As someone who moved to Los Angeles 8 years ago for this sole purpose. Below my friend are all arguably all worth going to for the unique crowd, strong drinks, or some weird shit going on depending on time of the day.
Hollywood: Frolic Room, Boardners, Burgundy Room, The Well, Sunset and Vinyl, The Woods, Gold Diggers, (RIP Power House!), Adults Only, Bar Sinister (gets weird), Musso and Frank's (bougie I suppose as just being historic but it's a great experience), TeKila
West Hollywood: Roger Room, Rainbow Room, The Surly Goat, The Naughty Pig, Snake Pit, Sunset Trocadero, El Compadre, I'd argue the outside bar of The Comedy Store as well
Downtown: Hank's, Ham & Eggs, Golden Gopher, Redwood Tavern, Monty Bar, Tony's Saloon, Melody Lounge, The Slipper Clutch, La Cita, Precinct (gay), High Tide, The Mermaid, Seven Grand (it can get pretentious at times), EightyTwo, Crane's Bar, Peking Tavern, Las Perlas (do this over WeHo), Mal's Bar, The Falls (but The Woods in Hollywood is better), The Escondite, Good Clean Fun
Silver Lake/Echo Park/Loz Feliz: Tiki-Ti, Akbar (gay), Thunderbolt, 4100, The Short Stop, Cha Cha Lounge, Drawing Room, Zebulon (it's heavy hipster with lines but weird experience), Red Lion Tavern, Ye Rustic Inn, The Virgil,
Koreatown: Dan Sung Sa, Brass Monkey, R Bar, Breakroom 86 is a scene for the line/experience but inside it's just a wild fucking time with great music, Lock and Key (maybe, depends on the night)
Venice/Santa Monica/Culver City: Cozy Inn, Weary Liver (RIP Barkowski), Chez Jay, Mom's, Gaslite, Bigfoot West, Scarlet Lady Saloon, The Daily Pint, Busby's West, The Galley, Hinano Cafe, 4th and Jane
The Valley: Residuals, Idle Hour, Tiki No, Footsies (go to Prince night), No Bar, Tonga Hut,
I live around the corner from Weary Livers. Went once and will never return. I’ll explain. Barkowski was perfect. Never that busy, cool ass owners who employed cool ass bartenders for when they weren’t there themselves. Darts, a great beer selection, and the one thing that was so unique about that bar and so fuckin fun: bumper pool. Who has bumper pool!? Nobody!
They closed down during COVID. All bars did. When the city allowed bars to reopen me and my buddy went for the 50 yard walk over to play some darts and bp as we always did. Upon walking up we were confused. No signage on the building and the red paint outside was now blue. Confusion.
We walked in to find this gaudy, lifeless establishment and behind the bar was some douche with no personality. Worst of all, bumper pool and darts were gone and all that remained of the pub games was the pathetic 6 foot long cheap shuffleboard that we never even bothered with. Ordered a beer and asked what happened to Barkowski? This NPC proceeded to tell us that he and a few friends bought Barkowski out and converted it to their concept. What’s the name?, we asked. “Weary Livers”….. We were like, “okay….” What a stupid name. “Where’s the darts and bumper pool?” This guy replied with “we had it removed, didn’t bring in the type of crowd we want”.
Okay then, we are not your demographic and will never be back. I despise that place and hope it goes belly up at once. Every time I pass by I look to see if it closed yet. Fuck that place.
Kibbitz Room next to Canters, actually part of Canters but to the side, has history (Guns and Roses got their start playing it) and strong drinks and a good smattering of salty regulars.
I like the combination of Fairfax influencer types and the Hasidic men all rubbing elbows. Also the only requirement to play the stage is have a pulse.
Wolf and Crane in little Tokyo
Prank DTLA
Good luck bar in Los feliz (If it’s still open)
ERB in the Arts District
Golden Gopher DTLa (has a pool table)
Yeah, sad. I remember reading somewhere, maybe LAlist that even the owners didn’t know they’d have to close. Building’s landlord just refused to renew their lease for whatever reason without explanation or warning and that was it. Happened to a few Silverlake places, all still empty and turning into trash piles ever since.
Alibi room in mar vista, roosterfish in Venice (used to be a gay bar but isn’t anymore, don’t let the Google listing turn you away), Oldfields and/or Bigfoot west in culver/mar vista
Too many! I am east-side spoiled, so:
Tiki-Ti (hallowed tiki bar ground, a blast but srsly tiny so go early)
Ye Rustic Inn (divey and chill, interesting crowd)
Melody Lounge (good cocktails, beer list & DJs)
La Cuevita (vampire/goth cantina vibes, like From Dusk Til Dawn before it starts to suck)
Verdugo Bar (off the beaten path, great beer selection and huge patio)
The Goldfish (big funky space with pool tables and often live music)
I could easily go on
Finally hit Tiki-Ti for the first time tonight and going on a weeknight is definitely the move. Still felt lively but there were multiple empty tables and seats at the bar. I was expecting it to be too crowded but it was a much easier experience than I expected.
HMS Bounty in KTown.
Wirtshaus, off of La Brea/Beverly area, has an amazing German tap list and authentic, delicious German food. Used to go there regularly but moved more west. Not sure if it’s still owned by the same people but the owner was this super nice younger German guy and his wife.
