Have been here 3 times , great place to hang out and listen to live music, they offer wine and beer only.

I had no idea that this place even existed, until a friend wanted to check out the Wednesday night burlesque show for his bday. Its a small dive bar, with a long bar, a stage, a few tall bar tables with stools, one pool table, and one booth in the back. The painted walls were cool, very "TRiP"-py. There were two guys on stage playing some music, one on the bongo's. Not my type of music at all, but it was chill and laid back. Interesting assortment of drinks...I had the Excalibur Cider from England which was very yummy. Interesting crowd.....ranging from single drinkers at the bar, to a 40yr old couple about to make a baby against the wall, to your late 20's drinkers. Also, some stragglers straight off of Lincoln Blvd, and we all know what that means. We were told the burlesque show would start at 10, but I think it really started around 10:30pm. Keep in mind folks that this is a small dive bar in SM, so don't expect a professional show here. I appreciated the girls getting up and doing their thing, buuutt, something just seemed a little off. Bonus: there was no cover!! Bogus: Parking. Ugh, we did find some street parking, but it's not easy. read more

Great little neighborhood bar. They only serve beer & wine, but they have a very good beer selection. And the food isn't stellar, but it is pretty good, especially for a bar of this type. They have a pool table, they have live bands on many nights, they have a weekly open mic and a weekly trivia night that's pretty fun. read more

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TRiP is a blast. Cheap drinks if you want cheap. Good Brews if you refuse to put crap like Bud Light into the temple that is your body. Sure they don't have a hard liquor license, but that's ok. They have a lot of great music at TRiP. I tend to check the punk shows like Triple Bordego or Agent Orange, but I know they have a variety of artists. I do wish the venue had a better sound as bands are often so loud that even with ear plugs it's uncomfortable and the music suffers as a result of this. It's also my understanding that the venue serves as a Chicago Bears bar, which is useless for this 49ers fan. That said, TRiP is a great place to catch a drink on Lincoln. read more

TRiP - Triple Bordego live at TRIP - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great venue for local artists to come and perform: they have a great sound system and awesome staff. We've performed here a handful of times and we love coming back when we get invited back. They recently cleaned up the place again and have events almost every night. They're food is pretty good and they have a great selection of beer on draft. I'll be coming back here for sure when I'm out in this area. read more

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This dive bar on Lincoln doesn't have a whole lot of atmosphere, and the beer is not particularly cheap, but they get lots of fun local bands. If local rock 'n' roll is your thing, this is a good place. read more

TRiP - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came in today while being in he neighborhood for the first time since 2013 to celebrate going with my Lady to my first Bears game ever (first time at Soldier Field too), and the place is IMMACULATE. Updated food & beverage, gorgeous interior with a new wall that's got mounted guitars & sconces at newly-installed booths... but despite the rad new ownership of Jon & co. the place still has that Chicago Bears flavor that keeps us coming back for more every week! Thank you Abby for the killer service & chuckles and BEAR DOWN, y'all read more

TRiP - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The music performances that happen here are awesome and keep me coming back. The food and service is fantastic as well! Highly recommended if you're looking for a late night hangout in Santa Monica. read more

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Well this place has gone downhill. Used to a a crappy dive for bands, then got some cred, better sound, etc. But lately it seems like the quality of entertainment and the bar manner of conducting business has gone downhill. I recently went to a show, got there early to have some bar food and drinks. Watched some trivia show. They seem to have regulars for this. But it ran overtime. Whatever. When it came time for the band to come on, the door person went around the room and asked for $10 to stay. I had already ordered and enjoyed food, my date and I had several drinks, and for the privilege of staying I had to fork up $10. Uh no. I was basically forced to pay, or leave the drink I just ordered. We left, as did others. Never again read more

Trip is one of the last establishments that supports the arts, unabashedly. They book bands several times a week and host an 'open mike night' with comedy as well. The food is excellent and I highly recommend the grilled cheese sandwich. Be forewarned, this is not ordinary grilled cheese! Hidden in the Texas Toast are grilled shallots and served with a side of sweet pickles, this dish exceeds all expectations! Combine their stellar food with great entertainment and stellar service and a winning combination is established! read more

Went for some live music.. good to be out again, lots of good beers from tap, Bavik was my favorite!

