The Observatory

Caught The Hives here on 8/8/24 and The Observatory made this bucket list experience really special. The staff were great and welcoming, the venue was super clean and nice inside and out. The show itself was amazing, with excellent sound and not a bad angle of the stage in the house. Phenomenal night. Thank you!

I recently went with friends to see Quicksand and Hot Water music play at the Observatory in Santa Ana. Everything went incredibly well. Security, parking, etc were all a breeze and lines werent involved as I showed up just before Quicksand went on at 9pm. The show was amazing! Solid sound and lighting. Getting a drink and some munchies was extremely easy yet still a little pricey. What club isnt these days?!! With open General Admission tickets it was still easy to move around the room and get down in front to take decent pictures.

Had a great time a Sad Summer festival. Spacious venue and security on point! Felt safe and secure enough to enjoy the day without anything poping off 👀 Cant wait for the next show!

Watched The hives tonight. Brilliant experience overall. I recommend anyone for a night out in town. Pretty good views.

Great place. Impeccable audio mixing in the main room. Not always as good in the smaller room. Great acts play here, terrific booze selection. Parking situation is weird as hell, but it kinda works. One of my favorite, smaller venues in OC.Update April 2024: each bar in the venue can offer differing drinks, etc so if they dont have what you want at one, try another. Sometimes the Constellation Room is used for merch at bigger shows.

We saw a metal show here and it was amazing! The area the venue is in is clean and safe. We drove out from LA to see the concert because the venue available in town is close to skid row and had pretty mixed reviews. Parking was easy, 10$ cash or card. They also had VIP packages available, which included parking and a seating area inside. The bathrooms were well maintained. I saw lots of people walking around the pizza and large pretzels. We will absolutely be going here again.

Another excellent music venue in the OC! Good sight lines from most angles with the exception of a few pillars obstructing ones view on the ground floor. There is an upper level or balcony with booth style seating. Drink prices are dear. $17 each for draft beer. Perhaps this is part of their dont drink and drive plan?

Visiting the observatory with my friends was an incredibly fun and memorable experience! From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the stunning views and the fascinating displays. The staff were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, which added to the excitement of the visit.We started our evening with a tour of the exhibits, learning about the history of astronomy and the various celestial phenomena. The interactive displays were both educational and entertaining, allowing us to engage with the material in a hands-on way.As night fell, we moved to the observation deck where the real magic happened. The telescopes were powerful and provided breathtaking views of the moon, planets, and distant stars. The staff guided us through each celestial body we observed, explaining the details and answering all our questions with patience and expertise.One of the highlights was seeing Saturn and its rings up close – a sight none of us will forget! We also had the opportunity to view some deep-sky objects like star clusters and nebulae, which were simply awe-inspiring.The ambiance of the observatory at night was perfect for stargazing. The clear skies and the tranquility of the surroundings made for a serene and almost otherworldly experience. We even managed to capture some beautiful photos through the telescopes, making the night even more special.Overall, our visit to the observatory was a fantastic blend of fun and education. It was a great way to spend time with friends, exploring the wonders of the universe together. We left with a greater appreciation for the cosmos and a sense of wonder that we’ll carry with us for a long time. If you’re looking for a unique and enjoyable outing, I highly recommend a visit to the observatory!

Had an amazing time at the Chris Renzema concert with my daughter! Thank you for allowing Christian artists to have a place to perform.

Ive been coming here for years even before it was the Observatory. Parking was organized, and getting into the show with security was quick. The show was great. the sound was perfect. Had a great time.

Ive gone to The Observatory MANY times and it is my go to venue for shows. Tickets are always reasonably priced and The venue itself is amazing.Pay attention to where your concert will be held because there are two rooms at this place and I wont lie, they are both amazing for two different reasons.1st The Constellation Room.This room is a more intimate stage and room to see performances in. There is a bar in it. And Ive been to see many bands here and not only am I right uo against the stage with them, but half of them would jump into the crowd with us and let us perform with them! Additionally they would come into the room afterwards and chill and drink with us for a post performance hangout. It truly is a place I hold some of my most cherished memories.2nd is the Main StageThis is the run of the mill experience and expectation that you expect from a concert experience. Not to say that it lessens anything for it being so vanilla, no it doesnt. It actually makes it quite inviting. I cant explain it in words. Its a feeling. Like a garage or a hangout area where you and a friend would chill and listen to records or play videogames. Its the same feeling. Its comfort. And it music.Overall staff there is amazing. Never had a bad time with anyone.I cant say I got there early enough to ever try out what restaurants they would be hosting beforehand, but Ive only heard good things.Parking is a bit of a trek (1-3 block walk) and is cash only so be prepared for that as well.Overall5/5 StarsIll always be coming here for shows when I can.