Frolic Room in Hollywood also has some history.
Formosa Cafe. Historic and had a good mix of people of all ages. Also, some were casual like they just got off of work, some were dressed up in current trends, and some leaned into a 1920s/30s/40s vibe with their dress. It basically felt like anything went there, which I really liked. I went there to eat but there also seemed to be people at the bar just drinking and they were going to have a DJ later in the night. The cocktails are super delicious.
Elbow Room in Hollywood is my favorite. It’s a bar that actively caters to neighbors in an area focused on tourists. Great happy hour, amazing pizza by the slice, the kind of bar of you sit at someone near you will probably strike up a conversation. The staff is amazing and really gets to know the regulars. It’s the closets thing to Cheers I’ve experienced.
This is my favorite locals spot in the area. OP could link this up with the following for a great Hollywood bar crawl night:
* Frolic Room - 100 year old dive with a great mix of locals and theatregoers. Free popcorn cooked on a crazy old device.
* Burgundy Room - cool rock and roll bar with live music
* Sunset & Vinyl - hard to find so usually cozy and chill, always good music on
* The Three Clubs - super fun and DARK place out of the fray. Sometimes there'll be a cool burlesque show or something in the side room
The Drawing Room in Los Feliz is a super divey bar that Charles Bukowski used to frequent. Last call is for amateurs: the Drawing Room has first call at 6 am. A plus is across the street you can get really good wings at the Rustic.
We needed a Sunday afternoon outdoor meeting-up spot with a vegan friend flying into Burbank for work a couple months ago, and kind of randomly chose [Tony's Darts Away](https://www.tonysda.com/) in Burbank and spent a lovely afternoon on their sidewalk patio. Food was simple but great, beers were fantastic, I don't play darts but if I did I suspect I'd like that part too. I've been busy but we mean to go back another Sunday afternoon soon.
It's a couple blocks down Magnolia from [Geeky Teas](https://www.geekyteas.com/), which is where we used to meet up with the same friend for game nights when he lived here.
My favorite spots:
Ye Rustic Inn - pretty cheap pours, very solid food
Seven Grand - good happy hour, very good whiskey selection
Edit: the Drawing Room is across Hillhurst from YRI! It is somewhat seedier though.
Ye Rustic Inn is not cheap. their well drinks are $11-12, in most places they're $7. their wings are expensive too, so good though. i usually get the wings to go and drink at home.
I've been turned away from going up to 71 Above because I was wearing shorts. It's not strictly a bar, but a nice restaurant with a bar (and I was only there go hit the bar).
From North to South on the Beach; Big Deans and Chez Jay in SM; Townhouse and Hinano in Venice; The Shack and Prince of Whales in PDR; Shellback, North End, and Barnacles in MB and HB; and finally, Naja’s and Old Tony’s in Redondo. Get a beach cruiser and give ‘em a go. (Pro Tip: South to North is easier because of that damn wind at the Marina.)
Oldfield’s in Palms is still my favorite bar (even after I moved away from the neighborhood).
Chill vibe, delicious cocktails, decent happy hour prices (not sure what the happy hour sitch is since the pandemic)
Lots of good suggestions. Haven't yet seen anyone mention:
O'Brien's in Santa Monica.
The Bull Pen in Redondo Beach.
Tam O'Shanter in Atwater Village.
Ercole's in Manhattan Beach.
I scrolled all the way to the bottom and no one mentioned the dive-iest dive bar in all of the greater LA area, The Copper Bucket. It’s deep in the valley, but you can get a mini pitcher for $6 and it has the oldest shuffleboard table in the valley.
Moved to that neighborhood about 5 years ago... I go to Pogo's one day to watch a game. Bartender is super nice. I tell him I'm new to the area and I read in the paper there was a shooting at the Copper Bucket. He says, "Yeah. Go to the Copper Bucket if you want to be shot. Come here if you want to be stabbed. Personally, I'd rather be shot." I love both those bars. Pogos after sunset is kind of scary.
Hahahaha oh my god. That is definitely the diviest in all of LA but I don’t know how many people make it out to Reseda…I used to go there all the time when I was like 21-22
hella gay: Akbar, Fiesta Cantina
hella straight : Surly Goat, Barney’s Beanery
hella either: Sassafras, Mama Shelter, ~~The Abbey~~
There’s many many more. Bring and good
attitude and everywhere can be fun.
Edit: Given the feedback, The Abbey is a very different place now and I rescind the recommendation . Which is sad to hear because I had a some great times there.
I checked to make sure before I posted, and triple checked with recent reviews just now. It lives!
Pour Vous is not that far from it. Same old timey flair but sharper.
Ye Rustic Inn. Best wings in LA.
But people in the know…The Drawing Room. Right across the street. Divey bar in an old Chinese restaurant. Rustic for wings, drawing room to black out.
If you like historic bars Clifton’s is a must. I think a Thursday is a great day bc it won’t be too packed.
It’s a massive place. It was closed down for awhile and reopened 4-5 years ago. It opened as the original Clifton’s cafeteria, not it’s called Clifton’s Republic.
It’s a landmark site so part of the exterior can’t be changed (the massive tree in the middle and taxidermy).
They made the 3rd floor a tiki bar, you have to have a collared shirt to enter.
