Basement Tavern

The Basement Tavern is a cool, laid-back bar with a great selection of craft beers. The place has a relaxed, almost speakeasy feel with its dim lighting and vintage décor. They have a killer burger that pairs perfectly with any of their local brews. The staff is friendly, and the vibe is chill, so it’s perfect for a low-key night out with friends. If you’re looking for a hidden gem in LA’s bar scene, this is it.

College vibes, super loud music, frat bros peeing outside. NOT A JAZZ CLUB AS ADVERTISED and you can tell just from seeing the clientele and hearing the music outside

We were searching for a speakeasy in the area or at least a place with speakeasy vibes that we could have a good drink and hang out in a small group. This place is NOT that. It is in the basement of the Victorian, which definitely has a college club vibe. Then you go to the basement to get to this part and that seemed fine because we expected the vibe would be different downstairs and it wasn't. Same loud music you had to yell over with a focus on a DJ and open floor versus seating and chilling. Could be someone's scene, but not ours and not a speakeasy or chill space.

Went here last night, extremely good bartenders. They really know how to make a drink with style and super cool. The games with classics like pinball games and group games with up to 10 people on one single game. Overall a good cool bar with a great atmosphere.

The place is very cool. But it gets three stars because the drinks are a bit pricey, even with happy hour. I've been here a few times, but the last time we were there, a pipe above our table was dripping. They told us it was from the bathroom upstairs, which definitely didn't help too much. But it wasn't a huge deal, there was plenty of space and we moved, but the pipe leak upgraded from a drip to a stream, so be on the lookout for dripping ceilings.

Aesthetically pleasing. The live music is the cherry on top.

One of my favorite hang out spots on Main Street Santa Monica. Often have some great live bands. Definitely not a location for deep conversations or really getting to know someone as it can be very loud and crowded, but if you like live music and a bar with a dark ambiance it's a real gem.

Dreamy location, great live music, and tasty drinks.

Came here on a whim with a girlfriend around 7pm on a Tuesday night because we found out on Yelp about the late happy hour. It was initially confusing when we arrived, because there was no host on shift, and we had to ask the barista inside where we should be going. After taking a peek in the actual downstairs basement tavern, we opted to sit outside under the eclectic mix of chandeliers, heat lamps, and lightbulbs, instead of the empty smoky basement. There was a live pianist playing in the front lawn, which was amazing and pretty much made the night. I don't know if it's a regular thing, but if it is, I'd definitely come back just for that. Probably since it was a weekday night, the place was pretty deserted, but we didn't mind - it was like a private show with plenty of seating options. The happy hour food was awesome. We got a bunch of appetizers to share, and there was plenty of food. Our favorite was probably the grilled octopus and calamari, and the brussel sprouts were amazing. The fish tacos and ceviche were not bad, but tasted basically the same. Our server was really sweet. In the future, I would come in a group of three since it seems like all the appetizers come in multiples of three and it would have been more easily shared between us.

We came on an extremely busy night, but we got our drinks quick. We enjoyed the aesthetics, but we ended up sitting outside in the patio are under a tree.

One of my favorite iconic bars. I used to live nearby. I still love going here. Great music and atmosphere.

Pretty cool spot to have a yummy drink. Good menu looks pretty solid. I had the pleasure of being recommended a Piña Peño ‍ it was delicious! The atmosphere is beautiful, little fire pit and low lit area outside was nice. Can't wait to go back and enjoy downstairs. Staff was nice and I can't thank my server enough for telling me about happy hour!

Dark, dank, hot but fun! Also google maps doesn't tell you that this is actually on the backside of the Victoria - go to the parking lot and then down all the way to the back corner and you'll find a bouncer to check your IDs. Mysterious right? Cool band, hip decor, nice little seats around perimeter, lots of bar in the middle so easy to get a drink but jeeeeee why can no one have a basement bar with adequate temperature control?! Only $9 for a vodka soda and water and Sprite were pro bono for my drunk birthday girl and my designated driver husband so that was a nice surprise! Fun (but tiny) dance floor w/ good music between sets! Crowd is twenty/early thirty somethings who enjoy bar/club hybrids - truly for the claustrophobic at heart. I'd probably include it in a hop but not somewhere to stay for hours unless you like saying "excuse me" a ton and are a big fan of humidity. Meters are free after posted hours. We were there around 11pm and had no trouble parking.

