It was weird. If you ever found yourself wandering down Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica a few years back, you might have stumbled upon a place that felt like a glitch in the simulation. No sign. No flashy neon. Just a name that sounded like a double negative and a vibe that felt like a secret handshake. Not No Bar Santa Monica wasn't trying to be your typical Southern California beach hangout. It was moody. It was dark. Honestly, it was exactly what that stretch of the city needed before everything changed.
People talk about "speakeasies" all the time, but most of them are just bars with expensive doors and a PR team. This was different. It sat inside (or rather, was part of) the Esters Wine Shop & Bar ecosystem, specifically tucked away as a late-night cocktail den that didn't feel the need to shout. It’s gone now, or at least, it has evolved into something else entirely as the neighborhood shifted.
But why does everyone still search for it?
Maybe because Santa Monica is increasingly becoming a land of $18 salads and corporate-backed "concepts." Finding a spot that felt authentic—even if it was technically part of the massive Rustic Canyon Family restaurant group—felt like a win.
What Actually Happened to Not No Bar?
Let’s be real: the hospitality industry in Los Angeles is a meat grinder. Not No Bar was a "pop-up" style concept that lived within the Esters space at 1314 7th Street. It wasn't a standalone building with its own lease. That’s a common misconception. People often drove up and down Lincoln or Wilshire looking for a literal "Not No" sign and ended up frustrated.
The bar was the brainchild of the team behind Esters, specifically looking to utilize their space during hours when wine drinkers were usually tucked in bed. It featured a rotating cast of bartenders who were given free rein to get weird with spirits. You could get a drink there that you couldn't get at the parent restaurant. That was the hook.
Then, the world stopped.
The pandemic didn't just close bars; it changed how we use space. When things reopened, the "bar within a bar" model became harder to justify. Esters needed every square inch for their primary operation. The staff shifted. The menus merged. Eventually, the distinct identity of "Not No" faded into the background of Santa Monica’s high-end dining scene.
The Aesthetic vs. The Reality
If you walked in during its peak, you saw a lot of velvet. It was plush. It was dimly lit. The playlist was usually some sort of lo-fi beat or deep-cut vinyl.
Contrast that with the rest of Santa Monica.
🔗 Read more: The Recipe With Boiled Eggs That Actually Makes Breakfast Interesting Again
Most places in the 90401 or 90405 zip codes are bright, airy, and "coastal chic." Not No Bar was the antithesis of that. It felt like a bar in Brooklyn or Echo Park had been teleported to the Westside. That’s probably why it stuck in people's memories. You don't expect a moody cocktail den in a city that’s obsessed with sunlight and yoga.
The Drink Program That Defined the Space
The drinks weren't your standard Margaritas. They were technical.
Kathryn Coker and the team at the Rustic Canyon Family have a reputation for precision. While Esters is world-renowned for its wine list (curated by Coker, who is a Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year), Not No Bar was the experimental lab.
They used a lot of bittering agents. Amaro was king.
- You’d see cocktails built around Cynar or Fernet-Branca.
- There were "dirty" versions of classics that used unexpected brines.
- The ice was always clear, hand-cut, and perfect.
Honestly, it was a bit pretentious. But in a good way? Like, you knew the person making your drink had spent three hours prep-time just on the shrubs and tinctures.
Why the Name?
"Not No." It’s a double negative. It basically means "Yes."
It was a play on the "Yes, and..." philosophy of improv, but applied to drinking. "Do you want another?" "Not no." It was clever. Maybe too clever for its own good, as it made SEO a nightmare for them—hence why you're probably reading this article trying to figure out if it still exists.
The "Speakeasy" Problem in Santa Monica
Santa Monica has a love-afair with hidden bars, but they rarely last. Look at the history of the area. We had The Bungalow (which isn't hidden at all but acts like it is), and we have spots like The Varnish over in DTLA that set the standard.
Not No Bar Santa Monica tried to bridge that gap.
💡 You might also like: Finding the Right Words: Quotes About Sons That Actually Mean Something
The problem is that Santa Monica foot traffic is different from Hollywood or Downtown. People here want to see the ocean. Or they want to be seen by the ocean. A dark room with no windows is a tough sell on a Tuesday night in July.
