Moorpark students, it’s time to wet your whistles and get a little saucy as we explore five bars in Ventura County that you should know about and keep in mind for your next bar hopping adventure.
Each establishment on this list maintains the traditional aspects of a bar that you would expect while also offering something unique that makes them stand out against the average bars in our area.
If you’re looking for a place to unwind and get some good beer or cocktails, pull out this list of well known spots. According to many local college students, you will be glad you did.
Butera’s Billiards:
Butera’s Billiards is a pool hall and bar in the heart of Moorpark located off New Los Angeles Ave. It closes at 2 a.m. every day, which is later than any other bar in Moorpark, and has nine pool tables available.
Ricky Bordagaray, a 24-year-old student at Moorpark College, lines up his pool cue and takes a sip from his Enegren Indian pale ale.
“I love how perfect the pool tables are here,” said Bordagaray. “The beer is also really good and for a great price too.”
Butera’s has a wide selection of craft beers and wines as well as several professionally kept pool tables, three darts boards and several large flat screen T.V.s to keep you and your friends consistently entertained.
“We’ve got the best wings around [and] the coldest beer with the best selection,” said Sal Butera, owner and world-class billiards professional.
According to Butera, if you like to shoot pool and enjoy a bevy of craft beers, including two from Moorpark’s own Enegren Brewery, this is the place to be.
The Tipsy Goat:
Next on the list is The Tipsy Goat in Thousand Oaks. A very popular spot for college-aged drinkers, it offers a warm atmosphere with rustic décor, sufficient space and a large outdoor patio with heating lamps and fire pits for you to hang out with your friends and shoot the breeze while sipping from it’s selection of beers and cocktails.
“We have a new drink every day,” says bartender Brittany Sandberg. “We use fresh fruit and herbs for our craft cocktails, which are fun for the bartenders to make and the customers to enjoy.”
With lots of activities and specials going on throughout the week, it is a great place for college kids to come enjoy a well-priced drink with friends, said Andrew Ferrell, another bartender at the Tipsy Goat.
Bottle and Pint:
Moving a little farther north, you will find Bottle and Pint, a beer and wine bar in Newbury Park. “B&P”, as its patrons affectionately call it, has “the best craft beers in Conejo Valley,” said former Moorpark College student Jordan Berry.
It has plenty of craft beer on tap, as well as a cellar room attached to the bar where patrons can buy bottles of their favorite specialty brews.
“We have so many different flavors, from chocolates to peanut butters, sours and even a gluten free beer, as well as wine,” said Nika Kashani, a bartender at B&P. “We have a little something for everyone.”
Soon, B&P will be implementing a special for college students who present a college I.D., as well as doing Sunday specials for football, according to Kashani.
As we continue the journey north, we find our last two bars in the city of Ventura.
The Tavern:
The Tavern is a large Victorian style house-turned-bar nestled near all the activity on Main street in the downtown Ventura area.
Standing two stories tall with a large amount of space to work with, The Tavern offers many features for its patrons to enjoy. It has a large bar area with comfortable booths, two pool rooms, a lounge area, and indoor and outdoor stages for live music and art.
“If you are looking for something different from your hometown pub, you should definitely check out The Tavern,” said Gina Henson, a 24-year-old Moorpark alumni.
Barrelhouse 101:
Barrelhouse 101 is the bar and restaurant that has won the Ventura County Reporter’s Best Beer on Tap award for two years running. While it is known for its enormous collection of over 100 beers on tap, manager Jordan Gibson said it is going for more than just a reputation as a good bar.
“People come here for the beer, try the food and realize, ‘hey, the food in here is actually pretty good!’” said Gibson. “People are realizing more and more that we are a full on restaurant, not just a tap house.”
If you are visiting strictly for the bar however, Barrelhouse 101 has an eclectic selection of beers on tap. They rotate through 20 beers a week and pride themselves on not serving domestic beers, according to Gibson.
Cody Eng, a 25-year-old student at California State University Channel Islands, was pleasantly surprised at the choices available at Barrelhouse.
“Lately I’ve gotten into craft beers and they have a really good selection on tap, from I.P.A. and pilsners, all the way to sour beers on tap, which are really hard to find,” says Eng.
Not only do they offer a wide variety of brew but they also carry a massive catalog of liquor ranging from your average well drinks to high end liquor, like Johnny Walker Blue.
“This is the place you come to test your inner beer geek,” said Gibson.
For directions, or more information on any of these bars, refer to their websites which are, respectively: buterasbilliards.com, thetipsygoat.com, bottleandpint.com, thetavernventura.com and barrelhouse101.com. There you can find happy hour information, hours of operation and much more.
Bottoms up!