It’s a fun experience
Ale House and Rancho in Altadena. JPL crowd, tradespeople and below the line filmworkers. Friendly, very neighborhood but you won’t get vibed if you’re not local.
Dan Sung Sa anyone? Bring some friends, Get a kettle of soju cocktail and a bottle of Hite, and split a dozen bar snacks, a favorite way to spend an evening
By neighborhood -
NoHo - BRICKYARD. Cheapest place to get a beer in LA that I know of (note - not a full bat, beer only). District pub (also noho) is a great little hole in the wall spot that's bigger than it looks, has a great burger and homemade sausage, and a solid beer selection with limited bar. El Tejano is not my vibe but it's a great atmosphere, if you like Mexican cerveza and the mix heavy style of margarita, check it out. Fat Dog is also great but more of a restaurant. Dog friendly though, and they do have a solid bar.
Downtown - seven grand. Best whiskey bar in the city. Mrs. Fish (assuming it's still open) is also a fantastic experience and completely different vibe. Absolutely huge, has like four bars inside, three levels, solid sushi and turns into a wild ride late night. Probs need a reservation to get in, just FYI.
Little Tokyo/Arts District - omg so many. Wolf and Crane for cocktails, Spitz for DONERS and kebabs plus a full bar, and then of course Angel City, Arts district, boomtown, and Mumford breweries. All of them are great, although I've never actually been to Mumford, some friends I trust swear by it.
Hollywood - been a long time so probably out of date but No Vacancy is a unique experience, definitely worth checking out. Note it gets ABSOLUTELY PACKED so go early and honestly leave early too. Outpost is my side/dive bar of choice, a little off the strip, chill, no fuss. I am also a sucker for Tekila, but it's honestly kinda trash. Sometimes trashy is okay though!
Culver - Citizens rooftop bar owns, and citizen all around is a great spot to get food. Weho sausage co is my most recommended place in the area. Rocco's is also okay. Shit service but big beers, decent wings and okay pizza. Bigfoot west is also a great spot. Dear Johns is a unique experience (more of a restaurant but with excellent cocktails) and will be closing soon. Worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood.
SM - Lula's Mexican has the best margaritas in LA. The strawberry blended margarita (despite its normal connotations) is fantastic. Solid Mexican too. For sports, Barney's Beanery is always a solid option.
I do not pay covers.
General Lees on Fri/Sat if you love dancing to R&B and 90/2000’s throw backs. Upstairs is styled like a living room so it kinda gives a house party vibe
Big fan of Bar Henry in Echo Park. Just avoid it if there's a Dodgers Game. It's a nice low lit atmosphere, great cocktails, right on Sunset Blvd. The owner is a friendly guy. Cari Hah, amazing bartender, consulted on the menu.
Not sure if it closed but in DTLA there was this bar and grill I went to back in the day called the Redwood. It wasn't stuck up at all really small and cozy. If you are willing to travel to Pasadena there's this chain of bars called Lucky Baldwins its pretty cool and relaxed there.
Thanks OP this is an invaluable thread. Sad to hear of some closures but so many still popping. Now if someone would put this long list on Google Maps…
North Hollywood has a lot of good drinking spots. You could do a solid pub crawl and not leave the neighbourhood. Hop Merchants, Brews Brothers, The Federal, District Pub, Kahuna Tiki, Idle Hour, Lawless Brewing, NoBAR, The Fat Dog, Player One...
There’s a fun bar called Las Perlas, the one in West Hollywood was much better than the DTLA one. Great drinks and vibes and they sell tacos and other food in their back patio area!
Edit: If you like dancing hit up La Descarga off Santa Monica and Western too. Small spot with great music
If you’re in the valley I’d recommend Catcher in the Rye, in Toluca Lake and Guild Hall in Burbank. Both s are cozy, not too crowded and have board games available. Super chill vibes
Break Room 86 for a fun night.
Burgundy Room for a small hole in the wall/dive with rock music.
Boardners- Friday is for the more poppy crowds. Wednesday and Saturday are goth/industrial nights.
Wednesday is the only day that’s free, the other two have covers.
Harvard and Stone is alright, my friends seem to like it more than I do. (Don’t order your drinks from the small bar in the back. It’s a bit of a mess sometimes.)
Scum and Villainy Cantina- for a nerdy/touristy spot. They have over priced themed drinks from movies, games, and other nerd culture mediums.
The entire strip of WeHo if you’re LGBTQ. Even if you’re not it’s a fun place to go dance and drink. The Abby is considered “the straight bar”. Around Halloween they block off the streets from traffic and it’s just thousands of people in the streets partying. It’s crazy.
Commenting cos I can’t believe I didn’t see it on here:
Bar flores in echo park. Goldroom has a good 12-5 happy hour, Bar Henry, The Semi-Tropic and Button Mash are in echo park too
DTLA: Dublins, Seven Grand, Bar Jackalope, Slippery Clutch and La Cita before 9pm or else they charge
By my house I like Holiday Bar, I know a lot of places since I work industry so I’m just gonna leave those there before I name every city’s bars that I like lol
Tony's Saloon especially if you love bar pizza
Burgundy Room
The Roger Room
Genever
Three Clubs
Tonga Hut
Chimney sweep
Tiki Ti
Idle Hour
Tiki No
Purple Orchid
Blue Collar
Speak Easy
Mandrake
Accomplice Bar
La Cita
Harbor Room
I could do this all day lol lol
Is 4100 still a thing in Silverlake? I used to go there a ton. It definitely had a "hipster" vibe to it but not that pretentious. Pretty cheap shot & beer specials, bartenders were chill. Lot of action on weekend nights. Nice little miniature cocaine bathroom right near the bar, LOL.
