First off this review is purely based off the staff. I've heard the venue is real chill and fun. Unfortunately  I did not get to step foot in the door except for the few moments I was interrogated for my ID then kicked out. NEVER in my life have I ever felt mistreated the way security and management did last night.
When I showed up at the door security did not believe my ID was mine. According to the security guard I was "too dark" to be the same person. Sidenote, I am Filipina and I pretty much change my foundation 4 times a year becuase my color changes! Just depends how much time I spend in the sun. Anyways, they pulled me aside asked me to sign a paper. Again the securty guard said my signature did not match?!?!! He asked for another picture ID which I don't even possess except for my passport (who in the world carries that around with them?) I had everything else: Health insurance, credit cards, AAA card.
This has never happened to me. I have never been questioned on my ID and I still look like the same girl in the photo except that i was a lot tanner then. Really? Give me a break security guard, I'm too light colored so I am not the same person?? Did he fail to look at my facial features, eye shape/color, mouth, jawline, hair... It all matches!!! Just my skin color.
I was in such shock I asked him, "Are you serious about this?" He looks down at me points at his face and says in snarky manner, "What do you think?" We even tried talking to the manager who did not even give us a moment of his time. He couldn't have cared less. I was so helpless at this point. What am I to do to prove myself over something I'm completely innocent over. The security guard then preceded to kick me and my friend out like we were criminals.
Look, FINE... my photo does match up anymore because my skin is lighter now. Um Whatever. What really got me was the level of treatment. Don't treat me like a criminal especially when you were in the wrong. The security guard failed to do his job competently and the manager showed zero customer service. Learn to do your job right people.
BTW securty guard, you are not king... You're a security guard. Karma.
THank goodness for Yelp, giving us "litttle people" an opportunity to have a voice in matters like these.
Additionally, I am still waiting for my refund on the tix which have yet to show up on my card.
Always over sold. Â Biggest a-hole security possible. Â If you actually find a place to stand, rest assured you'll be asked to move. Â Sound sucks. Â Rude bartenders. Â Are you serious? Â No shelf to put a drink on while I urinate? Â Really? Â Other than that, mediocre at best. Â Save your money for the Casbah.
Review Source:I've been to Belly Up Tavern on several occasions and just LOVE this venue. Â Intimate joint w/good acoustics and plenty of HD TV's guarantee an close-up view! Â Now they "serve up" all types of music almost every night. Â If you're headed to a concert (especially a popular one) get there early. Â Seating is FIRST SOME first SERVE. Â If you're late you may find yourself "high and dry" on seats but can always stand on main floor (sucker). Â Â
Last show I saw at this beachy tavern was a Johnny Cash cover band called "Cashed Out" - they are freaking awesome. Â Honestly, for under 20 bucks I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night.
If you score seating enjoy ninja drink/food service  - HELL YES!  The report card on bartender:  the whisky sours were OK but you can do better buddy! The kitchen however turned out some KILLER sweet potato fries.  I mean these bad-boys were sweet potato BOMB fries of awesomeness.  Yes, very unexpected!.  However, on my next trip I'm sticking with COLD bottled beer. Â
Not sure what to do on a weekend??? Â Check out the Belly Up's list of shows, I promise GOOD TIMES will be had Yelper...unless you judge a place on their ability to create "the perfect cocktail."
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bellyup.com%2F&s=61fa0ad21bb752c2c55006ae802e1b987bc303f53fc6cfbf82eb1cda62bffbb7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.bellyup.com/</a>
I give this Solana Beach live music venue 8 "Cold sour mix with splash of whiskey is as tastey as bullshit" outta 10.
All my time in San Diego, I've never been to the Belly Up Tavern. But I finally made it.
It's a really cool spot with a fantastic layout. Saw Chvrches here and no matter where you're standing, you can see the stage. There are two bars to get drinks from and none of them are that busy.
The food is just alright but I didn't expect too much from a concert venue. I only wish more bands that I actually want to see start playing here.
Great venue when I want to see a performer up close and personal by standing in front of the stage. Â Not so great if you want to sit because most seats are first come, first serve and a lot of the views from the seats are obstructed. Â I'm always surprised by the number of big names that come through here since it's a fairly intimate venue.
