Canary

Staff is really unprofessional, from the male bartender to the security that thought it was okay to shine a flashlight on my friends face when he was sitting down. At the end of the day it’s you job as staff to make the people that are choosing to come to your establishment feel welcomed. I could write a whole paragraph from beginning to end. Advice to the manager train your staff to give better customer service.

Security will scam you at the front door, nothing on their website says a $20 fee to get in although the security guards will gladly sit there and say there is a “special event” happening or some BS and you have to pay them $20 to enter this is not only false but it’s a complete lie and scam from the security guards at the front I’m talking to you management you need to get rid of your security they are stealing from customers and your business I will no longer ever show up to this place and get charged $20 from your lame unregistered security I bet BSIS would love to look into them… on the first occasion it was a decent atmosphere didn’t mind paying the $20 to be honest, although the second time I went security said there was a private party and again I needed to pay $20 to enter once we entered literally nobody was in the bar it was 11 o’clock Saturday and nobody was there, I literally wasted $20 along with a $10 beer which was ridiculously priced also this place sucks it’s a scam and management I would love my $40 back that you guys scammed me out of that I didn’t even need to pay, losers.

Beware: Hidden 20% Charge Without Disclosure I attended an event here and was shocked to find a 20% “Tips” automatically added to my drink tab, without any prior notice or disclosure. There was no signage, no mention on the menu, and the staff never informed me. They also didn’t provide a bill to review or sign until i asked, which made the charge feel sneaky and intentional. Not only were the drinks already overpriced, but tacking on a hidden fee after the fact is deceptive and likely illegal under California consumer protection laws. You cannot charge customers extra without clearly disclosing it in advance. To make matters worse, the sound system was terrible! Muddy audio and poorly balanced levels completely killed the vibe. Between the shady billing practices and subpar setup, I won’t be returning, and I’d strongly caution others to think twice before going.

Avoid This Organizer’s Events – Disrespectful and Unprofessional I usually don’t write negative reviews, but after being treated with little to no respect on two separate occasions by Jose, I feel compelled to share my experience to warn others. On a Tuesday Salsa Night at La Descarga, by 10:45pm the salsa music stopped in the larger room and reggaeton/club music started playing. Several people were asking one another about the music choice at it was very clear that most people there still wanted to listen and dance to salsa music. When i approached this man to ask about the DJ, he started to curse at me by saying “F the DJ and immediately started to talk bad about the DJ”. I was puzzled why he would even say those things so i walked off. When i was leaving for the night, i genuinely went up to him and asked him if every tuesday night is like that in terms of music choice, and he immediately responded by saying “you have a lot to say for someone who is coming to a free event”. He continued to vocalize to the security guard that was near us that i was only here to complain about the music. He continued to act offended and speak negatively to me and people around us so i decided to walk off and leave. Thinking it was a one time incident, i stumbled upon this guy again at The Canary on a Monday night dance social. After i payed up front, i walk into the venue and he saw me and said “I remember you, you are the guy that complains!”. I immediately asked him if this was going to be a problem between us and he responded by saying “idk is it going to be a problem?”. With that type of response, it was clear that I was not welcomed, so i left the venue and went to a different dance social. This kind of behavior creates an unwelcoming and uncomfortable environment, which is the opposite of what a dance social should be about. There are plenty of well-organized, respectful events in the dance community, and I’d highly recommend choosing those instead of supporting someone who doesn’t value their attendees. I hope this review helps others avoid a similar experience.

They had an event posted on their website, but only announced it was cancelled on their Instagram like 3 hours beforehand

I went to this place last night, randomly. It was a very long line, but I did not have to wait because I knew someone. If you don't want to wait in a line longer than In and Out then you better get there early or start networking LOL. It is a really cool spot. The bartenders were as attentive as they could be but they were very busy. This was a much younger crowd like college age crowd. I think I might have even seen a couple of 18 and up wristbands not quite sure that was what that was for. The DJ was great and I danced like there was no tomorrow. I brought the energy because I am an energy producer in those types of situations. Definitely we'll go back again I look forward to another epic time.

This is one raggedy canary, lemme tell ya. The crowd this place attracts ain't worth the lining of a birdcage. The crazed gyrating behind the dj booth was not reflected on the dance floor. Oof. Maybe hire better music and marketers so your place attracts a better caliber of clientele.

