Grandpa Johnson’s

Has my birthday here last week. The venue is nice and the interior design is fantastic… but their cocktails are just awful. Every one of them that I tried desperately needed some simple syrup. Even the Moscow mule was sour. Probably would return.

Quiet when we visited early, but great vibe nonetheless. Nice cocktails & friendly service.

Great spot! Cozy and chill, good music and drinks, comparable prices to anywhere in the area. I’ve gone a few times and it could easily become a regular haunt.

Cool Spot. I dig the design, DJ is good, drinks are awesome (try the Loraine), overall vibe is good.

Hard to find but the atmosphere was on point. My friend and I had walked past the place once before and noticed that on a busy night, the majority of its patrons wear hats and assumed you had to have a hat to enter. On a Thursday night, I guess they are a little more laidback and the crowd isn’t as hipster, although our group mostly filled the place and then shut it down that night. The cocktail I got was absolutely devine. The prices hurt my heart, however.
Whatever DJ they had that night was playing funky 70’s music so you know we got down and dirty on the dancefloor.

They turned me away at the door. The fucking nerve!
Though I’m a successful industry muckity-​muck now, in my early days living in NYC I spent years bartending at places that made craft cocktails, and am still a huge cocktail nerd– I live in the ‘hood and was walking by (I walk down to the ArcLight all the time) so I decided to try this place out.
I tried to hand my I.D. to the door man, but he gestured towards the 2 girls standing close by. The short one looked me up and down and hugged her clipboard to her chest. The other looked uncomfortable– she knew what was coming. I read the body language and asked:
«Is this a private-​club type situation?»
«Yeeeaaaahh. Sorry.» replied the clipboard-​hugger. The girl standing behind her looked nervously towards the «bouncer».
I briefly considered trying to convince them that I was exactly the kind of client they wanted. That I could bring in so much business, that I was the kind of person who’d rent the place out for private parties that would be attended by fabulous and… ah, fuck it. I already knew the judgmental little twat wasn’t gonna budge.
The mute girl behind her looked about to cry. I hope the bar industry doesn’t harden her soft heart. It will.
Then I was gonna joke: «Don’t you know who I think I am??» as if a corny joke would unlock the door… but I didn’t. I just skulked away, red-​faced and fuming.
I’ll never go back. I’ll never give them a cent or bring my big-​time rich celebrity friends, or my super successful restaurant industry taste-​maker friends, to drink and laugh and carouse and have our pictures taken coming out the door wasted and smiling and flashing nipples and panties as we climb into our waiting black SUV’s. Never.
Your loss, Grandpa.
I hope you die soon.
p. s. I was wearing Imogene & Willie dark wash jeans and a Billy Reid button down shirt. From the pics I’ve seen on line, I was dressed better than most of their patrons. Maybe the clipboard-​hugger didn’t like my shoes.

Don’t VALET here!!! I was in Grandpa Johnson on July 24^th and use the valet parking because there is no other place to park!!! Valet cost $ 20 +5 dollar tip!
and today I received a parking violation ticket!!! apparently valet parked at expired meter zone, and I end up getting parking citation! $ 63
it was a terrible place and on top of it all shady valet!
Not recommending at all

It’s a great hangout place in a dimmed light setting.
Came out here one time during a weeknight to hangout with friends. We stayed in the cave-​looking area most of the time and then chilled at the bar. It was a pretty mellow night. The bar was half packed with good looking people. And the dj that night was playing top 40s. Although the music was good, no one in attendance really danced… what a shame.

I’m glad to see some other negative reviews. Came here earlyish on a Saturday night date months ago and was hemmed and hawed over with mentions of capacity and dress code (we were dressed appropriately for a date night) before they decided to let us in. When we got inside, there were a whole 3 other people there and I believe they were all employees of some sort. Our waitress was very nice, but actually overly attentive. It got to a point where we felt we were being rushed out when we had barely sat down. «Can I get you guys anything else?» was repeatedly asked from the first sip. We didn’t make it to a second drink.
The décor looks like a 70s mafia movie. If you think that’s cool and you love walking into a pretentious Urban Outfitters ad, that’s exactly what you’ll find. For me, it’s a pass, but I guess I don’t do enough coke or heroin to hang out here. Smell ya later, grandpa.

My friend and I walked into Grandpa Johnson’s on a Wednesday night after the usual 15 minute circling of the neighboring blocks for parking. There’s no sign for this bar so it’s easy to miss. Look for the hexagonal shapes on the outside wall and you’ll find it. The interior of this bar is true to its name. It has the velour red drapes, dim lighitng and plush couches that you would imagine an older man drinking bouron might have in his house. My friend. whose last name happens to be Johnson, noted that the bar did indeed look like a room in her Grandpa’s house. Music from artists like James Brown and Marvin Gaye filled the speakers the entire night. I’m sure this place is full on a weekend but it was completely empty aside from one or two people and us on a Wednesday night. The bartender was friendly and energetic and gave us a rundown of the cocktail menu that she had apparently put together herself. All cocktails are $ 12 and I got the Fast Eddie and my friend had the Kubrick. The drinks were unusual and complex. Mine included egg white and pineapple and neither flavor really stood out and I couldn’t quite place the taste of the overall drink. I didn’t particuarly dislike or enjoy it but was mostly just curious about it as I kept drinking. At one point in the night the music was turned up so loudly that we couldn’t hear each other speak which made no sense because, again, we were 2 of four people in the bar. As mentioned, this bar is true to its theme and if that’s what you’re looking for I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time here but for me it lacked a sort of charm I was looking for and the emptiness of the bar didn’t help bring it to life.

