Total stumble upon, as I had just hiked nearby and it was a little past lunch time on a glorious warm autumn sunday. Sure I was interested in some food but it was also a football Sunday and I wanted a cold frosty beer to celebrate my hike and the start of my roadtrip. I don't do strict planning when it comes to eating and drinking. I often find it more intriguing when serendipity plays a hand. I'm walking down this town's main retail square, insured something was within reach. I pass by this unassuming dive bar with no signage but very well laid out inside. It was surprisingly quiet for a weekend afternoon in a touristy spot. Friendly bartender asked me what I wanted. But I ask first if I could get our local football game on and if they served food. Game yes said it would be on within minutes. Food unfortunately no but there were tons of options outside the door. Ordered a cold lager on tap from the east coast. The lager was light cold and refreshing. I think I finished it within minutes. Tender was quick to ask for a refill, love that. I next get a beer refill, and a Jameson on the rocks to quietly sip on, as I was now committed to watching the first half there. Very impressive glass and pour on the Irish whisky. I take a few sips but finish my beer, but this time much longer to down as I wasn't so parched now. I sip the rest of the whisky but now well diluted from the cold ice, which makes it so much more smooth to me. It opens the spirit, takes away the heat and blooms the flavors. My second round took over an hour. Then halftime hits in the game with a close score, even though my team did not look good. I tell the bartender that I'll close out to look for some lunch. By this time the bar was filling up. 3 perfectly timed drinks for well under $10 bucks a pop just sent me on my long weekend on a sweet note. I found food around the corner where they had a tv and I was able to watch the remaining of the game there. If no TVs were found, I would have gone back to the bar to finish the game. I was still pleased with my short experience there. Small town watering hole encapsulated. read more

Town Square - Chill Zone - Bars Near Me - Sonoma, California

See all

Fun little bar with a home town feel. Strong drinks too. Came here in the afternoon & it wasn't busy. Bet it would be busy at night. Don't laugh but after I wrote this we went back in the morning, yes morning. They open at 6:30am! We made it there more like 9:00am and had Irish Coffee and Lagunitas Willellised Coffee (13.1%!). Watched a bit of the Drew Barrymore Show and chatted with the locals sitting alongside us at the bar. read more

See all

Town Square is located right in downtown Sonoma and is a total locals spot. This seems like the place to be if you live in Sonoma. The atmosphere is very casual and welcoming. They have a decent amount of bar seating as well as some booths too. They also have a juke box to select tunes on. The bartenders make some great drinks and are very attentive! The drinks are very affordable especially for being located right in downtown Sonoma. read more

Went in and had a blast. The bartender was awesome and was very attentive. We to a bar in town a few months ago and it was horrible so wasn't expecting much from this one but was pleasantly surprised. The feel of the place was well done love the firefighter stuff all around read more

If I had the review about the racism here I would've avoided this place. I went there with my girlfriend last night. Seemed decent enough until we were both asked for our ID's. My girlfriend (who happens to be Caucasian) gave their ID first and the female bartender slid it through the scanner, it beeped, and she said it was good. However, when I handed my ID to the bartender, she gave it a weird look and slid it through the scanner. The scanner bleeped and she tried scanning it again. She informed me it wasn't scanning properly. She rubbed it on her shirt then attempted a few more times to scan it and it beeped just like my girlfriends but she claimed it wasn't working. She said she couldn't serve me alcohol unless I had a way of proving I was 21 or over. I informed her I wasn't even drinking and that the ID was real. She claimed it wasn't real or it would scan properly. She told me I couldn't stay in the bar because if the commission came in they would lose their liquor license. My girlfriend was told they could stay but I had to leave. My girlfriend politely declined and we both left together. I even tried telling the bartender the year I was born and asked if a birth certificate would help but she said only a picture ID would work. We went to another bar in Petaluma and my ID scanned just fine. Completely unacceptable. Oh yea and btw, I'm 30 years old with a full beard and mustache. Can't believe that it's 2021 and I'm still getting kicked out of bars because they don't like "my kind." P.S. The bartender wasn't even wearing a mask. Way to stop the spread -_- read more

