Noble Experiment

Um, this place is so cool.
Many people are recommending booking a week in advance. If you’re set on going here on a specific night, then definitely do that. My friends and I got lucky where we wandered in, put our names down & were able to get in within an hour on a Friday night.
Even if you peek at the hidden door pictures ahead of time, you’ll probably still look awkward as you wander toward the bathrooms and stare at the wall of «kegs». It’s okay. Someone will kindly explain that, yes, that is where you go. (May or may not be speaking from experience here.)
Once you’re in, it’s a small room that can’t hold more than 50 people at a time. The décor is awesome. The drink menu is extremely simple. It’s just … cool. It’s an experience. Great place to bring visitors too.

I have such mixed feelings about Noble Experiment.
Texting for Reservations a week in advance —
It should really be two weeks in advance cause that one week just isn’t enough. I texted week before in the morning and didn’t get a response until the next day. All the times were already taken and I was left with an 11PM reservation.
The Wait on the Night of /​Waiting to get a «Come On Over» Text —
We were super excited about it and found it easily thanks to all the Unilocalers. I would have ignored the large wall of kegs if I didn’t read up about it. We slipped in and was greeted by the receptionist in a small little nook. We added out names just to see if we would get called or texted to come in earlier. We didn’t by the way. No texts for putting a name down either. We left and hung out at Neighborhood’s bar (which had lovely tap wines!). As we got closer to our 11PM reservation, we got a bit more restless and checked in with her. Honestly, I feel bad cause her job is to reject everyone that comes in and/​or give them false hope that they are next. She told us we were next, so we hung out for a bit. That hanging out turned out to be another 30mins of waiting. We didn’t get in until 11:30 — 11:45PM.
Yes! It’s out turn! -
After passing the black curtain, we were mesmerized by the décor and features of Noble Experiment. Our waitress, Adele was bubbly and made our stay so pleasant. It made me forget that we waited and nagged to be let in. She explained how drinks were and if we dared, we could dive into the bar’s signature drinks — a twist on popular/​well-​known/​main-​stream drinks. I went with the Flycatcher (Margarita Remix).
The Drinks —
Strong & on point.
Is it worth it? /​Would I come back?-
Meh.

We finally got in tonight! So I sent a text message and asked if by chance we could get in tonight, we were told that if we came in at 7pm we could get on the wait list and it would be a posibily you to get in. So we got ready and headed down to see if it would be possible. We got in! I must say our bartender was awesome. We got a few Bartender Choices and he did not disappoint. After a few drinks, we left with a smile and with a desire to come back. We will definitely come back again.

This was definitely overdue… Went here about a year and a half ago, and it was wonderful. The staff were all really nice, the drinks were fantastic and I got properly sauced. Very cool, hidden gem, and you can’t beat the wall of skulls.

First off, this bar is located INSIDE the restaurant, Neighborhood. My friend and I walked up and down the street and couldn’t find the place, even though Google Maps told it was right there! Lol. Anyway, asked somebody and they told us it was inside the restaurant, next to the bathroom. You have the push the kegs and VOILA. A whole new world (of skulls and famous French paintings).
First off, this place was TINY. I don’t think I fully understood what people were saying. My friend and I sat at the bar and were extremely close to the person next to us (we were sitting at the end of the bar). He could hear everything we were saying and kept trying to join in our conversation. Not that I mind talking to strangers, but after we would end one conversation, he’d join in on another one. And another. And another. I’m not here to talk to YOU, mister. Here with my friend.
Other than that, the drinks here were consistently stiff and delicious. You can tell the bartender what kind of flavors you like and he will make you a drink based off that. And my friend and I liked all our drinks (3 for 3!). That’s how you know these are legit bartenders.
Definitely check this place out! But remember, it’s tiny and loud so maybe not for a first date. :)

