I attended the Venice Beach Fest. While roaming around Windward Avenue, the only street that remains from Abbot Kinney's Venice of America other than the 6 canals, I went into the Del Monte Speakeasy. Located in the basement of Townhouse in Venice, the Del Monte Speakeasy has been a hidden hideout since 1915. During Prohibition, Townhouse secretly operated the space located underneath a grocery store that served illegal hooch smuggled from the former Abbot Kinney Pier through underground tunnels. Today, the hooch is done, replaced instead with fancy-pants handcrafted cocktails, as well as live entertainment including local bands, comedy, jazz and vaudeville acts. read more

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Bouncer/security guard outside said "no, we do not let dogs inside, not even service animals, dog" was inside the bar there the other night with my dog at the townhouse bar in venice. The next day i come back they did not let me in anymore, he said service animal, dogs only allowed on the patio. Well, this place should hire security and manager that a service dog is allowed inside and anywhere in public spaces by law. I have been to other speakeasy in orange county and las vegas, they did let me in. This place is just disappointing. The guy in the picture does not know what service animals are for people with disabilities. Places like this should educate their employees. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - This was the first guy i talked to when entering yesterday night. He said "No, we are not even letting in service animals inside" - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

One of the few original bars that have survived Prohibition back in the 1920s and is still in existence today! Drinks are between $15-20 and are well made. Strong and smooth! They have a main area upstairs known as Townsend and later at night they open up the speakeasy downstairs. For the speakeasy, there was an entry fee of $10 and a guest DJ playing for the night. A good crowd and was pretty packed by 11 pm. Worth checking out if your in the area! read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Mint Julep - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

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Great vibe and excellent bands booked regularly. It's a great place to find new bands that you haven't heard of before. The food is alright, great bar and the live music is excellent read more

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Drinks were good, small space, great place for old men who wanna meet 20 year olds who wanna hear you talk about the things you own... and don't tip the short white bartender guy with the long hair, he gives the essence of being fake and he is pretty disrespectful with how he talks to people, notice he's only nice to women in front of their parter/date. read more

My sole reason for writing this is to note that The Del Monte Speakeasy is NOT closed. Where else can I buy a can of beer for 12 bucks? I recently attended a live show in November headlined by new-age jazz artist Mark de Clive-Lowe. Several luminaries from the LA music scene came out to join him, including Carlos Ninos of Spaceways Radio and Dwight Trible. It was an electrifying experience and one reason why I may come back to this haunt and fork over another 12 bucks. read more

THIS PLACE IS CLOSED Unfortunately planned to celebrate my best friends birthday here only to find out they're no longer open. Way to be professional by updating your Yelp read more

Stunning ambiance: dark and moody, funky wallpaper, cozy booths, and vintage light fixtures. Cocktails are pricey, but expected in a location like this ($20/cocktail). Bartenders are friendly. Can get quite busy, but it was a fun and lively atmosphere. Giving 4 stars because of the lack of creativity with cocktails. My husband asked for a gin cocktail and got a mediocre Tom Collins. Whiskey sour, espresso martini, and Negronis were all lovely though! read more

Came here right around happy hour, hoping to hang out at the speakeasy for the live music on Tuesday. Unfortunately it wasn't open til 9:30 PM, but the bar up top, the Townhouse, was serving and had some pretty bomb happy hour specials. Tried out the Moscow Mule first and it was fantastic. Right amount of gingery sweetness and was pretty refreshing after a long walk on the beach. The cucumber and honey they add really does make it here. Decided to go for a second drink, so went for the other special - the Old Fashioned, of course. Decently aromatic, but didn't feel like it was particularly special. Bartender was great and told us about some interesting history and stories about the place during the Prohibition Era. The bar felt pretty cozy and packed up soon within the hour I was here. Definitely would love to come back for the live music and stand-up next time once the speakeasy is open! read more

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This place is super cool. It's beneath the townhouse. Not sure of the separate names but the underground speakeasy gives it a different vibe from upstairs. There's a stage that host regular events and the bartenders know how to treat customers right. Stop by if you're in the Venice area for this hidden gem. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

