The Gaslamp Game Plan For July 23–26: Sleep, Eat, Sip and Score
Comic-Con 2026 is officially here. July 23 through 26, San Diego transforms into the biggest pop culture event on the planet. Attendees have bought their badges and packed their costumes. The Gaslamp Quarter is about to become the most chaotic, electric, costume-saturated stretch of Fifth Avenue you’ve ever walked down. And you’re going to love every minute of it.
Here’s what first-time attendees need to know: survival isn’t the strategy. The strategy is a plan. Specifically, a plan that covers where you sleep (steps from the Convention Center), where you fuel up before the floor opens, where you decompress between panels, and where the off-site action lives. We’ve done the homework. Here’s your full Gaslamp game plan for Comic-Con 2026.
Morning Fuel: Union Kitchen & Tap, Gaslamp
Saturday and Sunday mornings, the best seat in the Gaslamp belongs to Union Kitchen & Tap on Fifth Avenue. Union Kitchen & Tap is serving a Pokémon Brunch Buffet for Comic-Con 2026, featuring house-made pastries from Molly’s Mission Beach, fresh coffee and hearty brunch favorites. It runs Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., giving attendees a proper meal before panels open. The garage-style doors open to the Fifth Avenue patio, giving you a front-row seat to the best people-watching of the entire year. Half the Gaslamp walks by in costume before noon on Comic-Con weekend. You might as well enjoy it over a breakfast burrito. Book your reservation early.
Union Kitchen & Tap
333 Fifth Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
619.795.9463
M–Th, 11 a.m.–midnight; F, 11 a.m.–2 a.m.; Sa, 10 a.m.–2 a.m.; Su, 10 a.m.–midnight
Between Panels: The Eeveelution Cocktail Menu
You made it through the morning session. Panels are winding down. The exhibit hall has taken everything you had. Before you head back to the floor, stop back at Union Kitchen & Tap for the off-site drink stop of the weekend.
For Comic-Con 2026, Union Kitchen & Tap is rolling out an Eeveelution-inspired cocktail menu, a lineup of themed drinks built around the beloved Pokémon evolution line. Whether you’re team Glaceon or team Flareon, there’s a cocktail designed for you. It’s clever, it’s playful and it gives you a reason to sit down, recharge and let the noise of Hall H fade for one drink.
Union’s lounge is open daily until close, which on Saturdays means last call at 2 a.m. Between panels or after dark, Union has a seat and a glass with your name on it.
Collect: Papa Joey’s Collectibles Daily Giveaway at Union
Papa Joey’s Collectibles is running a daily giveaway activation inside Union Kitchen & Tap every day from July 23 through 26. More than a collectibles store, Papa Joey’s is a year-round destination for fans of gaming, anime, comics and pop culture, specializing in trading cards, collectibles, vintage video games, sports cards and hard-to-find treasures, while creating experiences that bring the community together. From celebrity meet-and-greets with iconic Power Rangers actors and other special guests to packed tournaments, prereleases, trade nights and live box breaks, there’s always something happening.
Their community stretches coast to coast, with collectors shopping, trading and tuning into live events from all over the country. The San Diego County collectibles hub, known for TCG, sports cards, Funko Pops and pop culture gear, brings collector-community energy to the Gaslamp all Comic-Con weekend long. Every day, there’s a new reason to come back. If you’re the kind of person who watches live breaks on Whatnot, knows what a graded card is worth and builds a convention schedule around what you can score, this is your stop. Papa Joey’s brings that collector-community energy, and pairing it with Union’s atmosphere makes for the most unexpected good time.
Stop in on Thursday, come back Friday, and by Saturday you’ll have made it a ritual. Sunday, you’ll still be there. Check papajoeys.com/pages/calendar for the full event schedule.
Saturday Highlight: Pokémon Costume Contest at Union, July 25
Mark it in your schedule right now: Saturday, July 25, Union Kitchen & Tap hosts the Pokémon Costume Contest, and it is the off-site event of the weekend.
Comic-Con has no shortage of costumes. But there’s something about a Pokémon costume contest in the middle of a Gaslamp gastropub with a Kokomo cocktail in hand that lands differently than anything happening inside the Convention Center. The energy is looser, the competition is real, and the crowd is absolutely here for it. This is the event to invite your crew to, to dress up for and to make a reservation around. Saturday at Union is the move.
After Dark: Union’s Hidden Speakeasy
Union Kitchen & Tap‘s Secret Pokémon Speakeasy is an immersive hidden lounge decked out in Pokémon-themed décor, nostalgic cocktails and exclusive collectible giveaways from Papa Joey’s Collectibles, the perfect place to decompress after a full day on the floor. It’s dark, low-key and exactly what attendees need after the most overstimulating four days of the year. After the Pokémon cocktails, the giveaway activation and whatever Hall H dropped on you today, this is where the night gets interesting. Find it, but don’t tell everyone.
After Dark: One Piece TCG Takeover at NOVA SD
The night doesn’t have to end at the speakeasy. Papa Joey’s Collectibles is bringing a One Piece TCG “After Dark” takeover event to NOVA SD during Comic-Con weekend, giving fans another way to connect, compete and celebrate the hobby after hours. NOVA SD sits in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter at 454 6th Ave, steps from Union and the Convention Center. Keep an eye on papajoeys.com/pages/calendar for dates, times and details as they are confirmed.
