While in the area catching up with close friends, we hit a few spots in Santa Monica late night and ended up at Sonny McLean's for some late nigh eats & continued convo. Walking in this Irish gastropub took me back to my trips to Boston... it felt like like I had transported back east, from the décor, setup and just the overall energy. They show love for the local teams too (not sure about the Lakers... haha but it was the right unexpected blend! We grabbed a spot at the bar to order before the kitchen closed. I was told this place is known for drinks, comradery, and sports, so I didn't venture to deep into the menu and got hints from the staff. We stuck with the classics, chicken wings, beer-battered fish and chips (because, of course, Irish pub), thin-crust pizza, chips and guac, and a mixed fried basket of pickles, onion rings, and fries. They hooked us up with everything we wanted, and we were not disappointed. Service was great, we felt like VIPs, and the staff interactions made the night even better. This spot is now on my list as I'm in the area often. I hear it gets packed on game nights, so get there early. read more

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Incredible vibes for cheering on Boston sports! I went to Sonny Mclean's for the first time for a Sunday morning Patriots game. Thankfully, I came about 30 minutes before the game started because it was already starting to fill up. People were drinking black coffee in one hand, and a Guinness in the other by 9:45AM. Doesn't get much better! They really aren't kidding when they say there's no bad seat. You'll see a TV no matter which direction you're looking. Food was really enjoyable, especially the breakfast burger, fries, and whatever sauces they came with. Plus the pretzel which comes with a huge crock of pub cheese and mustard. Be prepared to spend a little more than you expect. The menu shows cash prices and they charge for credit cards. I think my great experience was also due to the fact that the Patriots won. It's such a fun environment with people singing and dancing. They ring a bell at the bar for every touch down and win. And then they played the trifecta: Shipping up to Boston, Sweet Caroline, and Dirty Water! read more

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I came to California with no friends and left Sonny McLeans with a good pour, friendly servers and the best friends anyone could ask for. If you need a Guinness, some delicious food or some good company, Sonny McLean's is the place for you. It's also an awesome New England sports hang out. read more

Sonny McLean's - Perfect split - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Love Sonny's. It is a home away from home for anyone from the east coast. There are a ton of regulars. Be prepared to get to know some people and hear a lot of laughs. They have darts, which is so fun. So many bars don't have these anymore. The beer list is extensive. So many good beers to choose from. They have a full bar, which is great. The bartenders can make some good cocktails. But, remember, it's a pub, so don't expect anything too fancy. The food is actually really good for a pub. I highly suggest the steak sandwich. They have both the skinny fries or steak cut fries. The pizza is pretty damn good too! The spicy one is super spicy, so be warned! The bartenders are all good at what they do. They work with hustle and take care of everyone and get the job done. They have all the sports and a good amount of bar seats, bar height tables and even an outdoor area with TV's. There is just no other place like Sonny's. read more

I was too busy to eat today and I needed to eat at 9pm. Ordered nachos, can never go wrong with nachos!!! I was wrong. This was the worst tasting nachos I've ever had. I had to eat some reluctantly because I'm starving. This reminds me of when I make hamburger helper and I drain the oil of the beef before adding the other sauce. This tasted so flavorless as if they rinsed the beef. How do you mess that up! Bartender, bouncer and everything else was good vibes, very friendly. Bar looks cool just don't order food. read more

Sonny McLean's - Nachos - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

First time here, people are super friendly. We were here because my husband is a diehard patriot fan. This is a patriot bar nice little neighborhood spot.. will be back . read more

Sonny McLean's - Pretzel was nice and warm - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The grilled, smokey wings, service and neighborhood atmosphere are all fantastic! I highly recommend! read more

Sonny McLean's - Grilled Buffalo wings - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Sox bar for Sox fans! Really good bar food and amazing beer list. Not only do I recommend but if you see me there with my dog, say hi!! To the dog, not to me...no one says hi to me. read more

A bit disappointed in my experience. The service was excellent as always. Except. No water refill. I know this place gets super busy so I'm giving some grace by giving 3 stars. I was at a table with five friends. They ordered the chowder, tacos, fries. They said that their food was tasteless. The chicken on my romaine salad tasted like rubber. I started feeling very sick before I left the restaurant. I paid $29 cash for the Romaine chopped salad and one 16 oz. stella artois. I heard they charge more if you pay with a credit card. Sonnys is a lot of fun and a great place to watch the game. But skip the food. read more

Best place to grab a beer and watch a game. The staff is always great and the patrons are too!

