Santa Cruz Good Times

As the long days turn to twilight and the sun sets to the west the Santa Cruz nights light up with something for everyone.  Whether you are looking for cool jazz, rock 'n' roll or some acoustic guitar you'll find it here.  Locals and travelers join together to celebrate great food, cool drinks and night beats. See Santa Cruz Area NightLife A-Z

Asti Café / 715 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831-423-7337 Collages of snapshots taken inside this popular bar—going strong for more than 60 years—align the walls. High spirits and fun times can be found here. Plus: three pool tables and one of the best juke boxes in town.

The Avenue / 711 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831-426-3434 / One of Santa Cruz’s older drinking establishments, The Avenue boasts four pool tables, an air hockey table, and even a couple of old-school video game machines—but the clientele itself is interesting enough. There is a large patio/deck outside. Check out the Avenue’s famous “drink and drown” Wednesdays, where selected domestic beers go for $4.25 a pitcher and $1.75 for a pint.

Bay Bar / 209 Esplanade, Capitola
831-477-0749 / In addition to offering breathtaking views of Capitola Beach, Bay Bar boldly lays claim to the best burgers in town. Curl up with a cocktail in front of the fireplace in the winter. Full bar, pool tables and an internet jukebox.

Blue Lagoon / 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831-423-7117, thebluelagoon.com / Blue Lagoon caters to just about every palate: deep house, goth-industrial, hip hop, Brit-pop and a thriving ’80s music night on Thursdays. Check out the DJs on the weekends. You can also find some live bands. There’s also a quieter cocktail lounge and a pool table room for the less dancetastic among us. LGBT friendly.

Brady’s Yacht Club / 413 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz / The second living room for many Seabright residents,  Brady’s is a perfect place to throw back a pint after work. There’s  nothing too fancy about it. There’s a bar, some taps, a pool table and a jukebox with an impressive selection of Flogging Molly. Best dive bar in town.

Britannia Arms / 8017 Soquel Drive, Aptos  831-688-1233 / This authentic British pub offers a taste of Dear Old Blighty with the help of imported beer and a full menu including fish ’n’ chips. With its cozy atmosphere, families are invited to eat by the fire, and the younger crowd can drink it up while enjoying the variety of live entertainment offered. A dinner special is offered Monday nights. Trivia contests Wednesday nights, games and karaoke on some nights.

Beauregard Vineyards Tasting Room & Winery / 10 Pine Flat Road Bonny Doon, 831- 425-7777, beauregardvineyards.com / While there are plenty of scattered vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains to hunt down and explore, sometimes it’s nicer to just stay near the beach and relax with a glass of local wine and a view of the ocean. That’s where Beauregard comes in, with their scenic tasting room on the upper floor at the end of the wharf, where a panorama of Monterey Bay is paired with the best reds and whites of local vintage.

Castaways / 3626 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, 831-465-8200 / A great neighborhood bar—festive, sporty, fun. This is a just-be-yourself and “hang” place. Nice service and nices interior lounging options.

The Catalyst / 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831-423-1338, catalystclub.com  A local legend and the place that once lured in the likes of Tina Turner.  Features great music acts—most that tour—and two full bars. The atrium also offers food. In the the main music hall, it’s all about the music. Take note of the smaller bar upstairs, plus six pool tables and a game room.

Cava Wine Bar / 1115 San Jose Ave. Capitola, 831-476-2282, cavacapitola.com  Hard not to love this little haven. A wide array of stellar wine—some local— Cava hosts many theme nights, plus live music. You can chat with local winemakers here, too, and settle in for some jazz, Experience a glass of your favorite wine. Impressive and always fun here.

Clouds / 831-429-2000, cloudsdowntown.com / Known for its killer cosmos and fine wine list, Clouds Downtown is a festive hangout that attracts a diverse crowd. The spirits are high here and it’s become the ultimate hot spot for Friday and Saturday nights.

Crow’s Nest / 2218 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 831-476-4560, crowsnest-santacruz.com  Reggae rhythms and an icy tropical drink? Live soul music and a perfect martini? Whatever your dream combination, chances are you’ll find it at the Crow’s Nest. From rock and blues to reggae and soul, the Crow’s Nest offers a wide variety of live entertainment and dancing in the upstairs lounge. Add that to the full bar with ocean views and some appetizers from the Breakwater Grill, and you’ve got a classic night out in Santa Cruz.

Cypress Lounge / 120 Union St., Santa Cruz, 459-9876  What a fun spot this is. A perfect blend of locals, some university students and professionals. Entertainment on select nights plus great appetizers and main dishes—not to mention that great drink menu—make Cypress stand out.

Don Quixote’s / 6275 Hwy 9, Felton 831-603-2294, donquixotesmusic.info / Its menu may be dominated by upscale Mexican cuisine, but Don Quixote’s is the place to go to hear the country’s best Americana/Roots musicians. Acoustic folk, bluegrass, country-blues—you name it. Local musicians also enjoy a significant stage presence.

418 Project / 418 Front St., Santa Cruz 831-466-9770, the418.org / The 418 serves as one of Santa Cruz’s premiere performance arts venues. Dance, drumming, classes and more happen in this home to artists. Around for years, the 418 is a favorite establishment.

515 Kitchen and Cocktails / 515 Cedar St., Santa Cruz 831-425-5051  /515 Cedar St., Santa Cruz 831-425-5051, 515kitchenandcocktails.com  A social sister to The Red wins points for its flair and cheery upstairs patio. But the impressive Mediterranean menu and the long list of speciality drinks, combined with its friendly—at times, hip—vibe makes this place sizzle.

