Male Bonding at Matador

In a nondescript little strip mall in Costa Mesa resides a men’s home away from home. “It’s the living room that the wife won’t let you have”, jokes Mark, a member of Matador Alcove. Welcome to a gentlemen’s club: boy’s night out where culture, brotherhood, and camaraderie come together.

For a $200 annual membership fee, men can hang out to liberally smoke cigars, concoct special drinks at the bar, and watch sports on a huge plasma all they want without guilt and most importantly, be themselves and have a grand old time doing what guys do best: shoot the breeze. Members love that the front door has a window opening from inside to see who is entering. The owner, David Zimmerman, is the hospitable host of this testosterone filled lair. Aside from chilling in this Spanish themed crib, he organizes special event for members to partake at a reasonable additional cost. The group is luxuriously taken care of as they ride in a limo to enjoy a Lakers game and if there is wine tasting at Matador, tipsy members can take the London style cabbies safely and comfortably back home.

Matador is also a metrosexual’s haven where grooming services such as facial, waxing, massage and hair cutting are available to anyone. Inside this club houses a five chair hair salon where stylist, John Alanouf is the talent behind the men’s well coiffed hair. This masculine sanctuary also sells men’s skincare, hair products, and fragrance. Members also have access to a private locker with a personalized name plate; an Australian named his “Kiwi.” No gentlemen’s club is complete without an attractive female concierge cum receptionist who is part of the house fixture to answer questions on the local scene and make all your reservations.

“The Modern Gentlemen: A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy and Vice” is the club’s bible where members truly want culture, education in refinement, and some fun in their establishment.
Matador’s vibe is cool and cozy, like a retro hip bachelor’s pad. Spanish Matador paintings adorn the walls and glass cases displaying iconic symbol of the finer things in life are part of the club’s look. While his wife is at their kid’s dance class, instead of being home alone, Mike visits his watering hole to enjoy a St. Germaine and smokes a stogie before returning to his abode. Someone commented, “We create this as our own house”. Although the gentlemen strive to keep the place kosher, but with a handful of dudes, sooner or later conversation can get pretty risqué. Mike laughs, “Like a classy locker room.” No subject is taboo and the men are authentic in their being. The energy is unpretentious as there is no agenda except friendship and relaxation. While a father gets his haircut, his young son enjoys a game of chess with the owner. One member lives in Laguna Beach but has lots of business in Costa Mesa; Matador has become his office.

Like women, men need guy time and want connection too. It is a healthy and positive outlet for men to be nurtured in their own way in an unthreatening and casual atmosphere with other men. Wives need not worry as there is neither questionable activity nor incriminating material to be found. Mr. Zimmerman wants to create the kind of traditional old school gentlemen’s club found in England and in the East Coast but catered to the modern men with emphasize on joie de vivre. He hopes to create a franchise and is constantly seeking different companies to cater to his clientele. How about a trip to Vegas in a private jet? That’s coming up!

www.NewportBeachMagazine.com February 2009 Issue