The Starline

This is for Bachata Tuesday and Salsa Thursday nights… which are always a good time. It’s more like going to a good house party than to a bar. Leave your purse or car keys on the table and nobody messes with them. Even though it’s latin dancing, there is a very diverse and fun crowd. Pick out some partners and dance all you want– it doesn’t matter if you suck! Reasonable drink prices and a good vibe.

If you are of legal drinking age and from out of state, prepare to be treated like a second rate citizen by unprofessional staff at this establishment. I am fairly new to Fresno and enjoy partaking in the fine spirits the Tower District has to offer. This particular night, I was out with a guy friend. We entered to the venue around 11:30, paid the bartender for our beverages, received our beers, then were asked for our ID’s. My friend got a different beer than he ordered, but we both just smiled because, hey, mistakes happen. My valid Oregon license was hauled away to be further tested for legitimacy, totally understandable and happens often.
The bar wench returned in a huff, took my beer right out of my hand while it was on its way to my quivering lips. «You need to go out there and talk to the doorman, «she hissed. With a look of confusion I turned to my friend who only shrugged.
I walk out to the ticket booth hallway, to find a bald headed bouncer hunched over with my ID shoved under a lamp like some crooked jeweler. I proceed to empty the contents of my wallet on the counter, SS Card, Visa, old Oregon student ID. He continues to look at me, then my ID, then me, then my ID.
«What more do you want?» I inquired. «Do you have anything else with your birthday on it?» he asked. Which I did not, because it was right on my ID. Continuing to study for nonexistent discrepancies on my ID, he asks me my birthday, I respond and throw in «I turn 23 in two weeks. I understand your scrutiny but the way you are going about this makes me feel not welcome.»
After another moment of retarded gawking, with a dark look worthy of a thousand disappointed fathers, and not a single word uttered, he hands me back my ID… hesitantly. I rush back inside to choke down my beer. I did not bother ordering a second, the tenders completely ignored us after that anyways.
Overall, the staff demonstrated that they were lacking competence and took great pride in their rude stupidity.

Awful, awful, awful place. Ever want to alienate a guest? Demand they dress better before letting them in. The doorman got pretty shitty as soon as I walked up and just made me remember what happens to people with big heads in little towns. They fester into huge dicks and assholes. Bar next door has a pretty slow bar and I really hope this venue gets some charmers to try to bring it around. Either that or it gets closed down and something worthwhile pops up to replace it. Although if I was a hipster this place would be right up my alley.

Good venue for what it brings, if not what it is. Since it’s 18 up, and sometimes not even that, the crowd can be annoying or hilarious. Some big names come through here that I wouldn’t miss for anything, like Faith and the Muse last year, that make up for everything. Would be nice if they opened up the stage area into the grill area, in fact a full stage and room remodel would bump the attraction way up, it’s a bit sad looking with the lights on.
The bar is hit or miss, one of the regular bartenders is super cliquey — serves her pals, chats, serves them again, finally gets to us schmoes — but the rest are good, fast, and friendly, plus heavy pours to boot. Prices are a little high for well liquor. Go to the grill bar next door if you need a drink quick when cliquey’s on duty.
The food, meh, skip it. Costs way too much for mediocre plates. Maybe if they served after a show, that’d be awesome, but nope.
Definitely not a place to hit randomly every week unless you can brave bad bands and dumb kids, but if you watch the lineups it’s a pretty sweet venue for those rare gems. Recommended.

My youth got destroyed here. When I was 18– 19 years old, I had a ridiculously stupid «Starline» phase where I would arrive drunk at the gay club nights and sob in the bathrooms. It always was too hot and crowded to actually enjoy and most of the people that actually liked going there regularly were really weird and wore too much makeup and not enough clothes. no offense
Changing the age requirement to 21 plus was probably a good idea so that girls like me wouldn’t have to go through sobbing uncontrollably in the bathrooms because you lost your gay friend in the cloud of sweat smoke on the dancefloor and some creepy old guy smoking a cigar in the front is trying to sneak a peek under your dress.
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Great place. Small neighborhood pub. Drinks are cold and big, food is hot and big, prices are great and low. There is a live band venue next door which has some of the most solid soundproofing I have ever heard. The Beatles tribute band was warming up and when the door was closed, it was a nice moderate tone, when the door was open it was rockin. Either way it was a great place to hang and enjoy some time out.

i’ve been here on different occasions, and i must say that it’s just an ordinary place to hang out. Nothing to write home about, just run of the mill, food is o-​kay kind of place. If you’re in the Tower district and you’re with friends, definitely pay a visit, but if you want to make a good impression for your date, then no. Just don’t.

favorite place to go in fresno. the people aren’t stuck up and you can wear whatever you want. also, they place house music (sometimes). :D best nights are on wednesday nights, which also happens to be gay night. drinks are pretty strong and cheap too.