A great sports pub for any fan, but Sonny McLean's is the center of the Boston Sports Universe in LA. If you're a fan of the Pats, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins this is the place to be. If you don't believe me, come in on a Sunday in the fall when the Patriots are playing. Great food, friendly service (shoutout Syd), reasonable prices, and always a good time. It's a great place to meet new people or rally your existing crew for a ballgame or a meal. read more

Wake up hungover, heads pounding feel miserable and lonely. It's Valentine's Day morning and feeling lonelier than usual. Rally the lads for breakfast. We get lost on the way and end up at THEEE SONNY McLEAN'S. I have never felt so welcomed and loved in an establishment at 11:30am. They get me here. I think I'm in love with the Scottish Bar tender. Recommend the steak sandwich (add avocado - it's a couple cents extra) and a nice stout (poured the right way). read more

Sonny McLean's - Steak Sandwich - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The only sports bar I love to go to. It feels like a family joint almost NYC style, minus the old bitter men bartenders, plus some very pretty girlie ones. read more

I like this bar. Very chill atmosphere and really good food. Not your usual pub grub but great variety and well prepared.

Was here for drinks with my work colleagues visiting from Seattle, Bristol (CT), and San Francisco, and someone in the group picked this establishment for drinks/light dinner. I didn't eat anything that evening, but I did enjoy a pint of Guinness here, poured beautifully. The service was wonderful, with staff coming by frequently to our tables to ask if we needed anything. I'd go back here. read more

Everything about this place from ambiance drinks food to the staff are all great. Vibes are high especially if you're a redsox and pats fan. Most of the negative reviews are from people who couldn't hold their liquor and deserved to be bounced out so don't be fooled! read more

The staff is always super nice, the atmosphere is always great and it's generally a great sports bar to go hang out and have a great time. Also dog friendly! read more

Amazing bar food and ambience! Great place to watch the world cup games and any sport events!

this place has all BOSTON games that live here for all seasons. GO PATS, GO REDSOX, GO CELTICS

The bartenders here are really cool and there are a lot of areas to hang out around the bar. It's never too packed.

The Kobe/Boston sports mural on the side of this building is the most cursed thing I've ever seen. Anyways, it's a good bar. Nice beer selection, good wings and lots of TVs. read more

Delicious food. Friendly service. Large beer garden. We enjoy sitting outside and Rory always makes us feel welcome. Everything I've ordered is worth coming back for. I particularly enjoy the fish and chips. The fish is fried well and I love the steak fries. I'm already looking forward to our next visit! read more

Sonny McLean's - Fish and Chips - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Darts are so fun! Also love a Guinness. The bartender will put a shamrock on your Guiness read more

Sonny McLean's - Guinness - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

First off, I want to say the atmosphere at Sony McLean's Irish Pub is incredible. The inside is very nice, and the outdoor patio is even better. For it being a Boston bar, it was amazing to go for the first Patriots game the place was absolutely packed with fans, and the energy was electric. I got there around 9:40 a.m. and every inside seat was already full, which shows how popular and lively this spot is. Unfortunately, the service was the complete opposite of the atmosphere. My server, Catherine, rarely came by maybe once an hour at best. When a friend joined me, we asked for an extra cup for our pitcher. After waiting more than 15 minutes, we realized she wasn't coming back, so I went inside to grab them myself. When we ordered food, we got the wrong order, but she never came around for us to even let her know. I also tried to close out my tab before the game ended so I could leave early, but Catherine never came around. I went inside to ask if a bartender could close me out, but was told only my server could do it. We ended up waiting almost 20 minutes after the game ended before she finally appeared. When I explained that my order was wrong and I didn't want to be charged the higher price, she gave me attitude and said, "But you already ate it." I understand that, but if she had ever come by during the meal, I would have told her right then to get the meal I orders originally. The worst part was at the very end she gave me the wrong bill with someone else's card. I had to go hunt down the person who had my card and bill, which was frustrating and honestly unacceptable. Overall: The bar itself is fantastic great atmosphere, great crowd, and a fun place to watch the game. But the service ruined the experience completely. read more

