This bar is terrible,if your having too much fun they kick you out! Motiv donated money for gay pride and charged us gay people to get into their bar.I guess they really didn't donated money after all.I won't be going there anymore and warn everyone else.The only gay bars are the blue lagoon and the blue lounge and the music is better than motiv.
Review Source:I do not like Motiv for nighttime. Too crowded, too expensive, overrated. I did however like to go for Happy Hour, which has great deals, but after my second time, I won't be back.
I used my card to pay and signed it for a total, and when I checked my bank statement, the charge from Motiv was more than what I signed off on. I called and emailed and never received a reply. I will be stopping by in person soon to try and get this figured out, but I really don't feel good about a business that does that.
My friends have had this happen to them at other bars in downtown SC, not a cool business strategy.
the drinks aren't made that well, the music was made for a struggling club, ladies rooms have 2 stalls, and we are super polite in sharing and well I had a good time. The seating are the half found tables that seat up to 8 people.
I say try it out. I hadn't danced in a while a great place to break yourself in.
Diverse culture of people. Ages: 30 and below...but I brought my half century date there b/c I don't have rules.
Xx
I only go upstairs to Happy Hour. Â For some reason all the blondish female bar tenders have no idea what they are doing. Â I've been several times with groups from 4 to 6 people and the females have consistently messed up at least half of the orders from drinks to food. Â The bartender Sam rocks!! Â I also found a hair lodged in the hamburger meat of my happy hour burger. Â Â Gross.
Review Source:I really don't what to think about this place actually.
At 9 PM there was no cover then at 10 PM there was a $5 cover hum ok well maybe because its friday night.
There aren't many table and chair so you can sit so if you're with a group I don't think its the best place.
Oh yeah no jean allowed for guys.
The music is kind of good though.
This is not what I expected. Not at all. You've heard of those "fat friendly" clubs? The ones euphemistically "beautiful curves?" Where the women describe themselves as BBW's?
Well, look no further. Motiv is indeed a BBW club. Fashioning itself as the only dance club in santa cruz, and an upscale club at that, this place is essentially a long narrow hallway, with a bar at the front end, and a dj's booth at the other.
Stuck in between, literally, are dozens upon dozens of BBW's Most are hispanic, as are the men who adore them.
As far as this being a college kids' hangout, that doesn't appear to be the case, either.
The staff are friendly and professional, hence the two stars. But c'mon, the reviewer who claimed that this is a meat market with pretty people couldn't have been more wrong.
Hey, I'm glad they're still in business, and thriving with a plentiful clientele (in more ways than one).
I have to say, my favorite part of Motiv is the upstairs cocktail lounge. On those crazy nights when you are chilling with all your friends it is fun to go and have one of their amazing staff create something new and unique for you or that special someone. There is plenty of seating upstairs and on nights when the DJ is blasting the sound of dance beats you feel the music rise up from downstairs and rattle the floor. Once you are done having your elegant drinks upstairs you move on down to the dance floor. Since it is the only real dance floor in Santa Cruz you will find it packed thur-sun. On Fri-Sun look for a cover charge since they usually have a pretty decent DJ rocking the floor.
Review Source:Worst. Bar. Ever. Awful service, really trashy clientele, lots of (what appear to be) underage kids in here that tend to be rowdy, obnoxious, or obviously unable to hold their liquor. Â It's a shame because the upstairs lounge is really nice, but I'm not paying a $5 cover to get into a crappy bar just to walk through it, go upstairs, then buy an overpriced drink. Â
Save your money, go somewhere else.
I have two reviews for Motiv and they depend on the time that you want to go.
Sunday - Thursday, and weekends before 10:00 pm. 5 stars!
The fish tacos are delicious, and for happy hour prices they can't be beat. Â If you get to actually talk to your bartender they will serve you a great drink, especially if you go upstairs. Â Food is great, atmosphere is chill, people are awesome.
