|
Below you will find a
number of excellent bars or restaurants that have nice bars.
Remember DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. Unless you are staying
at a hotel within walking distance - do as I do and enjoy the
ambiance and conversation while drinking an O' Doul's or a
Perrier. It's not worth risking your life or the lives of
others! A few places listed are complete dives. I make no
representations whatsoever about the safety of any place on this
site. You need to check around before going into any bar
(especially women) - look at reviews on the internet and talk to
people who have previously gone there. I have visited
everyplace on the site, but I often go at times early in the
morning when there is no one there. Just because I had a good
experience does not mean you will!
| Rebel's Cocktail Lounge,
2216 S Pacific Ave San Pedro,
CA 90731 T T T
|
See my write up of the Alhambra
Lounge and my warning page (the comments apply to this
place as well). I went in here early on a Sunday
morning and the place was packed with a lively crowd.
Pretty typical working class neighborhood bar
(definitely NOT upscale! - I'm not an upscale fan).
Really nice neon sign out front. Fairly old feel. The
star attraction here is an ancient full sized
shuffleboard (the real wooden kind - not the dumb game
played on the floor). Such shuffleboards are very hard
to find. Probably also a good idea to read the reviews
of this place on various sites on the internet before
checking it out. |
| Red Lion Tavern, 2366 Glendale
Blvd. Los Angeles, 90039-3209, 323-662-5337, since
1959. T T T
|
Green leather booths, an old German
bar and restaurant, where people are known to actually
speak German on occasion. I have not actually eaten here
yet, but it’s on the to do list. Interestingly
enough, this place once had the same owners as Cole's
Pacific Electric Buffet downtown - Ted Mandekic and
Edward Pagliano. During that period, the Red Lion Tavern
was an English Pub with darts and all the fixings! It
took on its German theme in 1963.
Not far from the Roost bar, the Tam O'Shanter
restaurant, Club Tee Gee bar, the Astro Family Coffee
Shop, Dinah's Fried Chicken and the former site of
Algemac's restaurant.
|
| Redwood 2nd Street Saloon, 316
W. Second St. Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-617-2867 (since
1943 - 1970-2005 for its present location)
T T T
Photos of the original Redwood Bar and Restaurant.
|
Very historic bar, although it has
moved over the years. Long time hangout for Los Angeles
Times staffers. Past visitors include Richard Nixon,
John F. Kennedy and Mickey Cohen. Various pay parking
lots in area. Good place to get the inside scope on
what's going on in Los Angeles politics. Not far from
Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet, Clifton's Cafeteria, the
Yorkshire Grill, the Original Pantry Cafe and the
Bradbury Building. UPDATE : The original
Redwood pictured here had been closed for a while. A
great loss to downtown and Los Angeles Times history.
The "Redwood" reopened in September 2006 by
means of the folks who reopened the Golden Gopher.
I wish them well, but for me once a place is remodeled -
other than sharing a name and airspace, it's not of
great interest to weird old fart fanatics like me who
only care about historic interiors (probably not the
demographic they're aiming for anyway). I'm hearing the
place is very popular however. Hopefully, they
kept some of the great old interior design . I hear they
have a fun new Pirate theme, and from pictures it looks
like some of the original wooden bar is still there. At
least downtown is coming alive again at night.
|
| Reno Room Bar, 3400 E
Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803 562 438-4590 (since
1950)
T
|
Another place I know nothing about.
I was driving by and liked the sign, so I stuck my head
in and took a picture. Seemed like it only had a few
traces of its original interior. |
| Rick's Tavern on Main, 2907
Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 392-2772
T T
|
A nice upscale place with remnants of
a much older joint. Nice old back bar. Professional
staff. Lot's of nice pressed tin on the ceiling. In a
pleasant area to stroll around and observe the very
fashionable Santa Monicans. One would swear that many
people from Santa Monica are genetically altered to look
perfect. Maybe that's just the view of someone who
spends a lot of time in cheesier Las Vegas (although
there's a more limited, but abundant type of bodily
alteration going on there as well!). Near the Circle
Bar, Chez Jay's bar and restaurant and the Galley
Restaurant.
|
| The Roost Bar, 3100 Los Feliz
Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 323 664-7272 (since 1930)
T T T
|
A admirable old bar. It's dark, it's
cheap and it's got a hypnotic red glow inside. Sort of
rustic. Peaceful place in the afternoon. Friendly staff.
