Saddle up for a ride through the winners of the readers’ poll Best Of ’24 Monterey County®
Thank You, Monterey!
Our family has proudly served this community since 1999, and we will continue to provide the best quality service for all of your current and future plumbing and heating needs! ’21 We are humbled and grateful for the honor of being named BEST PLUMBER ’22 By the readers of the Monterey County Weekly 1112 Phoenix Avenue, Seaside (831) 393-9321 ChrisWilsonPlumbing.com License Number: 772474 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Experienced, Factory Trained Technicians SURPASSING YOUR EXPECTATIONS SINCE 1999. JOIN THE BEST TEAM NOW HIRING PLUMBING & HVAC TECHNICIANS AND ASSISTANTS ’23 ’24
Best Restaurant at a Golf Course Best Huevv Rancherr The Grill at Point Pinos at the Pacific Grove Golf Links Best Server Ana Gonzales Best customers, best managers, best staa, best place to meet your bestie. Every day. 831.375.1313 grillatpointpinos.com ‘24 ‘24 ‘24 ‘23 ‘22 ‘21 ‘19 ‘18 ‘23
Highway 1 at Munras Avenue, Monterey 831.373.2705 shopdelmonte.com SHOPPING FOR THE JOY OF IT Best Shopping District/Center Best Restaurant in a Shopping Center Kona Steak & Seafood Best Mediterranean Restaurant Dametra Fresh Mediterranean Best Hangout For Teens ...for finding your favorites at Del Monte Shopping Center. THANK yoU MONTEREY montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 5
6 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 7
8 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof
island grill 622 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey • (831) 655-HULA • HulasTiki.com • P @Hulastiki ’24 P I EXCAKDESSERTROBCKYJCSHFG SPEAKEASYOPHEARTSBJNVOHWRA Q C R A I GDDESOULNAYPEACEVOFER AHEATBEOHI UVEKSULSL LGORRNG T I G I I M A G I NEAMYEMAT I O A N E I D E H M I A F I ASMGTDAUT I NRCONUMEOL A I SMFHAPPYHOURRE T E ENYDANCE SCTTASCRUNYUI MKYBSOAUEGDOA LHEHNCHAPMPAGNESAT I K I N I S C P CURRYRYSPFREEDOMSAEZASCCKL A R T T J A M A I CASPJMXEUAPMMOUT I R R O S R I AREASHULASDRTUAACMAZ L I VESRHOSTASPUMMEAHPL LOT I X ROOTPAAL T LAUGHL I ANEULLOULR C A T S I CLMONTEREYLTTASTPNGSD DEEPSLOERUTKUANEOGLOHLLTPC OPADOMOLOKA I MTNUUUHAWA I I E H D D O G C H K I KECLPHEKT I Y P T T L H S A I J L LOVESACOEUATEOT JOYE I N H A SOCULAZSALSANNTASTYHYSKI I R COUTOLKAUAI LKKEEFAOAWHOI A T OKTEUWABSAI ERUALTRJNSAI H L R V I TNDAMSSERVERSALOHAHRHAAE E T S F I Y A I AREMONKNEYOUAREUUU RTARASLOVECAREOAHUWI N E R P F X FREEBEACHBEAHEAI N Y R I D L E S F M LOVEMCOMME I NNWWBOWAROWHYHE THANK YOU FOR VOTING HULA’S MONTEREY BEST HAPPY HOUR, BEST SPECIALTY COCKTAILS, & BEST GLUTEN FREE 1. Tasty 2. Craig 3. Register To Vote 4. Imagine 5. Happy Hour 6. Jamaica 7. Monterey 8. Molokai 9. Loves 10. Kauai 11. Servers 12. Love 13. Oahu 14. Peace 15. Tiki 16. Hawaii 17. Hulas 18. Tiffany 19. Melissa 20. Alice 21. Niihau 22. Lanai 23. Gluten Free 24. Plant Based 25. Best Restaurant 26. Vegan 27. Cocktails 28. Small Plates 29. Lynnette 30. Dog 31. Puppies 32. Dogs 33. Maui 34. Aloha 35. Mahalo 36. Ohana 37. Dance 38. Smile 39. Speakeasy 40. Soul 41. Magic 42. Tacos 43. Salsa 44. Pupus 45. Lilikoi 46. Chimichurri 47. Beach 48. Rum 49. Freedom 50. Curry 51. Dessert 52. Heart 53. Laugh FIND 50 OF THE 53 AND WIN A LARGE BASKET OF FRIES* ONE PRIZE PER TABLE. THIS GAME AND PRIZES WILL VANISH AT MIDNIGHT ON DECEMBER 31, 2024. HAVE FUN. PLAY NICE. montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 9
Winner of the categories: Best School and Best College Team - Women’s Soccer in the 2024 Best of Monterey County readers’ poll 10 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof
CLAM CHOWDER AVAILABLE AT: Old Fisherman’s Grotto Grotto Fish Market The Fish Hopper The Fish Hopper - Kona, HI OLD FISHERMAN’S GROTTO 39 Fisherman’s Wharf (831) 375-4604 OldFishermansGrotto.com 700 Cannery Row (831) 372-8543 FishHopper.com 75-5683 Alii Dr | Kona, HI (808) 326-2002 FishHopperKona.com 42 Fisherman’s Wharf (831) 372-3769 GrottoFishMarket.com montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 11
12 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof ’24 Best Of 14 Around Town 28 Arts & Entertainment 42 Agriculture 48 Shopping & Services 80 Restaurants 100 Specialty Foods 114 Editors’ Picks Monterey County®
Copyright © 2024 by Milestone Communications Inc. 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, California 93955 (telephone 831-394-5656). All rights reserved. Monterey County Weekly, the Best of Monterey County and the Best of Monterey Bay are registered trademarks. No person, without prior permission from the publisher, may take more than one copy of each issue. Additional copies and back issues may be purchased for $1, plus postage. Mailed subscriptions: $300 yearly, pre-paid. The Weekly is an adjudicated newspaper of Monterey County, court decree M21137. The Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Visit our website at http://www. montereycountynow.com. Audited by CVC. Founder & CEO Bradley Zeve bradley@montereycountynow.com (x103) Publisher Erik Cushman erik@montereycountynow.com (x125) Editorial editor Sara Rubin sara@montereycountynow.com (x120) associate editor Erik Chalhoub ec@montereycountynow.com (x135) features editor Dave Faries dfaries@montereycountynow.com (x110) Staff Writer Celia Jiménez celia@montereycountynow.com (x145) Staff Writer Pam Marino pam@montereycountynow.com (x106) Staff Writer Agata Pope¸da (x138) aga@montereycountynow.com staff writer Katie Rodriguez (California Local News Fellow) katie@montereycountynow.com (x102) Staff Writer David Schmalz david@montereycountynow.com (x104) Staff photographer Daniel Dreifuss daniel@montereycountynow.com (x140) Digital PRODUCER Sloan Campi sloan@montereycountynow.com (x105) Production Art Director/Production Manager Karen Loutzenheiser karen@montereycountynow.com (x108) Graphic Designer Kevin Jewell kevinj@montereycountynow.com (x114) Graphic Designer Alexis Estrada alexis@montereycountynow.com (x114) Graphic Designer Lani Headley lani@montereycountynow.com (x114) SALES senior Sales Executive Diane Glim diane@montereycountynow.com (x124) Senior Sales Executive George Kassal george@montereycountynow.com (x122) Senior Sales Executive Keith Bruecker keith@montereycountynow.com (x118) Classifieds business development director Keely Richter keely@montereycountynow.com (x123) Digital Director of Digital Media Kevin Smith kevin@montereycountynow.com (x119) Distribution Distribution AT Arts Co. atartsco@gmail.com Distribution Control Harry Neal Business/Front Office Office Manager Linda Maceira linda@montereycountynow.com (x101) Bookkeeping Rochelle Trawick 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955 831-394-5656, (FAX) 831-394-2909 www.montereycountynow.com montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 13 The Old West was mythologized, even as it was happening. Such is the era’s hold on the American imagination, and