-Good service? Check!
-Tasty Food? YES!
-Specially crafted drinks? Get your butt up those stairs in back and have a drink with basil slapped just for you!
Friday and Saturday Night, especially after 10:00 pm. 1 Star.
For some reason this is the place turns into a meat market on the weekends during party time. Â You would think that you would get a better deal on a drink if you order a double but no, you just get charged twice as much to have the same drink in a pint glass. There are some beautiful people in the club at this time, you might get some fake boobs pressed against you (against your will too, you can hardly move)
-Cover charge? Oh yeah.
-Crappy music? Most likely. Â
-Terrible service and watered down drinks? Â You bet!
-Dance floor so packed you can't move? You know it!
-Possibility of getting stabbed? Well, its not Salinas, but the bouncers are wearing bullet proof vests.
The moral of my story is simple. Â If you are single and looking to hook up no matter what, go on Friday and Saturday around 11:00 PM. Â If you want a quality place to get a drink and food, avoid this place during those times.
I was craving a burger, and was about to go to Jack's, but decided to switch it up and come here for happy hour instead. I had their grassfed hamburger ($5 during happy hour!) Â and a Gimlet ($6) . The burger was really juicy and tender, the veggies in it were fresh and crisp, and all of the deliciousness was sandwiched between two pieces of ciabiatta bread.
I was also really satisfied with the Gimlet (for some reason, they have a different drink list for upstairs and downstairs. upstairs has some special cocktails available for happy hour.) Most of the happy hour cocktails in the upstairs have a basil twist to them, which is really refreshing for a mid-afternoon drink.
OK, so I leave home for 8 years and things are bound to change around. The infamous dyke bar, Dakota, is now Motiv. Got it.
I had the pleasure of watching my boyfriend spin here mid-week. The club isn't bad for sleepy little Santa Cruz. I think the sound has improved vastly since the last time I was here almost a decade ago, so that's good. Â There's also a small dancefloor in the back, and it is crawling with college kids.
I didn't get to try any fancy drinks or food, so that's on the list for next time.
Over all, a pretty good time.
I used to live here on Thursday nights. My housemate used to DJ here for Libation Lab and it would get crazy around the first few weeks of the quarter and right after midterms and finals. The line would usually be incredibly long when everyone's trying to get their drink and dance on. Pretty much the only place with a nice DJ booth and solid analog and digital turntables to play on. I like the fact that there is always new art hanging around inside on the walls.
Shoutouts to Shannon, Kwanza, and Mike. Definitely had a huge impact on the last couple of years as a slug.
Considering it is a college spot for UCSC students on Thursday nights, it's pretty crackin.
I started going here last year when I turned 21 and it was pretty fun the first time I went. After awhile if you go too much it becomes a routine and there's nothing really new to expect. The music has definitely gotten way better. It isn't so much house and dubstep music where you can't dance to. It's more hip hop now and in with the bay stuff. The dance floor is so small. It especially sucks when people are jumping around and you get stomped on. People go crazy! Also sometimes there are a bunch of creepers that AREN'T college students but come to prey on the youngins.
It gets pretty packed on Thursdays so my suggestion is to go there at 9 get a stamp, and then come back later at like 11iish when more people begin to show up. The backdoor used to be open, but now everyone has to go through the front. Kinda sucks and the bouncers definitely have favoritism. lame...
As for drinks they are pretty good here and not too pricey.
stopped by motiv after redroom, which is the usual plan.
Redroom's mixed drinks are far better than Motiv's. I ordered the AMF at the redrooom, and then ordered the same thing when I got to motiv; It tasted worse. I'm pretty sure Redroom uses higher quality vodka.
Motiv is just not doin it for me, maybe when I wana go crazy and get in that party mode, which is rare these days. They have two sections & a second floor. One section has the bar and booths to sit in, and the other is just a dance floor.
