Put on your party pants, because Chrome Lotus is officially open for business. After two nights of pre-parties with friends and Facebook fans, the revamped 505/Acapulco throws open its doors to the public and gets the taps flowing.
The Vibe: The interior has been transformed and the massive space broken up into two distinct parts: A casual bar area in front, and a live stage in back where the management hopes to bring local acts and touring bands. There’s no goofy “club wear” dress code (meaning yes, you can wear jeans) though no “affiliation” wear will be permitted. “It’s a space where everyone can have a casual good time,” said Chris Denny, whose local company The Engine Is Red, handles PR. Denny says owners hope to attract 20-somethings as well as an older crowd with the laid back atmosphere. (Note, the pix are from Denny…)
The Beverages: Full bar with prices set at around $3 for domestic beers, $8 for top-shelf booze, according to Denny. And party pitchers with, um, colorful names. One comes with mustaches for everyone. I’ll leave it at that.
The Music: No DJ’s, no hip-hop says Denny. When live bands aren’t playing (this weekend opens with indie band Music For Animals on Friday and dance party cover band SuperBad on Saturday), music will pipe in from the jukebox. Patrick Malone, who does talent aquisition for Hopmonk will be helping to bring in 80-90 percent local bands to the bar.
To do: Pool tables, party kits for bachelorette parties, video screens, a disco ball and stage are among the perks for partiers. The bar is a completely separate entity from next door’s forthcoming restaurant, Franco’s, though Denny says he hopes the bar (which has no kitchen) will be able to collaborate to have some nibbles for bar-goers.
The Peeps: The owners are Bill Cutting and Gianni Messmer, who also own the Round Robin. Messmer was a founding partner of Seven Ultralounge (he was later bought out by former Los Robles Lodge owners Andy and Joy Kalia).
Hours: The club will be open from 2pm to 2am daily, 364 days a year.
Chrome Lotus, 501 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, chromelotussr.com
I wrote this was an intention to get it on yelp.com but I can’t submit it because it didn’t happen to my personally.
I’m writing this review on the behalf of my father who shared his experience at Chrome Lotus with me over the phone this morning. Please know that I’m not here to senselessly spread “rumors” and accusations about this place but really I’m attempting to inform others in hopes that others will avoid what transpired with my old man. I’m a member of the Yelp Elite of ’09 and ’10…I have over 100 reviews under my belt, so I think my reputation and background speaks for itself. Since he’s not on yelp.com and upon hearing his story (which I found alarming), I figured I’d share it with the yelp community.
On Febuary 26th, my father drove up from San Leandro (SF East Bay) to Santa Rosa for a show featuring the Love And Rockets tribute band “Luv’n Rockets”. My father has seen this band numerous times before and have become good friends with some of the members of the band. Before the show, he had dinner at a local restaurant…had a few glasses of wine…and returned to his hotel room to freshen up before the show.
Apparently the venue is divided into two parts. One being a bar / restaurant area and the other being the “live music” section. Upon his arrival, he noticed that the live music section wasn’t cordoned off as the members of the band were getting set up. He walked over to the guys and proceeded to carry on a conversation. Suddenly a security guard (which he described could have been seven feet tall) approached him and asked him to leave. Feeling somewhat “bullied”, he left the area.
Once the show started, he was “watched” by security throughout the evening. At one point a guard came to him with some ice-water and said, “I suggest you drink this instead”. The bullying was so bad even members of the band were making comments to the staff and security to “back off the guy”. My father was not being out of hand. He wasn’t violent. He was enjoying himself (drunk as it may be…but hat’s what happens at a place that serves alcohol…DUH!!!) and yet was being harassed by the security staff.
One reason my father believes he was singled out was because of his age. He’s 56 years old. According to my father, the place is frequented by local college kids who’s one purpose for being there is to get smashed. He was the oldest person there. Perhaps it was the way he was dressed as in most people were dressed to go “clubbin”.
Beyond the harassment by the security, he had a good time.
Reading the other reviews of this place, I notice a constant theme…
There are a lot of security here.
My father said these “goons” (That is my word and I will call them that with evidence that I will post in a minute) were carrying mace and billy-clubs. Is this a bar / restaurant / music venue or a prison???!!!
But alas, this is from Chrome Lotus’ website :
Our top of the line security has been professional trained by both private security and law enforcement to make sure you Chrome Lotus experience is always drama free. Don’t let their size fool you, they are as friendly as can be.
Can anyone say GESTAPO???
Chick w/goiter and a fat guy. yeah…..
I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but they had $1 cover charge, good bands and a LOT of people there.
I had a great time! I think it’s awesome
What a bunch of judgmental and negative people on this site! Geez!
