Monterey Live! on 414 Alvarado Street is a great addition to Monterey nightlife. The proprietors, Susan Miller and Gary Smith, are a hip young couple who have cultivated a loyal staff and a growing following in the community.

Monterey Live! is intimate; it seats 100 people. Walk in through the drapes and you come eye-to eye with the other patrons immediately. The room is windowless yet cozy with each seat a darned good one. Most acts are musical and Monterey Live! has featured everything from Monterey Jazz to Rock to Classical; I have even enjoyed some musical comedy acts that we are lucky to have come to Monterey.

A lot of artists find it well worth it to stop in Monterey and get some exposure when driving from San Francisco to L.A. or vice versa; they have found the perfect venue in this sweet spot. The lighting and sound system are state of the art quality.

The amenities include more than music in Monterey; Monterey Live! is attached to a great cafe with a full bar, the Live Wired Cafe. You can have a bite during the show; the staff is expert at discreetly checking on everyone and delivering food and drinks without interrupting the flow of the performance (not easy to do). The food is simple but very well done; hard to resist their calamari…or the skewered prawns!

The venue is also small-business friendly (Monterey, are you listening?). They host luncheons for the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce business luncheons, and the room is available for any type of meeting or party for up to 115 people.

Check out their site; you can preview the acts thanks to YouTube clips on the Monterey Live! Box Office page.