Magic Castle Cabaret

Something new is happening at the bird refuge. There used to be a restaurant called Café del Sol. Today it is being transformed into a private-members-only club called the Magic Castle Cabaret and is located at 30 Los Patos Way. The owners are Arlene and Milt Larsen. If that name sounds familiar, associate it with The Magic Castle in Hollywood. Milt and his brother founded that haven for magicians 55 years ago in an old Victorian and it’s still going strong. It boasts a membership of 5,000, half of whom are magicians.

The Cabaret will be a different animal. It will feature the award-winning magicians and other variety performers, but it will be a social club with an intimate setting. Membership will be capped at 300 and there were already 150 members before it had officially opened at $1,500 a year. Among the celebrity members who have joined so far are Steve Martin, Leonard Maltin, Siegfried & Roy, Jo Anne Worley, Lance Burton, and David Copperfield.

The Larsens have lived in Santa Barbara for many years, and this venture is a dream come true for them. They had a soft opening night recently and there I got the scoop from Arlene. “The Cabaret will be open on Thursdays and Fridays through September, and then adding Wednesdays and Saturdays. From 5 to 7 pm, there is no dress code and no reservations. After 7 pm, it’s coat and tie with reservations. There won’t be dinners served, but there is a small menu of appetizers like shrimp cocktail, chili, finger ‘Sam witches’ and some sweets.” Of course, they’ll be serving up “platters” of magic – hence the name. There will be a dance floor and a combo plus magic tables for close-up magic when the club is completely finished. I’m sorry I missed the ladies room. I hear its spark-takular with platinum ceiling tiles inset with rhinestones. The renovation is costing more than $1 million. Larsen’s intend to donate guest passes to various charities for their auctions.

The décor is funky and fun. It is based on a fictional Palace of Gold in northern Spain where a Count and Countess entertained magicians. The Larsens have assembled antiques and various pieces of décor. According to Milt, “Guests will find themselves seated on furniture that might have come from a castle or a local thrift store.” The lighting is dim and the music soft.

This opening evening, Mark Collier was strolling around delighting us with his expertise doing card tricks. He is just one of the top magicians who will perform at the club. Also there was a “pirate,” Captain S. Rokk, who played classical guitar.

If you’d like to be part of this private club for membership information, call Arlene at (805) 564-1060 or Allison at (805) 845-0555.