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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