Star Lounge

"I am convinced that dive bars will be the salvation of the West."-intrepidmind17 (TikTok)…read more I'm new in Ventura. Wandered in here accidentally about a month ago and ended up doing karaoke on a Monday night, which is a regular thing, apparently. Dennis, the karaoke guy, is a sound engineer and his gear and system are peak. Drinks are good and not expensive. Vibe is cool, if you are. The patio area is awesome and a great place to meet rando strangers and engage in conversation, if that's your thing. It's mine. I had a great conversation with some guy today for over an hour. It turns out that he is the owner. Who knew? Obviously everyone BUT me, but I digress. Nice guy and the story of how his family bought this bar many years ago was cool. It's been here since the 40's. Every other Wednesday is rock/metal night aka "wicked Wednesday". It's loud and rowdy and awesome as long as you're not a douchebag. Alternate Wednesdays have a DJ spinning jams etc or whatever the younglings refer to it these days. God, I'm old...but I'm not fat. Everyone calls this place "the sewer" and "everyone ends up at the sewer at the end of the night" is one of the prevailing axioms of this place. "The sewer is my church" is another and you can buy a t-shirt with this emblazoned on the front. Cool. Basically a chill place to hangout and meet people...just like a good bar SHOULD be. Keep up the good work. Shout-out to Hannah and Moriah, two of the bartenders.

It was a little crazy to get in but Seth and Gordo pointed me in the right direction and made my…read moreexperience one to remember. I'd definitely recommend to anyone and would definitely come back.

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Gigi's Cocktail Lounge

4.2(48 reviews)

5.4 mi

No food ordered, but i did order a cocktail. Lemon drop cocktail, because I was designated driver,…read morethe service was great. We were celebrating my brother's bday while we were there, RIP!!!! The ambiance is dive bar vibe. It was such a fun time doing Karioke to celebrat as he would have.

Service was bad As a first-time customer, I was disappointed by my experience. Several people were…read moreclearly intoxicated and involved in a minor argument, yet the bartenders seemed to favor the older patrons while treating the younger customers unfairly. Instead of handling the situation impartially, the police were called over what appeared to be a minor dispute. The whole experience felt unprofessional and left a bad impres

Pool table

Craft beers

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Inside

The Garage

4.2(50 reviews)

7.7 mi

I first started going to The Garage about 2.5 years ago. I didn't know anyone there, I just needed…read moreto get out. Since then, I've made... more friends than I can count. Genuinely good people. One of the bartenders even ended up being my roommate for a time (and we would dance together in the living room). It was a hard time in my life when I first went there and I've grown and become, hopefully, a much better person just from experiencing the wonderful friends I've met. I could tell so many stories, but my point is simply this: This is THE BEST bar I have ever been to in my entire life and I cannot say enough good things about it and the people who run it, the regulars, bartenders, etc. Just genuinely awesome people. Even just the other day, a couple came in and they hadn't been there before, and we were just talking and they said "This is such a nice place." It's like Cheers. I walk in the door and end up hugging like everyone before I even get my name on the pool table (they also have a really nice pool table. I've been playing for years now as a result.) The owners Big J and Dave are awesome... I'm kind of overflowing with compliments here but it's just... it's the best place. If I had to choose what I was going to do with my night, my day, whatever, just getting out, it would be The Garage. Absolutely awesome. (I'm honestly just disappointed with myself that I didn't give them a Yelp review sooner. I cannot recommend this place enough. 5 stars just doesn't cut it).

Fun times and great bands on the weekends! Great neighborhood bar with pool tables and darts!read more

Ashley & Tiki Thursday

Out Front Sign & Kristen

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Tiki Cocktail

Rudder Room

4.0(196 reviews)

9.3 mi

Peace and Serenity with a friendly staffBeautiful ocean views so you can let your cares float on…read morebye-bye with special drinks

Cash only. Lots of the bartenders hate the Dodgers. Juke box is very low volume. Bottled beer only…read more Very friendly staff! Inexpensive!!

My dog loves it here.

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And it's doggy friendly!

The Local

4.9(106 reviews)

18.4 mi

The local always has the beat beers and bartenders as well as great Local beers. Just ask for a…read moreWhiskey or Bourbon. Dont have enough Duckets $$$$ ??? Say " I only have this much give me something in that range " The Local where locals meet and strangers drink.

We came in on a Wed night for my bday. We lucked out with the sweetest bartender. Each drink was a…read morework of art--and just as thirst-quenching. We ordered food from an Indian restaurant and had it delivered to the bar. Love that you can do that here. Definitely give them a try!

