The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks is a nationwide fraternal organization established in 1868. It has more than 1 million members and more than 2,000 locations throughout the United States. The Elks is also a charitable foundation that gives away millions of dollars each year toward scholarships, youth programs, drug awareness programs and veterans' programs.
The Encinitas Elks Lodge offers plenty of activities for its members, including weekly dinners, daily happy hours, special-event parties, pool tournaments and Bingo. The lodge can be rented to nonmembers for business meetings or family events.
The Alameda Elks Lodge 1015 is a local organization that is the part of the national Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. As a fraternal order, members must be sponsored by two other Elks. This facility has a catering kitchen, banquet and meeting areas, a gym, a card room and a full bar.
American Legion Post 206 is Highland Park's local American Legion branch. American Legion Post 206 features a 200-person capacity dance hall for private rental or for live music gatherings. American Legion Post 206 also houses a club room for its members that includes a full bar open five days a week. Its members gather annually for patriotic events and the branch also offers veterans rehabilitation services and honor guard funerals, among other benefits.
The Wrangler is a a country and live music bar that wants to "keep the western tradition alive." This saloon-looking bar has karaoke on Wednesday and Thursday nights and live country music on Fridays and Saturdays. Go inside to have a drink or to listen to country bands play. There's a cover charge after 9pm when a live band is playing and after 10pm when there's a DJ. You can visit the Web site for more information, or you can find them on Facebook.
The local watering hole for years now, San Juan Club has now evolved into the local blues and brews spot. Come down and listen, or bring your own instrument and jump in on a blues jam session Monday through Thursday evenings. If your voice is your instrument, come back for karaoke on Saturday, Sunday nights. Access to a private back patio and fire pit year round are a great reason to stop by, not to mention happy hour every weekend.
At El Cid, patrons enjoy dining on authentic Spanish and Spanish fusion cuisine while being entertained by flamenco dancers, singers and guitarists. Its menu includes dishes such as hangar steak, breaded pork loin and tapas. It operates out of a historic building dating back to 1905.
The Brig is a community bar located in downtown Venice that features a variety of beers and ales, as well as a pool table and live DJ. The space is large, although it's usually pretty full, as it's a popular place to hangout within the city. The atmosphere is warm, inviting and laid back, with friendly bartenders and all of the classic drinks.
The Coach House entertainment venue is located in a very odd place. By day, the buildings operate as offices, but during the evening, the establishment turns into a prime Orange County venue for live entertainment acts. It attracts an audience as diverse as the act who is appearing that evening: a jazz crowd for Eric Lindell and the Blue Note Project, a punk audience for Paul Thorn and the Missiles Crowd, or an older romantic crowd to hear the soft-rock love songs of Michael McDonald. The venue seats about 500 concertgoers, and tickets are needed for all shows, but the house reserves the bulk of these seats for people who are purchasing concert tickets and dinner theater tickets. A small food menu is served to diners pre-concert, and these guests naturally get the prime seats. Others may order from the bar menu for snacks such as potato skins, nachos and chips. Either way it's a great space to see your favorite performers in a smaller, more intimate space. For more information, call the concert hotline at 949-496-7935.
Bocci's Cellar is a restaurant that features an eclectic menu, a cozy atmosphere, live music and bocce games. A covered outdoor patio is available for private parties. Popular dishes include roasted portobello mushrooms topped with tomatoes and mozzarella, blackened chicken, teriyaki steak with wasabi rice and braised New England lamb shanks. Desserts are made fresh daily.
At 79-years-old, Harvelle's is the oldest surviving music venue on the west side of Los Angeles. Come in any night of the week and you might see blues legends like John Lee Hooker of Jimmy Z, or you might see some 1930's-style burlesque or performance art. The small, dark space packs a lot of action until 2am nightly. The drink menu includes a list of well-known martinis, or their slightly hokey but delightful "Cevin's Deadly Sins" menu, including "Sloth," "Pride," etc. We dare you not to drink too many "Gluttony's" -- Effen Vodka, Godiva Liquer, Baileys, Kalua and Butterscotch Schnapps. Mmm-mm!
Sonny McLean's Irish Pub & Restaurant brings the flavor of Ireland and Boston to Santa Monica. Owner Jim Conners named the pub after his grandfather, an Irish immigrant who settled in Boston during Ireland's Potato Famine. Sonny McLean's offers many touches of a traditional Irish pub, while attracting a young crowd on the weekends and Boston sports fans during baseball and football seasons. The menu offers burgers, sandwiches and pizzas, along with some traditional Irish and New England fare. Live music is performed here on Thursday and Friday nights, with karaoke on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Other entertainment includes a couple of dart boards in the V.I.P Room and a pool table in the Bar Lounge. Customers who want to book a private event here will get access to an event planner, hosted bar, audio equipment, live entertainment options, decorations, cake and special banquet menus.
