We decided to come here on a bachelorette night so we could enjoy some drinks and karaoke. The space was tight with a few booths and tables and then the karaoke stage and dancing room. It's very casual, definitely dive bar status, and shows it's well worn and loved age.  They have drinks and food but I only sampled the drinks not being certain of the gluten free status of the food. Karaoke line up was busy and took a while before or groups were called up but it ended up being fun. I think if you're looking for some casual karaoke and like the proximity to the Olympia downtown scene, this is probably a pretty legit spot for you. read more

Unless you bribe the host or know someone. Good luck getting to actually sing. Lots of other better karaoke spots

I wish I could give zero stars. We had a horrible experience. There was a group that was leaving this bar and decided to punch my husband. It was the scariest experience I have ever had and the staff, nor anyone there helped or called the cops. It is in a very unsafe location, and only takes cash, which that alone is suspicious. For your safety, I highly recommend to stay away from this place. read more

This place is a really cool dive karaoke bar! The patrons are nuts. The town is full of life and the KJ sings great! They are pretty accepting and friendly. Not to mention the bartender serves tall shots. read more

China Clipper Cafe - Awesome - Dive Bars Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Karaoke was fun but it did take a really long time to get our songs up there inspite of it being a not so busy Tuesday. Place can be really loud. The jello shots had no alcohol in them at all did not taste any alcohol in any of the welcome jello shots. A couple other cocktails we ordered were also watered down so dint really enjoy the drinks as much either. Atmosphere is good if you want to have some fun doing karaoke but be prepared to wait for a really long time to get your song played. Another point to note this place is cash only when we went. read more

China Clipper Cafe - a man on stage - Dive Bars Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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The food is great priced for what you get. The drinks are strong, if you're into that. I've had so much fun here anytime I've gone. Great and fun place. Karaoke is amazing and some of the regular karaoke goers are so fun too. The culture of a good bar includes its regulars so this is just wonderful read more

We came in with a group for karaoke and had a terrible experience. The woman running the karaoke was beyond rude to us right off the bat, we continued having fun and dancing and cheering on the singers anyways. We spent money and tipped well, had absolutely no issues with anyone during the hour or so we were there. As soon as the music shut off the karaoke Karen came over and started YELLING at us that we needed to move to the back bar. Everyone in our party works in bars and restaurants, we are super understanding when it comes to stuff like this, however, it is absolutely not cool to scream at us the second the music stops. She literally could have just said the same thing and we would have happily obliged. I told her we would move no problem but not to scream at us. She called me a "fat c*nt"! The bartender came out from the back and hustled over to me like I did something wrong. I was not belligerent or violent, I didn't even say anything bad back to the horrible karaoke woman. I asked the bartender who I could talk to, to remedy this situation and was told the owner wouldn't care and I could talk to a manager but I got the impression they wouldn't care either. The Clipper has always been a dump but this is next level. Apparently it's ok for the staff there to speak to guests this way and when they do you just have to take it. I don't know if this person was waisted or on drugs but it's definitely not a safe atmosphere. read more

This review is based on karaoke night only. I went to karaoke with my wife and we had an absolute blast for a dirty grungy bar. This place serves up a good time. read more

Really fun, could use more tables and chairs. Was standing all night pretty much. Good place to be yourself

I'm pretty sure China Clipper qualifies as a bona fide Dive Bar, and I totally dig it. It's chock full of boisterous characters that all seem to know each other in this cozy space that has a small-town feel to it. Everyone was very jovial and friendly; it was a cool vibe. Some of the rickety old furnishings were lovingly doctored up with duct tape. Seems like our booth had a lot of wear as I felt myself sinking way down as I took my seat. I did take notice that each table was adorned with a darling little bouquet of fresh cut daffodils. What's that you say fresh flowers? Yep, sweet smelling, cute as hell little bouquets adorned each table. What the heck kind of dive bar does that? Well, I thought that was an awesome as hell thing to do. I had some sort of really yummy sandwich, the kind that you dunk in the au jus, but it wasn't called a French Dip, it was something else. It also came with hot mess of delicious fries. I made the mistake of waiting at the bar to order and was pointed to the kitchen window; that is where you place your order my friend. Also of note, it is cash only. Next trip to Olympia, you can bet I'll be back to the China Clipper. 2014 - Review # 32 read more

