Tobacco Rhoda’s

And finally, Tobacco Rhoda’s is all gone. Good riddance to this POS bar. Closed last week.

The most vile bar within a hundred miles. When people aren’t doing heroin outside there’s women being screamed at by men on the curb. This is a shit stain on north park and no one enjoys its presence.

Tobacco Rhoda’s (TR’s) is that place your friends all warn you about going to and you stubbornly go only to say that you been there. I mean my initial thought was, «Seriously how bad can this place really be?»
Boy was I in for a surprise! But thankfully I survived the experience and would like to pass on what knowledge I have gained from the experience and pass it on to all of you that may come across this place during your ventures through North Park.
Essential guidelines for surviving TR’s:
1.) Make sure that all of your vaccinations are up to date!
2.) Do not go alone. Exercise the buddy system.
3.) If you have to go to the restroom HOLD IT! If you are unable to hold it request a token from the bartender.
4.) Do not drink out of any glasses.
5.) Do not talk to strangers and stay within the close proximity of your party.
6.) Do not loiter outside!
7.) Shower as soon as you go home.
8.) Count your blessings that you’re safe. Lol.
Oh and I repeat, remember this is a once In lifetime experience. Any more and you may be a lost cause yourself.
I just happen to run into this place with some friends. And was able to come up with all of this in a period of 1 hour. The night is still young and Our UBER ride awaits.

I thought this place was great! Longhammer IPA was cold & refreshing! The patrons were friendly & the place is clean. I have been to total dump bars & Rhoda’s isnt. I will definitely return! They only serve beer & wine.

TOTAL DUMP! First, you have Steve the bum working the door. He’s drunk as hell and wreaks of shit. Then you have Big Rick pissing himself on the bar stool while Johan the bartender keeps serving up foul draft beer out of lines that haven’t been cleaned in a decade. I swear there is algae in the beer lines. Joe the bum and Mike the bum are regulars that just ramble on about nothing. Don the Legend is the only sane person there. Fred the Mexican is trying to sell stolen goods as he just got out of jail. The place is just full of derelicts and crack whores. It’s absolutely foul! Don’t go!!!

Be wary of Unilocalers trying to climb the elite ladder… this place is a wart on the ass of north park. I live nearby and I’m pretty sure the only people who hang out here are people looking to make a drug deal. I go around it when walking just to avoid the alley scum hanging out in the back.

The sewage-​y smell needs to go. I love a «dive», but Rhoda’s was too much even for a low life like myself.

Oh hello TR! Running by this place two nights ago made me wax nostalgic over how much the neighborhood has changed around this place but yet… in the early evening, a lovely «Lady of Commerce» or two can still be seen standing outside smoking snags and talking loud enough for anyone North of TJ to hear… God bless TR!

Driven by this place 1,000 times and was always a bit curious about Tobacco Rhoda’s, but it looks so friggin shady just from the outside that I never had the courage to peek in. Judging by Ruggy’s and some other Unilocaler’s reviews from several years ago my fears were justified. «Divey in all the wrong ways» probably sums it up best.
But fortune finally provided an opportunity to investigate the digs for myself recently as I stood in the excruciatingly slow-​moving line at Carnitas Snack Shack across the street. I was part of a large party so a buddy and I decided no one would notice if we disappeared for a few minutes. The small, open section of bartop noticeable through the open door at TR’s proved too tempting to resist, so we raced across four lanes of one of the most insane stretches of University Ave and found ourselves sitting in one of North Park’s most uncharted bars. Game on.
The first thing that stood out, besides the unpolished ambiance, was the friendliness of the staff. All two of them (bouncer + bartender). The bouncer’s eyes popped a little when we walked through the door, lending an expression of «wow guys, thanks for coming in!» as he checked ID’s. The bartender was equally friendly. Zero pretension. Liked it.
There were a few folks scattered around the bar, mostly older who looked like they’ve seen a bit of life. One guy was simply drinking a can of Pepsi. Must be his neighborhood hangout. A couple of TV’s showing college football and a pair of pool tables rounded out the décor.
Cash only and no liquor, but they had about 5 beers on tap including an ok IPA. At four bucks a pint we couldn’t complain. Sure beat the hell out of standing in line with those suckas across the street.
Eventually our phones started popping with anxious texts summoning us back to the line, ending our experiment at Tobacco Rhoda’s. Frankly, I think they’re sitting on a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on the spill off from the hugely successful Carnitas Snack Shack, but that’s up to the owners to decide. Maybe they want to keep it dingy, cheap and accessible to the less-​resourced older crowd in the neighborhood, which is obviously their prerogative, but if I were they I’d spend a few bucks freshening up the bar with some local craft beers on tap and a paint job.
In the meantime, let not your heart be troubled about visiting Tobacco Rhoda’s. It’s certainly divey, but seemingly safe and a great retreat from the line that never moves at Carnitas Snack Shack.

