Drove to Olympia to watch the band called The Hookys, my first time ever to be in downtown Olympia for night life, it was different. There was a $5 cover that night, but a friend of mine could have gotten us in for free, oh well maybe next time. The bar itself was okay the drinks here okay priced. There was to be a DJ after the band was done playing, but we left before it got busy, I've heard it gets pretty busy here tho. Anyway I wouldnt go out of my way to come back here, but I would like to check out other places in Olympia. If I was in the area Id probably come back.
Review Source:First things first, comedy night is okay SOMETIMES. If you must go to this bar, do it on a Tuesday night. Aside from that, there is absolutely no reason to go to the royal. This bar has a fucking hype man and house band- classic in the worst possible ways. A damn shame, this use to be a cool joint.
Review Source:granted, olympia has it's own personality that doesn't fit mine. so if you're a diehard olympian, you might be offended that i think this place is disgusting. the dance floor is tiny and (at least the night i was there) PACKED. not packed with good looking people, packed with gross, douchebaggy, and vulgar guys and slutty looking girls. this is definitely a place where you want to hang on to your drink and watch it all night so nobody roofies it. the drinks are overpriced and the bar is cash only. the music sucks and the bathrooms are beyond disgusting. there was a ridiculous line (the bathrooms are right off the dance floor, so i got to get squished not only by girls waiting to use the bathroom but also sweaty rowdy guys on the dance floor), the toilets were backed up and didn't flush, there were only 2 tiny stalls, the stalls themselves looked like a nightmare, and the sink was filled with vomit. stay away!!!
Review Source:We came here to see the night life in Olympia since we were already in the area. 2.5 stars.
If you like sticky floors, crowded space like a sardine, big douchebags, ugly gogo dancers, gross bathrooms with long lines, and dancing in a concrete dancefloor in a warehouse...this place is for you.
I did like the music and the pretty bartenders who made our drinks stiff. I did see some pretty girls dancing here but too many guy to girl ratio. Â
For this night....it was pretty packed but this might be the only place around for the younger crowd to get their dance on.
The Royal Lounge is the place in Olympia for a little something out of the ordinary. Â Jazz on Monday, Comedy on Tuesday, awesome funky house band (The Brown Edition) on Wednesday, Salsa Saturday from 7-10, and Mexican music on Sundays. Â
However, this is a wild and crazy place to party on a late Friday or Saturday night with hip hop and many drunk young people (maybe I'm just getting old). Not quite my scene there. Â Also, if there is not an event in progress you are not going to find many people.
Keep an eye on the calendar for other opportunities such as Burlesque or more high profile shows.
Ugh...this place should never have begun it's existence. I compare it to the crap-tasticness that is the Peacock or Impulse in Corvallis. It's a dance club that has existed so long because it's the only place where people can get their date rape on.
They'll spin the same tired Top 40 hits with no sweet mash-ups that are actually worth blasting and dancing to.
People will be drinking red bull vodkas, AMFs, long islands, and any other bro drink that guys think will get a girl home with them.
And can anyone explain the cover or the black guy standing on the stage flipping everyone off while grabbing his junk?
We played at the Royal on a Friday night. There is an established stage, their own PA, lighting system, and sound guy. they have onstage monitors that are pretty big. The sound was fine.
The bathrooms were stupid. Neither of the stall doors lock, or the bathroom door for that matter. Â
After the live music, the place turned into a hip hop deal. Â Not my bag. Â We loaded and scrammed right quick.
Lets start of with the fact I had no idea about this place. Its very existence was a void i should not have filled.
Mind you I was pretty hammered when coming here. It did not stop me from realizing from the douche bouncers at the front this was a spawn of some sick tormented jersey Shore castoffs club.
Hooooooly shit can you say gross! everything is sticky in a "is that vomit or alcohol on the floor way".
Ear piercing music- not fun lets dance loud. Just hey does my Cadillac speakers sound louder than yours annoying loud.....