This is not a place to go if you want a more relaxing time with your friends, but can be fun if youre feeling like you wanna go to the clubsss. I'm not the club type of girl, so this isn't my cup of tea.
This place is pretty cracking when it comes to the free night, which is Thursday. Every Thursday it is free of their entrance fee, not sure if having an entrance fee is the best business decision but oh well.
Never really experienced any other day than a Thursday, so cannot say much about other days. But on Thursdays it can be pretty packed and the dance floor is filled with people, sometimes too filled that you can't even walk anywhere.
The bathrooms are always pretty filthy, I guess that happens when you got drunk people flying everywhere.
There is also a dress code or somewhat enforced dressed code. Sometimes you cannot wear hats, depending on who's security. I have also gotten stopped by wearing just a white t-shirt... I mean it's just a bar... but I guess they are trying to enforce the whole clubbing thing too because they have a dance floor but come on, I can't get through because of a white-T! I bet they'll let lil Wayne in, and all he wears are white Ts.
Drink prices are alright here, expensive as heck like any other bar.
Definitely check this place out when it;s Thursday, it can get rowdy!
Thursdays nights are free entry! The place is usually filled with people and it is the only place with people dancing in Santa Cruz. There are some nights that are good and some nights that aren't too good just due to the DJ and his choice of music. Sometimes they will play good music to dance to like mainstream and top 40 but sometimes they will play oldie hip hop where you can't dance to too much.
The attire varies for girls, you can come here dressed up in a skirt and hair done or just with jeans and a nice top. Guys are normally dressed in a dress shirt and jeans, I've seen some people just wear t-shirts too.
There are 2 floors here with a bar on each, remember to get your free birthday shot at the bottom floor! :)
Medium Awesome
This place has good nights and bad nights.- Upstairs is pretty neat with an old time vibe and great drinks made by great bar tenders (like pat). Downstairs can bring in the rif-raf thuggish crowd but other than that it can be lots of fun especially on the dance floor.
Bouncers are great, they keep you safe-
Lee is my favorite.
Okay, so this mainly goes out to the one bouncer who continuously gives my friends  and i a hard time, despite multiple complaints to management. shame on you, management. I hope you read this because we've spoken on the phone TWICE already.
I lived downtown for two years (one at Lincoln/Washington). Right. down. the. effing. street. Naturally, I became a somewhat regular. My roomie even more often than myself. And I'd say were no drama, fun, good looking girls. So despite coming here 52452532534 times, this bouncer (not the caucasian guy with the facial hair like some of the other reviews mentioned) but the guy who looks sortof like Morpheus from the Matrix. Who is also on CSI. that guy, is a terrible person.
On Motiv's facebook, it says come before 11 get in for free (most nights). I always check. THREE TIMES he's straight acted like he has no idea what we were talking about and insisted we pay. at 10:30. wtf? The first time we gave him the benefit of the doubt and just told the other bouncer he didn't know what was up.
The second time, roomie and I had a bunch of friends in from LA and the Bay Area when this bouncer pulled this same act. again, at 10:30. I reminded him that he had tried this once before with us and I wasn't having any of it. While this occurred, he allowed in three other girls, without paying AND WITHOUT CHECKING THEIR IDs! When we threw a fit, he told us "you girls aren't pretty enough to get in for free."
Hi. This isn't LA. This is Santa Cruz. We're not models, but we're DAMN attractive, in shape, girls. It doesn't say shit about being pretty to your standards to get in. just. to. show. up. early.
I told him that might make girls with lower self esteem pay, but I thought it was bull. And demanded to speak to management. He ignored me.
I tried to show him THEIR FACEBOOK WITH THE PROMOTION ON IT on my phone and he wouldn't look at it, completely ignoring me.
Both my roomie and I called management the next day after the other bouncer allowed us in. for free. as it was suppose to be. with no hassle.
I'm not going back until that dude is fired.
SO on the phone with my roomie last night she tells me the SAME thing happened AGAIN.
