The Royal

Its the place to see an American Blues Icon, Alice Stuart and her band most Wednesday nights. Sound is not bad, beer is cold and priced for the blues loving community. Yep its an old converted airplane hanger so if you want something more uppity keep looking. This is local yocal and my kind of hangout.

Drove to Olympia to watch the band called The Hookys, my first time ever to be in downtown Olympia for night life, it was different. There was a $ 5 cover that night, but a friend of mine could have gotten us in for free, oh well maybe next time. The bar itself was okay the drinks here okay priced. There was to be a DJ after the band was done playing, but we left before it got busy, I’ve heard it gets pretty busy here tho. Anyway I wouldnt go out of my way to come back here, but I would like to check out other places in Olympia. If I was in the area Id probably come back.

HARDLY ROYAL
I understand that to make money these night club owners need bodies.
The only issue with that is accommodation.
According to the uncouth «royal» bouncer, the night club was to capacity last night. So the told my group of 15 people that they were getting rid of our table… yes getting rid of it to make room for people dancing. It’s not like we were over the top roudy and we also ordered a lot of drink, so I asked them if we were getting another table, they said «uh…we don’t do special accommodations» as if that’s what I was asking. They didn’t even offer to comp or coat check fees. All I got was some wanna be tycoon taking the entrence fee money throwing it around like some kind of «boss» and some hood rat checking coats, which is highly advised checking your pockets after you get your coats back from her and her brute of uneducated bouncers. This business wants the luxury of being a lounge but will never achieve that goal.
My advice stay far away. Unless your in to seedy hangouts.

Personally, I like this joint! Good drinks, good atmosphere, and the Friday band Hurts Like Hell (fronted by Smitty from M6K) kicks ass! Granted, we were there early and left early (730‑1030) so the crowd is COMPLETELY different. At any rate, I enjoyed it.

First things first, comedy night is okay SOMETIMES. If you must go to this bar, do it on a Tuesday night. Aside from that, there is absolutely no reason to go to the royal. This bar has a fucking hype man and house band– classic in the worst possible ways. A damn shame, this use to be a cool joint.

Oh God this place is awful. The entrance always smells like puke, the ugliest people go there and dance like jack-​asses, I mean it: ugly people dressed to some-​what-​impress-​but-​fail. That is the dress code, and the drinks are not cheap. $ 6 for a drink that will end up either on the floor, or someone else spilling it on you. The music is nothing new: if you love the KUBE 93 hits that are OVER PLAYED, then this will be your spot. Nothing original about it. ew.

Sticky floors, disgusting bathrooms, fighting! There were puddles of water in several areas on the floor. In one area I watched at least four people slip and fall, yet no one thought to clean up the wet floor. The music was um… old!

Sad to see what this place has become. Used to be a fun quirky hang out. Eventually, they change the music and it turns ghetto. The floors are sticky from spilled drinks, the bathroom is filthy and unisex, so expect a very long wait to go.

We came here to see the night life in Olympia since we were already in the area. 2.5 stars.
If you like sticky floors, crowded space like a sardine, big douchebags, ugly gogo dancers, gross bathrooms with long lines, and dancing in a concrete dancefloor in a warehouse… this place is for you.
I did like the music and the pretty bartenders who made our drinks stiff. I did see some pretty girls dancing here but too many guy to girl ratio.
For this night… it was pretty packed but this might be the only place around for the younger crowd to get their dance on.

The Royal Lounge is the place in Olympia for a little something out of the ordinary. Jazz on Monday, Comedy on Tuesday, awesome funky house band (The Brown Edition) on Wednesday, Salsa Saturday from 7 – 10, and Mexican music on Sundays.
However, this is a wild and crazy place to party on a late Friday or Saturday night with hip hop and many drunk young people (maybe I’m just getting old). Not quite my scene there. Also, if there is not an event in progress you are not going to find many people.
Keep an eye on the calendar for other opportunities such as Burlesque or more high profile shows.

Ugh… this place should never have begun it’s existence. I compare it to the crap-​tasticness that is the Peacock or Impulse in Corvallis. It’s a dance club that has existed so long because it’s the only place where people can get their date rape on.
They’ll spin the same tired Top 40 hits with no sweet mash-​ups that are actually worth blasting and dancing to.
People will be drinking red bull vodkas, AMFs, long islands, and any other bro drink that guys think will get a girl home with them.
And can anyone explain the cover or the black guy standing on the stage flipping everyone off while grabbing his junk?

We played at the Royal on a Friday night. There is an established stage, their own PA, lighting system, and sound guy. they have onstage monitors that are pretty big. The sound was fine.
The bathrooms were stupid. Neither of the stall doors lock, or the bathroom door for that matter.
After the live music, the place turned into a hip hop deal. Not my bag. We loaded and scrammed right quick.

