Located in the old warehouse and docks district of Una Negra, California, the Paradise Blues Bar and Grill is a fairly new establishment. The area is it resides in boasts a small rebirth since its opening, with the crime rate in the area becoming one of the lowest in the city. Many small shops have sprung up around the bar and grill, with rustic street lamps lighting the area brightly in the dark with the area is slowly being cleaned up. No longer does it resemble the ruins of Old Downtown, but an older rustic addition to New Downtown. The building housing Paradise Blues itself is an old restored warehouse, well, half of the warehouse. The Bar and Grill itself resides on the dockside portion of the building, while the other half of the warehouse remains on land and vacant, at least to those who ask or attempt to take a peak inside it. Parking is provided in an old lot outside the warehouse, and entrance to the pier is through a rod iron gate that remains unlocked. The only thing that marks the club as even being there is the glowing neon sign that hangs above the door.
At the entrance to the Paradise Blues Bar and Grill, you pass through 2 old semi-rusted steel doors. Nothing fancy about them, very practical, and old. Inside, you are greeted by blues or jazz music playing. Right inside the door is a small foyer, with ceramic tiles on the floor, a pattern in them that looks like a sunburst. The walls around the entranceway are all dark hard wood, a bench lines each side, with red velvet seats. Right ahead, then entrance to the main room, and the only lighting in the foyer is a bank of 3 fluorescent blue lights that run all the way around the doorway. An old beat up wooden podium is on the right side of the fluorescent doorway, with a sign that says seat yourself.
As you walk inside the neon entrance, you first see the bar and grill. You glance up and see the ceiling, a good 2, maybe 3 stories above you. Its all open, steel girders and support beams painted black, with the occasional neon light hanging along side of one in all the colors of the rainbow. The air ducts are also all visible. After taking in the height of this fine establishment, you bring your glaze down to look at the bar. The bar top itself is done in all dark woods, with old signs of various natures hanging right under the over hanging bar top. A polished chrome foot rail runs along the bottom of the bar's exterior, with chrome barstools lined up in front of it, each with a red velvet seat. The back wall directly behind the bar is home to a large mirror. Air brushed across the mirror, along with a small beach scene underneath is the name of the bar and grill, Paradise Blues. Under and to either side of the decorative airbrushing are thick black metal shelves, each supporting a neon blue light under the over hanging shelf tops. On these shelves are the bars stock of hard liquors, ranging from common bar stock to expensive and obscure imports. On the right of the bar is a large floor to ceiling wine rack, also completely stocked with all anyone could want. Next to the wine rack is a wide floor to ceiling cabinet, fitted with an odd looking lock keeping it closed.
You to walk up the 3 steps to the bar level to examine it in further detail, then you get a good look of the room around it. The room is scattered with tables and booths over on the left side, surrounded by large windows with wood horizontal blinds, closed of course. The tables are covered in ceramic tile with the same sunburst design that the foyer has, as well as some tables tiled with an elaborate moon and stars pattern. The chairs are black metals with red velvet seats, as are the booths. A small stand-alone bar for refills and such sits on the far wall. There are various signs decorating the walls, as well as pieces of memorabilia from racing sports and fishing. Other decorations on the walls include a veritable armory of hand to hand combat weapons, ranging from English Long Bows, to Scottish Claymores, finely crafted Japanese Katanas. In the back of the seating area is 2 steps raised platform set into a corner. On the platform sits an old worse for wear overstuffed black leather chair with a matching and equally worse for ware ottoman. To the right of this sits a finely carved oak cabinet/endtable combination piece, with a large bronze reading light sitting on it. Behind him hangs a huge 7-foot war axe with a 4-foot long blade on either side of it. Various Native American style charms hang from it, but it sits over a large tartan panel. To either side of this hangs an ornate katana. This is the private corner of the owner and manager, advisable to avoid unless invited near it.
On the right side of the area are 4 large billiard tables, each with a different color covering. Blue, Red, Green, Purple. Racks of pool sticks line the walls around them with a glass display case holding 3 custom sticks behind lock and key. Pool hall chairs line the small shelf bar that rounds the area. Along the far wall, under the stairs that lead upward, sits a glass inclosed area containing several video games and pin ball machines. Neon lights along various billiards pictures of are the primary source of light of this area, not including the old style Budweiser pool table lights hung above the tables. As you look back to the bar, you spot a large metal shark hanging in the corner, eyes and mouth lit, and occasionally moving.
As your glaze returns to the bar wall you find the bathrooms and 2 other doors. One leads to a fully functional, and very modern, kitchen for those late night munchie attacks. The second is a flat hammered metal door with no handle or hinges, but rather, a flat panel with a glass inlay next to in mounted on the wall, with a red light burning above it. Next to the 2nd door there are a second set of stairs that lead up to a second level. The second floor covers the entire bar area but no more. The center of this is open as well to let you have a commanding view of the bar from above, as well as the dining and pool hall areas. Situated around this more or less extra wide walkway are chairs and an occasional couch, as well as small self-serve bars at either end. Located at various spots around this level are large flat display TVs hanging on the walls. Normally, whatever sporting event is on, although one is always tuned to the news. This last one is conveniently angled to be viewed from both the bar and the lone overstuffed chair below. The stairs continue up, but are double gated to prevent access. For those select few that have an access key, or are led up them, they lead to the various management offices and the roof.