Town Square - My Texas driver's license. Have never had a problem with it "scanning." - Bars Near Me - Sonoma, California

If you're someone of color or a minority, avoid this place. I experienced xenophobic rhetoric passing this bar and it ruined my trip to Napa and Sonoma. A man calls out to my parents, my wife, and myself "F****** tourists," and then mockingly sneezes towards us. The bar was packed and didn't seem to mind the rhetoric he was saying. My dad became very upset, but decided not to say anything. My dad said he had faced too much racism in this country, he was used to it, but didn't want to address it on vacation. It was incredibly upsetting. After talking to my dad and my family, I went back to the bar to tell the barkeeper what happened. They offered to call the cops, but he was gone. It's upsetting that my family and I have to deal with this and be called tourists because we're Asians and then be mocked. I'm from Los Angeles and my parents lived through the LA Riots. The man judged us because we look foreign, said what he wanted to from inside the bar, and then left in peace. Disgusting and hurtful. I am never returning to Sonoma and if you're not white, neither should you. Avoid this bar and its surroundings for sake of your family and your vacation. read more

Great local watering hole. Kind of like one of those small brick bars in New Orleans.. Suzanne behind the bar is a jewel. Nice drinks in the plaza square.. blink and you miss it! read more

Great bar for several reasons. The drinks are priced very well and are not watered down. The beers on tap were delicious. The bartender was fast and kind. Music was great and can be controlled and overall just a fun environment. Plus being in the town square is a great location. read more

My wife and I went in to escape the heat and have a couple of cold beers and use the restroom. As my wife went to the restroom I was met with a grumpy ass bar tender (girl around 25 or so) that didn't want to answer any questions I had about the different taps available. Seemed like she either having a very bad day or just hated her job. I believe my wife heard the manager sending her home. Apparently she had to work on her day off. Keep that attitude at home. Don't take it out on your customers. Bought two beers and left. Won't go back. read more

I NEVER DO THIS, I specifically made a yelp account to give this review. Horrible experience on New Years. The lack of respect from the male worker there. Completely rude. Not only waited for 20 min just to get a drink, but once I asked for a drink the man responded with such a negative attitude towards me. He could not hear my order, so he raised his voice at me aggressively. Said "WHAT DO YOU WANT" three times back to back, aggressively and childish like. You wouldn't expect this kind of attitude and response from a grown man. I responded as polite as I could, asked for two tequila Don Julio shots. He responded aggressively yet again. This is the kind of place you would think to go and have a good time, but this older man late 40's, big dude, grey hair was absolutely rude. read more

I love this local spot. No frills, just a cool casual spot for drinks in the town square. Ideal central location, good drink prices, draft beers, a juke box, good service, and some bar games. What is not to like? This spot offers bar seating and a few booths. All of the seats are quite comfortable. I usually sit at the bar but the booths are fun if you come with a larger group. Everything is open seating. The main bartender, who is always there when I visit, is a stern and friendly guy. He may come across a bit serious, at first, but he is actually quite nice and always very attentive. Another fun element of this little bar is that the locals come here quite often. You never know who you may end up bumping into. Visitors include other local bar and restaurant owners, locals who live within walking distance, and many wine-industry peeps. It is also a common post-party spot for wedding guests. This will continue to be one of my favorite spots when I visit the Sonoma Square. read more

Town Square - Ginger is VIP at this locals spot. - Bars Near Me - Sonoma, California

See all

Town square has a very welcoming and safe Covid environment. Moises welcomed us and made us feel right at home in Sonoma. We came to visit for the weekend. Ricky the bartender made our first night perfect with his amazing skills and recommendations with local drinks! We felt safe being in this bar the bouncer ensured that inhouse was at a safe capacity. Will definitely come back before we leave this beautiful town!! read more

