The Sneak Joint in Mission Beach. Remember the name. You'll thank me later that you did. This is the 1st location from the geniuses at Elevated Endeavors. The newest addition to the beach scene, the Sneak Joint has "elevated" the bar to what is expected for your hard earned money. To say the food is excellent is an understatement. With a great beer selection, staff and customer service, some local competitors may not be around for much longer!

I have personally had the Chicken & Beef Satay, Calzone, Black n' Blue Burger, Fish Taco (Grilled Mahi Mahi) and Sweet Potato Fries. EVERY single one was outstanding. Going out on a limb, as I never order anything with Spinach, I decided to try the Calzone as I have learned to expect nothing less than excellence from the kitchen. For now, it is my favorite thing to order, until I try some more of their menu items and find something new! If you are the type of person who doesn't try new things often, the Sneak Joint is a perfect place to face your fear of change.

One thing I want to point out, which is just as important to me as the food. The Sneak Joint has the friendliest staff I have encountered. They really want to get to know their guests on a personal level. It's rare when the owners of a bar take the time to sit down with you and have a beer, just to talk. Not here. It's become the norm. The Sneak Joint, it's a family thing, so bring them. You really don't see them too often, but kids are allowed during the day!

The King's first video review for NBC San Diego at La Puerta in downtown!

Looking for something different in Ocean Beach? You know, a place where you won't feel overdressed wearing jeans and a polo shirt? Then head on down to the beach and visit Nick's at The Pier. Perched on the 2nd floor across the street from the beach, Nick's has the best view of the beach in town! With 24 plasma TV's, a pool table, a fooseball table, darts and a lounge area that you wish you had in your own house, Nick's is the obvious choice when hanging out in Ocean Beach. If you are looking for a place to sit down and have dinner, don't worry. Nick's also has a restaurant side with an even better view of the beach! If you are interested in enjoying your dinner while watching the sunset, there is not a better place in Ocean Beach.

Now, down to the good stuff. The specials. The Blackened Chicken Sandwich is the best chicken sandwich I have ever had. Hands down. I strongly suggest ordering one with a pint of Hefewiezen. Why a Hefewiezen you ask? Because a Hefewiezen is a sweet beer that balances the spiciness of the blackened seasonings. The Blackened Chicken Sandwich is only $6.95 during Happy Hour, so get there between 4 - 7 to save a few bucks. Oh, there Happy Hour is daily and on Monday nights it is Happy Hour till close! So you say you are into burgers and not spicy chicken sandwiches? Don't worry. Nick's serves up an excellent 1/2 lb. Burger that is also on the Happy Hour menu for only $4.95. Show up on a Thursday and you can get a Burger & Draft Beer for only $6! That's right, only $6. You'll also find Daily Drink Specials like $2.00 Mimosas on the weekend and Daily Food Specials like Taco Tuesday where you can stuff yourself on $2 Tacos and  chase them with $5 Tequila Drinks. Shots of Silver Patron anyone?

One more good thing about this bar, there are 4 person booths in the bar area for those of you that want to sit down and eat dinner (full menu in bar) and not miss the big game. They are placed on the opposite side of the lounge which helps minimize the noise. Did we mention they have free parking for two hours in the garage (enter in the alley)? I know, it sounds to good to be true! Parking at the beach. For free! Nick's at the Pier has all the bases covered!

So a friend and I decided to hit the beach area for some beer and grub on a recent Saturday. After hitting up a few spots I quickly realized how expensive the bars are when it isn't Happy Hour. Try ordering two shots and two drafts of premium beer and getting a bill for less than $20! In almost every bar in Pacific Beach, this is nearly impossible.  

Fortunately, the 710 Beach Club understands that the other local bars are way to expensive and the gas prices are not making things any easier. For only $7.10 you can order any beer and any shot! That's right, any beer and any shot for only $7.10! We ordered two Stone IPA's and two shots of Jagermeister for only $14.20. Considering I paid $23.00 for the exact same thing at our previous stop, that's a damn good deal!

On another note, if you like checking out live music you will find that 710 has the best music venue in Pacific Beach. With plenty of styles of music scheduled to play, you are sure to find something that pleases your ears.

Right in the middle of the Design District in Eastlake you'll find The Brew House. We visited them on a recent Saturday to see what all the fuss was about. We found out! Right when you walk up to The Brew House you know there is something good inside. The patio has two firepits and is the obvious choice where to hang out this summer when enjoying some of their hand crafted brews. Their Brew Master has done his homework as their beers are very balanced, from the Bonita Blonde to the Otay Lakes Oatmeal Stout and trust us, we tried them all! Attention Hop Lovers, The Star of India Pale Ale has a ABV Rating of 6.7% without the big bite of some other varieties, making it a really smooth, yet strong, Pale Ale.

