60 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® 2026-2027 DRINKS Next Door They call it a speakeasy, but when the red light is on, the door is open. A more urbane bar than its sibling, Hula’s, with fine spirits and craft cocktails (the owner has a thing for chartreuse). 21 and up. Next to 622 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey Pearl Hour One of the Monterey Peninsula’s hottest cocktail bars, Pearl Hour serves a menu of creative, handcrafted cocktails on a cozy back patio setting or the cozy indoor bar. Despite the small space, it hosts some high-energy live acts, mixed in with dance performances, jazz and DJs. 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 657-9447, pearlhour.com Rockfish Harbor Grill Daily drink specials plus mezcal flights are a good start. But there’s also a good list of classics and specialty drinks. Beer and wine, too. Fisherman’s Wharf #1, Monterey. (831) 3244375, rockfishmonterey.com Sardine Factory This historic landmark, with couches, cozy corners and a piano bar, has a separate bar menu to go with classic cocktails or one of the strongest wine cellars on the Central Coast. This is a place to order a martini. Old-school cool. 701 Wave St., Monterey. (831) 3733775, sardinefactory.com Schooners The hotel restaurant also features a cocktail bar that almost demands a crystal martini or classic sipper be placed in front of you. Great views, but you might be focused on the cocktail. Inside Monterey Plaza Hotel. 400 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 372-2628, schoonersmonterey.com Sea Root Sea Root’s bar is a cocktail paradise between the lobby and restaurant of the same name in the Monterey Hyatt Regency. 1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey. (831) 657-6675, hyatt.com Segovia’s The Monterey Peninsula’s oldest bar, opened in 1937 (Steinbeck is said to have slammed down a few here). A recent remodel gives it an upscale dive look, but it’s still the same easy-going vibe. Go for a cocktail or grab a beer. 650 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 718-8932 Sly’s Refueling Station There’s no other spot in Monterey, or the Central Coast, that has delivered free nightly music as long as Sly’s. Look for signs reading Sly McFly’s. 700-A Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 649-8050, slymcflys.com Stokes Adobe The restaurant devotes a comfortable space for a stand-alone bar that is one of the city’s best, thanks to a team of creative mixologists. It is set in a historic adobe built in 1833 and a past so sketchy there are said to be ghosts. There’s also a great patio. 500 Hartnell St., Monterey. (831) 264-8775, stokesadobe.com Tarpy’s Roadhouse This is a lunch and dinner destination that just happens to have a hangout-worthy bar, with cool cocktails to boot. Sit at the bar or at a row of high tables and toast the evening. Patio seating, as well. 2999 Highway 68, Monterey. (831) 647-1444, tarpys.com The C Restaurant + Bar It’s what you get when an upscale bar meets priceless waterfront views, enjoyed from both indoor and outdoor seating. One of the few spots with a list of breakfast cocktails to get your day going. Valet parking available. In the InterContinental The Clement hotel. 750 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 375-4800, thecrestaurant-monterey.com The Whisky Club The front room of this dual-purpose paean to whiskey features a bar pouring craft cocktails prepared with, well, you guessed it. You can shop for bottles in the back room, which stocks familiar labels and collectible whiskies. 425 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 241-6713, twc11.com Turn 12 Bar & Grill This love letter to Laguna Seca styles a 50-foot pewter bar top and a grid of vintage photos to go with a lineup of draft beers and drinks. One of the few places that spike milkshakes. 400 Tyler St., Monterey. (831) 3728876, turn12barandgrill.com Woody’s at the Airport That locals frequent the airport bar tells you everything you need to know. It’s not just for travelers, but a destination for a drink or a meal, and a place to watch a game—or planes taking off. Inside Monterey Regional Airport, 200 Fred Kane Drive, Monterey. (831) 3731232, woodysmontereyairport.com BREWERIES Alvarado Street Brewery The mix of chef, brewmaster and design give it the feel of a big-city trendsetter, but it also features a beer garden out back. The beer menu is ever-changing, but always includes gold medal-winners, and the easy-drinking lager Monterey Beer. 426 Alvarado St., Monterey, (831) 655-2337, asb.beer Dust Bowl Brewing Company The long benches on the back patio invite groups big or small to sample a range of beers, order from the adjacent taco truck if it’s on hand or try your hand at cornhole. Doggie friends welcome in the outdoor area, as well. 290 Figueroa St. (adjacent to Rec Trail), Monterey. (831) 641-7002, dustbowlbrewing. com Out of the Barrel Taproom The California brewery is taking over the popular downtown beer garden from Fieldwork. The transition is expected in summer 2026. 560 Munras Ave., Monterey Peter B’s The brew team has been working magic with classic beer styles and more inventive takes. So you come for the beer (and sports on TV). DANIEL DREIFUSS The Tap Room
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==