Great venue. Looks like its all standing. Can see the artist up close if you arrive early. Parking lot is not that far away. Gets really crowded so be ready to rub some elbows. Saw yaejis show and it was the best connect ever. So glad this venue is around. Driving to Los Angeles is so hard, especially on weekends.Edited as I still like the location of the venue, but their practices for parking are unfortunate. In the past, many concerts had free parking. Then, they changed to $10 parking. Now, they charge $15 unless you pay $10 ahead of time online. This was not spelled out clearly. Terrible practice.

This is an excellent venue. Ive seen many shows here over the years. Parking is easy and reasonable, fairly easy to get thru security and leaving is easy too.

The act they booked was amazing. I thought it would be a stargazing attraction but no, just a venue. Tiny room. Every time they opened the door at the back of the bar, it hissed loudly and became a running joke for the artist and the audience. I had a tequila and beer back for $36 with tip. I would definitely go back for artists of this caliber. I dont think you need the parking package.

I usually go to this venue for concerts and theyre great, but when they hold a festival on their grounds the stages can get really crowded. The 1 Strange Night in OC festival crowd got really packed and rowdy near the end of the festival. Multiple people had their head stepped on and lost a lot of glasses even piercings. The Garden briefly asked if someone was okay then immediately started the next song like it was a transition to the next song. Terrible experience!

Everyone here was wonderful We accidentally brought a flashlight but they had a coach check. The food was actually pretty good and came out quickly and the people at the bar were absolutely amazing and very friendly drinks were great. I love those venue and Ive been here for cannibal corps and VNV Nation both really amazing shows add a wonderful venue

Great sound, great lighting, not a bad place to see in the house. Drinks are great, especially the Observatory Beer by Brewery X. We went to go see Cold Cave and the show was amazing! Can’t wait to go see more shows. The constellation room is great too, smaller, but perfect place to see bands as well. The whole venue is secure and intimate. One of my favorites venues around.

Saw TV Girl, it is a smaller venue and perfect for my girls first concert. It was great and we had a great time.Only issue was parking, we had to park down the street in a business park and they charged 15.00.

Great venue with easy parking. Tiered floor sonics easy to see the band.Also liked that there is a lot of AC.Saw Drab Majesty tonight (always awesome).This venue is worth the drive!

Great Venue for Live music. Tonight we experienced Mammoth - Wolfgang Van Halens band. They rocked the house. The Observatory has 2 individual stages at this location, you could literally watch 2 different styles of music by taking a shirt walk down the hall.Most of this is General Admission and standing room only. They do have areas that youre able to pay for seats and a table for additional fees.They Have multiple bar areas for drinks, beer, wine, well drinks, sodas and water all available.Parking costs as much as a ticket, but you may be able to have less expensive or free parking offsite, but do your homework first before you do anything like that so you dont come back to an empty parking space because you were towed... lol

Love this place. The staff is always great. Parking is available, but not always super close. You can pay more to park closer. I dont mind walking a bit to save money. It has been a few years...but Make the Music Go Bang! Festival there was GREAT!!! Sadly, the last chance I got to see the Buzzcocks. Very enjoyable venue overall.

Solid place to see a show outside of L.A. Smaller venue, but there is a lot of room throughout the venue. Staff is friendly, easy to get food and drinks, so made for an easy going night. All ages as well 👍🏼Sound was a little off on this night, wanted to hear the vocals much better, but they were really washed out, and given I was there for the singer, was a little bummed. Overall, sound mix forgiven, the band sounded great and it was well worth it to see Gary Numan put on an amazing performance at the Observatory vs the Fonda Theater in Hollywood!

This is a great venue. Even though the show is as sold out it didn’t feel crowded. It was easy to get there and find parking as well as leave. If you live in OC it’s very convenient to see a show here and not have to drive to LA.

Solid acts. The venue has been purchased by Live Nation. Better run but still could be improved. You thought it was expensive before?

