Bar 107

Ever since I stumbled upon this place on my 22^nd birthday it has been one of my favorite bars in the LA area. I love the music, Saturday nights in my opinion has the best music. The dance area is always crowded but it’s worth it the sweat and constant bumps. This is the best dive bar in downtown LA. The atmosphere is extremely casual. The bar tenders are always nice and the bouncers sometimes remember you, if you go often enough. They have two bars one in the front and one in the back that looks like it’s the back of a van. I have spent many fun nights at this bar and will always cherish the memories I have made. It breaks my heart to know this place is gone. Thank you Bar 107 for all the amazing late nights!

Last night was the real last night. I was there on 5/​31, but they announced they would fight to stay open as long as possible. This time the bartenders fought back tears as security came in at midnight and removed the furniture. The next bar that goes in won’t be as cool.

I personally am not a fan of dive bars so coming to this place was a little out of character for me. The thing that did me in was when I found out they play old rock and 80’s music; since these two genres are my favorite I had to check it out. My girlfriends and I came here Saturday night and the place was pretty packed and the dance floor was insanely hot, however, the amazing music totally made up for it. The drinks are pretty reasonably priced. They have two bars (one at the entrance and another one passed the dance floor in the back room). If you’re looking for a casual place to hangout and listen to good music then this is the place for you!

Best worst bar ever. Tall cans, crazy people, great music. It smells like piss and beer at anytime and every day of the week. Same bartenders have worked there since they opened and a few have added onto the crew. The bar back gets on the bar occasionally and dances haha the DJ’s are awesome. They have a legit photo booth that smells like farts when it prints. The woman’s restroom has red lights and no mirrors. The bar is full of everything. A bunch of decorations that would usually give me anxiety but it adds onto the place. They’re shutting down soon which breaks my heart but we’ve been coming to this bar for a years and I hope somehow it stays open. Not many dive bars left in downtown and if you like divey come here while you can. Cheap beers, cheap drinks and always a good time. Any holiday they will be open, this place is like home.

Wandering through downtown and stopped by this place for Happy Hour. It’s dark and uninviting, but I’m sure it’s better at night.
The bartender was kind of friendly, but she was mainly preoccupied with her friend. We didn’t get a great vibe from this place, so we had one round and left to find another spot.
As a visitor to LA, I probably wouldn’t recommend this bar to tourists.

Bar 107 starts in with a galley style room, painted red, dark, with red booths on one side, and a long, stool-​lined bar on the other side. 80’s hits are playing. In the back, it opens up into a dance floor about the size of an apartment living-​room, with a wood stage raised up about a step. There are small bathrooms on one side of this room, and a cheap photo booth with a DJ set up in a crow’s nest above it on the other. The entire establishment, from back to front, is covered in conspicuously, maybe affectedly, odd things: there is a huge horse statue, wearing an America flag cape, rearing up on one end of the bar, the walls are covered in classical portraiture in ostentatious frames, beer signs, old bar signs, and the rows of bottles are mixed with all sorts of curios I’ve never quite cared to make out in the dark. In the back room, there is a huge painting of Mickey Mouse shooting a guy having sex with a girl in a demented stick figure style. Everything is surprisingly clean, or I think it is, it’s at least not noticeably gross like other L. A dives I’ve been to.
You don’t come here for the cocktails, though they are decent enough not to kick going down, you come here for the price of the drinks. (There are plenty of chic places around if you want something with muddled basil, like the Continental club across the street.) There’s back-​of-​the-​freezer-​isle-​beer — Schlitz, Tecate, Rolling Rock, PBR, etc — at a price that’ll get you drunk for within twenty bucks. I usually stop here during happy hour. Happy hour is three o’clock to seven o’clock. During happy hour, there are four free pizzas, even cheaper beer, and cheaper drinks. (Draught pints 3 dollars, well cocktails 4 dollars, everything else 6 dollars.)
This place is right on the track of the art walk, and it’s full when the art walk is running. It’s also full most weekends and Fridays. There’s often a DJ. Some music genres include: indie rock, funk, hip hop, reggae, punk… The crowd is mixed in age and type, the only general characteristic being a skew towards the casual rather than the upscale, and towards hipness. More t-​shirts than jackets here. I’ve had plenty of chats with strangers.
The staff, who fit right in with afros, tattoos, a certain edgy gruff look, etc, are a mixed bag. I’ve gotten friendly, I’ve gotten standoffish. However, they’ve always been professional with me and reasonably responsive when it comes to drinks, even when it’s busy.
It’s worth a stop, especially on a budget, or if you like dives. A personal favorite. There’s been a lot of talk of it closing lately, but it persists by refusing to leave until the sheriff comes to evict it, so if you’re really keen get there asap. Somehow I suspect it won’t close.

