The Monterey Club

We were visiting from SoCal (a year or 2 ago) and I found this place on Unilocal.The first night we came in it was’t too packed but we still had a blast. We got to talking with DJ stacy and Captain and really had a lot of fun. We were invited back the next day when they were having a big show and it was packed. The bands were really good and the tattoo/​clothing shop connected was awesome. We will be back next time we are in FL.

Thanks to the new comedy open mic night on Thursday, I have been introduced to this bar. Not a bad spot though I do miss having alchohol. At least they have a decent selection of beer so its worth the time to check out.

Meh. I was brought here on Halloween night, which was probably the wrong night to be there. I can make the best of my time and have fun even in the worst places as long as I have some friends with me, so I had a good time, but I wouldn’t exactly hold the Monterey Club responsible for that.
There was virtually no crowd. On a night out, I like a party. The handful of people there set a pretty bad ambiance. Some of my laughs were had making fun of them. This dude that I referred to as Thor was yelling a lot (sometimes at nothing, sometimes at the TV, and sometimes at the bartenders). His rapport with the bar staff was good, so I assume he’s a regular. He eventually took his shirt off for some reason. Hey, I’m not judging Thor. I’m happy for him. Watching him isn’t my idea of a night out, but at least he’s having fun.
A dude with a Halloween movie mask on was pretending to stalk people. There’s always one or two of those anywhere. I played along. All in good fun.
There was this chick that was being a bitch all night. What an attention whore. She was being hella noisy with attitude, and then went apeshit on the Halloween masked dude because he tapped her wrist with his fake rubber knife. She flipped the fuck out about how she has a child, and a man, and he can’t touch her. He took off his mask and gave a genuine apology. That wasn’t enough for her though, because she kept yelling obscenities, grabbed his wrist to force him onto the floor and then went all sadistic and dominant on the guy, going between scolding and stroking his face creepily, then forced him to beg her for forgiveness. It may not seem like it in my explanation, but trust me, she took it WAY too far, and made the scene really uncomfortable for more than just a few people at the bar.
I saw her fucking around with the mic on stage later. Turned out she was the lead singer for the local band that was on! Christ, how can they even GET gigs with her like that? The point is I would have expected some of the venue staff to interject in her little domination session, it went on for about five whole minutes. You usually want to get a scene like that OUTSIDE your bar, not doing any damage to the scene.
Then again, that leads me back to the problem that there wasn’t quite much of a scene at this place at all. There was no crowd, the few people that were there were lame or fucking nuts, the band sucked, and their vocalist was seriously unprofessional.
On the PLUS SIDE, I hear that festivals and big music events at this place transform it from a shitty bar into a pimpin’ party, sometimes taking up the whole block.
Some other pluses that I imagine, though had nothing to do with this experience:
–connected to a tattoo parlor. Alcohol makes the pain go away.
–Pool Table. Just one, but it’s up for grabs.
–Motorcycle or car shop behind it or something. Fixing engines and beer goes together just as well as tattoos and beer.
–apparently there’s a back patio area or something, but I didn’t see it, the weather sucked.
Oh, and the final reason why it’s dropped to one star: Why the fuck is PBR like $ 4? It’s PBR!

This is a great venue; free pool, cheap drinks, consistently great bands, awesome staff, and a tattoo parlour right next door? It doesn’t get much better than that. Their big events are not to be missed, either.
I noticed a lot of people complained in their reviews that parking is tight – if that’s really a problem for you, then you don’t know shit about the local music scene down here. At least their parking lot is safe, and free of bums that make ominous observations about how dangerous it would be to leave your car unattended without paying them to «watch it» for you.

I am recently relocated to Ft. Lauderdale from Jacksonville. I’m big into pin-​up, rockabilly, punk etc. and when some friends told me about this place I was stoked! I love funky dive bars with character, and this one’s definitly that. When my friend and I went, I was instantly in love and thought «this could def be my new hangout» but that thought quickly faded when we sat at the bar. The bar staff was unfriendly, no hello, hows it going, f*ck off… nothing. And this included the bartender and her 2 trainees! After the wasted guy next to us started being an asshole we finally got up and wondered into the tattoo shop. The vibe instantly got better… everyone was really nice. I love tattoos and pinup cloths and they had both! I just assume stay in there and hangout and drink my beer. I’ll probably go back and give it another shot, maybe they were just having a bad day. If it wasn’t for the shop adjacent to it, I’m not so sure I would. I’ve been in the service industry for 13 years (bartender), I work in a tattoo shop and have been in the tattoo/​pinup coulture for quite some time. So I’m use to dealing with rude people, but thats usually the customers not the staff. If I was running a business, I definitly would want friendly people running my bar! Just my opinion…

I visit Florida a few times year and this is just about the only place I consider going to for a drink. Friendly, tasteful, and unique.
I can’t speak for the negative reviews here, but I found that the vibe you bring with you is the same one that greets you at the door.