All in all a nice place. Not far from the Tam
O'Shanter restaurant, The Astro Family Restaurant, Club
Tee Gee bar, the Red Lion Tavern and the former site of
Algemac's restaurant.
|
| Rustic Lite Bar, 14019
Hawthorne Blvd. Hawthorne, CA 90250 310-973-5454. T
T T
|
Don't know anything about this place.
I was driving down Hawthorne Blvd. on a weekend
afternoon and saw the great neon signage - had to stop.
At least in the early afternoon it seemed like a
friendly working class neighborhood bar. Very polite
bar tender. Not a lot of older places in the area, so
this was a happy surprise. They advertise themselves as
over 50 years old. |
| Short Stop Bar, 1455 Sunset
Blvd. 213-487-4942
(since 1940)
T T T T T
|
I've driven by this place many times,
noticing the nice neon "cocktails" sign. There is no
other indicator outside as to what lies behind the door
(probably not very good for business, although admirably
hip - I guess this is the big trend these days). This
is a classic old bar in really great shape and nicely
very dark. A young crowd. The bartender the day I went
in was very friendly and quite an expert on other old
bars in Los Angeles and country music. Very friendly
crowd as well (one patron very generously brought in
homemade Guacamole). The place obviously has a lot of
history connected to baseball and police (while no
longer a "cop" bar - it still has gun lockers). Why
baseball players do not hang out here is beyond me,
given the proximity to the stadium. Highly recommended,
although I went during the day. Near the El Cid dinner
theater, the El Chavo Mexican Restaurant, Millie's
Restaurant, the Brite Spot Restaurant, Taix French
Restaurant, and the Tiki Ti bar.
|
The Snake Pit, 7529 Melrose
Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046-7417 (323) 653-2011
T T
|
Not really a dive, but sort of plain.
Kind of an old feel. I did appreciate that the bar
tender didn't grimace when I ordered a diet coke (and
didn't charge $3.75 for it - like some other places!).
The day I was there a strange looking forlorn cowboy
walked in, sat at the bar, but refused to order and soon
left. Almost ghostlike - but I don't believe in such
things. Given the Melrose Ave. location and the sort of
hidden status of the place, it brings in a few
celebrity's now and then. It's kind of nice that this
place hasn't sold out and become phony. A nice refuge
if you become overwhelmed with the cutting edge pop
culture that surrounds the place. Melrose Ave. at
certain times of the day and week makes for a great
anthropological site to study Los Angeles pop culture
and fashion.
Now gone is the nearby great Italian restaurant
Chianti, which was so dark, waiters had flashlights to
escort you to your table. I hope the interior of the
place is still in tact and someone buys it and reopens
it. I think I saw it gutted however when driving by.
|
| Maui Sugar Mill Saloon,18389
Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356 818-344-0044 (since
1976)
|
I'll break my 1970 rule here because
this place has a great interior. I haven't been here
yet, but from talking with the owners and looking at the
pictures they sent me, this looks like a great place.
The new owners are very aware how important the original
interior is and with the exception of restoring a few
elements of the original interior, nothing is being
changed. According the owners Tim & Linda
this place has a
"very cool hammered copper bar, with pennies inlaid.
Carved Indian elephants, goddesses and cherubs
throughout the bar area and fireplace. Stained glass
entry area. Older but enthusiastic crowd. They know
they have a hidden treasure here." |
| Tamarack Inn, 9257 Slauson Ave.,
Pico Rivera 562-949-1668 established 1962.