Sat outside on the patio with some friends during what appeared to be Happy Hour. Rude and condescending help. It's like I'm doing you a favor when you arrive at the table and God forbid you ask a question like "what do you have to drink?" It's almost surreal how these people can work in the service industry. Just a terrible experience. I would have left 5 minutes into the whole nightmare but the others in my party were starving so I said nothing. What makes it all the worse is that they believe this attitude is just fine! I hate condescending help that thinks they're doing you a favor by even coming by the table with a chip on their shoulder. The place is a total cliche. You can get overpriced French Fries anywhere! Just not my scene, would never return or recommend. Avoid at all costs.

Basement Tavern became known as the post-Bungalow spot for an extended evening with friends in Santa Monica. If you believe that the combination of very dim lighting, awesome happy hour menu/prices and live music are elements to a great hang out spot then you'll love Basement. Oh, I shouldn't forget to mention, no cover charge at the door. Happy hour is Monday - Saturday 5pm -8pm, Sunday 5pm till closing. From $3 beers to $13 for Chili Verde Nachos. Pretty sweet deals happening here. Decent bar food -I've had worse. Basement has historically created good times for me with a good friend and friends of my friend. As during the summer and fall of 2015, a pretty fun reggae band called Bohdi Rock would play a couple nights at Basement. Between the live music sets, there was music overhead and videos playing on the ceiling and one of the walls as well. And, if you aren't a bit entertained by that neon sign in the stairway (see my pic) -we probably won't get along

Cold. Dark. Creepy. I like it! My one and only visit here was for a nightcap with a pal. You park and walk up the the back of the Haunted Mans-- er I mean Victorian House and follow the signs to the basement. There are bouncers who will ID you at the door. Once inside, you won't be able to see anything. I mean, you have to literally wait for your eyes to adjust. During our visit there was not a lot of people, so we were able to find a corner to just talk. Our bartender was helpful when I couldn't read the drink menu (remember the whole no lights thing? yeah) and I settled for a Modern Times beer. I dig their beer options. My friend got a whiskey flight. Our visit was mellow and borderline creepy with the TV projections on the walls and the vintage chandeliers. Maybe it was an off day because I can definitely see this place being "lit" (did I really just say that?) on a Saturday night. Bathroom was decent for a dive. Would I return? Sure. Would I go out of my way? Nah.

Hidden Vintage with amazing drinks and a loud fun vibe! Great Bartenders and a National Landmark!! You have to ask people around for directions to get in since it's very well hidden- But great service overall, music assortment, and Mexican Food! No bottom shelf liquor- all top shelf !! YELP** On weekends, Basement Tavern is open at 5pm!

Cool venue for live music It's a basement, obviously. But it doesn't feel all claustrophobic despite the large crowds on weekends. Park in their designated lot or opt to park 2 lots over for free after 9pm Great chandeliers; great staff!

I've been coming to this bar for a long time and wanted to review it now because after all of these years I am still so so happy with the service, atmosphere, food and drink that I get here!! This soy-rizo pizza is TO DIE FOR and the drinks and events are always on point I come here first and only when I am on main Street In Santa Monica and Venice and have been for YEARS! Favorite place servers are great, food is amazing and drinks are always on point!

Excellent VIP service. Jamaal was absolutely phenomenal made sure my sister, myself, and her husband were taken care of throughout the night. We had an amazing night. Security was top notch which, is always a plus!

