Kadan

The bar is small. It can be dungeon like. And if you feel like busting a move on the dance floor; be prepared to sweat your balls off. But hey, that’s a part of the appeal. So visceral, so fresh, so real.
I love this place and the people in it.
5 stars for you kadan.

Thanks for putting up with that drunk bitch we brought in on the 4^th. She obliviously couldn’t handle the intense chess match that was happening.

My husband has been here before and didn’t like it, but we didn’t feel like walking all the way to TCP so he decided to give this place another shot. It was really slow — three guys at the bar, all spaced out so we couldn’t sit anywhere without being too close. We decided to sit at a little table next to the window for some privacy. It was such a chill, relaxing place. I’ve seen people stumbling out drunk, and stepping outside to hit on each other, so I really didn’t have high hopes for this place. It turned out to be a really fun night. I don’t know what kind of crowd this place attracts on the weekends though.

Yes, yes… the décor may look a little Renaissance-​y Faire-​like and it may scare some people away, but don’t let it. The atmosphere is chill and it is a proper dive bar.
I love this place. I love that it hosts most of Brian Pollard’s club nights and caters to a more alternative crowd (goth nights and EBM galore). Plus, the dance floor and DJ set-​up is small, but great.
The bartender a little aloof the night that I was there. She was chatty with others and was not paying attention to those that needed to be served. I had to walk over to her to get my credit card run when I was ready to leave.
Still, I love being here. I love the atmosphere. I love its show.

I’ve been here a couple of times with the girls and we’ve always had a great time, but only because we knew who the DJ was and of course we had each other to bullshnit with.
This place has cheap drinks, pretty low-​key, really dimmed and very small– small as in it’s the size of my living room small with people packed like sardine cans.
But yes we’ve heard you pay for what you get. And here, what you lack with drinks you lack in everything else also.
You can find a better place with equally cheap drinks and have more room to dance and walk about.
But then again, it’s just my opinion.

I tell all of my friends, «You’ve got to check this place out… it’s a character bar like no other»
Seriously, they have a happy hour 7 days a week and the drinks are great for the low bucks you spend on them. And… if you are there when Dawn is working you will experience first hand, the honest to God… hardest working bartender in the business. You come back and chances are she’ll remember your drink.

My visit did not go so well. Let me first say the DJ that night was cool. He was mixing a some electronic and even busted out the cowbell and drums when I asked him too. I danced and laughed and had fun.
So why a 2 star you ask. Well, the bartender (which is the same bartender every other person complains about) was rather rude and very bluntly a capital B! She actually complained about her tip. I mean come on. You want better money, get a better job. She literally was like «I made you a good drink and blah blah blah» The reason I didn’t tip her was because she was rude upon arrival. Last I checked tips were a way of showing gratitude towards a server and you lady earned a big fat 0.00 from me. You want a tip, show a little respect to get some.

Kadan is The Little Dive Bar That Could. To condense its wonderful into bullet-​form:
— Medieval weapons on the walls (What’s not to love about this?)
— Chess boards! (And if that’s not your bag, there are generally sports on TV here.)
— It costs less to spend an evening drinking here than it does just to PARK downtown
— Within walking (read: stumbling) distance of most North Park apartments
— The crowd is generally a mixed bunch
Suggestions for a funderful Kadan experience:
— Be nerdy, weird, both of these things, or open to both of these things
— Check the schedule so you’ll know (vaguely) what you’re in for:

This place smells bad. I think it’s normally pretty dead, but on New Year’s Eve, it was popping. I danced and conversed with fellow Unilocalers. Really, I just tried to stalk Paul so I could steal his sweet moves.
Even though this place is quite literally a hop, skip, and a jump away from my apartment, it’s never on the top of my list. It’s pretty cheap which is cool, but, um, yeah, not that impressed.

For a long time all I knew Kadan as was «that bar with fistfights on the corner every night.» However, a buddy of mine used to spin here fairly regularly so I’ve become acquainted.
As far as dive bars go, this is a good one. It’s sufficiently rough and tumble to feel authentic. It’s totally unpretentious. They’ve got a great tap line up. That’s good enough for me.