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I generally don't go to bars, but I'll make an exception if there's the slightest possibility of seeing one of my prim and proper friends dancing on tabletops. Sadly, there were no shenanigans of that sort, but I did get to check out Del Monte Speakeasy, a unique venue steps from the beach with a long history. My friend specifically chose Del Monte Speakeasy for their live jazz. The music fit perfectly with the speakeasy ambiance; I felt like I was literally and figuratively underground. (Note that Del Monte Speakeasy is in the basement under Townhouse, but also dimly illuminated.) Even though I didn't care for the lead singer's banter, which seemed a bit obvious and trite, I still enjoyed his set. It was, however, disappointing that the mainstream music from upstairs competed with the jazz downstairs as the evening wore on. Even so, my friends enjoyed themselves and made use of the speakeasy's capacious floorspace for a quick round of dancing. Cocktails were $12 while beer was $7-8. I'd like to say my drink was good, but I can't even remember what I had at this point. (No, I wasn't drunk or buzzed.) We chose to sit at the tables, but the staff did not inform us that there was a $25 minimum for table service until after we had been there for an hour or so. Thankfully, we exceeded the minimum, but I'd hate for anyone to get stuck in the same pickle! Limited street parking is available in front of the bar with several paid lots nearby. But, it's fairly easy to walk or Uber / Lyft from Abbot Kinney or the Venice boardwalk if you don't want to move your car read more

The worst bar ever! I was having the time of my life with my friends. There was a beautiful spot on the other side of the bar. There was no one around at that corner. I was clicking a picture there when a lady working there charged at me and my friends, took our drinks and asked to get out. While I was trying to have a conversation, all she did was yell, "Get out!!!" She wouldn't even have a conversation with us. Neither did we disturb anyone or we made any noise. I had the most embarrassing time in my first two weeks at LA as a non-American. read more

Who knew there was a speakeasy from the 20s here? This place is awesome, and its the real thing- not just a new place made to look like a speakeasy because that's trendy, but a place that really was an actual speakeasy 100 years ago! No hype, no cover, no Hollywood crap- just a really good, fun place with good drinks. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Parking is difficult in this area, so this is good to know! - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

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The bartender Max was awesome. He made me and my friend the most amazing drinks & was super accommodating. Had great conversation and everything. However, the door guy was a total jerk. He was so mean to us for no reason. Then the girl bartender says "Let's get these fu**ing hipsters out of here" in front of a handful of people - and she was meaning all of the patrons there. Bad attitudes all around (Except Max, Max was awesome) read more

Randomly came upon this place after dinner @ Tocaya the other night. It was super fun and the drinks are delicious! Felt kinda like a more low-key version of the Edison downtown- speakeasy ambiance but way more casual. Bar service was friendly and great! They have a theme every night (e.g., comedy, live DJ, etc.); a great neighborhood spot for a more casual feel! read more

This place is completely different depending on which day you decide to go. If you go Saturday night, be prepared to fight for drinks, wait in line (usually moves fast) and bump up next to everyone because it gets very very crowded. Upstairs is a full bar, there's some booths of you're looking for a conversation, in addition there's a pool table for friends. The drinks are expensive, $12 for a cocktail, but they're amazingly done. Get an old fashioned or a Moscow Mule. Beers are less expensive, around $8 per draft. There are stairs at the entrance as well as in the back of the bar. Downstairs is a dance floor on Saturday, during the week they have shows. I know Wednesday is comedy night, and afterwards they have a burlesque show. Anyway, it's one of my favorite places in Venice. I'd go at least once for the cocktails! read more

Dark speakeasy style bar in Venice. Lots of good cocktails and a beer selection too. Place gets pretty hopping later at night and on weekends. They have events during the week downstairs such as comedy shows. Super cozy feeling and lots of space. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

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I came on a Sunday afternoon so I don't think I got the speakeasy feel of the venue, but I still enjoyed my stay here. I sat at the bar and had a Moscow mule and I will admit I was disappointed when I receive my drink, but I drank from it woowweeee! They use real ginger instead of that fake ginger stuff. So big plus. The bartenders were really friendly and I'd love to come back to this place when it's busy and see the live music and go downstairs. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Moscow Mule. $12 - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

