Date Night at Madam Bonnie's in San Diego
The Gaslamp District is usually not our first choice for a date night out or at the top of our recommendation list for family and friends.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations, we shy away from this part of town – it’s usually crowded and loud, overpriced, and the food and drinks can be hit or miss.
But, we recently made the 10-minute trek to the Gaslamp for a mid-week date night, and we were pleasantly surprised by the cozy ambiance, hand-crafted cocktails, and a simple yet flavorful menu that met all the marks of a top-notch date night experience. The place is Madam Bonnie’s.
Reminiscent of the American 1920s, Madam Bonnie’s is a contemporary bar that skillfully blends the nostalgia of the flapper era with a decedent rotisserie-based dinner menu.
We went to Madam Bonnie’s on an early Wednesday evening for cocktails and dinner.
The restaurant is located in the historic Lester Hotel and was home to Bertha “Bonnie” White’s bordello, where cheap whiskey, opium, and wanton women satisfied the desires of sailors, politicians, and citizens.
Though gambling and prostitution were illegal in California after 1855, law enforcement struggled to end these vices and, despite the occasional raid, opted to tolerate them as long as these activities stayed confined to the red light district.
Ms. White arrived in San Diego in the early 1920s and set out to create a ‘respectable’ brothel for her clients. At that time, brothels were typically located above saloons; Madam Bonnie’s was no exception.
To minimize the disruption of the occasional police raid, it is rumored that Madam Bonnie installed an alarm trigger on the thirteenth step on the staircase from the bar to the brothel to alert the ladies to escape out the back.
Despite the laissez-faire attitudes of most of the public and law enforcement, Madam Bonnie’s run ended in 1940 when a new police chief called for a clean-up of the red light district.
While the days of Gaslamp as the red light district are long gone, a walk through the doors of Madam Bonnies is a trip back in time with handcrafted cocktails, ornate ceilings, vintage chandeliers, and excellent food.
The Cocktails
With such a storied history, we had to start our date night with a cocktail. We had L’il Hardin, a well-balanced mix of Buffalo Trace, applejack, tiki bitters, and cinnamon, and the Delores Del Rio made with a smokey Mezcal, Aperol, Chartreuse, and lime. Madam Bonnies does have beer and non-alcoholic drinks. In addition to our cocktails, we had the Bonnie’s Bouquet, a lavender lemonade, and Madam Bonnie’s blonde ale.
The Appetizers
While sipping our cocktails, we placed an order for The Madam’s Deviled Eggs, the Heirloom Tomato and Burrata, and a Pot of Shrooms.
The Deviled Eggs, made with a rich yolk filling, sweet pickled mini bells, and arugula, disappeared almost as fast as they came. The Heirloom Tomato and Burrata, with olives, basil, radish, and a drizzle of shallot-balsamic, was fresh, summery, and substantial, and Pot of Shrooms, a mix of sauteed mushrooms in garlic, Guajillo, Rioja, and crostinis was hearty.
The Entrees
The centerpiece of the menu are the rotisserie menu items. We order the Porchetta, an herb-stuffed pork belly loin with chimichurri, black garlic aioli, and the Shaved Prime Rib Sliders for the entrees. The Porchetta was moist and tender, with a well-balanced hint of seasoning paired nicely with the chimichurri.
This was a common theme from our experience – the food was flavorful but not oversalted or seasoned – as the food tends to be in tourist-rich areas. As for sides to the Porchetta, we ordered the garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal roasted vegetables; both sides were perfectly cooked.
We also ordered the Shaved Prime Rib Sliders, made with the decedent Bonnie’s Prime Rib of Beef, mushrooms, horseradish cream, pickles, and a toasted pretzel bun. This is one of the restaurant’s most popular menu items, and on our visit, they ran out of pretzel buns. We are excited to try them with the pretzel bun on our next date night visit.
The Dessert
For dessert, we had the 13th Step, a mix of Bourbon and pistachio crème, inspired by the infamous peanut butter and whiskey shot from the OB Noodle House and named after the step on the staircase that would alert Madam Bonnie’s ladies to an incoming police raid.
After all the food and drink of the evening, this was the right amount of dessert for us.
Now It’s Your Turn
There are dive bars, cocktail bars, tourist traps in the Gaslamp, and everything in between. If you’re looking for a cocktail bar with excellent food downtown, hit Madam Bonnie’s, and tell her we sent you. You won’t regret it.
Click here for Madam Bonnie’s menu.
Madam Bonnie’s is located at 411 Market Street
San Diego, CA 92101.
They are open Tuesday to Friday, 5:00 PM to close, Saturday from 11:30 AM to close, and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
Happy hour is Tuesday thru Saturday from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
To make a reservation, call (619) 310-5436 or book a table through Open Table.
Click here to follow them on Instagram @madambonnies.