- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Akbar
Categories: Nightlife Dance Clubs Nightlife Bars Lounges Dance Clubs, Lounges [Edit]
4356 W Sunset BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90029
Neighborhood: Silver Lake
(323) 665-6810
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7 pm - 2 am
- Music:
- DJ
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ages Allowed:
- 21+
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
247 reviews for Akbar
Review Highlights
-
"A good mix of both straight and Gay ladies and Gents." In 94 reviews -
"grab some VERY STRONG drinks and have a great time." In 18 reviews -
"Also, I believe Wednesdays have craft night." In 6 reviews
Loading...
247 reviews in English
-
Review from Jason B.
Los Angeles, CA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place rocks! I love taking everyone here. I either go out in DLTA or here, and I've been known to convert WeHo peeps to here too :)
My favorite gay bar/club in LA! -
Review from Melissa Sue A.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA
4/30/2012
I haven't actually been to Akbar in a few months, but I spent so many of my baby gay days there that I feel I must put down my opinion of this place.
AKBAR WILL GET YOU F"ED UP MAN!
Oh my goodness I've made so many sloppy, funny, awesome mistakes there. And if you've been you know you have too! Mike the bartender has always treated us well and has been very heavy-handed with the drinks. Dance floor is super fun for throwing down the moves you'd be too embarrassed to try out at any other place. Smoking outside always leads to extremely entertaining conversations with complete strangers.
My friends and I have been coming here for years, and though I frequent it less these days... (can't handle the raging hangovers post akbar nights) I still love to sometimes revisit my old stomping grounds and have the time of my life! -
Review from Rob D.
Los Angeles, CA
4/20/2012
I dig Akbar.
Stiff drinks; price is right.
Diverse jukebox.
It's a breath of fresh air when you're tired of the crazy WeHo scene. -
Review from Neil C.
Los Angeles, CA
5/13/2012
This is a decent place to have a drink as far as LA bars go, but I cannot say I enjoyed my experience here. I went out to have a cigarette at one point and when i tried to rejoin my friends, I wasn't let back in because I had apparently had too much to drink! The club is full of drunk people! The bouncer physically grabbed me and threw me onto the street! I have never in all my many experiences in many clubs throughout the world been treated with so much disrespect. I can understand a bouncer having a level pf discretion, but I am a 5' 6" college student with zero chance of causing problems. I had even paid the required fee to get onto the dance floor, and he didn't honor that. Spare yourself the humiliation and go anywhere else.
-
Review from Jackie P.
Los Angeles, CA
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been a few times this year, and enjoyed it every time. I love the jukebox, plenty of places to sit, great drink specials and Anchor Steam on tap. YUM! They're fast behind the bar too, and friendly every time : ) I'll be back again.
-
Review from Christine H.
Los Angeles, CA
4/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
When I'm not in the mood for Weho--I come here.
There's always room on the dance floor (not including weekends) and if I don't feel like dancing I go over and play whatever I want from the jukebox.
The drinks reasonably priced and the bartenders are always very generous. -
Review from Gilberto M.
North Hollywood, CA
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love this place!!' Great music + cute guys + awesome atmosphere!!!
-
Review from Corinne B.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love Monday nights here. $7 pitchers of Anchor Steam and the dj spins ska 45's all night. There's no other bar that I would head to on a Monday.
-
Review from Ivan L.
2/3/2012
I came here on a Wednesday with my friend because we were looking for a new place to go to besides West Hollywood or Downtown LA. It was early when we got there, probably around 8pm so there were only a few people there. People slowly trickled in after. The bartender was really nice and they had happy hour drinks or Wednesday specials, don't remember which. The music they had playing was also great! Only one part of the bar was open, so it was really small but cozy!
I will definitely come back on a weekend to get a better feel for it. But if you're looking to ease your way in to the bar scene, I would suggest coming in during the weekday! -
Review from Benjamin S.
