The Zoo

Neighborhood bar on steroids. Touch tunes juke box rules. Best bartenders and drinks in town. The locals (us) are both entertaining and charming. Kidding aside, really a chill place to unwind and be yourself.

Love the owners and bar tenders great people was nice to meet u all hade to much fun lol

What a dump! I Read all the great reviews so me and my friends decided to go. The whole place felt and looked like a big over used bar bathroom with sticky floors included, what a crap hole, if I were drunk and blind this place still would be terrible. This place might have been great years ago but not any more not by a long shot.

******Country Western Bar******
while I still love this place and the people that go and run it — it’s all country music during the daytime because that’s what the bartender ladies like — so that’s the music on the ever flowing jukebox. And they play it LOUD — there’s no going in the back and getting away from it. Whether it’s 2pm, 4pm or 7pm — it’s really LOUD Country Music. And if you like that — then check it out — good people here fo sho.

I love this place. They have an amazing Monday night cook your own 12oz New York steak dinner with amazing chili, bread and salad. Definitely the best dive bar in Santa Rosa its an epic local spot.

Scenario: It’s one in the morning on a Wednesday, and not only are you not in bed, but you’re walking out the door to go to a bar.
This can go one of several ways, but most of them are too terrible to contemplate. The horror!
BUT, instead of all the awful possibilities, I wound up at what is easily my new favorite «dive» bar! This place rocks!
It all started out with a creepy walk down Santa Rosa ave in the middle of the night, but then ended up with the best Rum & Coke I’ve ever had (I know it’s only two ingredients, but it’s all about the rum and the ratio, most people mess it up) that was — call it what it is — dirt cheap and delicious. And strong. Very, very strong.
Add to that a really great jukebox, an awesome pool table, and a horseshoe pit!
The crowd was really good, the bartender was awesome, it wasn’t packed but it wasn’t empty (I’m not sure which was more surprising at one on a week night), everyone seemed very friendly and obviously knew the bartender (who is, based on some eavesdropping, very well liked)
It’s in a spot I wouldn’t generally consider good to be in late at night, but I was surprised how nice it actually was.
While this was but a single experience on what is definitely not a typical night, I will be going back soon, thirsty and itching for some horseshoes.

Love love love this place! Been coming here for a few years now and I can’t help and feel at home here! In large part to the staff! Monday night is steak night (preorder and football season) all the games are always on and the new jukebox is awesome!

My review of the Zoo has been long overdue! This place is the cornerstone of any low budget drinking adventure. If you’re looking for a 100% authentic dive bar experience, look no further. Play some pool, throw some horseshoes, challenge the bartenders to a game of Boss and win free drinks! My friends and I have been coming here for years, whether it’s a well-​deserved beer after a long day at work, or an all-​out balls-​to-​the-​wall rager, it happens at the Zoo. The Zoo: where the drinks are cheap but the company is priceless.

i myself am a every day drinker and this is the place i love to be .if you like having a drink or two durning daytime hours and if your up for some dice games «winner wins a jello shot» then here’s your place to be the people are good hearted & the bartenders are your friends who can make one hell of a drink…

If you like heroin addicts and prostitutes then this is the place fir you. I once had some bikers grab my arm and try to drag me out of the place! I do not feel safe here when I an sober, I certainly wouldn’t drink here.

No frills, bells or whistles related to this place. No sir, this is a dive bar. Where else can you get a strong ass $ 1 jello shot and play horseshoes at the same time? The Zoo, that’s where. Don’t expect super friendly service or the bar stools to be clean –just go for the cheap drinks and bar banter.

The Zoo and I can be friends for sure. I was in town for the night and needed some «me» time, wanted to relax, but not be harrassed or spend a lot on drinks. I asked my cab driver to recommend a place and he gladly offered up The Zoo. He himself a regular there, described it as a dive bar, but that didn’t matter.
It turned out to be exactly that. Low key, cheap and fun. From the moment I walked in and sat at the bar I was treated well. Vince was right there to wait on me and listen to me harp on my moment of vulnerability. It was a Saturday night and it seemed to be empty. There were a few people who came and left pretty quickly while I was there. All perfect gentlemen too, which is not easy to come by.
The Jukebox had great music, but I had to wait practically all night until my songs were played b/​c I didn’t pay extra for the «play it Now» feature. I’d love to find a local spot near where I live to go every now and then. I can totally see why this place is hidden gem.

100% dive bar & Cheap drinks.

This place is a diamond in the rough. Great rowdy fun. Unpretentious, real people will enjoy themselves here. Cheap liquor, loud music, interesting people.

My favorite bar in Santa Rosa. Great staff… once they know they’ve seen you there before they treat you like royalty, and the drinks are as cheap as they come. Jukebox has a good variety of music and there are two pool tables as well as one of those computer games on the bar.
Sunday School is fun with lots of good music and lots of hipsters.
They have a great outdoor patio too.
If you are looking for a fun chill time with friends where you can actually talk above the music, this is a great place to go!

I was gonna go but the lady on the phone was such a bitch! Totally brought my mood down–
Usually ppl go to a bar to get in a better mood, right?
Bitchy bartender/​employee is not a good sign.
I did find out they are open from 6am-​2am… and they dont have any specials or serve any appetizers.
Quite early to start drinking! Unless this is an endup kind of bar?

Oh something else worth mentioning. Pitchers are an amazing 6 dollars.

Sorry 440 Club but the Zoo is now my favorite dive bar in Santa Rosa. With $ 3.00 drinks, good DJ (on Sunday) and jukebox music on the inside, a horseshoe pit and smoking lounge on the outside, you couldn’t ask for anything more in a dive.
The Zoo is in a weird location, indeed — but if it were somewhere more central the ninnies and busy bodies of this city would certainly try to have it shut down.

This place is awesome. Cheap beer is the best part: Red Tail pitchers $ 10, Bud for $ 6 as of March 2008. Two pool tables, usually empty and other games.
The horseshoe pit is the second best part. You can take your drink out there, enjoy a smoke and throw horse shoes.
Not in the best area of town, but I think people tend to over react to it. Sure it’s a devoid of «decoration» and «style» but if that’s what you expect to find at any given dive, I want you to meet my friend the Easter Bunny.

This place gets a 5-​star dive rating, but a 3-​star bar rating.
I can’t believe that I came up in this area, and had not heard of this place until several months ago. I had my first experience there tonight.
What prices! What people! What… a weird location!
The parking-​lot/​patio horseshoe area is brilliant, and I wish I knew how old the outdoor coffee-​can-​ashtrays are. Old I bet… The service was friendly, and the clientele rough on the edges but soft on the inside. If it weren’t where it is, I would return. Frequently.