I havent been to this location in years, not much has changed. The restrooms are clean, simple layout and easy to get around. Basic, clean and safe. I attended end of April 2019 for tech9 and had a great time! Drinks were somewhere around 10 for a draft domestic beer, I guess for security reasons they dont give out bottles. I felt safe, show was great, everything orderly, parking was $10 and it was easy to find parking with a short walk to venue.

Great venue, just wish the parking was better. Besides that, a lot of great artists come through and there are no bad places to stand to view the show.

Hands down my favorite venue of all time. The venue is less than 20 miles away from me so its easy to get to. The best thing about The Observatory is the artist selection, they book some of my favorite artist so I come here pretty often. You will have a different experience every time, depending on what room the band is playing at and what equipment the band brings with them. The more mainstream artist bring their own lights and decorations so it makes the experience better. Most artist play at the Observatory room but there is also the constellation room right next to it. During music festivals like Burgerama and Beach Goth there are usually three stages, both inside and outside. The sound here sounds pretty clear and since the venue is not that big seeing bands play here feels very intimate. If you get to the show early you will probably get to stand 5 feet away from the artist. The parking here varies depending on who is playing. Sometimes you can park for free, sometimes $10 and sometimes it can reach $25 (which is ridiculous). The only thing I hate about the Observatory is how hot it gets, it makes the place feel dirtier. I dont recommend that anyone take a sweater because youre just going to want to toss it in a trash can (even during winter). I also recommend that you eat and drink a lot before a show because they overprice everything. No one likes paying more than $2 for a bottle of water.

Saw the Bouncing Souls here last night with Cat Fight and Bad Cop Bad Cop…concert, venue and staff the best. Due to an injury had to use a cane and security (without me having to ask) directed me to any nearby ramp so I could avoid stairs. Place is way cool…

Nice, intimate venue! Went to see Masego perform, and I feel like no seat is a bad one. The bottom level is standing room only, so if youd rather sit down, check out the VIP seating upstairs. We got barstool seating for $40/person. So worth it!! The food was pretty good too!

Ok, sorry, but we hated this venue. Its standing only, which meant my gf couldnt see anything. I imagine most of the women in there couldnt either. So unless youre 63 like me, dont bother. The acoustics were horrible too. Sorry, I generally dont post a bad review but you need to know what youre getting into if you buy a ticket here. I think this used to be the old Harlequin Dinner Theater and it hasnt really been updated since the 80s. Wow.

Ive seen several great shows here. Parking is easy and the venue is just the right size to feel intimate especially stage left and stage right for main stage, and the Constellation Room for smaller shows. Security is a breeze and the food servers/bartenders give good service.

Great venue. Really easy to get to and amazing indie acts

Ive gone to The Observatory MANY times and it is my go to venue for shows. Tickets are always reasonably priced and The venue itself is amazing.Great venue with easy parking. Tiered floor sonics easy to see the band.Also liked that there is a lot of AC.Saw Drab Majesty tonight (always awesome).This venue is worth the drive!

A pretty small venue, but since its close and convenient the experience was not bad at all. If the place is sold out remember you will be bumping into people all night. They have a large bar area which is good, consider arriving early to avoid running into minor traffic. They have some high profile artists play here sometimes. A couple of the green rooms were nice and had clean bathrooms with a shower and such. The VIP tables and couches were not bad and at least gave us separation to dance with our group. The venue feels a little more personal becomes it is very close to the stage which is a good thing. The bar staff were friendly considering they are serving a ton of people. I was here for new years. Yes it was sold out.

Lukas Nelson and POTR, great venue for them.

Cool intimate venue, but the sound from the large stage bleeds over into the smaller stage. Also parking is advertised as $10 on their website, but when we arrived it turned out to be $30 at the venue, or $15 to park at a remote lot (5 min walk away).

Bands were great, music was good, bartenders made STRONG drinks.... but the crowd sucked. Seriously pathetic energy. Saw the Hu, Nerv and Blind Channel openers.... embarrassing passive crowd. Better concerts in Canada. Do better, Cali. Only thing that saved the night were the ridiculously strong vodka and sodas.

I love coming to this place. Both concerts I have been too have been amazing. The staff are so welcoming. I felt safe They pat you down to make sure that no one takes anything they shouldnt. I love it its always clean and the security pulls out anyone that starts to get out of control over all its a cool place to come and chill.