Such beautiful drinks

Lilac Wine cocktail $10 on Wednesdays

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The White Christmas Cosmo made with Lavender Infused Vodka, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Lavender Syrup, White Cranberry & Peach Juice!

The Bench Warmer

3.7(44 reviews)

1.3 mi

The service was amazing! I'm new to the area and exploring local establishments. I wandered my way…read moreinto The Bench Warmers on a Monday night. I'm horrible with names, but my bartender was on point! I apologize for not remembering her name. She welcomed right away (not that I needed it, but it makes a good impression). It was chilly, so I wanted a warm drink. The first drink was nice, but didn't quite hit that spot (based on my tastebuds, nothing to say about the quality of the drink. It was good!). I told my bartender I was thinking about something different for my second drink. She was kind and thoughtful in helping me make a selection. I went for a coffee variety drink. AND THAT WAS WHAT I NEEDED! I appreciate the quick service, the thoughtful advice, and the tip shelf delivery in service! I recommend The Bench Warmer!

OK, it was pretty clean, not really a dive bar but not really a great bar... the staff was nice…read more Kind of loud, no big deal... But for the drink prices we just paid? I would've expected a lot more. If you're gonna be that kind of bar then be that kind of bar, you don't get to charge $13 for a cocktail when you're really just a kind of upscale dive bar.

If you arrive early, you can get a good seat to watch the premium sports event on a given night.

An amazing time

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A combination of NFL fans and MLB World Series fans.

Paddy's Cocktail Lounge

3.8(195 reviews)

0.3 mi

Our home away from home! It really is a family! Super fun events! One time we had to quickly…read moreevacuate due to fire and we went there to figure out our next plan. It's definitely an inclusive safe space!

Sadly, came for the first time to check this place out, and the a/c wasn't working. They just had…read morefans blowing around hot air. It was so hot inside, my friend and I had to leave. Luckily, we didn't come all the way from Simi Valley just to go here, and went to dinner and a movie prior to this. Otherwise, that would have been a total waste of time. My friend said it wasn't her scene, and no interest in coming back. I might try it again with another friend, if/when the a/c gets fixed. I asked the security guard if it's always that hot inside, and they said since the a/c has been broken, and why they chose to stand outside where people enter. Hopefully, it gets fixed sooner rather than later. I sadly, had another bad experience with a place in Agoura Hills with bad reviews, because their a/c was broken. Called to make sure it was fixed before purchasing tickets. They said it was. Showed up and it wasn't, and had to leave because got to easily overheated.

Pool table

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Keynote Lounge

3.7(23 reviews)

7.6 mi

Omg Krystal is the best! If you're looking for a good time during the weekend or during the week,…read moreKrystal is one of the best bartenders ever she's fun she gets it. She understands, seriously, one of the best bartenders ever.

The Hagrid-look-alike bartender should mind her mouth…read more Drinks good and strong. I will be back to skip her poor taste in music. ;)

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The Hut

4.2(32 reviews)

11.9 mi

Highly recommend this genuine local Barr to all motorcycle riders going up to Santa Barbara living…read morein Camarillo or in Ventura County take a moment to venture out to the Hutt. They have a wonderful selection of drinks and very original and pleasant place to grab a drink with a friend or family member to have a good old-fashioned or even a cold one on the rocks and have a genuine great time it's been around for a really long time. They keep it really nice I thank the ownership and bartenders for their knowledgeable ways of having a beautiful Barr. Thank you for their service and genuine cool experience at this wonderful bar.

Great service! The young lady serving drinks was awesome and made us drinks not on the menu (coffee…read moredrink) this place is CASH ONLY no Debit cards. First time going and I didn't know. Guy served me the beer and I only had my card. He said it was on the house but I ended up scraping up enough cash for the drink and really appreciate him for that. Had fun with my friends here. Played pool and enjoyed the vibe. Definitely going back again. Thanks The Hut !

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Oleary's Sidebar

4.2(51 reviews)

5.3 mi

Great bar. Strong drinks. Great prices…read more Our bartender was Savanna! She was very welcoming! We will absolutely come back to this bar. This place is packed. It is a Saturday afternoon. Thank you AXXESS card for having a buy 1 get 1 here. They have 2 pool tables, 2 dart boards, and a long long thing that stands up. Hubby says it is shuffleboard. He just confirmed it. My bad, I thought shuffleboard was on the ground. This place is fun, loud, and is full of happy, smiling men. I dig the vibe. Thank you Savanna for the warm welcome and conversation

Came in here yesterday for the first time. They were pretty steady. Was greeted right away. Even…read morethough she was busy, I was served right away, awesome beer that she recommended. Then I tried the whiskey sour which was amazing. Selena was very attentive and friendly. I'll be back

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24 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Jack M.

