Rancho Nicasio

There is a place in the geographical center of Marin County where the rolling hills of Nicasio Valley frame a historic roadhouse that has been drawing music lovers, dancers, and good-food seekers since 1941. That place is Rancho Nicasio, and it is one of the most beloved live music destinations in all of Northern California. Part honky tonk, part community gathering hall, part concert venue, this rustic landmark sits on the Nicasio town square surrounded by five acres of manicured lawn and has hosted nationally known Americana, roots, rock, blues, and R&B acts for decades. The room itself is warm and unpretentious with a dance floor that fills fast when the music gets going. From Memorial Day through Labor Day the legendary BBQ on the Lawn series transforms the outdoor grounds into one of the Bay Area's finest summer concert experiences, with acts like Los Lobos, Tommy Castro, Asleep at the Wheel, and Jackie Greene taking the outdoor stage against a backdrop of open sky and Marin countryside. Indoors, the Dinner and a Show format delivers a more intimate concert experience with dinner service running alongside the performance. Zagat once described the crowd here as a people looking to have a good time putting on their dancing boots, and that still captures it perfectly. The drive out to Nicasio is part of the experience, and once you arrive, you will understand immediately why people keep making it.