the reason we selected it as the theme for the 2024 Best of Monterey County readers’ poll. By 1872, when the ballad was published, a yearning for the days of the truly Wild West had developed among settlers. Speaking to us through the lyrics of “The Days of ’49,” an old miner laments, “How oft-time I repine / For the days of old, when we dug up the gold.” Just over a decade later, after bearing the relentless transformation of the region for too long, members of the Paiute Nation began the Ghost Dance, a movement which spread among the Native peoples of the West. It was thought the spiritual performance would finally stop white expansion and bring about a return to the old ways. What we know collectively as the Old West or the Wild West was a brief span. While its beginnings could be traced back to the epic expedition of Lewis and Clark at the beginning of the 1800s, in popular memory it starts with the Gold Rush of 1849 and ends in fenced-off lands and reservations before the turn of the last century. In fact, as the Ghost Dance movement was in full force, historian Frederick Jackson Turner declared the frontier closed. So it was barely a 50-year swing during which, on telegraph lines and the pages of dime novels, the exploits of lawmen, gunslingers, Indigenous warriors, mountain men, Pony Express riders and others transfixed the American imagination. These tales were later cemented by the Western genre of film and television. Much has been twisted into legend. Clint Eastwood addressed this in Unforgiven, during an exchange between Little Bill Daggett and the dime novelist W.W. Beauchamp about the latter’s glorified version of a moment of violence. Daggett tells the writer, “I was in the Blue Bottle Saloon in Wichita on the night that English Bob killed Corky Corcoran, and I didn’t see you there, nor no woman. No two-gun shooters. None of this.” Monterey County is part of the Old West, which we chose as this year’s theme—not for the gunslinging, real or mythologized, but for the diversity of the subject. There are the great Indigenous nations, pioneers on the Oregon Trail, French artists, Mexican vaqueros, Laura Ingalls Wilder, who documented life for young readers and so much more. Inside these pages, you will learn what our readers believe to be the county’s best, as well as a few thoughts of ours. We hope it serves as a fun, imaginative and informative guide. -Dave Faries Marielle Argueza Sloan Campi Erik Chalhoub Erik Cushman Dave Faries Caitlin Fillmore Paul Fried Celia Jiménez Linda Maceira Pam Marino Agata Pope¸da Keely Richter Katie Rodriguez Sara Rubin David Schmalz Gabriel Skvor Grace Stetson Jacqueline Weixel Project Editor Dave Faries Copy Editing Laurie Gibson Illustration Alexis Estrada Lani Headley Photography Daniel Dreifuss Cover Design Alexis Estrada Best Of 2024 Contributors
XX BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof Around TownAround town best of monterey county® Going to town was a big deal for homesteaders. Town meant people and events. The newspaper was published in town. It’s where the church gathered and the stagecoach dropped travelers at the hotel. There was always something going on around town. Illustration by Alexis Estrada
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 15 Around Town Best Volunteer Organization Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula 700 Jewell Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 375-4454, mowmp.org Imagine the Pony Express, adapted to modern times and a much more urgent need. We hope you’re imagining volunteers picking up lovingly cooked meals, loading them into their cars (sorry, no horses), then driving them around town to deliver them to hundreds of homebound seniors. These are some of the 525 dedicated volunteers who make up the team at Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula, and they do more than drop off food and check in on isolated community members. Others host plated dine-in lunches, prepare and package food, answer calls and help with logistics— they make this place go, a lot more efficiently than the Pony Express. Best Local Do-Gooder Carie Broecker Peace of Mind Dog Rescue, 615 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 718-9122, peaceofminddogrescue. org Carie Broecker was taking care of a spaniel mix for a woman who was dying of emphysema. One of the woman’s greatest anxieties was what would become of her dog, Savannah, who was young and healthy but shy and prone to nipping at strangers. Broecker had a realization: To ease the passing of people who loved their dogs—and to secure a happy, loving home for those dogs—she and a friend created a nonprofit, Peace of Mind Dog Rescue. “When she was telling me her fears, I said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Savannah is OK.’” What Broecker helped create (and now runs) has helped ease transitions for many humans and dogs. Broecker ended up adopting Savannah, who lived to 16. (Now she’s the human companion to a Chihuahua mix named Sneakers and Abbey, a pitbull mix.) If the canine love was not enough, Broecker also helped create a new group called Caste Action Alliance in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, helping raise awareness about how to be an ally in the struggle for racial justice. “We wanted to do something,” Broecker says. And that’s what makes a do-gooder—not just the idea, but the action. Best Local Nonprofit Best Local Website Best Place To Take Visitors Monterey Bay Aquarium 886 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 648-4800, montereybayaquarium.org When Monterey Bay Aquarium rose from the ruins of a former cannery in the early ’80s, few may have expected it would become one of the most renowned aquariums in the world, attracting visitors from both across the globe or just across town—locals love it too, especially if they’ve got visitors in town. But it’s more than just an aquarium, it’s a lead player in promoting the health of marine ecosystems, whether through its groundbreaking Seafood Watch program or, more recently, advocating for a Global Plastic Treaty to battle plastic pollution in the sea. And for educators or learners, the website is a gem. Not only is it packed with information about the Aquarium’s residents, it also offers online classes and a printable collection of crafts that kids can enjoy at home, wherever that may be. Best Radio Station 101.7 The Beach Probably not too many people were dancing to ragtime, classical, folk and the blues back in the day. But the artists of these genres helped pave the way for the tunes we now hear and bop to on 101.7 The Beach. The station’s DJs know how to get you moving with beats from today’s top artists and those who’ve been rocking the airwaves for a little longer, such as Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Ludacris, Pitbull and Taylor Swift. If you need a little (or a lot) of pop in your life, set your dial to 101.7 FM. Best Radio DJ Kenny Allen 104.3 The Hippo To say Kenny Allen has been spinning tunes on the Central Coast since the days of the Old West isn’t true, but it sure seems like it. There’s a way to find out, though. Ask him if he considers Jenny Lind equal to Lillie Langtry as a singer and see what he says. Anyway, he’s certainly been DJing since the songs he now plays as classic rock (think Green Day, Nirvana) on The Hippo were new. Allen’s immediately recognizable voice offers a convesration to many commuters on their way home from work (that’s by car, not horseback). You might also recognize his voice from countless commercials. That familiarity and his winning DJ choices makes him the best. Best Radio DJ | Kenny Allen