Line is intentionally stacked, leaving patrons wait outside for ridiculous amounts of time, just to make it look busier than it is. Bouncers are insane, and actively harass patrons. Bottle service is extremely overpriced, even by Los Angeles standards, and purchasing a section gives zero privacy or seclusion. Drunk college frat boys invade the sections of everyone, and drunk females help themselves to the bottle of Jack Daniel’s you just paid hundreds (comes to $595 after tax and gratuity) of dollars for. Management pumps an insane amount of fog machine smoke into the building to disguise the fact that the the bar is empty inside. There are many better clubs in town where management and staff value their customers, especially their big spenders. We won’t be coming back.

One of the best nightclubs in Santa Monica. I come here on Friday evenings and the music is always great. A great addition to the downtown SM scene.

The cutest place in the neighborhood! I love to go on Thursdays nights for live music with a group of friends! But y'all -- the weekend party is where it's at -- If you need to book a table, Larissa is your girl!

I really used to love this place but at their grand re-opening last night myself and about 10 other people got pick-pocketed got our phones/wallets stolen. I had the pleasure of meeting the absolute prick owner after speaking with the police outside, who proceeded to mock me and place the blame on me, accusing me of leaving my purse unattended - when in actuality my phone was taken out of my pocket. The owner of this place clearly does not care about guest satisfaction, nor maintaining a safe environment. Don't waste your time or money going there.

They tried to take down my review about their roofie problem but I'm posting it again. They have a roofie problem. None of the staff care. I was at this bar with some friends when two of them got drugged and I had to stay up all night dealing with them having panic attacks. I filed a police report and apparently it's a known problem at this bar. Do not go here

This place was not the vibe. Went out here for my friends birthday on a Saturday. The music was ok, the drinks were expensive ($15 for a vodka soda) and there were like 8 fog machines in this small space you couldn't even see.

overpriced. waited almost two hours before we finally decided to leave because the line was not moving. they kept telling people to make a single file line but then wouldn't let anyone in because they were at capacity meaning they purposely oversold tickets...

Been coming basically every weekend since last June. I keep telling myself to stop partying but can't get away from the awesome people that come in here. Staff is so amazing, they take of everyone. Go see the bartenders, they'll share their wisdom and make sure you're taken care of. Come with a positive energy and you'll have a blast

Sure I can share why... We came in and we're the only people at the bar... Around two in the afternoon... We ordered cocktails... And then every employee in the bar vanished... For about 40 minutes And there is a ghostly sound coming from the back of the restaurant

Worst music ever. If I could rate this 0 stars I would. $20 for one drink. Nothing but edm. No culture.

Worst experience of my life. There is a black girl who bartends on Friday nights and she got mad at me for ordering drinks by the restroom when the bartender waved me over. She said I needed to leave because my "boobs were all out" aka cleavage girl. I wasn't exposed at all plus it shouldn't matter. She pushed my chest and said, "found the bitch" She had 2 other black bouncers drag me off the dance floor. I have bruises all over my arms and when I fell on the floor he dragged me by my hair and my purse spilled my everywhere. The Bouncer grabbed me so hard that he nearly dislodged my birth control implant in my arm. DO NOT COME HERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE ROOFIED OR PHYSICALLY BEAT BY THESE POWER HUNGRY WORKERS. They did all this to me for what? When they should be worried about their own staff putting roofies in peoples drinks.

If you're looking for a fun club atmosphere without the cover fees this is the place. My friend group hates the Hollywood club scene so we keep ending up at Canary on the weekends. It's always a young crowd from mid 20s to mid 30s, music is always high energy, fun to dance, and surprisingly easy to meet people. I've done a couple friends birthday parties here where we bought bottle service, it's definitely more affordable in comparison to Hollywood clubs.

