Joe's Bar: Live Music, Karaoke, and Pool on Highway 9

Every fire department birthday I can remember has included a drink at Joe's. It is where the night continues after the formal part is over: after the meeting, the shift, the fundraiser or the thing worth marking.

The room carries evidence of that long relationship. During the COVID shutdown, regulars and neighboring businesses helped owners Diane Stasser and Gina Trepagnier restore it. Judy Johnson proposed the refinishing work, members of the Clampers joined in, Noel from Tree House straightened a bowed section of the bar, and Tree House fed the crew.

Joe's took its current name from Lucille and Joe Kamisha. Karin Ann Park joined her uncle David in the business in 1977 and later ran it as sole owner for decades. Diane and Gina bought the bar on June 1, 2015.

On an ordinary week, the calendar explains what the room is for. Tuesday has karaoke, Thursday has a pool tournament, and live musicians take over several nights, usually without a cover charge. The bar also holds benefits for Valley Churches United, including holiday meals Gina has cooked in its small kitchen.

The week

Tuesday: karaoke, 8:30pm.

Wednesday: Neighborhood Night, 8pm. A solo player or a duo rather than a full band, and it runs most weeks straight through the fall.

Thursday: pool, sign-ups close at 8pm. A weekly double-elimination 8-ball tournament with a $5 entry that goes back out as prize money to the top three. The full eight-ball rule set is posted in advance.

Friday and Saturday: bands, usually 8:30pm. This is the busiest end of the week and the lineup turns over constantly: Americana, blues, reggae fusion, classic rock covers, tribute sets.

There's no cover charge on music nights. The bar asks you to tip the bands and the bartenders instead.

Boulder Creek Local carries the Joe's calendar on the events page, and the bar's own site at drinkatjoes.com lists every booked act with a short write-up and a link to the artist.

The building and the bar

The building goes back further, and the bar tells the story itself: a late-1800s structure that served as a community center and the garage for the volunteer fire department's pump wagon, rebuilt in the early 1900s to the size it is now, holding the bar plus two smaller storefronts. Joe's own account lists a blacksmith, a bakery, a commission store, and at least two earlier bars in the same walls. That's the bar's history as the bar tells it, and we haven't matched it against our own records yet.

Joe's also hosts fundraisers for Valley Churches United, which runs the food pantry serving the San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley, and Bonny Doon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Joe's Bar?

13118 Highway 9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006. Phone 831-338-9417. The bar's directions page puts it at milepost 13 on Highway 9, on the right if you're coming up from Santa Cruz.

What are the hours?

10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, confirmed directly with the business on August 6, 2026. The schedule is not published on its site, so call 831-338-9417 if you're planning around an early or a late arrival.

Is Joe's 21 and over?

Yes. Bring ID.

Does Joe's serve food?

No. Joe's is a bar, not a kitchen. The food answer sits directly behind the building: River Dogs, the hot dog stand, shares the lot out back, and its winter hours run to 5 on weekends. Time it right and the two work as a pair.

Is there a cover charge for live music?

No. The bar asks that you tip the musicians and the bar staff.

When is karaoke?

Every Tuesday at 8:30pm.

How does the Thursday pool tournament work?

Double-elimination 8-ball. Sign-ups close at 8pm, entry is $5, and the entry money becomes prize money for the top three finishers.

I'm a musician. How do I get booked?

The booking page on the bar's own site names the person to contact and how to reach them.

Which website is the real one?

drinkatjoes.com. The older joesbc.com address just forwards to it.

Hours and the age policy were confirmed directly with the business on August 6, 2026. Lineups change weekly, so check the bar's site or our events page before you go.

Fun things to do in Boulder Creek covers the rest of what is open after dark. If a detail here is wrong, let us know.