My fondness for the Monte V has grown a lot in the past few weeks, let me tell you! Such a charming little dive bar perfectly situated downtown. The crowd is an odd mix with few college students in sight, which can be a nice break from the trifecta bars (you know what I'm talkin about!).
I come here to relax and catch up with friends while enjoying reasonably priced drinks. The nice chats turn into bemused nights of watching random bands that come through town, set up in the Monte V around 10, and blast music for the rest of the night. Some acts are pretty good, too!
Walk around to the dark side of the Monte Vista Hotel and you find the entrance to Cocktail Lounge, the divey, locals, edgy, and shadowy hang in the middle of Flagstaff.
It seems to have escaped the college town ambiance of most of the other bars in town, perhaps because on certain nights it feels a bit dangerous to be there. Â
Still, good place for music when bands are playing. Â Friendly barkeeps, cheap drinks.
It probably helps if you drink enough to forget what you did last night.
Disclaimer: This review is for the karaoke host this Friday night, not for the bar. The bar was fine, the waitress was nice and attentive, the bouncer was helpful when a drunk guy was harassing us and cussing us out. Anyways, back to the karaoke host. I love karaoke, so I was super excited when we were in town and saw karaoke was that night. We put our songs in, and got called once. The other patrons, who I'm guessing were locals, got called up multiple times. We were obviously skipped over. We tried to make the best of it, but that wasn't easy especially then the drink birthday girl got up to "freestyle". She stood up there for at least ten minutes horribly singing Killing Me Softly which was the song I put in 45 minutes before that! Then the karaoke host put on the music for her to sing to...that was the last straw for me (I had been waiting for my song to come on-there were about 10 people in the bar). We complained about how we had put in a slip for that song..his response, "It's her birthday". I'd definitely go back to this bar, but not on karaoke night!
Review Source:I really fell in love with this bar, hotel and music venue while playing it on a recent tour on the west side. The place is a very cool spot visually, as its reputation of historic classic look proceeds it. The staff here was really cool and friendly to us as they provided us with a room for all for of us, and when it came time to play the show, they were great hosts to my company and I, and were very attentive to our needs, and no not demands. The spot is a known haunted hotel, but the feel and vibe of the place is still lively and hip, not dead or creepy at all. The bar tender Jake, treated us very well, and even bought a shirt from us. I am definitely going back to this spot to play as well as visit for many times to come. This spot is right in the middle of downtown Flagstaff, AZ, and is an ideal place to stay for visiting the grand canyon.
Review Source:Deep in the bowels of the Hotel Monte Vista, dark, a tad dank, and a pleasant departure from the homogeneity of most hotel bars. There's a decent jukebox, some touchscreen entertainment, and even a stash of classic board games, if manual stimulation is still your thing. Extended happy hour, a good set of taps, favourable pours of Inhibition Eliminator - this is a great little haunt to relax from a busy day and/or plot your next move of the evening.
Review Source:Reason #56 to leave Phoenix for the summer and swing by for a cocktail. In the historic Monte Vista Hotel, the bar entrance is off the side of the building - can't miss it, just look for the giant COCKTAILS sign - brilliant! A little bit divey, hipster, retro, drink prices are fair and they have live music, pool tables, Buck Hunter. Wish it was in Phoenix not in Flag, but that's part of the charm.
Review Source:Dems gots the buck hunter
And cheap cocktails
And free pool until 9
Some sort of quality that if I lived in this town
I would end up here too frequently.
Right next to that Thai place too
I wish I could listen to The Smiths though
That always make me happier
But still, gin makes me grin!
They'd have 5 stars if they changed two things:
Last time I used a card there they authorized it for a set amount and then refunded what I didn't spend. Â It made me overdraft.
Please update your website/facebook so that people can see what bands play there. Â There have been a lot of bands I would have gone to see if I knew about the shows. Â
If you are a band and are going to be playing here you will have to do most of the advertisement yourself.
This is one of my favorite night time places in Flagstaff. It has great ambience and keeps a local feel while still appealing to the tourists who visit our town. I love that the cocktail lounge is in the basement of one of Flagstaff's most historic [and haunted] hotels, it gives a great vibe for sure. Live music, karaoke, Dj's and great tunes on the juke box keep things real. If you want to stretch out a little, there is a pool hall attached on an upper level...a great local dive bar : )
Review Source:I come here for the ambiance. It is always really chill and relaxing here. I love it.
They always have really great drinks specials and I never see the same thing as their specials. Super cheap and they usually have some good bands.
I liked it when they had couches so you can just relax there and drink. Iono if they still have those out because they were not there the last time I was there.