Like anything in LA, a bar is only hot when nobody seems to know about it, and therefore there's a mad rush of people trying to discover the next hottest thing that nobody knows..... something like that. Basement Tavern USED to be all that. It was hot because it was this secret tavern hidden in a basement, where everyone went just to say they went, and the line was always 30-50 people deep. Today...... it's..... just a has-been basement, complete with bartenders that have absolutely no charisma at all, but don't realize it. The minute you walk in there, you want to leave. In fact, the only reason I've found myself there twice in the last 2 weeks, is because my friends are all local bartenders who have a misguided sense of sentimentality. Each time, it's the same thing. Walk up, get carded by the bouncer that thinks he's funny, go down into a pitiful dark room with an "I remember when I used to be cool" vibe, where the only thing worth doing for 10 minutes is go the bathroom, and watch the musician or band play something, then hightail it out of there. As fun as a colonoscopy.

This is for management. They have a photo booth at the Basement Tavern which does not have any sign that says out of order. The photo booth took our money and when we made a request to have our money refunded, we were advised by the bartender that this has been a problem before and our money would be refunded the next day. However, it has been a week and a half and we have not received anything. We went back to the Basement Tavern 1 week later on a Sunday and spoke to Eva. She gave me Gilbert's # and told us to call him for the refund. We emailed them our transaction debited from the photo booth and we still haven't received our refund. They are so unprofessional and do not know how to keep their word. Why have I not received a refund??? Who do I need to talk to in order to resolve this issue? And i already sent an email to info@basementtavern

Came here for happy hour and it was dead on a Saturday night. The wings were really good, but it's awkward sitting there eating your food when you are 1 of less than 10 people in the room. Wouldn't be my first choice to go back to.

I went through a couple reviews to see if I was the only one who had such a horrible experience. Place was incredibly packed which naturally causes anxiety for everybody especially staff members with absolutely no experience in customer service. Warning!!! I do have to warn you guys about one bartender with absolutely no respect towards women, yes! that's how personal I took it. This individual Latino just like me, Probably in his late 20's, average body, short black hair, literally pushed my friend and her drink a girl who weights 95lb and who happened to be standing in his way. Instead of saying excuse me like any well mannered individual. He decided to push her out of the way and step on her. The worst part was that after I confronted him and said that was disrespectful he replied with "I don't give a fuck" and was coming at me as to fight me? A 4"11 90lb girl....hmmm Im pretty freaking sure if we were men or blonde that mofo would have not done that action. As I was walking out of the place, bouncers arguing with people. Staff members smoking outside making fun of people I'm the line... Not a good place As I read on a previous review for you don't mind being disrespected and treated like an animal by staff members who can't handle their jobs then I suppose you'll have a great time here, decor can fool people. ****A blurry photo of the machista bartender will be posted! You'll probably won't be able to see features on the photo but that asshole will now it's him!

I really really like this place -- especially for happy hour. I'm surprised that I don't come here more often. I need to. The happy hour drink and food prices are extremely reasonable and the quality is good. I had the Snakes on a Plane -- which was a whiskey based cocktail. It was gone in five minutes. My friend had a vodka cocktail of some sort. It was also good. We split a plate of truffle fries were were a great size. The fries were not those wimpy shoestring fries or way-too-thick-cut-it's-actually-half-a-potato. They were in the exact middle -- which made them perfect. The drinks are pretty good but the vibe is the big sell here. It's an upscale dive bar with plenty of standing room and comfy couches. It can get a little loud depending on the time of day. Only downside (or upside depending on your situation) is the fact that there isn't any cell service. It's great because you can really talk to the people you are with but difficult if you're trying to get in touch with each other and find your group when the place is crowded. Overall, it's on my list of bar suggestions in Santa Monica if you wanna just settle with a drink and catch up with friends.

Sit outside in the lovely garden or go downstairs and rock n roll! They often have local bands playing and on Wednesday there was karaoke night. With a live band. How fun!