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How can you NOT love Del Monte Speakeasy....it's location is super confusing because its located inside Townhouse. Townhouse is the bar area above while DMS is located down a stairway.... The first time I attempted to come here was on a Friday. They have live jazz music from 8pm-10pm no cover. No one told me that it was literally downstairs!!! 2nd time I came here, a bit more prepared after a bit of research was on a Wednesday. On Wednesday they have Underground Comedy for 9pm-11pm and again it's no cover and then at 11pm they have Red Light Wednesdays which is a free Burlesque show I came in a bit late for the comedy so had a few drinks with friends upstairs at Townhouse until the burlesque show started. Overall the drinks are sort of pricey but worth it. They are tasty indeed and will certainly put a spark in your pants (whatever that means). The burlesque show was awesome. The hostess was humorous and the dancers were tantalizingly seductive. Overall it's a great time! I would say it's a bit modern mixed with classic burlesque. The music was everything you could imagine dancing to and the dancers were skilled on and off the pole. It is free so I would recommend bringing some dollar bills for the ladies. Don't be a douche -_-. But you really can't go wrong here HIGHLY RECOMMEND. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Spankings anyone? - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

We attended the speakeasy's 100th anniversary party, in conjunction with Repeal Day on Saturday evening and it was a blast! The party was going on all day, but we arrived a bit before 5:00PM. We had planned on stopping by for a bit, then heading out to dinner and a movie, but we ended up having so much fun that we stayed until midnight. When we arrived there was no line to get in, but by the time we left it was packed and the line was going down the street. You enter on the main floor, and the original speakeasy is located in the basement. There are bars on both floors, and as the night progressed, both got increasingly more crowded. The main floor is chic and well-lit with an alcove to the side with ample seating and a pool table in the back. The basement speakeasy is dark with a dance floor and tables to the side. To celebrate their 100th anniversary, the venue was serving a delicious, free catered dinner. The centerpiece of the dinner was a huge roast pig, with accompanying dishes including cheesy grits, Brussels sprouts, salad, rolls and mini chocolate brownies for dessert. The food was excellent! At 5:00pm they had a jazz duo playing old-timey hits from the 20s and 30s in the downstairs speakeasy. They warmed up the crowd as more guests arrived, and my boyfriend and I snagged a table to eat. A bit after 6:00, a speaker gave a historical presentation on Los Angeles and prohibition. It was incredibly interesting to learn about how local history was affected by prohibition, and what role the Del Monte Speakeasy actually played. The speaker was a charming old man who was funny and clearly very passionate about history. A few hours later they had a live band, then the tables were cleared and a DJ played for the rest of the night. One of the bartenders downstairs served a mean Manhattan, and we ordered a few throughout the evening. I mixed things up a bit with a Moscow Mule, made with homemade ginger beer, and a "20 Mile Limit," a drink with rum, whiskey and grenadine. My boyfriend stuck with Manhattans and Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktails. They had free punch, which tasted like a red sangria that wasn't too sweet or strong. They were also serving special prohibition era cocktails, and they gave everyone a few tickets for $1 drinks. We danced until midnight, and the party was still going strong, but we'd been drinking there since 5:00 and it was time to make our exit. The bartenders were expert mixologists, the live music and entertainment was a blast, and overall, we had a great evening! Sunday was rough. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Celebrating Repeal Day and the Speakeasy's 100th Anniversary! - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

Townhouse / Del Monte Speakeasy is an excellent bar / live venue combination right next to Venice Beach pier. Upstairs you'll get to indulge in their booze creations, most notably their MOSCOW MULE with home made ginger beer, and their HOUSE GIN TONIC which comes out pretty strong. Like. Grab a seat on one of the sofas in the dark, intimate side room and keep it goin'. If you feel like dancing, downstairs the Del Monte Speakeasy is your place. Regular live music gigs or DJ's (it's getting hot in there!) are spinning the decks in this sexy underground venue. There are regular jazz concerts - grab a g&t upstairs and get comfortable. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