Parking is a nightmare. The wait time is an eternity. The AC pipes are broken so random pellets of industrial water drip on everyone and everything. Drinks are not anything special especially for the exorbitant prices. A lot of homeless maniacs roam the streets and gutter right outside. If you're single and got cash to blow then I guess this is a good bar. But if you're like me and you're in a failing marriage and on a budget then this isn't gonna be your bar. Bartender was chill. The parking and the prices outweighed whatever vibes this place was going for. I'll only go back if my divorce ever gets finalized.

came here a few months ago and i think both my friend and i were drugged because we completely lost consciousness after just one drink. we both bought our drinks at the bar and drank them there so no one besides the bartender touched our drinks. i was so confused by what had happened because one drink really shouldn't push us over the edge like that... a friend recently sent me other yelp reviews of other people claiming that this establishment has a roofie problem and has been drugging their patrons. i don't want to make any claims but if you're planning on coming here just be careful. i had to go to the doctor the next day and stop drinking for months to let my liver / body recover after what happened.

Canary seeks to be the new hip bar in Santa Monica, taking over the old West End location and really beautifying it with lush vibes and a strong cocktail list. Once you step into it's grand welcoming doors, you'll be greeted with a dark yet colorful scene replete with incased plants on the walls and posh seating. There is a DJ booth and a speakeasy-esque backroom but both were unavailable when I was there. Cocktails here were pretty tasty and very island inspired and tropical. I had the Off White and Old Fashioned, both were tasty though could've been stronger, esp as the price normally is $14-18. Happy hour is pretty good at 5-8pm with basic cocktails at $10 and two premium ones at $14. As grand opening was last Friday, service is still a very much WIP so patience will be key early on. Looking forward to seeing Canary get better over time and maybe to peck into the speakeasy.

I went here with my friends and at least two of them were drugged by the bartender. My first review was deleted and it seems like this is something that has happened to other patrons too. I do not recommend this bar especially for women, alone or in groups.

I actually really liked this space. Tasty cocktails, fun Music and they do check to see if you're vaccinated before coming inside. I wouldn't personally buy a table but I would def come for drinks, dancing and ambiance!

I had a ton of fun despite being dripped on from the condensation of the pipes overhead. I had many drinks and felt my dress absorbing all the condensation water on my seat. I spent a lot of time wiping it off my head and shoulders as well. On a Friday night, it was dark and crowded so I didn't see the decor at all. No ventilation except the one side of the front doors are open if you're thinking about covid. I hope you're vaccinated before coming here. Zero masks worn by patrons, but if you're coming here, you don't care about that anyway.

This place literally gave away my boyfriends debit card to the wrong person after he started a tab. Do not come here. On top of this, the music was terrible and the drinks weren't great either. Absolutely my worst Los Angeles bar experience ever.

Came here for Drinks and music think rainforest ambiance w live music! Went for dinner and walked here afterwards! Cute date idea!

The guy bar tender on 10/20/2023 working at midnight is a THIEF and DISHONEST about prices. Tells you one price and then charges your card an exorbitant price. Very UNPROFESSIONAL and UNTRUSTWORTHY. I would NEVER recommend this place for that reason.

Super fun new bar in an amazing location! Love the friendly atmosphere and service... great new place to check out.. really convenient location and happening environment.

A Jameson gingerale cost $15 here and the vibe is fratty guys and sorority girls (as is all of Santa Monica at thus point) but seriously prices for the drinks alone are ridiculous you'll never catch me back here

Had such a good time here last Friday night! Great music and vibes. Drinks are good prices and it's always a fun crowd. Staff is great too. This one security guard was super nice and professional. I think his name was Kevin or Keith or something. The bartenders are cool and fair when getting drink orders and don't skimp on the alcohol. Would definitely recommend and I'll be going again for sure! :)

Usually not a fan of clubs in general but I figured I try it out since it was very close within a couple of miles and I didn't have to go to Hollywood or downtown. Overall the review of the club really depends on what you expect from a club. The wait time can take forever to get in (even though it was free) the bouncers would walk the line find a group of girls and let them in. The line only got shorter cause people had enough of waiting and left. Once inside it definitely feels a bit cramped not really any space to move around or have privacy so definitely don't get a table not worth it at all. The music was basic just a bunch of house remixes nothing special it was still solid though since everyone was enjoying it. Overall, this place is ok don't recommend compared to the other main LA clubs but for Santa Monica it's a pretty good club if you live around there and don't want to drive all the way to Hollywood or downtown. If you don't mind waiting a long time to get in and then it should be somewhat worth checking out if you don't want to wait for a long time to get in then don't go. Pros: - reasonably priced drinks. - good crowd of people no creeps. - reasonably clean. - friendly staff (seen mixed reviews but the staff tonight were nice). - decent music -free entry (at least for me) SHOCKING Cons: - wait times can be extremely long I think I got pretty lucky and got in with a group. Still waited over 45 mins to get in. Most had wait way longer or just left. - bouncers can be a bit sketchy and shady, but the one I talked to was nice. - can get pretty cramped

been coming to canary since it opened after Covid. One of the best west side night life spots. Always have good DJ's and unlike most clubs they are super accommodating and relaxed. Definitely check it out!

