I just happened to see their sign after eating at The Butter Barn. They charge $10 for all you can…read moreplay in one hour or $20 for all you can play with in/out options all day long. We did the one hour option. They also serve beer here. Cute doggie was there. Lots of unique pinball machines I had never seen before. Absolutely recommend this spot. Fun date idea.

$10 for an hour of play, or you can do a day pass. It's a steal if you ask me!…read more Tons of games, stools for shorter kids, and plenty of tasty beverage options for the grown ups. My kids absolutely loved Nikki at the front, and she was super nice playing with them. We will definitely be back again soon!

Super local spot! John and Vane' made a couple of first time visitors feel like family. great food…read moreand service.

We love the english ales breweries. My wife and i have been mug members for about 5 years. This is…read moregreat spot for locals and tourists a like. They treat you like family.

Review for Independent Marketplace - Take Two - May 3, 2012…read more (first Thursday every month) Cinco de Mayo theme... I only have less than an hour here and didn't buy any veggies besides a bunch if organic baby carrots so I didn't get a chance to leave them at the "veggie valet"... I kid you not. How sic! Tequila sampling by Surf & Sand from the lovely family that owns Bruno's Market in Carmel by the Sea... I got a good deal on a bottle of Jimador - Reposado that came in a gift box with a free keepsake glass (I've bough this same set before at Terrace Liquors on Seaside) just to get a free Jimador hat... I'm a sucker like that. Fun craft soda booth, Mundaka was there in full effect representing the 5th with churros served with a side of warm Mexican chocolate and some thin tortas using their popular acorn fed Jamon Iberico.. sold out within an hour. I had my old friend Dr. NiNi and her Mom meet me there since they were visiting from out of town, Oakland and Los Gatos respectively. Nicole and I attended York together over a decade ago so they are very familiar with 831 culture and they warmly surprised and happy to feel the buzz and the foodie forward revolution going down in Sand City. Oh the Vallarta Splash cocktails didn't hurt either!

Now that they're charging a $5 cover, I expect a bit more…read more The good: the hot food served outside (you can get this without paying a cover). Vendors vary from month to month, but on this visit my buddies had pork shoulder tacos ($4 each or $10 for three, I think) from Carmel Valley Ranch, which they said were incredible. My vegetarian tacos (2 for $4) made with Sweet Earth Natural Foods seitan were also very good, though they were rather messy, and the vendor had no forks. I also heard from friends that the Happy Girl Kitchen Thai food was good. The Penny Ice Creamery ice cream inside was also excellent (I had a variation on rocky road, and my friend had butterscotch.) Also, the proximity to the Post No Bills beer venue is nice. Crowds at the Marketplace seem to be less dense now that they charge to get in, which is a positive, IMHO. The not-so-good: the DJ inside, playing hip hop & dance music at a rather high volume. A few people were dancing, but I think most of us were barely tolerating it. I hope that live music returns to the Marketplace. Also, the funky penny they give you when you pay your cover charge is supposed to be good at vendor booths, but it's of very limited value. For example, you can buy two ice creams and get one free, or get $1 off some excellent but rather pricey artisanal cheese. Much of the space is devoted to kids/kids' activities, but it didn't seem to be getting used much by the time we got there (shortly after 6:00). Some additional seating space would be nice, too.

Lovely space in the valley... I had my senior year prom there (York) and I heard Carmel High has…read morehad their prom there in the past. Yesterday we celebrated the life of a good family friend and teacher. It severed as a perfect venue for 200+ people and there is a nice outdoor patio where everyone was able to enjoy little bites and refreshments. Our friend will be missed but I'm glad we got together at Hidden Valley Music which allowed us to chat about her wonderful fulfilled life in the sun among good friends.

Beautiful campus! I go here for arts retreats every winter, and it's such an inspirational place to…read morecreate art.

I've been attending / vending at 1st Friday Art Walk for a little over a year now and I have…read morenothing but positive feelings towards it all! It's such a great thing to have an event and place to promote and appreciate art of all sorts. There's always live music from local musicians. Varying snacks at Salinas 411. Stimulating conversation. Always someone new to meet. And you can never go wrong with a little shopping for unique wares! My only concern is that we need more artists and appreciators to join in the fun! But that doesn't have anything to do with the actual event really, so it doesn't count towards my rating. :P So come on down to Oldtown every first Friday of the month and see for yourself! :D

at 1st fridays art walk, free of charge, you can see and hear the art walker band, clear blue…read moreclay, greg hyde and living room, hal laughlin, souvenir, dan beck, and many others. you can see and hear richard best play a drum and/or sing. ask him to read a poem. he is the best poet in salinas -and has won many poetry slams. you can stand outside the door of the welcome center and hear both bluegrass and 60s rock - often at the same time. you can talk to great artists and good friends. you can see hot rods and buy art, you can find the best home made cookies and cartoons at bridgett spicer's gallery. buy a cartoon book or a button for someone special... you can find and buy great used books at the book nook. you can sip coffee and chocolate at two locations in old town. you can dine well inexpensively at multiple locations. some of the best discussions i have ever heard/participated in - have been at the welcome center and at bridgett spicer's gallery. i love 1st fridays art walk.

This club is awesome! Excellent speakers and great camaraderie. Rotary has helped so many people…read morethoughout the world, and this group volunteers often on the Monterey Peninsula.

This is a SERVICE club. Dedicated to doing service here locally, but a part of Rotary which is a…read moreworldwide organization. They meet early Tuesday mornings (7A at the Hyatt) for an hour each week, but do a lot of charitable service activities which Bud noted in his review. I've been to lots of other Rotary clubs in the US and abroad and the energy of these members and the club is fantastic! It's a privilege to be a Rotarian and be a part of this club with such dedicated people. Engage Rotary and Change Lives is their motto. Very appropriate.

I stopped by Casino Monterey while I was in Seaside, and honestly, this place just isn't it. It's a…read moretotal hole-in-the-wall and definitely not what I expected from a casino experience. First off, no credit card cash advances, which is a big inconvenience. The game selection is extremely limited too -- basically just blackjack, poker, and 3-card poker. No baccarat at all, which was disappointing. As someone who considers themselves a high roller, this place is definitely not for me. The overall vibe feels small, outdated, and lacking the energy you'd expect from a real casino. I'll be sticking to places like Bay 101 Casino or Matrix Casino where the experience is much better. Would not recommend if you're looking for a full casino experience. If your in the area and like black jack on a low bet then this is for you.

I visit the area regularly and found this room recently. It is an amazing place to play. The…read moreplayers are friendly and it is easy to drop in and play. Great location. They even feed the players, lunch which is great!

The Orange County Chapter of AIWF was introduced to us several years ago when a good friend kept…read moretalking about wonderful events they kept going to that were little known to most people. Events such as an exquisite dinner party on the beach at Chrystal Cove; complete multi-course dinners (with plenty of wine) at the Napa Rose Restaurant for a pittance, tequila tastings, and so on. Most of these can be seen in more detail on the AIWF website for Orange County We joined...good decision...and have enjoyed all the above and more. Best of all, everyone in the group not only enjoys good wine and food, but we provide scholarships to budding chefs, education to school children on "slow food," and other great stuff. This is a great organization and opens doors to great wine and food events. There are many other chapters around the country, check them out. Cheers!