The Chestnut Club

Stopped by the Chestnut club on a Wednesday evening and was pleasantly surprised! They had a live saxophone player, which set a cool, laid back vibe. the lighting is dim and moody - perfect for a mid-week drink without dealing with big crowds. At first the bartender seemed annoyed over my friends wanted a fresh glass of wine, not from a bottle that has been sitting for days, but he warmed up later and became friendlier. Overall, a nice spot for music and relaxing night out in Santa Monica.

The tuna tacos were much better than the ceviche. Service was nice and friendly, but the place was understaffed. Atmosphere is cozy and pleasant. Ask your server regarding cocktail flavor profiles🍹 because the drink menu can be deceiving

Experience wasn’t what I expected. Liquor selection was the only thing that kept me there for 1 drink. The bartender was a bit off in character and the dj was awful. The playlist was meant a college bar & did not anywhere fit the vibe of this place. To top it off this rainbow clown light really killed the entire aroma of the bar. The reviews for this place are good so maybe this was an off day (I went on a Friday night). Truly want to give the place another try as it definitely has the potential to be a great spot.

This is my favorite place to go in Santa Monica. I love the DJ that mix different music and ppl is pretty friendly

Great little bar. Well designed. Great service! Very accommodating. Great whiskey list. Plenty of other options for those who aren't into whiskey.

Beautiful atmosphere and really good cocktails. Around 15$ each. The music and lightning is really chill. Parking only valet parking for 10$. I‘d recommend street parking.

Cool vibes for a Friday night out. The drinks are fairly expensive and the staff aren’t super friendly. Got drinks at the bar and found a table to sit and were told we had to buy another drink immediately if we wanted to continue sitting on the table.

This place was definitely a vibe Saturday night! Fast and efficient service. Dj played all the Jams (new and old) AND HIT THE CROWD WITH SUPER DOPE MIXES. Good drinks, good crowd, good music. A+ on my book.

Happy hour menu is bomb! Service is on point! Chill atmosphere during happy hour! I'm definitely a fan! I will be a regular for sure.

Really good vibe and great ambiance. Our server/bartender was super attentive and had great recommendations. He checked on us every 20 min, which is super ideal :) we ordered chips and guacamole, great portion size and super fresh! Dj was absolutely fantastic, she played some bangers which kept us there for another hour. Hundred percent recommended

The vibes in here are great! There is a lot of seating and the staff is friendly. Looks like they have DJs on select days and they have a pretty extensive happy hour with good, strong cocktails, until 7pm Tues-Sat!

Legendary vibes here. Fresh bites to go along with a chill atmosphere, versatile for all walks of life. They out here taking care of the customers to the max and brining hella options for drinks. Pull up and stay eatin! They got happy hour, karaoke, DJ's, live jazz nights and more. Bruh, it's like that!

We came for Jazz night. Music was good. Two drink minimum. I got vodka with soda and lime. My drink was horrible then I thought oh maybe it's part of the $10 promo but no it wasn't . I paid full price for it. Ambiance was good too, but I think If a place is gonna have a big selection of alcohol at least they should have good cocktails. At the end of the day how hard it is to screw up a vodka soda.

So far I've been there twice-- both times it was not too late an night, so I don't know if it gets super crowded. The bouncer, bar tenders, and servers were all very friendly. The drinks were good- I had some off the menu and some classic/less common. Overall, I will definitely be going back.

If you don't know I'm a sucker for a speak easy. Now, although this isn't one it has all the feels of one just swipe out a live band for a dj. You enter in this dark area that leads into the bar that is dawned with dark wood and brick walls. The dim lights and small bites make it the perfect place for date night or night cap. We celebrated my friend's birthday there and it was the perfect mix of sexy and fun. The guacamole literally is the best I've ever had. I also had the Burrata bruschetta that did not disappoint! The server was so sweet and very attentive. Definitely felt like VIP.