This place is sorta douchey hipster. The guys were really shy here too and it was mostly groups of guys buying each other drinks and girls sitting alone or with their friends. Not much interaction between the sexes One member of my group had theBathtub Jin which had cucumbers and a sort of spice to it and he really liked it. May be back to try the happy hour for food and drinks though.

The ideal bar, in my opinion, and the speakeasy-style entrance just adds to it. The bar is accessible from all 4 sides, and the staff is always friendly.

Came by on a sunday nite to check out the happy hour. I was told this was a good nite to come. Not as packed or crazy as weekend nites, from what I was told. Very good prices for beers and house wines. The speakeasy aspect is a nice touch. Reminded me of the Room in Hollywood back in the day. Kind of tucked away in the back and only known to those in the know. Dark down there as it should be. Very cozy and melo vibe. The "games" they have are an excellent complement. I sharpened my Jenga skills this evening! We tried the connect four and battleship as well. Considering all the pieces missing, we still had a blast. Most definitely coming back.

Okay so I had no idea this bar was underground the Victorian. I couldn't find it but I asked around and was led through the outdoor patio (which also looked like a hip spot, will be back) and ultimately, I stumbled my way down the dark stairs and found myself there. I was immediately enamored by the dark, romantic and quiet vibe, alongside the quaint feel from the movie projector and music playing in the background. I sat myself and the bartender immediately asked me if I wanted a menu, which was nice of her to notice since she was busy tending to the people immediately at the bar while I was seated at a table. The happy hour drinks are ridiculously cheap. I would have tried the food but I was headed to dinner after, which is why it was perfect to "pregame" here and head on out. More than anything, though, that vibe is irreplaceable. Love this place and can't wait to come back!

Came here for happy hour. This place is a bit tricky to find but is well worth it! All their starters are 50% off during happy hour. I ordered the Brussels sprouts salad with goat cheese which was divine!! The Brussels sprouts were perfectly cooked and it was certainly filling. I also ordered the creamed corn which is served with naan - it was oh so cheeesy! Yum. It almost tasted like queso with corn. I believe both items ended up costing only $10!

I am writing this review to express my concern about the safety of this bar. The lighting in the bar area is supported by a large number of open flame kerosene candles placed both amidst alcohol bottles in the center island as well as on the bar countertops. One slip of a bartender grabbing a a bottle or one drunk person acting stupid, and you've got yourself a potentially huge disaster. The reason I say this is because there appears to be only 2 clear exits, and due to the physical layout and high capacity allowance, it gets so crowded on a Friday or Saturday night that you wait literally minutes to be able to move 5 feet, let alone reach the exit stairs. Moreover (and I'm not sure this holds true for basements) but aren't Victorian houses supposed to be made of wood?!? Despite being super crowded with minimal air ducting, really enjoyed this bar and would hate to see something bad happen. I strongly encourage this establishment to ditch the kerosene candles and switch to lightbulbs in the interest of public safety

Flauta size was great, but meat was a bit chewy. The wait staff and the food took a long time (40+ minutes for happy hour menu). Also, prices listed out front were not the same as on the menu. Waitress dropped off the check before we got our food because she wanted to go home. Overall food was alright and took a long time and what we ordered was too expensive for the experience.

Came here Saturday and fell in love with this place.Honestly the best margaritas I've had in a long time. I'm from San Diego but will definitely be hitting up this spot when I'm in LA again.

Fun speakeasy in the basement of the Victorian hotel. It can be hard to find the entrance if it's your first time. When in doubt, just ask someone at the bar inside the Victorian. It's best to go earlier during happy hour if you're looking for a chill, lounge-y experience and want to sit down. It gets more crowded at night so go later if you're looking for a party atmosphere instead. If it's crowded there won't be much room to dance. There will be a line at night but it moves fairly fast. No cover. The bouncers and bartenders have been nice every time I've been here. They play indie music and sometimes there are live bands.