Friendly neighborhood Irish bar. Not as friendly to "outsiders as O'Briens, but it has a good selection of beers (including 3 different stouts). To be clear, it's not that they are unfriendly, and a big factor is I came in after the last Sunday NFL game, so both the staff and patrons might have just been "done." I did not try the food, but I shall be back and will report back in the near future. read more

Sonny McLean's - A fine (Rasputin Imperial) stout. - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Food and service are great here. I was there to support the Irish in the National Championship game. The crowd was electric despite the loss. I had lunch there yesterday. This is not your typical pub fare. Food is made from scratch. Hand-breaded mozzarella sticks for crying out loud!! The steak sandwich was perfectly cooked and seasoned hanger steak. Love the grilled jalapeños instead of green peppers in the sandwich, too. I had the Half Steak Sandwich for lunch. PERFECT. read more

Sonny McLean's - Half Steak Sandwich and fries - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great music and staff! Fun dart and pool setup in the back as well. Costumers are also super friendly creating an overall fun environment!

I've been visiting Sonny's since 2002. Here's what's good about Sonny's: it's a great hang for New Englanders in the area; whether you're a resident or passing through. I've been on both sides of this clientele as someone who has always frequented Sonny's while visiting Los Angeles and now as someone who is moving back to the area for a second time. Sonny's is legitimately Red Sox Nation West. The Shepherd's Pie, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Calamari, and Clam Chowder are good - in some cases excellent. There's a wide selection of drinks and even good non-alcoholic beer (for those of us who don't drink alcohol - though they *could* offer more non-alcoholic beer choices). The staff is, for the most part, friendly. And the merchandise is spot on. It's one of the best places to catch New England sports teams with fellow fans. It's a blast - a great place to be for that type of stuff - you'll find your tribe there. It pains me to give the place two stars and to be tempted to give it just one based on a specific experience: but the experience pertains to the holy grail of meals: Thanksgiving. And in many ways this experience speaks to the risk you'll take more broadly, in terms of customer service. Sonny's advertised what looked like an epic Thanksgiving menu this year (2023). It felt like a great place to catch a Thanksgiving meal for New Englanders making their way into Los Angeles on the Holiday - a bridge to the (potentially superior) smells and tastes of New England and the Northeast during the Holidays during such a homesick-inducing time. I called in the late afternoon and was told they had plenty to serve. But it didn't come to pass. By 8pm, as we put our order in, we were told they were already out of one item on the three course prix fixe: the garlic mashed potatoes. Disappointing, but we carried on with the prix fixe order and added items that weren't part of the Thanksgiving menu. A few minutes after we placed our order, we were told they were "out of turkey" but that the soups were coming. We were now stuck: with jalapeño poppers, drinks, and just a single item from the Thanksgiving menu (the soup) ... the place wasn't even busy at that time and certainly not busy enough for them to not know or be aware they were fundamentally done with the Thanksgiving menu before ushering us into the commitment. Sonny's advertised Thanksgiving meals for a 12 noon to 12 am Thanksgiving Day window - but came up short by four hours. Stuck with just Butternut Squash Soup, which was good but not as great as it has been before (and with garlic toast boasting black grill marks that were oilier and a tad too smokey-tasting - almost chemically), we didn't have time to scramble out in search for a proper Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere (in a city that, frankly, is too Gucci for an abundant selection of home-style meals of the sort). We should've stuck to Cracker Barrel on a year that we knew we wouldn't be cooking for the Holiday. We were then stuck with a 67+ dollar bill. We live in a time and place that is well past the type of exemplary service you'd get from most restaurants in a situation like this: they could've offered substitutes. And they could've discounted the soups or even served them as complimentary items on the order as a way to apologize for the prematurely abandoned menu (there's just no way this was a demand issue based on when I called to check for availability and the time we actually walked through the door). The server was courteous - especially for someone stuck there on a Holiday: a day we would normally tip 25% or more... we struggled to tip 15% to balance the overall pub's poor response to the situation it created. Beyond that specific experience, Sonny's could use clam cakes and Indian Pudding on its menu to further cement its reputation as *the* New England colony's flagship hang in Los Angeles. It's a fun place with good items on the menu but it's ambitions can exceed its abilities when it comes to things like Thanksgiving. It limits its reliability as a refuge for all occasions for New England expats or locals seeking that vibe anytime of the year. read more