GO TO THE VICTORIAN just few blocks away. Bouncers and staffs are WAY nicer than this place. Drinks here are expensive. Place is too small. And horrible hostess. Crowd is cool but not worth it. The only nice person working there is Douglas and the restroom attendant. Bartenders are chill.

THEY LET 17 year olds in there!!!! i'm 21 and everyone i met was 17 and a child. at the end of the night waiting for my uber the high school kids started fighting, it's unprofessional and i will never go back. EVER. ZERO STARS!!!!!!

The Canary is a new lounge bar on the corner of 5th street and Arizona in Santa Monica. They opened last year- Fall season. They have one full bar with impressive marble counter top. Beers and cocktails were remarkable. Prices were on the high end but that's average for the neighborhood. It's interior has three huge rectangular fiberglass with plants display on the center, left and right side. Moreover, they have a small stage and a DJ booth. Tables, sofas and leather couches were spacious. However, they have a very small dance floor by the stage. This bar lounge can easily get packed and crowded. I wish the bouncer managed more bettter the people they let in. Luckily our party came early hence to lines. The club goers were relatively young and very good looking. Bartenders were nice, competent and professional. Ample of street parking and public parking lots within a block. Overall we had a phenomenal night and we highly recommend this bar.

Canary used to be my spot! Singing dancing bafoonery all across the board. But damn, they don't know a good thing when they see it. This places stays letting in 14 olds and turning down GIRLS at the door. If you want to stay letting in smol young men, go crazy! But if you want any relevance in the prime location that is Santa Monica, get a grip, touch some grass and do better.

It may be branded as new, but it's just a refresh of a tacky club. The place looks worn and smells like bleach. If you want a $17 cocktail made from Goya fruit punch & captain morgan this is your spot. Go literally anywhere else!!!

Remember Zanzibar? Me either. But I heard I used to go there and have fun. I do have vague memories, I suppose, of giant heavy curtains that got in the way of ordering drinks. Anything that gets in the way of me and booze is something I will remember. Anyway, this place used to be Zanzibar. But then, you know, it's 2019 and we're all entitled to be fluid identities, so it woke up one evening (it would never wake up in the morning, come on) and it was like hey, I'm Canary now. Its parents were taken aback at first. They were raised as traditional nightclubs. "In my day..." Zanzibar had had enough, just like I've had enough of using the word had twice in a row. So now, here we are. Canary. A cool vibe with a copious plants that are - gasp - not real. Or are they real and we're fake? Either way, the poor babies are trapped behind glass. Or is it plastic? WHAT IS REAL idk but go here and have a drink, it's fun and i told you so

I honestly have no idea how this place gets such good reviews. We got there around 11pm on a Saturday and walked right in with no line. Is it nice inside, yes but absolutely horrible DJ. I don't see this place lasting long with a DJ like that. He played house even though I was told they play top 40's. We left after 30 minutes because we were so bored. Place has a small dance area with a bunch of couches. Nothing like Zanzibar. I was really hoping this was going to be similar but it was far from it. Do yourself a favor and head to The Room down the street. At least they play hip hop and top 40's. This place doesn't cater to a diverse crowd. I definitely won't be back and would never recommend this place. Bring back Zanzibar!!

Born and raised in Santa Monica. I love the changes that have been happening in my city over the past decade but CANARY IS WHAT SAMO WAS MISSING. Location is unbeatable, the decor is amazing, the lighting very chic and overall the vibe is real sexy. I can see myself grabbing a drink here before dinner, after dinner or just planning a night out there. The DJ was amazing. Drinks were tropical but not annoyingly "tiki". I talked to a couple of the staff there and sounds like they will be using the stage for some very fun nights soon. Also, there will be an abundance of food trucks parked outside. Can't wait. I lived at Zanzibar for years. Didn't give West End the chance I should've but I will not make the same mistake with Canary.

