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99 Bottles of Beer
110 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.459.9999
Downtown Santa Cruz is home to 99 Bottles of Beer, a pub with over 40
beers on tap, a wide selection of California wines, and various hard
ciders. Each and every night at this Santa Cruz local bar hangout is
exciting with different events throughout the week. Every weekday from
4-6pm is happy hour, plus 99 Bottles of Beer has added even more happy
hours after 10pm on Wednesday "Quiz Nights" and all day on their
"Thirsty Thursdays!" If the mission is to have a good time, ride your
bike to downtown Santa Cruz on Monday for 99 Bottles of Beer's karaoke
night or go on Tuesdays for happy hour prices on selected beer all
night. 99 Bottles of Beer is one of the locals' favorite bars in the
city of Santa Cruz.
Acapulco
1116 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.426.7588
Acapulco is the perfect cocktail lounge to head to after a day on the
Santa Cruz boardwalk. The margaritas flow during the Monday-Friday happy
hour from 4-6:30pm. There are good times to be had at the Santa Cruz
Acapulco until 10pm or 11pm on Friday and Saturday.
The Asti Café
715 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.423.7337
When the Santa Cruz weather is nice, hop on your skateboard and ride on
over to The Asti Café in downtown for their pool tables, video lottery
games, and their amazing jukebox. The bar has happy hour every weekday
from 4-7pm and has "Pint Night" on Thursdays. During football season,
Sundays have more specials than you can handle. The Asti Café is the
late night place to go in Santa Cruz, open until 2am.
The Attic
931 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.460.1800
The Attic isn't just another live music joint in Santa Cruz County, they
also serve as a bar, coffee house, and café. The Attic serves beer,
wine, sandwiches, salads, and soups as well as a heaping serving of live
entertainment. On nights without live entertainment, The Attic closes
at 4pm, but expect to be out in Santa Cruz later if there is a
performance.
The Avenue
711 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.426.3434
The locals, the University of California Santa Cruz students, and even
some visitors have found The Avenue in the big Santa Cruz County. The
bar has pool tables, sports on nine TV screens, and a outdoor back patio
for those that need a smoke break. Happy hour is daily from 5-7pm and
Wednesday's "Drink and Drown" night means discount pitchers after 8pm.
For those with a hankering for barbeque, The Avenue serves up a better
meal on the back patio than any other restaurant in Santa Cruz.
Blue Lagoon Cocktail Lounge
923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.423.7117
Local bands rock the stage of the Blue Lagoon on Wednesdays and Fridays,
but most other nights the club is open to those who are looking for
dancing and good times. Although the Blue Lagoon Cocktail lounge used to
be Santa Cruz's ultimate gay bar, the scene has shifted to a different
crowd. Monday's dance night, "The Box," has a mix of industrial gothic
jams while Tuesday switches over to hip-hop beats. '80s on Thursday and
"The Boom!" Top 40 on Saturdays round out the week for the Santa Cruz
bar.
Café Limelight
1016 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.425.7873
After a long day at the Santa Cruz Beach, what could be better than a
hot panini sandwich, fresh soup and a salad? How about a beer or glass
of wine at Café Light in downtown Santa Cruz? The daily happy hour from
5-7pm. is out of this world with featured local wines and an extensive
cheese menu.
Callahan's Pub
507 Water St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.427.3119
Minutes away from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Callahan's Pub is
serving up brews and cocktails. Their 5-7pm happy hour on weekdays—and
5pm- 2am on Thursday—include free pool and discounted prices. Callahan's
Pub is the ideal Santa Cruz bar, and you'd be crazy to pass up free
pool!
The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.423.1336
The Catalyst has seen some of the top rock bands in the world pass
through its doors to play, as well as local Santa Cruz bands. The venue
was a bowling alley in its previous life but now is a bar, pool hall,
nightclub, and great place to catch a live show. With three bars, pool
tables—free pool for bar patrons on Tuesdays—and plenty of drinking,
there's no better place to be in Santa Cruz than The Catalyst... no, not
even the beach.
Clouds Downtown
110 Church St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.429.2000
Late night dining on weekdays—until 10pm, 11pm on weekends—doesn't mean a
greasy spoon. Clouds Downtown in Santa Cruz actually specializes in
fine dining for quite a reasonable price. The good times don't stop
there! Award-winning martinis, California wines, beer, even champagne
and cognac are served at this fabulous Santa Cruz restaurant. Specials
created by the best chefs in Santa Cruz change weekly, so you will
always be surprised and never get tired of the cuisine.
Club Dakota
1209 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.454.9030
Every night at Club Dakota is a good night, especially if you're looking
to dance 'til you drop. The Santa Cruz club has a weekday happy hour
from 4-7pm with a different event each night. Wednesdays are "Women's
Nights," Thursdays are men's, and the rest of the week has an
amalgamation of house, hip-hop, and even old school hip-hop.
