Asti Cafe
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Wed, Thu, Sat
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Yes
- Coat Check: No
28 Reviews for Asti Cafe
3.5 for the "nasty asti!" Landmark down town Santa Cruz dive bar. This and the ave are where you might end up after hitting all the downtown spots and want to slop it up. Tvs, pool tables, spirits and i think i've smoked up in there before.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
so many years back they broke the 11th commandment...a PBR cost more than a budweiser? wait really, i don't care if its bud night or whatever draft night it may be. its rule of thumb, unspoken rule of cheapism.
other than that sure why not.
Smoking+HUGE shots+ cute bartender= goodness.
I was having a horrible day. I randomly appeared in Santa Cruz, somewhat by accident (I'm from SF). I NEEDED a drink. I mean, NEEDED. I drive by the Asti, definitely not expecting a gross, filthy, wonderful dive bar right off pacific. I go in. Order a neat Jack Daniel's. I light a Marlboro Red. I watch the game. i finish my drink, and the cute bartender yells from the other end of the bar... do you need another jack? Yes. Please.
The End.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Okay, the smoking was a negative for me, but this was still a fun bar to hit at the end of the night with my friend on our girls weekend. Music was good, people were casual, and they had hard cider on tap. Hey, I don't like beer and I'd ended up drinking it all night because I didn't want to have mixed drinks. My friend got hit on by a bunch of guys, which was just what she needed, and then we stumbled over the The Saturn Cafe across the street when they closed. It was a fun night!
The Asti (The Nasti) is nasty... it make you do nasty things.
If I role into town and my good friends are at work I can always find someone I know at the asti. You never know how you night will end at the asti. Will a big group of friends take over the place. Might it just be you and girls. Or might you meet a guy that the asti convinces you is a good idea.
The music is always good, the drinks are cheap (if not free), and strong. There's 3 pool tables in the back. The scared, tattooed ruffians scare off all the jocks, so it's home to me. ( as far as bars go)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
I have been to the Nasti more times than I can count, but still have trouble remembering exactly what it looks like... What greater recommendation can one give to a cheap dive bar?
What's up with the smoking in this place. There was one ashtray on the bar for every 3 stools and almost everyone there was smoking. Isn't smoking in bars illegal in California?Anyway other than absolutely hating cigarettes, the smoke didn't bother me too much, they must have had good ventilation in there. The pool tables were nice in the back where I dominated the three games I played. The bartender was friendly and the drinks were good, especially the extra large shots. I can't give it more than 2 stars because of the smoking though. Take out the smoking and I can give the Asti 3 stars.
Honestly. I've taken home at least 2 guys from the Asti and I don't regret either. That's saying A LOT.
If you want to hang out with all of the cutesy new punk rock UCSC students and all of the washed up old locals still perving on the UCSC students then this is your place! Honestly, there are some extreme fuglies that hang out there too so don't think that this is some kind of hottie mecca. It is your classic hipster-punk dive bar.
It's the type of place where your girlfriends can judo chop creepy dudes and you won't even get kicked out.
I know people who have boned down in their bathroom, a girl who has peed in one of the guys urinals, and a close friend who punched her ex-boyfriend in the head in one of the booths.
Ahhh, sweet memories. I still love it. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
Viva Seth!
we came here shortly after midnight for my buddy's 21st birthday. the bartender with the mohawk made him this (tasty and strong) drink, placed it on the bar, poured a huge ring of bacardi 151 around it, lit the ring on fire and said "this drink is your cake, the fire is your candle. you cannot have your cake until you blow out your candle. ready go." needless to say, it was impossible for one person to blow the fire out by themself, so myself a a few other friends helped.
this bar seemed pretty cool. strong drinks for cheap, mellow vibe, cool location, awesome bartenders, they let you smoke inside. all positive factors, as far as i'm concerned.
The Asti, better known to locals as the "Nasty" is one of my faves.
If you don't like it, you probably didn't grow up here, don't like punk, old SC dude's or you are just too sophisticated for this.
Yes, it can be grimy, smell like cigarettes, (which I hate but for some reason I get over it when I'm there). Both locals and slugs can agree on being fun, at least the ones I know.
The bartender's are nice, local, (at least when I used to go).
When I was under age I dated a guy "bouncer" haha and I always heard some crazy stories years later I can still hear them echoing in the wind in there. I manage to always see someone I know. You can't go wrong if your looking for a fun atmosphere.
I agree with Neely B about the summer, you can catch me there!!!
