The Victorian, the restaurant-turned-nightclub housed inside a historic Victorian-style mansion on Santa Monica's Main Street, announced Monday it is closing after 20 years in business. The venue has four more weekends before shutting its doors for good, with an annual Halloween party planned as its send-off.
The announcement came via Instagram at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday, as reported by SMDP. “After 20 incredible years, The Victorian is closing its doors, but not before we say thank you,” the venue wrote, according to the outlet's report. The Victorian did not offer a reason for the closure, nor did it explain what will happen to the building afterward, per the same account.
By day, the Main Street property operated as a restaurant and a popular wedding and event venue. By night, it transformed into a multi-level nightclub, with DJs and live music spread across the basement, main floor, and upstairs on weekend nights, the station's report notes. For years, the subterranean space operated as the “Basement Tavern,” a speakeasy-style bar known for live music and a late-night lounge crowd, according to PubClub.
A Landmark With Deep Santa Monica Roots
The building itself long predates its nightlife era. The Victorian structure was originally built in 1892 near the Hotel Miramar as a private residence for one of Santa Monica's founding families, before being relocated to its current site at 2640 Main Street in 1973, according to The Venue Report. The house has since undergone an extensive renovation and features lush grounds, per the same source.
The property sits within Heritage Square. The City of Santa Monica owns the property at 2640 Main St., per the seed facts confirmed by SMDP.
More Than Nightlife: A Weekly Civic Gathering Spot
Beyond its reputation for DJs and dance floors, the grounds at 2640 Main Street have hosted the weekly Sunday Main Street Farmers Market since 1995, through a joint effort between The Victorian, the California Heritage Museum, the Ocean Park Association, and the Main Street Business Improvement Association, according to the Jenny Morant Group. The market draws roughly 40 certified California farms each Sunday alongside retail vendors and live entertainment, the group notes.
The Victorian was also known for its long-running Salsa Thursday nights, a weekly dance series. Salsa & Bachata Thursdays was operated by Dancer University and offered weekly classes and social dancing at The Victorian, according to Dancer University.
The city had also recently used the surrounding corridor to support local business. In August 2026, Santa Monica activated the Main Street Entertainment Zone outside 2640 Main Street, allowing nearby establishments to serve street-side drinks during a community celebration tied to the Main Street BIA, according to the City of Santa Monica.
Part of a Larger Pattern of Closures
The Victorian's exit adds to a string of long-standing Santa Monica hospitality closures throughout 2026. Third Street Promenade landmark The Misfit shut down after a 15-year run, with Hoodline's prior coverage reporting that LGO Hospitality cited repeated landlord turnover and deteriorating downtown conditions for ending that lease.
The Victorian's weekend crowds had also drawn police attention in the past. In March 2023, Santa Monica Police arrested three suspects in a grand theft investigation after victims tracked more than 20 stolen cellphones and credit cards taken from patrons at The Victorian and nearby Jameson's Pub, according to the City of Santa Monica. Police said the suspects used a signal-blocking Faraday bag to conceal the stolen devices, per the same report.
For now, The Victorian says it is focused on thanking two decades of patrons rather than detailing what comes next. The venue thanked everyone who danced, drank, celebrated, brought friends, met someone new, or made a memory under its roof, according to its Instagram statement reported by SMDP. Its Halloween party during the final weekend will mark the last chapter for the Main Street mansion before the city determines what fills the historic address next.