Costa Brava
1222 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.425.7871
The South American inspired Costa Brava is a restaurant and bar in
downtown Santa Cruz that has cuisine inspired by various cultures and
drinks that can bring cultures together. A daily happy hour, from
4:30-7pm, extends all night on Mondays and Tuesdays. Costa Brava is an
exciting Santa Cruz location to enjoy a meal and a drink.
The Garage Sports Bar
603 Front St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.471.5555
The Garage Sports Bar has all the essential accoutrements of a sports
bar: pool table, TVs, and beer. To add some spice, or maybe just because
it's Santa Cruz, The Garage Sports Bar has karaoke on Thursday nights.
Their weekday happy hour is 5-7pm, the perfect time to head from the
beach to the bars.
Jose's Cantina
1336 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.425.7575
Adjacent to the El Palomar restaurant, Jose's Cantina is where the real
good times are going on. The bar in downtown Santa Cruz has a happy hour
Monday- Thursday from 4-6pm in the cantina and 6-9 in the taco bar. For
the University of California Santa Cruz students, there are Tuesday
"College Nights" with $2 pints and $1.50 tacos. Wednesdays have $5
Mojito Madness and along with Thursday nights, more selected $2 pints of
beer.
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.427.2227
Live jazz several nights a week make the Kuumbwa Jazz Center quite the
Santa Cruz joint to hang out at. They have a wine list with various
California wines, bottled beers, as well as several beers on tap. Some
of the best jazz musicians in the world, as well as some little known
rising stars, have graced the intimate Kuumbwa Jazz Center's stage.
Mobo Sushi
105 S. River St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.425.1700
Besides the great sushi, Mobo Sushi in downtown Santa Cruz knows how to
serve up a strong drink in their cocktail lounge. It makes the Santa
Cruz restaurant the ideal place for a few rolls of sushi and a few more
drinks.
Pearl Alley Bistro & Wine Bar
110 Pearl Alley, Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.429.8070
Dedicated to using the freshest, organic, and sustainable ingredients in
their restaurant, the Pearl Alley Bistro & Wine Bar is a quaint
location in downtown Santa Cruz to visit. The extensive wine list
features wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains to Washington to Italy and
back. The bar also serves up cocktails if you're not in the mood for a
red, white, or champagne.
The Poet & Patriot Irish Pub
320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.426.8620
When you're just in the mood to kick back, relax, and enjoy a good beer,
there is no better place to do it in Santa Cruz than at The Poet &
Patriot Irish Pub. The bar serves up perfectly room temperature Guinness
while locals hang out after work playing darts and taking it easy. They
have a weekday happy hour from 5-7pm and an open mic event from 2-6pm
on Saturdays.
Red Room
1003 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.426.2994
The downstairs dive to the upstairs bar, The Red, the Red Room is a hip
little local joint in Downtown Santa Cruz. Smoking is usually allowed
and a jukebox keeps the volume up. Strong pours and a relaxed crowd,
often University of California Santa Cruz students on Thursday nights
pack the bar. Weekdays are the best days to go especially during the
4:30-6:30pm happy hour.
The Red
200 Locust St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.425.1913
Upstairs from the dive bar-esque Red Room, The Red is a swanky Santa
Cruz restaurant and bar that seems more LA than Santa Cruz Mountains.
The elegant ambiance is far from the stale smoke of downstairs and often
times music improves the atmosphere with low-key soul, hip-hop, and the
occasional jazz band.
Rosie McCann's Irish Pub
1220 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.426.9930
The perfect place to mingle and to enjoy a few pints, Rosie McCann's
Irish Pub in downtown Santa Cruz is a must see. They have a nice
cocktail lounge and a weekday happy hour from 4-6pm. Thursdays-
Saturdays means DJs spinning for the dance crowd.
Rush Inn
113 Knight St., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.425.9673
Arguably one of the best bars in downtown Santa Cruz, the Rush Inn
attracts hipsters and locals alike. University of California, Santa Cruz
students are always sure to pop up alongside the regular neighborhood
folks at this happening bar. Everyone mingles over cheap pitchers, pool
tables, a Johnny Mneumonic pinball machine and, of course, the jukebox.
Bartenders are friendly and yes, there are even still video game
machines.
Soif
105 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, California; Tel. 831.423.2020
Live jazz on Monday and Tuesday top off the already fabulous atmosphere
at Soif. The downtown Santa Cruz location features wines from the Santa
Cruz Mountains to various other regions alongside their delectable
gourmet dining choices. The bar stays open until the customers stop
drinking, so expect to make friends with the bartender.
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