Furthermore, the competition became fierce.
- Wally’s took over the high-end wine and spirits conversation.
- The Proper Hotel opened with its own stunning rooftop and lobby bars.
- Bar Monette started drawing the "cool" crowd with its incredible pizza and curated vibes.
In that landscape, a small pop-up inside a wine shop starts to feel a bit redundant.
Is There Anything Like It Left?
If you're looking for that specific Not No Bar Santa Monica vibe today, you have to look a bit harder. Esters is still there, and it's still fantastic. The snacks—especially that grilled cheese—are legendary. But the "after hours" cocktail identity is different now.
You might try The Misfit for a bit of that old-school vibe, or head over to The Chestnut Club on 26th Street. The Chestnut Club is probably the closest spiritual successor in terms of lighting and serious mixology. It’s dark. It’s moody. It has an incredible back bar.
What People Get Wrong About the Area
A lot of tourists think Santa Monica is just the Pier and the Promenade.
Wrong.
The real soul of the city's nightlife is tucked into the corners of 7th Street, Ocean Park Blvd, and the quieter parts of Wilshire. Not No Bar was a beacon for locals who wanted to avoid the "bridge and tunnel" crowd that descends on the Pier every weekend.
The Legacy of the "Not No" Concept
Even though the brand is gone, its influence persists.
📖 Related: Williams Sonoma Deer Park IL: What Most People Get Wrong About This Kitchen Icon
The bartenders who cut their teeth there moved on to some of the biggest programs in the city. You’ll find them at Death & Co or The Roger Room. They took that "Not No" philosophy of experimental, high-acid, bitter-forward cocktails and spread it across Los Angeles.
It was a moment in time.
Santa Monica in the late 2010s was transitioning. It was moving from "sleepy beach town" to "Silicon Beach tech hub." Not No Bar was the soundtrack to that transition. It was where people went to celebrate a seed round or drown their sorrows after a failed startup.
How to Find a "Hidden" Bar in Santa Monica Today
If you are currently standing on Lincoln Blvd looking for Not No Bar, stop. You won't find it.
Instead, do this:
- Go to Esters. Seriously. The wine list is still one of the best in the country.
- Ask the bartender about the specials. Often, the remnants of the Not No cocktail program show up as seasonal rotations.
- Explore the "Bar-within-a-restaurant" trend. Spots like Birdie G’s (another Rustic Canyon sibling) have incredible bar programs that operate with their own unique energy, separate from the dining room.
- Check out JuneShine. It’s not a cocktail bar, it’s hard kombucha, but it captured that "secretive, cool" aesthetic on Main Street that Not No once held.
The Real Insider Tip
If you really want the Not No experience, go to Esters on a weeknight, right before they close. Order a vermouth on the rocks with a twist. Sit in the corner. The lighting is still just right. The ghosts of those double-negative cocktails are still there in the atmosphere.
Santa Monica is always changing.
One day a place is a legendary cocktail den; the next, it's a Pilates studio or a juice bar. That’s the cycle. Not No Bar was a casualty of that cycle, but for those who were there, it remains a high-water mark for what Westside nightlife can actually be when it stops trying so hard to be "sunny."
Final Steps for the Displaced Cocktail Lover
If you were a regular or just someone who missed out, don't sweat it. The scene has moved on, but the quality hasn't dipped.
- Visit The Winston House in Venice for a more high-energy version of the "hidden" vibe.
- Hit up Lanea for great tequila and a more casual, local-focused atmosphere.
- Follow the bartenders. Search for former Not No staff on Instagram; they are the ones opening the next wave of great LA spots.
The "Not No" name might be retired, but the demand for a place that says "Yes" to weird drinks and "No" to boring nights isn't going anywhere. Keep looking. The next great secret is probably opening in a basement or a backroom right now.
Go to Esters Wine Shop & Bar at 1314 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Ask for a recommendation based on what you used to like at Not No. They’ll know exactly what you’re talking about. Look for the "Market Cocktail" on their current menu—it’s usually where the most creative energy is hidden.