Review Source:Major names in a small venue with a decent (though pricey) bar and relatively cheap tickets- sold! Been there for many shows and only recently found out that there are in fact reserved seats available! You just have to go through the box office either by phone or going up there. I guess I never really paid attention and was just happy to be down on the floor or in a first come first served table. Given that my wife is only 5'3" seats are a good idea. For short people it can be hard to see if you are down in the GA section. We will keep going back over and over- you just can't beat the intimacy of the venue. Â As a tip- they offer front of the line privileges if you eat at the attached wild note cafe before the show. We have done this once- it worked just fine.
Review Source:First off i'd like to say that Belly Up is one of my more favorite music venues in SD, but the reason for my low rating is the middle aged male bartender that works there (Always see him at the first bar on the right after you enter). Ive seen over a dozen shows there to date and have had at least 5 different bad experiences with this guy. The worse was when I was standing at the bar waiting to buy a beer from him, and he literally served everyone around me and ignored me for like 20 minutes. Then as soon as my date rolls up next to me, he asks her what she wants to drink, WTF? I wasn't rude to him at any instance, and i've even tipped him the times I did get beers from him, so not sure why the cold shoulder. Another bad situation with this bartender I've seen is when the person ordering drinks next to me didn't tip him and he blatantly gave her crap about it. He gave her some smart-a$$ comment and proceeded to ignore her after that. Since then every time i go to belly up I legitimately hope that the middle aged bartender with an attitude problem isnt working so I can really enjoy my night. And now the nights he is working, I purposely get drinks from the other bar so I dont have to confront this bartender anymore. And on top of his attitude, he's a slow bartender so theres no real reason to keep him cause im sure there are tons of bartenders who want to work there.
Please Belly Up Management, fire him or do something because I know he's treated customers unfairly and he's seriously hurting your business.
But other than that guy, Belly Up is the place for live music in SD. The acoustics are awesome and the crowd is always great. Id definitely recommend seeing a show here, just look out for the douche bartender......
Saw Cold War Kids last weekend with my husband - had never been to Belly Up before so didn't know what to expect. What a pleasant surprise! There seriously is not a bad seat (or standing area, let's be honest) in the house!
The venue is intimate but still has a "cool" vibe. Hopefully they'll be hosting other bands I'm familiar with so we have an excuse to frequent Belly Up!
Always clean, really love it as a concert venue, the sounds quality is fantastic and the venue is really intimate. Really like the decor , and drinks are actually totally reasonably priced. I've now come here for the events like cinco de mayo 80's night and had a blast with friends. Ticket prices for the events can be a bit steep sometimes, but I think that's just Solana Beach in general.
Review Source:GREAT FUN! Â Â Truly a place that was always great, I mean great for decades, and still getting better! Â The sound is still awesome, and while every genre is covered so it is not an every night tpe of place for me, they still bring in the "can't miss seeing" groups as well. Â Last we saw was Pine Mountain Logs ( Venice ), truly a treat that you look forward to and every moment is worth it. Â From Loggins to Boz Scaggs to the start up talent, such great music!
The bartenders are all veterans, so even amongst the noise the service is quick, waitresses will do an amazing job getting through the crowd to find you as well.  Dance floor is old school which is great  Cannot say enough fun things about the BU.  it's definitely a treat whenever you go!
One of my favorite music venues in San Diego. Â I can't believe that this intimate little joint rolls in some of the best acts in the world. Â Although I can't afford BB King tickets, I am more than happy to pay in full for any of the younger acts- I enjoyed Naked and Famous last year, I just saw (a very hungover, post-coachella) Gaslight Anthem last night, and I'm looking forward to Cold War Kids in May. Â Although the $7 beers and glasses of wine remind you you're at a concert (and cost about the price of your ticket, after a couple refills), the feel is still that of a dive bar, and the giant paper-mache shark over the bar with the glowing red eyes keeps it funky. Â Plenty of great seating, a good crowd, and even better music. Â Rock on', Belly Up!