HOW IS HE NOT FIRED? WHO CALLS THEIR CUSTOMERS (especially in a group of like 8 girls) UGLY? WHO DOESNT CHECK CERTAIN (very young looking) GIRLS IDs?
Also, last time I was here there was a trashy cat fight in the bathroom where a girl threw her full vodka cran in the air, it hit the ceiling, and rained glass and vodka cran everywhere and I had to call security to break it up.
This place is classless, tacky, rude (except certain bar tenders) and filthy. What is this - the blue?
Next time I'm going to Rosie's. The music is better anyway.
I have to say this is the second time, that I have been truly disappointed with Motiv.
For some reason this is the only bar, ever, that has questioned my age and ID, twice. Also the second time, the same bouncer questioning me, has asked for another form of ID. Ugh, NO my ID is my ID! Considering that I am 23 this is very insulting. Also considering both occasions were week nights when the bar was empty and my girls and I just wanted to dance.
I am not sure if this bouncer is having a power trip or he really doesn't believe my ID is actually me. No one looks like their ID picture, that was taken when they were 17!! Needless to say I won't be back for a while.
This is the only place I will go downtown anymore at night. I personally love a cover because it keeps the hholigans and gangsters out. I would much rather pay a cover and feel safer about not getting into a fight or getting stabbed. I love how they have an upstairs that is kinda chill and the downstairs that goes off with dancing and lasers. The bartenders are true mixologists and make awesome drinks. The art is always changing and the owners support the local art scene and have wonderful first friday events, check out my art this month if you are down there! :)
p.s. the food is awesome too.
My go-to spot in downtown SC.
Motiv became the new "Red Room" for the local college students about a year ago. Â
I really like the modern setting & club atmosphere. This place is pretty much as chic as Santa Cruz bars go (aside from maybe Clouds)
Upstairs bar has awesome mixed drinks. I had one of the house specials, a Basil Gimlet made from fresh greens in front of me last night and it was so delish! The paprika added a pleasant kick. But if you aren't trying to intake your daily servings of veggies, there are plenty of fruity drinks (and the typical stuff) as well!
I love the electro DJs they've been booking lately. DADA Life spinned last night & I got to see them for free (w/guestlist)...pretty awesome!
Also, I love their stromlights/visuals...really sets the party mood =)
Oh and there is also a free coat check! SCORE!
Anyways, I would def. recommend this place for a night of dancing. If you actually want to converse, get there early and head upstairs. Because later on the place will be packed and the music will be blasting, just how we like it!
---
Only downside: filthy ladies restrooms
(always out of toilet paper) & the sink has scorching hot water (I actually saw the steam coming up last time)
I love this place! I moved here from the LA area recently and was worried that i wouldn't have any place to go for good electro music and dancing. Motiv handled all of those concerns with one fell swoop.
The staff is super friendly, the drinks are good, and the crowd seemed really stoked on life. There are big names coming through here (if you're into this scene) and that gives you an extra something to be excited about all week.
I saw a review that someone was mad that their friend couldn't get in for wearing sandals. Well, I'm glad this is a club where people care about their appearance. There's enough rough and tumble spots in town... the naysayers can go there.
Stopped by on a Thursday night. Â Got here before the hoards of college students arrived. Â We were at the upstairs bar relaxing in a chill lounge environment when out of nowhere, a massive group of college students / recent grads arrived. Â What does this mean? Â Be prepared for anything.
The upstairs bar has more of a lounge/chill feel while downstairs is a large dance floor. Â Downstairs tends to be a whole lot more crowded than the upstairs area.
The drinks upstairs were good. Â It's definitely a mixologist vibe for the drinks. Â The drinks were creative, well made, and reasonably priced.
Fun times and people were friendly.
DO NOT GO TO MOTIV.
1- For trying to be classy, the bathrooms are HORRIBLE and DISGUSTING. You'd think that for paying a cover and the drink costs they could take a little better care of it.