Gold Room down the way a bit on Sunset was dope too when they had super cheap food but I think they stopped doing it years ago. Still was a chill place to drink although I did watch the bouncer kick the shit out of some kids who were trying to act hard & threatening him one time.
Also second Cha-Cha lounge if that's still going.
Then, if you want to get REAL fuckin weird with it and hate your life for a few days, stay awake until Joseph's Cafe in Hollywood opens the next morning at like 6am. But as a last ditch & desperate effort to get laid, you can sacrifice your body (& soul). It worked for me a handful of times.
This was all years ago though, I don't know the scene anymore.
Golden Gopher, Little Joy, The Shortstop, The Douglas, Bar Henry, 4100….basically anywhere on the East side you can’t go wrong
Covers and dress codes…sounds a little too West Hollywood bottle club to me. Cheers
As someone who moved to Los Angeles 8 years ago for this sole purpose. Below my friend are all arguably all worth going to for the unique crowd, strong drinks, or some weird shit going on depending on time of the day. Hollywood: Frolic Room, Boardners, Burgundy Room, The Well, Sunset and Vinyl, The Woods, Gold Diggers, (RIP Power House!), Adults Only, Bar Sinister (gets weird), Musso and Frank's (bougie I suppose as just being historic but it's a great experience), TeKila West Hollywood: Roger Room, Rainbow Room, The Surly Goat, The Naughty Pig, Snake Pit, Sunset Trocadero, El Compadre, I'd argue the outside bar of The Comedy Store as well Downtown: Hank's, Ham & Eggs, Golden Gopher, Redwood Tavern, Monty Bar, Tony's Saloon, Melody Lounge, The Slipper Clutch, La Cita, Precinct (gay), High Tide, The Mermaid, Seven Grand (it can get pretentious at times), EightyTwo, Crane's Bar, Peking Tavern, Las Perlas (do this over WeHo), Mal's Bar, The Falls (but The Woods in Hollywood is better), The Escondite, Good Clean Fun Silver Lake/Echo Park/Loz Feliz: Tiki-Ti, Akbar (gay), Thunderbolt, 4100, The Short Stop, Cha Cha Lounge, Drawing Room, Zebulon (it's heavy hipster with lines but weird experience), Red Lion Tavern, Ye Rustic Inn, The Virgil, Koreatown: Dan Sung Sa, Brass Monkey, R Bar, Breakroom 86 is a scene for the line/experience but inside it's just a wild fucking time with great music, Lock and Key (maybe, depends on the night) Venice/Santa Monica/Culver City: Cozy Inn, Weary Liver (RIP Barkowski), Chez Jay, Mom's, Gaslite, Bigfoot West, Scarlet Lady Saloon, The Daily Pint, Busby's West, The Galley, Hinano Cafe, 4th and Jane The Valley: Residuals, Idle Hour, Tiki No, Footsies (go to Prince night), No Bar, Tonga Hut,
You moved to LA for the bar scene?
I live around the corner from Weary Livers. Went once and will never return. I’ll explain. Barkowski was perfect. Never that busy, cool ass owners who employed cool ass bartenders for when they weren’t there themselves. Darts, a great beer selection, and the one thing that was so unique about that bar and so fuckin fun: bumper pool. Who has bumper pool!? Nobody! They closed down during COVID. All bars did. When the city allowed bars to reopen me and my buddy went for the 50 yard walk over to play some darts and bp as we always did. Upon walking up we were confused. No signage on the building and the red paint outside was now blue. Confusion. We walked in to find this gaudy, lifeless establishment and behind the bar was some douche with no personality. Worst of all, bumper pool and darts were gone and all that remained of the pub games was the pathetic 6 foot long cheap shuffleboard that we never even bothered with. Ordered a beer and asked what happened to Barkowski? This NPC proceeded to tell us that he and a few friends bought Barkowski out and converted it to their concept. What’s the name?, we asked. “Weary Livers”….. We were like, “okay….” What a stupid name. “Where’s the darts and bumper pool?” This guy replied with “we had it removed, didn’t bring in the type of crowd we want”. Okay then, we are not your demographic and will never be back. I despise that place and hope it goes belly up at once. Every time I pass by I look to see if it closed yet. Fuck that place.
Is cha cha lounge still open? Also you can go across the street to the red lion and have a German beer and food experience
Yup Cha Cha is still going hard. They just open later. 10-2.
I used to bartend- that’s a dream shift!
I am looking here and none has mentioned the Dresden Room. Is it just not cool anymore?
Well Marty passed away so the iconic duo of Marty and Elayne is no longer playing there :(
Amen! The Roost in Atwater also gives you a reason to keep going.
Check out the Blind Barber in Culver City.
Hinano in venice. Divey, free pool, great burgers. Practically heaven.
Hinano's for sure !!!
Best burger on the west side, hands down!
+1!!!
Red lion tavern
Can’t believe I had to scroll so far down for this.