Attended an event here last night, and seen that not much has changed about this place. The ticket guy (who looks like an ex con to me) had 2 kids with him in the booth (okay…), he seriously comes off like a giant dick bag pushing his weight around… hovering and snaring over the crowd (Tall oaf w dirty blond spiked cut, yeah u know the douche) (1^st Problem)
There was a good sized crowd, and yet there was still only one bartender. No matter how big or little the crowd, rest assure that there will be only one bartender :-) (2^nd Problem)
So just before the show started they ordered everyone to back away from the stage lol! Amateurs! Why didn’t they think of that BEFORE hand so things would run more smoothly? Not to mention I saw a couple people without wristbands sneaking in thru the side door that connects to Starline Grill. HORRIBLE organization (3^rd Problem)
These people seriously need to take a course in customer service 101!
P. S. Sux when such a cool place w tons of potential falls into the wrong hands… w that being said the only way they are maintaining a half decent rating is from kids that are too young to get into any other place lol! Instant 5 and 4 stars from them ;-)

Have to update 1. b/​c this is the only place really for all ages shows so I have to give it props for that and 2. I spent a portion of my new years eve in starline and i forgot to close my tab in drunken stupor only to look at my charges for the night the next day and see I was fairly charged for what I ordered. I will have to tip the bartenders double next time that I am there.

Decent venue. Average sound. When I went it wasn’t too crowded. The patrons and staff were reasonable. The bartender impressed me the most. Even though it was busy at the bar, she methodically worked from left to right, taking an order, getting the order, ringing it up, and moving immediately back to the next person over. Made me wonder why more bartenders don’t practice this kind of fairness. Beers fairly priced. Only problem with the bar: no beer on tap. All bottles, but a decent selection.
I’ve been to a lot of venues in LA and elsewhere, and you could certainly do worse than the Starline. I’d probably give it an «A-​OK» 3-​star rating, but I’m giving it an extra star because I think a lot of the other reviews are a bit too harsh for my experience there.

If salsa dancing is what you’re looking for, then the Starline is the place to be on Thursday nights! I started going to Starline after joining the Salsa Dance Club at Fresno State. Most everyone from the club can be seen there on Thursday nights either performing, teaching or dancing. Although the place is small and at times there is nowhere to sit, it has a great «Bay Area» vibe and there is much variety in the crowd.
There are free salsa lessons from 8:45 to 9:45 and the dancing continues until like 2. For those of you that don’t dance salsa, you can always have drinks at the bar and check out the awesome dancers (in hopes of becoming an awesome dancer yourself one day).
Also, no need to worry about location because although it is in downtown Fresno you will not be finding «thugs» around this area (Just don’t wonder too much into the surrounding areas). The location is great because the Tower District is know for its eclectic shops, restaurants and people.
Note: strict dress code

Snob city. Seriously. And I’m not talking about the people who go to shows, although some may be more pretentious than they should be. After all, its only Fresno. But the snobs I’m referring to are the owners/​management/​booking guy. I speak from experience when I say that these folks don’t give a flying fuck about the performers making anything off their performance or the crowds they bring with them. All they care about is making money, which is a good thing because we all need money to live, but they don’t want to pass any of it on to the people who do the performing, which is why concert/​club goers go to the starline in the first place! Starline makes SO MUCH off the bar, they could give all or most of the door to the acts who perform, but they only want to throw scraps yet have the expectation that your act kick ass and bring a crowd. If you are in a band, a club promoter, or anyone wishing to perform here, don’t expect to be paid what you are worth. The only thing good I can say about this place is that its 18+, so its good that the under 21 crowd have a venue to attend. Its just sad that so many cool people support a place ran by a bunch of greedy old coots.

I’ve gone to Starline a lot and if you take it for what it is, it’s not that bad. Gone to a ton of shows with friend’s bands and there is usually a good turn out.
The bartender there is amazing at her job. Tip her well and often.
The last time I went there, some drunk guy dropped his drink on my leg. Gross, but not necessarily Starline’s fault.
We’ve ordered a lot of drinks here and have never been overcharged.
It looks cool inside, but I always get the feeling that you’re one carload of drunk a-​holes away from being shot. Now that I’m a parent, I’ll probably stay away… it seems like it’s gone to the teenagers, being an all-​ages joint.

used to be cool, now it sucks.
which is a shame cause it looks cool inside.

I went to the starline accidentally a few weeks ago. They have the worst service possible. I stood at the bar for literally 12 – 15 minutes w/​no acknowledgment. The band on stage was a combination of a cat screeching/​BAD Radiohead and they had some weird guy flinging around some light sticks. All in all a very strange experience.

This place was always so overrated and is nothing more than a three star venue. The owner isn’t very nice and it seems the place has a very «rock star» attitude. There have been some good shows and events in the past, but a lot of people who come here are pretentious assholes who aren’t even really cool. I’m not very cool either, but seriously, dudes!

A few years back, I used to love going on open mic night at the Starline. But it seems in the recent years the service has gone downhill and the owner is a serious douche bag. My friends and I have frequented the Starline and also Starline grill and have been seriously overcharged many times with it taking over a week to get my money back; kicked out for trying to get service and many other reasons. Go for the live entertainment but don’t go for respect as a patron.

I like this place. I mean, it’s club where bands play and where you come and watch the bands play and you buy beer. There’s tables to make watching the bands play more comfortable. That’s about it. What else do you need?

worst place ever.
further explanation in response to the above: this place and its partner, starline grill, are actually great if you like to watch the manager and bouncers practice their karate lessons on people too drunk to stand up. also good if you like overpriced food and watered-​down drinks.