Sonny McLean's - Thanksgiving Menu. - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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4 stars not for the food, but for the energy of the place. Sonny's is a great place to watch a sports game, the whole crowd will most likely be invested and there are tons of tvs to watch on. Drinks are your standard go to beers etc., and food is definitely overpriced but that is as expected from a sports bar like this. Definitely recommend to go with a group of friends casually on a weeknight. read more

Sonny McLean's - Beer and chicken bites - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Food, Beer selection, the service, everyone treats you with open arms. Amazing neighborhood vibe! read more

Sonny McLean's - 20z frozen glasses - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Alot of Irish Bars have become the go to "Sports Bars" -- I guess they have to adapt to survive as when we were just in Ireland, most of the bars had traditional Irish Folk music played by the best musicians around. Place was jammed for a recent NFL Playoff Game (I saw that it's a Boston bar and although a Boston area team was not playing, it did not deter the crowds). Couldn't get a seat or table so we stood at the bar and enjoyed a Guinness on tap. Lots of big screen TV's everywhere and good sight lines -- sound was a bit low -- maybe due to the crowd? If you come for a big game, arrive early! read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. I wad not here even two minutes and the barmaid was ssying "Make it Quick! Being rushed is no way to treat a customer. I rven told them that I was scouting them for tourism. Rude and obnoxious is no way to run a drinking establishment! read more

Love this spot. Female bartender with the tattoos is amazing at her job. Service is unbeatable. One of my favorite Irish pubs. Cheers read more

I was here on St. Patrick's day weekend with two girlfriends, and Mark (one of the employees w/ a chipped tooth and glasses) not only poured water on our feet, but also put his hands on us. It was entirely unexpected and unacceptable. I will not be coming back here as this was a disturbing experience. read more

Sonny McLean's - Pants soaked from Mark spraying liquid on women - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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This was a very old Irish pub. A lot of locals hanging out. The lobster roll had a toasted bun with Cold lobster celery Mayo inside.Large portion Aïoli fries were delicious. $32 out the door tax included, parking is limited. Metered parking nearby read more

Sonny McLean's - Outside entrance - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I actually love this pub ~ straight outta Fenway park. "How do you like dem apples?" Hope y'all get that reference. If not, it's ok I forgive you. This Boston bar is true to its roots, with several large flat screen TV's all over the bar and Boston patrons tucked away in every nook and cranny of this surprisingly spacious establishment. Came here for the Celtics recent playoff run (2022) and the crowd got routy. IN the best way possible. The food is typical pub food with nachos, wings, fries and a very very decent burger. But who am I kidding I come here for the Boston patrons, and the fact that the food is pretty good is only icing on the cake. Come here and catch the big game, they play everything from football to basketball and baseball and all in between where the great city of Boston is involved. And if you're a Yankees fan? Well...got some news for ya ha...haa.... read more

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Service was friendly. Very friendly. Prices are reasonable for los angeles. They are dog friendly! Huge marks. Their food surprisingly good. Even their fries comes with some fancy dips. Great spot to catch up with friends and hang. I'm glad this neighborhood spot is going strong read more

It was my second Irish pub in the last twenty-four hours. And it was the biggest party in town on a Sunday night! Starr was running the karaoke corner. Eric was behind the bar. My dear old friend got me properly inebriated enough to actually sing a song on a stage in public at all... of course, the stellar crowd was the biggest motivator. It was almost a Johnny Rivers Garden Party in there. As long as someone keeps inviting me in--and someone always does--I can see all of us continue showing up. BYOHeart-shaped sunglasses. read more

Sonny McLean's - Friends! But where are our glasses? - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Fun place for Boston sports. Food was good and particularly considering the place was packed to watch the Celtics in the NBA Finals, service was excellent too. Fun place. read more

Excellent food, drinks and atmosphere. But, what really took the cake was this local transient, name of Gene! We were absolutely graced by Gene's presence! He provided endless laughs and stories, and ensured the whole bar had a memorable evening. (more to caution, he is highly handsome, so hide your women) There's many reasons to come back to this place, but we'll be back for sure to see our good friend Gene! read more

Sonny McLean's - Sports Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California