Goodbye porn filled crane game.
Goodbye bouncer with a backpack fulla pills.
Goodbye bipolar drunk accusing me of working for the ATF.
Goodbye happiness.
Place juss isnt as divey as it used to be.

Divey-​est of dives if ever, small bar with a juke box, TV, pool table and an ATM, due to it being a cash only bar. On the bright side the staff is extremely friendly and the drinks are dirt cheap, great local watering hole.

Yup, 1 star…
Yes, I did have a killer time with my amazing Unilocal freinds but if it wasn’t for them being there and taking over… rolling like 35 peep-​deep, there would have been no way in Hell-​zo I would be chillin’ there.
Crack heads and Hoz for days… enuff said
The Auntie bartenders were really nice though

Tobacco Rhoda’s (TR’s) is that place that your friends all warn you about going to and you stubbornly go only to say that you have been there. I mean my initial thought was, «Seriously how bad can this place really be?»
I was in for a surprise! But thankfully I survived the night and would like to pass on what knowledge I gleaned from my experience.
Essential guidelines for surviving TR’s:
1.) Make sure that all of your vaccinations are up to date.
2.) Do not go alone. Exercise the buddy system.
3.) If you have to go to the restroom HOLD IT. If you are unable to hold it request a token from the bartender.
4.) Do not drink out of any glasses.
5.) Do not talk to strangers and stay within close proximity of your party.
6.) Do not loiter outside of TR’s
6.) Shower as soon as you get home.
7.) Count your blessings that you made it out safe.
Oh, and don’t repeat. This is a once in a life time experience. Any more and you may be a lost cause yourself.

I love a good dive bar as much as the next girl, but this place warrants a class of its own. Before suffering from a good old fashioned black-​out, I got to meet some pretty (neat) people and drink some decent IPA.
Special thanks to Maricela for getting me home in one piece and an extra star because I managed not to vomit in her car. Congrats to me for keeping my clothes on (for the most part) until I made it home. And another HUGE gracias to Javi for dressing me the next day.
I can almost guarantee you won’t find me back in this amazing dump anytime soon (by myself at least), but I’m not ruling anything out. I definitely enjoyed my first UYE and I look forward to many more in the future.

I was very hesitant on going to Tobacco Rhoda’s. I read the reviews and thought to myself «OMG am I going to have to fight defend myself against hobo’s or street people». Surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. Granted yes there are some homeless looking people in there but obviously they have the money to play pool and drink. We parked about 1 block away and I held onto my purse just in case someone jumps me. (I kept looking over my shoulder). As we walked in there were a few people standing at the door and greeted me with a smile.
There’s two pool tables with a bunch of tables and chairs around the area. I didn’t realize that it was a beer and wine dive bar. The Aunties (Filipino older ladies) were always smiling and very courteous. Love them Filipinos. I think it was a very chill place and cheap drinks too. My beer «Heineken» was mouth watering and cold. I sat there and people watched for a moment. There were Ramen noodles by the bar and some chips.
If all possible hold your pee. It’s takes a quarter to use the restrooms however If I’m not mistaken the bartenders can give you a token if you ask for it. (good tip from another person). Now, this is what’s funny. There is a crane/​claw game by the restroom that has Porn DVDs and adult toys attached to stuffed animals. TA HA HA. classic comedy. I thought it would be difficult to win one of those but surprisingly another person won one that had a vibrator. I loved it. I uploaded a picture for your viewing pleasures.

The jukebox had up to date music but I didn’t see anyone dancing. Everyone were mingling in the crowd and just having a good time.
It was okay and a chill place to hang out but would I return? Hmm maybe… but not anytime soon.

Check out their wide variety of tap options: Bud, Bud Light, or Bud… or Redhook.
Or you can pick one of the super awesome bottle choices of: Heineken, Corona, Corona Lite. Woohoo!
Then there’s the wine, which I didn’t try any of, but there appeared to be about 6 options? Sake being one.
Sexy bishes everywhere, at least the night I went! That could be due to the fact that Unilocalers completely overtook the bar… and it could also be due to the fact that I got puh-​ritty darn drunkity drunk…
The bathroom is really clean so I haven’t the slightest clue why nobody ever uses it…
I think it amazingly sweet of Tobacco Rhoda’s to put neck massagers in their crawl machine. There are all sorts of different sizes and ones that vibrate and ones that don’t… so cool. I could have really used a massage the morning after so maybe I should have taken the 4″ massage stick Kris won… it was even attached to a cute teddy bear! Awww… oh well.
What else… The bartendresses were very pleasant and just like Daniel said, if you even so slightly glanced at the bartendress she was bright eyed and bushy tailed to offer you another beer.
All in all I will probably not make Rhoda’s a regular spot… it’s beer and wine only, yo, and I’m not down for that. You thought I was going to complain about the fact that maybe they don’t wash their cups and probably haven’t cleaned the place since it opened and maybe about the sketchy guy outside who offers you chronic with a slur and beady eyes. Nope! All that’s fine. I just like my hard alcohol.
Who doesn’t like a bar where easy ladies hang outside and let you do whatever you want to them?
My kinda woman!

