Borderline Bar & Grill

I LOVE this place! Been going there since my college days when I would drive an hour up from the San Gabriel Valley to dance the night away, and now I live an hour away in the opposite direction and still go as often as I can afford. I love the line dancing, the lessons, the food and drink… it’s all wonderful!
Only thing I could complain about is that sometimes the bartenders are hard to get to come by our table when the night is at the busiest time, but that’s understandable and I can always walk up to the bar to get what I need.
Not sure why so many people are complaining! Yes, there are specific line dances to specific songs, and the regulars know most of those dances. Many of them can be learned on the spot by beginners, but some are advanced dances and the DJ will usually advise people to stay off the floor if they don’t know the dance. That’s for your own safety as much as it is for the enjoyment of those who do know the dances. Come to the lessons and learn them so you can come back and be awesome on the floor!

I went here for the first time last night and let me tell you, it will be the last. I was on the perimeter of the dance floor leaning on the table/​counter with my drink in my hand when a bouncer approached me from behind and literally grabbed my drink out of my hand, yes HE GRABBED MY DRINK OUT OF MY HAND and then yelled at me about their «no drinks on the dance floor» rule. Like I said it was my first time there so I had no idea! He also did the same thing to my friend. So rude, disrespectful and unnecessary!

Friends and I were standing outside smoking. And we started talking to a few people outside and they guy gave his underage girlfriend a drink of his, and the security was very rude. I can understand kicking the guy who gave it to her and her out. But we didn’t even know them we were just being nice and talking to people. And there drinks are way to much and they under pour. Food sucks. And I would learn to dance somewhere else.

My friend Tyler and I went the other day with two friends, were asked to leave because Tyler is dark skinned. This place either has a very racist bounder or is in general racist. We were told to leave because we had a bottle of WATER! So ridiculous!

Extremely rude and unprofessional staff. If you can’t perfectly line dance, they automatically kick you out of the dance floor. This involves all types of music genre, including POP, if you can’t line dance to Kesha… you’re out! I mean really? Kesha isn’t even country! Haha.
There’s also an entry charge, $ 10 dollars… for an overall bad experience, bad service, and bad drinks.
Save yourself some time and money.

I love the young atmosphere, and the music. but the last time I was there I actually mustered up the courage to get out on the dance floor. I didnt know the moves, so I made sure I stayed on the outskirt of the dance floor. Almost immediately, the security guard came and told my friend and I that we need to get off the dance floor if we didnt know the moves. That sucks. I’m buying drinks and having a really great time with my friend, but we had to stop because… why exactly? It’s not like we were being rude to anyone, or causing any sort of disruption. This is a bar for crying out loud! Bars are for people to congregate with friends, drink, dance, and have a great time! I was having a great time until that exact moment. Borderline is the only country bar I know of aside of Cowboy Palace which I used to frequent until the vibe got really weird. So when I found Borderline after moving to the area, you can imagine how excited I got! I was planning to bring all my friends here to end the night of my bachelorette party because knowing me, I’m going to want to be dancing to country music. but that might not be a good idea, since I’m not a professional line dancer.

Went here for a friend’s birthday. She wanted to learn to line dance, so we came early for the lesson. Having extensive line dancing knowledge myself (Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide), I was certain I’d be a natural. Let’s just say I should have left one of my left feet at home. It was nearly impossible to follow the lesson, which moved quickly and wasn’t well explained.
From there, the night moved quickly into a PACKED HOUSE with cowboy boots, ten gallon hats, and bedazzled dress shirts. When I say packed, I mean that it was very hard to find one square inch on the dance floor to call your own. The people kept coming and coming. Turns out there is a line dance for every song, even pop songs, and everyone knew every step. It was a sight to behold. In between line dances, they did two-​step, where some grissly older men pick a pretty young thing off a line and twirl her around the dance floor in a circle. The circle moves fast. If you try and come out onto the floor with your friends and play around during the two-​step, you will piss people off and mess up the flow.
The food and alcohol were disappointing and expensive ($ 11 shot of tequila). I’d recommend drinking your ass off in the car in the parking lot before coming in. My cheeseburger tasted like one of those frozen patties you would have gotten in the middle school cafeteria on burger day. Our waitress, however, was a bright spot – quick, attentive, and lovely all around.
Am I bummed I drove all the way to Thousand Oaks for mediocre food, expensive drinks, and dancing I couldn’t participate in? Not really. If anything, this was a super interesting cultural anthropological study in Texasfornia.
But to the man with the confederate flag bandana boldly hanging out of his back pocket – get a grip, sir. This is not the Confederacy. This is not even the south. That bandana doesn’t make you cool, it makes you hateful and offensive.