2- You would think this would be #1, but the bathrooms are that bad. No, the bouncers... UGH. Completely hit or miss. Most of the guys are cool and really keep the club safe, but this Caucasian guy, overweight, late thirties, with a black baseball cap with a goatee is a complete tripper. This man, in no uncertain terms, said to one of my friends that he is a COP (read: Police Officer) and then FLASHED his BADGE at her from in his wallet telling her he would call the police when they were arguing about her being let back in after she had went out for a smoke (and told HIM she'd be right back.
Isn't this sort of behavior illegal?
I understand trying to keep this place safe for us, but this man is absolutely out of control and this is something I've considered writing to the news about.
This place made me angry....and Im NEVER an angry drunk
As much as it WANTS to be a Hollywood club it is NOT. so WHY must I stand outside AND pay a cover?! two things I *dont* even do at Hollywood clubs. I hate to sound like a stuck up Los Angelino but SERIOUSLY. They had people walzting in and out but were making people wait in line. FAIL!! if people want to leave thats on them to bad so sad let the rest of us in. I've never experienced that (being allowed back in w/o a wait) at a dance club that charges a cover.
If it was up to me I would have just left but it was a friend'd bday and he neede to meet up with friends inside. So once we get inside (BTW fellas no hats because they think they're upscale) I head to the restroom and Oh boi there's nothing in there. And by nothing I mean no toilet paper, toilet seat covers, no paper towels. WTF. It was only 12pm folks have another hour and a half of peeing to do here!
The crowd here was pretty unfriendly and pushy unless you knew them. then you were the person they were running to as they pushed everyone out the way. thankfully I wasnt here longer then 30 mins before my friend's 5 million drinks hit him and we had to usher him out for his honorary 21st birthday pukefest.
This place definitely makes me miss the Dakota. I went in about a year ago, not long after they had opened for a drink. One of the employees had her two children with her at the bar and they were literally jumping on the furniture. This made for a rather unpleasant atmosphere to say the least and was just weird.
I decided to give it another try more recently. I figured I could forgive things not being all together in the first few months, but I was again far from impressed. It wasn't very busy (maybe 5 people at the bar, no one at the tables). We walked up to the bar, the bartender didn't even acknowledge us for several minutes. Then the well drinks were ridiculously over priced. I'm willing to pay $10 for a good drink but not $7-8 for cheap liquor and juice. A similar quality drink would be $3-5 at the Blue Lagoon and several other bars on Pacific.
I really wanted to like this place, but I think I'm done.
3.5 stars goes out to Motiv.
Even though this club/bar took over the ONLY queer club in town (which I am still SO sad about), it's not a bad place to spend your Friday or Saturday night. Decent music (on Friday's it's a mash-up of Electronica/House music), good drinks AND there's an upstairs lounge area. I'm actually a fan of this upstairs area more than I am of the downstairs, mostly because you can sit back and actually have a conversation without having to yell at each other over the loud music. Although, when I went here, I wasn't with a big group of people, so that might change once there's a hoard of us who want to dance.
Apart from that, the atmosphere is really different from all the other clubs in downtown SC. Everyone was super dressed up when I went, I almost felt under dressed, and for that to happen in a Santa Cruz club, is astonishing. Come before 10pm if you don't want to pay the cover charge and bring cash.
Despite the fact that I'm super bitter that the only queer bar in town, DAKOTA, was taken over by this place, it's actually a pretty sweet joint.
Love the upstairs. They were having a Haiti benefit for the 1st fridays downtown SC Art walk this month, where a photographer was selling work to raise $ for the earthquake victims.
Well-lit, and well-furnished - great art hung!
The bars are tended by beautiful people,the food at the event was superb, and the vibe was great. Definitely not like the Dakota... a lot of mid-aged mid-class people, but of diverse ethnicities. I'd go back.
Motiv.
