Know what locals know when they go out in this beautiful little town in Northern California's Monterey Peninsula.
Reviews of The Bars in Monterey, Calif! Nightlife Scene in Beautiful Monterey and Carmel
Monterey's bars offer fun long after the sun has settled beyond the bay.
In the serene setting of Monterey, Calif., where barking seals outnumber DJs – by a large number – one would think that the fun ends when the sun ends as it settles into the back of the Pacific Ocean.
But someone once said that beer tastes better in beautiful surroundings, and in Monterey that is certainly the case. For Monterey (and surrounding Carmel) is certainly beautiful and the beer (and cocktails) do indeed have a special flavor because of their surroundings.
And it's hardly drinking alone. Monterey has a lively downtown, activity on Cannery Row and Carmel possesses a few hidden gems. Sometimes, the area is as active as an otter, attracting people from all over the Bay Area and, in fact, the entire state of California. This is particularly true during some of the town's biggest events – the AT&T Pebble Beach PGA Pro-Am in February, races at Laguna Seca and the Concourse de Elegance in August.
In Monterey the best bar action is downtown on Alvarado Street. There's a half-dozen places within a two-block area. At the end, away from Monterey Bay, is PubClub's favorite, Lallapalooza. It's a restaurant/bar (common in this area) but the real attraction is the active semi-circle bar with lively bartenders and the most mingle-happy patrons one is likely to encounter anywhere. It could be happening for Happy Hour or as a first, second or even last stop in the night. If it's not happening at the moment, it might be in a later moment, for fun seems to find its way tnto this place.
Cocktails and music are a good combination in downtown Monterey.
It's easy to bounce two blocks toward the bay to what ic currently the town's most happening location, If there's one place that can be sauna hot on cool Monterey nights, it's Cibo. It's another restaurant/bar but it's the jazz band that sets this place apart from the others. The music is only the excuse to come in here, as it's simply a sideshow to the adjacent bar that's the real attraction.
The real live music is at Monterey Live. The location has been a downtown watering hole for nearly 50 years; today
it's features punk rock in the back, plus blue brass, rock, folk, classical jazz, R&B, soul and big band sounds.
There are enough English pubs in town to think one imagine they are in, say, Brighton. After all, it can quite cool at night, even in July or August. But make no mistake, this is Monterey. The Crown & Anchor is not only British-appropriate in its name, it is in its execution – loyal crowd, popular patio and authentic English. It's on Franklin Street, off Alvarado near the Marriott. Not much fancy about the basic Britannia Arms, a cozy British pub with a live band. And while it's off the beaten path, The London Bridge at Fisherman's Wharf is where to find skippers and crew
from all those sailboats. For food with the beer, go for the fish and chips.
The Mucky Duck. used to be PubClub's favorite Monterey bar, a rush-to-beat-the-crowd place. It has a cool front bar, many beers on tap, surprisingly good food and an outdoor patio that was once the town's top playground for the 20s crowd. For a few years, it suddenly became home turf for the bling-bling crowd, chased us away but guess what – now we're back to being Mucky Duck fans. There's new ownership, the people are friendly (mostly a military crowd), bands on the patio until about 10, when then a DJ takes over in the pub area. There are now large beers served from the draft choices and the place is recapturing a bit of its old party flavor.
In PubClub.com's last trip to Monterey, we tripped into what became an instant hit with us – Indian Summer. It's basically a large outdoor patio with fire pits. And it's awesome. This is a great place to down a few beers or cocktails with good friends in a friendly, open and way cool setting. You'll find that those drinks as well as the time seems to disappear quickly, too; it's just that kind of place. There's live music on Wednesday nights and a DJ on weekends. The Indian food is awesome, too. To find it, go past the Portola Hotel, turn left toward Peter B's Brewery, make a right just past Peter B's. and look for the open gate. You have arrived!
Speaking of Peter B's, it's more of a pub/restaurant so it's not a wild party scene, but its own craft beer is brewed on the premises, and you can get growlers to go, which is great especially on Wednesdays when they are half price. For food, go for the ribs or the pork sandwich.
Down on "the Row" – that's Cannery Row – check out
Bullwhacker's, a spacious pub with its large outdoor patio and live
bands. Sly McFly's is has been there seemingly forever and has live music, making it always worth a look. Planet Gemini
packs Latin music locals looking to dance. It also features comedy nights. Jose's Mexican Bar and Grill is a semi-upscale Mexican restaurant but be sure and go down the side steps to find the lively bar downstairs.
Adjacent Carmel is so exclusive it has art galleries on every block
that the residents actually shop in and houses that don't require a
mailing address. Any restaurant here is likely to be excellent.The
Green Grocery has a classy patio outside and a rustic bar with a
fireplace downstairs that keeps diners cozy. Roy's in Spanish
Bay is upscale food in an upscale atmosphere; there's a couple of equally
elegant bars on the property for those after-dinner drinks.
Local resident Clint Eastwood used to own the Hog's Breath,
which also has a fireplace in a brick-floor restaurant/bar. For fun,
check out Jack London's Bar, a dive in the middle of elegance
(we just love the contrast). Away from downtown in Carmel Valley is
another casual spot with killer margaritas, Baja Cantina. It's
obvious the owner is a huge race car fan.
When it's time to eat, there's a mind-numbing number of outstanding
restaurants. The area's best restaurant has long been
the Sardine Factory. It's really enjoyable on an expense account.
The Row is lined with seafood restaurants and Fisherman's Wharf is all about fresh seafood. Tarpy's Roadhouse is a bit inland on Highway 68 (halfway
to Laguna Seca) and is perfect for lunch. Afterward, take the tour of
the small winery next door.
Monterey, CA Nightlife Bars Reviews British Pubs Restaurants Party Guide
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