Inviting and intimate setting, brick-walled spot lined with chesterfield leather booths. Classic menu with great appetizers and over 400 uniquely chosen spirits & liqueurs. Skilled & personable bartenders. Their Chestnut Old Fashioned, using the house single barrel bourbon was rich & smooth. Also Great selection of tequilas Mezcals with

The undercover spot in the cut and behind my fav BBQ spot Bludsos! Love this place for many reasons: 1. Parking behind for $10 but also metered street parking is free after 6pm. Be cautious and look for street parking signs as most parking requires a permit. Don't get towed or get a ticket! SM doesn't play! 2. The ambience is dope! Dim light sexy vibes, it's like an old school library/bar/club all in one. 3. Dress is casual LA fun type vibe! Be creative be casual (no flip flops or beach ware) or dress up! 4. Security guards to the bar tenders to the waiters are all nice and great service! 5. Drinks are delicious! Had a penicillin and they nailed it! 6. DJ on Friday nights was fun. He stayed out with rnb and hip hop and rap and then moved to pop and then techno house. He was good at first and then lost people. 7. So many fun ppl come here and hip! Never seen so many men that live to dance type vibe! Awesome! Shoutout to Hayden and Jeremy which kept it super fun! Been going here for some time, but haven't been since before the pandemic and was reminded why I have always loved this place. Consistency is key!

It's a nice bar but I won't be going anymore. I've been here like half a dozen times through their timeleft partnership and every time I would leave notes to timeleft that it was by far the best bar in the rotation because it has lots of seating, is clean, and not too loud. It got the largest timeleft turnouts many nights. But recently they turned it into jazz nights and it has a cover charge, is loud, and two drink minimums. Most people don't even come because of the cover charge now. It's just not the same and so I will be skipping the chestnut club when it comes around in the rotation and have updated my feedback to timeleft that it should be removed from the rotation given the new changes.

They had a nice happy hour and the vibe is perfect, dark and moody for an evening of cocktails and bites. The parking in this area is a little tough, but the service and items we ordered made the visit a good one.

Came here for a friend's bday on a Saturday night. it was around 7 so good happy hour deals but on the tamer side, although as we were about to leave around 9pm it seemed like it was bout to be popping. i would definitely come back for a more lit crowd for sure. otherwise, this place is classy enough to impress friends, family, or business-related folk Also, Cindy is an amazing bar tender and has great recs and mashups of drinks off the menu as well, definitely trust her recs

Nice cute vibe and knowledgeable and helpful bartenders/ server. The vibe is cute and they have an amazing happy hour for drinks. Very cheap and not a typical La price bar. If I'm ever in the Samo area, this is definitely a cute spot to hit up! Only issue is, it's a little hard to find so just trust your GPS on your phone lol.

Seemingly hidden away in Santa Monica, this rustic but upscale bar has great vibes and attracts a nice crowd. The drinks are well crafted and the bites are high quality. We were served by Shannon who was excellent, friendly and attentive. There's seating for large groups as well, as we were a group of 8. Great place to start or end the night, but definitely recommend going for Happy Hour.

A hidden gem! I had only been here pre-Covid late at night for drinks and just recently tried it out for food and I was so pleasantly surprised! The menu is small - mostly appetizers and small shareable bites - but everything we got was really good! And the drinks were FANTASTIC! The vibe was awesome and for a Saturday at 7:30, it was a great little chill start to a fun Saturday night out! Definitely reccomend stopping by!

Great cocktail bar. The quality is something you can taste but the drinks don't run cheap. The happy hour is a great one! The bar gets dark and loud at night. A great place for dates or a group.

Love the joint! Really nice bar with a NY inspired vibe. The manager Brandon is a cool dude and plays some dope jams. So underrated, but drinks are great and overall great ambiance. Will definitely be back!

I have only had positive experience at The Chestnut Club. I have attended some outside events that have been very fun there. The drinks are innovative and the atmosphere is very inviting. A great upscale bar to have in the neighborhood!