16 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof Best School CSU Monterey Bay 100 Campus Center, Seaside (831) 582-3000, csumb.edu “I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.” Calvin Candie said that in Django Unchained. It’s unlikey he earned a degree in business at CSUMB, otherwise Candie would know that any business relies on more than one individual. The university is about cultivating ideas, skills training and the future. Students learn about practical fields like barbed wire and horseshoes—just kidding; it’s robotics and agribusiness. “We’re really working very hard to ensure that we produce a workforce that is needed,” CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones says. “We’re providing infrastructure to support the businesses that are needed around us.” Best K-12 Teacher Natalie Kroft Monterey Bay Charter School 1004 David Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 655-4638, mbayschool.org Coming up with a curriculum for students ages kindergarten through high school in a one-room school house was not easy, and Mrs. Kroft...wait a dang minute. Mrs? Teachers were single women of good virtue. OK, so Monterey Bay Charter School is not a one-room facility. And Natalie Kroft can focus on bringing the best book learning (and online learning, and field trip learning, for that matter) to fifth grade students—for now. The students are in Waldorf School, meaning she keeps the students for several years, until they reach high school. During class, students are part of the lecture; Croft and the students work together to make learning fun and entertaining. She also takes them on field trips so they can be in touch with nature and learn about the environment they live in. “The field trip is a working classroom environment,” Croft says, and learning opportunities are endless. Best College Team CSUMB Women’s Soccer (831) 582-3000, otterathletics.com The Mudville Nine drew solid crowds, even when their play caused no joy. The leather helmet had yet to be invented for football. The next biggest pastime was target shooting. But nowadays, it’s all about women’s soccer. “My biggest goal as a coach is to help grow strong women on and off the field,” says head coach Laura VanWart. The Otters play in NCAA II division. “I think our players do such a good job of showing the day in the life of a student-athlete.” Best Professor Richard Chapman Hartnell College, 1752 E. Alisal St., Salinas (831) 759-6088, hartnell.edu The first university established in Louisiana Purchase territory (what would become much of the Old West) was the University of Missouri. The impact of higher education on the West was slow to develop. But in Richard Chapman, an agricultural engineering instructor at Hartnell College, we see how significant it has become. Chapman spends his time preparing the new generation of ag tech leaders to fulfill the needs of the region. “The needs of our valley are booming when it comes to ag tech,” he says. “This program is a great investment in our community for our students to learn new skills.” Students can expect to learn about ag mechatronics, setting the stage for leaders in this fast-developing industry. Best Place to Work Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula 23625 Highway 68, Monterey (831) 624-5311, montagehealth.org There were no hospitals in the Old West, at least not out in the wide-open spaces away from cities. If you were lucky there’d be a Dr. Quinn, working on her own. Thankfully, medicine has evolved. Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula is a modern hospital bustling with trained and certified professionals who care about patients. Year after year they help elevate CHOMP as the best place to work in the Weekly’s readers’ poll, and this year is no different. Why? It’s a supportive team, for one. But there are also the little things, like a cantina (cafe, in their parlance) serving up good chow—and the best milkshake in town, too; see Specialty Food. Best Local Politician U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta 1200 Aguajito Road, Suite 3, Monterey (831) 424-2229, panetta.house.gov When U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, was elected to represent Monterey County and beyond on Capitol Hill in 2016, he quickly came to feel that being a congressman was a job he was meant to do. A natural people person, Panetta set about making friends on both sides of the aisle, embracing the bipartisanship ethos that existed in Congress when his father, Leon, was a member, before the discourse got poisoned by conspiracy theories, culture war nonsense and ad hominem attacks. Panetta rejects that style of politics—he leads with a smile, a handshake and by listening to the people he represents. Best Local Blog montereycountynow.com 668 Williams Ave., Seaside (831) 394-5656, montereycountynow.com We did not stuff the ballot box. This was a good old fashioned town hall vote. We’ll just say that trading in and Best Place to Bike / Mountain Bike | Fort Ord National Monument
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 17 Preserving and Protecting Parks and Open Space since 1972 Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District LET’S GO OUTDOORS! Your adventure activities guide for all ages FALL 2024/WINTER 2025 mprpd.org Watch your mailbox! ’24 Thank You For Voting Garland Ranch... BEST Hiking Trail Preserving and Protecting Parks and Open Space since 1972 www.mprpd.org Thank you MC Weekly Readers for voting Carmel Art Association Visit our website for more information carmelart.org Best Art Gallery