The bartenders are all really nice here and very professional.
We stopped by the historic Monte Vista for a few drinks. We saw they had 3 pool tables versus the usual "one pool table" every one is fighting over. The decor was dark and red. It was the perfect place to drink and play pool. Comfy sofas as well.
The beer selections were ok, but the service was great.
I would have liked to have seen the merchandise they sell displayed out instead of sporadically through the lounge.
I would definitely go back if I am ever back in Flagstaff.
I loved the vibe and the layout of this lounge, and it was an awesome place to hang out, especially since I was just in town for the weekend. Â Loved how totally dog-friendly they were, and my little guy just crashed out behind a couch. Â Cheap, stiff drinks... good specials... fabulous jukebox!
It was rad that they had live music on a holiday, but I really wish that the band they selected had been a bit more lively. Â Not that I'm knockin' the alt-country folk feel... it was just a little sleepy for my taste, especially considering that it was the 4th, and what with the reviews I had read, I was expecting something a bit more shit-kicking. Â It's okay, I didn't pay a cover, and I got to play the role of the pensive lass sippin' the whiskey.
Maybe I need to go back on a non-holiday weekend to get a more representative taste of the Monte Vista... though I still had a decently good time.
Dive, dive, dive... and I like it!
The cocktails are STIFF and cheap... $4 for a well vodka... Live music on Saturday night (though Death Metal was not my first choice - it was still entertaining). Bartender is a hoot, the crowd is mixed, and they have lots of table top electronic games.
We visited Saturday and Sunday night.
** Review #600 for me **
I have to do my 600th review on a place that is really sweet. Â
This spot does it up right. Â We went on a Wednesday night in the dead of winter and it was awesome. Â Cost of the booze compared to LA is super cheap. Â
Super cheap = Super awesome
The bartenders were super nice and had no attitude. Â What's more, the tall gal with the tattoos on her arms was super nice and drew a small map for us of the downtown area. Â
If you are staying at any of the hostels or hotels in downtown Flagstaff, this is where you want to go. Â This is a come-as-you-are sort of place. Â Don't get all dudded up to roll here...hell, that goes for all of Flagstaff. Â It's chill here; a la mini Boulder or mini Park City.
The locals there were super chill and didn't make us feel out of place for being out-of-towners.
Don't half step. Â If you don't order an Old Crow and sprite then you will die numerous horrible deaths at the hands of angry, slimy aliens.
Man oh man this place is cool. Â So cool in fact my group ended up here 3 times on Saturday. Â Great happy hour specials, great drink prices every other time, I was a happy booze hound. Â
In the dimly lit basement of the Monte Vista Hotel, there is just enough entertainment for everyone to go around. Â Between the TV for sports, pool tables, juke box, and live music on weekends, I could stay here for hours.
The best part of this place? Â The people. Â Patrons of all types come here to meet, and if your social like I am, they can end up in some pretty good conversations. Â Next time I'm up in Flagstaff, the Monte Vista will be my first stop.
This place is great. Â I don't live there, but while in Flagstaff a few days visiting the Grand Canyon this was a great place to chill at after a long day at the canyon.
The drinks are great and the vibe is just right. Â The bartender is attentive and the music he plays is awesome. Â I heard some BRMC while I was hanging out there.
Oh Monte-V, how I wish I were still young and could stand the crazy busy nights you entertain. Â These days though I am content with a drink here and there mid-afternoon. Â Bartenders are always fun and friendly in their own right. Â You can meet characters of all shades at any time of the day. Â The night crowd is simply too much for me to enjoy it here anymore. Â Always a struggle to get a drink. Â
Sadly, the Monte V's famous Bloody Mary's no longer carry the torch of glory...what happened? Â Base mix is still the same, but no longer any elaborate and yummy garnishes which really made the drink fabulous here. Â Last time I ordered one I had to ask for olives. Â They used to come with a giant spear loaded with olives, lemon, lime, celery, pickle, green bean, asparagus, mushroom...seriously a salad in a glass. Â I mourn this loss.
This, and Mia's are by far the best bars in Flagstaff, simply because they get the mood right.
First off, you need to step down into the Monte V, which is a positive. Broken couches, high tops, and a long wooden bar with the perfect lighting help complete the experience.
Good selection of alcohol, and entertaining/talented barkeeps make this place excellent.
Love the V.
You don't go here for the fancy drinks, or historic atmosphere. Â You go to the V for music and to tie one on. Â Since the smoking ban, stale beer is the prominent assault on the olfactory senses. Â Still, it's got that dirty, dive feeling that you either love, or hate.