Came here for mine and my boyfriend’s 1 year. Couldn’t find the place right away. My navigation said I was at the place but all we saw was The Neighborhood. I texted the number I made the reservation with and luckily they texted back right away, telling us they’re located IN The Neighborhood and that we just had to find the door of barrels and push to the other side. It was pretty cool, like a secret passage way. So I didn’t mind. Kind of added to the mystery! When we got to the other side of the door, it was dark and had «The Noble Experiment» sign lit up with the hostess right there at her booth to greet us and check us in. I’m glad I made it on time because my BF and I were looking around for a good 5 minutes before we decided to contact them.
Anyhow, after she checked us in, she directed us to the bar saying that all the tables were taken but pointed that there was standing room for now, and that she will let us know when a table is available for us. I’m not going to lie, that was a little disappointing to me considering I made a reservation a week in advanced for a specific time (only reason why I gave ⁴⁄₅ stars). We stood there looking at the menu for a few minutes and she came back saying there was a table at the back of the bar which was the corner end/​table of the seating area. I guess it was there from the beginning but she was worried we thought it was going to be too «crammed» for us, but it turned out to be just fine!
After we were seated, we had a bartender come to us (I forgot his name but all I remember was that he had a septum piercing). He was really nice and validated our choice of ordering both versions of the Tom Collins drink –he mentioned that they were both light and refreshing, which they really were! They came in tall glass cups with a cool long rectangular ice cube which I thought was pretty unique.
I want to say my drink was $ 13 and my BF’s was $ 12. Total ended up coming out with around $ 27 which wasn’t bad. We were both very pleased with the place. It was indeed intimate and great for conversation. Everyone at the bar and seating areas next to us seemed to enjoy theirselves too. Not to mention the wall of skulls and digital art displays of portraits that were moving, were quite intriguing too. Those with the cool chandelier in the middle kind of reminded me of the Haunted Mansion ride in Disneyland. Great décor, nice and friendly staff, tasty drinks, comfy seats, and was all around a NOBLE experience ;) Will definitely be back again!

Great cocktails and cool secret entrance. I got an old fashioned. A little on the strong side but overa a good drink and cool experience

They aren’t joking when they say book a week in advance. Literally, you need to text at midnight a week in advance! I didn’t get my first choice of time on a Saturday evening because there are just that many texts going through. I got a response an hour later confirming a time. That means the worker was sorting through texts for an hour before responding to mine, when I sent it near midnight. Yeeesh.
This is such a fun experience for special occasions or not. I took my sister for her 30^th birthday. We were seated next to our server in a booth, so we had great service. We went with his recommendations based on the kinds of drinks we felt like. The concoctions are surprising and exceptional. While the price is hefty, it’s understandable.

Unilocal categorizes this as a bar, so I didn’t know this was a speakeasy until I was asking around attempting to locate it. Luckily my friend and I were able to be seated without a reservation on a Sunday night. I’ll just leave with this — It’s everything you might hope for in a speakeasy.

If you can get in… This is a great time. I love coming here but unless you are coming in on a weekday before 8 pm, plan on making a reservation. I’ve gotten lucky when I put my name on the waitlist and then go eat at neighborhood. (Great chicken sandwich)
The bartenders know what’s up and man are they good. The list of drinks they have are amazing but it’s always fun to let the bartenders put on a show and make something special for you. Just tell them a couple flavors or smells you like and they will be sure to whip you up something amazing. And only 12 – 13 dollar a drink for this individuality is totally worth it in my opinion.

The reservation was easy, just text and you will get a reply. Once confirmed that you have a reservation, you just need to show up. There is a dress code, however once inside… you see that they may need to enforce it a bit more! We had 3 total in our party and the tab was $ 89… we had 2 drinks each, so it’s a bit pricey, but they use premium liquor… not the crap most bars pour you. The seating was very cramped and you get pretty up close and personal. The service once inside was awesome… the host or greeter was NOT awesome. She was snooty and seemed like she was on something. I would suggest visiting at least once if you are in SD or live in SD… but as for return, not so much!