I think they run some kind of escort services or they wanna rob the wealthy patrons . Both the times me and my friends narrowly escaped the moment spiked drink started kicking in , we left even though the girls wanted to take us to the darker corner . we have seen this all before so we are extra cautious as much as we are wasted . I am never going back there !

Atmosphere was cool but they absolutely sardine pack the place it makes it impossible to enjoy yourself because you're constantly being pushed and stepped on. We even had a table and felt the same.

Went last night and several guests got very sick. Not alcohol poisoning. Drugged. Stay far away from this place!!!!

My friend and I were robbed here! My phone and her wallet stolen out of our bags. I also ran into multiple others that night who's phones were stolen.

First off the bouncer Davonte is the guts, best guard I ever met and so cool especially if you know the Easy E song boys in the hood. The vibe is awesome, great music tho it gets packed at midnight but the hostess in front is a total "B.I". Will be coming back for more and to say what's up to Davonte, he's a whole cool as vibe, show him love not too many bouncers like that now days. Cheers

Security is super shady here. They were threatening to kick people out and taking money from them to let them stay in. Was on 7/2 whoever was walking the floor.

The aesthetic of this bar is incredible, but the prices are not reasonable at all. LA has a lot of unique style bars - with way more affordable drinks - that I would go to before ever going to this one again.

Management and staff are the worst of the worst, especially the so called "bouncers." Really weird situation when you and your artist are booked to play and the power-tripping bouncers keep physically assaulting you and throwing out expletives for no reason except trying to intimidate you (seems like this is a very common occurrence based on other reviews). The only caveat is the door guys have always been very cool to me.

One of the hidden gems of west side nightlife. The club is great, management takes care of you, and they also throw an amazing day party at Shangri-La on the weekends.

Been a long time customer! The staff is so friendly and the DJs are great. If you are looking for a fun place to go dancing with your friends then you found the spot!

As a Regular this is not my first situation with the tall doorman charging me or people I know but 10 friends and I came to the canary lastnight and waited almost 45 minutes just for the tall guy to try charge us 40$ each to get into a free club we've been coming to almost every weekend but sure enough we refused pay and got denied entry. What a Sham! #TallGuyNoGo

Loved the ambiance. The best place to be in LA for a fun night out on the weekend!! Definitely recommend.

One of the best places to go out in Santa Monica! I always have good night here. They have a superb drink menu and the staff is very friendly! Overall Good vibes. Good music. Great People.

Big shoutout to Chris the bartender! He made me a custom cucumber mezcal cocktail that i loved. Will be coming back for the drinks

Would give this place -5 stars if I could. I came here tonight and dealt with the rudest hostess and bouncer. The bouncer has a ponytail and is shorter. The hostess is a brunette, medium height. My friends and I were put on the guest list by the DJ who was performing. After waiting in line, the bouncer rudely yells at me "unless you have a table you are not getting in." The hostess then rudely says " it doesn't matter if you're on the guest list, you have to wait in the other line" (after we had already waited in the first line). What's the point of having a guest list if you won't let people in off the guest list? I come here every weekend and every time I am disappointed by the people at the door. I will no longer be going here. The bouncer has been extremely rude to me and my friends on multiple occasions. There was one instance, it was 47 degrees outside, we waited in line for over an hour. Finally we get to the front of the line and a group of 10 people leave the club. Me and my friend assume we would be let in next. But no, he just sits there while we are shivering. So finally I say, "we are really cold, we have been waiting for over and hour and a big group just left. Can you let us in." He steps up to me as if he is going to hit me and then aggressively says "push it and see what happens." Then continues to wait another 15 minutes before letting us in (keep in mind WE WERE AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE WITH NO ONE ELSE WAITING). He did this to be passive aggressive. He has done this on numerous occasions. I have never been to a bar with staff so disgustingly rude and uptight. If you don't like your job then get a different one. We won't be giving canary our money anymore. Terrible place. Don't come here.

Cute place with good music! I recommend getting there a little early, it gets pretty packed by 10:30 pm. Oh and they don't have the canary glasses anymore which was a bummer. Staff were nice!