We came here for happy hour on a Thursday evening. I think their happy hour was until 7pm. It was not very crowded when we first arrived (around 630pm) but got busier by the time we were ready to leave (about 830-9pm). Our server was very attentive. We ordered mainly from the happy hour menu but my friends ordered food from the main menu. Their pretzel was medium sized, not all the way hot at times and was quite salty but wasn't bad. The chips were pretty standard but nothing special. My friend ordered the meatballs and grilled cheese - meatballs looked to be a good portion but grilled cheese was quite small for the price (about $15). They had a variety of drinks on their happy hour menu and I was happy with my margarita. My boyfriend got the Pilsner and the serving was quite large. They had ample seating during happy hour and even have one really large table in the back that I think can be rented out. It was not too loud during our visit and we could hear each other easily. They have valet parking and street parking. We parked on Santa Monica Blvd easily (meters turn off after 6pm).

I have the opportunity to stop here after it was suggested by my date. It was a great time. I love the bartender. He made one of my most memorable old-fashioned. Definitely top 20. The ambience was perfect. I was told on weekends. It gets busy, however that evening it seemed like it was a perfect date location. I would definitely go back. I loved the music. overall this place is definitely my vibe.

There are nights where you party like a rockstar. That's what LIFE is all about. So shall we begin this club review. The Chestnut Club is a modern cocktail bar lounge with modern design. It's exposed brick, rustic and wooden beam ceiling and dim lit definitely set up the mood which is a perfect setting especially for date night. They have a full bar out front with extensive drinks and modest bites. It's atmosphere was very lively, thanks to their good background music whereby it's loud enough where y'all can talk without shouting. I like their black leather sofa and bar tables. This bar had some attractive club customers which wasn't hard to notice. ;) Bartenders/servers were amiable, attentive and professional. Drink prices were fair. Street parking and Valet are available. Overall, I enjoyed my time at the bar lounge amongst friends. I recommend this bar lounge cocktail.

Why advertise 2am closing and do last call 10:30?! Complete BS! We came under the pretense the advertised hours were correct. Complete waste of our time to show up for ONE drink when we planned our evening based on YOUR stated hours of operation!

Quiet spot for early Happy Hour. Good, inexpensive snacks. We had a ton of guac and chips. The deviled eggs were spicy and delicious. Good service and drinks were good. Only bummer is baker is $10 for Club and $4 for BLUDSO'S.

My fav date night spot in Santa Monica because it reminds me of my fav east village bars. I was also excited to see they had happy hour from Tuesday - Friday 5-7!! $8 wines, $10 cocktails, $6 beer and bites from $5-$12. These are extremely good happy hour prices and bites for this area! Would recommend the Birria tacos, tuna tacos or the Burrata crostini.

Very nice drinks were Good friendly service I will return ooh and the ambiance is very nice

The Chestnut Club is a prestigious establishment. It has a great balance of ambience mixed with the allure of captivating and delicious drinks! There is a slight dock of points due to the glassware choice for the Aperol Spritz. However, the suave DJ and the glamorous disco ball make up for the lack of glassware. Delicious!

Loved this spot! Great cocktail bar, gives you speakeasy vibes. They have a great happy Hour as well from 4-7 so perfect for right after work! They also have a specialty cocktail that is only $9 on happy hour. It was this watermelon Marg, and it was delicious. I love a bar with proper fresh ingredients and when snacks are avail for purchase. I'll be back! Recommended for great casual after work spot, date spot & a great place to start your evening (pre dinner drinks).

I had just called the Chestnut and spoke to Elena and she gave me the overview of the bar and I am so excited to go there just because how she explained how nice it is there and the type of people are there just her welcoming of a total stranger to hear a voice to say yes you'll have a great time and we look forward to seeing you truly like a great way to see someone cheerful about them answering the phone

Not much to say other than it's a surprisingly nice spot for this section of town, with some good drinks. A good date spot. It can get loud like anywhere else, but the ambiance and decor was solid and the service was good when it's not too busy. When it's busy, they struggle to keep up.