I wasted like 9 bucks on a ... i blush to say" tasty drink. The only one I could read was "Slip and slide" so what the hell Slammed it down. Danced and was feeling more like being stuck in a Swedish sauna with way too many dudes that forgot to wrap up in the fresh towel's that was given to them by the hot Blondie at the door.
Oh well you live and learn. Though from the vibe you feel your lucky to get out alive. pop pop suckaa
When The Royal first opened I was excited about the addition to Olympia nightlife. Â I enjoyed bocce, funky sixties/seventies furniture and a decent happy hour. Â
But what I mentioned above no longer exists
Now it opens late and they cater to late night dancing . Â So they cleared out all the furniture/bocce courts for dancing. Â Even when nobody is there - it is 4 dollar flat/warm beer in plastic cup. Â I used to really enjoy The Royal, now I'm not going back Â
They changed whom they are catering  too.  I'll admit it is a rare night when I finish up dancing at 2 in the morning and  I'd rather not do it in an old warehouse building that considers itself a bar. Â
It still might have the atmosphere that some folks are looking for drunken dancing with bad service. Â But on those rare nights I'm dancing late - I'm going to Jake's . Â For everything else - The Royal is not worth my time or money anymore.
There isn't enough Purell in the bottle...
I can no longer go here because doing so makes me feel disgusting. I am afraid to sit on their couches for fear of contracting something . The only thing so far that I am aware of catching is OCD because I am constantly washing my hands after leaving there. I have witnessed so many things happen on those used couches during business hours prompting me to attempt to get my memory erased.
When they first opened I really enjoyed stopping in here for a drink and would do so often. The drinks were good, Bocce ball was great, the space is really open, and it didn't have an identity yet.
Now though with Bocce being removed, It transforming into more of a dance club vs. hang out spot, my favorite bartender no longer working there, the addition of a viscous Velcro like floor, and with the throng of scowling twenty somethings wrapped in plastic hopped up on Red bull and hormones I now avoid it. I am too much of an old wallflower for their shenanigans.
This place started out great! Â The huge open warehouse space was interesting, and the funky, 70's thriftstore decor was interesting. Â The waitstaff was slightly snooty and a little stingy on their pours but eager to test new drink combinations on willing customers. Â Finally, I am a sucker for comfy couches and jukeboxes and the fact that they had bocce ball inside sealed the deal. Â I was so excited.
The first few times I went there I had a great time, and then, not so long ago, bocce ball disappeared and it turned into a meat market dance club packed to the gills with indifferent service and snotty security. Â The crowd changed from the retro hip artsy oly scene to the tacoma/fort lewis/lacey jock and barbie crowd.
The last time I went in and the last time I will go in, the dance floor had taken over the whole bar, the place was packed, the service was slow and there was no where to sit. Â Despite my distaste for techno/hip-hop, my friend and I tried dancing a little bit but soon realized there was a pervy wall of jocks and wanna be gangster posers standing around the dance floor staring at all the women. Â Some man tried to rub his crotch on me and every where I turned there were non-dancing shameless gawkers.
It's so sad to see a place with such potential turn into another vault/barcode, but if you are looking for the uncomfortably mainstream trendy meat-market, this is the perfect place for you. Â Personally, I'm sticking with the Broho.
PUT YOUR HANDS UP! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!
Back when The Royal opened I felt like it was a nice addition to the Oly nightlife.  During those first few months it's as if most Downtowners (you know who you are) had a breath of fresh air blown into their smoke riddled lungs, and The Royal was that refreshing breeze.  But like all alcoholic rampages, their comes that point where you sober up a little, have a good look around and ask yourself  "How did I get here and where is the nearest exit?" Â
Just don't be surprised that if on the way to the exit, you get stuck to the floor.
