30 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 montereycountynow.com/bestof ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ning indoor/outdoor space perched over Monterey Bay, with strategically placed seating that offers views in all directions. The cocktail menu even references beautiful local sites—the Escape to Pfeiffer or Palo Colorado Nightcap or Sunset at Ribera all bring scenery from the area to your glass. Just don’t forget to look up from your drink and watch the sea, the kelp forest and the wildlife. BEST PLACE FOR DAY DRINKING Dust Bowl Brewing Co. 290 Figueroa St., Monterey (831) 641-7002, dustbowlbrewing.com Aside from alcohol, what are the most essential ingredients for a great day-drinking experience? Company. Sunshine. Food. And so long as the weather’s cooperative, you’ll find all three every afternoon at Dust Bowl Brewing in Monterey, where over the past decade, the old train depot has been transformed into a waterfront watering hole by the wharf, downtown and just steps from the Rec Trail, a people-watcher’s paradise. And when you combine all those things—the euphoric mixture of drinks, Vitamin D and laughter with friends—that’s how you put points on the board in the game of life (for those keeping score). BEST BAR FOR DARTS Bulldog Sports Pub 611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 658-0686, bulldogsportspub.com A fistfull of darts can bring out the competitor in anybody. If your aim leaves something to be desired, you can hedge your bets a little by buying your competition a pint or two to throw them off their game. And everyone wins when there’s everything from quesadillas and chili cheese fries to tri-tip rice bowls and Brit dip sandwiches to celebrate the victory. BEST HAPPY HOUR BEST SPORTS BAR Peter B’s 2 Portola Plaza, Monterey (888) 222-5851, portolahotel.com As a kid, the uncontrollability of it didn’t bother you. But now, after playing Madden, returning to electric football would drive you to drink. None of the players go where they are supposed to! That’s where Peter B’s can help. Monterey’s original brewpub has two happy hours, from 4-6pm and again from 9-10pm, with $5 specials to soothe your frustration. But the beer lineup changes frequently, so there are new brews to try. But more than that, the spacious bar and restaurant has 25 televisions covering football (and all other sports). So you can just stuff the pointless electric football game back in the attic and enjoy the real thing instead. BEST PUB Crown and Anchor 150 W. Franklin St., Monterey (831) 649-6496, crownandanchor.net There’s no need to break out the Risk board to relive the ye old days of the British Empire’s global domination. Instead, locals have flocked to Crown and Anchor for years to get a properly poured pint and classic British fare, from steak and mushroom pie to a veg curry (because the British didn’t expand to India for nothing). Sure, folks can’t recount their strategies about boundary expansion, but they can partake in the British pastime of complaining about the weather over a foamy English ale. BEST DIVE BAR Alfredo’s Cantina 266 Pearl St., Monterey (831) 238-3082, alfredos-cantina.resmenu.com When you’re not looking for a mixologist, a rooftop lounge or wine pairings for a prix fixe tasting menu, enter the dive bar. For the dive bar Weekly readers name as best, look no further than downtown Monterey’s Alfredo’s Cantina. Dark and moody regardless of the weather or time of day (although not quite dark enough for a game of flashlight tag), this cash-only establishment is the best place to experience the best of what dive bars offer: Everyone is welcome, no one is impressed and the beer is always cold. BEST PLACE TO SHOOT POOL Easy Street Billiards 511 Tyler St., Monterey (831) 333-0825, montereybilliards.com Easy Street Billiards is in the heart of Monterey, next to Simoneau Plaza, which is approximately where bulland-bear fights were once put on some Best Bar for Gen Z | Pop & Hiss
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