montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 29 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BEST LATE-NIGHT HANGOUT BEST BARTENDER Pearl Hour - Katie Blandin 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey pearlhour.com They say nothing good happens after 10pm. But who the hell are they, anyway? Poker is best during smoky, latenight sessions. Dungeons & Dragons can drag on into the wee hours. And cocktails at Pearl Hour in Monterey— just three examples of how “they” are wrong, with the last being the most compelling. That’s because Katie Blandin and her team craft cocktails using quality spirits and ingredients they grow or make themselves. If there’s a bitter or shrub, it’s their doing. These are striking and balanced drinks. And the cocktail menu changes with the seasons. Plus, Pearl Hour draws a late crowd. So yes, something very good happens after 10pm. BEST BAR FOR BOOMERS Sardine Factory 701 Wave St., Monterey (831) 373-3775, sardinefactory.com Where are the Baby Boomers hiding? Not unlike the game of Sardines, they’re packing themselves into The Lounge inside the Sardine Factory near Cannery Row. And why not? The drinks are plentiful, the service friendly and most of all, the music hits the boomer sweet spot. David Conley sings and plays the piano Tuesday through Saturday nights, belting out classic tunes boomers love from over the decades. And even though the space can be tight in The Lounge, don’t be surprised if the entire bar becomes a dance floor. It’s a fun vibe. BEST BAR FOR GEN X Alvarado Street Brewery 426 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 655-2337 Mission and 7th (Carmel Plaza), Suite 112, Carmel. (831) 293-8621 301 Main St., Salinas. (831) 356-0219 asb.beer Red Rover, Red Rover, send Gen X over…to Alvarado Street Brewery. It’s no surprise that the generation who grew up with a mix of digital and analog love a bar with a mix of casual and elevated. Whether you’re looking for a craft beer or a craft cocktail, bar bites or a hearty meal, Alvarado Street Brewery has you covered. They also have seating options to meet all your needs from the lengthy bar and the comfortable tables inside to the cozy, more communal-feeling beer garden out back. BEST BAR FOR MILLENNIALS BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR Other Brother Beer Co. 877 Broadway Ave., Seaside (831) 747-1106, otherbrotherbeer.com In Monopoly, the most famous of board games, there is curiously not a space for “Broadway,” one of the most common city-street names in America. But in Seaside, Broadway could be Boardwalk, the most valuable space, and Other Brother Beer Co. is its anchor. Long anticipated when it opened in fall 2019, Other Brother has become everything the community had hoped it would be. It’s a great place to meet people with its many tables and informal seating, and has a pup-friendly parklet on Broadway, where one can also catch some sunshine. It’s got great beer, killer food, free internet and, out back, live music on occasion. And in case you hadn’t heard, Other Brother is the bar for games. Aside from the two pinball machines upstairs, there are all types of board and parlor games on offer to borrow, and there’s trivia on Tuesday nights and bingo on Wednesday nights, both with the opportunity to win prizes you actually want—like an Other Brother gift card. BEST BAR FOR GEN Z Pop & Hiss 215 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove popandhiss.net What gets young adults off their phones and out of the house these days? Is it a game night? If the game is Hungry Hungry Hippos, then Michaela Kuenster will come running. She says that the marble bonanza is her favorite, even though it’s recommended for players aged 4 and up. For kids 21 and up, the best game in town is Kuenster’s music venue, vinyl shop and bar, Pop & Hiss. The place is a trove, with vinyl listening sessions, trivia nights, a photo booth and an Instagrammable bathroom (not kidding). All ages hang here, but the vibe goes for all the Gen Z marbles. BEST DRINK WITH A VIEW Schooners 400 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 372-2628, schoonersmonterey.com In a game of dominoes, the tiles remain face down—not much to look at. Luckily for everyone who appreciates something beautiful to look at, we have Schooners. This restaurant and bar makes the most of its stunBest Local Musician | Katherine Lavin
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