As for taking care of the hunger pains, we had the Smoked BBQ Baby Back Ribs and a unique dish, Smokin' Chicken Mac 'N Cheese. Both were delicious and went down great with the assistance of a Taster Flight. The Taster Flight is a great deal, for $10 you get to pick 5 of their brews. For the true beer lover this is the way to go, especially with the ribs. As always, tell them you found them on kingofhappyhour.com, The King of Happy Hour!

That's right, a Flying Elephant! Actually, it's Hensley's Flying Elephant Pub & Grill. Former home to Squid Joe's, this place is a must visit when rolling through Carlsbad, especially if it's Sunday. Why? It's Happy Hour ALL DAY! $4.00 20 oz Pints and an appetizer menu that starts at $1.75.

On our visit we ordered the I-5 Sampler and a couple of pints of Guinness. The appetizer sampler was delicious! Potato Skins, Chicken Strips, etc... Our favorite item was the chicken strips. They are like fried chicken without the bones. For those of you that enjoyed the chicken strips at The Liars' Club (before they moved to Alpine), these are the same ones. Actually, for those of you that enjoyed The Liar's Club in Mission Beach and feel homeless now, drive on up the coast and Hensley's will make you feel at home. The tap selection is what you would expect when visiting a pub. Guinness, Boddington's, Smithwick's, get the picture?

Hensley's knows live music. The owner is from some band called Flogging Molly, maybe you've heard of them? Yup, it's the same kick ass band you hear on the radio. With that being said, blues and old school rock n' roll tend to dominate the event calendar. As far as we are concerned, that is a good thing.

What more do you need? Good food, drink and music. Enough said. Head to Hensley's and tell them The King of Happy Hour sent you!

The one thing I look for when visiting a new place is something unique, something that separates the establishment from the everyday options that are out there. Well, I found something very unique, in North Park.

I almost don't want to tell you all about it so the place isn't packed when I show up, but Splash Wine Lounge deserves to have their name yelled from the mountaintops so all can hear. Their self-serve vino machines disperse one ounce of pure happiness at the push of a button.

You read that correctly, “self service”.

1.) Head to the bar to purchase a card for any dollar amount that you choose.
2.) Get your glass from above or below one of the tasting machines.
3.) Select a wine from one of the machines.
4.) Insert your card into the machine housing your wine selection.
5.) Hold your glass under the selected spout.
6.) Press the button above your selected spout.
7.) Taste your wine.
8.) Repeat steps 3 through 7…

With up to 72 different varieties of the beloved grape juice for you to choose from, a return visit (OK, many visits) is a must. To add to this, their flatbread pizza is delicious. Did I mention they also have 4 different types of extra virgin olive oil in the same machines? Ask for some bread (free with olive oil purchase), dip and enjoy.

Looking for a place to take a date? Maybe you’re planning a bachelorette party? Stop looking. This is the place.

In Pacific Beach, as is true in many parts of this fine city, there are a few hidden gems right off the "main strip." Just north of Garnet Avenue- on Mission Boulevard - you will find Dirty Birds, a small place that packs a big punch when it comes to Happy Hour & Daily Specials. During these hard economic times a good Happy Hour allows you to get out and enjoy yourself while not having to spend an arm and leg to do it. Fortunately, Dirty Birds feels the same way!

The atmosphere is high-energy, with flip cup games, fooseball and killer surf videos on the plasma televisions. Since we're no longer allowed to drink on the beach, bars like Dirty Birds are the only option for those not fortunate enough to have a beachfront condo! From what I've witnessed, the "no shirt rule" doesn't apply, which is great if you're hanging out at the beach for the day and want to enjoy a cold beer (or two), or simply grab a bite to eat before getting back to fun in the sun.

The décor is something I've seen before, but still find quite amusing. Over 1/3 of the bar is covered in dollar bills from customers who've left a personal message on the bill. From showing support for their favorite sport team, to “Give Ryan a call for XXX at 619...” (this message required several bills), you'll find more than a few bills to entertain you. If not, pull out a bill and ask for some markers and leave your own mark! One thing I do want to mention that may seem trivial is that the bar stools, while made out of wood (which we all know can be hard on your rump when sitting for extended periods of time -- 3 hours of football), are wide, concave "benches." Believe me, this makes a difference! Some of you guys may be thinking I'm being a sissy, but you're missing the point. My wife didn't complain about being on the bar stool for a couple of hours. "Priceless!" Remember, women like to be comfortable, plain and simple.