One word to describe this place: sexy Underground venue, smooth vibe, and some interesting live music make for a cool night out in Venice. The adjoining Townhouse Bar (located upstairs) is a bit brighter and maybe more "pregame appropriate" but I'd gladly hop back and forth anytime I'm back in the area! read more

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This place is a hidden gem in Venice. The music is amazing, the vibe is great and the whole look and feel of the place is perfect. Love the underground dance floor. Always had the best time here. read more

We arrived at 9 PM on a Wednesday to a nostalgic delight -- dark wood, leather booths, classic cocktails, and decent, unobtrusive tunes. An hour later, though, the soundtrack suddenly and inexplicably morphed into an EDM abomination, and they upped the volume about 25 decibels. Oh, the poor bartenders! When I went to get another drink, the bartender was already dealing with a line of angry customers complaining about the music. But according to the bartender, the owner insisted that at 10:00 PM each night the music shift to EDM and the volume get turned up -- that's how they attract the best business. (On a Wednesday?) Yes, on a Wednesday. The complaining customers left and I asked the bartender a few followups: How do you do it? Earplugs, s/he said. S/he couldn't do this horrible job without them. The owner, who hadn't been seen in months, insisted that this is how they run the bar. So here you have a wonderful space, with sexy lighting and thoughtful decor (dug the woman-fist lamp above the bar), and the end result is a wannabe-club with a bunch of people trying to enjoy the $16 cocktails but unable to hear themselves think over the horrible music ostensibly designed to attract whatever the generation's below Millenials (Gen-Z?), because even this garbage is too much for most Millenials, who are in their 30s now and generally aware of the risks of tinnitus. Respect to the poor bartenders who put up with this. The owners are totally out-of-touch and, if they don't actually spend time at their own bar, they should sell it to someone who will. Because anyone else would be able to "read the room" and understand that no one wants to hear their shit-pop mix at full blast. The Bijou is delicious and is recommended. read more

The bar was a little too dark for my liking. But there was plenty of seats at the bar. I did however enjoy Tropical Pale. I'd come back for that again. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Tropical Pale - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

Great venue! I love their Wednesday nights, free comedy and burlesque... And very funny too! Old fashioned bar so they only really do whiskey based drinks, my loss I don't like whiskey so I tend to stay sober! read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

Cool venue to enjoy a live jazz performance from 8:00 PM for 2 hours. Then the DJ played various genres as the dance floor packed with beachy, breezy, and beautiful crowds. Had a funtastic and celebratory time with cool friends. Cheers to living life joyfully! read more

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Amazing old fashioned with bourbon and rye. If you're a whiskey fan, this is the place to go. George the bartender is a sweetheart. They also have a pool table. Went on a Monday night and it was semi busy. Enough space to sit but still felt lively. Can't speak to a weekend. Also close to a ton of other restaurants. Casual attire is fine- wore sandals. Enjoy! read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

**4.5 STARS** Tbh, if it wasn't for the bathroom situation and some creepy guys, I'd give it 5 stars. But I mean it is Venice Beach..... I came here once with a group of friends and love love love it! My best friend came in here randomly because he said he didn't want to sit in traffic so he came here to just grab a drink. He then came back and told us that we just HADDDDDD to come here. And... He was right, this place is great! GETTING IN/LINES: We came around 9PM and we got in no problem and no lines, we received a stamp on our hand for easy entering and exiting. They need ID 21+. Or maybe it's 18+ and you get a wristband for no drinking or something. However, when we were leaving around 1:30, the line was sooooooooo longgggggg. That's how you know this is also a great place to go, when there's a long line even at around 1:30 am in the morning. UPSTAIRS: They have pool, a lot of tables for sitting, and also a bar. A lot, a lot of tables enough for talking. DOWNSTAIRS:*Stairs Located in the back" Downstairs, is a FULL DANCE FLOOR and a DJ. But also along the wall they have a lot of tables and booth seats and regular chairs. I danced with my gf's for a few hours :) DRINK: My go-to mixed drink is a Mojito, unfortunately, they didn't have all the ingredients for it. :( But the waitress recommended the Moscow Mule and it was a REALLY GOOD MOSCOW MULE. You could really taste the ginger beer in it :) It was a bit pricey though.. It was about $12. SERVICE: Impeccable service! While we were upstairs, the waitress came immediately to help us with our order. Even when we went downstairs there were waitress's asking for our orders. Not stingy on water either. BATHROOM: *Located Upstairs* BAD. BAD. BAD. TWO BATHROOMS? AND IT WAS SOOOOO DARK IN THERE. One girl was throwing up in the bathroom and I felt really really bad.. but that did take one stall out... And there was a long line for the bathroom just for the one stall.. Security was also at the door waiting to help the girl out of the bathroom.. read more