Brad was awesome. Unpretentious lil bar in the plaza, locals come here and the regulars were friendly, sevice was exceptional and drinks were not expensive. I loved stopping in, highly recommend this bar for a game or inexpensive drink while in Sonoma. read more

Town Square - Great lil local bar. - Bars Near Me - Sonoma, California

Bob hates to make you a drink and is, well, crabby. The locals are loud and argue about everything. They have Guinness on tap and are not an Irish pub. All of the above are reasons why I will visit this watering hole every time I come to Sonoma. read more

I went here over Thanksgiving. A couple of bartenders with no personality... A bunch of Caucasian (only) kids (early 20s), lined up, drinking beers, listening to Britney Spears and other teen idols... Speaking of music... The jukebox is one of them electronic gadgets with LCD screen- to me, their music selection mostly sucks: way too much pop, heavy metal and country music (for an area like Sonoma valley!); 3 songs per $1 provided they got the music you wanna hear. If not, this tricky bugger allows you to "download online" any song imaginable... But it's gonna cost ya! A whole dollar per song- which is rather expensive, I think... So bring your iPod, it may come handy. At least 3 large screen HDTV with ESPN- so you will enjoy if you like sports... Other than that, nothing special- except a convenient location (as suggested by the name). read more

4:45 on a Saturday afternoon. Sorry we came in here and gave you our business. The bartender (didn't get his name) had a shitty attitude and obviously hates his job. Had two rounds of drinks and then decided to leave to celebrate my birthday somewhere more welcoming. read more

Pour me another brain hemorrhage! I should have stopped at one, but heck, the four 20 something I was with had never heard of them let alone tasted one...bring um on! After hitting up Murphy's Irish Pub, several of us stumbled over to Town Square. This place is your typical bar with a crowd that ranged from early 20s to mid 40s. Being a gay man in this bar was amazing! The patrons were super nice with hospitality to boot. The bartenders are great with nice pours and reasonable prices. I had to leave early, but our other friends closed down the bar. I highly recommend you check out this bar if you're visiting! read more

Touristy? All that I found were unpretentious locals. Very cool little spot. Everything from Kona Longboard to the local favorite Lagunitas IPA on tap. Fun crowd, friendly vibe & excellent service. read more

The other week my friend and I were visiting the area and we had the most wonderful experience at this place. It was a lively, but comfortable and low key place to grab a few drinks. Megan behind the bar was so accommodating and continuously checking in with us..but more importantly she was a great time! So friendly and immediately took the time to get to know us! We also were served by an older gentlemen who was equally amazing...I can't remember his name. Overall, fantastic experience and we will definitely be returning if ever in the area again! read more

Fine coffee and bloody Mary in the Am! Pint of local brew and a bourbon in the Pm! What more do you need? Enjoy as much as I do! read more

Town Square is kind of like Cheers. Everyone knows your name, or your alias.... This is the place to go and play presidents and take shots with old friends. It's also safe to say that the night may take a turn and get very crazy, you could end up getting kicked out:it's pretty easy to do this! But...you could always do what I do and go right back in! Honestly though, they don't like that too much. They have a Zero tolerance! But Will is good and he'll call Vern to come pick you up and take your drunk ass home! So while you wait for the cab, go around the side to the Basque and buy a fresh baked loaf of sour dough and eat it on the curb. If you're lucky someone just might walk by that works at Vella Cheese and give you a chunk of garlic jack, If you're lucky. But that's just one of many scenarios that can happen when you go to Cheers. There is a fire pole and it does get used. The guys like to put Journey on the Juke box and the girls like to get up and spin around the pool. Sometimes you just might catch one of the guys gettin' down on the pole, it's pretty funny. The drinks are cheap and the people are friendly, the service is fast and it's a dangerous place, but it is definitely like cheers.... read more

