Base of Campus, 
Metro Station, 
BarsIt’s happened—it always does—it’s 10:00 on a Friday night and you’re sitting at the same old bar, with the same old people drinking the same old thing. How boring.
I hope this comes as no surprise: it’s time for a change. And we’re here to help.
Please review this list of fine Santa Cruz establishments as you re-invent your Friday night.
Bocci Cellar, 140 Encinal Street, 831.427.1795
You can search high and low, but there’s nothing else in Santa Cruz like it. Bocci Cellar was once a Victorian-era home, but it now caters to the likes of diners, drinkers, and—most importantly—burgeoning bocce ball players throughout the County. Slip through the side entrance and grab a Corona on your way to the backyard, where you’ll find two dirt lanes, equipped with bocce balls, hand-painted bocce rules and court-side patio seating. Try to go on a Saturday night; if your game gets too heated, you can unwind by performing your favorite karaoke song to a room full of enthusiastic locals.
TIP: Bocce balls roll farther than you think they will.
Rush Inn, 113 Knight Street, 831.425.9673
For those of you who consider Pacific Ave. the center of your social universe, the Rush Inn teeters on the edge of the Earth. Located next to the clock tower at the northern tip of Pacific, this discreet bar is overlooked by most students, and—with the exception of testosterone-driven Monday night football broadcasts—it rarely lives up to its name. But with an extensive jukebox, trusty bartenders and an impossible-to-miss pool table, the Rush is great for a more subdued night out on the town (or just north of it).
TIP: Watch where you shoot! Most of the floor space is dedicated to the pool table, so you’re liable to stick someone in the rib or the backbone as you hit the cue ball.
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, 110 Walnut Avenue, 831.459.9999
I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is yes: 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall really does serve 99 different varieties of beer. (Count them yourself as you mark each one off from the 1-99 pattern on the back of the bar’s business card—you’ll get your name on a plaque in the bar, if you do.) With such a catchy gimmick, it seems 99 needs little else to lure in its customers, and yet the bar hosts Monday night karaoke each week, as well as trivia on Wednesdays (note: trivia night is not for the faint of heart, you might want to study before you dive into the competition). The overall vibe inside is quite mellow and local Santa Cruzans seem to abound, but on the whole the place is rather welcoming.
TIP: The food is decent, but pricey and unremarkable: satisfy your cravings elsewhere.
Red Restaurant and Bar,200 Locust Street, 831.425.1913
The Red looks like the bar in which Jack Nicholson so famously lost his mind in The Shining. The walls are detailed with the art-deco designs left over from its days as the Santa Cruz Hotel, and the room is illuminated by an eerie red glow. But fret not, relatively high prices and large crowds will distract you from any serious unease, as will the big comfy couches. Though they clash with the mainstream hip-hop blasted throughout the room, they make for comfortable conversation (provided you can hear yourself speak over Jay-Z’s lyrical rants).
TIP: If you’re a single girl who likes to get hit on—or a guy who likes to hit on single girls—you’ll probably like The Red.
The Red Room, 1003 Cedar Street, 831.426.2994
Hipsters and scenesters underwhelmed by the above description can find a Red Room of their own just downstairs from the Red. Not to be confused with its counterpart, the atmosphere of this Room is more low-key than the hip-hop-blaring bar above. Expect to be lulled into your buzz by David Bowie, incessant chatter and cigarette smoke. And don’t worry about getting hit on: people at the Red Room will only admire you from afar.
TIP: The scene is relatively casual, but with a pair of Diesels you’re sure to fit right in.
The Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Avenue, 831.423.7117
The Blue Lagoon is like a carnival funhouse, but with alcohol instead of mirror mazes. It’s essentially made up of a series of rooms, each with a different shtick to keep you entertained. After stepping into the barroom and grabbing a cheap drink ($1 well drinks every Tue. and $1 Pabst every Wed.), venture straight and you’ll hit the dance floor (which is 80s-themed every Thursday). Or swing a right if dancing’s not your thing, and you can invest in a game of pinball or pool. Still not satisfied? If you keep going you’ll hit the last room, which is usually saved for live shows or intense, echoing trance music. The Blue has everything you won’t find at the Red.
TIP: Don’t begin your night at the Blue; I guarantee you’ll have more fun with a few drinks already in your system.
Poet & Patriot Irish Pub, 320 Cedar Street, 831.426.8620
In between the Red and the Blue, you’ll find a bar known as the Poet. Poet & Patriot is favored among most of the literature, philosophy and politics majors I know, and though they might have originally stumbled in because of the name, the reason they stuck around has more to do with the place itself. The Poet balances the fine line between ‘dive’ and pretension to a T. Thick slabs of oak provide tables conducive for drunken rambles or philosophical talk (though quite often they’re one in the same). And if witty dialogue isn’t your idea of a good time, the Poet is also equipped with four well-used dartboards.
TIP: Try the pomegranate kamikaze if you’re not feeling a beer.
Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, 1220 Pacific Avenue, 831.426.9930
When the kitchen closes and the lights go down, there’s nothing Irish, pub-like or restaurant-esque about Rosie’s. Rather, it’s the closest thing that Santa Cruz has to a nightclub, complete with a cover charge and a DJ. A far cry from the laid-back atmosphere at the Rush or the Poet, the only communicating you’ll be doing at the Rosie’s will have to be through body language.
TIP: If you don’t like dancing, don’t go to Rosie’s.
The Asti, 715 Pacific Avenue, 831.423.7337
The “Nasti Asti” will often live up to its well-worn nickname when the evening hours finally make it to last call. The booths are tiny and the clientel questionable, but this little bar makes for a feel-good, grungy atmosphere when it comes down to it. The black and white checked tiles can get a little dizzying if you’ve already had a few, but you can always test your coordination at the pool tables.
TIP: Make sure you’re not too plastered before you leave, or else you’ll end up next door at the Ave.