Review Source:This is by far the BEST music venue in San Diego, hands down! If you want a taste of how concerts in Europe are then this will give you a pretty good idea. I have only been here once (to see Mika) and this venue absolutely blew me away.
First thing I like is how intimate it is. Its the perfect small venue. If you want to be in the front there won't be a barrier or big security guards in between you and the stage which is amazing. That alone is what makes this place so different from most venues here and its also another reason that gives this place such a chill vibe. There are also plenty of ways to enjoy the show. You can be at the bar, in front of the stage, sitting down, or up in the little balcony.
When you walk in here you just feel relaxed. Maybe the reason for its chill vibe is due to having the beach nearby, I don't know but whatever it is I like it. The decor is so hip as well. It is definitely very surfing inspired but with an eclectic edge to it.
The crowd- ugh, don't get me started on how amazing the crowd is. I used to complain how I hated the age restriction but now that I'm 23 I understand why this place is 21+. You automatically get rid of all the children and annoying high school kids so you're left with adults who either really love the artist or just want to go see a good show.
Whenever I see one of my favorite acts schedule a show here I will try my goddamn best to try to make it. If you haven't had the chance to come here, do yourself a favor and go see a show there. You won't regret the experience trust me.
I've been going to shows since I was a kid. I saw dinosaur jr. six months ago at the belly up. I completely understand now that their set is incredibly loud, but I've never seen them before and just assumed I could stand in the back without ear plugs with no problems. I have permanent ear damage from the show. My ears have not stopped ringing in six months. I really feel like ownership has a responsibility to make sure this doesn't happen. The damage happened at the very end of the show. J. Mascis decided he didn't want to do anymore encore songs so he turned all his amps up and just blasted us with sound waves. I've never experienced acoustic energy like that. It was fierce.
Review Source:This place was first sold to me by a friend who started rattling off 123people list of people who've attended. But seriously you can dance, drink and eat. This place has it all.
It's a fun night out and perhaps once in a while a famous person may be there, or not. However a good time will be had!
The positives- ONe of the larger venues in San Diego, and a well rounded musical list of options to see. Lots of fun events. Affordable. Drinks not watered down.
Negatives- Dont forget anything, once your'e in you can not leave no matter what. Even with stamped hand and purchased ticket.
FINALLY after all of these years I have now seen a show at the Belly Up. Â YEA! Â I really enjoyed the space, especially because it was not that crowded for the Soul Asylum show I saw last night. Â Even better, I won the tickets for telling a joke at the Epic Beer Festival to a Belly Up employee... Â FUN STUFF!
So, what I loved about the location was the size and that there were actually a decent number of seats available on the sides. Â Of course, it it were more crowded you would definitely want t o arrive early to scope out your seat if, like me, you're lazy and want to sit most of the show! Â We started out sitting way in the back and up high with not a great view, but the show wasn't going then... later we moved down to great seats right under a fan. Â HOORAY! Â The sound was great. Â The drink server only asked us once if we wanted a drink so we ended up going to the bar for drinks. Â I only imbibed in a single tasty adult beverage and I thought it weird that when I asked for a Jim Beam Lemonade (The Lynchburg's cousin), the bartender said he didn't have lemonade... um, ok.... first time behind a bar? Â Lynchburg lemonades are made with sweet & sour, sprite, triple sec and Jack... I just prefer Jim. Â When I questioned him he said well I have sweet and sour and sprite to which I replied... that will work. Â That and the employee who didn't know where the bathroom was were the only weird things. Â Otherwise, LOVED IT! Â And, the concert was AWESOME.
Didn't try the food, in fact I didn't see anyone eating, so no comment on that.
I will definitely be back... hopefully next time it' won't be a school night. Â I'm getting a little old for these week night partying gigs. Â
Don't be like me... Don't wait! Â Go. Â Now! Â Pick a show!
I am excited to be neighbors with the best music venue in San Diego! Â If you haven't been here, check it out! Â It has just about everything that a music lover could want...