Around Town delivering information to the masses has evolved greatly since the days of The Pony Express and the telegraph. Today we send our daily blog digitally on invisible waves so that Monterey County residents and visitors are informed (although you can still pick up a print copy of the Monterey County Weekly every Thursday). You get Monterey County news from us when you want it: Now. BEST CLERGY Fr. Peter Crevello St. Angela Merici Catholic Church, 146 8th St., Pacific Grove (831) 655-4160, stangelamericipacificgrove.org America’s Last Hometown may sound like a desolate place on the western frontier, the sort of outpost where you might find Tuco from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly asking, “Why, if you work for a living, do you kill yourself working?” But Pacific Grove, the town boasting this hometown motto, aims for something more quaint and welcoming than its spaghetti Westernlike moniker. In fact, “welcoming” is the word used over and over to describe St. Angela’s parish in P.G.— and Father Peter Crevello. When you’re looking for a place to rest your steed and answer life’s big questions, consider this year’s Best Clergy. BEST BUSINESS SIGN Other Brother Beer Co. 877 Broadway Ave., Seaside (831) 747-1106, otherbrotherbeer.com Other Brother’s sign isn’t something fabricated in a shop, nor is it stuck on the facade or attached to a pole. It’s as bare bones as it gets—just the brewery’s name painted in white at the top of the building’s gray exterior, each letter accompanied by a small shadow of black paint around its edges. It’s like a step back in time, when a woodframe shop would pronounce “Dry Goods” or “Saloon” on the facade. Today we call that “simple elegance,” an artistic expression of Seaside’s vibe, where there are scores of nearby car dealerships and auto mechanic shops. BEST NEON SIGN Old Fisherman’s Grotto 39 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey (831) 375-4604, oldfishermansgrotto.com By the time the Palace Hotel in Eureka Springs advertised steam heat and one of those newfangled electric light bulbs in every room, the frontier of legend had come to its close. So why bring up an Arkansas bordello built in 1901? Well, in the 1940s, the first neon light west of the Mississippi was installed there. But it was nothing compared to the bright, promising colors of the sign at Old Fisherman’s Grotto. The sign beckons to you. And inside awaits some of the finest seafood on the Peninsula. BEST HOTEL Bernardus Lodge & Spa 415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 298-5389, bernarduslodge.com Why were young men going west so eager to get the hell out of Dodge? It’s because the stagecoach dumped them off at some rickety hotel where the best they could hope for was a lumpfree mattress. But if Dodge City had a luxurious retreat like Bernardus Lodge & Spa back then, no one would have left. Suites and private villas, soaking tubs, heated floors, vineyards and gardens, croquet (Billy the Kid was a fan of the game), one of the finest restaurants and bars—there’s no real reason to leave, until you run out of vacation days. BEST EVENT OR FESTIVAL Monterey Jazz Festival One weekend in September at Monterey County Fair and Event Center, Monterey (831) 373-3366, montereyjazzfestival.org Just like Gunsmoke’s 20-year run from 1955-1975 made it television’s longest-running Western, ever since jazz impresario and DJ Jimmy Lyons planted the seed for this gig in 1955— when he booked piano legend Erroll Garner into his Jazz at Sunset series in Carmel—this festival has become the granddaddy of all jazz fests, running continuously since 1958 until now. It’s multiple stages are full of celebrated old-timers and emerging genre-benders. No wonder our readers find it the best. BEST PLACE TO DRINK NEXT TO A CELEBRITY Mission Ranch 26270 Dolores St., Carmel (831) 624-6436, missionranchcarmel.com It doesn’t hurt that one of the biggest stars of Westerns, Clint Eastwood, 18 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof The SPCA Benefit Shop helps animals rescued by your local, independent SPCA Monterey County. ’24 Thank You For Voting the SPCA BENEFIT SHOP BEST ECO FRIENDLY BUSINESS SPCA Benefit Shop 26364 Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel (near the Barnyard Shopping Village) Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun Noon-4pm (831) 624.4211 Donate and shop at the SPCA Benefit shop and help the pets and wildlife who depend on your love. Everything we do is only made possible by you! Thanks forvoTing farm bureau besT ag business associaTion keeping farmers growing since 1917 San Carlos at Ninth Avenue Sunset Center, Carmel-by-the-Sea 831-625-5181 | www.photography.org Wednesday - Sunday 12-4pm Stop by and enjoy a variety of exhibitions throughout the year. Visit our website to learn about CPA’s many online offerings.
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 19 Thank you for voting us Best Hotel! ’24 ’23 Relax. Retreat. Reconnect. 415 West Carmel Valley Road • Carmel Valley (831) 658-3400 • bernarduslodge.com
Around Town bought this ranch in 1986. Slated at the time to become a condo development, he brought back its old-time charm, with a deck overlooking grazing sheep at the mouth of the Carmel River. Maybe it’s that scenery that draws very important people, maybe it’s the rollicking piano bar or maybe it’s the small chance you’ll run into Eastwood himself, or another face you recognize from the big screen. BEST PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN Old Monterey Farmers Market Tuesday afternoons on Alvarado Street between Del Monte and Pearl, Monterey (831) 655-2607, oldmonterey.org Nothing brings out the townsfolk like the Old Monterey Farmers Market, making it the best weekly occasion to see and be seen. You can stop by to parlé with vendors, or better yet, shop at the many amazing stalls. You can take a slow stroll right down the middle of the street (closed to traffic), or hitch up at one of the town’s beloved eateries or saloons with a sidewalk station to enjoy a drink or a bite and take it all in from the outskirts. BEST PLACE TO READ THE WEEKLY At Home Every town that grew along the Transcontinental Railroad or the gritty mining camps had a newspaper. The Western Nebraska Observer was one. The Virginia City Territorial Enterprise was another. In fact, Mark Twain got his start at the latter. The humorist’s first fictional hit, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” came from a tale he heard at a California hotel. While a lot of good information hummed along the telegraph lines, there were tall tales to sort out, too. Sorting fact from fiction and to weave tales with all the nuance the news deserves would be, we’d argue, the role of the Weekly. And for years, readers have decided the best place to keep up with the news in all its forms—digital, print, and special magazines—is the very place we like to hang our boots: home sweet home (on the range or not). BEST PLACE TO GET MARRIED Lovers Point 17th Street and Ocean View Boulevard, Pacific Grove (831) 648-3134, cityofpacificgrove.org Once the courtin’ is over, couples gather with family and friends at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove for the ceremony, all decked out in their best bonnets and topcoats. The ocean, rocks, seagulls and overfed squirrels are the best witnesses if you are looking for a simple, local, spiritual and inexpensive ceremony. And the daguerreotypes taken afterward will be lovely with that world-class backdrop. BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY Tipsy Putt 95 Prescott Ave., Monterey (831) 297--9048, tipsyputt.com A saloon like Tipsy Putt with all the available tables would have drawn people for rapid-fire games of faro. But for a modern crowd, especially a party, table golf is much more of a crowd-pleaser. No wonder Tipsy Putt had been voted the best place in town for a birthday party. Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or a large celebration, you can enjoy rounds of mini golf, a game of shuffleboard and a beer for some good old-fashioned fun. BEST PLACE TO EAVESDROP Vesuvio 6th and Junipero, Carmel (831) 625-1766, chefpepe.com Situated across the street from Devendorf Park in Carmel, Vesuvio— and especially its rooftop bar—is the best place to overhear the news of the 20 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof hartnell.edu Thank you for voting us Richard Chapman Best Local Ag Educator Best Professor: • •
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 21 Thank you to the readers of the Monterey County Weekly! ’24 I am honored to again be voted the Best Local Politician by the readers of the Weekly. I also am very humbled to be chosen by people who are so thoughtful, caring, and committed to Monterey County. I thank you and the Weekly, and, as your United States Representative, look forward to living up to this title and your expectations by continuing my service to you and this place that we call home. With deep appreciation, thank you FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT WE ARE HUMBLED AND BEYOND GRATEFUL TO BE NAMED BEST OF MONTEREY: BOUTIQUE FITNESS STUDIO 2024 NEW TO OUR STUDIO, OR WANTING TO COME CHECK US OUT AGAIN? TEXT US AT 650.899.8013 AND MENTION THIS AD TO: SAVE $10 ON A DROP-IN CREDIT -ORSAVE $10 ON YOUR FIRST MONTH WITH A NEW RIDER MEMBERSHIP FUEL CYCLING EST. AUGUST 2021 BEST OF MONTEREY: BOUTIQUE FITNESS STUDIO 2022 & 2024 831.884.2377 | 2700 Garden Road, Monterey, CA 93940 | frontdeskfuelcycling@gmail.com wwww.fuelcyclingmonterey.com | Follow us on Instagram: @fuel_cycling OFFER EXPIRES 12.31.2024 BEST PARK pointlobos.org Thank you to Point Lobos staff, docent volunteers and PLF supporters for your dedication to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Honored to be voted by readers as Best Park 8 years in a row! Photo by Chuck Bancroft ’24 Hooray! Your enthusiasm and love for our store mean the world to us! Over 8 million given back to the community in grants and scholarships. To donate call (831) 626-8480 or visit YellowBrickRoadBenefitShop.org to learn more. ’24 Thanks to your votes, we’ve been voted the Best Vintage Clothing store in Monterey County again!
22 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof Around Town day, gossip and the general frivolity of folks convened over a cocktail. Who can blame someone for loose lips when the drinks are as divine as they are at this bar? It beats climbing the telegraph pole to tap into the dots and dashes. Just be careful if you see someone reading a newspaper upside down. It’s likely they’re listening in. Best Public Golf Course Pacific Grove Golf Links 77 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 648-5775, playpacificgrove.com In 1932, Tim McCoy and a young John Wayne roamed the Pecos in Texas Cyclone. That same year, Pacific Grove Golf Links opened for play, its 18 holes laid out among cypress trees and sand dunes, with dramatic views of Monterey Bay. The setting is one of the reasons the course became known as the poor golfers’ Pebble Beach. The other is rounds that can be had for $75, which makes it one of the more affordable courses. And there is a solid bar and restaurant for a little 19th hole recouperation. Best Surf Spot Asilomar State Beach Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove (831) 646-6440, parks.ca.gov Ask any of the neoprene-clad surfers around, Asilomar has something for everyone along a mile-long stretch of big swells. Just beware when the winter rolls around and the waves climb higher than the trees. OK, maybe that’s just a tall tale, but the waves can get overhead or even double-overhead there. But with pristine sandy beaches stretching out, even the littlest thrill-seekers can join in the oceanic adrenline rush. Best Park Point Lobos State Natural Reserve Highway 1, four miles south of Carmel (831) 624-4909, parks.ca.gov/pointlobos Outlaws on the run would do well to make their way to Point Lobos with its winding trails, varying microclimates and secret beaches and coves in which to hide out. Whether it’s pine forests, coastal live oaks, rocky islands, or the majesty of the underwater life of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, there are plenty of places to tuck away and explore at Point Lobos. This is one of the most popular parks in the California State Parks system, so beware where you park that horse. Best Place to Watch the Sunset Best Beach Carmel Beach Along Scenic Road, Carmel (831) 620-2000, ci.carmel.ca.us/ beach-parks Every good Western features a quiet moment when cowboys watch the sun dip below the horizon and the day turn to dusk. What most Westerns are lacking is a similar view set over the Pacific Ocean. Carmel Beach has the distinct advantage of facing due west for an excellent perspective on the sky at dusk. Whether you’re here just to admire the scenery at magic hour or get in the water for a sunset surf session or let your friendly dog run free on the white sand or to imagine yourself as the director of a classic Western film set against this fabulously expansive view, this is the best place in Monterey County to do it. Bring a blanket or sweater, and enjoy. Best Place to Bike / Mountain Bike Fort Ord National Monument Various entrances in Seaside, Salinas and Marina (831) 582-2200, blm.gov The rolling hills, sandstone ridges, free-roaming wildlife, seasonal ponds and native vegetation at Fort Ord National Monument probably looked very similar during the days of the Old West. Take a horse through some of the 86 miles of trails to complete your trip back in time. Remember to bring dimes for the tollbooth on the Gov. William J. LePetomane Thruway on the way to Rock Ridge if, that is, you are bringing a villanous gang to sack the town. If not, know that mountain bikers from all over visit this recreational gem to bomb through twisty single-track trails (many of which have banked corners to maximize speed) or to take in the sights of nature reclaiming this former Army base. There’s trails for all levels of experience. Or take your road bike on pavement, minus the car traffic. Best Hiking Trail Garland Ranch Regional Park 700 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 659-6065, mprpd.org/ garland-ranch-regional-park A perennial winner in this category, Garland has something for everyone: a lush riparian corridor, tree-lined meadows, steep climbs through oak woodlands, redwood canyons, a seasonal waterfall and at its top, Snively’s Ridge. Here hikers can see the expanse of Carmel Valley, and when turning Best Event or Festival | Monterey Jazz Festival