Came here this past Thursday night with three friends and had a blast. It was my second time here. The first time was a couple years ago and if been looking for an excuse to come back ever since. You do need to text in advance to get a reservation. Group size is limited to four. With the small digs, you really wouldn’t be able to talk you people or sit together. Make you can make it though as failure to keep your reservation may preclude you from getting in later.
Getting in is easy. Just walk toward the glass tiles near the back of Neighborhood and push the small wall with the frame beer kegs.
While the size of the place makes it feel intimate, Noble Experiment is louder than you would otherwise guess. Even talking amongst a party of four was difficult. But it’s worth the high ceilings and creepy paintings that remind you of the Addam’s family.
Dress code here isn’t super high end, but it includes no flip flops or baseball caps. Most people here just wore an outfit you might see on a first date.
The service is amazing. I cannot stress that enough. The mixologists really know what they are doing and are patient, considerate, and attentive. I gave them criteria for two drinks, and they returned bearing two magnificent drinks. I don’t remember the name of the first one, but it included gin, lime juice, cucumber, and rose water. It was refreshing and the perfect level of sweetness.
My favorite drink of the night was a Tijuana Lady: tequila, allspice bitters, and cinnamon. My friend tasted it and described it as Christmas cookies in your mouth. I loved it. The drinks on the menu were also good, but the see special requests were more fun.
So come here if you like mixed drinks and want a reservation. It’s worth it.

Cool spot! Good cocktails and a really interesting vibe once you finally get in the room. Had to wait a good amount of time for our 8:30 reservation on Friday, but I expected that just about anywhere. The only aspect that annoyed me was having us come in to stand by the corner of the bar for another 10 – 15 minutes while the group at our table was closing out.
Service was great and the cocktails were good. I wasn’t too impressed with my first drink (dealers choice) after talking to the bartender about how I really like a dark, smoky cocktail. The result missed the mark but was close enough to enjoy it without sending back. My second drink was an old fashioned with some kind of scotch, I really wish I remember what the server said was in it, as it might be one of the better drinks I’ve had for quite some time!
I’m a fan, next time I’m in town, I’ll try to come back!

I’ve had this place on my list of bars to check out in SD and to my pleasant surprise, while dining at Neighborhood, I found out the hidden wall of kegs door was just across the room!
After dinner, we walked in and the host asked if we had reservations. We told her no and she politely informed us that they were full at the moment but could put us on the list to get in but could not guarantee anything that night. We were perfectly ok with that.
After about 1.5 hours, I get a text saying they have a spot for us. We took a while to get there, close to an hour after the text, but luckily were still able to get in.
The ambiance is really cool with a wall of skulls. We all opted for a classic old fashioned. Cocktail was good, atmosphere was chill, host/​bartenders were friendly. It was getting late so we just had the one drink but I definitely want to come back here!

Who doesn’t want to feel exclusive?
Secret bars are always fun. Hidden entryways, craft cocktails and cozy digs. The décor is eclectic in that the main wall is cluttered with skulls and the ceiling has large vintage self portraits. The bartenders are attentive and always kept a full water glass in front of me. I really appreciated this because that’s one thing I always feel weird asking a busy bartender for. My date and I both got the bartender special in which you pick your poison and give them an idea if you’re a salty, sweet, fresh, floral type of drinker and then they whip you something up. I had some fresh and citrus vodka drink. It was tasty.
There are no prices on the menu but just be ready to drop a little more cash than normal. It is not a let’s spend the evening here place if you’re pinching pennies but just remember you are paying for exclusivity, intimacy, and fresh ingredients. The thing I liked the least was the not so friendly hostess that you work with to get on the waitlist. But other than that I recommend trying it out.

Shh it’s a secret. But not really. I’ve been here a few times and I loved every experience. The idea of being in a secret hidden bar makes the experience more exciting. =)
I tried making reservations ahead of time but was unsuccessful. Both times I’ve been here was with a party of 2 — we put our names on the waitlist and was seated within 10 – 15 minutes. The bartenders are nice, the drinks are strong, and the environment is so relaxing. The menu has changed. Last time I was here they had menus printed on old parchment-​type paper. Now they have fancy menus with the option of choosing a classic or the bartenders twist on that classic drink. This place is definitely worth checking out!

Wow! Totally worth the wait in getting reservations and getting a table here. The wait list is usually a week out but you might be lucky to score a table sooner if someone cancels. I would say about 50 people or less would be maximum capacity. They have a few bar seats and 4 tables that can fit up to 5 people at them. The atmosphere is amazing too, one whole wall has skulls on it, and the ceiling even has framed pictures on it. Just amazing!
The bartenders are not only amazing at making a tasty cocktails but they put on a show while they make it. Most people in my party ordered the «bartender choice», this you just name what kind of liquor you want and if you want sweet, sour, spicy, dry and they go to work making each person something completely different. 10 out of 10! I can’t wait to go back, this is a must for any date night or small group party that you want to be totally different from the norm.