Nice bartender and enthusiastic bartender who made me a whiskey sour; friendly atmosphere over all. We went kind of early and were glad to see a mix of ages there, not all 20s for example. Didn't try the food. My husband got one of their craft cocktails, which was delicious.

What I witnessed at that place was just pathetic. The "manager" Hernan with his obvious insecurity issues, wouldn't agree for us to take a dessert we ordered "to go", and literally trying to force my wife eating it, calling security to kick us out, THIS IS THE MOST ABSURD SITUATION I'VE EVER WITNESSED. This clown obviously have personal issues, too bad he doesn't know how to be professional, this place is a no go, if you will have a minimum sense of decency you'll reach out to apologize.

We decided to try The chesnut club on saturday night and we didn't regret it. Ordered a sweet cocktail (needed to ask for extra syrup, because it was still sour a bit for my taste), a scrimp chevice ( way too much onions for me, so my friend ate it all), and a cheese plate, which was soo good. It came witt 4 different kind of cheeses ( big portion), honeycomb, perfectly grilled rustic bread, almonds, and raisins. It was the perfect match with the drinks we ordered. The only thing is better to make reservations, because it was a Meet up night, so there was a lot of people there. Definitely gonna go back!

Ambiance was amazing. The service was great -- we sat at the bar and got our drinks quickly. The cocktails are super high quality. I got the freezer martini and my husband got the old fashion. The freezer martini was so good, that I complimented a random girl's sparkly jumpsuit. IYKYK. We will def be back and get the same!!!

Came here for a meet up mixer. The small intimate speakeasy vibes attracted me. Fantastic upscale old-school cocktails and generally pleasant dim-lit atmosphere, but with their limited 'snack menu' food is pretty expensive and not up to par with what the establishment is trying to rep. During this time, the venue was divided into three: 1) Mixer 2) Private party 3) Everyone else Since the venue was small, they put a club-line containment zone around the main bar area separating all three groups. Those attending the mixer, couldn't step outside the zone -- at least without bumping into workers or blocking the traffic. I ordered a fourteen dollar 'gourmet' hot dog. It was trash. I've had better hot-dogs for half the price on the boulevard by a street vender. The bun was not toasted and straight out of the bulk-bun bin at the 99 cent store. It had a slightly stale taste. And the chips you served were straight out of a Kettle chips bag. They were absolutely NOT homemade. 14 dollars for this? Don't make me laugh This is the type of finger food you serve for guests at your own private restaurant or a divey bar -- for free on a game day, not a classier speakeasy like this.

Vibey spot, Happy Hour is off the charts, the drinks are memorizable, and the staff is cool. Check it out during the week and on the weekend, can't miss a good time.

Ordered espresso martini, it was watered down and had no coffee in it. Charged me 22 dollars and gave me a poorly made cocktail.

Not sure how this place operates on the weekend, but my date and I came here on a Wednesday evening and had a lovely time. The bartenders choice was excellent.

The westside cocktail was bomb. Server was nice. Only one very serious problem was volume of music. All of sudden, the bar increased the volume extremely, we needed to shout each others to talk. We left soon after that

Really enjoyed the vibe of this place! There are no signs on the building so it was a bit hard to find but once you walk in the ambiance is really cool. Drinks were great and food was decent, but service lagged a little partly because they were packed for a Wednesday night due to two company happy hours. Overall a good place and a nice spot for happy hours.

If you want to go to a beautiful and cool bar with perfect seating, great airflow, excellent drinks, flawless service, a fantastic DJ, a parking lot, a nyc vibe, no one rushes you and you can even reserve a table for drinks for 2...go to the Chestnut Club. My favorite new bar. 14th & Santa Monica Blvd same owners as scopa and black market liquor! I loved everything about this bar and am headed back this week.