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 23 Reservations up to 60 days IN ADVANCE. ’12 ’11 ’13 ’14 RECOGNIZED BY GOLF DIGEST AS ONE OF THE “BEST DEALS IN GOLF” 77 ASILOMAR BLVD, PACIFIC GROVE • 831.648.5775 • www.playpacificgrove.com • Best Public Golf Course ’16 ’15 ’18 ’17 ’23 ’24 ’20 ’19 ’22 sauna | thermal pools | massage | steam rooms | skincare thank you for voting us best spa in monterey county 2024 warm up this fall at refuge | book now at refuge.com
Around Town around, the Santa Lucia Mountains, looking the same as they did back when notorious outlaw Tiburicio Vasquez sometimes hid out in them in the mid-1800s. Acquired by Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District in 1975, Garland was the district’s first park—the “granddaddy” of them all— and nearly 50 years later, it remains the most popular. BEST LIBRARY Monterey Public Library 625 Pacific St., Monterey (831) 646-3933, monterey.gov/library Libraries weren’t big in the Old West, but Monterey was an exception. Founded by the Monterey Library Association in 1849, Monterey Public Library was the first public library in California, and its purpose, according to an association document from 1853, was to “afford amusement, entertainment, and profit to a large class of people who, without its aid, would waste their time in the frivolities and questionable pastimes so prevalent in our state.” One can read between the lines as to what those “questionable pastimes” were, but suffice to say they probably didn’t include reading. Now, 175 years later, the library remains a vital part of the city’s and region’s fabric: It’s a place to check out books, sure, but it’s also a popular spot for students to do homework after school, or for anyone to use the internet. And for those who want to really learn about the Old West, the library’s California History Room is a gold mine of archival materials. BEST HANGOUT FOR TEENS Del Monte Shopping Center 1410 Del Monte Center, Monterey (831) 373-2705, delmontecenter.com Kids these days have it nice. Space to roam, entertainment, good food, a 13-screen movie theater to watch features like Cowboys vs Aliens—there’s even ice cream. Del Monte Center is like a shopping playground for teenagers, with the latest fashion and electronics on offer. A teenager in Tombstone or Deadwood was lucky if ma could stitch a petticoat. Actually, a teen in the Old West was probably tending a hoe or out on a cattle drive. Life is certainly easier today and more fun, with amenities like these. BEST HANGOUT FOR SENIORS Carmel Foundation Corner of 8th and Lincoln, Carmel (831) 624-1588, carmelfoundation.org You may have read the studies about isolation and loneliness among seniors. How to combat that? Try creating a community some 2,500 members strong that brings people age 55 and older together for a range of activities—meals, classes, film screenings, a lending library, a technology center, support groups and more. The Carmel Foundation delivers all of this, with a range of services based on mobility and need. Can’t make it to the dine-in meals? Homebound members can sign up for meal delivery. This is a place to learn and grow and keep expanding, but it’s also a place simply to gather and connect. Perhaps more than any specific offering, it’s that basic premise that makes The Carmel Foundation the best—at least nowadays. The average lifespan of pioneers crossing the plains was between 40 and 50, no no Carmel Foundation privileges for them. BEST SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY Carmel Valley Manor 8545 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel (831) 624-1281, cvmanor.com It’s important to find a home on the range to celebrate the latter years of one’s life. Luckily for seniors seeking that location in Monterey County, there’s the retirement community Carmel Valley Manor. In business for more than six decades, the Manor oversees 28 acres of land in Carmel Valley, offering their residents a wide swath of amenities and community activities. Although deer and antelope may not routinely play here, seldom is heard a discouraging word. Weekly voters are not alone in their endorsement—the community was named “Best Independent Living” by U.S. News and World Report earlier this year. 24 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST Drink with a View 400 Cannery Row Monterey schoonersmonterey.com WINNER Monterey County Weekly Thank you to the voters of Monterey County Weekly for making Schooners Monterey a three-time winner www.pomdr.org Carie Broecker - for - Best Local Do-Gooder! Thank You for Voting
If you’re 65+, you can enjoy exceptional healthcare, attentive service and outstanding cuisine, as well as a fitness center and acres of lush gardens with a pool and putting green. To tour our campus, call Angie at 1-800-544-5546 or visit cvmanor.com If not now, when? VOTED MONTEREY’S BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY* License #270700110. COA #082. *Monterey Herald Reader’s Choice, 2021, 2022, 2023. montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 25
WITH OVER 50 SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, SERVICES AND WINE TASTING CONGRATULATIONS Winners! HWY 1 @ RIO RD, CARMEL, CA 93923 831.625.4106 THECROSSROADSCARMEL.COM TO OUR BLINK OPTOMETRY Best Eye Doctor MYO Best Ice Cream / Frozen Yogurt SEA HARVEST FISH MARKET + RESTAURANT Best Seafood Market SUDS + SCISSORS Best Dog Groomer 26 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof
THANK YOU THANK YOU BEST HEALTH CLUB 11 YEARS IN A ROW! Monterey County Readers for voting the Monterey Sports Center STOP BY FOR A TOUR! NEW WEIGHT ROOM GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES CYCLING CLASSES PERSONAL TRAINING CARDIO EQUIPMENT AUDIOFETCH WIFI AUDIO STREAMING FUNCTIONAL TRAINING INDOOR GYMNASIUM BASKETBALL VOLLEYBALL BANDMINTON PING PONG FUTSAL INDOOR POOLS LAP SWIMMING RECREATIONAL SWIMMING WATERSLIDE LOCKER ROOMS/SHOWERS SAUNAS SUNDECK AMMENITIES & SERVICES: montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 27 AMENITIES & SERVICES: • NEW WEIGHT ROOM • GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES • CYCLING CLASSES • PERSONAL TRAINING • CARDIO EQUIPMENT • AUDIOFETCH WIFI AUDIO STREAMING • FUNCTIONAL TRAINING • INDOOR GYMNASIUM • BASKETBALL • VOLLEYBALL • BADMINTON • PING PONG • FUTSAL • INDOOR POOLS • LAP SWIMMING • RECREATIONAL SWIMMING • WATERSLIDE • LOCKER ROOMS/SHOWERS • SAUNAS • SUNDECK
