Bock

I stumbled into Bock on a rainy Tuesday and found a beer hall that refuses to be a theme bar. South Park’s tidy blocks give way to a room of warm amber light, long communal tables, and a fascinating beer list that reads like a travelogue: centuries-old European brews shoulder-to-shoulder with outspoken California ales. The kitchen leans into Bavarian DNA—pretzels, bratwurst, schnitzel—done without apology or irony; the chicken schnitzel sandwich is a local claim to fame. They run proper liter pours, which vanish fast during a raucous happy hour, and the calendar fills with theatrical nights, Krampus, Oktoberfest and the occasional Underberg mashup. Locals treat Bock as a living room for the neighborhood, while visitors come hungry for honest German food and a serious draft program. Service is easygoing and helpful, the crowd mellow, and the place feels like a small cultural bridge where old-world beer rituals meet San Diego’s communal, weekend-loving energy.