Had the pleasure of performing here!! Awesome venue! Great sound and staff!! Lot of great beer selections and the turkey burger was awesome!!! Highly recommended!! read more

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Great little spot. Cold drinks, friendly service and talented live music. Would definitely come back again. read more

TRiP - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This used to be a fun little dive bar to see an upcoming band, but now they seem to have a promoter that charges bands to play. That's right. Pay to play. We don't believe in supporting a venue that rips off musicians, so we will not be going here again. read more

Insular little dive with decent but expensive selection of beer. $8 for a damn bottle of Corona which I suppose is so highly priced because of the Santa Monica rents. Friendly enough service. Not entirely a place to mingle, if at all: most people are there with their friends and don't care to get to know anyone else. The music was ok and then great and then ok again. I stayed for 3 acts on a Saturday night. Couldn't bring myself to buy more than one beer..the sting of the $10 cover plus the $8 beer was just too much. Decent spot though! It's been around for years and seems like it has many more to come read more

Great music , great beer selection, great vibe. You feel totally at home the second you arrive. Plus, the prices for pitchers are fantastic -- down one yourself, or share with a friend. I've only been one time, but the bands that night were good and everyone was super friendly. I'll definitely be back. read more

Shira the bartender can make you feel like you never left home and the girls are gorgeous on Wednesday nights. I wouldn't find myself anywhere else but TripTease burlesque and I just found out its been going on for 5 years every wed. This is def going to be my second home. And make sure to say hi to Lola the host she is there running the show each week and def worth seeing if you know what i mean. read more

Great place I stopped in on my cross country tour! Shane the Bar tender made me a brilliant Panini sandwich with Boar's Head products on a little grill he had. Genius! It was awesome. Cheap beer and Shane certainly knew a lot about music. It was nice to find a bartender willing to just blab about stuff. I was there in the day so I didn't see any bands but it is certainly is a cool venue. Check out my blog "Tales of a Flying Brick" for more details... read more

Easily my favorite new dive bar, and here's why...hint: not just because it's a few block stumble from our place minus the treacherous gamble across Lincoln...ok that might have a bit to do with it :) The Goods: 1. Great bartenders who know you and enjoy (or at least fake it well) chatting with you for half of their shift about the game or pretty much anything. Oh and offer an added bonus of few extra drinks at times. 2. Some of the cheapest drinks and specials on the westside, pitchers, plus a few nice craft selections. Paninis to accompany. 3. Great mix of random bands, singer/songwriters...just coming in for an afterwork/game drink, you can be surprised by an awesome show... (caveat: you might also be surprised by some lame electronica music after a great game...it can be a toss up but mostly some great rock) 4. Crowded for games and when you want it to be. Just a few locals on those off nights you wanna shoot pool with a few friends. Oh yeah...they have a pool table. 5. Da Bears games on Sunday...and any other game you wanna see around that. A little place where everyone knows your name :) read more

My favorite dive bar of all time. Sure i can walk here from work, and they let me bring in Jack in the Box if i'm hungry, and park my bmx bike inside, and have a bathroom with chalk boards inside, and they have pitchers of beers for $12-15, and they let bands play live here, and some other nights have a DJ spinning, and have the lakers games always playing on the tvs, and has a pool table, and the bartenders are really cool. thats it really, its just a bar. and just fyi i only know this place never to have a cover. read more

TRiP - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Monica, California

They don't bother to answer the phone. So irritating. Very expensive - the beer and the food very expensive. It used to be such a cool and now they decided to charge cover bar with great music. But the prices are are outrageous now and always a cover charge now. Like the Burlesque show but it NEVER starts on time. The website says 10, the tv ad in the bar says 10, the cover charge is charged and the door guy says 10, when u call to ask when they start because ur husband has work tomorrow and can't be out too late says 10, the flyer in the bathroom says 10 and no matter how many times I've been here they have never ever started any time near 10. Usually 10:30 - oops! when we have to leave so another wasted cover charge and over priced canned Guinness because they DO NOT START AT 10. I do like the have live music every night. read more