If you're looking for a good time with good people, do yourself a favor and come here. It's a locals bar and everyone makes you feel as though you lived in town for years. Our bartender made sure that this stop was one of the highlights of our road trip. read more

Came here with the boyfriend to watch a world series game (I know, I haven't written in a long time). As one of the few bars in Sonoma, we didn't have much of a choice. There were free appetizers, bread, cheese, and salami, and decently priced beer. The bartender was kinda mean to me. I ordered a Widmer and he asked if I wanted a lemon in it, but I couldn't understand what he said so I said "sorry?" and then he sighed and rolled his eyes like I was wasting his time, then repeated himself agitatedly. Sorry if you were mumbling and the bar was loud! Sheesh! Another itsy bitsy thing that bugged me about this place was they had halloween decorations hanging from the ceiling, which is fine ordinarily... except they were hanging in front of the TV's... during the world series... and when we asked if they could move the decorations or take them down they said no. So let's just watch a half tv of the giants winning the game and half of a ghost hanging off of the ceiling. I'm all for halloween decorations, but don't get in my way when it comes to watching the giants. read more

This is probably the best watering-hole ~ hands down ~ on the entire Sonoma Plaza "crawl" circuit, period. Great happy hour pricing (Monday - Thursday) + fantastic, home-made "pub grub" munchies, buffet-style spread, Fridays 5PM+ Great drinks, excellent cocktails, good music (jukebox) with a cozy, hometown "sports bar" feel. With the five big-screen TVs, one can always find a game or two to watch. Bay Area MLB & NFL team(s) friendly with appropriate memorabilia proudly displayed. Speaking of memories, lots of both local(s) & SFFD artifacts adorn the walls. Steve (the owner) is a retired SFFD Firefighter & often can be found sitting at the bar with his buddies Ed and John, drinks & "Boss Dice" cups in hand ... Can't get more local & genuine than that ! Bartenders Mike, Brett, Cathy & Duncan are consummate professionals & consistently handle the crowds well. On the subject, "well" worth your time + PBR on tap & you can't beat that ! read more

Town Square - Bars Near Me - Sonoma, California

See all

Locals: You need not read Town Square reviews cause you know what this place is all about and surely have a deep rooted love for the place! Visitors: This is a small, locals hang out. You're more than welcome to come in and get a feel for "Old Sonoma", not the publicized, polished version they sell you on TV. Therefore, don't leave feeling like you just had your Wine Country Dream disillusioned, because you were warned. If the locals or bartenders ever shoot you attitude it's because they can spot a judgmental tourist a mile away, and lets face it, no one likes being judged when all they're trying to do is hang out with friends for some beers after work. That being said, if you're visiting Sonoma and want a locals, no frill dive, come and get it at The Town Square. I assure you the locals won't bite so long as you don't stare. read more

Fun local bar on Sonoma's city square. It reminds you that small towns everywhere are pretty much the same.Friendly staff, saw the same bartender 2 nights in a row...This is one of the few low-key bars in Sonoma proper, and had a wide mix of young, townies, and older patrons. Prices were ok - $12 for a Sofie draft and a Jagger shot. Good place for people watching, with rather tight seating. read more

The town square is really pretty and really, really touristy. The roses and the gingerbread-house look-a-like city hall are a nice touch. The military history buildings are not. Go to the Mexican restaurant on one of the corners (cannot remember their name to save my life). Best Mexican food in the world. read more

I can't believe I'm writing a review for the TS. That's what we call it. The TS was the bar that you went to when you a. weren't 21 yet b. had just turned 21 and thought you were the ultimate c. were over the whole 21 fascination and hated but loved to judge those that weren't yet d. had the Party in your blood e. had just come from Steiner's across the plaza and were up for another after that tedious walk past the duck pond There are 2 bars in Downtown Sonoma, 3 if you count the Swiss which is an upscale restaurant by day, heavy with the drink by night. So, we've got the slim pickins'. Not that we need any more choice, TS covers the Dirty Old Man Bar area (which is near and dear to my heart, as you know), Steiner's has the false sense of an upscale water hole with the pretentious "where did my youth go" 40-50 somethings that are trying desperately to get it back. Yes, TS has your back. Cozy, lively, fun and full of booze. That's everything a Gal could ask for! read more

