Downtown’s Got a Groovy New Hotel Bar

The first California location for Marriott International’s Moxy Hotels brand has opened in the Gaslamp. Designed for the Instagram crowd, the newly-built hotel forgoes the traditional registration counter for a check-in “trike” that pours a welcome cocktail on nitro and a lobby stocked with arcade games, swings, and a cocktail bar called Bar Moxy. The 126-room, nine-story property was developed in partnership with San Diego-based J Street Hospitality and Azul Hospitality Group, who also teamed up in 2015 for the neighboring Courtyard by Marriott and its companion rooftop bar, The Nolen.

Just as The Nolen has also become downtown hangout for locals, Bar Moxy is programmed to be more than just an amenity for hotel guests. Open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., it features grab and go food and coffee in the mornings and a full kitchen that cooks up an all-day menu of snacks, burgers, sandwiches, and signature naan breads topped with everything from pulled pork to marshmallow and Nutella. Drinks are a draw too; with cocktails that range from the tiki-inspired Luau Life made with Malahat Spirits spiced rum to the refreshing Slick Rickey, a blend of Old Harbor gin with St-Germain, lime, cucumber, soda, and black pepper. And DJs will provide a soundtrack to sip by starting in the mid-afternoon.