On a recent visit I was disgusted by the state of the men's bathroom. Â Bad graffiti written all over the walls subjected me to unintelligent rantings written in sharpie. Â The room was lit by an extremely bright flood lamp and there was the absence of a proper stall, pretty much just a toilet and a urinal thrown into a room. Â The sink worked surprisingly, but the soap dispenser was completely empty. Â I informed the bar staff of the fact that the bathroom required soap but to my surprise nothing was done about it. Â Quite honestly I have urinated in cleaner alleys and would gladly opt for one before heading back into that washroom.
Can we talk about the floor........I have to ask. Â "Why floor are you always sticky?" Â I have noticed this on several trips to the Royal, especially in and around the bathroom area. Â Drinks get spilled, and as sad as this event is for the drink holder, accidents happen and when they do one must utilize the dazzling technology and futuristic design of the mop and bucket. Â Just saying, a floor that isn't sticky is the way to really class up any joint.
The reason why the Royal is not getting a single star rating from me is due to the fact that they place an emphasis on live music and DJ's. Â Every Monday night they bring in a small jazz group with a singer that has an easy voice to listen to. Â According to their MySpace profile they offer an array of acts over the weekend, unfortunately, in my opinion this attracts an unsavory type of crowd creating a claustrophobic feeling of dancing in a packed garage on a concrete floor with lots of booty grabbing.... Oh so posh. Â I may be inclined to raise my rating if they were to add a Goth/Metal night, a niche that is strangely absent in the area. Â Â
For the most part I have had pretty good experiences with some of the bartenders who are generally friendly and happy to take your order and would be glad to drink here more often for that reason. Â Unfortunately though I am steered away by the typical clientele who are pretending to be macho and tuff in one of the softest towns I have ever lived in, there is no need, save it for when you're at home watching the Fast &Furious movies.
Royal, I liked you once, but you've turned into the Barcode so farewell and good luck. Â I may try you again down the line, but for now I am cooling my heels.
Had high hopes when this place opened. Â Right on Capitol, block away from the BroHo, cool old warehouse space, Bocce ball! Â
For a while there, the clientele seemed to fluctuate every night which was interesting to watch. Â
Now it seems that square broles with the ironic trucker hats and the payton chicken heads with clothes that are two sizes too small have descended. Â
The Vault has a dirty cousin.
The bartenders are great from the days i've been there, but can't say much for the meat market nights...
Too bad for you and your promoters that are bringing in all the wrong stuffing...guess it doesn't matter so long as you flip a buck.
This is an environment for the younger crowd. Â The Royal is definetly not regal in the sense of fine funiture and plush accomidations.
A quick fix up of a bar the music is like much of the rest of the downtown scene. Â A little this a little that in multiple variety throughout the night. Â Everything from Michael Jackson to The Ramones can be heard here.
If I recall they have an ATM on-site but do not accept credit cards. Â It could be the other way around.
Last week, I was refused entrance to the Royal with my service dog.
According to ADA law- Title 49, Chapter 49.60, 49.60.010- 49.60.100; Title 70, Chapter 70.84, 70.84.010- 70.84.900; White Cane Law Chapter 414.
Locations allowed for hearing dogs..
"Full and free use of the streets, highways, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, other public places, equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges on common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains, motor buses, street cars, boats, and all other public conveyances, as well as in hotels, lodging places, places of public resort, accommodation, assemblage or amusement, and all other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons."
Interference includes-
"Any person or persons, firm or corporation, or the agent of any person or persons, firm or corporation, who denies or interferes with admittance to or enjoyment of the public facilities enumerate in RCW 70.84.010, or otherwise interferes with the rights of a totally or partially blind, hearing impaired, or otherwise physically disabled person as set for in RCW 70.84.010."
sometimes people call it "the royale," and then i laugh at them.
i happened by one day when it was two in the afternoon and they were testing their new sound system, so BLASTING hilariously inappropriate music out of the open walls. Â it was pretty delightful.
they have a pinball machine that i'm pretty sure is five balls for a quarter? Â maybe fifty cents. Â it's old, has two-player, and seems like a damn good deal.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