Music and drinks-no cover-relatively easy parking ;-) It's on the corner. You could absolutely miss it if you're not looking. I did...twice. I always love to find a decent spot that offers live music. The sound was pretty good and the bands were better than I expected. They only offer beer and wine, which was disappointing to me seeing as I'm a whiskey/rum/vodka anything other than beer girl. I do enjoy wine occasionally, but the cheapest selection was $12 a glass and it was meh...plus I bought it for myself and for some reason that never tastes that good ;-) Bathrooms are tiny and I accidentally walked in on some guy taking a whiz. This event alone could have bumped the venue up a star or taken it down a star, but I decided to leave that feature out of my revue. However, there is an unusually powerful hand dryer in the restroom on the wall. I accidentally had my back to it and set it off and it almost scared the piss out of me! So watch out...definitely knocked off a star for that ;-) I would come back here. read more

The drinks (beer and wine only) are expensive for a dive bar and the food is not great, but that's not what people come here for. They're here for the live music with no cover charge. TRiP seems to be a perfect jumping-off point for aspiring local bands, but it also means that the acts are hit-or-miss. Some are great but some will have you groaning and reaching for another drink. There won't be any names you recognize but it's a decent spot with a good vibe to attend when a buddy is performing. It's probably the best music venue in Santa Monica/West LA, but there are plenty of better spots downtown. Easy street parking, a pool table, and three tv's playing sports are all pluses. read more

Trip can be intimate or a place to slam in the mash pit. Nick does a fantastic job with the sound. Great venue and the nicest folks run the place. They have free music 7 nights a week and they have many local benefits here. It's worth checking out. The only downside is a limited drink selection with beer, wine and a selection of Japanese alcohol. I've been to many small clubs in Japan and Trip has that same supportive atmosphere. LA needs more places like Trip. Worth checking out. read more

They only have beer and some wine. I really, really needed a Jack & Coke. But still, I had a fantastic time! Super divey and not the pretentious divey-but-really-hipster. It's low-key and a great place to just relax and talk to people. Or not. The had an AH-MAZING karaoke band that played on the night I was there (Monday, I think) and they were great. They were a bona fide band-- but played karaoke songs that people can sing a long to. I was hesitant to post because I want it to be my secret place. But I want themt o be around forever so go ahead and visit and drink and be merry! read more

Very rude bartender, not at all welcoming to first timers at this dive bar. An incredibly good, local, authentic (5 piece) Rockabilly band unfortunately playing to a crowd of only 4 people...it was a Wednesday night, but the warm up to their Burlesque show so you'd have hoped for a better, and more welcoming crowd. read more

Saw Bob Helfant here, great show! Impressive beer selection; on tap I had Allagash White, and they also had Allagash James Beam; in bottles, they had Allagash Confluence. There is a separate special magical setup for Fin du Monde on tap. Well-lit and well-maintained pool table that accepts $1, $2, and $5 bills. They also have trivia nights, and burlesque nights called Triptease! read more

I've been here when it was Big John's and enjoyed it. They used to serve Soju in pint glasses. To this day, I think that is the way it should be enjoyed. I hated it as the Bitter Red Head and I didn't ever check out Nocturnal. That being said, this is the best incarnation this bar has ever been. My band was booked here last Friday. The sound is fantastic and I think it sort of looks like a shrunken version of what the Garage used to look like. Everything is red and black. They have a pretty good beer selection and with the exception of Fat Tire and a few Belgian beers, everything here was 5 bucks or under. Pitchers were all 12-15 bucks. 15 bucks for a pitcher of Newcastle is a nice thing indeed. Then I was told that each band gets their own pitcher for free. I was expecting a big pitcher of Bud Light or Pabst but I was told we had our choice of any of the beers they offered. There are also two great liquor stores nearby in case you need to buy some after hours oat sodas. I don't go to fast food spots like Jack and the Bfish or Toxic Hell but some people seem to like the fact that both are close by to soak up the beer in the belly. It seems like the owner of this place is trying to create something that has been sorely lacking from the Westside of Los Angeles and that is a rocking music scene. I was never the biggest fan of the Good Hurt and 14 Below is a joke of a venue. This seems to be the new spot. So all of you live music fans on that side of town should start supporting this place before it becomes a distant memory. Trip gets an A plus as a beer drinker, a person who likes live music and a person who plays live music. read more