Favorite bar in town! Bartenders are always attentive and make great drinks. Yes, it can get quite crowded during late nights, but getting there early with a group and grabbing a booth is well worth it in the long run! read more

This place is fun. The drinks are cheap, the people are fun, the jukebox is awesome. Everyone seems to know everyone and even if you are out of town, no one's gonna snub you. The firefighter theme is kind of awesome. I especially liked the pole. The alley right next to it is super awesome to take pictures in. We found a man passed out in the corner. I have to say though, the bar is brightly lit with both overhead lights and bright neon lights. read more

Visiting from Portland, we were really craving a down to earth pub we could relax in. Town Square was perfect! Locals, sports, a relaxed setting and friendly people. We relaxed and chatted with the laid back staff and enjoyed cocktails and their cheese plate with the local Vella cheese (which is AMAZINGLY tasty and made from happy, well cared for cows) If we returned to Sonoma, this will definitely be a stop for us! read more

+ has sailor jerry rum + decent drink prices, and a nice bartender when you can get his attention. - always packed with too many 'frat' type kids being ultra obnoxious. - is there really only ONE bartender working on a Saturday night? I mean really.. read more

Love this place Love the owner Love the bartenders Love the price Love the stella glasses read more

I don't get why everyone says they love this place and then give it three stars. If you are looking for local bar with good priced drinks, great bartenders, and a good group of people. this is the place. Be warned if you come on a Friday or Saturday night the crowd gets younger as the night rolls on. If you are coming from out of town and want a taste of the real Sonoma, you can find it here. read more

Like walking into a ghost town during the day. But gritty and fun at night. The only place with HDTV screens lining the bar area.

This place is seriously a gem! Definitely a locals bar, but it has such a fun and great vibe to it! Everyone is super friendly if you are willing to be open to meeting new people as well. This place seriously made me feel at home. Bartenders are great and I loved that they were open about other bars and restaurants in town worth checking out. The boyfriend and I even ended up having drinks with Steve the owner! Haha. No food is served here except for Friday nights. They have 5 tvs, so if you're in town and want to catch a game they have absolutely no problem making that happen for you! Drinks are SO affordable here! After 6 beers, 2 shots, and 3 cocktails our bill came out to $58! What a deal! read more

A decent little watering hole/dive bar on the Square in Sonoma, next to the old Sebastiani Theater. Nice selection of beers, plus they have jello shots, who could ask for anything more? We visited here for maybe 20 minutes for a beer before our dinner reservation. The staff was very friendly and offered us meatballs and other appetizers which they had on the counter. Nothing special, but would return... read more

Amazed!!!!! We got a margarita, Whiskey sour, and two mango jello shots for .... drum roll please..... $13.50!!!! And no the tequila wasn't the well. And they were strong! I said my goodness ... I love Sonoma! read more

After doing the "Sonoma/Napa wine thing", it was great to find a place that felt cozy and didn't break the bank. I am not advising anyone to ignore the fabulous wines in the area, but after your 15th tasting room and you want that comfortable, local feel, this place is for you. read more

Located right next to the Sebastiani Theatre on the square in Sonoma, this little dive bar is somewhat deceptive. Every time I walked by the place, it was empty. Well, close enough. You can imagine my surprise when I was dragged in by a local one random Friday night & discovered a fun, friendly atmosphere which developed around 9 or 10pm. The drinks are reasonable, the bartenders are pretty friendly, and the jukebox has Guns n' Roses & Journey. What more could a girl ask for? Granted, the bar can be somewhat of a pick-up scene in the wee hours of a Friday or Saturday night, but that's pretty standard at these hours on the square... read more