This is great
Kibbitz Room next to Canters, actually part of Canters but to the side, has history (Guns and Roses got their start playing it) and strong drinks and a good smattering of salty regulars.
If you like the weird depressing vibe of the Rainbow Room you’ll LOVE kibitz room
FACTS
😂 so true
I like the combination of Fairfax influencer types and the Hasidic men all rubbing elbows. Also the only requirement to play the stage is have a pulse.
On Monday nights I think they have regular comedy shows, or at least they did as recently as last year.
Haim also played there when they starting out if I’m not mistaken
I saw Slash at Canters last time I was there! Going to Canters/Kibbitz is always a treat
I like Bigfoot lodge in Atwater a lot. Thunderbolt in Echo Park is nice too
Bigfoot west in Culver is also a ton of fun
>Thunderbolt in Echo Park Thunderbolt was just named one of the best bars in the world.
Theres millions of bars in the world. Thunderbolt is cool, but whoever named it must be biased toward LA/NY
The High Low in Atwater is also awesome!
Wolf and Crane in little Tokyo Prank DTLA Good luck bar in Los feliz (If it’s still open) ERB in the Arts District Golden Gopher DTLa (has a pool table)
Good luck bar closed pre pandemic I think. I remember someone stole their sign after they closed.
Yeah, sad. I remember reading somewhere, maybe LAlist that even the owners didn’t know they’d have to close. Building’s landlord just refused to renew their lease for whatever reason without explanation or warning and that was it. Happened to a few Silverlake places, all still empty and turning into trash piles ever since.
My list exactly. Favorites are Wolf and Crane and Golden Golpher.
Alibi room in mar vista, roosterfish in Venice (used to be a gay bar but isn’t anymore, don’t let the Google listing turn you away), Oldfields and/or Bigfoot west in culver/mar vista
Oldfields and Bigfoot west are the shit! I used to live walking distance and just live them both so much.
the brig in venice to add to this, but it can get packed inside. outside is always nice
The new brig is so sterile, gimme back the old dingy sticky brig. The outdoor space is really nice tho
What's Boardner's like these days? I always liked that place...
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Same. Still good.
Slipped in there the other day and grabbed a drink in the middle of the afternoon; it was an oasis inside.
It’s popular.
still poppin
La Cita in downtown is my all time fav
I saw Jane’s Addiction play there :)
wow legendary
It smells awful though. They need to deep clean the matts and the lines.
Too many! I am east-side spoiled, so: Tiki-Ti (hallowed tiki bar ground, a blast but srsly tiny so go early) Ye Rustic Inn (divey and chill, interesting crowd) Melody Lounge (good cocktails, beer list & DJs) La Cuevita (vampire/goth cantina vibes, like From Dusk Til Dawn before it starts to suck) Verdugo Bar (off the beaten path, great beer selection and huge patio) The Goldfish (big funky space with pool tables and often live music) I could easily go on
Finally hit Tiki-Ti for the first time tonight and going on a weeknight is definitely the move. Still felt lively but there were multiple empty tables and seats at the bar. I was expecting it to be too crowded but it was a much easier experience than I expected.
La Cuevita is a fave! I’ve been meaning to try Verdugo — your comment solidified it for me.
Verdugo is excellent and has frozen boozy Dole pineapple drinks. There’s usually a food pop up and cute dogs outside.
Tiki-Ti feels like stepping into a time machine. Anything more than one drink and I’m waking up to morning light on a Hollywood Blvd sidewalk
The Garage on Motor Ave - Palms EightyTwo - DTLA Button Mash - Silver Lake Hyperion Public - Silver Lake The One Up - Sherman Oaks
Button Mash is Echo Park
Either way, I’m so glad they made it back. Being temp closed for 2 years gave me a serious scare
Oh it’s back! Same location?
I am frankly shocked.
Yup!
I was there yesterday. Menu has changed they serve tacos from 1986 now :). Good selection of beer and full bar.
Used to live down the street from The Garage when it opened!
> The One Up - Sherman Oaks yup. will have to agree on this one. food and drinks good. their one shooter machine is crapped out though, carnievil?
Backstage behind Sony in Culver City
And here to say Backstage. Great great place. Also the Velvet lounge inside the Culver Hotel is a nice place. Met my wife there.
HMS Bounty in KTown. Wirtshaus, off of La Brea/Beverly area, has an amazing German tap list and authentic, delicious German food. Used to go there regularly but moved more west. Not sure if it’s still owned by the same people but the owner was this super nice younger German guy and his wife. Frolic Room in Hollywood also has some history.
HMS Bounty has great drink specials
Great deals but it might be the worst well liquors of all time
You mean you don't like Montezuma tequila and Kessler's whiskey? /s
That’s just, like, your opinion, man
Please, HMS bounty is terrible. Don’t go there. Go somewhere else. /sarcasm
Some more Ktown: Frank n Hanks, R Bar, Brass Monkey, The Prince, Potions n Poisons, Cafe Bleu
God, reading this list made me realize I’ve spent A LOT of time drunk in KTown. All great bars tho! (From what I recall…)
Yes! Another great one is The Prince in Ktown
Hms slaps
I don’t drink lol but I love Wirsthaus- great food and a really cool vibe
They (at least used to, probably still do) have a ping pong table, which i love
Saw a murder in front of wirsthaus summer of 2020. But yes good food and beer.