Speakeasy bars all kind of run together but this one was a good reference because it was quality in a cozy environment. GET A REZZY! The cocktails during happy hour was pretty awesome, I definitely recommend. Give it a go and have a drink of four!

Excellent Mezcal Oldfashioned by Cindy. Had the olives, ceviche and NY hotdog as well - all very good. Nice ambiance, dark interior with an old-school bar vibe. We were there on a Thursday 5:30-8pm and it wasn't crowded, which was great. Could hold a conversation easily as the music was not too loud. Very pleasant evening. Taking one star off because my companion had to get up from the table and go the bar to ask for the drinks and the food twice. Lacking in the service department... on a slow evening. Hope they improve that. We'll be back for sure as the drinks and ambiance are definitely worth it.

This place was such a let down, from start to finish. Took an Uber here and it's not clearly marked, so we asked the guy in the front, who seemed a little hostile. Once we got downstairs, a waitress rushed over to us before we even sat down and looked at a menu. Bartender came up to take our order - I got a dirty martini and my husband got one of their specialty cocktails. After he brought us our drinks, he never checked on us again the entire evening. Had to ask somebody refilling our water to bring us the check...which was FORTY dollars for just two cocktails and some water. To add insult to injury, the bartender charged me extra to make my martini dirty. Are you kidding me? $3 to pour some olive juice from a jar likely bought at Ralphs up the street? This bar is pretty, but nothing special, either. No idea why it's so expensive and why it has such unfriendly vibes. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.

One of the better cocktail bars in Santa Monica. A very well stocked bar and capable bartenders that can make use of all of the options. Open until 2 am every night. They can get crafty with their cocktails, which I appreciate. They can also keep it simple, which is helpful for those nights when it's crowded and it feels more like a club than a cocktail bar. Not too much in the way of beer and wine, and a short menu of bar snacks is available. The cocktail menu is extensive. This used to be the old 14 Below. They've kept the exposed brick and spruced up everything else. It's a good looking space. Decent sized valet parking is available onsite. They've got DJs but no live bands. One of my favorite bartenders works here Mondays, and so Mondays is now one of my favorite nights here. He's very creative, all you need to do is tell him what's your favorite spirit, whether you like your drink stirred or shaken, and he can whip something up for you on the spot that will knock your socks off. It's really great to have a good bar open until 2 am in Santa Monica. Thank you Chestnut Club!

This was our first stop that one Saturday evening. My buddy heard that this place had the best Irish coffee in town. But when we got here, they told us that they could not make anything of the sort. I asked if they had any cold brew or espresso to make a coffee drink, but they said no. Only soda or Red Bull. I decided to forego drinking here, and waited for the next stop. My buddy got a drink, but it took a while to get because the bar area was so crowded. The rest of the place was somewhat packed, but there was a bigger crowd in the bar area. The place has a low-light environment, and the patrons are mainly West LA locals. I can say that it's alright for stopping to get a drink, even though they didn't have what I was looking for at the time.

Whiskey cocktails and ambiance are very good, I'll come back. The only downside was that there was nothing to snack on. I somehow missed this detail and came hungry. Beware! -There's food options in the business just by it, but save your cocktail rooms for here!

Fun place to meet up with friends. Great common area and bar to hang out at. Delicious drinks. Accommodated a group of 15 coming and going just fine!

Not a whiskey drinker but my friend who I came here with is and he was impressed by their whiskey selection. Small, cramped place which lessens the cool, speakeasy-ish vibe. They had a decent selection of wine for being a place that specializes in liquor. The servers were nowhere to be found and the bartenders were very difficult to get ahold of which is why the rating isn't higher.

This place is great. When it's open. They need to adjust their google hours of operations. On a number of occasions I've driven out here to have a drink and they are completely closed by midnight. If you're going to close 2 hours early, update your hours of operations so you're not wasting people's time.