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Forbidden Cove Speakeasy Tiki bar Convoy District - Forbidden Cove, San Diego, CA

Forbidden Cove

4.5
4.5
54 Reviews
$30 and under
Speakeasy

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 p.m.
Booked 1 time today
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
Enter the Forbidden Cove by unlocking a hidden rum barrel door using your wooden idol key where an island Tiki inspired paradise serving handcrafted cocktails awaits you. Once inside, traverse the Infinity Mirror Bridge and be welcomed by the island's inhabitants to explore the mysteries, culinary pleasures and enchanted elixirs of the Forbidden Cove. Find this tropical escape by entering Kilowatt Brewing located in the Kearny Mesa and Convoy District neighborhoods and kindly asking for a Key to The Cove!

Reservations offer a 90-minute experience.

WALK-INS WELCOME - Reservations not available? We always set aside space to accommodate walk-ins, first come, first served. And before or after your experience at Forbidden Cove you're welcome to join us at Kilowatt Brewing for our award winning craft beers, hard seltzers, adult slushies, and a bite to eat!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Speakeasy, Hawaiian, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (858) 715-3998
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighbourhood
    Kearny Mesa
  • Cross Street
    On Clairemont Mesa Blvd. near Convoy St.
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 54 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Forbidden Cove is a delightful tiki bar speakeasy with a "wonderful hidden gem" ambiance and "amazing" drinks. Guests rave about the "excellent service" and friendly staff, making it perfect for a "date night" or gathering with friends. The playful decor and secret entrance add a fun touch to an unforgettable experience.

54 Reviews
  1. joe

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Wildly disappointed regarding the venues specific design amids the limited small tangential narrow linear dead end areas. Zero energy flow Happy to consult advise and assist if ever interested in growth and enrichment of client experiences. Nice folks in general 👊🏽

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  2. Denise

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The bartender Jacob was charming, friendly, helpful, and most impressive with his creative libations! The food was also very good and the Tiki vibe was on point.

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  3. Mike

    San Diego

    33 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    33 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had drinks before going to mic drop comedy. Ambiance and drinks were great. Great bartender. Did not try food but will next time. Fun place

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  4. Kristi

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 30, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent experience, second time here, Natalie was an exceptional server, very knowledgeable about the complex cocktails, had great timing, and was naturally friendly, which really made the experience. The food was excellent and elevated, just like our first visit, and the sides were amazing and not basic. Minor suggestion is that the delicious brat would benefit from a better bun-thank you, we will be back on repeat.

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  5. Dott

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Went here for some drinks with my BF had a wonderful time and enjoyed the atmosphere and ambiance. It wasn’t too crowded, good bar to try on a weekday if you’re not into loud experiences. Will definitely come back again.

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  6. michael

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fun experience. Drinks and food were great. Convenient location in Clairemont Mesa.

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  7. Maria

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 23, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Drinks were real “craft cocktails”, pricey but very good!

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  8. Walter

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We loved this place! The ambiance was great and fun, but the staff's knowledge of rum, especially Jacob's walking us through the rare Demerara tasting was over the top awesome. Natalie was our server, but also is a bartender and so knowledgeable about the cocktails and ingredients. They not only know a lot, but also clearly are passionate about the rums. and food. As some have said, it takes a bit to get a drink or food, but they are crafting complicated drinks by hand.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Strong and tasty drinks with a cool tiki theme and a sound system that played noises you would hear on a pirate ship

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  10. RICK

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the whole "Speakeasy" entry. Adds just a little more fun to the night. This was the first time for all five of our party and everyone loved the place. Planning our next visit before we left. Read a review online that this person thought "the decorations looked like leftovers from a bachelor party" and "tacky". My god child, IT'S A TIKKI BAR!! A certain amount of kitch is mandatory. We all loved the deco! Gave it 10 stars! Only complaint I might have, is the table, though very cool, (and way better than any "bachelor party" accomodations!) was a little tight for five for dinner, and drinks. Well maybe not so bad for usual little bar drinks, but these were some BIGASS TIKKI DRINKS ! and they command some major real estate all their own! Oh, the 151 SWIZZLE is like a rum hammer, try it, it will not disappoint. Food was great, quick and tasty. Service was tight. . We WILL be back.

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FAQs

Forbidden Cove is rated 4.5 stars by 54 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 p.m.
Booked 1 time today
Google Map for Forbidden Cove

7576 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    On Clairemont Mesa Blvd. near Convoy St.
  • Neighbourhood
    Kearny Mesa
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Speakeasy, Hawaiian, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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