Stay: Omni San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark
The Omni San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark sits directly across from the San Diego Convention Center on L Street, meaning you walk out the front door and you’re already there. This 511-room luxury property delivers on proximity, comfort and views, with a skybridge to Petco Park out the back. It’s the most strategic home base for Comic-Con 2026.
The rooms hit differently when you’ve been on the convention floor for eight hours. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame bay, city or ballpark views, which remind you that San Diego outside the exhibit hall is also pretty spectacular. Fresh off a 2024 redesign by Jeffrey Beers International, the hotel features a baseball-inspired aesthetic that reflects its deep connection to Petco Park and the San Diego Padres. The hotel blends Southern California energy with a laid-back San Diego vibe.
The rooftop pool is your decompression chamber between sessions.
Tiki Social has returned for a second year at the Tortuga Rooftop & Pool Bar, a tropical celebration above downtown San Diego created in collaboration with legendary tiki historian and mixologist Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. Expect bold tiki cocktails served in custom mugs, island-inspired bites, festive décor and live entertainment, all with skyline views. The proximity to Fifth Avenue means every restaurant, pop-up and off-site event in this guide is walkable.
As the only hotel in the U.S. with a private pedestrian skybridge to a major league stadium, the Omni San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark offers an unparalleled game-day experience, including VIP game-day perks, behind-the-scenes stadium tours and stops at iconic locations like the Padres Hall of Fame, the Field Warning Track and private luxury suites. Current offers include the Baseball Experience Package, as well as baseball-inspired cocktails and bites at Ace Porter and Tortuga. Comic-Con week fills fast. If you haven’t booked yet, do it today. Planning to extend the trip? The America is Calling offer takes 15% off two-night stays or 20% off three nights or more through Sept. 7, with kids dining free.
Omni San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark
675 L St
San Diego, CA 92101
619.231.6664
Side Quests: The Petco Park Interactive Zone
No badge? No problem. The Petco Park Interactive Zone is free and open to the public July 23 through 26, with Preview Night kicking off the weekend on July 22. No badge required, and no wristband to hunt down. MaruMart is Maruchan ramen’s Comic-Con debut, and they went all in. The activation is designed like an immersive Japanese convenience store. You walk through, sample products, shop SDCC-exclusive merchandise and stumble into surprise giveaways.
The Hello Kitty Café Truck is exactly what it sounds like and exactly as good as you want it to be. The iconic pink truck rolls up with giant cookies, macarons, madeleines and exclusive 2026 merch. Think custom quarter-zips, throw blankets, totes and mugs. It runs Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lines form early, so plan ahead.
KAYOU Walls of Fandom is the trading card company’s SDCC debut. It’s a free walk-through built around larger-than-life displays celebrating its card lines: My Little Pony, K-Pop Demon Hunters and more. Grab the SDCC-exclusive Superfan Passport while you’re there and collect stamps across multiple KAYOU locations throughout the weekend.
Labu’Tique Farmers Market is the place for Labubus, Jellycats, Squishy Toys and Needohs. You’ll find all the viral collectibles in one spot, inside the Blue Shield Home Plate Restaurant at Petco Park. Free to browse, dangerous for your budget. You’ve been warned.
Petco Park Interactive Zone (July 23–26)
100 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours vary by activation (most run 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thu.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.)
The Full Game Plan
Here’s how it all comes together. Check into the Omni San Diego at the Ballpark, drop your luggage and walk to the Convention Center in under five minutes. Saturday and Sunday mornings, start at Union Kitchen & Tap’s Pokémon Brunch Buffet with fresh pastries from Molly’s, a patio full of cosplayers and the perfect reset before the floor opens. Then, swing by the Petco Park Interactive Zone for the MaruMart walk-through, a Hello Kitty macaron and the Labu’Tique collectibles haul: all free, all steps away.
Between panels, step back to Union for an Eeveelution cocktail and a giveaway stop with Papa Joey’s. Saturday evening, show up early for the Pokémon Costume Contest. Every night, find the speakeasy. And for the One Piece fans still standing, Papa Joey’s after-dark takeover at NOVA SD is your final boss. Comic-Con weekend doesn’t have to mean survival mode. With the right plan, it becomes the best four days of your summer.
Q&A
Q: Where should I stay for Comic-Con 2026 near the San Diego Convention Center?
A: The Omni San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark (675 L St) is directly across from the Convention Center and walkable to every Gaslamp off-site event. It features a baseball-inspired redesign, Tiki Social at the rooftop pool and exclusive skybridge access to Petco Park. It books out fast, so reserve early.
Q: Is there a Pokémon event at Comic-Con 2026 outside the Convention Center?
A: Yes. Union Kitchen & Tap Gaslamp is hosting a Pokémon Brunch Buffet on Saturday and Sunday mornings, an Eeveelution-inspired cocktail menu throughout the weekend and a Pokémon Costume Contest on Saturday, July 25.
Q: What is the best restaurant near the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con?
A: Union Kitchen & Tap at 333 Fifth Ave. is a top pick for Comic-Con weekend. It offers brunch, themed cocktails, daily giveaway activations with Papa Joey’s Collectibles and a hidden speakeasy for late-night wind-downs.
Q: Does the Omni San Diego have a rooftop pool?
A: Yes. The Omni San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark features a rooftop pool and the Tortuga open-air poolside restaurant and bar, perfect for unwinding between Comic-Con sessions. Day passes are available through ResortPass, giving non-guests access to the 8,000-square-foot rooftop terrace, heated pool, hot tub, stone fireplace, daybeds, lounge chairs and private cabanas.