XX BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof Arts & Entertainment best of monterey county® Even on the frontier, people craved entertainment. From the corridos performed in border towns to pastimes like poker or faro to the raucous dance halls, there were plenty of distractions. As one version of the song “Root Hog or Die,’’ put it, ’’ÆOh, times on Bitter Creek they never can be beat.’’ Illustration by Lani Headley
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 29 Arts & Entertainment Best Late-Night Hangout Best Bartender Pearl Hour Katie Blandin 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey pearlhour.com Since Pearl Hour opened in 2019, it has been Monterey County’s cocktail destination. And for those looking to keep the party going after other saloons shut down, the place stays open until 1am on weekends. Yet there are no gunfights, no crooked card games or tinny pianos—just great drinks, smooth jazz and cool shows for entertainment. And behind the bar is owner Katie Blandin. Where saloon keepers of the Wild West would doctor whiskey, the point was to stretch their stock. Blandin crafts cocktails with bergamot, black sage, sunflower seed butter washes and other ingredients with the purpose of layering flavors. The results cannot be experienced elsewhere. Best Bar For Baby Boomers Mission Ranch 26270 Dolores St., Carmel (831) 624-6436, missionranchcarmel.com Any good Old Western watering hole needs a piano, and the bar at Mission Ranch, well, sets the bar locally. It’s a place to sing along to your favorite classics, and more importantly to gather and see familiar faces (and maybe some celebrity faces; see “Around Town” section). There is nothing pretentious about this place—it’s a classic piano bar as old-school as they come. Even when the pianoman isn’t playing, it’s an inviting and laid-back atmosphere for all ages, perhaps a little more mellow now than the reputation this historic venue had back in the 1930s-’40s as a rowdy bar scene. Best Bar For Gen X Best Bar For Millennials Alvarado Street Brewery 426 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 655-2337 Carmel Plaza, Suite. 112, Ocean and Mission, Carmel (831) 293-8621 301 Main St., Salinas (831) 356-0219, asb.beer Clearly, the appeal of Alvarado Street Brewery spans generations, and for good reason. For one, its beer is superb, with its flagship Mai Tai PA garnering three gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival, most recently in 2023. The cocktails are likewise top-notch, and the food is excellent and affordable, whether it’s a burger, pizza or whatever else grabs your fancy. Add to that, the interior at every location is sleek and lovely, and when you add it all up, Alvarado has everything one could want for a great drink and bite. Juan Bautista Alvarado, the governor of Alta California from 1837 to 1842 and who Alvarado Street is named after, would be honored by both the original location and its more recent additions. Best Bar For Gen Z Best Singles Bar Barmel San Carlos between Ocean and 7th, Carmel (831) 626-3400, barmel.com Generations growing up in the Old West didn’t have names—or letters, for that matter. But they did have saloons, bands to hoot and holler to, as well as square dancing. And you better believe young men could come a courting. So really, Barmel is a saloon for the modern age, with local bands, classy cocktails (or a stiff whiskey, if you so choose) and young people who call each other “partner.” They probably don’t say “howdy,” though, unless it’s a TikTok thing. It’s a place to be chill or active, to see and be seen. That’s what makes Barmel the best. Best Drink With A View Schooners 400 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 372-2628, schoonersmonterey.com It’s unlikely folks in Wild West times had a watering hole like Schooners. The bar has long featured a curated drink menu of local (to California) beers and mostly local wines. Think Coronado Salty Brew, Alvarado Street’s Mai Tai or Bernardus Pinot Noir. A pint or a glass is best enjoyed seated near one of Schooners’ giant windows or from the outdoor patio overlooking the panoramic views of the Monterey Bay. The raw bar and seafood tower offerings are just a bonus while taking in the scenery. Best Neighborhood Bar Other Brother Beer Co. 877 Broadway Ave., Seaside (831) 747-1106, otherbrotherbeer.com Other Brother has become the go-to hang in Seaside. A bustling anchor in downtown, Other Brother has a welcoming, industrial-chic vibe, and attracts both blue-collar types and PhD’s alike. The extensive beer selection is a main attraction, but Other Brother slings tasty food too. And like any good watering hole in the Old West, games can take center stage, and it’s not just the weekly trivia or bingo nights—there are a couple of pinball machines, an extensive board game collection and even a deck of cards for dealing faro. Best Martini | C Restaurant + Bar
30 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof Best Place For Day-Drinking Dust Bowl Brewing Co. 290 Figueroa St., Monterey (831) 641-7002, dustbowlbrewing.com The very name Dust Bowl is evocative of history, and what’s more, the brewing company’s Monterey taproom is located in a former train depot, a reminder of when people traveled around the West via two principal ways—on a train or by horse—and when day-drinking wasn’t frowned upon. Located along the Rec Trail by Monterey’s waterfront, the taproom’s patio basks in sunshine when the fog burns off, and is a prime spot for people-watching, whether it’s tourists strolling the waterfront or locals zipping by on two wheels. Best Dive Bar Alfredo’s Cantina 266 Pearl St., Monterey (831) 238-3082 When one thinks about what makes a good dive bar, there are several metrics to consider. Can you tell what time it is by looking around? The answer should be no. Has the bartender ever been confused for a “mixologist”? Again, no. Is the elbow room tight? Do members of the service industry patronize the bar? These should be yeses. All of these criteria and more are met at Alfredo’s in downtown Monterey. While this dive opened in 1973, one might imagine a heap of prospectors and miners lining the bar in 1849. Bring cash, because they don’t mess around with plastic (or gold dust, for that matter). Best Bar For Darts Bulldog Sports Pub 611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 658-0686, bulldogsportspub.com Back when vaqueros roamed the dirt streets of Monterey and walked into saloons, they could expect little variety in entertainment. Darts? In the Wild West the thought of patrons throwing sharp projectiles made barkeeps nervous. That’s what makes Bulldog Sports Pub special: They trust their guests to hold sharp throwing projectiles whilst sipping adult beverages from an extensive beer and cocktail menu. They also offer traditional pub fare when it’s time to rest between games of Cricket, 301 or ’Round the World. Best Happy Hour Best Specialty Cocktails Hula’s Island Grill 622 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 655-4852, hulastiki.com