Sober bars in San Diego

Kava is a root from the South Pacific (Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa). People there have drunk it together for thousands of years. It's ground, mixed with water and poured into a shell.

It relaxes your body and keeps your head clear. It tastes like bitter earth, so drink it all at once and follow it with a chaser: pineapple, mango, sour candy or water. Numb lips mean it's working. Plenty of people feel little the first time or two, and that's normal.

Go on an empty stomach, a few hours after a meal, and drink a big glass of water with it. When someone calls “Shells up!”, raise your shell. Then it's “Bula!”, and everyone drinks.

Not into kava? Most bars also have tea, coffee or mocktails, plus board games, pool, trivia, open mic and live music. They open early and close late.

Kava isn't alcohol. Whether it fits your recovery is your call, and your program's. Kratom is a different plant and can be habit-forming, so ask which drinks have it; the bars above that list kava only are marked.

Never mix kava with alcohol. Skip it if you're pregnant, nursing, or have liver problems.

Need support? SAMHSA's National Helpline is free, confidential and open 24/7: 1-800-662-4357.