Apparently if you are an LA douche bag (agent, want to be manager, want to be socialite, want to be Screenwriter) and like to talk a lot of nonsense and bullshit and build yourself up to be someone you’re not, this is where you hang out. Full of total douche types who wear leather jackets and say things like «babe». If you want to disgusting annoying you’re full of accomplishments and projects that are never going to happen definitely go here and talk to the next douche with the pomade in his hair. He’s probably actually a car salesman anyway.

A classy joint with good cocktails and a nice crowd. The designer likes birds and there are good vibes that begin with a lone disco ball over a Dj booth. Servers are chill and the drinks are set at Hollywood standard pricing. No cover and a short line so it’s great to start or end a night here.

This place has so much potential. So much fun. Good crowd. Centrally located.
Pretty annoyed amongst the oldies music played all night (which was fun), when I requested 2 Madonna songs the DJ decided to specifically play a different one (why?).
The owner was standing inside smoking which was gross.

Like walking into the dream scene in The Shining… In the best way! Great customized drinks and great music (at a decent volume). Fun place for drinks with friends or a date. Small and intimate but still trendy. I never write Unilocal reviews but this place deserves it!

Blink and you’ll miss it… but trust me you don’t want too, because behind this unmarked door, you’ll find a super-​sexy Art Deco/​Gatsby esq. cocktail bar, with great eclecctic music, gorgeous décor and a vibe that is super super cool.
The owners knew what they were doing opening this little gem.
The cocktails (most around $ 14 each) are exquisite and unusual.
It’s my new go to watering hole every time I’m in LA.

One of the most beautiful bars in Los Angeles, grandpa Johnsons is a rose in the mud puddle of Cahuenga Blvd. Grade A musicians and djs, along with delicious cocktails and an amazing late night happy hour! Fun for dancing, or holding court in a secret corner, this bar will make the rest feel like purgatory.

Was looking for The writers room… I guess its closed for a month. So was looking for a cool bar, that was chill and made craft cocktails. Happened upon this place and was so happy I did, we arrived about 10:30−11PM on saturday. They let us in without a hassle (3 couples).
Fantastic Drinks, great atmosphere.
Dj was cool, but not great, kinda funky but was getting better as the night matured.
Bartender was beyond friendly and the hostess kept checking on us.
I think as this place gets more popular it will get harder to get in.
Im glad I was there on a slow saturday night, Wont be many more of those.

It’s funny how some people review a place they have never been to. Unlike those reviews, I was here and actually went inside. Friendly staff, eclectic fashionable crowd, an amazing sound system (seriously amazing) and good music by the DJ’s. If you are a DJ, you are gonna love spinning here, or clicking here if you are a computer DJ. Dark with a clean classy décor, good seating and a few booths for larger parties. I am more of a beer than a cocktail guy and they have a good selection of unique beers on tap. Not sure what to get, just ask for a sample, the bar tenders where happy to let me try a couple samples. I went with the IPA.
They do book private events on occasion so, if you can’t get in try another time or book your own event here. There are lots of other bars close by you can visit, but Grandpa Johnson’s is worth checking out.

I’m not entirely sure this bar exists. We tried to get in — but the shades were drawn, the accented tart at the door claimed it was for «reservations only», and we were turned away.
«Come back on a week night,» the tart chirped helpfully, «but not Tuesday. That’s our opening.»
So if you’re not open then… are you just hiring a doorman to hang around out front to seem important?
Mind you, we were not turned away for wanting to sup on their overpriced cocktail concoctions or sully their banquettes with our inadequate behinds.
We were turned away from taking a peek inside to see if it was a suitable venue for an event. Five minutes of ogling with our plebe eyeballs.
Maybe they don’t like customers? Or people? Or money? Or people with money? Or me?
Or maybe — just maybe — it’s not a bar at all! It’s a front for a human organ harvesting operation!
IF YOU VALUE YOUR KIDNEYS DO NOT GO HERE

After standing in front of the door trying to figure out what kind of place this was my friends and I were looked at strange by the female and male at the door, as if we weren’t good enough for the place. We were then asked «are u here to see someone» we said, «no», their reply «we’ll this is an Art Deco bar do u want to come In» we were curious, didn’t like their snob approach with a hint of attitude, but we still walked in to kill our curiosity. The inside of this place is beautiful although service sucked and after reading most of these reviews I totally agree with a lot of the Unilocalers. So we had one drink and it was 1245 and the place was completely dead, empty, weird for a Saturday night, kinda tells you a lot about the place and it’s employees.