Best Dance Club
Blue Lagoon
1. This year, the Blue Lagoon celebrates its 41st anniversary as downtown’s go-to nightclub. It’s operated under the same owners since it opened.Â
2. While shaking your booty on the dance floor, you can check out the not-so-hidden sculptured faces and butts watching your moves from the pillars.Â
3. Like several other establishments along Pacific Avenue, the Blue Lagoon has a basement accessible only by staff.
4. Several bartenders claim that the basement is haunted.
5. Not just a dance club, on any given night, patrons can see live performances by local and touring rock, metal, country and hip-hop acts. It’s also been the home of Santa Cruz’s longest-running comedy troupe, the Blue Lagoonies, for 17 years. MAT WEIR
Best Live Music
Moe’s Alley
1. 2022 marks Moe’s Alley’s seventh consecutive win for Best Live Music Venue.
2. Moe’s opened in 1992; in 2021, in 2021, Lisa Norelli and Brian Ziel bought it from longtime owner Bill Welch.
3. Best friends, Norelli and Ziel, had dreamed of owning a venue together for years.
4. Before it was Moe’s Alley, the building was other clubs–including Mona’s Gorilla Lounge and Cha Cha’s, where local legends like Camper Van Beethoven and BL’AST! played.Â
5. Moe’s hosts around 240 shows a year, featuring musicians like blues rocker Sue Foley (pictured below), reggae legends Israel Vibration and the Don Was-fronted pop outfit Was (Not Was). MAT WEIR
Best New Brewery
Woodhouse Blending and Brewing
1. Co-founders William Moxham, Mike Rodriguez and Ken Kieffer are lifelong friends. They grew up together in Kansas City, Missouri.
2. Before Woodhouse, head brewer Mike Rodriguez won multiple awards at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Fest, the largest commercial brewing competition in the United States.
3. They have at least 12 different beers on tap in their tasting room at any given time.
4. The brewery hosts an array of live entertainment featuring bands spanning every musical genre.
5. Their upcoming Barrel Program will give members access to a wide variety of limited, artisan-crafted barrel-aged brews. MAT WEIR
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Bar
Brady’s Yacht Club
413 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, 425-9854, facebook.com/BYC1933
RUNNERS-UP Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen, Parish Publick House
Bartender
Danna Meek @ Venus Spirits
RUNNERS-UP Josh Youngblood @ Oswald, Aaron @ JJs
Comedy Spot
DNA’s Comedy Lab
155 S. River St., Santa Cruz, 900-5123, dnascomedylab.com
RUNNERS-UP The Crow’s Nest, Greater Purpose Brewing Company
Craft Brewer (Local)
Humble Sea Brewery
820 Swift St., Santa Cruz, 621-2890, humblesea.com
RUNNERS-UP Discretion Brewing, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
Dance Club
Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-7117
RUNNERS-UP Moe’s Alley, Motiv
Fancy Cocktails
Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen
200 High Road, Santa Cruz, 600-7376, venusspirits.com
RUNNERS-UP 515 Kitchen & Cocktails, Front & Cooper
Happy Hour
Crow’s Nest Restaurant
2218 E. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 476-4560, crowsnest-santacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Hula’s Island Grill and Tiki Room, Shadowbrook Restaurant
Karaoke
Boardwalk Bowl/Coasters Bar & Grill
115 Cliff St., Santa Cruz, 426-3324, boardwalkbowl.com/coasters-bar-grill
RUNNERS-UP The Blue Lounge, Britannia Arms
Live Music
Moe’s Alley
1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz, 479-1854, moesalley.com
RUNNERS-UP Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Michael’s On Main
