Brigitte Davila
May 2026
My friend (who is seriously considering Peninsula Del Rey) and I attended the Jazz Happy Hour on May 3, 2026. My expectations differed from reality and I was delighted but a little disappointed. First, the band was a serious jazz combo that knew their stuff. I would actually pay to see them somewhere. That was unexpected as I figured there would be some type of so-called smooth jazz and not skilled jazz musicians playing from the great American song book. Points for booking a great band! The other plus was the friendliness of the residents. When my friend struggled with her plate of appetizers and glass, they invited her to sit with them and use their table. That went a long way towards making us feel comfortable and welcome. Some small issues that could be improved: 1.) a minor issue - this was billed as a cocktail party and there was only wine and beer, no cocktails. Not a big deal, but don’t call it a cocktail party if it is a beer and wine HH. 2.) The food could be improved; the charcuterie plate was as visually appealing as it was tasty, but there was another platter of unrecognizable fried things that looked as bad as they tasted. Skip that next time. 3.) The last recommendation might be difficult with space limitations, but it would be nice to have a more “jazz club venue” with small tables that one could sit at or pull their wheelchair around. Reserve the area next to the aquarium for wheelchairs and walkers only. Overall, I would give the experience 4.5 stars, but since there is not an option for that, I rounded up.
