Mario & John’s

Yes, please.

Best bar in the Petaluma area.
The staff is very friendly n professional
Drinks are amazing n there is a great variety.
Free pool and shuffle table!

I am so happy to have found this place. Definitely the best bar I’ve been to in Sonoma County. Reminds me of a couple of my favorite bars in SF, so I’m happy to have one in my own town. I tried No Bad Days made with gin which was delicious. I also had a gin and tonic which was good but not the best I’ve ever had. They have an excellent bourbon selection and our bartender was super friendly and helpful in selecting new bourbons to try. I loved the décor, the relaxed vibe, and the wide variety of patrons. Playing shuffleboard was really fun! The food in the back is another awesome aspect of Mario & John’s. Bathrooms were very clean, and even at 9 pm it didn’t feel crowded. I’ll definitely be coming back many times.

No frills, just a damn good drink in a laid back setting. My favorite bar in Petaluma.

Bartenders anti social and uninterested in serving.
Food great.
Drink recipes good but not well executed.
Great environment if wasn’t for the staff.

Great spot. I have only been to this place a few times this year, and never before that. I heard it was purchased by a pair of guys somewhat recently, so I never saw it when it was under the old ownership. I have heard the new folks sank a bunch of money into the place, and it shows. Very nice setup, lots of different stuff to try while your there. I have the occasional weekday off, which I find is the best time to go, as I like an empty bar. Anyway, great place, LOTS of stuff to try, and very friendly staff.
Also, there is a cool cookery out back, serving great food made by a guy from New Orleans. I have only tried it once, but mean to do so again!
Thanks Mario & John’s!

This place is like Tiajuana meets the yuppie Oakland hipster scene, and I love everything about it. It’s part-​hipster-​dive, part-​lounge with a spacious interior, incredible and interesting mixed drink menu, and a pool table.
I went with a large group on a Friday night and it was hoppin, but there was plenty of space for us to hang around one of the tables by the pool table. I believe there was something like Spanish lounge style music playing? I don’t know how else to describe it, but it made for a relaxed vibe.
Between the group we probably tried more than half the drinks on the menu, and no one was disappointed.
It’s a great, clean spot to have a laid-​back drink or three and feel pretty cool while doing it. A very refreshing break from the rest of the local bar scene.

Mario & John’s is one of the few places in Petaluma where you can get a well made cocktail. Great selection of Bourbon and Rye. They have an interesting cocktail list and can make the classics as well.
I have been there both when completely dead and when packed and never had a problem getting served fairly quickly. Atmosphere is very low key, crowd all over the place in terms of age/​dress. As a 40 something, I don’t feel out of place here at all. Great place to meet up for a pre-​dinner drink.

Don’t let the exterior turn you away, this place is huge, very open, and overall is a great space on the inside. The atmosphere is very laid back so don’t be surprised if you have to make yourself heard at some point to get your order in.
The drinks: what we had was exactly what we expected and at totally fair prices.
The food: we went on a Thursday, apparently Thursday’s and Saturday’s they have a special chef in — the food is expensive on these nights but was totally worth it! We had stuffed bell peppers and ribs, they were perfect. I’m not a huge ribs fan but absolutely enjoyed these!

I’ve lived in Petaluma for nearly 40 years and was here when P-​town was the place to go for north bay night life from the late 70’s through the end of the 80’s. My wife of 25 years and I met on the dance floor of Steamer’s Gold. Those days are long gone, but I stayed here and raised my family in this wonderful town. My two oldest kids are now of drinking age, and both have been telling me to try Mario & John’s, which has been at its present location for as long as I can remember but I had never gone in. So this week my son and I went in for a beer and some food. IT WAS GREAT!
What can I say that hasn’t already been said? This place is fantastic. A no frills local bar with an amazing choice of beers from mass produced favorites all the way down to local craft beers. The wall behind the bar is nearly floor to ceiling bottles with some of the highest quality liquor available. Parking is a dream compared to other places around town, and inside they have a billiards table as well as an old fashioned shuffleboard table complete with corn meal to make the pucks slide on the wood surface. If you enjoy a chill crowd of friendly people, this place should be on your to-​do list.
The real thrill for me at Mario & John’s is Faron’s New Orleans style BBQ which he prepares in the back parking lot in a portable tent and on a small charcoal grill. I’ve only tried the ribs and the shrimp étouffée so far, and I’m looking forward to my next visit to try more items on his menu. Check ahead to see what is being served on what day of the week. A healthy portion of 4 ribs with red beans, cornbread and rice is $ 12, and just the right amount for a meal. The ribs are da bomb, slow smoked then popped on his charcoal grill and covered with his own special BBQ sauce. The meat has a beautiful smoke ring and falls off of the bone. The flavor of the sauce was as good as I’ve had anywhere, and I’ve had a lot of world class BBQ in my day. Faron is from New Orleans and learned his craft well. His web site and menu can be checked out at:
Do yourself a favor and give Mario & John’s a try. I will be back very soon.

