Basement Tavern

Look for the eye!

I've been to Basement Tavern a few times but didn't write up their happy hour because it only offered drinks and no food specials... BUT NOW THEY DO!

If you've never been to Basement Tavern, you are definitely missing out. It's one of my favorite bars in Santa Monica. My friend Shaun-Mathieu just tried to go last week and well... he never found the place. That's because it is literally in the basement of The Victorian. Poor Shaun-Mathieu went right inside the The Victorian and just thought he had the wrong address and left. But since it's in the basement, you have to go to the back of the place and enter that way. Just look for the eye!

  
Once you've made it downstairs, you'll find one of Santa Monica's most charming bars with its elegant furniture and fancy chandeliers.  Don't worry guys, it's rustic enough for you to still feel cool. In fact, there has been some pretty nice eye candy when I've gone. Oops, getting side-tracked. Sorry.

Basement Tavern's happy hour runs daily from 5-8pm and includes half-off most of their food menu, $3 beers, $5 well drinks, $5 wine, and a $5 specialty cocktail called Delia's Elixir (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, agave, raspberries, lemon). I was quite happy to see the Elixir contained Buffalo Trace. I love the stuff. And their well vodka is Pearl Vodka. Well done, Basement Tavern... well done!!!

Delia's Elixir

$5 (reg. $8)

We had a couple of the Elixirs and then decided to try some other cocktails not included in happy hour.  I had the Basil Honeyden (below left) with Basil Hayden Bourbon, honey syrup, citrus, basil and my friend, Emily, had the C'est La Vie (right) Pearl Vodka, mint, citrus, blueberries, champagne. I loved the the Honeyden! I'll definitely have that again.  Emily's cocktail was nice, but I'm more of a whiskey girl. Love and Linda had well drinks and they were pretty strong.

Basil Honeyden - $10

C'est La Vie - $10

Here's the complete cocktail list but they will also make drinks not listed. My friend, Christopher, said that bartender Matt makes the best Sazerac in town. And Chris KNOWS his Sazeracs.

When we looked at the food menu (all half-off except the cheese and meat plates) we were impressed with the selection and prices.

For food, we got the Basement Burger, Truffle Parmesan Fries, Lamb Kabobs, and Proscuitto & Wild Arugula Pizza. The Burger was really good!! I definitely recommend getting that. Unfortunately, I weren't impressed with the other items. But then again, my friend Jenn liked the pizza so try things for yourself.  (Good to know: The burger comes with jalapenos.)

Basement Burger - $5

Truffle Parmesan Fries - $8

Lamb Skewers - $6

Proscuitto and Wild Arugula Pizza - $6

I would go back to happy hour at the Basement Tavern because I was a fan of theirs before and I liked the burger and drink specials. And if you stay past happy hour, they have live music almost every night.

Happy Hour

Daily 5-8pm
Half-off most food items,
$5 Specialty Cocktail,
$3 beers, $5 wells & wine

Basement Tavern

(the basement of The Victorian) 2640 Main St.  Santa Monica, CA 90405 310.396.2469 facebook.com/BasementTavern twitter.com//basementtavern