This weekend, I went to the newly opened Club 21, which opened in February at 2022 Chester Ave., on the corner of 21st street.
I would have to say there are definitely mixed emotions about the new club.
From the opening weekend, up until actually visiting the club myself, I had an opinion already formed from those who had attended. Men who have attended were excited for the go-go dancers, but everything else fell flat. The women I spoke to either loved the place or hated it, with no real middle ground.
Carley Miller, a former Bakersfield College student, said, “It’s like the INK Club, in a larger space. There is the same music, same people, except more ‘ratchet’ and more ghetto. I like the Padre. It’s classy and unlike being in the rest of Bakersfield night clubs.”
She added, “The Padre doesn’t charge for water…they do here, almost five bucks.”
When I asked the security how they felt about working for the club, they were sure to point out a lot of upgraded security versus other establishments. One of the security guards pointed out that each person had an earpiece, a high-tech walky-talky, and some were even armed.
Once you are carded, pat down – for the males – and pay the $10 cover charge, you can see the inside of the first floor. As soon as you walk in, strategically placed is a go-go dancer. If you walk to the right, there is a fully-stocked bar. I found the prices of beer, $4.75 for a domestic bottle, were a bit pricey, yet not priced any higher than other nightclubs downtown.
“It’s bigger, but that is just more room to pile in more people. Security is an issue, regardless how many security guards are there,” said student Ray Page.
If you go to the left and up narrow staircase, to the left, you have the second floor that hosted, easily 100-plus attendees. The best part of the club, to me, was the decor on the second floor, the main dance floor. I loved the black-and-white checkered tiles and the high, vaulted ceilings. However, the staircase was too narrow, and carpeted. The top floor didn’t have one trashcan in view, nor one I could find while looking for a place to throw my beer bottle away.
The music was the usual sounds that blare out of any club downtown, and I was not pleased with that. I thought the music selection kept Club 21 from being original or one of a kind. I was hoping to get an atmosphere that was different from the kind I was used to, but, to be honest, other than the looks, I felt like I could have been in any other Bakersfield nightclub.
The music that was played was the same type of music you can listen or dance to at any nightclub downtown. I was expecting dance-appropriate music that the radio doesn’t play, and that we don’t hear often.
No one wants to hear ’90s music that is played out, and especially at what is suppose to be a new and hip establishment. I felt the music is the most important thing to make the club different from others, but with the music selection there was very little interest of people wanting to dance. Most people milled around in herds and fewer danced.
I suggest that club gets a better music selection, a strict dress code for both men and women, and beer or shot specials. Or, at least keep your domestics reasonably priced, preferably lower than your competitors.
Also, as a note for all Bakersfield nightclubs, it is those in attendance that make the final measurement of an enjoyable nightclub. Until there can be class and respect for each other, we, as attendees, will suffer from the same old same.
Club 21 failed to impress me. I will not be visiting again, unless the issues that I mentioned are addressed, but that might just be wishful thinking.

1 out of 5 stars