Came here early on a Saturday night and the place was pretty empty, maybe like 10 people inside (which almost doubled by midnight, but not quite). It's pretty much your typical dive bar, with an older crowd, perhaps a majority of regulars coming in and doing their thing on the mic, as they have karaoke on Saturday nights after 9pm. They only have one screen for the lyrics on the "dance floor" near the DJ. So if you're sitting at the bar, you're pretty much uninvolved in that part of the entertainment. In between singers/songs, they did play a lot of old school hip hop (ie. Regulate by Warren G, and I Got 5 on It by Luniz) with music videos playing on the two TV's at the bar. But they did mix it up a bit, playing fun hits such as Tom's Diner. Throughout the night, I was served three different lemon drops by three different bartenders (due to shift changes) who all made it differently, lol. The last guy was frank about not knowing how to make it though, and he had a good sense of humor too, so he made me laugh and I didn't mind the botched beverage. One thing to note, if you check in on Yelp, it says you get a free beer with any shot purchase... but they didn't honor that promo here (or at least that last guy didn't know how). The interior of this lounge is pretty small and includes a piano, booth seating, bar seating, simple blue and red lighting, dart boards, and pretty eccentric posters and decor on the walls, even behind the bar. I like the overall vibe here, it felt really homey, and chill.. great to just sit back and enjoy conversation with good company. I probably wouldn't come here on my own though, due to the variety of characters that come in. Also, if you're looking for a more lively atmosphere, this place is not for you. By the way, street parking was easy to find right out front on a weekend. read more

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Neat little place. Super cheap drinks, great atmosphere, and most importantly: karaoke! No BS, just drink, sing, and have fun! It's a little hole in the wall, but might be your best bet at a good time late at night with some brews, good company, and fun KJs. Checked around other areas but others looked sketchy. Decided to check this spot out and was pleasantly surprised. read more

The Blue Lounge - Karaoke! Be sure to call before going - Dive Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I was just visiting Santa Cruz, and wanted to check out some Karaoke. This place had a good vibe.

I tell you what Brian is such a fun great bartender. We definitely coming back bringing friends. Chill vibes with Brian piano & this bar so fun. See you soon read more

It's a toss up between Red Restaurant & Lounge and Blue Lounge for best local bar in Santa Cruz. Both have moody dark red lighting inside giving them that quintesential lounge ambiance. Strong drinks, clean bathrooms, and a great crowd also allow both establishments to rank highly side by side. I'd have to say that Blue Lounge comes in on top for location. They're a five minute walk to the harbor, the lighthouse and the beach. There's free parking behind the bar and plenty more parking on local side streets. If you want to avoid the crowds downtown then Blue Lounge is an easy choice to make for your weekend pub crawl. Sounds: Blue Lounge has DJs spinning electronic dance music most weekend nights and they have a really nice audio system to fill the bar with jams. Games: As others have pointed out there's a pinball machine and free billiards too! Location: It's the perfect part of town because you can park, grab dinner & drinks and end up dancing or shooting pool all night. Start with dinner and a pint at Seabright Brewery. Alternatively you can grab a sandwich & fries at Betty Burger. After that, flow over to Brady's Yacht Club to get your dive bar check-ins out of the way. End up at the Blue Lounge for billiards, dancing and drinks. They even have snacks behind the bar if you need a pallet cleanser after visiting the first two places. All in all, it's a fun little place to hang out. Bar tenders are welcoming and the decor makes it cozy. Oh, you can hit 'em up on Facebook too https://www.facebook.com/theblueloungesc read more

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This is now the Hold Fast Lounge... Come on in and check it out! Pool, darts and Thursday karaoke

Super cool place I was really lucky to find this place! Honestly I wanted to go to a bar last minute before heading back to LA with my bf and this place was one of my options. But for some reason, I had an instinctual feeling this was gonna be a gem and it was. Since there was a piano too, the bartender, Bryan showed us what a really good piano player and stellar accompanied voice he has too. It has an alt rock vibe, an overall positive atmosphere with mini games like giant connect 4, jenga, darts and pool. There was never a dull moment especially in the short time my bf and I were there. When we eventually come back to Santa Cruz, we'll definitely keep this place in mind! read more