Nice place to go for line-​dancing and to play pool along with all sorts of liquor. The party goes on till past midnight and the weekends are house-​full. On a Saturday night listed as country night they weren’t playing country music, but all the line dancing gets your mood set.

Oh, Borderline, you could be so much more. Coming from Nevada, I’m used to a real country dance hall. Give me a place with a mechanical bull and songs to two-​step! This place is filled with underage kids, fake country shit, and not enough two-​stepping. Also, $ 5 bucks to get in even if you’re going to drink? Please, you’re in Thousand Oaks, this isn’t LA. Management also needs an attitude adjustment. And, I agree, racism is present here. One more thing, Borderline, remodel the bathrooms! Jesus, you’re charging a cover! Use the money to fix those nasty bathrooms!

We’ve ventured to Borderline several times for their Monday night West Coast Swing classes. I always feel like I need a shower after I leave there. I don’t think the floors have been cleaned or the carpet replaced since they opened the place.
We love West Coast Swing, and are always up to learn more moves. The musical rhythm of WCS is really great, too. However, we learned the dance as part of an array of dances at a ballroom dance studio.
There are many people who are only into WCS — that’s it. It’s all they know, and they’re really great at it. That also means they’re more advanced than someone who many have learned a number of different dances. Okay, they’re intimidating. ;-)
From the teacher to many of his students, we end up feeling like we have two left feet, which isn’t so! And can they rumba?! It’s like they’re in a secret society and we don’t know the right handshake. But we shoulder on, learn a few more moves, laugh at ourselves, and enjoy the music.
To bring it back around to Borderline itself — after the lesson staying to dance, ordering drinks and sitting at their grungy tables — is not a pleasant experience. It’s just dirty. Really. The waitresses are not particularly friendly or prompt to serve you, either.
The dance floor, while large, is not particularly easy on the feet. It’s not clear it’s very well maintained, about which dancers are concerned.
If it wasn’t for the chance to learn more West Coast Swing, I’d never set foot inside the place again.

In a bar of distant, indifferent barmaids JENNIFER is a shinning light. Helpful with my special order, sweet and offered to go out of her way to give me what I wanted. The food is great, music is fun and the classes are really top notch — Bill really knows what he is doing. Josh is the best — so accommodating and helpful and Mark — acts burly and moody but really a sweetheart. I only come a few times a year but always have a great time.

I love borderline! Great atmosphere and great music. I love learning how to line dance and the ability to have a good ass time with my friends. The only downside of this place (and the reason I knocked off a star) was because of the red-​headed girl working the door. She was straight up a b-​tch. I am of age and she carded me and proceeded to ask if it was fake and she was not friendly at all. She highkey made me really uncomfortable and she acted as if she were entitled to something. Whatevz. Overall amazing place! Just hope you dont get ginger bitch.

Being from Texas I find this to be more of a club that happens to play Country music than a country bar. By the end of the night they weren’t even playing country music. They starting playing pop crap. There were more 18 year olds here than there are still in school. The dancing was more choreography rather than real line dancing. $ 61 for 4 drinks so be prepared to spend money… Oh. And it’s a cover (which isn’t worth it) to get in to the place. We won’t be running back to this place any time soon. Id have more fun dancing around Walmart.

Last call at 1:30am and then start kicking people out at 1:35am? Seriously? Extremely rude and unprofessional staff, particularly the bouncers, some of whom I caught several times chugging a bucket of beer. The bouncers walked around the still crowded bar and aggressively told us we needed to finish the drinks we had just purchased right away or dump them because they have a hard closing time of 1:45am ( Unilocal, Google, and their own website lists 2:00am as their closing time).
This place is definitely not worth ever coming to again, especially with a $ 10 cover charge.

Never again! Extremely racially intolerant! Our group (consisting of two White females, a Hispanic and Indian) was asked to leave because we were too «ethnically diverse!» The bouncers knew they were wrong, but rather than stand up for what is right, followed orders from their short KKK leader. We live in the 21^st century, but not Borderline! Do not give them your business, do not support bigotry and hatred!