This place is HAWT. I'm not talking about the attitude; I'm talking about the temperature. We went for the Brasil Brasil Cultural Center's Axe Nights and they performed at the downstairs area, which was neat and totally had the speak-easyish vibe, but MAN WAS IT HAWT! After their set, we couldn't stand the heat so we had to leave (especially since some dude was smoking the ganja and that combined with the heat was UNBEARABLE). But aside from that, cool place. Staff was totally friendly, even the bouncers. I know they didn't have AC in the 20's when this place WAS a speak-easy, but dude, it's the 21st century, get some air. read more

Woo hoo Wednesday! Comedy followed by burlesque? Methinks yes! This casual mellow bar is located in the heart of prime Venice. When you walk into Townhouse you'll see stairs leading to the basement and BOOM, you've just spotted the "secret" Del Monte Speakeasy. It's filled with chill vibes and the friendly employees are extra generous with their drinks. I came on a Wednesday around 9:00 pm and was thrilled to see there was no line or cover charge. The bar itself is very dark and things get heated up... literally, its gets hot. The two hours of underground comedy was fantastic as we sat at a table and watched about six different comedians. Laughter certainly filled the air. Then, at 11:00 pm the seductively steamy red light burlesque show started. Such a blast! Other nights here consist of salsa, jazz, live bands, dj's, etc. For sure a cool spot to check out and get your groove on. read more

$12 Negroni $12 Black Manhattan These drinks were strong. Definitely a bigger fan of the Negroni. I've been trying to find a bar and bartender that straight up just know how to make these and Del Monte Speakeasy is that place. We came for the comedy and burlesque show. There were alternating hits and misses for the comedians, but we were buzzed enough that the funny entertainers were even funnier and the hits weren't so bad. The burlesque was hilarious in its own right, and worth sticking around a little bit for. Service ====== Had no trouble from the bouncers, the stair bouncer, or the bartenders. The bartender downstairs was actually quite on point, because he acknowledge us and apologize for the wait cause of the rush and then came our way eventually. Extra! Extra! ======= - Free parking right in front after 6 p.m.; L.A. be a tricky monster, though, so read the signs twice for safekeeping. read more

Cool spot, went here on a Monday...great band, Great audience...everyone was very nice. Interesting that they are selling a PBR can for $8 while selling a Stone IPA for $7. Back in the day, my Dad bought a case of PBR bottles for $6.99.,, read more