Discovered this place back when it was the Bitter Redhead [circa '03], which was a cozy/divey little place with comfy booths, 2 pool tables, a big round center section of the bar [very conducive to socializing] and an awesome, friendly staff [we miss you Leanne]. Karaoke drew a big, fun, drunken crowd and the walls were painted with cartoon images of famous redheads. Then it was sold and turned into "The Loop" and those geniuses immediately cut out the distinctive round section of the bar. Soon after that it turned into a wannabe lounge called "Nocturnal" and the booths and a pool table were 86'd to make room for couches. In my opinion, couches should stay in hotel bars and the VIP sections of clubs, and bars should be furnished with tall stools and tables that match the height of the bar. Also, can you really have a lounge without offering any real booze? The answer is "no," and I'm sorry, soju is not an acceptable substitute. Oh, and they also stopped having karaoke - this place was "On Notice." Now it's TriP, where the uncomfortably bright lighting is made even more unpleasant by reflecting off the chrome-plated wall behind the bar [which kinda gives you the sense that you're drinking behind the bumper of a monster truck]. The only good reviews seem to be from people in local bands, so I guess if that's you, you could do a lot worse. But reviewing as a patron who enjoys talking without screaming and actually hearing what my friends are screaming back, I say that this place is way too small for live shows. Even though I only lived 2 blocks away, I stopped going. It was once a fun little spot with lots of charm, but now it's just "Dead to Me." read more

Sweet place, cool selection of beers, and hey let me and my pals rock out on the Saturday open mic.

Bad vibe, awful bartender.. Got a class Of $14 wine, it was horrible (bad bottle) told bartender (girl with long brown hair) she argued that it was a new bottle, finally offered a new glass of something else after a few minutes with attitude. My bf got a glass of wine as well, which wasn't good either.. They made a big deal about exchanging it. Then my friend said her wine was bad (same bottle I had), they refused that the bottle was bad and did not give her money back. Would NEVER go back! Awful customer service, overpriced horrible wine and bad vibe. read more

The first drink I asked for was an Old Fashioned and I was asked, "what's in it?" The moment I said bourbon it was no longer an option for the night. Usually it's the oranges or even the bitters that make an Old Fashioned impossible at a dive, but they only have beer, tequila, and vodka. Let me say that again, they only have beer, tequila, and vodka. At least they take credit cards. Granted, the selection of beer they have is pretty good and the prices are right (I think it was $5 for premium). They have Fin Du Monde on tap and some Hef that had a banana flavor to it (was very tasty). They've also got a decent selection of bottled beer as well. It's a smallish place with a pool table in back and a small stage up front. I happened to be there on a Friday night and it was dead (after going to Cock N' Bull and finding that place dead too). Someone later told me nobody parties on Lincoln Blvd...shame on me. Bartenders are knowledgeable about the beers but the lack of a full bar was an annoyance. The music was too loud as well. I couldn't talk to my friends two feet in front of me...I guess if I want to have actual conversation I should stay home. read more

A fun scene with live music every night and good prices on drinks. Skip the food though...generally there is not a cover charge but there was the Friday night I went, ten bucks. Was worth it--the band killed it and the crowd was cool. read more

Came here to see a band and had a great time! My friend's band was the first on at 8:00pm, and we got there early to help get everything set up. The bartender was super friendly (blonde, don't remember her name) and helpful in explaining their exotic beer selections. The pool table worked fine to pass a bit of time. The band sounded great and looked good on the stage framed by the curtains and neon lights from outside. Everyone in our group had a great time and great drinks. We stayed to watch the following bands because aparently Trip has good taste and works with only kick-ass bands! Good times! They're located just south of Pico Blvd, right next to Jack in the Box. Hard to spot if you don't know what you're looking for. read more

Great venue for live music! Beer, Wine, Vibe, awesome bands. The TRiP is the place to be on the westside. Friday 8-9-2013 the band Abner Who? is playing a free show at 9pm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5oSDkacuXo Always have free music and the parking is easy peasy squeasy! read more