+1 - Amazing musical artists and bands
+1 - Reasonably priced tickets and drinks
+1 - Seating on the sides (first come first serve OR reserved for additional fee)
+1 - Well ventilated with air conditioning
+1 - FREE coat check
They are a smaller venue and do sell out of popular shows, so if there's someone you don't want to miss, be sure to sign up on their e-mail list so that you receive pre-sale offers! Â They also serve ginger ale here, which I give them props for! Â I hate when places try to mix coke/sprite together as a substitute for ginger ale...
Great venue.
It's directly across the Solana Beach train station and tucked away. Look for the box office and you'll find it. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Prices for food/drinks are on point ($6.50/pint) / ($7-12 for food).
Crowd depending on who is playing has a mix of hipsters and niche music lovers. The energy in this building is great. It can get crowded pretty quickly so if you aren't planning to stand in a crowd and dance your face off, its best to pay a little more $ to get a ticket for the upstairs area. Upstairs looks directly down on the stage, has a great view of the crowd, and assigned seats to enjoy food/drink & company of a show.
By far a great place to enjoy music and on stage performance. There are local names here and as well as big national performers who come to Solana Beach.
This is truly a hidden gem near San Diego. Â
*I totally dig the red eye great white shark hanging over the bar. The service is really good as well.
I will start with my two complaints, before going on about how much I love this place.
First, the fact that years and years ago, you could mingle with the band after the show. When I turned 21, The Doors guitarist Robby Kreiger played there. I brought a guitar and he autographed it. Now, sometimes they come out and sign CDs at the merch booth, but usually they don't. The past few years, they've gotten hardcore about getting people out of there after the show. My favorite thing was to get CDs signed for people as gifts, or for myself. When my friend had cancer, I had Stan Ridgway (Wall of Voodoo), sign a get well card. She loved it. Tell the bouncers and club management to just chill. If the musicians don't want to come out from backstage, they won't. Just don't kick us out.
Second, I have seen so many acoustic shows there. One was Suzanne Vega, and these four girls were talking non-stop. I had to finally tell them to go to the smoking area if they wanted to talk, and they started yelling at me. At the Kenny Loggins show (don't laugh, I was bringing a woman)...this one lady kept talking so loud, a short guy got in her face after the show and was screaming at her. I think, at acoustic shows, security has to be really hard core about going around and shutting people up. It's like being at a movie theatre. We paid $25 to see an artist we like, to hear them sing, not listen to people talk that are only there because their date bought their ticket.
Everything else I love about the club. The acoustics are amazing -- whether it's an electric band with all the instruments, or one person sitting on a chair with a guitar. I've probably seen 200 shows there, and I'm always happy with the price they charge. Wait...scratch that. Sometimes they have a pricey show (I think BB King was close to $100), but I figure that's based on what they have to pay the artist. The amount of big name bands you can see there, and good prices, is just astounding.
I love the food at the Wild Note Cafe, too. If it's a long line to get in, eating there gets you in from the side door before they let in that crowd.
Seating is limited, but it's a great mix of seated area and places to stand. For some shows that are acoustic, they bring in seats and it's an all seated show. This is easily my favorite venue for live music in the San Diego area.
1st time ever attending a concert at the highly acclaimed Belly Up tavern so I was unprepared on what to expect. Saw that BB King was coming to town so I bought 4 tickets for our family as soon as they were released for sale. The total price was over $500 for the 4 but I figured at a place as small as the Belly that any seat would be great. Here is where I was wrong.....there were not any seats!
So this is how our night went. Arrive 1:45 minutes before show time. Stand outside in a long line winding into the parking lot for 45 minutes. Doors open at 7 and the crowd is let in rather easily. Once inside it was a mad dash to find a seat....any seat. By the time we got in of course they were all taken and we were left trying to find a decent wall to lean against for the next 4 hours. Luckily the music was so fantastic that we really had a great time but my complaint is that for $500+ to go see a concert I wanted the option to park my ass when my feet get tired.
The staff was really nice, not their fault that management has made a huge blunder on how to sell tickets and accommodate concert goers. Another thing.....why does the Belly Up make is customers stand outside for an hour before show time  in hopes of finding a chair when they can open the doors at 5pm and allow the early arrives to go inside and eat, listen to music, and have a drink before the show starts.