Well let me start off with the fact that the location is pretty primo. Right at Windward circle and steps from the Venice Boardwalk. Enter the Townhouse and go directly down the stairs to the right. Once down there its like being transported back in time and the decor is awesomely authentic. The celling is a bit low but Im a tall guy so im not going to bitch heavily about that. I came for a show on Wednesday night and a show I got one. The best part, the Wednesday shows are FREE. I walked straight up to the bar to order a drink. I saw everyone drinking PBR tall boys and as a previous bartender I know PBR's are typically priced lower on the scale of all menu items. The charge was $8 for the tall boy....too much in my opinion and lead me to believe that the rest of the drinks on the menu are not nicely priced. Rule of thumb, pre-game a bit before going anywhere that has high real estate value and always bring a flask. Any way.... First up was a comedy bit. The two guys I saw, one was ok the other was a pro. I laughed at the headliner Dove Davidoff. He was interesting if not hopped up on some kind of drug but that might as well have been part of his bit. He was good. Second up was a Burlesque show with the girls of BOOTLEG BOMBSHELLS. I got a front row seat and settled in. Note to any one sitting in the front row of a burlesque show, understand that you will get messed with or become part of the show. That's the fun of it. All the girls (a troop of 5) were very very entertaining and performed very fun numbers with good music and fun outfits. My favorite performer was Lee Acosta on the pole. Im not a strip club guy but I can definitely appreciate the talent and skill it takes to work the pole the way she did. Half of her acrobatic tricks gave the illusion of defying gravity and for a tall woman on a pole only a couple of inches taller than she was (due to low celling height) was STUPID IMPRESSIVE. Bravo. Akira has a fun set too where I was actually able to take a pair of scissors from her and cut away at her outfit. What can I say other than awesome and fun! I don't think any man has not had that fantasy before and if you haven't you need to live a little and open up your mind. Bottom line the girls had a fun time performing and I enjoyed watching them. Im pretty certain a number of other guys and girls enjoyed it too because there was a load of hooping and hollering throughout the entire show. I'll be back to the Del Monte next Wednesday to see what the BOOTLEG BOMBSHELLS have in store. The word on the street is that each show is different so that awesome. read more

Grabbed a few tasty old fashions and some Japanese whisky , the bartender was even better, told us about the underground of Venice back in the day, I never knew! Great chill spot read more

The security denied my friend entrance with her service animal. We explained that it is illegal for him to do that and he proceeded to deny entrance. Then proceeded to ask for documentation. By law you are not allowed to ask for documentation unless traveling. By denying her service animal entrance he basically denied entry to a person with a disability. read more

The Del Monte Speakeasy - Speakeasies Near Me - Venice, California

Great table reservation with no cover and a $150 drink minimum for 8 people. We loved the corner booth and the service from our server. She was great. If there was one thing I could change it would be that the dj for the evening didn't really play enough danceable music. We wanted to drink and dance. When we approached the dj to make a song request for a more danceable set, we were immediately stopped by one of the bouncers. I understand he didn't want to be disturbed while he (DJ Jedi) was "in the zone" but rather than a complete "no" to our request, a much better approach would have been to have us make a written request. There was barely any dancing. More people standing around or just sitting at their table looking at the people not dancing. Other than that, the ambiance was great. We did like the dj upstairs alot better. We ended up leaving the table to continue our good times upstairs with other dancing people. Would I come out here again, probably not. I need to groove. p.s. Careful ladies on the last step down the stairwell with your high heels on. It really needs more lighting. It's a doozy. read more

Came here on a Monday night - Dark, dimmed , (sexy in a naughty way )and intimate setting especially in the side room on the main floor. Haven't been downstairs but I hear there are usually live music acts. Pool table and bar on main floor. read more

Thank god for the A/C right? This use to be a sauna, not so much anymore. I love my local bar! Its got the right mix of creatives, beach goers, hippies, and hipsters. The Old Fashioned is perfection. Their cocktail specials go with the seasons. Oh and the bartenders are hot, can't beat that! I've seen Feist for $5! She was test driving her new album. Raphael Saadiq, Mayer Hawthorne, and Incubus's Brandon Boyd perform for a benefit concert, drinks included! The comedy/burlesque night on Wednesdays is totally fun and worth it. They don't force you to buy two drinks! Next on the list is to check out Blind Tiger, Harlow Gold's burlesque show. read more

I (use to) come here a lot. Last night a group of us left an art gallery exhibition across the street and went to Del Monte for a drink. As we're standing in line I adjust my shoe because, while I loved them, they were a size too big and I used dress tape to keep them on. The bouncer saw this as me being "wasted" (hadn't had any alcohol) and told my whole group they couldn't come in. We ended up going to a bar nearby with salsa dancing and danced the night away. We had a fantastic time there, big shoes and all :) I was really put off by this place after having to deal with two d*ckhole bouncers, especially since it's not that nice of a place -- the bartenders are also pretty much the same and you have to fight to get a drink. As well, It's drug party in the female bathroom so you have to knock on the bathroom doors sometimes to get them moving. If Del Monte doesn't want our money, that's fine, we won't be giving them anymore. It was such a win to find that salsa bar! read more