You are cool. Cool for Santa Cruz. And we all know what that means.
Sometimes your DJ is the 'ish. Other nights I want to know what the hell IS he thinking.
I'll admit that your upstairs bar is outstanding, but then again, that bar was there before you showed up. At the very least I should thank you for keeping it fabulous. That you provide me with a vibrating panty for $12 is just the start of all that is fabulous up there.
But at the end of the day, a club is only as good as the DJ, and for this you must settle with being just A-OK.
$5 cover on a Saturday night, but I think it might be worth it!
Motiv is really replacing RED to become one of the most popular to-go place in downtown santa cruz. Â The musics (house) were great. Â The girls were hot. Â The drinks were well made.
Def the place to be if you are willing to throw down some $$ for covers......
$6 dollar cover charges are a bit weird, especially when they are looking for exact change ... Â I am also kinda disappointed that I had to pay when my friend was performing that night. Sucks.
On to the bar itself, It's okay, a good amount of people. The bartenders are very quick on taking orders but they are all dudes, which is unusual. Drinks are average priced with average looking people.
Overall - A-Ok
But weird thing, I thought there was a dress code at this place. I walk in here and the bartenders are wearing baseball hats, people wearing basketball jerseys and here I look like a D-Bag in my turtleneck.
My name is Roman and I'm an alcoholic. I haven't traveled much, but I have gotten drunk at every country, state, city, town and village I have ever been to. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just giving out some personal information so you have a better understand of what's going on in my head at these bars. That way I won't have to apologize for my stupid comments after I write these reviews. :D
If you get to Motiv early, not only will you get any couch you want but also NO COVER! (I believe you have to be there before 9-9:30pm)
I can't seem to remember the prices, but I believe my Gentleman Jack on the Rocks was about $8. I think there were a few beers on tap for $6. Decent prices, but I had nothing to compare them to since this was my one and only bar experience in Santa Cruz.
They had a live DJ and a huge dance floor. UCSC crowd! A lot of cute girls and butterfaces!! Not a lot of fat girls in Santa Cruz....... not that I have anything against that... was just surprised.
Definitely would come back, but sister graduated so no reason to drive to Santa Cruz anymore.
Honestly, I really miss when this place used to be Pearl Alley Bistro upstairs and Dakota downstairs. I loved being able to get in without a cover charge and go upstairs to sit down and have a casual drink. Downstairs always played great music when it was Dakota and I could not wait to get in there.
Now, Motiv has a cover charge that is simply ridiculous- it being one of the only bars in Santa Cruz with one on weekends. Downstairs has a horrible DJ. Â I never see the crowd dancing for more than 5 minutes at a time. It feels like a home made mix CD from 10 years ago that you would play for your friends when they come over.
The upstairs is fairly similar to what it was before the change, but it has definitely lost its charm. It is always a pleasure to see Sergei or Andrew working because they are the veterans of this bar. They are always making my drinks just the way I like them... strong.
If you like a loungey feel, then I recommend that you visit upstairs, but if you want to dance and don't care about the music, head downstairs. Atmosphere is great in either.
I stepped into this bar around 3pm today. Beautiful interiors and quiet, relaxed setting. I was even able to have a conversation with a highschool pal.
Friendly staff. Even the off duty security guy suggested a bottled water called Liquid Salvation. Very refreshing and well-designed bottle.
This place is definitely a keeper for the Santa Cruz scene!
So Motive is where Dakota used to be, so I thought I'd check it out. Â The place looks nice! Â The bouncer opens the door for everyone, and the interior is a cool blue.
The place definitely needs:
1. Â A DJ, Â some music would be nice so you're not sitting there starting at your drunken friends play with the candles on the tables.
2. Â A Sign...anywhere. Â The street sign is just an empty frame, and the windows are free from any sort signs. Â The only reason i knew it was called Motive was from word of mouth.
I could see this turning into a decent spot. Â Keep working at it, Motive!
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