Profile

Email this article

The Silver Fox is a great place to drink before you go drinking

By Maggie Grainger

June 19, 2006

San Diego--The first sip of my Long Island Iced Tea packed a real punch.

I winced and looked at my roommate who was also wincing as she took a giant gulp from her rum and coke.

“Well they certainly don’t water down their drinks here,” she said with a laugh and then, with the determination of two girls ready to have a night we won’t remember, we clicked glasses, finished our libations and got in line to order another one.

It was a Thursday night and The Silver Fox – located at 1833 Garnet Ave. - was packed from wall to wall with guys and girls. Everyone was eagerly clamoring toward the bar to take advantage of the two dollar drink specials and get, well, drunk.

And unlike some bars with their flashy lights, loud music and grossly overpriced drinks, The Silver Fox always delivers strong drinks, prompt service and a low key crowd who aren’t there to sip on five dollar wine coolers.

The joint, which is located several blocks away from the more popular Pacific Beach destinations such as Typhoon Saloon, Moondoggies and the infamous Pacific Beach Bar and Grill is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. till close and is for serious drinkers only - Pina colada sipping souls and watered down margarita lovers need not apply.

The actual bar itself isn’t much to shout about from the outside – but then you can’t always judge a book by its cover. A giant green-trimmed sign beckons bar-goers inside, but other than that the bar remains relatively nondescript and could easily be passed by without a second glance.

After walking through the smoking lounge in the front, you step down into the actual bar. On any given night the joint is packed with people getting their early evening drink on before they continue down the street to a dance club or other swanky Pacific Beach destination. The interior is standard dive-bar material – dim lighting, a juke box in the corner, several pool tables and a dart board in back – but the atmosphere is far less dark and depressing then many hole-in-the-wall drinking establishments exude. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Everyone wants to have a good time and make friends and drunken troublemakers are instantly shown the door within moments of acting up – drunken bar fights and wild antics don’t jive well with the bar’s chill, laid back environment.

Chill is really the name of the game. From its relaxed and generous bartenders, to the clientele itself, the Silver Fox oozes a beach coolness that is hard to find these days, especially in the overly commercialized amusement park that P.B. has become.

Unlike other bars, where people stand around sipping their four dollar Bud Lites, the Silver Fox is full of people buying each other rounds without a second thought to it. A group of guys bought my roommate and I several rounds of Long Island Iced Teas and we had no qualms about buying them a few rounds as well. With drinks no more than four dollars it’s easy to feel generous without feeling guilty about blowing your paycheck on booze.

There is one problem though - once you start drinking at the Fox, the harder you’ll find it is to tear yourself away from its relaxed and inviting atmosphere to continue on with your evening plans.

That’s because drinking at the Fox is like drinking among friends. The constant flow of alcohol and tunes streaming from the jukebox, mainly classic rock standards, makes it feel like you are at a giant house party instead of a hole-in-the-wall, and spending an evening among friends is always a way more inviting prospect then standing around and trying to look cool in a room full of strangers.

The Silver Fox

1833 Garnet Ave.

San Diego, CA

(858) 270-1343