2AM Club

A TRUE BEACON for the thirsty, the 2am club, affectionately known as “The Deuce” and now owned and run by Dave Marshall and Amanda Solloway, has been holding court on the corner of Miller and Montford in Mill Valley for decades. In its first iteration the one-room saloon was called “The Brown Jug” but underwent a bit of a hibernation during Prohibition, reopening in the early 1930s. By early 1940 it had became the 2am Club, the name a reference to the late closing hour the bar enjoyed because it was located just outside city limits — the curfew across the street was midnight. Throughout the decades it has been a popular spot for watching sports and congregating with like-minded locals for a drink. The bar is also well known as a see-and-be-seen meeting spot for Tamalpais High alumni the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Don’t miss the guitar fashioned from a toilet seat hanging behind the bar, created by local legend Charlie Deal — his unique instruments were not only conversation pieces, they could also hold a tune.


WHAT THEY SAY

Ryan Jamison, manager

Is the 2am Club a dive bar? This bar has been labeled a dive bar for many decades and we don’t mind still sticking with it.

Your definition of a dive bar? It’s a local bar that has been around for quite a while, has a lot of the same clientele, serves cheaper beer and cocktails than most other places and is a little rough around the edges. All the bartenders know your name, your wife and kids’ names and probably even your pet’s name. A place where young and old and rich and poor can come together for drinks and entertainment.

Describe the 2am Club. A dive bar with a lot of history. A local bar with affordable prices, where the neighborhood can come down and have a drink, watch some sports, catch up with friends, listen to music, shoot some pool and overall, have a great time.

DIVE BAR CHECKLIST

Games? Yes, we have two pool tables, a flat-screen Golden Tee video game and a sit-down Ms. Pac-Man video game table.

Celebrity photos? We have a couple pictures of Huey Lewis and also his album covers, which they shot in the corner of our bar for their “Sports” album.

TV is always on? Yes. we have seven flat screens and carry the baseball package and NFL Sunday Ticket, where we get every game, every Sunday.

PBR available? Yes, on tap.

Muddled cocktails? Definitely not, unless one of the bartenders is feeling high-spirited (pun intended).

Fake fireplace? Yes, even with fake fire ambience.

Food is served in bags? Yes, served fresh out of its sealed packaging.

2am Club T-shirts? Yes, but currently on back order.


Mimi Towle

Mimi Towle has been the editor of Marin Magazine for over a decade. She lived with her family in Sycamore Park and Strawberry and thoroughly enjoyed raising two daughters in the mayhem of Marin’s youth sports; soccer, swim, volleyball, ballet, hip hop, gymnastics and many many hours spent at Miwok Stables. Her community involvements include volunteering at her daughter’s schools, coaching soccer and volleyball (glorified snack mom), being on the board of both Richardson Bay Audubon Center. Currently residing on a floating home in Sausalito, she enjoys all water activity, including learning how to steer a 6-person canoe for the Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club. Born and raised in Hawaii, her fondness for the islands has on occasion made its way into the pages of the magazine.