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Ironically, historians trace the roots of San Diego’s thriving gay community to the military. During WWII, amid the enforced intimacy of military life, gay men from around the country were suddenly able to create strong if clandestine social networks. After the war, many of these new friends stayed.

In the late 1960s, a newly politicized gay community began to make the Hillcrest neighborhood its unofficial headquarters, which still has the highest concentration of bars, restaurants, cafés and bookstores catering to lesbians and gays. The scene is generally more casual and friendly than in San Francisco or LA.

The following should give you a good start, or pick up the free, widely available, Gay and Lesbian Times. See also Hillcrest restaurant listings Click here:

Coffeehouses

David’s Coffeehouse (Map; 619-296-4173; 3766 5th Ave, Hillcrest; 7am-11pm Sun-Thu, 7am-midnight Fri & Sat) Homey Hillcrest classic (see also Click here).

Bookstores

Obelisk Bookstore (Map; 619-297-4171; 1029 University Ave; 10am-10pm Mon-Fri, 10am-11pm Fri & Sat, 11am-10pm Sun) Large gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender selection.

Bars

Bourbon Street (Map; 619-291-4043; www.bourbonstreetsd.com; 4612 Park Blvd) Away from Hillcrest’s central strip, this gay bar’s layout of rooms and courtyards, bar and dancefloor, makes for easy mingling during bingo nights, guest DJ appearances and martini happy hours.

Brass Rail (Map; 619-298-2233; 3796 5th Ave) The city’s oldest gay bar has a different music style nightly, from Latin to African to Top 40. It also gets its share of straight folk and has lots of games to play, including pinball, pool and darts.

Flicks (Map; 619-297-2056; 1017 University Ave) Video bar dominated by big screens. Fun place to hang out and nurse a drink, sort of like Starbucks with booze.

The Hole (Map; 619-225-9019; 2820 Lytton St) This gay dive near Point Loma is surrounded by auto repair shops, all the better for camo. Head down to the patio to find manly men enjoying Sunday beer bust, wet-underwear contests and more. It’s near military housing, so you might ask, but please don’t tell, OK?

Urban Mo’s (Map; 619-491-0400; 308 University Ave) Equal parts bar and restaurant, Mo’s isn’t particularly known for great food, service or prices, but it’s popular nonetheless for its thumping club beats, casual vibe, dancefloor and happy hours.

See also Baja Betty’s Click here.

Dance clubs

Club Montage (Map; 619-294-9590; 2028 Hancock St; Fri & Sat) One of San Diego’s hippest cathedrals of dance, just southwest of Old Town. The crowd’s young, trendy, good-looking and gay on Saturdays. Three floors, three bars, two dancefloors and a rooftop sushi bar.

Rich’s (Map; 619-295-2195; 1051 University Ave; Tue-Sun) DJs shower the crowd with Latin, techno, pop and house at one of San Diego’s biggest gay dance clubs, in Hillcrest.

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Karl Strauss Brewery & Grill (Map; 619-234-2739; 1157 Columbia St) This brick-lined local microbrewery (with the beer tanks right inside) serves surprisingly decent pub grub (most mains $9 to $19). Hours vary, so phone ahead. Pitchers cost $10 during happy hour, which runs from 4pm to 6:30pm Monday to Friday.

W Hotel (Map; 619-231-8220; 421 West B St) The silicone set twirls around in Louis Vuitton on the catwalk of the W Hotel on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, but the best night to go here is Thursday, when there’s usually not a long line to get inside to stand around on the rooftop sand beach and poolside bar.

Waterfront (Map; 619-232-9656; 2044 Kettner Blvd) San Diego’s first liquor license was granted to this place in the 1930s (it was on the waterfront until the harbor was filled and the airport built), and it’s still owned by the same family. A room full of historic bric-a-brac, big windows onto the street and the spirits of those who went before make this one of the best places to spend the afternoon or evening. It has a big window that opens onto the street, $5 bar food and live music on weekends.

OLD TOWN

Most of Old Town’s nightlife revolves around