Love this dirty place! Hence the name, "Nasti:"
Oh, the Nasty Asti. About 10 years ago, this bar was my second home. Played lots of pool, drank lots of Vodka Pineapples (in a pint glass) and just had a blast. It's a dive, hell yeah, but it rocked. During the summer, it goes back to a townie bar - it's kinda interesting to watch the change happen.
I frikkin' love this place... The "Nasty Asti".... Total dive bar where the pseudo-gutter punks like to hang out.
The ambiance is nice...dirty, smelly, crowded...
Pool tables in the back.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
The Nasti...you never really know what your night will be like when going to this place. Might be rocking with a load of shots and a couple games of pool...or could be filled with bad attitudes from occasionally PMSy bartenders and locals. I've always had a completely different conversation with someone totally random every time I go here.
Asti is a very local bar...our ex-skater housemates used to be here every friggin night (and probably still are). My college friends never liked the place that much unless they were there to play pool, but I always seemed to enjoy the randomness of it.
Probably the only thing truly steady about this place is that the jukebox is one of the best in SC if you like punk, metal and great dive bar rock n roll!
Check it out if you like dive bars and old punk music. If you don't then don't bother stopping by.
The problem with this place is that my friends hate it. This means, unfortunately, that I rarely have occasion to hang out in here, which is unfortunate: some of my favorite nights have been spent with my credit card behind the bar, waiting for some drunken white dude to put "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin Ta Fuck Wit" on the jukebox.
Too bad the clientele borders on wack at times; this might be an awesome bar. I like the dirty, grimey vibe. Four stars for pure potential
What he said! Super-seedy, divey place, one of the better jukeboxes in the world, and strong drinks.
This place is worse than Luckey's Cigar Club in Eugene when it's busy, though. Which means that it is SO OUT on the weekends. I thought all the hipster swine went to the Red Room, but looks like they're trying to set up shop here, too. Another reason to avoid it on the weekends. There's nothing freakier than going to a bar to DRINK only to be surrounded by people going to a bar to be seen. Gah.
Yeah, if you're serious about drinking, this is your spot for daytime boozing. Sometimes it's cool on Sundays. Avoid the talkative bums. ESPECIALLY ones named Jim Moran. Especially. I want that three hours of my life back!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
This place is what it is, and succeeds very well in being what it is - a mutherfucking dive bar.
This is *the* bar for mid-afternoon drinks. The pool tables are empty, they've got the news channel on the TV, the jukebox has 36 Chambers, and the local vagrants are dying to tell you all about themselves (in a meandering, oh-god-we've-been-talking-for-2-hours kind of way.)
As far as night-life goes, I tend to stay the hell away, especially on weekends. The have only a small walkway between the bar and the half-dozen booths, so once the bar and booths fill up, it's fucking impossible to move around, cause everyone is standing in the already-too-small walkway.
But like everyone says, the drinks are good and they have daily specials, so get down here the next time you feel like being drunk in the daytime.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
There should be a sign that says "for motorcyclists and locals only." Usually the "one" 21 bday drink is on the house as you are watching your friend stumble aimlessly before puking on their shoe... not the case here. If you like a small setting where there is lingering cigarette smoke from outside, a few locals in the back and folks looking at your sideways when you roll up to the bar--- hats off to you for thriving in socially awkward situations.
It's a dive bar, decent drinks, smokey, kind of gross, the place people end up at the end of the night and sometimes kind of fun. Kind of seedy, eh it's a dive.
I always get this place confused with the avenue, I forget which ones worse.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
The Asti is right next to another bar called the Avenue so i put them together and call them the "Astivue" these two bars are my fav in santa cruz.
because....
cheep booze
cute boys
punk rock
and I've thrown up in front of both of them, and had to get my mom to come pick me up, ya I'm that classy i pulled the mom card.
if your ever in town go there and check out Seth the bar tender.... (hot)
and say hi to Brucie at the ave. Sweetest guy in town.
CHEERS TO THE ASTIVUE!!
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
So here's what. I used to live in the old SC. I went back this weekend with a couple of friends who lived there back in the day as well. They were adament about going here. I never frequented it myself, as it always seemed a bit sketchy for my taste, and the smoke pouring out the door everytime I walked by made me pretty naseous. But my friend begged, and it was 1am and we had just seen that 300 movie and I needed a beer to calm the abs-muscle-overdose I had just received, and so I acquiesced.
It started out ok, aside from all the smoke (wtf? smoking in bars in Santa Cruz? Whatevs. Cancer Stick lovers) we had our beers and each others company. The music was not so great, the bartender seemed like kind of a stick in the mud, and the clientele was sketchy as hell, but what the heck? I was pumped, on account of the 300 movie.
