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Tap and Press is for the beer connoisseur one traveler called it the “adult candy store” of beer with its wide selection of flavored and nitro beers. If you prefer a tamer scene, locals favor The Loft for a friendly and comfortable neighborhood bar. If you’re into nightclubs, your best bets are The Brass Rail on 5 th Avenue – check out Manic Monday, and Rich’s on University Avenue. Hillcrest is notorious for their electric nightlife scene. One thing you will not be able to do is leave Hillcrest on an empty stomach. Get great pizza at Bronx Pizza, or satisfy your sweet tooth at Extraordinary Desserts or Babycakes. Try Hash House A Go Go for a giant pancake or Chocolat for sweet or savory crepes. Restaurant Row has Greek, Afghani, Mexican, Japanese, French, and American restaurants too. There are just as many quality Thai restaurants like Bai Yook or Celedon Royalty Thai, for example. They have a wide array of ethnic restaurants here you won’t find just one Indian restaurant, try four – Tandoori Hut, Monsoon, India Palace, and the one most talked about – Bombay Exotic Cuisine of India. Hillcrest’s Restaurant Row tops everyone’s culinary must-do lists in San Diego. Check their website for the next Dreamgirls Revue you won’t want to miss it. They have patio seating, dancing, a high energy ambiance, different theme nights like show tunes night, and interesting people-watching. For those cool evenings, try MO’s famous beef chili. Urban MO’s also has the distinction of serving their world famous Philly sandwich another good choice is their world famous Mini MO’s – 3 seasoned mini burgers with melted cheddar, grilled onions, thousand island dressing, lettuce, and tomato. The playful gay restaurant is decidedly hetero-friendly, so don’t be shy, everyone is welcome here. Urban MO’s Bar & Grill, the self-proclaimed best gay bar in the world, is a Hillcrest classic and the best place to get into the spirit of the Hillcrest neighborhood. This active civic-minded neighborhood shows no signs of slowing down. The next thirty-plus years brought the first annual city-permitted gay pride parade in 1975, the LGBT Community Center in 1980, the Hillcrest Business Association in 1984, Mercy Gardens – an HIV-positive community in 2001, the first Hillcrest Town Council in 2007, the privately funded Hillcrest Pride flag at the corner of University Avenue and Normal Street, and the renaming of Blaine Avenue to Harvey Milk Street in 2012.
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The 1970s brought a vibrant revival to the aging neighborhood when it was adopted by the gay community who quickly began buying up residences and businesses. By 1940 a group of female shopkeepers, who had formed the Hillcrest Women’s Association, erected the iconic “Hillcrest” lighted sign in the heart of the neighborhood at University Avenue and 5 th Avenue that, though replaced with a newer version in 1984, remains today. It was destined to be a progressive neighborhood from its very roots.
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George Hill, a railroad tycoon, purchased the land for development in 1907 and by the 1920s and 30s the namesake neighborhood of Hillcrest was Downtown San Diego’s first bustling suburban shopping area. In its earliest days, the land where Hillcrest now sits was home to Kumeyaay Indians, and later came under the control of the Missions during Spanish colonization. A casual stroll down University Avenue in this captivating neighborhood reveals stylish boutiques, trendy vintage clothing stores, unique ethnic and themed restaurants, chic wine bars, and a vibrant nightlife. You can think of Hillcrest in comparison to its surrounding urban neighborhoods as their slightly cooler cousin. It’s an urban neighborhood that oozes character, with an inclusive multi-ethnic and gay-friendly vibe. This eclectic neighborhood is the colorful epicenter of culture and diversity. Hillcrest has been dubbed the Greenwich Village of San Diego.