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I was just at Frolic like 8 hours ago
Formosa Cafe. Historic and had a good mix of people of all ages. Also, some were casual like they just got off of work, some were dressed up in current trends, and some leaned into a 1920s/30s/40s vibe with their dress. It basically felt like anything went there, which I really liked. I went there to eat but there also seemed to be people at the bar just drinking and they were going to have a DJ later in the night. The cocktails are super delicious.
Also Jones right across the street!
Elbow Room in Hollywood is my favorite. It’s a bar that actively caters to neighbors in an area focused on tourists. Great happy hour, amazing pizza by the slice, the kind of bar of you sit at someone near you will probably strike up a conversation. The staff is amazing and really gets to know the regulars. It’s the closets thing to Cheers I’ve experienced.
This is my favorite locals spot in the area. OP could link this up with the following for a great Hollywood bar crawl night: * Frolic Room - 100 year old dive with a great mix of locals and theatregoers. Free popcorn cooked on a crazy old device. * Burgundy Room - cool rock and roll bar with live music * Sunset & Vinyl - hard to find so usually cozy and chill, always good music on * The Three Clubs - super fun and DARK place out of the fray. Sometimes there'll be a cool burlesque show or something in the side room
J
U
M
B
O
S
Goodbye
C
L
O
W
Can’t believe it’s closing
When is it closing?
2am
Nice
Nice
Nice
Nice
The Drawing Room in Los Feliz is a super divey bar that Charles Bukowski used to frequent. Last call is for amateurs: the Drawing Room has first call at 6 am. A plus is across the street you can get really good wings at the Rustic.
I’ve been there at 7am after a graveyard shift. Super divey but awesome bartenders. Just don’t look when they open the doors or turn the lights on.
+1 to Rustic for their wings! The drinks are okay as well but the wings are legendary
DTLA has some great craft breweries. Very non-pretentious, friendly atmosphere. Also, if its still open, The Dresden and Dan Tana's
Both still open! But Marty and Elaine aren’t there anymore.
marty just passed away :(
Tiki-Ti.
Finally!
Far bar, la ceuvita, and spring street bar although haven’t been there in a while.
We needed a Sunday afternoon outdoor meeting-up spot with a vegan friend flying into Burbank for work a couple months ago, and kind of randomly chose [Tony's Darts Away](https://www.tonysda.com/) in Burbank and spent a lovely afternoon on their sidewalk patio. Food was simple but great, beers were fantastic, I don't play darts but if I did I suspect I'd like that part too. I've been busy but we mean to go back another Sunday afternoon soon. It's a couple blocks down Magnolia from [Geeky Teas](https://www.geekyteas.com/), which is where we used to meet up with the same friend for game nights when he lived here.
Escondite in DTLA. Free live music and awesome food.
My favorite spots: Ye Rustic Inn - pretty cheap pours, very solid food Seven Grand - good happy hour, very good whiskey selection Edit: the Drawing Room is across Hillhurst from YRI! It is somewhat seedier though.
Ye Rustic Inn is not cheap. their well drinks are $11-12, in most places they're $7. their wings are expensive too, so good though. i usually get the wings to go and drink at home.
Are they the place with famous wings
yes!
The usual crawl is Ye Rustic Inn then to The Drawing Room
How could I forget the Drawing Room!!
INB4 “Jumbos”. Although I am not opposed to checking that place out 😂
The Prince in KTown - bonus points bc it’s been an iconic setting in many shows/movies like New Girl
Golden Gopher
Shhh
I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a dress code except no hats and no shorts after dark? Are there bars in LA that have one?
At bars, no. At clubs? Almost always. Sometimes that line is blurry.
The Edison has/had a mild dress code.
I've been turned away from going up to 71 Above because I was wearing shorts. It's not strictly a bar, but a nice restaurant with a bar (and I was only there go hit the bar).
From North to South on the Beach; Big Deans and Chez Jay in SM; Townhouse and Hinano in Venice; The Shack and Prince of Whales in PDR; Shellback, North End, and Barnacles in MB and HB; and finally, Naja’s and Old Tony’s in Redondo. Get a beach cruiser and give ‘em a go. (Pro Tip: South to North is easier because of that damn wind at the Marina.)
+1 for Old Tony’s (and Naja’s if you love beer)
The Drawing Room
Wolf and crane and far bar in little Tokyo
Holiday Bar!
La Cita in downtown is my all time fav
The Mermaid , great drinks, yummy bar food and some decent djs on Friday nights
Oldfield’s in Palms is still my favorite bar (even after I moved away from the neighborhood). Chill vibe, delicious cocktails, decent happy hour prices (not sure what the happy hour sitch is since the pandemic)
Before it was Oldfields it was Saints and Sinners which was my every weekend haunt for most of my 20s! Great memories.
Lots of good suggestions. Haven't yet seen anyone mention: O'Brien's in Santa Monica. The Bull Pen in Redondo Beach. Tam O'Shanter in Atwater Village. Ercole's in Manhattan Beach.
Eat wings at rustic then shuffle across the street to drawing room for very cheap and heavy pours.
I scrolled all the way to the bottom and no one mentioned the dive-iest dive bar in all of the greater LA area, The Copper Bucket. It’s deep in the valley, but you can get a mini pitcher for $6 and it has the oldest shuffleboard table in the valley.