There is a small stage and some pool tables upstairs if you need entertainment with your booze. Â If you need any more entertainment, the OTB should help you piss away the money you don't spend on cheap drinks.
We stopped by the night of the Big Gay Festival, an hour before last call. Â It was too crowded, sticky, and just not my scene. Â The bartenders were grumpy, but that could be explained by an unusual rush with a few big events happening that weekend. Â The drinks were a bit more expensive by Flag standards and weaker than our last stop. Â I'd rather be at Mia's with the hippies, but the Monte V certainly isn't a bad place to hang out.
I was sitting in the back corner with two female friends, a couple of nine years. Â We were approached by a very drunk man in his late 20's:
"So.... Are you normal or one of the freaks?"
All I had to do was flip my wrist at him and he wandered off. Â Problem solved.
Rather than announcing any last call warning or even saying "Hey, we'll be closing soon", they just started shouting "OUT! Â NOW!! WE'RE CLOSED!!" and began pushing people out the narrow hallway. Â Not cool.
Pretty decent bar with a nice selection of beers, though they seemed to get a little snarky when I asked if they had any Oak Creek on tap. Â Um, okay, I'll take a Sunshine Wheat then. Â Granted, we were here about happy hour time on a Thursday, but it just seemed a bit boring. Â Maybe because it had been built up so thoroughly by my fiance as a bar i would loooooove. Â I would certainly give it another go. Â Perhaps on a Friday night when the scene kids invade. Â The long bar and the impression that you are sitting in the galley of a submarine is way fucking cool. Â So is their jukebox ... and on it i put a threeplay of Willie, The Cure, and Franz Ferdinand. Â Solid options, except that their volume was set at about level 3 and it was pretty pointless for anything other than background ambient noise. Â Oh well.
Review Source:Best bar in Flag, I'd say, whether you're a local or visiting for the weekend. An eclectic crowd, cheap/stiff drinks, I've never paid a cover (when they do charge I believe it's like $5) and there's always a live band(s) on the weekends.
I came here to see a friend's band play, and while they set up, I bellied up around 9:30 with a $4 vodka/cranberry with an alcohol-to-mixer ratio that was worthy of the Time Out Lounge. The bartenders were just how I like them - pretty, sweet and efficient (don't forget that heavy pour, too!). A girl about my age struck up a conversation with me by complimenting my necklace (Flagstaff has such a different vibe than Tempe!) and we chatted until about 10, when the crowd started picking up and it became standing room only at the longer/larger of the two bars.
This place is roughly made up of three rooms - the first contains the aforementioned bar and is the first room you go through in this L-shaped bar. Once you get your "walking around to check out who's here drink," you sort of filter through to a larger, open area where the small stage is - there are a couple of tall tables for sitting or setting your drink on while you watch the band play, or you can stand right in front of the stage.
Hang a left and head up a small set of stairs into a more lounge setting, with low tables/chairs, couches, pool tables, darts and a smaller bar.
The juke box before the live music started was, from what I recall, a good and eclectic rock mix (maybe I heard some Clash and then someWhite Stipes?) and the live music were both out of town bands that were completely different from one another, but rocked just the same. The first was an all-girl electronica/pop group (a la Le Tigre) from Seattle, the other a rock/country joke band that favored songs about the Devil (or meeting girls at the county fair and taking a romantic drunken drive) from Tempe.
If this sounds like the strangest mish-mash of people, music and atmosphere, just remember, it's Flagstaff and it just somehow all comes together for good times that you vaguely recall through third party renditions the next day.
We drank there one Friday night and had a great time. Interesting crowd, good bartenders. The martini I had was definitely one of the best I've had in America. The door guy was a bit of a bitch, carding everybody (even people clearly into middle age); and I saw one Latino guy get thrown out in an unnecessary way (the guy had too much to drink, but he was aware of this and was getting ready to leave - he certainly didn't need to be shown the door in the way he was). So basically a nice dive bar experience, but tainted by what seemed like a little too much agro on the part of the door-bitch and perhaps a certain intolerance to friendly drunkenness (whether there was any racism involved I don't really know, but I did get the impression that a white guy wouldn't be thrown out so quickly - but I hesitate to say this as it was only an impression).
Review Source:The Monte V has become my favorite bar in downtown Flagstaff.
There persists the "never know what you're gonna get" element, which they play off as a strength as well as any bar I've ever seen.
The live music is usually strange collections of NAU kids and locals. It is interesting, if nothing else, and the drinks here are stiff and cheap. Covers are almost a non-entity, and there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself once inside.
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