Newhall, CA
2/8/2012
It's a cool bar but it looks a bit like a low budget strip joint. The ceiling looks like a paper mâché volcano gone awry.
The drinks are cheap. The crowd is awkward.
Enjoy. -
Review from Erika M.
Updated - 3/26/2012
Suuuuuuuper packed on a Saturday night! Holy mother of God. I'm surprised they still let us in. Bar was so hard to get to & two bathrooms for THAT crowd? Yikes!
Listed in: Hora Feliz en El Lay!…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/21/2011
I've been to Akbar before and have always had a good time, but this particular night killed it!… Read more »
-
-
Review from Robert A.
1/4/2012
Usually, 2-for-1 drinks results in skimping on the alcohol...but not at Akbar!
Here, you get two delicious and strong drinks (margaritas? yum....vodka & sodas? good!) on Tuesday nights. My friends and I had 'em coming all night long and didn't have to break the bank to pay for them. I'd say that's a win-win situation. -
Review from Jacks S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/27/2011
I have been a lover of Akbar for many many years, but after my last visit, I will not be going back and I plan to tell the world- or maybe all my L.A. friends.
Akbar used to be the unpretentious, cool spot to dance and get really, really wasted until one of their bartenders decided to treat me and my girlfriend like scum for gasp- --sipping our drinks at the bar! (I know, how could we!)
Not only did the jerk demand that we move no sooner than our drinks had been handed to us, but he actually grabbed my drink from my hand when I said no! Such a douche... Whoever manages this guy seriously has to remind the jerk the meaning of customer service. I am sure that you don't care what one girl has to say, but I will make sure I tell anyone and everyone I can of my experience at Akbar. Thank you for moving my business to the Truck Stop. -
Review from Bryan S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/12/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Hipster-riffic! Meh.
With all the feigned snottiness that could be mustered, Akbar is a strange place.. I've never seen the staff happy to see their patrons, but he drinks are strong and not too pricey, and it's a great neighborhood spot. It's just the clientele and the staff that can be a little off-putting. -
Review from Daniel C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2012
If your not too familiar with the whole LA gay-bar scene, the Akbar offers a nice entry-level tutorial. Smack dab in the middle of Sunset Junction, the Akbar has been a familiar sight to the crowds of Silver Lake much like the Tiki Ti and the Good Luck Bar have been for years.
The Akbar's setup comprises of two bars, lounge space and a dance floor (which can get overcrowded on any given night). Lighting is dim, but not too dim. Staff for the most part are friendly and attentive (a rarity in this region). However like the dance floor, the joint can get packed within the span of a Facebook photo opt and as result -- well.. patience is a virtue peeps
The Jukebox offers a variety of music from 80's one-hit wonders to contemporary releases (Lady Gaga overplaying at a gay bar! Shut the front door). Their specials are something to note: two pints of Anchor Steam's for $4 or their 2 for 1 after eight deal (sweet!). I will say this, I am not keen with the idea of serving well-drinks in plastic cups...really folks? Are we back at our undergrad years
Patrons are a diverse selection of the gay community (mostly gents, well depending on how many drinks they have in them), cute straight girls and neighbor residents. To all my straight male counterparts, leave your prejudice and insecurities at the door. It's ok, really.. gay peeps don't bite (unless you want them to). Heck, you might be offered a nice "compliment" and / or a free drink with your visit (great success). I can not preach this enough, never turn down free FSA at any bar or pub (check my previous review for a clearer definition).
