By Jeff Josenhans | Downtown News

As a fellow downtown San Diegan, you already know downtown has been in a constant state of flux for many years. New buildings are constantly going up, hotels popping up, trendy scenes coming and going. The cocktail and beverage scene is highly competitive (in a friendly way) and as a result, the bar for quality has been constantly pushed over the years.

With summer fast approaching and today’s cocktail scene just as dynamic as downtown has become, a good round-up of the downtown scene is long overdue!

Here are some new places that have arrived over the last year that you need to check out:

Lion’s Share – a gem in the otherwise cocktail-dead area of town close to Seaport Village.

Caja de sal – an up-and-comer in the new Palomar Hotel (formerly Se Hotel). The new president of the San Diego Bar Guild runs this place, so the quality is obvious.

Here are some places that have been around 2-3 years, and if you still have not been there, it’s time!

Seersucker – the clear trend leader in downtown and the cocktail quality backs up the hype.

Craft and Commerce – a leader in quality and bar discipline ever since its inception, this is a must-see for anyone in and around the Little Italy area.

Cowboy Star – not necessarily known for their cocktails first, but certainly could be! If you are an East Village cocktail fan, this is your number one bet.

Noble Experiment – this is on the edge of Downtown and East Village. It’s small, inspiring, mysterious and top-notch cocktail making.

Vin de Syrah– Still one of the coolest concepts in the Gaslamp, and one of only a few bars that can balance cocktail quality with club life.

Prohibition – Hats off to former Bar Guild president Tim Stevens, for giving San Diego an answer to the nation’s top spirit-driven bars. This is the true speakeasy bar in San Diego.

These places have been Downtown since the beginning. If you have not been there yet, what’s wrong with you?

El Dorado – admittedly, somewhat off the beaten path, but worth the trip. This place has been around for a while and was probably the first place in San Diego to bring in Kold Draft ice. It has the atmosphere and location of a casual dive bar, but with the quality and care of a five star hotel. Best of both worlds, really …

Grant Grill at The US Grant Hotel – an icon in San Diego for 100 years. The cocktail program is now at its best since the prohibition era. Don’t be daunted by the fancy exterior. You haven’t lived in downtown San Diego until you’ve sipped a drink in this hotel.