Last and best (imo) stop on our Santa Monica Barcycle Crawl. The other bars we'd been to had been fine, but I didn't think there was anything really special about them. The Basement Tavern was definitely different. Located literally in the basement of the Victorian house where they do special events, it was the coolest-looking bar of the bunch. First of all, you're going underground, ooooooh! This bar definitely had more of a hip current ambiance, with fresh herbs at the bar for special cocktails (a dead giveaway) and a coo old gentleman's library-ish atmosphere. They had a variety of seating areas, ranging from some pretty comfy leather armchairs to standard tall bar tables and stools. I was feeling pretty full by the time we got to this place so I just ended up having a Coconut Porter (forget the brewery, but it was in a can, not on tap, alas). Something else to note about its undergroundedness: your phone reception will probably suck. Our group had a dandy time here, and this is a place I definitely wouldn't mind coming back to in the future. STEPH JUDGEMENT: It may be in a basement, but it's one of the coolest bars I've been to in the area.

Extremely dark space, uncomfortable, poor service as bartender passed back wrong charge card because of very poor lighting. When brought to manager attention didn't even thank me! Happy hour drinks far more expensive and food poor and expensive compared to most other happy hours visited. There are better places to go as a whole!

I have been here many time and mostly with groups of friends. They have a pretty decent happy hour. I also like coming here at night because the trees are lightened and looks very beautiful. I definitely like to being friends who are from out of town as a way to show off Los Angeles. The inside feels a lot like a frat house with an upstairs and downstairs area. On weekends you can hear various bands perform. My main complaint about this place is the music. If you want dancing music, This is not the place for you. They have valet parking for $10.

I have been coming to The Basement for years and have always had a good. I've had company holiday parties, birthday's and great Happy Hours. Yesterday's service was by far the worst I've experienced since patronizing the place. It was not The Basement I'm used to. Sunday's have always been my favorite day to go because of the live music and the all night Happy Hour. Yesterday I arrived with a group of my friends, and we were reviewing the menu and saw that there was still the Happy Hour all day as we remembered and loved. When we ordered our drinks from the bartender Joel (It was the name on my receipt), he was rude, condescending and not helpful. He told us that the all day Happy Hour changed a week ago and that he could not honor it, even though the menu said otherwise. When I asked to speak to a manager he said that he was the manager. Any place with great customer service ALWAYS honors what the menu says and knows that the customer is always right. Joel was not open to collaborating or problem solving like a true manager would do. He was condescending and not helpful whatsoever. His reasoning for not honoring the happy hour was due to the computer already being set. Most managers have the power to make changes in the system because they are ultimately the ones in charge. Is Joel really a manager ? If so, he needs to be trained in customer service skills. It wasn't necessarily about the money as much as it was the principal. If the menu says all day happy hour, then that's what the patrons are expecting. It's very disappointing to come to a place that you grew up in, with people who are outsiders bringing their pretentious energy and vibe to the West Side. Please hire a new manager, ASAP!!!

We were hoping to go to the Birdcage, but since that was closed for a private event, we checked out the Basement Tavern. When the bouncer told us to go to the basement, I didn't fully grasp that they have a full bar downstairs. In addition to a full bar, they have some seating (comfy leather chairs and couches that DON'T require reservations). They also have a live band on the Saturday night we were there, which was a nice touch. The bar was packed (lots of people seem to know about it!) and by the time we were leaving there was a huge line outside. This Saturday there seemed to be lots of holiday parties going on there. Some in Santa attire, some in their ugliest Christmas sweaters. So it was fun to see some of the locals hanging out there. Their drinks were pretty good, although kind of expensive for what looked like a dive-bar. I also loved their decorations. The deer on the wall was a nice touch :P Easy parking nearby on the street or in the lots behind Main Street. Final Verdict: This place was hopping on a Saturday night. I think I'd like to go back with a bigger group of friends!