Overall, a cozy environment in the heart of Silver Fake (ummm, Lake). For those of you who are stricken with a mad case of the munchies at 2am, a McDonald's is within walking distance or a Del Taco is just down the street. C'mon, you know you want a Mcrib and some papa fritas to go with that buzz -
Review from Kathryn M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Okay so after reading some reviews on Yelp I decided to give this Akbar a try, but much to my dismay, not enough of the lesbians here. I guess it was only in one review or something but after looking at their website and reviews here, I just guessed that Akbar was just as fun for the ladies as the men. I mean, I had fun, but I brought friends with me and I have fun with them wherever. Lots of men. The drinks were a little bit on the strong side, but well made and very tasty. We managed to snag a seat earlier in the night and was rewarded with comfy chairs and a good view of all the hubbub. Great vibe for a bar, not necessarily a dance club, but good tunes and great atmosphere. The ceiling even looks like its a frozen cave or something, very cool :D
All in all, very fun, but if you're not a gay guy, bring friends. -
Review from X lb chica x.
Long Beach, CA
10/17/2011
Went to Akbar for friend's birthday this weekend. I made sure to read some reviews before going & to be honest I was a bit reluctant on going after that but I like my friend so I did =)
The basics:
-DRINKS: GOOD, $12 for a Gin & Tonic and Vodka & Cranberry
-DJ sucked
-BARTENDER: Nice, efficient, and fast, no attitude
-DJ sucked
-Love the Jukebox selection
-DJ sucked
-CROWD: Friendly crowd,no attitude but maybe it was because there was like 20 of us
-DJ sucked
-Dance Floor: standard small size, reminded me of our Long Beach gay clubs
-DJ sucked
-PARKING: Easy to park, they have a SMALL lot in the back but I got there early enough to get one (10pm)
-DJ sucked
We had a great time, no one stole from me like some other reviews mentioned, had a fun night and oh yeah, did I mentioned the DJ sucked?
So my 3 stars are because of the "DJ" - He has a horrible, horrible mix of music, he went from Hole to Britney to some country like song, everyone was standing around waiting for the next song hoping it was going to get better... it was awkward.
So if you decide to go stick to the jukebox, you will have more fun chatting w friends & dancing in place as it gets crowded through out the night than hitting the dance floor. -
Review from Honoria P.
Los Angeles, CA
2/13/2012
We've been meaning to go to Akbar for a long time but just hadn't made it there. We finally went to see Selene Luna's Dog and Pony show. The show was $5 and worth it. The bar was fun and the crowd was fun. We ended up chatting with some very interesting people and having more fun than we though we would have. I look forward to going back again and seeing if it is always that fun. Parking was kind of a bitch and it was a sunday I can only imagine what a Saturday night is like! Cheap-ish drinks decent draft on tap too!
-
Review from Linda S.
Chino, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yay! not pretentious, ladies welcome gay bar. Super fun and better than dancing alone in your mirror. Come out!
-
Review from M.J. S.
Los Angeles, CA
9/12/2011
Catching up on some Yelping, so this review is a bit overdue.
I used to love going to Akbar, but the last few times were less than stellar. The straw that broke this camel's back was when a bartender berated me because he'd thought I stiffed him on his tip! I was so stunned by his outburst I didn't know what to do. I'd never encountered such a brazen employee before. For the record, I left my usual dollar a drink. I don't think that's unreasonable. I'll tip two bucks a drink if the barkeep is particularly friendly. Now that I think about it, I wish I'd demanded my money back and then thrown that drink in his face. How dare you scold someone who's patronizing your business, essentially paying your wage, for not tipping you enough!? Goodbye Akbar. I'll miss your jukebox, but there are plenty of other watering holes in the vast landscape of Los Angeles nightlife. You really shouldn't forget that. -
Review from Sean T.
Santa Cruz, CA
7/5/2011
I hate gay clubs. That's probably because I'm a terrible gay man. I like my dudes to look scruffy and a little homeless, I hate dancing, I'm only kinda in love with Ryan Reynolds (mostly Amityville Horror/Blade 2 Ryan Reynolds, the one where he's all bearded and bruised, but anyway, I digress), and I think Lady Gaga's only so-so.
Unfortunately, my friends all like to go clubbing so when they're in town, I feel obligated to take them out.
Now WeHo sucks because a.) the dudes are all way too snooty/pretty/coked out and b.) where the hell do you find parking? Well, thank God for Akbar, where my friends can go dancing while I drink my rum and coke in a corner and pretend not to check out the bearded hipster leaning against the wall.