12 years ago

This past weekend, my friend and I decided to spend the weekend in Ventura for his birthday. He said he wanted to play pool, so went through the strip to see where we could do such a thing. We came across the Star Lounge and it looked promising enough. So we went in, grabbed a couple pints and waited for a table to open. Eventually, one of the tables opened and we racked up and played a game. After which, we went outside for a cigarette and we placed quarters on the opposite table (which was not being played at the moment) and headed outside for a cigarette. We spent about 7 - 8 minutes outside and came back in and the table we had quarters on was still empty. So we put our quarters in and started racking up when some rando came up to me and said we needed to play him. In enquired as to why and heard his insane reasoning that in that particular bar (this was apparently the unspoken, unwritten bar rules) that if you win at the table, the person who wants to play next has to play the previous winner. Now, I'm all up for friendly competition aganist strangers, but my friend and I just wanted to play 1 v 1 and this guy had no quarters on the table, wasn't even around it or using for atleast 8 minutes and I had no proof he had even won. I wasn't about to spend my money on some Joe Schmoe so he can have something to do. So after arguing with this cat for about a minute about how I should be paying for his game, I told him to get lost. After some snide remark, he walked away and my friend and I resumed our game. Then lo and behold a BOUNCER came up and demanded we let him play. Well, to hell with that. I told him the issue and even he told me thats how the bar operates - he HAS to play on my dime, even if hes not ON the table. I told him it wasn't going to happen; we already started the game. He told us to leave. I told him to give me my dollar back and he did. If it wasn't for the crybaby patron with sand in his you-know-what and his buddy-buddy bouncer boyfriend, we may have actually had a decent time. But things like this reflect poorly on the establisment. That bouncer had no reason to tell us to leave but did anyway and mind you, that squid didn't go and tell the bouncer, he told the bartender and the bartender told the bouncer to deal with us. I spent about $30 at that point and probably would have spent $30 plus tip but got the shaft instead. No thanks. read more

Brad C.

5 years ago

The problem with this bar is whoever owns it has no idea how to run it. It's understaffed, except for bouncers. This weekend there were 300-400 people each night. And there were only three, barely 21-themselves, prima donna hotties behind the bar, who should have done a stint at McDonald's first to know what its like to really serve people efficiently. Both nights, people were constantly leaving the drink lines in frustration after 30 minute waits for a drink (who the hell want to stand in line until the band finishes playing), so the owner is shooting himself in the foot and, in rough estimation, is losing about 35% of the drink profits he could make in sales per night -- if he had the sense to hire more than three bimbos to sling beers to patrons. We waited 40 minutes for a beer, ignored, as the bartenders chatted with easy tips sitting nearby them and the owner lost drink money. And why have six bouncers and three bartenders! They're not exactly whizzes on the cash register, either. My date is a bartender and she said she's have SIX bartenders for a crowd like that. What a time waster. We left. read more

therese l.

16 years ago

Star lounge sucks at night. The two security guys in the front ( which by the way its a bar not a club no reason for that many guards), one is dumpy lookin white trash and the other one is okie lookin white trash, both are jerks. Then theres the @#$%!* bartendar who I think is in her twentys, but she looks so worn out who knows, she is very rude. Finally the old loser barback very rude also. He probabaly got a job there because he was there as a customer 24/7. I seen him there one time wasted and was licking popcorn off the ground. Can we call a hypocrite a hypocrite, i think so. The only good thing about that place is happy hour, the staff in the day, the cover bands and one nice security guard in the back, other than that the place sucks. The bars downtown use to be decent place to go to get a drink, but now they are all trendy, with yuppie lame people. read more

Diego C.

9 years ago

So my first personal straight racism case in Ventura happen to me last night at the #starlounge bar in Ventura, CA. This redneck fucking guy with only 3 teeth in his mouth saw me walk in at the bar with 2 white girls and a soon he saw me he bump into me in purpose and starts to insult me and tell me to get the fuck out of the bar, that no one wants me there, then, i say well... what u gonna do about it! And then he takes a good look at me and replies "Nothing! , you probably woop my ass l, but get out! " I turned around to look at the bouncer since he was next to me, and he was laughing and did nothing to defuse the situation, So, I just laugh at the guy and told him "no wonder why you only have 3 teeth in ur mouth sr." finished my beer and moved on. Fuck the #starlounge ! Never going there again ! read more

amy b.