Best cocktails in town. The new owners really did a great job transforming the previous bar into a beautiful and fun spot. They have shuffleboard and a pool table as well. If you get hungry they have a great Cajun food truck you can order from! (If you’re a vegetarian, just ask if they can fix you something veggie, and they’ll make something yummy for you). It’s a great place to go for a night out and is big enough to go with groups.

Nice place. Plenty of room, average bar, average staff. They have a decent shuffle board set-​up. I’m not WILDLY impressed, but I will be back eventually. Fun spot.

If you are looking for a place in P-​town to kick back, relax, maybe play a little pool or shuffleboard while sipping on a perfectly executed cocktail, then you will love this joint!
We stopped in for a nightcap after dinner downtown, based on Unilocal reviews. My fellow Unilocalers once again did not let us down. The Cosmo here is quite frankly the best I have ever had. My son loved his manhattan with the boozy cherry.
The place has a real urban vibe with a good mix of patrons. Faron’s bbq is served up New Orleans style from a kitchen pop up tent out back. Friendly bouncer at the entrance to check ID’s. The bartenders are friendly, efficient and master mixologists.
A great mix of music played on their sound system, but not too loud that you could not hold a conversation. Everyone around us seemed to be enjoying themselves. Not a rowdy dive bar crowd at all.
Me liked this place alot, and we will definitely be returning in the future! Best cocktail bar in Petaluma hands down!

Great cocktails, large open space for hanging with friends, pool table and shuffle board! If you order anything from the Cajun food menu you won’t be disappointed. I dream about their sautéed green beans… really good old fashions as well!

Best Cosmo around but we come here mostly for Faron’s New Orleans Style Food. It’s always spectacular. Don’t expect a lot of choices though as there is usually two choices a day plus a special occasionally. Faron is a sweet man and takes great pride in his food and it shows. My fav is the cornbread, tastes like it is smoked! Only downside to this place is no cocktail servers and it can get a bit pricy if you don’t watch it.

I guess this would be the «new» Mario and John’s, as there are new owners and as a homage to the «old» Mario and John’s they kept the iconic name. It is a local bar, for sure, on East D Street, so there is no downtown influence. The crowd seems to me to be young professionals and not necessarily that rowdy bunch from Kentucky. The premises are kept nicely. And, it has the best and coldest tap beer in town. Nough said.
BTW parking is easy (unlike Kentucky Street).

Great whiskey and bourbon selection and knowledgable bartender/​owner Nick. Thank you!!! Amazing experience and hidden gem in Sonoma county. Will be repeat customers. Can’t wait to return.

A very fun bar with a neat vibe. We visited here with a group of other wedding-​goers after my brother’s reception finished. This may be his local spot, but either way it’s a good one. Lots of beers on offer and lots of space for sitting and/​or standing. The bathrooms were very clean toward the end of a Saturday night — that’s a rarity and I appreciate it! Overall seems like a really great spot!

Been driving by the pace for 2 years now. Finally went in with the wife this past Saturday. I love this spot. We played shuffleboard and pool, I drank some superfly handcrafted cocktails and my wife had her pick of some stellar craft brews. These guys know what they are doing. The got a southern inspired and raised man in the kitchen cooking up some traditional creations with a twist. What a great bar!

Cocktails done right! I can’t say enough about this place. The bar alone is a masterpiece with it perfection of cocktails and choice of craft beers. The shuffleboard and pool table are top notch, balanced and ready for play. Musical choice is on point and suited for all personal likes. I’d like to add that they also have some of the best BBQ options around to snack on while your hanging out enjoying the atmosphere.
Best neighborhood bar by far.