The bartenders are super friendly (and boy, do they make the drinks STRONG), and the music's all right as far as I can tell- there's very little Lady Gaga, which helps. The people are generally standoffish but what do you expect for Silver Lake?
It gets crowded on Fridays and Saturdays, and it's small so it feels even more crowded, but not any worse than most gay bars/clubs I've been to in SF or other places, so it's fine. The dance floor is usually less crowded anyway, so my friends are happy (especially with the way they dance, limbs and heads flinging all over the place- yeesh).
Afterwards, there are plenty of 24 hour restaurants (or places that at least open super late) in the area to go and chill if you want, and parking is not usually that hard to find in one of the many residential side streets nearby. You might have to park a little far, but hey, that's what your feet are for, and anyway, it's good to work off all those extra calories the alcohol adds to my fat stores (yeah, yeah, I might be a terrible gay man, but I'm still a gay man). -
Review from Lizzie S.
1/28/2012
Akbar rules.
-
Review from Courtney T.
Los Angeles, CA
8/31/2011
I went to Akbar on a Saturday night, which may have been my first mistake. I'm not a big fan of being shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of drunk people unless I'm drunk as well, which I wasn't (my second mistake).
I'm also not a fan of bars that make lame attempts at providing a "club" atmosphere, which, in Akbar's case, simply involved adding flooring to a 15'x15' room, installing a disco ball, and turning the volume up REALLY loud.
Mentioning the flooring also reminded me of the fact that there was carpeting in the rest of the bar... dirty, sticky carpeting. It was an exercise every time I picked up a foot. I'll assume that it was gum or sugary drink remnants, only because I'm afraid to think of what else it might have been.
As far as the drinks go, I went with a cheap stand-by and they were as mediocre as ever, but that's no fault of the bartender. Overall, my experience at the bar was great. The bartenders were attentive and efficient.
Reading over this, I seem snobbish, but I LOVE dive bars and I much prefer a grungy, laid back atmosphere over polish and prestige ANY day, but this place just can't decide what it is, and I can't decide how to feel about it. -
Review from Jannice A.
Los Angeles, CA
7/21/2011
This is fun to do when you're in college and bored as fuck, but I still have never seen a decent looking girl here.
Dancings fun but damn you need a hell of a lot of liquor to be grinding in that small greasy space -
Review from Julia L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Been coming here with my friends before Yelp! had the "check-in" option...before it even had an iPhone app! =P And always...Akbar has:
Friendly bartenders + fun music from the jukebox + SUPER strong drinks that are at a reasonable price = 5 stars in my book!
They even have a dance area in the back - past the id checker gal.
Bathroom is a tiny w/c style but kept clean for a bar.
Akbar is a few doors down from Malo's Tacos which makes it a perfect place to hit up for drinks after a dinner of pickle tacos! *THUMBS UP*
Only minus 1 star because parking is interesting - you gotta hunt it down somewhere on one of the streets (I usually go one block West & park on the residential area - my friends like to risk it & park in the fast food parking lot...warning - you could get towed). -
Review from Laura M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2012
Super good Indian food. I always get the samosas, and they are literally the BEST samosas I have ever eaten. I really don't need to eat another samosa ever, especially when you slather on that delicious pink coconut chutney! YUM
-
Review from Anabela P.
Los Angeles, CA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yes this place is grungy and dark. Yes there is a strange vibe in the air that some wild nights have happened there. Yes it is down to earth and has a great Happy Hour. Other reviewers have covered all that. I am here to talk about Craft Night.
Craft Night? At a bar? What is this nonsense?!
That's right. Every Wednesday night there is a one of a kind event with the lovely JP and for only $2 one can create a unique sock puppet, monkey magnet, or necklace while getting sloshed on cheap strong drinks. It is not hokey or juvenile as it may seem. Instead, it is a really good time to hang out and meet new people. The crowd here on a Wednesday is hilariously divided down the middle between regulars/grunge alcoholics hunched over the bar, and overly enthusiastic crafters such as myself.