Dive-​y, nothing too special, but they have cheap drinks for their happy hour.
The kind of place where anything goes… Leather pants, headbands, sweats, sports jerseys, tattoos, wrinkles, families, and you can tell there are a few regulars camping out around the bar.
I appreciate them having a chess set.
I more appreciate cheap whiskey…

Here are the main reasons, in no order, why I Love Kadan:
–Its got the creepy dungeons & dragons feel.
— Chessboards and swords all over, its like being in a tavern from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty era.
–Kyilee is the best bartender ever. Not only is she Hawt, but Smart and Sassy, oh and she pours a great drink! TIP HER WELL CHEAPO’S
–They used to have Kick Ass Drum ‘n’Bass shows there, a few monthlies or weeklies, but there are no more weeklies. They got other random nights, too. for all styles of music.
— The place is pretty diverse, and is a good mix of randoms. Which always makes for an interesting night.
— Ive had some of the best New Years Eve’s of my life there! Maybe it was the company I kept for those years, but it was always super fun. (note: Nye’s for me are usually lame, but not when I was here!)
— They have awesome Happy Hour prices on drinks! Oh and Sundays you can buy the wooden tokens and use that as your drink $$, well they used to, I have like 15 of those chips somewhere. should find em and cash em in soon. Sunday afternoons are the best days to spend there.
–The door man on selected evenings is very personable and friendly, even though he looks like a scary fat punkrawk guy. Hes really nice and cool.
— I just really like this place, and enjoy going there, even when the music is godawful, Ill stick around for a few drinks and a few laughs with friends.

Why do I love Kadan?
The fact that I went on a night that they played ska and punk music made me fall in love. I recently went on a Friday night and they were playing hip hop and rap music and it was pretty empty but I still had fun.
I think it’s amazing that you can drink a tasty snakebite and play chess at the same time!
The bar is really dim but I enjoy it. The décor is pretty amusing as well, reminds me of dragons…
Overall, I recommend it. The crowd is low key and everyone is just there to have a drink and relax.

Doorman: «let me look at your eyes»
Me: «umm…im sorry?»
Doorman: «i watched you march over here like you are on a mission. i want to make sure you are ‘ok.’ «
(looks directly into his eyes… intently)
Me: «Uh…thats just how i am when i walk alone on the street at nite… on the defense. haha im totally fine, dude.»
…proceeds to ask my name, mindless other chit chat. i am baffled and obviously prove i am not a regular — down to my ed hardy high heel wedge pumps. usually the ‘looking at your eyes’ thing is while checking ID but this was definitely triggered by a different purpose — if you get my drift — before even asking for ID. i was amused… i was confused…[until spending some time inside].
other loitering patron dudes kept approaching me while i waited for my friend to show. asking me what im doing hanging out on the corner and such. haha. you want some male attention, ladies, come to kadan. man diego to the max, and there are always guys chillin in front of it.
the place itself: well lets see… dungeon and dragons vibe. mace wedged in ceiling above the bar… chess boards on lower tables along the front wall area usually filled with players… small dance area in back where DJ’s perform. its very different from most bars, thats for sure. this is a place of the locals.
NO COVER. happy heather.
DRINKING: I havent hit up the HH… which is pretty awesome deal it seems, $ 1 wells. BUT the drink glasses are tiny, FTR, so when im told drinks are cheap here regarless… i dont really buy it. i think its fairly ‘average due to the size per price tag.
DANCING: In terms of a place to go dancing, i definitely dig, and thats more of what attracts me. Fridays feature Moonshake, with some fantastic DJ’s spinning and patrons dancing happily and hard. HAPPILY. Let me see your eyes… happy.
ha. ok doorman. i get it now.

First Saturday of the month is Broken Beat night! I’ve been going forever, but like everyone here in Unilocal [who has a life, pun intended; you, you, and you need to go out and have real friends], it takes us a century to post a review. Broken Beat is banging like your momma’s kitchen on thanksgiving (that’s the best analogy I can think of and it rhymed, I’m so cool; thanks for acknowledging it too).
There’s dubstep, glitch, dubstep, breaks, dubstep, electro, and dubstep!!! But they don’t have dubstep all the time, like last week, they had all electro and breaks. So all you dubstep haters (if there’s even any of you heard of this yumminess), don’t fret. You will be catered! They get DJ’s all over the US, and we also get a fix of our locals. They got visuals, good vibes, and good music. My only request is for a porter beer because I’m a big porter girl.
Bring your dancing shoes!