Sure, the gruffest of cowboys can find a stiff drink at this island-themed bar. But why have straight bourbon if you can have a Mai Tai? It’s not just the fun cocktails (extra points if it’s served in an eccentric tiki glass) that puts this locals’ favorite over the top, but the friendly service and an array of pupu platters on discount during a famous Happy Hour—and a half. From 4-5:30pm every day (except on Tiki Tuesdays, when it applies all day), wine by the glass, tiki drinks and pupus are $8 a pop. That’s a steal even the most vigilant sheriffs can get behind. Best Pub Crown and Anchor 150 W. Franklin St., Monterey (831) 649-6496, crownandanchor.net In the Buddy Van Horn film Any Which Way You Can, there’s a scene in which Jack Wilson (played by William Smith) walks into a bar to meet Philo Beddoe (Clint Eastwood) to chat before a bar fight erupts. Now, envision that lively downstairs scene (pre-fight) featuring the horseshoe bar and the dining tables all around with people chattering, but make it British and add a nautical flare. And what do you have? Crown and Anchor, in good ol’ Old Monterey. Serving up pints, fish and chips and a sense of Old World comfort, which is a lot nicer than Old West comfort. Best Place for Karaoke | Britannia Arms
montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 31 TWO HAPPY HOURS 4PM TO 6PM & 9PM TO 10PM THANK YOU FOR VOTING BEST SPORTS BAR BEST CHICKEN WINGS SEASONAL MENU | 18 HDTV’S | PET-FRIENDLY PATIO AWARD-WINNING CRAFT BEER BREWED ON-SITE WHERE WILL YOU BE WHEN IT’S GAME TIME? LOCATED BEHIND THE PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA | COMPLIMENTARY PARKING (831) 649-2699 | PETERBSBREWPUB.COM 1-4s 4.6” x 4.94” For the 10th Year in a Row! ‘21 ‘19 ‘18 ‘17 ‘16 ‘15 ‘14 ‘13 Wharf #2 • Monterey 372-0581 LBPMonterey.com ‘20 ’22 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’18 ’17 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’24 ’22 ’23 ’21 ’20 ’19 ’18 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 FISH & CHIPS ’13 For the 12th Year in a Row! For youthful adults 55+ SE Corner of 8th & Lincoln carmelfoundation.org 831.624.1588 ’24 Thank you for voting us the “Best Hangout for Seniors” 23 years in a row!
Arts & Entertainment Best Place To Shoot Pool Easy Street Billiards 511 Tyler St., Monterey (831) 333-0825, montereybilliards.com Billiards were important in the West, as this exchange from Unforgiven between English Bob and the town barber shows: Barber: “Down the street and across. Greely’s Beer Garden and Billiard Parlour. Just ask for Alice; say you want a game of billiards.” English Bob: “Even though I don’t really wish to play?” Barber: “They burned the table in ’78 for firewood.” Don’t worry, Easy Street would never get rid of its tables. Perfectly balanced, impeccably maintained and as green as fresh-cut grass, the pool tables at Easy Street have been a downtown Monterey institution for over 20 years. They have classic seven- and ninefoot pool tables, and regularly host tournaments. An outdoor patio offers the ultimate complement for patrons to shoot the breeze between shooting pool. Best Arcade Lynn’s Arcade: A Pinball Parlor and Can Slangery 1760 Fremont Blvd., Suite D1, Seaside (831) 641-7173 Electricity may have been scarce in the Old West, but there were still plenty of games to be played. Hit up any saloon and take a seat at one of the many faro, blackjack and poker tables. If you were looking for something a little more risky, you could try your hand (literally) at five-finger fillet. If the cowgirls and boys from that era visited Lynn’s Arcade, they would be dumbstruck by the bright lights and lively sounds from the nearly 40 pinball machines that line the walls of the arcade. But if there’s one thing that would feel familiar to those who frequented the saloons, it would be Lynn’s bar with plenty of beer on offer. Best Venue For Rock Best Place for Comedy Golden State Theatre 417 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com That Monterey boasts a stage stylish enough to attract the biggest touring performers, like the great Lillie Langtry, says a lot. The Moorish-style Golden State Theatre was designed in the “movie palace” aesthetic popularized in the early 1900s. These grand, elaborate spaces were meant to bring performances to life. So parlor vocalists have fallen out of fashion, Golden State Theatre’s grand auditorium continues to welcome big names of our day, like Kathy Griffin, the L.A. punk rockers X, The Pixies and other notable acts to this historic Monterey venue—once again voted the best in the county for rock concerts and for comedy acts. Langtry, by the way, never sang at Golden State. But she did buy a ranch in California, thus becoming one of the first international stars to stake a claim in the Golden State. Best Venue For Jazz Deja Blue 500 Broadway Ave., Seaside (831) 324-0044, dejabluelive.com While Western music and jazz each have distinct sounds, they both share some common roots. Neither, initially, were sounds representing the lives of the well-to-do, but regular working people. Deja Blue pairs soul food and live performances by renowned artists like Aki Kumar and Lennie Williams. The venue will soon expand and have a space for special events, including concerts, weddings and quinceañeras. “I look at this facility as kind of like the new hub to help jumpstart Broadway and make Broadway become the new downtown for Seaside,” owner Darryl Choates says. Best Venue for Blues Blues in the Park Laguna Grande Park, 1249 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Seaside (831) 899-6700, ci.seaside.ca.us While Monterey is renowned for jazz thanks to the annual festival, neighboring Seaside has carved out a niche as a center for jazz’s older sibling, the blues. That’s in large part due to the city’s annual summertime tradition, Blues in the Park, approaching its 38th year in 2025. The free Sundayafternoon concerts feature blues musicians entertaining crowds on blankets and in lawn chairs, tapping their feet to the shuffle beat. It’s a combination concert and neighborhood party where all are invited. Best Sports Bar Peter B’s Brewpub Two Portola Plaza, Monterey (831) 649-2699, portolahotel.com Located on the Portola Hotel grounds, Peter B’s Brewpub has been brewing beer in Monterey since ’96—1996, that is. Sports fans watched the New York Yankees win the World Series that year on one of the many screens situated so that no one will miss the action. They brew all their beer on-site. And there are two happy hours (4-6pm and 9-10pm). For the record, had Peter B’s opened in 1896, fans could have waited for the telegraph reports as the Baltimore Orioles, led by Ned Hanlon, battled the Cleveland Spiders. Best Venue for Rock Best Place for Comedy | Golden State Theatre 32 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof
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