I am not from FL BUT i have been here!
I got a tattoo on a whim with my sister (who had just moved to miami), the staff was awesome! Everyone was super friendly, and they gave us a heads up on a show they were putting on the next night.
When we walked in to the club, we were treated like friends, and ended up talking to one of the artist, and had great conversation. I still keep in contact with these guys and next time I’m in FL, I will be sure to stop by.

I’ve been here a couple times, the most recent inspired me to Unilocal it. The place looks dope. It’s small and inviting, there’s a small stage and DJ setup, comfy little couches, a pool table, and a TV which upon my last visit was playing an old school gangster movie. Combine that with a fair selection of bottled microbrews and *SHOULD* have a recipe for a good time.
The place is dope, the staff not so much. I felt very unwelcome, more of a bother than a customer. More of a nuisance than someone who wanted to try something new.
The girl behind the bar was extremely rude to myself and my friend. Curt, one-​word responses to questions about drink selection is not a good way to endear yourself to customers. When I ask for two drinks, no acknowledgement — she just walked away to get them. When she oh-​so –graciously set them on the bar, I said «great, thanks alot». Again, no acknowledgement, smile, or simple «no problem, boss». Nada.
So maybe I didn’t fit in, backwards hat and Miami Heat jacket. So what? A Heat fan can’t come partake in microbrews and chill in your lounge? Maybe it was because the place was empty and my friend and I truly were a bother, maybe this bartender just wanted us to leave — it was, after all, getting on for 9pm :-\
We left the Monterey Club with a bad taste in our mouths and I will never return — despite having left my credit card there by accident and a 30% tip.
They can keep the card and their piss-​poor attitude.

I came here to see my friends punk band perform. This venue is awful, small, dimly lit and needs a bigger bar. Anyway, as my friends band was performing some guys were moshing and bumping into me, as anyone outside a mosh would do, you push them back in. In one of those the same guy I was pushing pushed me into the mosh, so I moshed. While I was moshing my beer was spilling and eventually flew out of my hand. Oops. After the song was over I moved back into the crowd and out of nowhere got sucker punched by the same guy that pushed me into the mosh. I was told by a friend he was THE OWNER OF THE BAR, I reacted anyway and was grabbed by the throat and thrown out of the bar by 4 or 5 of his minions.
Best part about all of this, it was all caught on video and will be posted to youtube. I will gladly link you to it just as soon as it is up.
If this venue can’t handle a mosh, don’t host punk shows.
EDIT: Craig, if you would have just talked to me you would have realized I wasn’t drunk. Be more professional. & it’s pretty obvious your bar can’t handle mosh pits cause you were in the face of KIDS the entire night. You are unprofessional & nothing but a bully. Also, there are zero cuts and edits on the video, when everyone see’s what happened people will see you for what you truly are.

This place angered me so badly that it inspired me to get a Unilocal account just so I can have a place to rant about it. I went for a friend of mine who was preforming with his band. To make a long story short, my other friend and I were standing in the front towards the stage until people started moshing. Since we didn’t want any part of that we started making our way towards the back of the joint. As my friend was walking he got pushed but because it was part of a «mosh» he didn’t think much of it. He pushed back, to mosh as well, and a mix up ensued and the owner of the bar started grabbing my friend by the throat. The owner punched my friend in the face and my friend got kicked out.
I’m sure the owner has his own side to the story and that’s fine. I just think that as an older man who is the owner of an establishment he should show a little more professionalism. Choking a dude half his size is not a way to go about anything.
The beer was four bucks, the parking was a nightmare, and the bands were okay.

Great for live shows. Decent bottled beer selection.

Good little blues bar.

Parking sucks! Dont mind paying a cover for a good Band but being packed in like sardines and paying for it? Then to top it off try getting a drink!

Depending on the night, you are going to hear the swaying, swingin’ sounds of ‘Ultra Lounge’ to the Dead Kennedy’s; the clientele is stunning and you are able to retreat into a magic wonderland of ink and fashion at Kreepy Tiki’s tattoo parlor next door.
This bar is a bar bar. You go to drink, get some ink, shoot some pool, check people out. Some nights there is a food stand outside. We have witnessed bacon wrapped hot dogs to bbq. And speaking of outside, you get to check out some sweet rides too. There is always something in this small, intoxicating getaway to inspire a conversation.
I enjoy just swingin’ by for a PBR can and checkin’ out the scene. And I think you should do the same, especially if you have to drop someone off for a night flight, or just pickin’ up a friend you haven’t seen in a long while. This is a great first stop in the FLL!