Staff = excellent
Acoustics = excellent
Food/drink = excellent
No seating = sucks ass
This place is fun! I came here once to hear a 70s cover band. Very fun times. Last time I came was to see the band The Tilt, and do beer tastings. Before The Tilt came on, they had 5 beer stations with different types of microbrews. It was $15 to see the band, and to do 10 tastings. I tried a bunch of really good beer (favorite was an Imperial red by Ironfist). Also had a few ones by Boulder Beer. Some of my friends enjoyed the Leprechaun hard cider. Latitude 33 also had some beers there, but I don't remember what I had at this point. Anyways, the beers were great, and the band was awesome. And they were generous with the tastes. I couldn't even finish all 10.
Review Source:If I could, I'd give 3 1/2 stars!
Great place to see bands play although there are a few seating areas with obstructed views to the stage due to structural beams. But if you arrive early you can get great seats close to the stage.
A few people mentioned this is cash only however we were able to use plastic. Â
Only gripe is drinks are a bit overpriced and inconsistent. Â $22 for 2 beers on tab and a very small well drink for our first round. Â Went back for Round 2 and the same order was $19?! Â We did order some food although I only tried the Truffle Fries which were decent. Â The sliders were a bit small and they only give you two sliders per order.
Staff was nice.
This place is huge! There are several bars, so you never have to wait long for a drink and there's plenty of seating. I love that this area is great for walking around during the day and there's still stuff to do at night...the rest of Solana Beach seems to shut down at 9pm.
My only real complaint is that it's gotten pretty expensive. I don't remember there always being a pretty big cover to get in, especially when it wasn't a really well-known band.
During my time in SD, I've seen a few shows here, and it was always a great experience. Â What separates the Belly Up from other venues in SD (or anywhere else)? Well..
First of all, the parking situation is incredible. Â I know this alone wouldn't validate a 5-star yelp review for any concert venue, but I think it is amazing that I could always park right by the venue with ease. Â There's a nearby parking lot and abundant spots on the street if you arrive to the show a little early.
Second of all, I really like the size of this venue. Â It's not overwhelmingly huge, like the Valley View Casino Center, for example. Â Sometimes when venues are too large, the acoustics go downhill. Â This is definitely not the case for the Belly-Up. Â In fact, for most shows I've been to, the sound has been great. Â Also, the venue is not so small that I feel like a sardine. Â There's a lot of standing room, and lots of seating on the sides. Â The only drawback is that if you're short and standing/sitting in the back, you may not see much of the show (this is excusable due to the fact that I cannot change genetics).
However, standing towards the front or middle will give you that intimate concert experience that everyone loves.
Finally, the bar isn't ridiculously priced like other bars at concert venues. They have a good selection of items (non-alcoholic too). Â The bartenders and security personnel are all friendly as well.
Shows at the Belly-Up have gotten me through some of my toughest times living here. There's just something magical about a great concert and seeing one of your favorite bands play live. It's mesmerizing and often can be the remedy that helps you forget about your troubles. Â I'm gonna miss this place!
I've seen a lot of concerts in a lot of venues. Some main stream acts, others just starting out, but this is definitely one of my favorite places to see a show.
The first time I came here was for the sporadic Salsa Sundays featuring my all time favorite salsa band, Orquesta Primo. At the time, it was a mere $5 for a fantastic lesson by Salsa Pasion and then live music and dancing. The price ended up doubling to $10, but it was still a great deal. They have a beautiful hard wood dance floor, with a vaulted ceiling which allowed it to not feel stuffy, even when crowded. Sadly, I believe Salsa Sundays are a thing of the past. I moved a few years ago and would always look on their calendar to try and arrange my trips around these days, but they haven't come up in far too long, and I haven't seen any since.
Then, I began coming here for random concerts: B-side players, PJ Harvey, Data Rock, Lady Tron (or is it Data Tron and Lady Rock?), among many others. The venue has great acoustics and a few layers for viewing. You can be center stage, in a slightly elevated area, and then they also have tiered seating in the back.
They decorate their walls with really awesome posters of previous acts, which are also on sale on their website. I'm looking forward to the next time I will be rocking' out here!
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