Went here for a bachelorette party. It was a decent dive bar. Loved doing karaoke. Had some interesting characters there that made it even better. The bartender was nice and gave us a round of kamikazes because of our celebration. They were terrible, but the thought was there. Didn't appreciate that as the DD I asked for a glass of water and she referred me to the community water pitcher which I wasn't really comfortable with, especially during a pandemic. I was even prepared to tip her for it. I liked that in the ladies room they had a special drink to ask for if you felt unsafe. That's thoughtful becasue as I mentions, there were some real characters there. read more

My husband and I are in town for a little weekend getaway and we both decided to check this place out. I love doing karaoke and that's what I initially searched for and this place came up. We had dinner and then made our way here and my gosh that had to be the most fun I've ever had doing karaoke! The drinks are very strong and we paid less than we expected to! Every single person in there made you feel welcome and even though it's a small bar the dance area was fun and spacious. The bartenders were excellent and friendly and they worked surprisingly fast considering the amount of people that were there. We will definitely be coming by again for the atmosphere and people! So much fun!!! read more

What a dump. Smells like a dump from outside. Walked in and only 5 people inside but I left after being ignored for probably about 5 minutes. Blabbing about who knows what with a cyst who already had a drink. Then he walks to other end of the bar and leans on the bar talking to female guests. Only walked back towards me because other people walked in and he started taking care of them first. I had to butt in and ask to order happy hour drinks 10 minutes before HH ended he said no and walked away. And so did I. F that stupid place read more

I went to the Blue Lounge for karaoke night and was not disappointed! The drinks are cheap and the bartenders are awesome. I feel like the layout really lends itself to community safety, too. Support your local dive! read more

What a fun little bar! We wandered in here last night after a romantic beach walk. The last time I was here it was a boisterous Friday night. But, on a Thursday...the vibe was mellow. I appreciate the booths, quirky light fixtures, and aesthetic touches. You are meant to lounge at The Blue Lounge! I ordered a grapefruit and gin from the friendly bartender (Cage). My man chose a potent, tequila sunrise. Drinks are affordable! What a pleasant surprise! K told me that in earlier days this bar boasted an impressive dj and dancing scene. As a Seabright local, I would a local dance club :) In any case, cheers to The Blue Lounge! read more

There was supposed to be free games. And there's non. Just a lonely pool table. Literally came to drink and have fun playing the games! WTF!!! But the bar tender Jesse was awesome! Only saving grace! read more

I now can't recommend this place. I recieved unwanted texts from one of the bartenders here, and as I reported and provided evidence of such, I got blocked from commenting, liking, and browsing other reviews on their Facebook page as well as their sister locations page. While I haven't had any other issues, I can't say it has a good look when you lock people off like that when they come forth with a bad experience with one of their employees. read more

Come for the beer, stay for the people. Wandered into The Blue one Friday after seeing Bad Company at Bands On The Beach. Wasn't expecting a whole lot given the storefront but The Blue is mildly deceiving. Sure, it's a dive bar but it's also got some of the friendliest bartenders and patrons it's ever been my good fortune to come across. Asked for an IPA and ended up with a beer called "Freshly Squeezed" (or something along that line). It was delicious. Too delicious actually. The first one magically disappeared in no time and was quickly replaced. In addition to the speedy refills, our bartender also kindly put a pitcher of ice water on the bar for anyone feeling a bit parched. And there was a dog! Bonus! The puppers quite enjoyed The Blue's pretzels. In addition to friendly dogs and tasty beer, it was also Karaoke night. I swear, everyone in the place signed up. By 10:00pm the place was jumping as everyone applauded each singer. Regardless of their vocal ability. If I lived in Santa Cruz, there is no doubt in my mind this would be "My Bar." read more