I gotta say…the pics for this place crack me up! You’ve got the awkward boozy pyramid of people with the requisite cougar types, Clay Aiken, some guy who looks like he’s in pain, one chick throwin back a shot and Vin Diesel (what’s he doing there?) Then there’s the other pic where a chick is impaling Clay Aiken with her stiletto and her girlfriends are behind her going “Yeah!!” Weirdest yet funniest publicity photos for a bar EVER!
Heather, they’re going to take the same path as other venues that have tried to “ban” Hip-Hop and/or DJ’s….In this area, they’ll realize the business is failing and give in. I mean what are the chances a live venue can consistently book bands every week (in this area) and not just have a repeating schedule? Hell, even Dave Daher (owner of The Last Day Saloon) has been booking Hip-Hop acts the past few months and that guy DESPISES that music. This area just isn’t big enough and lacks a large number of quality live rock bands to keep a promise like that…Sad but true…Again, I have zero problem with a place doing nights with DJ’s who play whatever, but for them to respond with such a resounding “NO!” in their interview only to know it’s not the case is BS in my book.
I gotta say I was surprised to hear that there were DJ’s set to play after they told me that the only music playing (aside from live bands) would be the jukebox. I’m not against a good DJ playing some chill downbeat or whatever, but I feel like there are a lot of places in town where you can go hear DJ Funky McFlavahsavah spinnin’ his bad boy beats. I was kind of stoked at the idea of not being subjected to that. Who knows. The market wants what it wants.
Ms. O, that was my point though…The bouncers at the front door made NO mention of a band actually playing inside. And from the music blaring out, all I could picture were a buncha douchebags in Affliction and Ed Hardy shirts doing the first pump. It’s pretty obvious from the specifics you mentioned that you are involved. That’s all good…But on the DJ front, for them to get on record in an article saying “NO DJ’s, NO Hip-Hop” is kind of lame…I have no problem with it if they DID do that but why try to lie? Kinda like how the people who bought The Vine said “No hip-hop” yet it’s there every night…Just be straight!
That’s the clientele! This place will be out of business in six months.
Dooshbar.
I’m glad to see there is a new venue for live local bands. Although times are tough economically, I always find it amazing that people will spend huge amounts of money on drinks, but bitch if they have to pay to support our hard working local musicians. Grow up people and appreciate the live music! Musicians work hard at their trade. P.S. I am not a musician!
Wow. So quick to judge. All the whiners on here are exactly the type of people that I DONT want to share air with. Chrome Lotus, silly name, great atmosphere. Saw Superbad there Saturday night. Was free before 9, $10 for the band. It was well worth it. The staff was super friendly, and the crowd was really diverse. Drinks ranged from $3 to $10 and were not shy on the pour. As for Djs, they are doing that once a month. If you dont like Djs, dont go that day. Big deal. During the day they have 5 big screen tvs, an internet jukebox, 2 pool tables, and happy hour.
Get over yourselves and try something new.
I came to see Music For Animals…my new fave band! Had a great time there on Friday which I was surprised. The bands were great and I’m glad to see another venue in Santa Rosa besides Last Day for live bands to play.
Mark, the music you heard was probably from the juke box that was in the front area. They have the bands in the back where Acapulco’s used to have the big party room.
It’s different than I expected and I’m eating my words that it’s going to be another hangout for all the DB’s. There was actually a really diverse crowd there. Oh and if you were on the guest list you only had to pay $5. Not bad for some really great LIVE music.
Walked by there last night…Say they had a $10 cover charge and basically said “no thanks” just like most of the other people outside. Sorry, but if you’re opening a new place you need to make it intriguing and worthwhile. For the record, all I heard (atleast out front) was crappy dance/house music…And I won’t pay $10 to go sit in a bar with over priced drinks and some crappy never-been Santa Rosa DJ mixing on his laptop. What a disappointment because I had every intention of going to check it out.
I think it sounds really good actually. With a name like Chrome Lotus I was a bit skeptical at first, but a casual place that plans to be a venue for local bands and whose opening band is an indie rock band – that sounds like something Santa Rosa could really use. My husband has played in a great indie band for years and there are hardly any places for them to play in Sonoma County – most places choose mainstream rock & roll, R&B, or jazzy type bands….or cover bands. I hope this place will bring Santa Rosa some musical diversity and be a place where an eclectic crowd can have a good time.
They’re gonna have DJ’s….There’s already a party planned for February 14th
That’s the patronage??? I WON’T be going there!!!!
Oh dear. For being a pretty loquacious person, I find myself without words on this one. Where does one EVEN begin…
Looks like a real classy crowd. Ha!
Looks like a group I’D like to hang out with.
Not.