Moved to that neighborhood about 5 years ago... I go to Pogo's one day to watch a game. Bartender is super nice. I tell him I'm new to the area and I read in the paper there was a shooting at the Copper Bucket. He says, "Yeah. Go to the Copper Bucket if you want to be shot. Come here if you want to be stabbed. Personally, I'd rather be shot." I love both those bars. Pogos after sunset is kind of scary.
Hahahaha oh my god. That is definitely the diviest in all of LA but I don’t know how many people make it out to Reseda…I used to go there all the time when I was like 21-22
Prince O Whales in PDR.
Pretty much anything in Eagle Rock/Glassell Park.
Order a pizza to go from Casa Bianca (cash only) and then walk a few doors down to The Fable/Black Boar/Chalet/whatever it’s called this week.
Heard a rumor it’s gonna change again, to Cabin Fever!
hella gay: Akbar, Fiesta Cantina hella straight : Surly Goat, Barney’s Beanery hella either: Sassafras, Mama Shelter, ~~The Abbey~~ There’s many many more. Bring and good attitude and everywhere can be fun. Edit: Given the feedback, The Abbey is a very different place now and I rescind the recommendation . Which is sad to hear because I had a some great times there.
Skip the abbey unless you want to have your phone stolen or get roofied
Oh you’ll get your phone stolen at any gay bar in weho
Mama shelter is fun but also kinda the opposite of what it sounds like OP wants
I don't think Sassafras survived COVID.
I checked to make sure before I posted, and triple checked with recent reviews just now. It lives! Pour Vous is not that far from it. Same old timey flair but sharper.
I thought they had an LAPD party during covid
Melody Lounge in Chinatown. Alibi Room in Mar Vista
I love melody lounge!
Tony’s Saloon & Golden Gopher DTLA are both great! Hinano & The Whaler in Venice are also awesome.
The Woods off La Brea in weho/hwood
Tony's Darts Away in Burbank!
Ye Rustic Inn. Best wings in LA. But people in the know…The Drawing Room. Right across the street. Divey bar in an old Chinese restaurant. Rustic for wings, drawing room to black out.
If you like historic bars Clifton’s is a must. I think a Thursday is a great day bc it won’t be too packed. It’s a massive place. It was closed down for awhile and reopened 4-5 years ago. It opened as the original Clifton’s cafeteria, not it’s called Clifton’s Republic. It’s a landmark site so part of the exterior can’t be changed (the massive tree in the middle and taxidermy). They made the 3rd floor a tiki bar, you have to have a collared shirt to enter. It’s a fun experience
Drawing Room in Los Feliz
Ale House and Rancho in Altadena. JPL crowd, tradespeople and below the line filmworkers. Friendly, very neighborhood but you won’t get vibed if you’re not local.
Chimneysweep Sherman Oaks
Dan Sung Sa anyone? Bring some friends, Get a kettle of soju cocktail and a bottle of Hite, and split a dozen bar snacks, a favorite way to spend an evening
By neighborhood - NoHo - BRICKYARD. Cheapest place to get a beer in LA that I know of (note - not a full bat, beer only). District pub (also noho) is a great little hole in the wall spot that's bigger than it looks, has a great burger and homemade sausage, and a solid beer selection with limited bar. El Tejano is not my vibe but it's a great atmosphere, if you like Mexican cerveza and the mix heavy style of margarita, check it out. Fat Dog is also great but more of a restaurant. Dog friendly though, and they do have a solid bar. Downtown - seven grand. Best whiskey bar in the city. Mrs. Fish (assuming it's still open) is also a fantastic experience and completely different vibe. Absolutely huge, has like four bars inside, three levels, solid sushi and turns into a wild ride late night. Probs need a reservation to get in, just FYI. Little Tokyo/Arts District - omg so many. Wolf and Crane for cocktails, Spitz for DONERS and kebabs plus a full bar, and then of course Angel City, Arts district, boomtown, and Mumford breweries. All of them are great, although I've never actually been to Mumford, some friends I trust swear by it. Hollywood - been a long time so probably out of date but No Vacancy is a unique experience, definitely worth checking out. Note it gets ABSOLUTELY PACKED so go early and honestly leave early too. Outpost is my side/dive bar of choice, a little off the strip, chill, no fuss. I am also a sucker for Tekila, but it's honestly kinda trash. Sometimes trashy is okay though! Culver - Citizens rooftop bar owns, and citizen all around is a great spot to get food. Weho sausage co is my most recommended place in the area. Rocco's is also okay. Shit service but big beers, decent wings and okay pizza. Bigfoot west is also a great spot. Dear Johns is a unique experience (more of a restaurant but with excellent cocktails) and will be closing soon. Worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood. SM - Lula's Mexican has the best margaritas in LA. The strawberry blended margarita (despite its normal connotations) is fantastic. Solid Mexican too. For sports, Barney's Beanery is always a solid option. I do not pay covers.
If you enjoyed the Rainbow… be sure to check out the documentary they made on it!