Celebrated a friends birthday here 2 years in a row. It's a fun Dive bar.....It's got TV's, pool table in the back, room for a small dance floor and Karaoke. Oh plenty of seats and great cocktails too. read more

Carlos & jen are the best bartenders ever! my favorite time to go is on Monday nights when they have karaoke. they're probably also one of the only bar in town that has rootbeer shnapps. it's also great place to go after neighborhood night on Tuesdays. not to mention kickass happy hour! read more

The Blue Lounge - You can't quite see it but this is the awesome karaoke! - Dive Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

An offshoot of The Blue Lagoon in DownTown SC. This place is usually pretty empty when I've been there, but they have super cheap deals as a result and they will sometimes give you money to put into the jukebox so it doesn't sound as dead as it is from the outside. I'd recommend coming here for some cheap ass drinks while waiting for your table at the Seabright Brewery. It's right next door and is a good place to get your drink on in the mean time. The interior is like a long hallway with seating on the left, bar on the right and some open space for dancing at the end with a bathroom and a Dj stand if I recall correctly. Cool lighting and pretty friendly bartenders make it a chill enough place there's just nothing particularly cool about the blue. read more

A little scummy, bright neon and drunks sleeping in the booths, a perfect dive bar with cheap and strong drinks.

Wow! amazing experience, Sean is an amazing bartender. Made me and my friend feel very comfy, and welcomed. I will sure be coming back to this place. read more

Ok, so I love everyone who works here and the local clientele.... This is the best local Santa Cruz bar. They have something happenings every night. Thurs is Rainbow night w DJ AD and it's amazing. Sean Sinha is the best bartender in town and Jenn Z is the cats pajamas. Also, they have free pool and cheap air hockey!! read more

The Blue Lounge - Best bartender in Santa Cruz - Dive Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Great dive,Friendly people good bartenders, and karaoke is fun..!!I recommend it completely..

This little gem has a great bar staff of musicians and professionals. They host a super fun karaoke night and people should know that! They've got pinball and games and a pool table. Snacks and sometimes a killer taco cart is outside. Brian and Joe and Todd are my favorite bartenders there. I give it a 46.7 out of 5 read more

Friendly place with a fun atmosphere. We stopped in to watch the basketball game and had a really nice time. The bartender is very friendly and the clientele was having fun. read more

Wonderful place! Such friendly bartenders and DJ. All around **superb** energy. Came for karaoke, left with some amazing memories!

From out of town came here and really enjoyed it. Quiet, dark, staff are the FRIENDLIEST, and live music was playing. Would definitely come back when I'm in Santa Cruz again. Drinks are cheap and the people there seem chill. read more

The Blue Lounge - Fireball, huge shot, and only 5 dollars. - Dive Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I hadn't been here in ages. Used to be a regular when it was called the 529 and had friends who used to live in the area. Good times! Came here with my friend who was for some reason dressed like the late, great Payne Stewart and no one batted an eye lash! (It wasn't even Halloween and he wasn't even golfing). Fun atmosphere, decent drinks, and quirky customers. I'd rather go here than to Brady's since the bathrooms are much cleaner. read more

This place is such an improvement over bars that have been here before. Everything is so much cleaner, especially the restrooms. I had a whole conversation with a woman in the bathroom about how much cleaner it is now. I was here last night for a friend's birthday and I had a great time. The staff was friendly, the music was good, and the crowd was decent. I'm glad to have this upgrade in my neighborhood. Keep up the good work, guys. read more

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Great little spot. Super Mello in the late afternoon. A few regulars. Chelsea is the bomb!!!!!!! Friday night and Saturday night kareoke. Sunday night comedy. Great place for a trist. read more

The bouncer meticulously scratched my ID to verify I was giving him a legit ID card. He drug crazily stared my party and I down till he couldn't hold his urge to to tell us that he didn't like that we were here. Upon leaving he couldn't even look ya in the eyes afterwards. Extremely racist. I had no clue how any of the other Americans felt that have had a prejudice moment in there life until tonight. I utterly felt like he was disgusted with me for being able to go outa town on a birthday trip. read more