I don't know what I was expecting, but this place is literally a basement. More basement than tavern, I would say. The layout is kind of weird, because on one side, it's a nice library looking place, and on the other, there's a stage for a rock band and a dance floor filled with frat-type people moving along to the music. (I refrain from using the word "dance," and the movements are too gentle to be considered moshing.) I am very confused as to how to dress to go to this place. I only had one drink here, and there didn't seem to be anything special about my gin and tonic. There's a stairway that leads back out to the Victorian, which was a nicer place to spend my night. I was with a group and eventually we meandered upstairs and hung out on the mercifully cool patio. The basement can get kind of hot (and smelly), but try to stick it out until after midnight, because if you come up for air, you might have to wait in a rather long line to get back in.

This was one of my favorite spots to go out in Santa Monica Main Street. It is an underground basement connected to the Victorian and you can access in the back. There are usually live bands inside, and there is a lounge area with a TV. It is nice speakeasy and the crowd is classy hipster. A lot of early 20s

Tuesday night stopped in for a nightcap with a friend. What a cool spot. I loved the chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, the comfy couches and ottoman type seats all around the bar. They had live music, a mix of jazzy rock. It was great. With the music and people it is loud so if you are going to converse be prepared to work it! The drinks, wine and beers are written on a giant chalkboard on the wall - actually it IS the whole wall!!! I cruised along reading the concoctions until I decided on the "Ernest Goes to....". My friend had a beer. If I hadn't been with someone who knew where to go I probably wouldn't have found it. But now I know, just park in the lot where the Victorian is on Main and then go to the back corner on the parking lot side and you'll see a little chalkboard, enter here. You then descend down some stairs and voila you're in! it's a totally cool vibe worth checking out.

I'd like to give this place a four. Because it's a nice atmosphere, good crowd, no-cover music and it's Santa Monica. Santa Monica, land of the $20 entry fee, $15 dollar cups of cranberry juice and complimentary snottiness. Not to say Basement bar is snot-free, the staff are plenty unhappy to be serving you. However, there's the matter of the food. Basement bar has an awesome happy hour if you're looking for a cheap way to destroy your intestines. The first time I went there, the food was bad, now it's just gotten toxic. It kind of blows my mind that they ever sell it full price, because if someone laid a plate of greasy undercooked meat on my plate for $14, I would...I dunno, politely send it back. If you come here and DON'T eat, it's a 4-star affair. Their happy hour is unconscionable, $3 hoegaarden is madness. Their mixed drinks err on the sweet side, but for $5, they'll do the trick. Oh, just make sure what you're ordering is on happy hour, the menu is strangely tricky. And if you think the bartenders are jerks when you're giving them money, try asking them for it back.

Bar with Karaoke ( was a Tuesday I think) and live music on weekends. Dark inside, gets pretty packed. Cocktail list is decent, whiskey/bourbon emphasis.

Below the Victorian, this lively little basement is a damn good time. With a live band (and music videos from the 80s playing between sets), very decent cocktails and a good amount of comfortable seating, it's a great spot to begin or end your evening. Towards closing time though, the people watching is incredible...provided you find dudes creeping, failed makeouts, and stumbling as fascinating as I do. The crowd is young and the scene is set on party,* and everyone is up all night to get lucky. Or, until 2 am at least. _____________ *By that I mean the urinal was freshly vomited in.

Possibly my new favorite bar on Main Street. I had never even heard of it before, so I don't know if it's new or I just wasn't cool enough. I accidentally ended up here after 3 other places I tried to go were either closing or had huge lines (it was already past midnight). The doorman doesn't make you "stand in line", but takes down your cell # and calls you when it is your turn to come inside. You could even take this call while drinking at one of the other bars next door, or in front of the liquor store next door, or out of the trunk of your car which is likely parked next door. Once inside, you have 2 options, the basement or the "roof". The roof looked awesome, typical outdoor area with people smoking and drinking and hangin out. It closed the moment I stepped up there so I can't say much more about it. The basement is the crown jewel of this place. The decor is amazing, they have cool couches and armchairs to sit on, the drinks are great (this is one of those places with mixologists, not bartenders, get it right!) so order something fancy, and of course the gigantic chalkboard lining one entire wall of the place. Never underestimate the power of a gigantic chalkboard. Drunk people love to write on walls. You'd expect this type of old school chalkboard to have math equations and graphs up on them, but unfortunately, the westside drunks usually stick with "Sev was here!" or "this place rocks!" and the like. Anyways, I had a blast, great spot.