It is worth your time, trust me. -
Review from Stephen T.
Long Beach, CA
7/25/2011
I must say, it was enjoyable, but not a place I would say I'm a fan of, or as good as it gets.
Me and about 8 other people came here in a stretch hummer celebrating a friends birthday. This was the last bar on a trail of about 4 totals bars ranging from Whittier to downtown LA.
Put it this way, I would have rather stayed in the hummer with my girlfriend then come in here. Granted yes the music and dancing was fun, but we were on the dance floor for about 20 minutes and I only heard one song that was any good. Which was funny, because the second it came on, everyone went nuts, which led me to believe they would have kept playing notable songs and ramp the party up... Ya I was wrong.
Drinks were decently priced but we only drank beers (liquor was free in the hummer), and it was a bit crowded for my taste.
All-in-all, an A-OK bar... Worth the visit, probably won't warrant a 2nd... -
Review from Evan L.
4/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
THEY HAVE PHOTO HUNT AND TIC-TAC-TRIVIA. NEED I SAY MORE?
I've lived in the area for three years, and although Akbar isn't really my scene a friend wanted to go last week so I relented. And then I walked inside and saw the Photo Hunt/Tic-Tac-Trivia machine and my heart fluttered. As if that wasn't good enough, it's 4 CREDITS PER $1. Dude, I grew up on the East Coast and at all my old local haunts you were lucky to get two credits per dollar! I told my friends I'd meet up with them for last call, but don't disturb me until that time.
The drinks weren't especially strong but they were decent. Prices were pretty good. The crowd was more diverse than I thought it'd be. I can't dance but that didn't stop me from trying for about five minutes. Then I realized I'd left 17 credits on Photo Hunt so I went back and played some more. A cute blonde girl took over my remaining credits for me when my friends finally got tired of me being antisocial and dragged me away.
The homeless guy with the picnic basket filled with magic brownies and space cakes was a hoot to talk to. Is he a regular? In any event, his prices were pretty cheap.
It took almost four years of living on the East side for me to make my first trip to Akbar. I'm now ashamed of myself for not supporting more friends and going sooner. I could've found out about the Photo Hunt machine years ago! Whatever...now that I know it's here I know I'll come back.
I hope they don't reset the machine each night when they close, I got an almost perfect Tic-Tac-Trivia score and I don't want anyone to take my score away from me. I *earned* that shit, let me fucking revel in it! -
Review from kristina m.
Los Angeles, CA
7/24/2011
Akbar almost RUINED my birthday party last night.
I brought a group of 12 people, ages mostly 27-30 but with a couple around 21 and a couple around 35-40. The lounge area was fine but the dance floor was AWFUL.
First, there were 7 people, total, on the dance floor. At 11pm on a Saturday night???
The dj was playing horrible obscure old 70's disco crap that literally not one person in my pretty broad group was able to even pretend to want to dance to.
Two of us went separately to ask the dj to switch it up and at first he refused, then later said he would but never did.
We waited until about 11:40pm, realized the floor was still empty and the music still sucked, and then we just LEFT.
Ended up at Harvard & Stone about a mile away and had an amazing night. Good review for them is coming right up. -
Review from Bernie Q.
Pasadena, CA
1/20/2012
Good drinks and even better music; awesome outdoor parties too!
-
Review from Miguel R.
11/17/2011
Strange place. There's something I like about it and something I don't. Not quite sure why. For sure it's interesting and worth a try here! The crowd is like a cross between MJ's and WeHo people but light on the divas. Can't complain about the music or bartenders. Not too hip hoppy here so that's a PLUS!!!! I like the grunginess here so I may come back someday if I convince my BF....