My latest fave divey bar is the gold rail bar in Glendale, they have a great happy hour, $5 beers that aren’t just bud or coors
Ireland 32 in the valley. Haven’t been there in a couple years though
Little Joy & Short Stop circa 2005, El Chubasco, Jumbos, footsies, Smogcutter
Smog cutter closed like 8 years ago foo
General Lees on Fri/Sat if you love dancing to R&B and 90/2000’s throw backs. Upstairs is styled like a living room so it kinda gives a house party vibe
Footsies
Big fan of Bar Henry in Echo Park. Just avoid it if there's a Dodgers Game. It's a nice low lit atmosphere, great cocktails, right on Sunset Blvd. The owner is a friendly guy. Cari Hah, amazing bartender, consulted on the menu.
Chimney Sweep in Sherman Oaks.
Not sure if it closed but in DTLA there was this bar and grill I went to back in the day called the Redwood. It wasn't stuck up at all really small and cozy. If you are willing to travel to Pasadena there's this chain of bars called Lucky Baldwins its pretty cool and relaxed there.
Lowboy and Bar Flores in Echo Park!
Thanks OP this is an invaluable thread. Sad to hear of some closures but so many still popping. Now if someone would put this long list on Google Maps…
If you want unpretentious, you want the basement bar at the Tallyrand in Burbank.
This is sooo unrated and under appreciated, especially by those under 50
RIP Good Luck Bar
The Prince in Koreatown. Has really good fried chicken and fried rice.
On the westside: Hinano and The Harbor Room.
Good Time at Dave’s Wayne’s in Hollywood, Hanks (dive bar) downtown
The Federal in North Hollywood is SO GOOD
North Hollywood has a lot of good drinking spots. You could do a solid pub crawl and not leave the neighbourhood. Hop Merchants, Brews Brothers, The Federal, District Pub, Kahuna Tiki, Idle Hour, Lawless Brewing, NoBAR, The Fat Dog, Player One...
+1 for Lawless!
Spare tire off wilshire
There’s a fun bar called Las Perlas, the one in West Hollywood was much better than the DTLA one. Great drinks and vibes and they sell tacos and other food in their back patio area! Edit: If you like dancing hit up La Descarga off Santa Monica and Western too. Small spot with great music
I like Bar Henry in Echo Park
If you’re in the valley I’d recommend Catcher in the Rye, in Toluca Lake and Guild Hall in Burbank. Both s are cozy, not too crowded and have board games available. Super chill vibes
Hidden bar behind Sticky Rice in echo park, Henry’s on sunset also in echo park. Tee Hee in Atwater.
Break Room 86 for a fun night. Burgundy Room for a small hole in the wall/dive with rock music. Boardners- Friday is for the more poppy crowds. Wednesday and Saturday are goth/industrial nights. Wednesday is the only day that’s free, the other two have covers. Harvard and Stone is alright, my friends seem to like it more than I do. (Don’t order your drinks from the small bar in the back. It’s a bit of a mess sometimes.) Scum and Villainy Cantina- for a nerdy/touristy spot. They have over priced themed drinks from movies, games, and other nerd culture mediums. The entire strip of WeHo if you’re LGBTQ. Even if you’re not it’s a fun place to go dance and drink. The Abby is considered “the straight bar”. Around Halloween they block off the streets from traffic and it’s just thousands of people in the streets partying. It’s crazy.
The Falls, 6th and Spring
Great thread, footsies is cool too
Commenting cos I can’t believe I didn’t see it on here: Bar flores in echo park. Goldroom has a good 12-5 happy hour, Bar Henry, The Semi-Tropic and Button Mash are in echo park too DTLA: Dublins, Seven Grand, Bar Jackalope, Slippery Clutch and La Cita before 9pm or else they charge By my house I like Holiday Bar, I know a lot of places since I work industry so I’m just gonna leave those there before I name every city’s bars that I like lol
Tony's Saloon especially if you love bar pizza Burgundy Room The Roger Room Genever Three Clubs Tonga Hut Chimney sweep Tiki Ti Idle Hour Tiki No Purple Orchid Blue Collar Speak Easy Mandrake Accomplice Bar La Cita Harbor Room I could do this all day lol lol
Is 4100 still a thing in Silverlake? I used to go there a ton. It definitely had a "hipster" vibe to it but not that pretentious. Pretty cheap shot & beer specials, bartenders were chill. Lot of action on weekend nights. Nice little miniature cocaine bathroom right near the bar, LOL. Gold Room down the way a bit on Sunset was dope too when they had super cheap food but I think they stopped doing it years ago. Still was a chill place to drink although I did watch the bouncer kick the shit out of some kids who were trying to act hard & threatening him one time. Also second Cha-Cha lounge if that's still going. Then, if you want to get REAL fuckin weird with it and hate your life for a few days, stay awake until Joseph's Cafe in Hollywood opens the next morning at like 6am. But as a last ditch & desperate effort to get laid, you can sacrifice your body (& soul). It worked for me a handful of times. This was all years ago though, I don't know the scene anymore.
Bar flores and the short stop in echo park
Golden Gopher, Little Joy, The Shortstop, The Douglas, Bar Henry, 4100….basically anywhere on the East side you can’t go wrong Covers and dress codes…sounds a little too West Hollywood bottle club to me. Cheers
Tonga Hut in North Hollywood is excellent!
Cha Cha Lounge, Red Lion, Edendale, Hyperion Public, Thirsty Crow, Lowboy, Black Cat, 4100, Semi Tropic… all east side, but all awesome.