If the bartenders weren't so Too-Cool-For-School it would be easier to like Basement Tavern. I went during happy hour and they have a very misleading menu that states at the top that they have half priced drink specials during happy hour and then lists their drinks. But, the drinks listed ARE NOT their happy hour specials. So don't get caught up ordering a $12 mojito thinking you're going to get a discount. After you deal with the attitude of the servers, you're gonna feel like it should've been free. We ordered the veggie and hummus platter. I'm almost positive it was straight from Trader Joes so that was a bit of a disappointment for $10. We got kicked out of our seats when the live band came to set up at 10:00 so we just left, deciding that there were way more deserving places to spend our money on Main Street.

Happy hour! It was the first day of summer, and 2 ladies and I were looking for a HH on Main Street. This was the only one that had happy hour until 8PM. Done and done. Was this place called The Victorian, even though the menus stated The Basement? Wasn't The Basement just what was downstairs? We weren't sure. It was a beautiful day, and we chose a table on the outside patio with live music. There are water fountains, and you can sit far enough away to be able to hear each other and still enjoy the music. 5 stars for the atmosphere. During happy hour, all food is half off. Between us, we shared the mac and cheese with jalapenos and bacon, Basement Pizza with boar sausage, and carne asada tacos. Only one specialty cocktail was discounted, the Delia's Elixir (buffalo trace bourbon, agave, raspberries, lemon), which seemed kinda strange. Otherwise, beers were $3, well drinks and house wines were $5. I went with the Delia's. The food and drinks were fantastic. I just recently got into bourbon and my drink was strong, smooth, and lightly sweetened by everything else. Definitely a sipping drink. The next one I ordered had almost no raspberries and wasn't as strong. The tacos came 3 to a plate and were VERY generous with the carne asada, with different salsas on the side, and the pizza was full-size for $7. We didn't come close to finishing the food, and it was all delicious. This could be THE PERFECT summer afternoon/evening spot.... if not for the service. Our waitress was nice and all, but we realized 45 minutes after chatting over drinks that she never came back to take our food order, and happy hour was almost over. The rest of the night was pretty much the same. We actually had to wander around the patio looking for her, if we wanted more drinks, the check, or anything else. There weren't too many other diners there, either. Maybe she was covering the entire patio alone, but she still almost NEVER came by, even after attempted flagging. We asked for a box for the food after getting the check, and after waiting another 20 minutes with the food looking more and more unappetizing, we decided to just leave.

This place was crackin on a Friday night. The bar is located behind the Victorian. It's weird how you have to walk into the dark, sketchy walkway, but that is where you will find the bouncers and entrance to Basement Tavern. Parking: They have valet service on site or street parking/parking lots along Main. We went around 11:30pm so we had to wait in a line. We walked into the basement and the place was packed! It was ridiculously crowded! I swear I had people touching me from head to toe. They did have a live band though which was pretty cool. I ended up going to the middle floor (street level) and going to that bar. Later we made our way up to the top floor. It was more of a relaxed, chill vibe and they had another live band playing. IMO, each floor had a different vibe. That's why I liked BT a lot. Drinks are reasonably priced. They definitely don't screw you over with the prices and alcohol that they give you. I suggest you come here and visit if you are in the area and enjoy a few drinks and have a good time with friends! Cheers!

This place is absolute chaos. First of all, there is no cover charge which may be one of the reasons for the ridiculously long line to get in. Waited ~40 minutes. Most of the people who go here are in college, and the bar seriously feels like a frat house party. It's literally a dark basement that you need to take the stairs down to, and it is very small. From the outside, I expected it to be a lot bigger so it was SO cramped on the inside. Sweaty gross frat-like people all up against each other. It also takes forever to get a drink at the bar since there were only like 3 people working. There was live music, but not my cup of tea. A loud band that placed Sublime, Weezer, all that rock music. It is fairly fun with friends, but I don't like this place.