Saw G-Eazy here last night! It was my first time here and it was a really intimate venue. SO CROWDED! But everyone was surprisingly nice and respectful. Security handled the pushy people very well (they did NOT play!) I would definitely go back to this venue ❤

Constantly, consistently baffled as to how this place has been rated so high for so long and Ive been coming here since the 90s.Once LiveNation took over, the prices for everything went through the roof, so plan accordingly. The parking lot is now rarely used as a parking lot and mostly used as a place for security to yell that youre standing somewhere that you shouldnt be, moments after you were told it was okay to be there.Once it changed from The Galaxy to The Observatory, intimate dining tables changed from a fun, small scale experience to a VIP treatment only, so I hope youre ready to shell out premium dollars for frozen, Costco food.Back to security, I have never met a more unpleasant, rude, horrible group than the ones here. I understand security isnt your friend--theyre there to provide, you know, security. The guards working at this place take the 1% power theyre given, let it go to their heads, and heavy breathe about it every single moment theyre alive. Do what they ask? Get swarmed, get told that youre wrong. Wander slightly near a door because youre leaving? Get told you cant use the door (its an exit, other people have used it.) Stand in place for more than 3 seconds? Get told that you cant just stand, its a security station (its a literal blank space with nothing there.)Tonight was the straw. Over 20 years of patronage and Im done.

This place is perfect if you just want to go to a concert without the concert crowd... The staff was amazing... I was having troubles bringing up my online tickets... The staff helped me out no problem... The drinks were just a little pricey but that was nothing compared to the positive experience I had here... The bathrooms are clean and convenient... Parking was great no problems... Yes I would go back here time and time again...

The main stage is great for getting up close to performances! VERY INEXPENSIVE SHOW TICKETS! Smaller stages are also pretty close but audience space is limited.Parking is sometimes very limited depending on the show - I have had to park over a mile away & Ive also been able to park as close as behind the building. COOL atmosphere. Trendy! Bar near main stage. Some booth seating (limited). Great audio /visual experience! Great artists, both well-known & less known. The bathrooms (and floors) tend to get SUPER GROSS and dirty as the night progresses!

Very organized and clean,its a good size venue for live music with great sound. Good security and the guy at the parking lot was the best, for sure going back for more!

Could be a great place to play. Not ! The venue is hard to work with. Does not care about anything except themselves. Don’t expect much out of the employees. That way you won’t be let down.

This place has a lot going on and grown a lot since the old Galaxy. Saw a band there, Electric Six, in one of the venues, smaller and intimate. Had a blast. There seemed to be a hip hop show going at the same time but didnt take anything from the rock and roll experience

Such great venue! Havent had a bad experience yet. They are very accommodating. Its a nice smallish venue.

First time here with no clue what to expect. If youve been to a House of Blues this is similar. They have parking lots and it cost $10 no cash. The lots are close so not much walking. They do a very good job of assuring safety. You will enter a line that is organized and clearly marked and fenced. You will have your bags searched then you will walk through a metal detector. There is plenty of security throughout the facility. You will then show id and given a wrist band if your over 21. You will think you have to hit the first bars you see but DONT, head into the room where there is a huge bar with 7 or 8 tenders with registers. Look for the white screens on the counter that will tell you where the lines are. You could wait where there is no bartender. Our bartender was fast and gave us very generous pours. Once the show started there was never a wait at the bar. It is general admission so first come first serve in the standing room only theater. The theater is a half circle and I believe there are 4 different levels (stadium) for the crowd. There really isnt a bad area even from the side. The stage sticks out into the crowd enough to feel very intimate. We arrived at 7:30 for a 7 start time. We got a terrific location 2nd level to the right of center. This place puts you right in the action Im guessing the performers feel the same. I believe it holds a maximum of 1000 people. They have a VIP balcony that looks pretty legit. The balcony provides booth seating and servers. This is now a corporate theater owned by Live Nation. The place is clean and well taken care of. The bathrooms were in good order. Ill be back.

Had a lot of fun with the artist the whole performance of different bands before getting to the main group. Molly was outstanding!

It is always a great time coming here for concerts. I love the patio area. Its super chill and love that they have band merchandise.

Great venue to watch live music. Terraced sections provide great views. Easy entrance and exit. Plenty of parking in the adjacent lots.

Low end sound for Chris Webby was deep. Saw same show at 4 venues, hands down, Observatory had the best sound. Easy to get a brew, spacious. Watch that last step into the bowl 😁

Went to watch a Kurt Travis show (loved it amazing)Speedy check inGreat atmosphereGreat drinks 🍷Security all over too!