The stairs at the Hole’s entrance descend into a garden patio. Since the 1940’s The Hole was one of the “secret handshake” bars in San Diego. Previously dubbed the 19th Hole due to its proximity to the Sail Ho Golf Club, the bar sits in a depression dug in the early 1900s to access an aqueduct that ran between Mission Bay (then called False Bay) and San Diego Bay.
The Hole promotes itself as “a pretty much world famous dive” and has been in business since 1934 (then Murphy’s Beer Garden). The popular location is approaching the end of its lease and, allegedly, the property's landlord in disinterested in renewing. The Hole in Point Loma, one of San Diego's first openly gay bars, has announced that it will close for business on Sunday, July 5, after a farewell party to take place that day.
