I used to love this place when I lived in Chico 4 years ago... I just was in town visiting friends and was brought to the Maltese for the first time in as many years. This place sucks! It looks just the same but I have never been treated more rudly in my life. The bartender was a bitch from the get go. As closing time came around a few of the regulars were allowed to stay and drink for a bit, which is fine, but when i simply asked them to call me a cab i was screatched at and told "it's my problem!"
I miss the old days and I guess you can't go home again, but do yourself a foavor and stick to Duffy's if you want to drink and socialize and not be treated like a dick.
I guess this place is under new ownership and it shows! This place has been my neighborhood bar on and off for a couple years and now it has finally become my full time bar. The bartenders are attentive and attractive to boot. They just started bringing back live music and I heard they even had Jello Wrestling now. I can't wait to see what else they have planned. Oh and the fish tacos are off the chain!
Pros: Sick patio, great drink specials, shuffleboard, Bocce ball, Ping Pong!
Cons: Off the beaten path, but worth the journey.
My bags have yet to be unpacked. Â My couch, bed, dressers, etc. remain in the front room. Â My phone rings, it's my big brother, " do you need help I'm two blocks away, having a cold beer at The Maltese?" Â NO!!! I need a cold beer. Â 2 Blocks? Â I'm there! Â Walk into an edgy, borderline dive bar. Â They have bocci ball out back, happy hour, shuffleboard and hot bartenders! Â My neighborhood bar, I have found you. Â I'll miss you Golden Bear in Sacramento, but you have been replaced.
Review Source:I remember the Maltese! Â I remember smoking a couple of, erm, "cigarettes" before we left the apartment. Â Ah, Chico. Â You naughty girl and your norcal "smokes"!
I remember having a few drinks at several other bars before stumbling into the Maltese.
I remember holding the wall up and briefly twinkling my fingers at Kris and Rich who were watching me, laughing at me, from the other side of the room. Â
And I remember that here was dark colors, but bright and shiny people. It felt like a warm atmosphere, and there was a live band.
Finally, I barely remember a very happy/friendly back patio and discussions about Russia. Â I just remember Russia... but I don't remember WHAT about Russia.
Great place!
I play bass for Stay Tuned, "The Ultimate Television Rock Experience" (we're a TV Tribute band basically, <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.staytunedtheband.com&s=eec928b3ba3a42080a12a3411e305ce141fa17314edd37a5c7d8e2c9af44ff10" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.staytunedtheb…</a>). We played the Maltese in Sep. of 2007 on our West Coast tour. We had several hours to kill before we played, so this basically is from the perspective of not only a performer, but as a customer as well.
We showed up on a Thursday night, and were surprised that we had been booked at the Maltese. The Maltese feels like a fun, locals-only, dive-biker bar, where folks can go to unwind, have some drinks, eat some good greasy bar food (cheese stuffed jalapeos and fries!) and play pool, or a hockey-puck-slide game. Listen to the stereo. Maybe watch a game. The bartenders are super friendly and engaging. There's a patio to hang out on in the perpetually good weather of California. As another reviewer mentioned, it's far enough out of the way that you don't get the Frat/Sorority types. All is fine and dandy until a loud rock band from Seattle shows up....
Let me make it clear that they treated us very well: they fed us, gave us free drinks and even a free stocking cap that I'm sporting up in Seattle. However, we were way too loud for the Maltese. We carried a sound system for this show, as we were warned in advance that there wasn't a stage or house sound system, but there was space in the corner for us. However, we didn't realize that the Maltese is very small, much too small for a band with a drummer (unless that drummer is playing a VERY pared down kit, like snare, bass drum and high hat, and using bundled sticks instead of regular drumsticks).
We made space for ourselves by pushing the pool table out of the way. While we were setting up, two successive shifts of bartenders warned us that we needed to play quiet enough for them to hear orders from customers. Well... we're a loud rock band. Playing quiet is impossible for us (there's no volume knob on a drumset), and we felt like we were doing more damage to the business by blasting the patron's/staff's eardrums than good.
Anyway, the long and short of it is that we were probably a mis-match for the Maltese. I'd recommend the spot if you're a local and you want a comfy 'home' bar to hang out in. But if you're a loud rock/punk band, visit the Maltese AFTER you play elsewhere.
This is an adorable rockabilly biker bar in NoCal, and my favorite place to go hang out in Chico. Â The atmosphere is cute without being too cheesy, lots of maroon and black, metal and frosted glass.
Because it's out of the way, you don't get the typical frat/sorority crowd, which makes it ideal for a slightly older, more mature crowd. Â This is a cocktail lounge, and although the bartenders could be hit and miss, I remember one girl mixed the best cosmo I'd ever had.
I believe Wednesday nights are 1/2 off for girls, which makes this a great girls' night out spot, and they serve bar food and have a nice large outdoor patio. Â This isn't a trendy spot, but it's the type of place to go to unwind over conversation, drinks, and munchie foods.
One word.. I heard tell that this was a lesbian bar, but unfortunately never got proof either way of that.
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