San Diego's OB Surf Lodge is the place to be apres beach

Ocean Beach hangout offers more than expected

If beach casual is your thing, the OB Surf Lodge, located on the corner of Santa Monica Avenue and Abbott Street in Ocean Beach, offers everything you’d expect from a casual beach bar and restaurant. For starters, there’s the spectacular view from the dining room, which features large open windows overlooking the beach across the street, so diners feel more like they on a patio than sitting indoors.

Some nights, the restaurant becomes front row to a free show of Venice-Beach-style street performers, drum circles, hula-hoopers, fire dancers, neon baton twirlers and a homegrown group of Cirque du Soleil wannabees called AcroYoga, which can be boisterous, but really, this is a place to drink, laugh, and talk loud, so crowd – a mix of local and tourists – do not seem to mind.
Despite the primo real estate, the restaurant does not rely on the draw of the sunsets to bring in patrons but also features a terrific menu of plenty strong drinks and good food.
They are famous for their Swell Times Mai Tai, topped with a signature froth of guava foam. The staff is accommodating, such as gladly squeezing up a tall glass of fresh lemonade that’s not on the menu and providing a carafe on the side with the rest of the batch.

A favorite entrée is the hanger steak, which was perfectly cooked to order on the rare side of medium rare and served with a decorative medley of diagonal sliced carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms and mashed potatoes.

The Grilled Romaine salad is one of tastiest and most unique Caesar salads I’ve ever had, with a generous coating of shaved Parmesan on top, and sliced cherry tomatoes. For a big finish, the Chef’s Bread Pudding ‘Du Jour” features a regularly changing recipe for this hearty dessert.