This place is a gem hidden in a rather hum-drum part of town. You might not think it from the looks of the outside, but this bar is fantastic. Super chill bartenders and they even have someone who sells tacos there all the time! Live music is playing half the time I've been here. This is not one of those lame-fancy-uptight bars... this is a spot with character. read more

This place is basically a wonderful castle, bordered by a moat made out of blowjobs and dreams. Inside you'll find nothing but classy, intelligent employees. It was like being surrounded by a bunch of polite Brad Pitts who want nothing more than to shower you in ethanol based honey. We took our seats and after the bartender, who apparently is psychic according to their impressive break down of what I'd want to wash down the taste of sand and sour memories (Memories brought to you by the Chardonnay Sailing Charters, who are a bunch of haunted, incontinent soul suckers). Goodness gracious, it was like drinking the ambrosia of the gods. It was as if the universe just...sort of made sense all of the sudden. After two glasses of awesome, I felt like a king. It was like someone stapled excellence to my face and anything I did could only be rivaled by motorboating Scalett Johannson. Already feeling like I was riding a velociraptor named Dave, and wearing a fedora made out of unicorn hide, I tore about, high fiving the whole world as we shared in a moment of bliss and ecstasy. We weren't even ON drugs. Although some curious character was throwing some fizzy pills into my drink at one point. Moving on. As the night dwindled down, and Dave went home. I went to hang up my unicorn fedora and exit. That's when the owner came up to me and revealed the most inspiring and truthful statement. He told me - "It's not about the fedora on the outside that matters, it's about the fedora on the inside" 5 stars read more

Dude! Sean just made me the best Cosmo ever!! And I drink a lot of cosmos, I work at a restaurant, and my best friend is a bartender... So the fact that I think this drink is good speaks volumes! Sean is super friendly, attentive, and he gave me the side car to my drink! Super sweet, legit great at making drinks, and knows what he's doing. Thanks Sean! read more

Great bartenders and one heck of a karaoke d.j. The popular vote winner of the best karaoke in town.

For all the rainbow people out there, go check out Blue Lounge on thursday evenings with DJ AD. This is a great place where you can get your dance and drink on with all the queer folks in the area. It's a blast! read more

Just say no. The drinks were overpriced and so terrible that we left them still 3/4 full. It's a cash only bar, very inconvenient. The bathroom was a bit disgusting and was decorated with what looked to be like flowers left over from Valentin's Day, four months prior to our visit. I encourage you to get your party on elsewhere. read more

Went to a bar in Santa Cruz not far from here, reminded me of my local dive... not looking for pinball chicks to be falling all over... thank goodness the wife and I left and found the lounge... great tunes on the juke box and a great drink pored by Todd. Went on a Thursday and was greeted by a nice ol lady selling homemade tamales and cookies! Wtf! Awesome! If in Santa Cruz most def stop by this place! read more

This is my favorite bar in Santa Cruz. It's tiny and laid back, but not grimy or pretentious. Bartenders are friendly, the music is usually good (I know that's a subjective thing, so I'm writing that for my reference, not yours). The gay night, which my husband and I accidentally wandered into, was fun and everyone was nice to us even though we are obviously straight. Lots of people managed to fit on that tiny dance floor. I've been there during a couple goth nights as well. Very close to Seabright Beach. read more

Great place, good booze, free pool ... I've never felt so welcome! Nicest bartender out there, Sean ! read more

The Blue Lounge - The best bartender - Dive Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

The Blue lounge is a great a addition to the Santa Cruz vibe. Nestled away a short distance from the boardwalk, this is definitely for the locals. i came here for a friends birthday party and I'll keep this review short and to the point! $4 Jameson & Ginger Ales! That is all!!!!! And they had the Giants game on blast!!!! read more