Matt B. and I are living with my parents these days, and one of the benefits of this arrangement is…read morethat we can leave the house quite easily after the kids go to bed. We decided to get a drink to celebrate Father's Day, only to strike out at the first two bars we tried--I guess a lot of places are closed at 9:30 on a Sunday. This is how we ended up at Thunderbolt, a buzzy bar in Echo Park, just far enough away that we'd never made our way over. I loved it immediately. Thunderbolt has the friendly, comfortable atmosphere of a neighborhood bar and the hip aesthetic and high-level cocktails of a millennial boozer destination. (Not that young people can't or shouldn't hang out here, but it seems especially geared toward people like us, who drank at Walker Inn a decade ago.) We ended up sitting next to a guy who regularly drives up from Palos Verdes. I guess the place gets pretty busy, but it was ideal on a Sunday night. Happening but not crowded, with just enough space at the bar for us to grab two seats together. The bartender was great, super helpful and welcoming. He also made excellent drinks. Thunderbolt is one of those bars with an encyclopedic illustrated book for a menu. Not a long menu, just a detailed one, with a lot of information available about each drink. We got a Liquid Picnic and a Barcelonnette--just one round to close out the weekend. Both were delicious. The Liquid Picnic was a smooth, savory gin martini made with London dry gin, tomato, citron, vermouth, rosemary, and black pepper. I learned from the book that it used clarified tomato water. (There was also further reading about the clarification process.) The Barcelonnette was a mezcal sour with Suze, passionfruit, and lime, the foam made without egg white through some geeky mixologist process. Thunderbolt is not our neighborhood bar, but we plan to go back when we can to check out the rest of the menu. It's a wonderful place, well worth a jaunt on the freeway.

Was charged three times, totaling hundreds of dollars, and waiting for the pending transactions to…read moredrop (or stay :/) in 3-5 business days is no fun. We can't all be made of money, but this shouldn't have happened.

Best drinks and service in echo park! They put on the best events and are such a great spot for the…read morecommunity!

Such a great spot to stop by for a drink! In my experience it has always been busy and lively,…read morethere's indoor and patio seating. It smells great inside, they have candles lit on every table and incense on. It's a Mexican fusion cocktail inspired menu and all the drinks I've tried have been delicious! Bartenders are busy but once you order, your drinks comes out pretty fast. Bonus points for the cute stairwell

This is a great bar, with great drinks and great food. Their happy hour specials are amazing and…read morethey also have live piano every Saturday and Sunday! The bartenders are down to earth--real true south attitude (not the fake southern charm kind but the "I've got your back and will kick it in the dirt when you're down and cheers you when you're up" kind) It's New Orleans "themed" but truly a wonderful addition and neighborhood spot for all the Chinatown and east LA residents. Big plus: It's never hard to find parking. Definitely worth the trip or stop on by!

I would come here all the time if I could... or if I still had that kind of life, which I think a…read morelot of us don't anymore. We went on an early Thursday evening, so it was pretty dead, which honestly I liked. But on the weekends it turns into a piano bar, so if you want the full experience that's probably when you should come. My partner wanted to check this place out, and I had absolutely no idea what I was walking into. I used to live in Savannah, Georgia, and walking in immediately reminded me of bars back there. I've missed places like this. I didn't even bother looking at the menu. I asked one question: "Do you have fried pickles?" "And are they spears?" Check. And check. Instantly passed my very low bar test for a place like this, and they tasted exactly how I wanted them to. Both bartenders were great too. Easy to shoot the shit with. Although I will say... I kind of wished there were just a couple old guys sitting in the corner quietly brooding over their drinks. They also have pickled eggs, which I honestly can't remember seeing at another bar in LA. And if pickled pig's feet are your thing... they've got those too. They've never been my thing. The only thing that really pulled me out of the atmosphere was the giant ring light by the bathroom. I guess you have to keep the younger crowd entertained these days if a live piano player isn't enough. There's also the market next door, which is owned by the same people and looks like it's full of good stuff, but it was closed when we visited. I'm assuming it's open on the weekends too, which is another reason I'd recommend coming, if you want the full experience. One last thing... don't be a dick and order a Ramos Gin Fizz when the place is slammed. We only ordered one because it was completely dead.