Henfling’s Tavern / 9450 Hwy 9, Ben Lomond 831-336-9318, henflingstavern.com  / Wild times in the redwoods. This is a fun sport to hear  danceable live music, get a burger or a “biker’s breakfast burrito,” and hone your darts game. Huge on-tap selection and knowledgeable bartenders.

Kuumbwa Jazz Center / 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz 831-427-2227, kuumbwajazz.org  A local icon, this long-running, world-famous intimate venue lures in prominent jazz musicians such as Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau. There’s food and wine, too. Café Kuumbwa, offers an impressive organic menu. It’s the next best thing to stumbling upon a jazz legend in an underground European club.

Mad House Bar and Lounge / 529 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz 831-425-2900  The ultimate neighborhood bar. Fine selection of DJs, great drink specials, a nice dance floor and more. This is a festive spot with amazing DJs. It also is LGBT-friendly.

Moe’s Alley / 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz 831-479-1854, moesalley.com / You can’t beat Moe’s. It’s one of the best blues/music venues in town. But take note of the salsa, reggae, rumba and hip-hop acts that also round out the line-up during the year.  Fully-stocked bar and outdoor patio.

Motiv / 1209 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-427-2516  Mixing the best of both a hip (lounge) dining experience and the zest of a polished big-city bar, Motiv lures in locals. Dining from lunch on. In the evenings, a DJ spins. Nice array of drink specials and Happy Hour fun. Hip and festive.

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall Restaurant & Pub / 110 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz 831-459-9999, 99bottles.com / Taking inspiration from the drinking song of old, 99 Bottles offers beer lovers a little bit of everything—99 varieties of beer in stock, from breweries and locations all over the globe. Entertainment most nights ranges from music to trivia to a raffle for fabulous prizes and free booze.

The Parish Publick House / 841 Almar Ave., Santa Cruz,  421-0507 / Good food. Good beer. What else is there to say? Sometimes, that’s all you need. Great location on the Westside and some amazing service—friendly, friendly, friendly—make for a memorable time.

The Poet and the Patriot / 320-E Cedar St., Santa Cruz 831-426-8620 / Sporting lads and lassies, darts and brews, the curious might examine all of the historical and cultural Irish artifacts that fill every nook and cranny.  The thirsty will enjoy the Guinness on tap, served as it ought to be, at room temperature.

The Red / 200 Locust Street., Santa Cruz 831-425-1913  One of town’s best hot spots, The Red is an engaging social showcase. Beyond its phenomenal decor, the list of food and drink options are downright impressive. Nice drink specials, too. Good news—all the food is served in bountiful portions. It’s all about abundance here. Terrific lounge DJs spice up the atmosphere later in the evening. A long winding bar is a plus as well. Very social. Very fun.

The Red Room / 200 Locust Street., Santa Cruz 831-425-1913  One of the most historic spots in town. Situated on the bottom floor of the old Santa Cruz Hotel building, the Red Room’s décor and ambiance are in keeping with the motif and the name of the establishment. The regular crowd has been coming back for years. Pictures of Miss California winners from decades past—when the event was held in Santa Cruz—hang in the front corner, greeting you as you step inside. It sometimes feels as though you’ve entered a different time period.

Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub & Restaurant / 1220 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831-426-9930, rosiemccanns.coM  We love Rosie McCann’s. This popular downtown venue is festive, generous with its food portions and creative with the types of drinks it offers. The Irish pub/restaurant sports about 25 beers on tap, and the best selection of rare Bushmills, Jamesons and other single malt Scotches and whiskeys. There’s nothing wrong with ordering Fish & Chips, but you’ll be surprised with other great menu items like lamb stew and even some creative salads. RM also features live music and DJs on the weekends. Every city, by obscure international law, must have an Irish pub. This is Santa Cruz’s.

The Rush Inn / 113 Knight St., Santa Cruz 831-425-9673 / Filled with Joe Montana and teammates’ memorabilia, the inside of the Rush Inn looks almost like a shrine that any true 49ers fan should make a pilgrimage to at least once in their life. Devotees of Bay Area teams can usually catch a game or two on the TV at night, pool sharks can play a close-quarters game if it’s not too crowded around the table, and the adventurous can try to finish off an Irish Car Bomb cocktail.

Soif Wine Bar & Merchants / 105 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz 831-423-2020, soifwine.coM  This downtown Santa Cruz portal is both an amazing wine boutique and a truly divine place to eat. Experience the best of both worlds here—shopping and dining. In the wine store, you will find local and international wines of great variety. In the actual bar, you can order from an eclectic food menu or sample the wines from the diverse wine list. One of the best spots in town.
photo: Kelly Vaillancourt

Surf City Billiards / 931 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831-423-7665, surfcitybilliards.com / There are 16 tables here, some trivia, shuffleboard, big-screen TVs and great Happy Hour (4-7pm) drinks. It recently won a design award for one of the Top 10 best new billiard rooms.

Vinocruz / 725 Front St. #101, Santa Cruz 831-426-8466, vinocruz.com  One of Downtown Santa Cruz’s priceless gems, Vinocruz has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and other noteable publications. Owners J-P Correa and Jeffrey Kongslie have managed to create a winning venue here, perfectly located next to the Museum of Art & History. Best news is that Vinocruz caters to wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains—with more than 60 wineries. Impressive wine tastings and upscale nibbles are a plus.