So, what kind of food can you expect to come out of the kitchen? The best way we can describe it is, traditional bar food that has raised the bar on quality. During our visit we tried the Thai Chicken Salad, Fried Cheese-Cheeseburger, BBQ Pulled Pork & Western Sliders, Mini Hot Dog Sliders with Tater Tots and, finally, the Diablo, Dirty Ranch, Lemon Pepper, and Sweet & Spicy Wings. We enjoyed everything! The salad was more gourmet in both presentation and taste than you would expect for bar food. I've never seen anything the likes of the fried cheese-cheeseburger, but enjoyed the chewy, yet crunchy texture of the fried cheese. The sliders were flavorful and a perfect item to share with friends. Even the sides that came with a couple of the dishes, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw, were gobbled up quickly. What was our favorite item you ask?

With the name Dirty Birds, how can you even ask?! It was the Wings, hands down! All 4 kinds!! We suspect all 9 varieties are equally delicious, since wings are one of their specialties. Dirty Birds' wings consist of wings and drummettes, which are coated with a secret dry rub and then baked prior to applying the seasoning or sauce of your choice. This is what kills the competition. Most places deep fry their wings while they're still frozen. This process ruins the texture as the meat tends to be partially fried, minimizing the amount of edible meat you get off of each wing. Considering you pay on average of $1 per wing at any bar or restaurant, a wing should be meaty. There are a lot of places to choose from in Pacific Beach when you are looking to spend your hard earned money, so why shouldn't you expect the best value for your dollar? Dirty Birds does and they're looking out for your wallet so you can get busy getting dirty! One more thing, the next time you stop by, tell them The King sent you.

Ocean Beach is growing and I like it!

Along with the world famous burgers from Hodad’s and the recent addition of Pizza Port, is the O.B. Noodle House. Off the beaten path of Newport Avenue you will find a craft beer and sake haven that currently has 18 taps (soon to be 42) and over 100 types of sake for your consuming pleasure.

Since May of 2008, the “Noodle House” as some call it, also serves up an extensive menu filled with authentic Vietnamese cuisine they call “Asian Infusion.”

We started with the Spicy Garlic Chicken Wings. Even though noodles are the house specialty, this is my favorite menu item so far. The wings were perfectly cooked, not too spicy and are great with beer. For those that are particular about their wings, there are no drumettes. Strictly wings.

For my meal I ordered the #27, a char-grilled chicken breast served over a bed of vermicelli noodles served with vegetables, fresh herbs and as if that wasn’t enough, an egg roll.

For the most part, I am not a noodle type of guy. I like the majority of my plate to be filled with meat, specifically a steak, but I have been learning I am enjoying items that I normally wouldn’t have in the past. This was the case with the #27. It was outstanding. The noodles were perfectly cooked as was the chicken bringing both textures together in a way I never experienced. For those that enjoy pairing your dinner with a great beer, it went well with my Chimay draft!

My wife opted for the increasingly popular Phở. Phở, pronounced “fuh,” is a healthy and very popular beef broth, rice noodle soup that is richly flavored, complicated, yet deliciously prepared. It is topped with onion, cilantro and served with fresh basil leaf, bean sprouts, jalapenos and lime on the side so you can fine tune it to your liking. For the main ingredient, You select from steak, tripe, chicken, brisket, beef meatballs, seafood or tofu as the main ingredient.

So the big question is, how was it? No complaints here. She loved it. The #17 is a rice noodle soup with a chicken breast. Then when she didn’t think it could get any better, Steve Yeng, the man behind the Noodle House advised her to spice it up. It is now safe to say the Phở is now one of her favorite meals!

What about dessert you ask? Not really sure how to explain this one, so here it goes. Sweet rice served in bamboo with a side of dulce leche for dipping. You peel the bamboo back and use a fork to pull out the sweet rice. Next, dip it in the dulce leche and enjoy. It will be then that you understand why I cannot explain what I was experiencing. It’s phenomenal!

There are two things I really liked about the Noodle House, which has placed them on my regular rotation of places to dine. Number one is the staff. Steve has put together a team that goes out of their way to make sure you really have a great time. During our visit, Jose was our bartender. Whenever we needed something he was on top of it. Here’s a tip. Sit at the bar whenever possible. Sometimes things just appear in front of you! Number two is their ingenuity. As they do not have alcohol, they have to experiment with what they do serve, sake. How does an Apple Jolly Rancher Martini sound to you? Yes, it was good! My suggestion? Ask for a Melon Ball. Trust me on this one.