This place gives me the heebie jeebies. I’m wary of any bar that has sketchy patrons lining up at 9:55am and it’s not for the 10am football game. It’s to get their alcohol fix, but in a «social» environment sitting at the bar by themselves making shapes out of their ice cubes in their glass. Sketchy.
It’s weird in here and you know it. It smells and I’m afraid I may have contracted an unknown something or other by holding onto the wall while I pee. No amount of cheap drinks can get me to come in here (again).

This place is double plus good!
Badass bartenders, great dj’s and great help.
The entire place is like a diamond in the rough between 2 bus stops they want to make sure you get there and make it back home safe. Thursday night is when the party happens but sundays and mondays are of the chain boy!
You have to come down there and see it in person the pure awesomness of chess, reggae, dancing, and weapons of days past.

Ok, I am pretty yuppie looking compared to everyone who was here last friday pm, but I was early to meet my friends down at Ken Club and decided I wanted a dive bar to wanderinto and have some stoli…
This place was great. DIVERSE crowd, nice bartender, and a lot of knowledgable football talk. (Which is a good thing imo) Lost my ID, and drove back later, only to find that they had run out after me, and had kept my id behind the bar for me. Which is NICE! No one gave me a hard time for being so vanilla looking. lol.
I went alone and wasn’t mobbed immediately by any horned up dudes. (uh-oh…maybe that is a bad thing. j. k) and the drink was good and strong. I would def. come back. Nice dive bar!

One-​handed battle axes, broadswords, and morning stars… oh my! The medieval theme of the bar is really awesome, with a decapitating array of Middle Age implements of warfare hung on the walls. However, the décor is pretty much all Kadan has got going for it.
When our hero rolled in with his friends, the one bartender working there wasn’t behind the bar and it took quite a while to get any service at all. This was a recurring problem during the time they were there because half the time the bartender wasn’t paying attention or at the bar.
Let it be known that Kadan’s house pale ale is not that good and will have an adverse effect on your chess playing skills. Our hero almost won his game… until the alcohol kicked in and he lost his queen on a stupid move.
There’s a chance you might be really into this place if you name is bloodninja and you like to put on your robe and wizard hat for the ladies:
PROS:
— Sweet medieval theme.
— Chess sets everywhere in the bar.
CONS:
— Poor service.
— $ 10 minimum charge on credit cards.
— Horrible sound system. The DJ likes to push the limits of volume on the system as well with ear-​shattering hardcore punk music.
— The TV’s at the bar are pretty tiny and hard to watch.

UPDATE:
I have started going here more and more. I now love Kadan. $ 1 wells from 5 – 7 and you can buy «chips» to drink more $ 1 drinks after 7:00 happens. You can seriously get blitzed here for 8 or 9 bucks. The craziness of the old drunks and the bus stops still applies, but I’ve learned to appreciate it and watch the show. The bartenders are quiet and maybe even angry at first, but they quickly become rad.
NOW BACK TO OUR PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED (DATED) REVIEW.
I love Kadan, but I hate Kadan. The drinks are dirt cheap: $ 1 wells during happy hour every day. I think it’s 5 – 7. When it’s not HH, the drinks are still affordable. They have bottles and tap beers, strong drinks and bar wine.
Kadan is weird. Very weird. It’s a neighborhood bar that’s right next to two bus stops. That’ll give you a couple of different people frequenting this bar. Old guys that have been sitting at the bar all day, so that by the time you get there, they are SAUCED and barely able to form a sentence. I’ve been roped into a few conversations where I only understand about 20% of what this drunk old man is saying and have to pretend. You also get a few people that are waiting for a bus and a little rough. Normally, this makes for a phenomenal time as I love to people watch. But…
There is a LOT of old weaponry on the wall. Swords, daggers, mace’s, shield’s and potentially dangerous things. It just seems like that might not be the best choice in décor for an establishment with potential crazies and drunks.
Now that you’re warned, go and enjoy talking to the 65 year old guy that’s been drinking for 7 hours. Hang out with the guy that hasn’t showered in 4 days. It’s a time you’ll never forget. You’ll definitely have a story to tell at work tomorrow. :)