There are bars that do not have hard liquor licenses that make it work. This is not one of them. I do indeed like to drink my beer and wine, and do not mind going to certain bars (The Room, Bodega) where those are my only options. Those places aren't trying to be anything but what they are. They embrace their niche and have developed a clientele and atmosphere that work for them. Trip is having an identity crisis. Its gone through about 4 different incarnations in the past couple of years and who knows how they ended up with this situation, but its not good. When I requested my fave cocktail of raspberry stoli and sprite I was instead offered beer as an alternative. Uh no. Are those two things anything alike?! No! I then realized what was going on. I had been convinced into coming here to see a friends band only to discover that I had payed a cover to come to a crap dive bar without a real liquor license. Wahhhhhh! I ordered a Soju cocktail instead, which was absolutely craptastic. Order beer or wine instead. For realz. The place has basically nothing of interest to offer me. The only semi good part about it was the live music, but even that was not that great. They have a pool table and a juke box for other nights where there arent bands, but I imagine thats pretty dismal. Oh - one highlight was that the men's bathroom had chalkboard painted walls, so theres all kinds of cool graffiti to check out while your on the pot. Yes, I went in the men's bathroom while all the other chicks waited in line like sheep. I'm no sheep!!!! Highlight of visiting this place - getting to make jokes about it being near the hooker motels next to Jack in the Box on Lincoln. Seriously. Hooker motels. I shit you not. read more

I love it! :) I Love the jalapeno grilled cheese! I LOVE how its a Chicago Bears bar during football season!!!! You'll catch me here whenever there is a game playing. Burlesque and Strip Tease Karaoke! Amazing that all my favorite things are in one bar! ONLY downside is that I drink Whiskey and they only have wine and beer. and specialty martini's. read more

My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night to watch Stage 11 perform. This is definitely a dive bar and if it hadn't been for Stage 11, I don't think I would ever step foot in this place, but I'm glad I did. The area is definitely not ghetto. It is not the absolute best part of Santa Monica, but not bad at all so don't let that deter you from coming. I was looking for a beer that is very light and smooth, so the bartender recommended Allagash White which suited me perfectly. I also got the Rose wine which wasn't too bad, but not my favorite. I prefer white wines, but they didn't have any. They also have two different types of Sake that taste either like tequila or vodka. They also apparently have a small area that they make sandwiches in, but it looked very dirty to me, so I wouldn't recommend it. The stage area for bands was pretty big. There is also a small amount of room between the stage and tables for those drunks that think everyone wants to watch them prance around while everyone is trying to watch/listen to the band. Upsides: No cover. Very sweet and helpful bartenders. Fairly clean. Pool table. Decent amount of room to hold everyone. Girls backroom is very clean. Downsides: No hard alcohol. Only wine, beer and sake. It gets VERY hot in here and they only turn on the A/C when it is incredibly necessary. There is no lock on the unisex bathroom as I found out first hand after walking in on someone :/ Not enough tables and chairs to seat everyone. I think this is a cool spot to check out local bands. There are also a few lounges around the area if your in the mood to go dancing after. read more

Great beer selection and live music - owner operated - friendly local place - good simple bar food!

Music venue or television sports bar? It's okay to be both, but NOT at the same time. How do you ever expect to be taken seriously as a music venue? AND YOU COULD BE! You have a wonderful space and a terrific gentleman running the music. You could be packing that place, making money and bringing in great acts. OR you could ALSO be the place to see the Dodgers or Lakers or Kings play on special nights. Don't confuse the nights. This is a business. Your barternder's personal preference that night should not dictate the atmosphere of the bar. Choose the times to have the tvs on and when you should TURN THEM OFF. They are most definitely not the same crowd. (TV Watchers vs. Music Listenters) And if they happen to be part of the same crowd (by some small chance) I guarantee you... I guarantee you, they are not there for both at the same time. KnowYourBusiness KnowYourMarket GrowYourBusiness I would love it for your place to go balls out and make a killing in Los Angeles. Your competition is almost non-existent! read more