Kindred Has a Hidden Cocktail Room, and One Drink You're Only Allowed Two Of

Overview

There is a hidden room inside Kindred in South Park, and the bar's own description of it is worth quoting exactly: an "enchanted fantasy cocktail chamber hidden within KINDRED."

It's called the Throne Room. It's 21 and over, it serves what the bar calls "Sorcerous Elixirs" and "Mystic Mezze" bar snacks, and it takes walk-ins daily — though if you book, the reservation is a 90-minute experience rather than an open-ended table.

If there's a wait, they hand you a pager. Which is both practical and entirely in keeping.

Here's the detail that tells you they're serious about the drinks.

One cocktail — the King Friday, $18 — is limited to two per guest.

A bar that rations a drink is making a statement about it. Whatever's in it, that's the one to order first, because you only get two.

The Drinks

(Prices from their published menu — see the note at the end about its date.)

Cocktails:

• Acid Rain $12 · Camino Muerto $13 · Palace of Certainty $13
• Miracle Cure $14 · Spinal Tap $15
• Starspawn $16 · Espresso Martini $16
• King Friday $18 — limit two per guest

Beer: pilsner $6/$8 · Sea Señor Mexican lager $6/$8 · The Pupil American IPA $6/$8 · La Fin Du Monde tripel $8 · a non-alcoholic Kölsch $7

Wine: The Offering, a Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre from Santa Barbara — $15

Non-alcoholic $5–$13, including a Miracle Cure at $13, cold brew $6/$7 and kombucha $8.

The Food

It's a real kitchen, not an afterthought:

• Double cheeseburger $12 (fries or brussels +$4)
• Child's Play $13 · Caesar's Palace salad $14 · French onion soup $14
• Crab cakes $15
• Pasta and larger plates $16–$30
• Salted caramel cheesecake $11

Weekend brunch from 11:30 a.m.: buttermilk pancake $13 · The Golden Ark $12 · Bloody Mary $15 · Mimosa $11 · sausage $6

How to Visit

• Address: 1503 30th St, San Diego, CA 92102 — South Park
• Phone: 619-546-9653
• Hours:
  • Monday–Thursday 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
  • Friday 5 p.m.–12 a.m.
  • Saturday 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m.
  • Sunday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Kitchen closes earlier than the bar — 9:30 p.m. Sunday–Thursday, 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
• Brunch specials start 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
• "Mostly walk-ins. Some reservations." Booking is through OpenTable
• Large parties that can't book online submit an enquiry through their contact form
• No takeout and no delivery — this is a go-there place

Good to Know

• Eat before the kitchen shuts. It closes 30 to 60 minutes before the bar does, every night.
• The Throne Room takes walk-ins, so you don't have to plan it — but if you book, you have it for 90 minutes.
• Order the King Friday early. Two per guest, and it's the most expensive thing on the cocktail list for a reason.
• Weekends open at 11:30 a.m., weekdays not until 5 p.m. Very different propositions.
• Reply time on enquiries is up to 48 hours, so don't leave a large-party request to the last minute.
• There's a non-alcoholic Kölsch at $7 and a proper zero-proof list, which is better than most cocktail bars manage.

The Takeaway

Walk in on a Saturday afternoon, eat, and then find the Throne Room.

What makes Kindred worth a trip to South Park isn't the cocktail list, good as it is — it's that someone built a hidden fantasy bar inside a neighbourhood restaurant, gave it a pager system and a 90-minute booking, and then rationed one of the drinks. That's a bar with a point of view.

For more spots worth knowing, browse our Local Picks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kindred? At 1503 30th St, San Diego, CA 92102, in South Park.

What is the Throne Room? A hidden cocktail room inside Kindred, described by the bar as an "enchanted fantasy cocktail chamber." It's 21 and over, takes walk-ins daily, and reservations run as a 90-minute experience.

What are the hours? Monday–Thursday 5–10 p.m., Friday 5 p.m.–midnight, Saturday 11:30 a.m.–midnight, Sunday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. The kitchen closes at 9:30 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Does Kindred take reservations? Some — "mostly walk-ins, some reservations," booked through OpenTable. Large parties can enquire through the website.

Is there a drink limit? The King Friday cocktail, $18, is limited to two per guest.

Does Kindred do takeout? No takeout and no third-party delivery.

Is there brunch? Yes, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m.