Have come here twice for Mahjong nights (hosted on Mondays), both times have been such a wonderful…read moreexperience! My friend surprised me and bought me a birthday shot last night, it was really good! He said he ordered us green tea shots! Very flavorful, sweet, and kinda strong too (but maybe that's because we were both running on lowk empty stomachs haha). They also always have water dispensers stationed on both floors :) The security guard (bouncer?) is friendly, always offering greetings as you enter and leave There's plenty of restroom stalls (two private ones downstairs, a larger one with a BEAUTIFUL fountain sink & full body mirror upstairs) Vibes are immaculate! Low lighting, background music, plenty of seating Highly recommend!

A bar with plenty of standing space, if you're looking for a place to sit in the bar good luck…read more They serve a wide variety of alcohol, drinks my friends were unable to get at other bars they were able to make here. The only downside of this bar was the dj we had of the night. There was plenty of people on the dance floor, but the music wasn't the greatest, it just sounded like random sounds than actual sounds. The bartenders were friendly and they had several bouncers around the bar and at the front entrance. The bouncer at the front the night we came was welcoming and friendly.

100+ Rude staff, racist actually terrible drinks worst place…read moreto go for an evening out. If I could leave zero stars I would. Terrible experience and I spent over $200. Actually would like my money back. Negative zero stars. Do not come to this establishment so many other bars in the area worth the money and time.

It's a no for me. Cute walk up area and definitely gives a speakeasy vibe as you walk through the…read more"freezer" I came out for a friends birthday party that I believe they rented out the whole place. For a speakeasy, the bar drinks are super underwhelming. One bartender under poured most ppl wouldn't get a second drink, except one guy who told him to top off all his drinks. You would think bartender would have noticed he was under pouring but maybe that's from the bar. The other bartender was supposedly the manager, my friend said the drink was strong but overpowered my lime or lemon, so super sour. Very disappointed and staff was weird. Standing by the bar drinking during a closed event. They didn't have a nice demeanor weren't friendly or anything

It's always a good time at this spot. The staff is incredibly kind especially the bartender Aaron…read moreand the karaoke host Kisser. Aaron is always so kind, attentive, and professional. Kisser is really sweet, fun and an incredible singer. The space is intimate, cozy and dimmly lit. The drinks are reasonably priced and tasty. All in all this spot is a gem in Chinatown.

Popped in with my husband after a Dodgers game a few weeks ago. From the outside, it looks pretty…read moreunassuming, but the interior is a little spacious with several lounging areas. The drink menu is extensive, and the overall vibe is casual and chill. We were still in our jerseys, which made us feel a bit out of place at first, but there were a few other fans inside. We enjoyed the music, had a great drink, and had a nice time unwinding. Parking sucks in the area (as expected), but if you're nearby, check it out.

As I was across the street at El Moro churrería We noticed…read moreabout the place La Fe bar. We noticed the ambience we heard some music and we decided to go across the street. Check it out and grab a drink. Gotta say it was a busy night but can be enjoyable he was at ambiance!

Such a cute small and intimate chill bar! The music was nice and they had a dj spinning vinyls on…read morethe decks!! The drink options are good and they also have mocktails. Parking could be tough but it's a nice spot to grab drinks after a dinner around the area. I got the dreamy boy which was sweet and not super strong in alcohol.

Amazing food and drinks. Great service and vibe. Perfect for happy hour or late night.read more

As a cocktail enthusiast, The Semi Tropic has been on my radar. Owners Dan Finley & Eren Magri were…read moreon a mission to open a café/bar hybrid featuring great cocktails, quality coffee, good food, friendly staff, & an amazing sound system. (A lot of thought went into the acoustics & speaker system.) This chic establishment serves up European-inspired small plates, and their cocktail program melds inspiration with a respect for classic structure. The sultry pulsating bass lines that ooze through the speakers set the tone for a chilled vibe, and the tropical motifs provide an escape from reality. It's a great spot to relax and catch a game or hang with friends, which I did. I met some of my favorite Yelp peeps here for Sunday Brunch. We received a warm & friendly welcome from Rasheeda (bartender). She was darling, as was our server, Mason. They were both fantastic. We settled into the cozy couches tucked in the corner and ordered several dishes to share: Hummus, Prosciutto Panino, Eggplant Panino, Mediterranean Eggs, Green Shakshuka, & Fries. Drinks consisted of: Nitro Cold Brew, Bloody Mary, Age of Aquarius, & a Lavender Gimlet. The fries were tossed with rosemary salt and came with garlic aioli & ketchup. They were addicting & delicious. My Lavender Gimlet did not disappoint. Everyone enjoyed their selections, and we had a great time together. This was the perfect meet up spot. I'm looking forward to coming back. *Street parking (can be tricky.) Metered parking across the street. *Happy Hour 2 pm - 6 pm daily & all-day Monday.