T T T T
|
Talk about a hidden gem, this was
quite a find. You would not expect much from the
exterior, but it has a fantastic rustic, dark wood
interior. Very unique. Super-friendly staff and
regulars (and a beautiful bartender the last time I went
there) with great American comfort food. I don't know
much about the history of this place, but you must check
it out. You may become a regular yourself. Not far
from Dal Rae (and you can visit the nearby incredible
"exterior" of remains of Harvey's/Johnie's Broiler
-(recently destroyed except it's large sign), as well as
the world's oldest McDonald's (in its original Googie
form), both in nearby Downey. You can probably
check out Bahooka Ribs and Grog, Goody's Coffee Shop and
Clearman's North Woods Restaurant on the same trip.
|
| Tattle Tale Room, 5401
Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230 310-390-2489
T T
|
This place was endangered for a while
by eminent domain but the bartender told me that the
problem has been solved. Popular local spot with
Karaoke. Not far off the 405 in Culver City. |
| T C's Cocktail Lounge, 694 W
9th St, San Pedro, CA 90731 (310) 514-1691 T T T T
|
Beautifully preserved wood and cork
curving bar. Original antique cash registers. The vibe
was quiet on the afternoon I went in, with a very
friendly owner and clientele. Don't know what the vibe
is like at night. Undoubtedly the most beautiful
bartender I've ever seen (bartendress?). The place was
originally called Mirrors. Looks like it dates from the
forties or so. Would be an excellent locale to film a
period piece. Unless things change quite a bit at night,
this sure seems like a real "hidden gem". Surprisingly
little mention of it on the internet. |
| Tiki Ti, 4427 W. Sunset,, Los
Angeles, 90027-6017, 323-669-9381, since 1961
T T T
|
[This was once a garage - wrong - see
below]. It started out with six bar stools. Still
small but extremely authentic Tiki bar (one of the only
really authentic one’s still existing in Los Angeles
that is not a re-creation, along with the Tonga Hut),
and still run by descendents of the original owner, Ray
Buhen, who was perhaps the greatest Tiki bartender at
Don the Beachcomber (or anywhere else) in the 1940’s. I
hear that Disney's California Adventure has a new Don
the Beachcomber. Would someone inform me is it
pronounced Tiki "Tee" or Tiki "Tie" (I usually hear Tiki
"Tie") Next door to El Chavo Mexican Restaurant. Not
far from Taix French Restaurant, the Short Stop Bar, El
Cid and Millie's restaurant for a nice Sunset Blvd tour.
You can continue on Sunset to the Coach and Horses bar,
the Hollywood Athletic Club, the Crossroads of the
World, the Sunset Grill, Greenblatt's Deli, the former
site of the Garden of *****, the former sites of the
Trocadero Cafe, the Mocambo and La Rue, Myagi's
(Players) the Chateau Marmont, Mel's Drive-in (Ben
Frank's), the Rainbow Bar and Grill, the Argyle Hotel,
Duke's Tropicana coffee shop, the Bel Age Hotel and the
Beverly Hills Hotel.
Update - My source indicating this was
once a garage is dead wrong. This is what an
associate of the Tiki Ti points out:
Sorry guys, I don't know where you got your info, but
the Tiki-Ti was never a garage, it may only be big
enough for two cars, but it was never a garage. It
stated off as a family owned Violin Repair Shop that was
built in the 1930's and owned by the father in-law of
the original owner, Ray Buhen. Ray was originally going
to open a Bar-tending School in the old Violin Repair
Shop, that had been previously rented out as a meat pie
manufacturing shop, and Republican Head Quarters in the
1950's. Fortunately he listened to his wife and opened a
real bar instead. And the rest as they say is history.
Gil A.
tiki-ti web master
|
| Tin Horn Flats, 2623 W
Magnolia Blvd, Burbank 91505 818-567-2470 T T T
|
Quirky and pleasant old bar with a
Western theme. Friendly place with yummy food as well.
Sort of the last of the old West in the Los Angeles
Metro area (although I don't believe statements like
"Howdy Partner" would be welcome here). Not quite as
rustic on the inside, as one might imagine from the
swinging old Western doors. On the Magnolia Blvd. tour
with Tony's Bella Vista Italian Restaurant, Monte Carlo
Deli and Pinocchio Restaurant, Sitton's North Hollywood
Diner and the Fire Fox Room bar, and near Chili John's
Restaurant, Frank's Steakhouse Restaurant, Genio's (now
closed), the Smoke House restaurant and the Safari Inn.
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|