China Clipper Cafe - I'm at a total dive bar and there is a bouquet of fresh daffodil on the table...amazed! - Dive Bars Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Atmosphere is amazing. Karaoke sucks, DJ only brings their friends up after other customers has paid read more

China Clipper Cafe - Great atmosphere. Karaoke sucks . DJ only brings their friends on stage after others have been paying - Dive Bars Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Despite its name, they do not serve any Chinese food here. This is probably a good thing, as I imagine they would make the most horrid Chinese food. But I digress. The Clipper, or the "Crippler" as it is lovingly referred to by some, is a dive bar, but Terry the bartender makes you feel right at home. The crowd can sometimes be a bit unsavory, but nothing like McCoy's Tavern! Oh and the karaoke after 9pm is always fun. Give it a try! read more

China Clipper Cafe - Jello shots - Dive Bars Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Not sure why I put my name in at 9:30 right after open and left at 11:30 not having sang. Seemed like regulars were prioritized. Did not feel welcomed or comfortable. read more

We ended our bachelor bar crawl at the China Clipper. We skipped the karaoke raucousness in front for the more sedate and laid-back lounge in the rear of the establishment. They served good drinks and there was a friendly atmosphere. Bonus: Our bartender, Terry, is an Indy racing fan which made him tops in our bachelor's book! read more

China Clipper Cafe - Tim with our fave bartender, Terry. - Dive Bars Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Please ignore my 4 star review from 6 months ago. Im pretty sure I posted a google review a day or two after having a terrible experience here on August 25th of this year. It looks like somebody might've gotten offended by my honesty and falsely reported it as fraudulent to get it removed from google, because they're afraid of getting in trouble with the authorities and losing their reputation here. For the record: my best friend got sick off of ONE drink special that he got from this place on the above date. The male bartender that night poured it--he had on a "Leave Him" tshirt on that night. Note: we do not go out often, BUT we also know that it is unheard of for him to get sick off of the amount of whatever he was served! He ordered the special--that night, it was a "shot of whiskey" and a light beer. The "shot" tasted like they had combined several cheap liquors together. Obviously the beer came in a can, so that was safe. I wish he had stopped after noticing that the shot was gross, but instead, he sipped most of it, then asked me and a neighbor who had joined us to sip and render our opinions. It was TERRIBLE. I shouldnt have had to take him home that night only to have him lose his dinner on our livingroom floor. End of story. Also, my first vodka 7 was very light. The second one had NO liquor in it. It was the same case for neighbor's rum and coke. It really concerns me that I cannot find my previous rxeview, as well, and haven't heard anything from the owner. read more

Great dive bar, friendly folx and fun karaoke! I plan on coming back soon! Ty KDJ Heather and Bouncer Knoll

Na uh!! No way! No thanks!! My first Olympia trip went down south over here.It went from Omg, this town is amazing and oh so friendly to holy hell...totally down south!! Let me sum up my night here. "Hey! You wanna sing?" "Um , yes I do!!" Ok so you've gottta check out this place cause it's like the best ever in town! ( Might be the only one? I don't know). Ok talk me in. I'll go. Fine! This was our 4th or 5th stop of the night. The place reminds me of a strip club from old movies. There are mirrors on the wall, there's a stage and few tables all over. The bartender seems nice. People...yea, people. First, we waited over an hour to sing our songs cause well, everyone ahead of us got to sing a few songs before our turn. That's fine. It's a popular spot. Singers seem fun and totally enjoy singing here. We even cheered some on and danced for some. Drinks are again, cheap! $4! Bottled water only which was still fine. But over serving! Yes, there were people that were way to drunk to get more drinks but have drinks. At least 3 of them. One accidentally made it to my seat to rest her drinks in my hair for no apparent reason! I mean seriously?? I was sitting at my own table minding my business far from everyone watching my girlfriend sing!There really wasn't any explanation except she was drunk out of her mind. So was her friend! Maybe someone could've cut her off a few too many drinks ago? Who knows! It's all fun and songs till someone get too drunk and make a hot mess out of herself. The place itself wasn't so bad but that was not a pleasant experience. You can go check out if you want to sing. Just make sure you come with your own entourage so you can be the one picking on others! There were friendly people too but few bad apples always ruin the place for you. Oh well! read more

