Lotus Lounge
1135 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
map

There are times when this city can still surprise and delight. It’s the feeling one gets in a slightly grimy neighborhood, which you have passed through hundreds of times, when you wander in a slightly grimy doorway, which you have never before noticed, and find a dive bar that warmly welcomes you and serves up the most inexpensive pitcher of beer seen in years. It is harder and harder to uncover a new dive never before seen on the tour, but this week we will bring such a bar into the fold.

This week sets us down smack in the middle of town, on axis with the great dive bar heaven of San Pedro and somewhere between the neighborhoods we often call "east" and "west." The bar is just a block from a stop on our often neglected subway system between downtown and the valley. It is just a stones throw away from the 24 hour Mexican restaurant known affectionately as ‘The Gran’. A pitcher of beer will set you back just 12 dollars. There is a dart board, a pool table and over sized 80’s macro-brew posters all over the walls. If you do decide to drive (rarely has a dive bar destination been so accessible to public transportation) you will find copious amounts of street parking and a small lot in the back. Stay long enough and you might find yourself in a crackpot conversation about the economic future of the United States of America with a nice old-timer. With all these factors taken into account, I am beginning to think the Lotus Lounge could be a lynch-pin of the entire Los Angeles dive bar universe.

As usual, the casual debauchery starts around 9PM an gets really interesting by 10:00. Come for one drink, or stay for one too many. Bring anyone and everyone, and join us for a great time in the middle of the week. If you arrive early or late, look for the people having a damn good time (it’ll be us), or start having a damn good time on your own (we’ll find you).

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis, WDBT Co-Czars

Hop Louie
950 Mei Ling Way
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Los Angeles’ official downtown Chinatown is an interesting place, caught between the rise of downtown development and the young professionals who live there and the rise of the vibrant Chinese communities hopscotching eastward out towards the Inland Empire. Our dive bar for this week is a hold out from both worlds. It’s simply refused to change in any way, shape, or form from the day it opened, right down to the ancient bartender whose surly demeanor and lack of polite language skills are quite legendary. But the good thing is he will likely be wearing a snappy vest and knows how to serve many of the quality tropical drinks of the pacific rim. It might just be the best place for a Singapore Sling this side of the Raffles Hotel.

For those out to join us, remember that the bar is located between Hill and Broadway in the tourist trap street-scape of Mei Ling Way. The only problem is someone forgot to tell the tourists. On this street Hop Louie might be a bit hard to find but wander around a bit, examine some storefronts, toss some spare change for good luck in the central fountain, and before long you’ll see the sign for the bar. Inside you’ll find a comfortably dim spot with a beautiful black lacquered bar, a jukebox with a wonderful selection, and a solid crowd of drinkers hoping for some collective abuse via the sometimes outrageously strong drinks or the aforementioned bartender.

As usual, the casual debauchery starts around 9PM and gets really interesting by 10:00. Come for one drink, or stay for one too many. Bring anyone and everyone, and join us for a great time in the middle of the week. If you arrive early or late, look for the people having a damn good time (it’ll be us), or start having a damn good time on your own (we’ll find you, if the friendly regulars don’t find you first).

Carpe Drink’em,
Alex, Damien, & Travis - WDBT Co-czars

“Louie Louie, oh no
Me gotta go
Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said
Louie Louie, oh baby
Me gotta go”
- Richard Berry (famously preformed by The Kingsmen)