Club Review--Boathouse

Tomm Carroll
(3/5)

Longtime lookout/hang-out post on the Santa Monica Pier, the Boathouse is docked up at the foot of that protruding promenade, right there where the beach meets the pier.

The Buzz: A popular spot with locals as well as tourists from before the pier's degeneration and subsequent rejuvenation, the Boathouse has a prime location; you can't visit the city's landmark without passing it by. The view alone is worth a look inside.

The Look: Customized yacht, definitely see-worthy. Bedecked with lots of light wood, the clean, appealing main room has plenty of tables and chairs. It also includes a handsome bar in the northwest-facing corner which is all windows and looks out across the Santa Monica Bay to Malibu and points beyond, visibility permitting. Usually, it's the ultimate sunset-spotting spot. There are some choice booths with a northern exposure window view as well.

Another corner hosts the small bandstand area. Also heavily wooded, and appointed with nautical decor (plexiglass-enclosed models of classic ships) is a bit-too-small pool table room, which opens out to a pier-side patio for patrons who prefer people watching.

And perhaps the most under-utilized space on the coast is a sprawling downstairs area,
also boasting a large bar, a great view, and a beachside patio with umbrella tables. The Boathouse folks normally only open this area during ultra-crowded periods, mostly on sunny Sunday afternoons, or for private parties.

The Clientele: Locals, tourists and sports fans who prefer a seaside setting for their game-watching, as well as fans of the bands who perch themselves on the Boathouse's patio for a little air and a pitcher of beer.

Where There's Smoke: Outside on those patios. And smokers have an added incentive to obey the rules -- right across the pier walkway is a Santa Monica Police Substation.

On Tap: A beer list worthy of a cruise ship: Guinness Stout, Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada and Molson's for the first-class drinkers, as well as Budweiser and Bud Light for the steerage-sippers. A full bar is also offered, as are seafood-leaning lunch and dinner entrees and lots of deep-fried appetizers, along with soups, salads, sandwiches and pasta.

The Sounds: Live music seven nights a week and Sunday afternoons, provided by a mixture of area artists and a house band with lots of revolving guests sitting in.

Club Facts: The Boathouse, 301 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, 393-6475, open seven days, no cover.