Lets start of with the fact I had no idea about this place. Its very existence was a void i should not have filled.
Mind you I was pretty hammered when coming here. It did not stop me from realizing from the douche bouncers at the front this was a spawn of some sick tormented jersey Shore castoffs club.
Hooooooly shit can you say gross! everything is sticky in a «is that vomit or alcohol on the floor way».
Ear piercing music– not fun lets dance loud. Just hey does my Cadillac speakers sound louder than yours annoying loud…
I wasted like 9 bucks on a … i blush to say” tasty drink. The only one I could read was «Slip and slide» so what the hell Slammed it down. Danced and was feeling more like being stuck in a Swedish sauna with way too many dudes that forgot to wrap up in the fresh towel’s that was given to them by the hot Blondie at the door.
Oh well you live and learn. Though from the vibe you feel your lucky to get out alive. pop pop suckaa

When The Royal first opened I was excited about the addition to Olympia nightlife. I enjoyed bocce, funky sixties/​seventies furniture and a decent happy hour.
But what I mentioned above no longer exists
Now it opens late and they cater to late night dancing. So they cleared out all the furniture/​bocce courts for dancing. Even when nobody is there — it is 4 dollar flat/​warm beer in plastic cup. I used to really enjoy The Royal, now I’m not going back
They changed whom they are catering too. I’ll admit it is a rare night when I finish up dancing at 2 in the morning and I’d rather not do it in an old warehouse building that considers itself a bar.
It still might have the atmosphere that some folks are looking for drunken dancing with bad service. But on those rare nights I’m dancing late — I’m going to Jake’s. For everything else — The Royal is not worth my time or money anymore.

This place started out great! The huge open warehouse space was interesting, and the funky, 70’s thriftstore décor was interesting. The waitstaff was slightly snooty and a little stingy on their pours but eager to test new drink combinations on willing customers. Finally, I am a sucker for comfy couches and jukeboxes and the fact that they had bocce ball inside sealed the deal. I was so excited.
The first few times I went there I had a great time, and then, not so long ago, bocce ball disappeared and it turned into a meat market dance club packed to the gills with indifferent service and snotty security. The crowd changed from the retro hip artsy oly scene to the tacoma/​fort lewis/​lacey jock and barbie crowd.
The last time I went in and the last time I will go in, the dance floor had taken over the whole bar, the place was packed, the service was slow and there was no where to sit. Despite my distaste for techno/​hip-​hop, my friend and I tried dancing a little bit but soon realized there was a pervy wall of jocks and wanna be gangster posers standing around the dance floor staring at all the women. Some man tried to rub his crotch on me and every where I turned there were non-​dancing shameless gawkers.
It’s so sad to see a place with such potential turn into another vault/​barcode, but if you are looking for the uncomfortably mainstream trendy meat-​market, this is the perfect place for you. Personally, I’m sticking with the Broho.

PUT YOUR HANDS UP! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!
Back when The Royal opened I felt like it was a nice addition to the Oly nightlife. During those first few months it’s as if most Downtowners (you know who you are) had a breath of fresh air blown into their smoke riddled lungs, and The Royal was that refreshing breeze. But like all alcoholic rampages, their comes that point where you sober up a little, have a good look around and ask yourself «How did I get here and where is the nearest exit?»
Just don’t be surprised that if on the way to the exit, you get stuck to the floor.
On a recent visit I was disgusted by the state of the men’s bathroom. Bad graffiti written all over the walls subjected me to unintelligent rantings written in sharpie. The room was lit by an extremely bright flood lamp and there was the absence of a proper stall, pretty much just a toilet and a urinal thrown into a room. The sink worked surprisingly, but the soap dispenser was completely empty. I informed the bar staff of the fact that the bathroom required soap but to my surprise nothing was done about it. Quite honestly I have urinated in cleaner alleys and would gladly opt for one before heading back into that washroom.
Can we talk about the floor… I have to ask. «Why floor are you always sticky?» I have noticed this on several trips to the Royal, especially in and around the bathroom area. Drinks get spilled, and as sad as this event is for the drink holder, accidents happen and when they do one must utilize the dazzling technology and futuristic design of the mop and bucket. Just saying, a floor that isn’t sticky is the way to really class up any joint.
The reason why the Royal is not getting a single star rating from me is due to the fact that they place an emphasis on live music and DJ’s. Every Monday night they bring in a small jazz group with a singer that has an easy voice to listen to. According to their MySpace profile they offer an array of acts over the weekend, unfortunately, in my opinion this attracts an unsavory type of crowd creating a claustrophobic feeling of dancing in a packed garage on a concrete floor with lots of booty grabbing… Oh so posh. I may be inclined to raise my rating if they were to add a Goth/​Metal night, a niche that is strangely absent in the area.
For the most part I have had pretty good experiences with some of the bartenders who are generally friendly and happy to take your order and would be glad to drink here more often for that reason. Unfortunately though I am steered away by the typical clientele who are pretending to be macho and tuff in one of the softest towns I have ever lived in, there is no need, save it for when you’re at home watching the Fast &Furious movies.
Royal, I liked you once, but you’ve turned into the Barcode so farewell and good luck. I may try you again down the line, but for now I am cooling my heels.

This is an environment for the younger crowd. The Royal is definetly not regal in the sense of fine funiture and plush accomidations.
A quick fix up of a bar the music is like much of the rest of the downtown scene. A little this a little that in multiple variety throughout the night. Everything from Michael Jackson to The Ramones can be heard here.
If I recall they have an ATM on-​site but do not accept credit cards. It could be the other way around.

Pinball has been removed, replaced with a pool table.

sometimes people call it «the royale,» and then i laugh at them.
i happened by one day when it was two in the afternoon and they were testing their new sound system, so BLASTING hilariously inappropriate music out of the open walls. it was pretty delightful.
they have a pinball machine that i’m pretty sure is five balls for a quarter? maybe fifty cents. it’s old, has two-​player, and seems like a damn good deal.

super chill jazz nights on Mondays featuring dude from local indie pop band Lake on keyboard and the singer is the woman from Romanteek. no drummer, so it’s a spacious, quieter sound.
think it might be more of a bro dive other than how they do it up for that.