For most of the year, the nightlife in Los Angeles is all about finding the new hidden-entrance themed bar everyone is raving about, or dressing up to get into upscale, dimly-lit lounges, secretly on the lookout for some celebrity even though you insist you’re “above all that”.
Well, ditch the uncomfortable heels and pretend poise, because it’s finally St. Patrick’s Day! Also, looking classy all the time is difficult, time-consuming and unrewarding! Find a bar composed of 80% wood that has the sound of laughter and the smell of good beer and questionable choices, put on jeans and anything green you find in your closet, and chug ahead.
Quick Rules of Conduct:
- Let’s be real, chances are you’re not Irish, you just like beer. That’s OK. No need to get defensive and point to your great-great grandmother on your dad’s side who may have been from Londonderry. Grab a Guinness and enjoy yourself, no one is judging.
- If you meet a real life Irish person, it is NEVER St. Patty’s Day. It is St. Patrick’s Day, or St. Paddy’s Day. I repeat, NOT ST. PATTY.
- Be an adult and call an Uber. DUIs are expensive, and wouldn’t you rather be using that money for travel?
On to the bars! With some very Irish and some very whimsical names!
Photo by Michael Dorausch via Flickr
Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub
It takes a special kind of enthusiasm to get such a lively, rowdy reputation, in the already lively, rowdy neighborhood of West Hollywood. If you missed the St. Patrick’s Day Block Party this past weekend, not to worry, as Rock & Reilly’s will be open all day on March 17th for you to get your drink on – including some of the strong but delicious Reilly’s Whiskey. Brace your liver and go.
8911 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-1400
Molly Malone’s
Just a few blocks up the road from Tom Bergin’s, Molly Malone’s is a well-known LA institution showcasing up and coming singers and bands, and a perfect stop for St. Patrick’s Day. They will have live music from noon to 1 AM today, ranging from a Beatles tribute band to Irish rock. Unlike other well-known nightlife institutions in LA that have been taken over by corporations, the same Irish family has owned Molly Malone’s for 43 years. Stop on by!
575 South Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-935-1577
Joxer Daly’s
If you’re looking for an Irish pub in the Culver City area, Joxer Daly’s is your best bet. It has a lively, friendly atmosphere without getting too rowdy, bands with names like The Praties, Oxalis, and Shenanigans will be playing for St. Patrick’s Day, and a leprechaun will be walking around the pub from 4 to 6 PM. What more could you want?
11168 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90230
310-838-3745
Finn McCool’s
It’s pretty hard to get more authentically Irish than Finn McCool’s, considering the entire bar was dismantled in and shipped over from Ireland, and then reconstructed in Santa Monica with an Irish crew. Bands will be playing at both 11 AM and 5 PM in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and over 18 beers and 200 whiskeys are available for you to slide blissfully into inebriation. Try the Irish Potato Skins while you’re here – they were featured on the Travel Channel’s PUB Paradise.
2702 Main St
Santa Monica, CA
310-452-1734