And then it happend. It was about 2am at this point, and Bon Jovi came on over the stereo. Oh yes, a little "Livin" on a Prayer" for yours and my listening pleasure. Everybody in the bar is stoked, they live for moments like these (don't we all?) and we all have one of those "oh so rare bar moments", when the stars align and the nostalgia is thick like Guiness in the air. And we're all singing together, shout it out with me now....
"Once upon a time
Not so long ago
Tommy used to work on the docks
Unions been on strike
Hes down on his luck...its tough, so tough
Gina works the diner all day
Working for her man, she brings home her pay
For love - for love
She says weve got to hold on to what weve got
cause it doesnt make a difference
If we make it or not
Weve got each other and thats a lot
For love - well give it a shot
Chorus:
Whooah, were half way there
Livin on a prayer
Take my hand and well make it - I swear..........."
AND THEN!!!!! The effing bartender TURNED IT OFF!!!!!! RIGHT BEFORE THE BIG PAYOFF OF "OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH LIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVIIIIIIIIIINNNNNN ONNNNNN A PRRRRAAYYYYYYYEERRRRR!!!!!"
Asshat!!!!
The bar errupts into screams, people are throwing things, smashing their glasses, breaking bottles over one another's heads!!!! It's madness people, MADNESS!!!!
And the bartender just puts up his hands and says "yeah that's right, I fucking turned it off. Get over it, you'll hear this song 5 billion more times in your lives. LAST CALL!"
Maybe he had a point. But here is my point. You just don't do that. That is 15 different kinds of wrong right there. You don't just turn off a song when the whole bar is singing along, and you certainly don't turn off "Livin on a Prayer" right before the big payoff.
I kicked his ass after last call.
I might be lying about that. You'll never know.
I might or might not be going back the (N)asti. That's for me and the asshat bartender to know.
People thought this was:
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
I haven't been in downtown Santa Cruz for about 6 years. The last time that I had seen some 'night life' in SC the Asti was known as one of the seedier clubs on the track. I was happy to go back.
Seems as if they are trying to change their image at first, as they scrutinize over EVERY ID at the door. Once inside however it is the same old Asti.... crappy.
Ran into a woman I hadn't seen in 2 years here... bitch was tanked. So much so that when I walked past the bouncer I heard her yell my name, leap over a table and come across the bar and start punching me... I guess it was because she loved me so bad as she was smiling.... but the boxing match isn't what I had in mind... I'm getting off track.
After removing said woman from me I wandered to the bathroom, while standing there doing my business I looked and saw a good amount of cocaine sitting on the TP dispenser. Just sitting there.... Asti, nothing has changed.
Rejoining my friends and the crazy woman we decided to go down the block for a new atmosphere. The Asti might just be too nasty for me now.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
This was the closest bar to my old apartment, I wish I had gone here more often when I still lived in Santa Cruz.
A good spot to get drunk on the weekdays.
Do they charge more on weekends or was my confusion caused by drunkenness?
Nice and friendly neighborhood bartenders. Stiff drinks all around. Pool tables are usually full up, so get there early!
Cheep and stiff drinks, I like the Asti generally. I understand they have a new rule about motorcycle club members wearing patches inside though, so until that gets sorted out, I'll be at the Poet ;)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Perfect dive bar. Lots of drunk college kids, smoking and stiff drinks. Plus, during the day, people bring their dogs.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I love the nasty Asti! Always run into old friends. It's smokey but at this place I just don't care.
The Asti has left me with so many good memories. As for the drinks, you get your moneys worth when ordering mixed drinks. The staff doesn't fuck around and the regulars provide good company and conversation. Though I don't live in Santa Cruz anymore, this place has a special place in my heart. At night I lie awake, wishing I was getting pickled at the Asti while wondering who's there.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
The Asti kept me company, gave me herpes and lowered my cumulative GPA.
People thought this was:
Funny (3)
Cool (1)
I was consistently, ridiculously inebriated at the Asti during my college years
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,… -
Pacific Ave Pub Crawl
A walk down Pacific Ave in Santa Cruz is more fun… -
Girls Weekend in Santa…
Took my best girlfriend to Santa Cruz for her… -
"Night Life" in Santa…
The Do's, Don'ts and WTFs! Places to go, not…
Hot and New
- Fleur De Cocoa
103 reviews
Los Gatos, CA
- Theo's Restaurant
20 reviews
Soquel, CA
- Twist Bistro
109 reviews
Campbell, CA
- The Cakeworks
11 reviews
Campbell, CA
- Gochi Japanese Fusion Tapas
318 reviews
Cupertino, CA
