by Elizabeth D. on Johnny Brenda's is such a cool spot to catch a show. I agree with others who described it as a both intimate and spacious. The balcony is great and gives you a terrific view of the performance. I also appreciated the upstairs bar, which has the same draft list. No jostling downstairs to get to the main bar. Bathrooms are clean and big. They even have an old-timey photo strip machine, which is pretty awesome. Good, reasonably priced, seasonal draft list.
by Rodrigo Schaad on I have been here three times now. Once for a Friday night (4 stars), once for brunch (3 stars), and once for the Tuesday night Al You Can Eat Tapas. I have not been to Salsa Wednesdays, but if you are into Salsa I would presume this would be a great spot. As for the Friday night, it was a fun a mix of worldly people. Stopped and talked to a mix of Peruvian Doctors, latin band was on stage, place has two bars and beer on draft. A large place like this, I give it credit for being off the beaten path but keeping a steady flow of customers. The brunch was mdeiocre. Yes, it was only $10, so you really could not expect much, but even some of their staples like their signature potatoes were not up to snuff. Maybe it was just that day? Came here last night to try their All You Can Eat Tapas and I must say I was impressed. Firstly, most all of the options off of the normal menu were represented. Grouper tacos, shrimp and mussles in mild curry, spinach with pine nuts, grilled ribs, and house salad were all VERY good. The brisket for the sliders and the tacos could have been better. Overall a great place for a Tuesday night, or any weekend night!
by Armando Shamp on This is really a fun University bar! I know I've had way too many college nights of debauchery, overindulgence and a sudden loss of memory whenever I visited this place (and the other neighboring Irish bars) in the very distant past. This was our last stop Saturday night where my cousins and I enjoyed the live DJ music while sipping our most favorite libations, a couple of glasses of red for them while I indulged in my new found liquor drink, sipping a shot (at a time) of Grand Marnier. The crowd was fun, a mix of *real* out-of-town ladies (as in Sacramento), the usual Irish folks from the neighboring Richmond district and of course the college students. The live DJ music was like comfort food to me, nothing fancy (ala-Ibiza or Buddha bar) but just plain old-school that reminded us of the various phases of the 1990s. I love this place, it has maintained its college atmosphere - unpretentious and chill. The drinks seemed to be rightly priced for a student's budget - very cheap, considering I popped a few Grand Marniers. Thanks for the memories.
