The Vent Lounge

Pleasant staff. Wish they had more liquor choice but good staff

Bartender is so sweet. Love that lady. Amazing customer service, but it’s hard to enjoy over the putrid smell of urine overtaking the place.

My husband and I have been going to the vent for years we love the owners and they always have great deals going on and Friday’s tell 11pm there’s hardly no 1 in there other then regulars and the staff is always amazing and super nice and makes you feel like family and the bar is always super clean

Came in late evening on a Saturday night. I’ve driven past The Vent numerous times (on the corner of Madison Ave and Fair Oaks Blvd). This area has definitely undergone some cleanup and push-​out of the less-​desirable. This evening, I was on my own, and stopped in for a beverage.
Only a handful of people, and apparently mostly regulars. Two pool tables, a digital jukebox, and a couple TV’s. My first impression was that it smelled clean (or didn’t smell dirty). Not one unfriendly person in the place. In fact, I was openly welcomed.
The bartender (likely owner) came to me and welcomed me and noticed that I was a new customer. She mentioned the dice game (for jukebox dollars) happening at the other end of the bar and was invited to join. I moved to closer seat and the players openly offered to shake n roll. Shortly, a cocktail appeared bought for me by another patron.
This seems like a good place with good people. A pleasant evening without raucous activity or drama. maybe these are «adults» that like to have fun. Good to experienced this local bar and is a place I’ll return.

I went to the vent bar, sevice was great the bartender made a drink call skylab soooo great, by the way it’s open till 1:30

To the one person who said watch the staff. Sorry, the first night I went in there a bunch of thugs showed up almost at midnight when they used to close. I did not know the bartenders or the group of kids I was playing beer pong with. The bartenders kept me inside until the thugs left and made sure I have a safe ride home. That was without me asking for help, unlike other surrounding bars. The Vent is a Great place. Go in and you will be treated right unless your a jerk.

If NO STARS was an option I would have picked it. This place is a sorry excuse for a business. I get it, it is supposed to be a little dive bar but not quit what I had in mind. The Staff seems sketchy and after only 2 beers my friend was overly impaired to the point of having to carry her out and go straight to the hospital up the road. After being seen they confirmed that she had been slipped something like a roofie, and besides the staff… We were the only ones there! So BEWARE pretty girls. If wanting to go out to a bar in this area stick to Players or any bar but the Vent.

I came here on my lunch break, I was the only one in the bar and I loved the vibes I got. The bartender was easy to talk to and not annoying like I have noticed at other places. (by annoying I mean talking my ear off about nonsense or invading my space) I loved the set up with the pool tables and beer pong tables.
Definitely will be back!

This place is absolutely horrible!!! I live right around the corner and was happy that there was a bar near by that had pool that we could walk to once in awhile. A previous reviewer said it is in a shitty part of town and that is incorrect. There are very nice neighborhoods nearby — kinda suburb like.
We have been there a few times and each time has been a bad experience, mostly because of the bartender, a woman who seems to be there every time we go. One of the times I tried to order a lemon drop for my birthday and she opened sugar packets to put on the glass and it absolutely did not taste like a lemon drop — I sent it back for a vodka and seltzer water — wrong again!
Another time we went there was a random guy who kept going behind the bar to «help» and I am pretty sure he did not work there. He also kept playing music that was foul and eventually we left.
Last night was our final visit — one last chance. As we were walking down the sidewalk we saw and man fly out the front door. He was pushed by another man who told him he was drunk and needed to get his pool cue and leave. As we got closer, my husband poked his head in to see if they were open because it was empty and the lights were off. The same bartender who is always there told us it was closed. It was 10 p.m. and the sign says it is open until 2 a.m. And it was Memorial Weekend.
So that’s it for us, we will not be going back.

Best dive around! Bartender is a hottie! Gotta try the skylab if you go in here. Fun times

So, I’ve given the Vent several opportunities to earn my business and slowly I’ve come around to feeling quite at home at this spot. Deena, Brad, Rashod and the other bartenders are all super nice people. There juke box has a great selection and the atmosphere is very kicked-​back. This is a good spot for playing billards, listening to music, and just hanging out.
Everyone who hangs here seems to be very easy going and open to chat. They still don’t have drink specials, but the prices are fair.
They’re last call is at 1:30am (they DO NOT close at 12 like another reviewer had mentioned). I believe that was from when it was a prior business called Crocodiles. As I understand it, the Vent is a new owner and it is FAR from a biker scene. Usually local Fair Oaks people and I wouldn’t even say there is an age or demographic, 21 — 80 year olds of all walks of life and socio-​economic backgrounds.
Pop in, have a beer and hang out… if that’s what you’re looking for…

yayyy the vent! I have no idea where all these reviewers are finding these rednecks at! maybe they should all drive back to granite bay in there bmws if they cant handle being around normal working class people. Love this place, minus the midnight closing, which really sucks. Deena, the owner and women you usually see behind the bar has been tryin to get it changed but they have been running into problems becuase the residential elderly community behind them. Guess crocodiles used to let the bikers race their «hogs» in the alley behind the place and those old people havent forgotten! Other than that though, really nice little place, always very clean, cool lighting and a nice granite bartop. couple pool tables, some other games. They even have this whiteboard where you can buy a friend a drink and they write the friend and the drink on the board so they have it for next time. havent seen that anywhere else so thats really cool.

The wife and I visit frequently. for all the whiners about rednecks. get over yourself already. it is quiet, clean, and a great place for a drink, at 1 pm or 5 pm.

For starters, it should be noted that this place is no longer called Crocodiles, but is instead the ambiguously titled The Vent. More on that switchover later.
This place is quite the enigma. It’s in a shitty looking part of town, and the windows are blacked out, almost ensuring the idea that something filthy and lurid is happening inside your mind. For some people (like myself and that convict Davenport), that’s a draw.
But then you go inside and you you discover that The Vent, not Crocodiles, obviously had some money go into it, while retaining a certain sheen of redneck ick. There’s just something about this part of town and it’s love of… of… redneckery? Something like that.
In The Vent’s favor (i.e. on the money side): Weird, cool lightning. Fancy stools, even if they’re too short. Textured wall designs. Decently new jukebox. Several plasma screens. Fancy dart board. Attractive-​ish bartender.
On the not quite plus side: UFC playing on those lovely plasma screens. Asshole patrons who seem to have «fight!» as a huge component of their DNA. One of those machines that you punch to see how strong or stupid aggressive you can be. I mean, is that really the element you want to inspire in your place of business? More on that in a moment, as well. Also, «Freebird» was playing on the juke. (But to be fair, that’s more Davenport’s fault that the ownership of The Vent).
What this place needs: Access to some better clientele. Maybe a bouncer who says «no» to certain elements who want to get in and play pool.
Now, a little interesting trivia. The place closes at midnight. I asked the young lady behind the bar why the hell this was and she told me that of course, they could stay open til 2 AM, but had to stop serving the spirits at midnight. Why? Apparently, Crocodiles had more than a lot of after hours fights (which isn’t quite that shocking when you look at who you’re elbow to elbow with) and ABC wasn’t quite cool with that so they restricted their curfew to the witching hour. When the new owners bought the place and liquor license, the restrictions came with. They’re hoping that within the next month or two, they can get it pushed back til 2, but until then…
Would I recommend this place? Yes. But only if you’re an adventurer, really. Or don’t get UFC on your TV like a normal suburban psychopath.