I’ve been coming here since I turned 21, 6 years ago. Very little has changed. In fact, my cousin who is in his late 30’s and used to party here many years ago, agrees.
Cheap drinks, shitty bathrooms, near zero ventilation, the same music by the same DJ, every goddamned weekend — I love it!!! It’s what a dive bar should be.
Unfortunately, this place has grown in popularity over the years and is now attracting the Hollywood diva type and the new clientele that the recently gentrified downtown area has dragged in.
Prices for PBR tall cans have also gone up a couple bucks, but it’s cool — just get a Colt 45 instead.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, if you want to get trashed on cheap beer and dance on the sweatiest dance floor ever to an 80’s themed playlist on repeat.
No, if you’re gonna complain about the service, bathroom lines, how hot it is, some cholo mad-​dogging you or a potential tranny trying to dance with you.

107 was a solid way to end a night in LA. They had 80’s new wave blasting (literally, it was LOUD) and everyone was vibing. Some dude got kicked out after trying to tag on the giant horse but otherwise everyone was just having a good time. Outside of the blaring music, it seems like a good choice for a dive bar.

FAVORITE BAR IN DTLA.
This place has it all, good music, cheap drinks, photobooth, and weird stuff all around that just makes this place so much fun. I usually always end up here at the end of the night and have never had a bad experience here. It’s the perfect place if you’re just with a couple of friends and want to have a relaxed, good time.

Kudos to you, Bar 107, for welcoming all (regardless of how much of a HOT MESS they might be)!! Somebody had to do it!
I came here with a friend (totally unplanned) after a day of errands and Pilates. Yes, I was still in my Pilates clothes and my friend wasn’t exactly dressed for the Met Gala, either.
This is definitely a dive bar and they’ve got an eclectic 1970’s/Country Western/​Zoo animal theme going on. It’s so dark in here that it doesn’t even matter, though. It works. The music is loud and the crowd is lively.
I question the bartenders’ skills a bit. My round of Washington Apples tasted more like a cup of squeezed sour grapes, but I’ll let that go. The other drinks were great and we had a great time.
Don’t miss an opportunity to take a picture in the photo booth. That’s the only way to remember a night at Bar 107!

Not closing yet!

Cool spot. Fairly hipster, but not full blown. Just enough for me. Random collection of statues, art, and Tom&Jerry on the TV, lol! They have a photo booth in the backroom, and a Kegger arcade game!
Staff was friendly and attentive, and beers are cheap! Liquor was about average. Would come back again, but apparently they are closing!

I went on a Thursday around 11 to meet up with friends. Luckily they sat down at the middle of the bar which gave us a chance to order as soon as possible. That night they were two bartenders which took a while to flag them down due to the large crowd. I did not have any specialty drinks, only beers that night. The music was diverse, it went from 80’s to El General (which I never hear in DTLA unless you’re at a Latin club/​bar).
Only bummer was that once this bar reaches a capacity, the bar stools are removed in order to make space. I’ve never seen a bar do this, but then again Bar 107 is not a spacious bar.
Also last time I remembered the women’s bathroom was on the left side but now it’s on the opposite side. Instead of a regular white light bulb it’s red making me feel like I’m developing film. Bar 107 will be missed, it was a chill place to visit anytime.

Bar 107 is by far the strangest dive bar I’ve ever been to.
It’s loud, the décor is «eclectic» as in, the creepy statues, pinatas and paintings definitely made me stop at some point in my drunken confusion and ask myself where I was. I didn’t really mind it though– at least the place has character.
Drinks are alright, the crowd is pretty mixed, and the happy hour is legit.

