The Neighbor’s Pub will soon call 711 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz “home.”

This downtown location is just a 13-minute walk from the Town Clock, 6 minutes from the weekly farmer’s market, 3 minutes from the Metro Center, and 10 minutes from the beach.

tldr; Irish pub meets gay bar meets cafe.

Guests can pop in for a quick iced coffee, stay for a meal, or stay a little longer and dance the night away.

By day, it will have a relaxed cafe vibe. You might find some folks reading books from a community library or learning something new at a community-taught class.

The nights will transform to more upbeat events such as mixers, trivia games, drag shows, and dance parties.

On tap, you’ll find a variety of beer, cider, kombucha, and non-alcoholic options. The beverage menu will also include coffee and espresso-based beverages, tea, soda, seltzers, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and drinks named after community members!

The dining menu will include pastries, crepes, poutine, Buffalo cauli-wings, potatoes - what’s an Irish pub without potatoes, eh? The recipes stem from family recipes, Irish, and Canadian cuisines.

There will be vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and non-alcoholic items throughout the menus.

The restaurant has a long bar, banquet seating and booths, and an area that can transform from seating to entertainment and dancing space. There is a private patio in the back with a small bar.

The decor and color schemes will draw from themes of LGBTQ+ culture, Irish culture, and environmental conservation. I’d love to work with local artists to install murals and have a rotation of art exhibitions.

The Neighbor’s Pub strives to be a space that is accessible in many ways!

Public Transportation The restaurant is accessible by public transportation. It is just a few blocks away from the Metro Center and other bus stops.

Mobility It is on the ground floor and there are no steps to enter any area of the restaurant. There may be a few minor bumps here and there, such as thresholds. There are two accessible/ ADA-compliant restrooms, plus additional stalls and urinals.

Outdoor Space There is a private patio with a small bar in the back. Please note that the patio will close earlier than the main restaurant, due to permitting and noise ordinances.

Seating Along the bar, guests can sit or stand at the numerous barstools or sit in a chair/ wheelchair at the accessible area. Across from the bar, there will be spacious banquette seating with tables and chairs.

Dietary Restrictions There will be vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and non-alcoholic items throughout the menus.

Financial Accessibility The menu will have a range of prices. Many events will be free, low-cost, or sliding-scale.

Staff Awareness Staff will partake in classes about diversity, equity, inclusion.

Future Goals for Accessibility There is always room for growth! I am hopeful to hire staff that can communicate in Spanish, ASL, and other languages, and am looking into options for menus in Spanish and Braille.

If there are specific accessibility needs you’d like to see, please let me know here!

As with many aspects of the company, the name was chosen thoughtfully.

The word “Neighbor” was chosen to foster and emphasize community within the LGBTQ+ community. This restaurant is more than just a place that sells food and drinks. It’s a place where LGBTQ+ community members gather, learn, celebrate, and give back. It’s a place for LGBTQ+ community members to be in community with one other.

The word “Pub” was chosen with the community-oriented nature of Irish pubs in mind. Pubs also tend to have a heartier menu than any ol’ bar.

On a personal note, the name is an ode to my hometown, Buffalo, New York, also known as the City of Good Neighbors. The use of “pub” is a little homage to my Irish heritage and hometown, especially to South Buffalo where Irish pubs, Irish flags, and shamrocks are plentiful.

The Neighbor’s Pub was founded by just one person, hence the singular possessive.

Backers will be contacted approximately 3 months after the official opening to coordinate their perks.

One of the most fun perks of the 2021 Kickstarter campaign is that some backers will have drinks named after them. This will be an ongoing project, so each backer/drink has their moment to shine.

There is! Please visit theneighborspub.org/suggestions to submit your suggestion.

The pub is currently in it’s soft opening phase. The goal of this phase is to grow sustainably. Menu items and offerings will be added over the next few months.