This place needs better insulation, ASAP. Spent 2 hours there because I was asked to meet people there and got a migraine due to the volume on everything being turned up way too loud. The tater tots were alright, but it's agony being in this bar because of the noise level. I had to shout myself hoarse in order to be heard by someone sitting right next to me in a booth. I'm sorry, I usually love supporting local businesses, but this is actually a health hazard due to excessive noise. read more

How is it that i can never remember how I end a night at the clipper? Could it be those dreamsicle jello shots - so creamy and wet and orange or maybe the very stiff drinks in those seemingly tiny glasses or perhaps it's the many many bits of alcohol I consume just so I can muster up the courage to waltz up to that stage, put the mic to my face and belt rick james while pumping my crotch into the air, bitch. read more

Very interesting bar. The first few times I went there I was unsure of the general feel of the place but it has totally grown on me! Karaoke 7 days a week and the hosts never let you down. The drinks are cheap/super strong and kick you in the face. Terry the bartender is a character and adds a great dynamic to the experience. The crowds a great mix of everyone and very low on drama. Yay Crippler!! read more

The current karaoke dj sucks arse. I have been coming here 2 1/2 years. First time with him. He sucks.

Very dive bar like. Super busy and takes hours to get your song in the queue. Not many drink selections. Cool place though. Was just really LOUD and so packed yesterday. read more

Place sucks. Very clicked out. The bartender is not very attentive, and the karaoke mistress showed cleared favorites. She let the same people sing over & over again & even though our table had 10 people, they showed us no love. That's okay. There are plenty of other places for us to spend our money. This is the one & only time Clipper gets our tab. Considering how much we spent, that was a terrible mistake folks. read more

The people are awesome, beer is only $5 a pint, and I got to sing 3 times as a newcomer so not all bad

LOVE,LOVE this bar! It's the only bar my husband and I go to in Olympia . I walked in on a regular whim to years ago and have been a patron ever since . staff is AMAZING . remembering drinks and always making the best drinks!!! The food is to die for and the karaoke is the best in town !!!!! read more

I'm noticing a trend with this bar. A lot of people seem to have experienced blacking out on multiple occasions here. Including myself. This used to be my favorite hang out when I first moved to Olympia. I'm a huge fan of dive bars, which this place very much is. However I'm beginning to question how professional they are with safety. If you don't drink very often I highly suggest staying away from liquor shots. If at any point you must walk home alone after leaving this bar let a friend know where you are or have someone pick you up. Stumbling home blacked out is never fun or safe. I have never seen anyone be refused alcohol even when they should have been. Don't get me wrong this place is a blast, it's just not very safe. read more

I've had some terrible experiences here, but I've been back because of groups of friends wanting to go, and watching/singing karaoke can be fun. To their credit the drinks are very strong (but not high quality) and some of the bartenders are nice. Other than that, I can't stand this place. It's dirty and divey without any charm- unless you think charm is equivalent to a permeating scent of urine. My main issue is that I have been harassed on multiple occasions about my small manual wheelchair "being in the way" by both doormen and even management. One time the doorman proceeded to move my chair without my permission to the other side of the bar when I got out to sit at a booth with my friends. Later, the owner or manager suggested we "set a meeting" to discuss how to deal with the issue of my having a wheelchair... What the....? An extreme level of unacceptable and discriminatory.... Since it had little to offer in the first place I will simply not return. There are a several other bars offering karaoke in town that are actually clean and don't harass and discriminate people who use devices to assist mobility. If you want to do karaoke, try Hannah's or Urban Onion instead. Another bonus-- those places don't literally smell like feces. If I could give this revolting place negative stars, I would. read more

Jake's may be the gay bar in Oly, but the Clipper is the queer bar, and it is so amazing! Karaoke every night, cheap jello shots and strong drinks! My favorite bar in Olympia, but if you pride yourself on being "normal" you may feel out of place... I encourage you to embrace a different perspective, be open minded here and you will have a fabulous night! read more

I would give no stars if I could! I was treated terribly by the bartender Jay. He was rude to me when I asked about certain beers and refused to explain to me what they were and got a attitude with me when I asked a simple question. I was visiting from out of town and know many people that were appalled by his aggressive behavior. I will never go back and they lost a lot of local customers after that incident. Rude power tripping bartender jay is not a good way to represent a bar in Olympia! Also I never write reviews but felt this should be documented. read more

Spent about $140 tonight to have the "security guard" on the 4th ave side rip into my friend for legitimately NO REASON. Was with a party of ten. We will not be back. read more

