Is Mill Valley a Good Place to Live If You Want Nightlife? What We Saw on Film Festival Weekend

ByMelissa DiVita

By Melissa DiVita, REALTOR®, Compass · DRE #01387955 · Fourth-generation Marin native, in real estate since 2003

The short answer: yes. If you’re relocating to Marin and want restaurants, bars and a downtown that’s actually busy at night, Mill Valley is the liveliest town in southern Marin. Getting in and out can mean some traffic, but you get a lot of energy in return.

My husband and I finally tried Lima Nikkei, Mill Valley’s newest restaurant, in the old El Paseo space on Throckmorton. The food is sushi with Peruvian flavors, and the cocktails were delicious. If you go, order the Spicy Tuna Maki rolls and the Amazonian Geisha cocktail. But what stayed with me afterward wasn’t the meal. It was the town around it.

A Mill Valley night during the film festival

We had a drink at the restaurant’s bar before dinner and got talking with people on their way to a film at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Walking around afterward, the Corner Bar was packed, with people spilling out onto the sidewalk. Playa had people in the window laughing over margaritas. The square was full of people just hanging out.

We live in Tiburon, and I love it, but our nightlife is sleepy by comparison. Mill Valley is different. On a good night it feels like a small city.

What I tell buyers who want this

  • If bars, restaurants and fun matter to you, put Mill Valley at the top of your list. You can walk to dinner, then to a show at Sweetwater or a drink on the square. (More ideas in my Marin nightlife guide and food and drink guide.)
  • If you want to walk to dinner and back, look downtown and in Cascade and Blithedale Canyons. You’re steps from the square, under the redwoods.
  • Be honest with yourself about traffic. There’s one main way in and out of town, and at busy times it backs up. If you’ll commute or drive a lot, live close to the 101 side of town.
  • My favorite Mill Valley neighborhood is Sycamore Park. It’s in the flats, with level streets, easier yards and quick access to Highway 101 and the bike path, so you skip most of the traffic and you’re still close to everything downtown.
  • If you want quiet evenings and water views, Tiburon or Belvedere may suit you better. Mill Valley is about a 15-minute drive away when you want a night out. I compare the two in Tiburon vs. Mill Valley.

Quick answers

Is Mill Valley good for nightlife? Yes. Of the towns in southern Marin, it has the busiest downtown at night, with restaurants, bars, live music at Sweetwater, and people out on the square.

What’s new in Mill Valley? Lima Nikkei, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant, opened in the old El Paseo spot at 17 Throckmorton.

What should I order at Lima Nikkei? I’d start with the Spicy Tuna Maki rolls and the Amazonian Geisha cocktail.

Where should I live in Mill Valley to walk to restaurants and bars? Downtown and Cascade and Blithedale Canyons are walking distance to the square. Sycamore Park, my favorite, is in the flats near Highway 101, an easier spot if you commute.

Is Tiburon or Mill Valley better for nightlife? Mill Valley. Tiburon is quieter in the evening, about a 15-minute drive away.

Is there traffic in Mill Valley? Yes, getting in and out of town can be slow at busy times.

Thinking about Mill Valley? Send me a note. I’ll tell you honestly which neighborhoods put you close to the action and which ones are quieter.

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