I used to like this place. It’s a loud dive, but I like the atmosphere.
Last night we ran through here for a pub crawl, and a friend and I used their photo booth, which never popped out our pics. Disappointing. My friend notified one of bartenders, who told her that he didn’t care, that the bar was closing for good at the end of the month, and then he told her to go piss off. When she didn’t, he had her thrown out. It really wasn’t a big deal since we were on our way out anyhow.
The bouncer was a nice guy, and after hearing what the problem was, he informed us that the bar didn’t own the photo booth, and that some some old guy did, who would come in to manage it. Not a great excuse. I suggested they unplug the machine if it’s broken, and their not interested in dealing with problems generated from this issue. There’s nothing he could do about this of course. I got no fault with him though. He handle himself well.
So to recap, in the past, I’d have given it three to four stars. I like the look. It’s a little too loud for me. The bartenders seem to have checked out though. Don’t come here if you’re expecting any help or sympathy if and when you have a problem.
I was initially sad to see this place go, now I’m just looking forward to seeing what springs up from its ashes…

If you haven’t yet made it out to Bar 107, jump on the red line and head on over stat. The place is shutting down come May 31^st 2015. sad face.
Pros:
— Cheap booze
— Cool atmosphere
— Killer music
— Purse hooks at the bar!
— Booths
Cons:
— Parking

Nice little dive bar with a photo booth and small dance floor area in the back.
I am super sad to hear that my favorite dive bar in DTLA is running the risk of being demolished for yet another grand glass box of outragously over priced lofts and live work rentals. There are so few places like this in existence anymore and those like this one are closing there doors at an alarming rapid rate. This is the third bar to close this year that use to be in the weekly round up of places to stop in for a drink. So many birthdays spent here drinking, dancing and trying to fit too many of my friends into the photo booth to capture the moment in four still photographs, cementing that moment forever.
I hope this place stays open, we need places like this to give the area some range. Not every drink needs to be had in a swanky place that can be mistaken for the seemingly identical place down the street. Lets not settle for ambiguity.
Go to Bar 107 before its too late, soak up the vibes, feel the reality of a dive bar, live life as it should and not in the pretentious way we all pretend is necessary. Take a strip of photos and remember that they can take our bars, but they can never take our memories!

Décor 3
Service 4
Happy hr 3
Ambiance 3
First stop on my downtown bar crawl review. When I first came in it was pretty cool: one thing j loved about this place is that it’s so welcoming to anyone. If your looking for a really nice bar don’t come here. You get the full dive bar experience here. I genuinely enjoy trying all types of places at different prices.
Put on jeans and a t shirt head on in sit and drink from their happy hr. One thing that threw me off was their tap beer happy hr menus. The bar tender had to explain that all the drinks from tap are not really the 3 dollar price. That bummed my friends and I out but the waitress/​bartender made it up for it.
Bathrooms just as you would expect in a dive bar, well dirty .
Over all for a themed bar filled with pictures of the pope, porn on the wall and cartoons playing on the tvs there is always something to look at here ! Check it out.
–J.G.

I had such a good time here! Bar 107 was a banger. Everyone else, please take note.
Ambiance: It’s a dive bar with a LOT going on. Describing the décor as batshit crazy would be an understatement and I loved everything about it! That probably explains the unusual crowd it draws. Seriously, it’s genius because absolutely everything in this bar is a conversation starter. Perfect excuse to talk to that babe you were eyeing by that gigantic horse statue…
Drinks: Reasonable prices. About $ 6 for cocktails & shots. The bartenders were decent and if it’s too packed, there’s another bar in the back (which was surprisingly quiet).
Music: Amazing music choice. I wanted a place to dance and this was exactly what I look for. 90s rock & hip hop. The stage was packed, the dj was doing her thing, and the floor was so lively!
*Please Note: The photo booth in the back doesn’t work! Lost $ 3 to a broken machine w/​photos that will never print.
Bar 107 is a quirky dive bar with a lot of personality. Be prepared to dance the night away and grow a strange attachment towards rabbit heads and smurfs. You’ll understand when you get here…