This may be my new favorite place. We found it by accident one night when I was supposed to go rollerskating next door. I saw their ad in that little 6“x6″ Ft lauderdale mag thats always laying around my restaurant.
There is no sign for it. It looks like its just a tattoo place next to a skating rink. There is parking in back.
We met Brian, who was the bartender. He kept feeding me cookies, (A+ move right there!) He is super knowledgeable when it comes to beers and flavor profiles, which I have to say, was rather nice.
Ive only been on Tuesdays so far, but they have a DJ spinning old Skool hip hop, thats not too loud so you can actually have a convo.
So far, everyone Ive brought here, LOVES it. Its not your typical Ft. Lauderdale or even Miami crowd.
Just cool peeps, with cool ink, hangin out being cool.
I may make this my every Tuesday night gig.

I’m now dealing with a hangover given to be courtesy of the Monterey Club. ha ha
I came here to meet a friend of mine who lives in the area. Normally I don’t leave my padded cells of the Miami-​Dade county line. And a chance of scenery was required.
This is a totally cool little bar! Its got this rockabilly vibe and the people are odd. I was the only one in there that wasn’t pierced or tattooed from head to toe. Neato to look at!
And this bar comes with a tattoo shop attached. I can see how that can be dangerous. I bet many regular customers have woken up with big bird tattooed on their bums after a full drinking session. Ouch!

(copied from my 01/​24/​2010 blog post entry)
It’s been a abysmal weekend. Matt and I had to put down our critically ill kitty, Clive. He had something within him that just would not quit, a horrid gnawing illness we could not detect nor cure in time. He was just barely over a year old. And the sweetest thing imaginable. And he’s gone, just like that. Got sick Thursday night, and was in kitty heaven Friday afternoon. My darlin’ little Alarm Kitty –named for his habit of waking me up at 4 a.m. for his early morning love session, before I got up at 5 to work out. We buried him in our jungle backyard next to Howie and Captain Morgan, my loving Halloween black kitty of 14 years, and the loving dog companion of our home’s previous owner. Our yard is a pet cemetery, and believe me, there is no better place to be.
After laying him to rest Friday, and with a depressing Saturday moping about, we decided we had to get the hell out of the house. So we decided on a little rockabilly honky-​tonk right next to the Gold Coast Derby Girl roller rink, where we could catch some hillbilly punk rock. I love all kinds of music. I was reared on punk and new wave, and recently have been loving old time jazz, blues and country, so this was a real treat.
So I put on my Frye’s and thrift store cowboy top, and Matt one of his many Hawaiian shirts, and we tried to put our best social face on. We caught dinner at Shenanigans West (Nice to see ya again, Matt the bartender, don’t worry, the jock-​tard extolling the virtues of roofies only embarrassed himself, not you, sweetie), watched LeBron sink more impossible 3-​pointers, and off to the hot rods, hot babes and hot cycles of The Monterey Club.
A little snapshot: A tattoo shop right next door called Kreepy Tiki with a straightedge gal with Marilyn hair listening to The Smiths. Johnny Cash and Tiger Army on the house stereo near the bar. Combat boots and blond dreadlocks smiling and sipping beers, chatting with robust Louise Brooks red-​head girl with daisies in her hair. Illustrated boys playing pool –badly– and asking us if we wanted some new ink at the shop next door. We do, but we see Pooch and Scott up north. Maybe later?
The Monterey Club is like your cousin Ronnie’s basement. Cousin Ronnie works on old cars and motorcycles, has sideburns, tattoos, a pool table, comfy couches, a wide screen TV, listens to lots of Motorhead and Social D, and drinks plenty of Pabst Blue Ribbon. At the Monterey, you’ll see hot rods and walkin’, talkin’ pin-​up girls. You’ll see girls in cowboy hats and mini skirts playing washboards with spoons. A crazy hippie on an old guitar playing gonzo punked-​up blues from hell. Engines roaring outside from souped-​up choppers. Big manly men with tattooed knuckles and big, black boots. The glittery SoFlo d-​baggers with faux-​hawks, manicures and tight glittery shirts heading for the party at Las Olas would get pretty damned nervous in here.
Playing this night was Smokestack and the Foothill Fury, that dirty hippie stoner bastard (who kicks so much ass), and Boise Bob and his Backyard Band. Hillbilly punks from hell, all of them.
Visiting The Monterey is like inhabiting a Cramps song for a honey-​slicked moment of time. And it was just where we needed to be. And bloody hell, it’s literally just a couple of miles down the street. A little slice of heaven in Fort Lauderdale. A comfier, cozier version of Miami’s church of the Churchill’s Pub. A place where R. Crumb could pick and choose his buxom models to ink into eternity. Which is what I pretty much did.
I drew some quick, rough sketches of the place, which I’ll post here. Hope you enjoy.

Cool rockabilly bar with a tattoo shop. This bar and club plays rockabilly ad blues. Its is quipped with comfy sofas and a billiard table. Great beer selection and features burlesque dancing. I went there the other night and they had free booze and food.
They had a book signing with Lawyer author John Contini who took the stage and offered his legal services to any one who gets a dui on the way home from the club.