull and Sidecar Bar launch new beer bar By Karen Barnett
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even years ago, I worked 15 hours onsite every day for 14 days straight training opening and closing staff in a tiny little kitchen on the corner of 16th and F streets in the East Village. I ate chicken wings and drank the freshest beer at the bar, as my throbbing feet dangled below my barstool every night. While I was only a part of Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery for a couple of years, it was a very rewarding couple of years, but that definitely wasn’t the first time I spent time in that location and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. From 1978 to 1995, the bar at 805 16th Street was called Baseball Inn. I’m not going to pretend to know anything about that bar, as I didn’t live in San Diego proper at the time and I wasn’t yet of drinking age. I also have no idea what occupied this space before 1978, but it’s fitting that there was an apparent baseball theme of sorts there once actually. When I started visiting in the mid-aughts, the Padres had moved from The Murph to Petco Park (Qualcomm will always be Jack Murphy Stadium forever and ever). Jewel Box occupied that corner from 1995 to 2011 (under multiple ownerships) and it was a great place to meet my brothers or friends before and after Padres games. They gave out free hot dogs with your game-day ticket back then, which I decided was brilliant marketing. You’d park your car up there, get a hot dog and a beer at a much more reasonable price than at the park, and then walk down to the game. That walk through the homeless camps in East Village hasn’t really improved, and neither has our baseball team, unfortunately, but
6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 4, 2019
neither were/are a reason to stop going. I also once was allowed to bartend at Jewel Box, barefoot, after a bachelorette party. That probably wasn’t the best idea, but it was a colorful story for another column, maybe. This is (supposed to be) a respectable beer column. And Monkey Paw produced great beer at Bottle Rocket Bar & Grill’s beer list is stellar. this location for (Submitted photo) years. Former sentence gets an exclamation brewers Cosimo mark because it makes me very Sorrentino and Chris West happy to see love and life back in won us a gold medal at the that location. Longtime Beagle/ Great American Beer Festival Seagull manager Elias Delgado in 2013 for Bonobos, an IPA is the head ninja in charge of its that we cleverly entered as an new Cobra Kai pop-art themed American Strong Ale (because beer and cocktail bar. Delgado that’s the secret behind winning hopes to eventually transform the medals—enter your awesome suite next to the main restaurant, beer in a less-popular category where Monkey Paw brewed and so it stands out). Monkey Paw won lots of medals, actually, but I also formerly housed a printing wasn’t responsible for any of that, press business, into a little arcade/ game room. just proud to serve my delicious The beer list is stellar. These cheesesteaks and Stoner Fries guys know what they are doing. right up next to those fantastic I enjoyed multiple pints of beers. Coronado Brewing purchased Pizza Port’s So Crisp So Clean IPAs upon my visit to one of Monkey Paw in 2017 but it their “friends and family” soft appears there were too many openings last weekend. Thirty cooks in the kitchen, so to taps total here—five are wine on speak, and the location ended draught, one kombucha and the up shuttering a year later. remaining 24 are all beer running Disappointing to many, yes, but the gamut of styles anyone could now that corner space that’s held so many memories over the years desire. The food menu is basic with sandwiches, burgers, wings, has reinvented itself again. a salad, and a beer battered bacon From the great minds behind appetizer called Awesome Sticks. Regal Beagle (Mission Hills), Get down there and give it a Regal Seagull (Leucadia), and try. I suspect they will take off Sidecar (Bay Park) comes Bottle (you know… like a rocket). Rocket Bar & Grill! Yes, that @SDCITYBEAT