PIANO BAR : Laguna Pub Has Keys to Success
The piano bar is a stalwart breed. Since 1975, when the landmark Main Street pub opened in Laguna Beach, someone has sat at the 88s nightly, singing the same old songs while disco came, went and came again.
And that’s not because the clientele is totally unhip.
Many of Main Street’s patrons actually hit the bar for a nightcap after hours of partying at nearby nightclubs. This is apparent in the way the crowd increases around midnight, when the large booths fill up and it’s easier to find Waldo than a waiter. And the late-nighters filing down the stairs into this narrow basement hang don’t come here so much to wind down as they do to carry on.
Those who begin camping out early in the evening tend to be more middle-aged, seekers of the mellow camaraderie of a Cheers-like bar. But either way, with the friendly attitude that everyone seems to take on here, it’s tough to tell the strangers from the regulars.
In any case, the main attraction is that baby grand. Four pianists alternate during the week, nightly from 9:30 till closing. Sunday, Monday and Thursdays, Tony Panner’s playlist ranges from country to contemporary and includes his own compositions. Show tune buffs hit the place on Tuesdays to hear Saif Bayati.
Pop seems to be the biggest draw, on Wednesdays when Matthew Shaker and on Fridays and Saturdays when Jeremy Thorin transport the 30- to 40-somethings back to their college years with songs by such bands as the Eagles and Steely Dan. Thorin is notable for his synthesizer, which augments the overall sound without taking the focus off the piano.
There’s an early karaoke air about Main Street as customers take to the microphone. Fortunately, though, the pianists only hand the mike over to people they know can carry a tune. Because only about eight stools can be squeezed around the bar, the rest of the patrons nestle into the many large, curvy, red Naugahyde booths that line the walls. The booths, and many of the chairs, are tuck and roll, lending to the overall lounge feel.
The interior is Chinese-restaurant-meets-English-pub: dark and cavernous, lit only by a string of white Christmas lights and candles in red jars. More reminiscent of San Francisco than Orange County, the decor nevertheless has some local flavor, with framed paintings by Laguna artists. Main Street is definitely a great place to stop for a drink and soak up some atmosphere.
* MAIN STREET
* 1460 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.
* (714) 494-0056.
* Open daily, noon to 2 a.m.
* No cover charge.