Find out what readers voted as the best music and nightlife.
Best Comedy Spot
DNA’s Comedy Lab
- DNA’s Comedy Lab is an experimental comedy theater that features stand-up comedy, improv, sketch, live podcasts, game shows, and even the occasional serious book reading.
- Comedians that have graced DNA’s stage have ranged in age from 7-70 years old and have included such big names as Eddie Pepitone, Doug Benson, Judah Friedlander and Adam Conover.
- DNA is an actual person, and a comedian to be exact. He got his start by winning a Showtime College Laff-Off.
- The Comedy Lab is located in the old Regal Cinemas Riverfront Twin Theatre. It is 15,000 square feet or 405 elephants. (They did the math.)
- Several of the Lab staff are also stand up comedians. The official Lab dog is a Great Pyrenees named Justice, who also has a great sense of humor.
Aaron Carnes
Best Happy Hour
Hula’s Island Grill
- Hula’s Island Grill is a fun, casual restaurant that serves Hawaiian fusion food with a California twist. Try a luau pork sandwich, pan seared shrimp tacos, Jawaiian jerk chicken plate, Hawaiian ceviche … yum!
- Hula’s has an elaborate and flamboyant tropical tiki drink menu. The ambience is straight out of the 1950s-style kitsch tiki bar with island décor, surf art, carved masks and feel-good, laid-back music.
- There are three locations. The original opened in 1998 in Monterey. The Santa Cruz location was the second, opened in 2006. The third is located in Phoenix, Arizona.
- You can rent out the “Tiki Room” and host your own private events and parties.
- They care about serving high quality and sustainable seafood, and they comply with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.
Aaron Carnes
Best Local Musician
Mira Goto
- Mira Goto is a little bit Nashville twang and a whole lot of California. The 32-year-old singer-songwriter plays California Country, or as she refers to it, “Diet country.” She loves to tell complete stories in her songs.
- She won “Musician of the Year” at the 2019 NEXTies, tied with singer-songwriter Henry Chadwick.
- Goto signed a production deal with record producer Ken Caillat (the engineer for Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, among other things). She plans to release a EP later this year. Previously she released the album New Plaid Shirt under the name Mira Parfitt.
- She started playing music as a preteen, starting with classical music on the violin, then graduating to emo music on the guitar.
- A crowd favorite is her sweet and heart-wrenching song “Crazy Cat lady.” It’s a gorgeous song that anyone who’s ever loved a cat will definitely be crying along to by the third verse.
Aaron Carnes
Bar
Parish Publick House
841 Almar Ave., Santa Cruz, 421-0507;
8017 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 708-2036;
RUNNERS-UP 515 Kitchen & Cocktails, Red Room
Bartender
Manny Mescalito @ Front & Cooper
RUNNERS-UP Alexandra Wheatley , Josh Youngblood @ Oswald
Comedy Spot
DNA’s Comedy Lab
155 S. River St., Santa Cruz, 900-5123, dnascomedylab.com
RUNNERS-UP Blue Lagoon, Crow’s Nest Restaurant
Craft Brewer (local)
Discretion Brewing
2703 41st Ave. Suite A, Soquel, 316-0662, discretionbrewing.com
RUNNERS-UP Humble Sea, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
Dance Club
Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-7117
RUNNERS-UP Moe’s Alley, Motiv
Fancy Cocktails
515 Kitchen & Cocktails
515 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, 425-5051, 515santacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Front & Cooper, Oswald
Happy Hour
Hula’s Island Grill
221 Cathcart St., Santa Cruz, 426-4852, hulastiki.com
RUNNERS-UP Alderwood, The Crow’s Nest
Karaoke
Boardwalk Bowl / Coasters Bar & Grill
115 Cliff St., Santa Cruz, 426-3324, boardwalkbowl.com/coasters-bar-grill
RUNNERS-UP Britannia Arms, I Love Sushi
Live Music
Moe’s Alley
1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz, 479-1854, moesalley.com
RUNNERS-UP Catalyst, Kuumbwa Jazz
Local Band
Soulwise
RUNNERS-UP Cement Ship, Coffee Zombie Collective
Local Comedian
Victor Dubin
RUNNERS-UP Richard Stockton, Sam Weber
Local Musician
Mira Goto
RUNNERS-UP Alex Lucero, Morgen Smith
Margaritas
El Palomar
1336 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 425-7575, elpalomarsantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant, Tortilla Flats
New Brewery
Fruition Brewing
918 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville, fruitionbrewing.com
Place to Play Pool
Fast Eddy’s
4300 Capitola Rd., Capitola, 462-1882
RUNNERS-UP One Double Oh Seven Club, Surf City Billiards
Place to Play Darts
Poet & Patriot Irish Pub
320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, 426-8620
RUNNERS-UP One Double Oh Seven Club, Surf City Billiards
Pub
Parish Publick House
841 Almar Ave., Santa Cruz, 421-0507;
8017 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 708-2036;
RUNNERS-UP Poet & Patriot, Rosie McCann’s
Tap Room
Beer Thirty
2504 S Main St., Soquel, 477-9967, beerthirtysantacruz.com
How on earth can you continue to say Discretion is the best Craft Brewer in Santa Cruz?!
Sante Adairius is BY FAR the best. They have made more than one WORLDWIDE top ten list.
This is why so many local restuarant taps are filled with sub-par local beer.