Highly highly recommend ordering the ‘Dealer’s choice,’ which basically means, you call the shots! Tell em’ what type of drink you like and the type of spirit that you prefer and they will make the shit out of your drink and it will be strong and delicious I guarantee it.
Out of the handful of speakeasy’s to choose from in San Diego, I would say Noble Experiment reigns supreme. It is a very classy, intimate setting that only seats about 20 – 30 ppl so texting them your reservation is highly recommended as early on in the month as you can because they fill up fast. Walk Ins are always welcome of course, you just have to get there, put your name down with the hostess, and wait about an hour or so before they text you when theres space available for you. The smaller your party is the faster they’ll be able to seat you.

Overhyped and overpriced. Came here on a Thursday and we were still forced to wait in line, albeit not for long since there were already two empty tables.
This place only serves craft cocktails so if you’re looking for a solid draft list, look elsewhere. The cocktail list had maybe a dozen different things of which we tried 3. They were all very refreshing, but one was super small. I can’t remember the name, but in sure it was an orange based one. Anyway, the drinks were so refreshing they managed to sober me up. I have no clue how that is possible, but I have a hunch it was at least in part due to the heavy amount of ice relative to liquid. I’m sure that I’ve serves a purpose other than to cool down the drink since some of the pieces of ice were either shaped or crushed to suit a particular glass or drink, but at times it seemed excessive.
The venue itself is super small and cozy. I go go lots of bars solo and I would not come here alone. Specially not if I have to wait in line to sit in a tiny and crowded room. The waitress was super nice, but the drinks took super long to the point that we considered leaving. We opted to stay in an attempt to make the best of it. Ultimately it was just okay.
If you like saying you went to a «hidden» bar, but don’t care for beer or personal space, come here.

This speakeasy is located behind the Neighborhood and is super small inside. You need a reservation to sit down at the seats or else you can wait for a standing space or a seat at the bar. On weekends, reservations are a must, but on weekdays it is not too hard to get a standing space in the corners. All their drinks are rum/​gin based. They have a few signature cocktails, but my favorite is asking them to customize a drink. I would tell them what I feel like drinking (flavors, type of alcohol, etc.) and they will make you something suitable for $ 15.
On the plus side, you can just walk out and enjoy drunchies at the Neighborhood.

Beste Location, beste Drinks, beste Barkeeper! Wer hätte gedacht, dass sich auf dem Weg zum Klo, hinter einer Wand aus Bierfässern so ein cooler Laden verbirgt? Ich nicht! Aber gut, dass Unilocal Bescheid weiss, sonst hätte ich echt was verpasst!
In der wunderschönen dunklen Bar gibt es nicht nur extrem gute Cocktails sondern auch überall etwas zu entdecken: die Wand bestehend aus unendlich vielen Totenköpfen (fake natürlich), riesige gerahmte Bilder die an der Decke des Saals hängen, eine unglaubliche Auswahl an Spirituosen hinter der Bar und von der Wand zwinkert einem ein Hirsch aus dem goldenen Bilderrahmen zu.
Die Cocktailkarte liest sich spannend, wer trotzdem nicht das richtige für sich entdeckt, kann die «Dealers Choice» nehmen — nenne deinen favorisierten Alkohol und wonach dir grade ist (frisch, süß, bitter, etc) und die wunderbaren Barkeeper mixen dir einen Drink der dich von den Socken haut. Hier wird auf ganz hohem Niveau gemixt und auch das zuschauen macht Spaß. Viele Zutaten kommen aus kleinen Reagenzgläsern und Fläschchen und man fühlt sich ein bisschen, als würde man bei der Erstellung eines Zaubertranks zusehen ;).
Fazit: Für 12 – 13 $ bekommt ihr die wahrscheinlich besten Drinks in der Umgebung + eine aussergewöhnliche Atmosphäre und extrem nettes Personal. Unbedingt hin da!