No offense to the big line dancing fans, but the last thing I was expecting when I was on my way to a country bar was to have as much fun as I did. (Though to be honest, that also might be the alcohol talking).
This past Saturday was the first time my friends and I have ever ventured here or to any country bar. We thought it would be something fun to try, and boy were we right! We literally danced almost all night. Keep in mind, we didn’t know any of the dances but we just followed along with the pros! It was so high-​energy, upbeat, and carefree! The music was awesome for the venue. AKA most songs were not the kind that I would usually jam out to in the car, but they were perfect for the venue. Mixed in country songs along with rather mainstream pop songs, some of which were remixed a bit to sound more country-​y. The crowd seemed perfectly fine and was actually better than I expected.
However, I docked a star for two very important reasons.
–Number one: PLEASE INVEST IN AN AIR CONDITIONER. It was like a steam room in there. We were sweating a little even before we even started dancing… and the bathroom is even worse. I’m surprised steam doesn’t erupt every time someone opens the damn door. (Bright side, I definitely feel like i got my cardio in that night!)
–Number two: Front desk girl, with the red hair, who checks ID’s and collects the cover charge is SO rude and snarky! Plus she behaved very arrogantly, like she was so much better than anyone walking in. Sorry if you hate your job but don’t take it out on the customers, we’re innocent. I see a lot of reviews here complaining about her, so I hope management looks into it.
Overall though, I’ll pretty much for sure be back! It was so much fun. Just gotta be prepared for the intense heat. Although it is summer so maybe as the weather cools down, so will the air in Borderline.

I’ve been to this place MANY times and had a great time. Except this time. The host at the front (red headed lady) came off as the most self entitled — excuse my language, but biotch, I’ve ever came across… for no reason. Yes we are always charged the $ 5 fee but she didn’t need to check my ID for 10minutes. Yes I have a Washington id… learn your states first off. ain’t nobody got time for that. I’m trying to spend money in your establishment and I’m 24 and have been here multiple times without this trouble. It was a normal Saturday night and wasn’t as busy as I’ve seen it. My friends and I needed to run out to the car for our phone real quick and she didn’t bother to tell us there is NO RE-​ENTRY beforehand. It wasn’t busy, she watched us walk out. We tried to walk back in and she was basically smiling telling us not to re-​enter. We understand it’s an 18+ establishment but it was a little much and unnecessary by far. Again, it’s not busy and we are trying to spend money in your venue and you won’t let us back in? Can you say jealousy issues? It’s called customer service. Especially since we’ve been there soooo many times. Really made us salty and there was no reason for that. We may find another country bar next time. Too much of a drive from LA.
P. s. Hope the red headed temperamental woman figures her sh*t out and stops taking it out on the customers. Best of luck to you.

I love this bar. I’ve never had a problem with any of staff, management or the venue it self. The service is a little slow but it’s mainly a bar for line dancing, not so much for food. If you abide by their rules you really won’t have a problem. You can’t bring drinks on the dance floor and you can’t just stand on the dance floor. that’s about it. Don’t be a stupid drunk and you won’t get kicked out. This bar is the best country bar in LA. It’s much better than the pretentious Hollywood bars or clubs. I’ve also met the manager of the place and he is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I give it a 5 star because they obviously are doing something right if they’ve been in business for 23 years and the place is ALWAYS packed. Come out on a Country night and see for yourself!

Why is everybody so standoffish here? And why are [most of] the workers so angry? And why are there so many underage kids with big black permanent-​marker «X“s on their hands still holding alcoholic beverages? And what’s up with the creepy, clearly-​spends-​too-​much-​time-​here old Asian guy throwing his hat everywhere while line dancing? In fact, why was there another Asian guy here at all? There can only be one, dammit!
Was here for a concert. Drinks are cheap (no clue what everybody is complaining about, most of my drinks were around $ 5 – 6). Venue is lame. Opening artist was some no-​name guy who kept singing bad, downer songs and making everybody sad.

The food is decent and large portions for the price.
Nothing special but not ordinary boring bar food.
Staff is always friendly.
You have to pay a cover charge when you come in.
Great place for dancing in Thousand Oaks.
Lots of parking.
Will come back.
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