Nominally would never write a review but this pissed me off. We got there early and at most only ten people in the entire bar. We requested three songs to sing. After an hour we sang one song. After two hours I asked where the rest of our songs were and we were at the back of the line. Most of the people that were signing in front of us came an hour to two hours after us and sounded like shit. My guess is they were regulars or friends of the dj. We spent a lot of money on food and drinks. Not sure if the dj was coked out or just simply knows how keep things in order. We have came here many times but this is the last. Horrible Experience!!!. read more

Went here with some friends looking for Karaoke on a Tuesday night, and we found it! The layout is a little odd, in that the actual bar (where the drinks are served) is in a different room than where the karaoke was going on. I imagine on the busier nights both bars are probably open. Drinks were pretty cheap, and the bar tender was really friendly without being obnoxious. All in all it was definitely the Dive Bar experience. The crowd seemed like a decent mix of hipsters, hippies, and regulars. Sadly this isn't really my scene anymore, but the next time we need Karaoke on a Tuesday we know where to go. read more

We went here for my friend's birthday and were told that the karaoke sign up was full, which is understandable. But then more than half the people on the list didn't show, one person sang TWICE and another person sang THREE times. So we tried again and were still turned down. Lame guys, really lame. read more

Me and my wife were here having a drink at the bar. A group of drunk men came up to the counter, bumping into us. I asked them to give us some space one of them shoved me, knocking my drink over in the process. Upon looking to the curly haired bartender for help, he told us we "deserved it" - never coming back! read more

I've never seen someone so wasted behind the bar before, and he wasn't even drunk. Unfortunately for the other customers, this seemed like par for the course. Extra star for the fact that the karaoke is good read more

The drinks are strong, the Karaoke is a blast, and the crowd is a great mix up with little to no Drama... If your looking for a fun time without paying a fortune this is the place! read more

I usually enjoy the Clipper. It's been changing lately though, so I expect to find a new place to frequent in the new year. Just small things that make it no longer quintessentially Olympian, it's no longer the dive bar I've gotten used to. Last night, however, one of the regulars went up to sing. He's not good, but he's a fixture there: he tips well and is very nice to people. In the middle of his song, some guy got up and took the mike next to him and kept interrupting this guy singing. The regular kept going, thank goodness, but this other guy just stayed up there mocking him while his friends laughed. It was awful and wrong. The karaoke lady/MC (a new one) tried to gesture him off the stage but he was a really big guy and she gave up easily. At the end of the song, the crasher said something about how the regular was bad and good thing the song ended. It was a gutless, heartless thing to do and there were a lot of people there. Public shaming is never ok. I understand if a lot of us were in shock...anyway, won't be returning. Olympia has a lot of great bars and this is no longer a place to be. read more

If only they woud vent the fryer. I cant stand the stink on my clothes, do that and I'll be happy to drink there.

I have always loved the clipper/crippler. I have been going for years and always loved it. But. When did you start having to pay for karaoke? It isn't enough that we hang out there from 9pm to 2am, buying drinks, but now a normal tip isn't enough. I was there on Saturday night and the dj said that we were up next, and then called someone else. When I went up there to ask what happened, the D.J. said "Money Happened!" I had given her a tip when I put the song in, but now if you want to sing you have to be the highest bidder. When did going out for a night of Karaoke cost so much money? I like the D.J. that does Karaoke on Friday night, but not the woman who does it on Saturday nights. I am looking for a new Karaoke place downtown now. read more

Last night I wanted to do Kareoke and went to the clippers with a friend who was visiting, this has been the rudest thing to ever happen to me at a bar. My friend and I arrived sat down and I put in a song. The bartender with blond hair that usually bartends in the first room (i think his name is Terry) came to us asking if we want drinks. I politely told him I don't want a drink at the moment. Then he started saying you know this is a business right? Which I responded with yes I know. So again he insist so what you want to drink. This conversation cycle went about 3 times. I informed him I'm also driving and don't want a drink. It wasn't till I wasn't having it anymore and gleamed at him and asked "is this a problem" which he said no but this is a business and so on. I then felt so uncomfortable that I just left. Usually when I go out, since I no longer drink, I purchase energy drinks and tip. This guy hasn't been rude to me before, but I was about to take out my plugs and go all chola on his ass. Good thing i considered him a waste of my time and saliva. preferred just not giving him my business, fuck that dude. read more