In Cali we really don't have basements but if this is what they are supposed to look like, I want one! This was my first time here and as I walked down the carpeted stairs I thought for sure that I was about to walk into an absolute dive. Turn the corner and walk through the door frame and you have entered an underground world of finely crafted cocktails and what appeared to be delicious food. I didn't have any of the food as we were killing time before dinner but the happy hour pizzas looked fantastic. We posted up in the back corner next to an old safe with an old cash register perched on top of it. The walls were chalkboards and there was a bowl of chalk for you to doodle if you like. The mood was mellow and the bartenders mixed me a Delia's Elixer which was bourbon, muddled raspberries, basil and ?????. Order it! At happy hour it was only $5 and finished off with a quick fired lemon peel. Attention to detail! You will find yourself scanning the room and checking out every corner with antiques and bit n' pices adding to the old school feel. They will turn on the game for you but they have found a way to keep it from invading you/your groups experience. Basement Tavern, a solid 4 1/2 stars.

I didn't want to spend my few warm nights in la-la-land in a basement so we spent our time here upstairs on their front patio. I could tell that the bartender meant serious business by the way he could shake a martini shaker so I wasn't too surprised when my tequila cocktail (forgetting the exact name) was very strong. Perhaps a bit too strong if I was planning to make a 7am flight the next morning?? I was kind of excited to be enjoying a night out (no offense to the fam), but looks like my baby and even my pup would have been welcome here...cause I did spot a baby and dog at the bar. However, my drinking companion is a regular @ the Basement Tavern and said that was a bit unusual. I think I"d be a regular myself I i lived here. And if you're wondering..I did make my 7am flight, probably only cause I stopped after drinking 1/2 of my strong cocktail.

I can't think of a better place to spend time on a rainy Tuesday after work. Instead of sitting in rainy day traffic I headed here to meet friends. The reason why you should consider hitting up Basement Tavern on a Tuesday night is because Tuesday nights are also when the Food Trucks convene in the parking lot right outside. The Brig is no longer the only kid in town that has cool food truck friends who conveniently hang out in its parking lot. It dark and hot down in the Basement Tavern, but it is after all a basement and essentially the bowels of what is the beautiful Victorian upstairs, so come prepared dressed in layers settle into a comfy armchair, bar stool of sofa spot and enjoy your libation and whatever goodies you might have picked up from a food truck. Taco Tuesday who???? It's all about Food Truck Tuesdays at Basement Tavern now!

Last Monday had to rally a few friends to celebrate my Bro's 50th B Day while he was visiting LA last minute. Bartender/Manager Josh & All the Monday staff were amazing & helped make the occasion so harmonious with such warm hospitality. We felt very cozy and at home with a tasty apps & ambience!! My brother enjoyed himself immensely!! Thanks again to Josh & staff for making a normal Monday evening so 50th Birthday Festive!!!

Here's what you need to know: 1. You need a token 2. It's helpful that you're good looking (or in my case, have good looking friends) 3. Try the pickleback (thanks if you don't know what it is. I usually don't chase hard liquor, but if i did i rather have something salty than sweet. 4. Check out the glass room with the chalkboard wall, cool 5. Amazing band, reminded me of The Black Keys but more raw sounding. They packed a lot into the loud sardine can they call a basement, but it's decent.

I accidentally dropped my wallet here with $230 cash in it and found it safely held at the bar with nothing missing. Even though part of it is probably my good karma catching up to me, that alone gives it 5 stars for me. The happy hour specials are pretty great and they run through the weekend wth an extra late night happy hour on Sundays. I've seen some great live music here and I love he dim candlelit vibe. Reminds me of New York. :-)