The Tilted Kilt

Not gonna lie.  The Tilted Kilt is not your run of the mill Gringo-like joint.  The Gringos tend to roll indie style.  We like places we feel have great ambiance, a deep sense of substance, a true measure of individuality.  And The Kilt — well, it’s got a clearly corporate feel to it.  No question about that.  You walk in and know what they’re about: a commercial Celtic-American themed sports pub, where the food and drink are served by hot chicks.  Cuuuuue … military dudes, frat dudes and sports geeks.

For all that — as long as we’re keeping it real — I suppose there’s nothing wrong with having your cold beers (and they have plenty) served by beautiful girls in knee high stockings and plaid kilts.  We hung for an hour with our crew, and we had a great time.  And although there are like 30 or 40 Tilted Kilts in the U.S., here is what you can count on from each and every one:

• A large, full service bar
• Lots of young, pretty servers
• Everyday, commercial pub fare
• Tons of TVs tuned to sports channels
• Pool tables galore
• A shuffleboard or two

Look, the Kilt doesn’t put on any airs.  Their straight forward slogan is “A cold beer never looked so good” – it’s kind of like Hooters for sports geeks and grown-ups.  But you know what?  They know what they do, they do it really well, so mad props to them.

Count on them a safe bet, a sports joint not necessarily looking to establish any new boundaries, but simply promising to deliver a solid chain-like pub experience.

The Tilted Kilt
310 10th Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
tiltedkilt.com

The Field

In stark contrast to the Kilt’s corporate feel, The Field is genuine slice of Ireland dropped into the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp.  Owned by husband and wife team Daniel & Enda Drayne, it oozes sheer, raw Irish pubiness like few others do.  No doubt that’s because it is an actual Irish pub, imported to the U.S. piece by individual piece.  Pretty amazing.

You find yourself walking in, breathing in its pure Celtic air, and falling in love with the joint.   We were instantly mesmerized by the dark, pleasantly claustrophobic, old world charm.  Low lying ceilings, dim yellow lighting, old Irish wall hangings, dark wood furnishings all conspire to lend a sense of authenticity that is … well … authentic.  And therefore Gringolicious.

Better yet, our servers all had Irish accents, knew about their many imported draught beers, and were equally well-informed on The Field’s incredible whiskey offerings — 50 odd labels of  single malt and blended whiskeys!  Impressive stats.   Our Man Nipples is on a whiskey kick these days — he was over in a dark corner sipping on something magnificent, in a clear state of Gringo delirium.

Finally, if the sheer ambiance, beer and whiskey selection aren’t enough, The Field proudly serves up authentic Irish cuisine — breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night grub for all you Gaslampers.  Items like Shepherd’s pie, Bangers & Champs, and a full selection of boxtys fill the menu.  Prices are way reasonable at range of say $6-$15 for each item.  We didn’t eat, due to our ambitious schedule that night, but these guys clearly mean business (which probably explains their seemingly endless array of Best Pub awards).  So we can’t wait to get back and give their menu a good working over.  I’ve never had a boxty before, but you can bet I will on our next visit.

By way of recap — The Field is real, true, honest, inspired.  We love it.  And we highly recommend it.

The Field
544 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
thefield.com

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