CLUB SCENE : Weekend Windup at the Sagebrush

The end of a too-short weekend and the thought of a new workweek is enough to send some people to bed early on Sundays. But some have a different view. Located in Calabasas, the Sagebrush Cantina offers all-day live entertainment, food and drink every Sunday, making the day of rest a not-so-restful day.

THE SCENE: With its Western decor and flavor, the Sagebrush is what Knott’s Berry Farm would be if it were a bar instead of a theme park. The main attraction for the over-21 crowd is the cocktail patio, a huge seating area that serves alcohol and appetizers. The restaurant has a large bar and two dining areas serving full menus of Mexican and barbecue meals. There are no rides in this miniature land, but there is plenty of atmosphere and many interesting subjects in the petting zoo--er, patio.

THE CROWD: “It’s a great place to people watch. There are many exotic and erotic people here,” said Nancy Lampert, 32, of Westlake Village. The crowd is eclectic, with many people coming to see and be seen. Lots of skin of the tanned and tattooed variety is on display here, with fashions favoring halter tops and short skirts on the women and muscle T-shirts and jeans on the men. A large part of the parking lot is reserved for showpiece motorcycles, which seem to be the vehicles of choice for a lot of these patrons.

THE MUSIC: Entertaining the crowd with laid-back classic rock on a recent Sunday evening was the Jay Bolan Trio, a band that has performed at the club off and on for eight years. A mariachi band performs for the brunch crowd Sundays and other bands play at various times in the afternoon. Still, not everyone’s a fan. “They should have different music,” said Debra Jones, 23, of Thousand Oaks. “Maybe jazz or something uppity like that. They always play the ‘70s rock type of music.”

THE GOOD: Most of the patrons agree that the Sagebrush is a great place to socialize. “I come here for the women,” said 32-year-old Greg McComish, of Thousand Oaks, jokingly. “No, really, to people watch and have some beers. It’s a gathering place of diverse people with common interests: drinking, meeting the opposite sex and having a good time.”

THE BAD: The strict division of seating areas is almost militaristic. Large, muscular men guard the entryways between the restaurant and the cocktail area, policing patrons without the requisite wristband or hand stamp. And there’s absolutely no smuggling food between places. “The food system is terrible. I can’t believe they won’t let you sit in (the restaurant) if you don’t pay $7,” said Agoura resident Gilly McArthur, 23.

THE WORD: “I wouldn’t come here if I weren’t working, mostly because I hate bars and I particularly hate people,” said 38-year-old bassist Bob Birch, before beginning a set with the Jay Bolan Trio.

Sagebrush Cantina, 23527 Calabasas Road, Calabasas. Sunday hours: 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. $5 cover after 2 p.m. in the cocktail patio. (818) 222-6062.