This is a place of a world outside of the mainstream.
This is a place that is at once both a 1 star place and a 5 star place.
This is a place that bends rules (and sometimes genders) and warps the drink/​food continuum.
My first recommendation about going to Tobacco Rhodas for the first time is … do not venture in alone. Have backup. Seriously.
My second recommendation is that if you are going to drink beer, stick with the bottles.
My third recommendation is to not go here for food, not that they have much besides Raman noodles to serve.
Tobacco Rhodas has no pretense, no attitude. It is a bar that is almost exclussively attended by those on the periferal extremes of society, with an odd assortment of drag queens, local residents, homeless, and others who frequent her not quite well kept stools.
On the most recent visit here I played pool with a fellow who was not of full mental capacities (likely from substance abuse) but who was mostly lucid, if not drunk off his ass. He managed in the course of two games to both pee himself … and … in a seperate incident … have his pants accidently drop to the floor. I politely reminded him that he should pull them up, which he did.
It is important to remember, though, you are entering a world where these and similar occurences are norms and reasonably accepted events. You are fool to expect more and a fool to judge harshly. If this is not what you want, simply do not go. I hope that Tobacco Rhodas never changes. I appretiate her vagueries, her patrons, her oddities.
I like it, but just stay away if it is not your scene.

Cool bar, Filipino owned too. Happy hour is like all the time… buck fity for Bud. All the regulars were drunk and giving advice and stuff. Had some cool conversations with everyone there. They even told me of a nice looking pinay that works there. I have to check her out.
2 pool tables, tv’s, ATM, jukebox, couple of video games. They sell instant soup and popcorn. And a couple of those mini video games on the bar.
Need quarters for the bathroom. But clean though. They close late…2am. And plenty of parking right on the street.

Our adventurous hero always wondered about the bar in North Park with a woman painted on an indent in the wall next to it. As the last leg of a five stop bar crawl, our hero was finally inebriated enough to come to Tobacco Rhoda’s. As an extra precaution, he was rolling six deep, which probably helped him avoid being stabbed or molested between the entrance and the bar counter.
He finally got up to the bar and ordered two bottles of Sam Adams for himself and his friend. Making his way back to his table, his friends made the following comments:
«Sam Adams? I think you just ordered the best beer they had in here.»
«That $ 2 tip was probably the largest tip the bartender’s ever gotten.»
«I’m glad you got the BOTTLED beer.»
Tobacco Rhoda’s was a gold mine for people watching. There is nowhere else in San Diego you can find homeless people dancing with each other, see a person who looks like Hulk Hogan 20 years in the future, and discuss what your favorite Metallica song is with a pot-​bellied guy wearing a Pink Floyd shirt. Whether our hero was being greeted by a person playing pool who thought he recognized him, long distance high-​fiving jovial beer drinkers on the other side of the bar when they made eye contact, or clinking bottles with strangers next to him, it was an all around good time with some of the friendliest people ever to inhabit a shady bar.
After a while, even the 40-​something Filipino bartender came out from behind the bar to chat up our hero’s 20-​something friends. She was mighty friendly and told our hero’s party she was sad to be leaving the county in a couple of weeks to go back to the homeland after working at Tobacco Rhoda’s for the past 2 years. She then inquired as to where everyone in our hero’s party was from. Remember folks, if you’re trying to marry your way to a green card, it’s important to ask if the people you meet are American citizens.
In related news, Tobacco Rhoda’s will be hiring soon. If any Unilocalers are desperate for a job, apply within.
PROS:
— Really friendly patrons and staff.
— They don’t just have one doorman, they have two. Either that or someone else was just pretending to be a doorman checking ID’s.
CONS:
— Divey in the bad way. No wait… Divey in the HORRIBLE way.
— Extremely sketchy.
— No hard alcohol.
— Cash only.

No idea how this place has survived so long in North Park. Their main clientele are homeless guys, right?
My ex-​girlfriend used to live upstairs and I’ll never forget learning the homeless guy that slept near her back door was also the bouncer at Rhodas. They must have paid him in drinks and free rounds of darts because I know where he lives (on my ex’s doorstep) and last I checked the rent is pretty cheap…
It’s an experience for sure — one that may or may not need to happen in your life depending on your tolerance for a real, authentic dive bar.