(Drank 01÷17÷15 SA @ 8:00pm): With a name that sounded like a radio station far-​right of the dial, this unassuming dive bar certainly was an eye– and ear-​opener once you entered!
A friend and I found ourselves at Bar 107 as the location for a new food truck named Sonora Hot Dogs. We actually walked past because the name wasn’t explicitly noted on the front and the food truck hadn’t arrived yet. We finally wised-​up and asked a security guard who stood outside what seemed like the place with its bar-​esque signage
. As we waited… and waited for the food truck to arrive and finally set up, we escaped in for a look and a brew:
12-​oz. Newcastle Bottle ($ 5.00) — What could be said… it’s one of my favorite beers. Unfortunately, their selection wasn’t the best as it basically ran the gamut of standards like Bud, Corona and Pabst just to name a few (meh). However, they did have a really nice array of spirits.
Service — The two friendly security guards who checked IDs (21+ only) and patted you down outside the door were cool and hilarious (Ron, an African-​American was a riot!). Once inside, you approached the bar and got greeted by an assortment of young chilling bartenders who were eager to take your drink order. I got my drink quickly and closed out my check. They also allowed outside food since non was sold on the premises; this was a huge plus! Easy peasy.
Parking (Varied) — My buddy and I parked at a nearby Paragon Parking lot for $ 6.00 at the corner of Spring St. and 4^th St.
since we were in the area for a complimentary tasting of previously-​noted food truck. Otherwise, there were metered parking along the main drag of 4^th St. and all surrounding streets, as well as numerous other parking lots in the neighborhood. Save yourself the headache and park at a lot and just walk wherever you needed to go. The exercise did you good, the area was safe, and chances were you needed to walk off the alcohol back to your car.
Atmosphere, décor, ambience — A «cleaned-​up» dive bar which I heard was a «trannies» hangout in its previous life, it was darkly lit with what I imagined were colored electric light bulbs (no natural lighting whatsoever), kitschy with a varied menagerie of odds-​and-​ends memorabilia like stuffed animal heads, a freaking horse!, B-​movie posters, the leg lamp from the holiday classic, «A Christmas Story», and much more. The 70s TV show «Sanford And Son» would’ve been jealous of this place! There were cushioned booths and plenty of barstools to rest your arse along with sufficient standing room that worked best if you tried to cop a cheap feel in this somewhat crammed watering hole. Apparently, there was a second smaller bar as well as an arcade with old skool games that I totally missed out on — damn! There were several TVs that showed sports while killer alternative and rock & roll music blared in the background.
Attire — Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-​shirt, boardshorts, and flip-​flops. But, if you’re out on the town for the night and wanted to impress the hunnies, I dressed it up with jeans and my Doc Martens.
Overall, I loved dive bars and I was happy to now add Bar 107 to my list. Sure, it was a hipster hangout who thought Bud Light and Pabst Blue Ribbon
were the shit of beers (more like beer that gave you the shits!), but who was I to judge anyone’s tastes?! Beer (bottles, cans and drafts) ranged from $ 4.00-$ 7.00 but lacked any craft or local reprsentation, while mixed drinks and spirits ranged from $ 5.00-$ 12.00. The eclectic crop of patrons from aforementioned hipsters, homeless, hoochie mamas and people dressed in animal costumes (I wish I took a picture of this!) made for enjoyable people-​watching time. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total bill was around $ 5.00 before tip). Although they accepted credit cards, not mine of choice… AMEX! 4.0 STARS

Freakin love real bars! Bar 107 is at «107» 4^th St., between Main & Spring in DTLA. It is the closest real bar to Grand Central Market. 107 offers classics like Schlitz ($ ⁴⁄₁₆ oz from 4 pm til 2 am). They also have PBR and some other canned beers for $ 3-​$ 4.
The bartender Lindsey was really cool, and had some nice tattoos. She carded me (I heart you Lindsey! — LOL), which hasn’t happened in a while: Its must be really dark in there — hahaha!: 5 Stars.
The ambiance is a bit eclectic. There was this weird horse at the far end of the bar. Nonetheless, they have two large TVs at each end of the bar: 4 Stars.
I would definitely return and throw back some cheap beer in this divey bar. Its a definite incognito kind of place. BTW, they don’t offer food, but I did see a couple of pizzas being delivered.