135

18 years ago

After finding this web page and reading the 3 reviews that are on there I have a couple of things to say. #1 Thank you Bryan for saying good things. #2 the star lounge is a great place to hang out, have some drinks, listen to the juke box, and play pool. #3 Like all bars there are a variety of people go in there. Everything from lawyers to oil field men. The bartenders are entertaning and do everything possible to keep the customers safe and happy. The bar has recently been remodeled drastically!!! So the man that wrote the first review should come back to see what has been done. Customer safety and satisfaction ALWAYS come first!!! They offer live music on Friday nights and Karaoke on Saturday nights. If you have never been by all means try anything once, twice if you like it. read more

Julia D.

5 years ago

If I could give no stars I would...First and LAST time ever going to this so called establishment!! Security?? What a joke, they are the most unprofessional, unsecured employees - dragged and choked victim of assault while kicking out of bar and allowed the 2 other white women involved to stay?? Supposed security antagonized male patron and then tried to assault the male, is that what security is?? Bartenders unprofessional, esp blonde girl working last night - service awful, taking shots behind bar and choking, taking selfie photos instead of serving customers, rude, and racist! Huge fight broke out and no security to be found, no police called by security, absolute shit show! Will never go here again and recommend no one go here as it is poorly managed and unsafe!! read more

Mark F.

1 year ago

Hi,This review is for the proprietor of this dive bar.REALLY!! grant it it has been awhile and back when the K owned it so we go back here in Ventura and always had good times here.But let me tell you! walked in and you see a bunch of kids not buying alcohol but taking up prime real estate.Have to love a place where you walk into the bathroom and the walls are litrally marked with graffity and holes in the wall.Its too bad to see great place gone to losers.It will not be long before those beautiful ancient stain glass is F##KED Up.Wish you the best and probably is a cover for an outta towner i wont be back so many other places downtown so avoid this place at all cost read more

Jeremiah B.

156

10 years ago

This place sucks!!!! Warm beer & nothing but an older crowd. Not to mention the door guy is a fukn tool. My buddy & I were laughing @ stories we were telling each other about past experiences & they decided we were laughing @ the karaoke singer & jumped or shit. I was kinda taken off guard & explained that's not the situation, they didn't want to hear it. 2 min later stepped out front for a smoke & when I tried to enter the douchebag doorman said i need to leave. Will not be going back to this place again. read more

Rebecca C.

10 years ago

Sorry... but this place .... depending on staff is racist!!! My boyfriend and i went in mid afternoon and had 1beer each!! 1Beer each!!! Paid our bill left for 2hrs and went back... this white.. big asshole said he would not serve us because we had to much the last time we were in!!! Remember we had 1 beer a piece!!! And he wasn't even there the first time!!! Racist piece of shit!! We will never go beck here!!! read more

Breanne W.

4 years ago

Worst service ever. The short bartender with dark and tattoos was so rude and DRUNK! No one could get a drink except her friends and the guy she was making out with! This bar used to be great! NOT ANYMORE! I have put up with it but damn! I have seen the short one, the blonde one and the tall one all do coke multiple times in the bathroom. Done! read more

Claire K.

4 years ago

I created an account because I am so mad. I was there Friday night and the bartender Penny was absolutely trashed! She was busier serving her friends then the other guests! Where is the management? My first and last time at this place. read more

Joseph M.

4 years ago

The manager is disrespectful and is always drunk he likes to sexually harass his female employees one in particular name starts with a T but the place is bad new and all he workers are high on coke read more

John C.

1 year ago

super racist if you are a black man . don't go to this pup. they will treat you like dog shit. the owner isn't racist as well. And they pocket money. the feds will knock any day now read more

Don B.

3 years ago

OMG Great dive bar!! Too much fun! Never been here my dog my wife said there's a great place I would give it a shot and wow!! Had so much fun amazing is amazing read more

Kelly S.

11 months ago

Place is awful. Its known as the ruffie bar. Ever since the new owners took over the place sucks. Much better before the new owners took over. read more

Joe M.

13 years ago

Most expensive dive I've been to. Ever. Anywhere... And not that I have a problem with it, but it is a gay bar.

Evany C.

2 years ago

Embarrassing, feels dirty. Night club scene wack. You're literally better off anywhere else .

January J.

4 years ago

Lots of fun and good music at a great price. Will be coming again to party. Love y'all

Keeping It R.

3 years ago

Horrible bartender. Erica. She should be fired!!!!!! Ruined our experience there.

John G.

14 years ago

My favorite bar in town! Love the music, pool tables, and love the staff.

Star Lounge - divebars - Updated September 2026

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