Listed in: My Gay Bar List!!!!, Magical Silverlake
-
Review from Susana B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great spot to have a few cheap (compared to DT) drinks to lead the night into dancing. Music was funky at first but picked up around midnight.
Friendly bartender, patrons, and did I mention no cover???
I will see you more often my dear Akbar!! -
Review from Emann B.
Chicago, IL
4/2/2011
So much fun!
If you're a Chicagoan like me, and a fan of Big Chick's, then Akbar is your place out west.
Great mixed crowd, lots of cuties, excellent music. No attitude and friendly bartenders, always a great combination. -
Review from Elyse M.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2011
Oh Akbar. I have no recollection of how I got home but I am alive! Barely.
The Akbar hangover made so much easier because I just checked- that last $20 is still in my wallet. Thanks, friend. You cheap, easy, bitch. -
Review from Lindsey K.
Los Angeles, CA
8/4/2011
Oh man. Just realized I never reviewed this place.
Pros: Gay guys & gay girls! In the same place! It's not all stuffy and obnoxious like weho. Nice bartenders, good drinks.
Cons: The DJs here are pretty much always awful. Like the dance floor is empty awful. I hear tale that every once and awhile there is an OK one though...The disco night did not feature one recognizable disco song. The DJs will also refuse to take any requests.
Semi-expensive drinks outside of the happy hour.
Thieves! I had my phone stolen from right next to me in my purse under my jacket. Yes. Months later, my roommate had his wallet taken from his back pocket. This was during quiet happy hour time while we sat at our own booth too. I've heard more stores like this from this place too. Watch your stuff or just don't bring much.
Overall its an OK place and super convenient but they need better security and new DJs. -
Review from Ray G.
Los Angeles, CA
Updating...5 stars because 'Woohoo! As good as it gets!' I'm always coming back and I DONT have any complaints...AND ITS FREE
The music on Friday nights can be a hit or miss...If you're in your 30's you'll appreciate the 80's music more than i do. (not an insult)
I like the music on Saturday nights...more pop, more danceable!...wish they had full Frontal disco here all the time *wow*
The Drinks are always WAY strong too
Good food afterwards...Garage Pizza is across the street and so is Pho City...i recommend both if you dont want to do drive-thru Mcd's, unless you're on a budget.
post script.
They have larger restrooms by the dancefloor (previous reviewer!) -
Review from Joseph E.
Los Angeles, CA
1/4/2012
Favorite night to go is on a Saturday night. Music has always been good the last couple of times that I have come here, it's no wonder why this place is always popping. I recommend getting in early because this place does get crowded--crowd does consist of equal mixtures of guys and girls. Atmosphere is fun, just make sure you do not come here alone, never have tried that before nor would I.
-
Review from Rebecca W.
Oakland, CA
4/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Semi-new to the whole Silverlake area, I took some advice from my co-workers a little further up Sunset and my girlfriend and I tried this place on a Thursday night.
Happy hour was good. I don't know what type of drink I got as I literally told the bartender to make me something fruity tasting. Girlfriends Sex on the Beach was good.
The crowd was a good mixture of your typical Silverlake crowd; late 20-ers enjoying a drink after work.
Only downside to my visit was that I was charged almost $24 for two drinks when my drinks were only $6 each. I told the bar tender who told the manager. It turns out that they charged my tab for someone else's drink(s) but they voided it, took care of it and only charged me for one $6 drink. -
Review from Rebecca D.
Redondo Beach, CA
11/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
It went a little something like this:
Wait in line. We're in. Drink. Drunk. Shot. More drunk. Dance. Dance. Dance. Gay boys (in male gay lispy voice) ....everywhere! Sweat. Pose. Picture. Pose. Sweat. Dance. Shot. Shot. Drink. Random girls talking to us. Dancing. Posing. More gay boys. Drink. Bar closes. Shot. Sour Kitty Face. Pause. Slurring. Body shot on English chicks. Wobblin' out.
Thank you to the lovely people of Akbar for a most drunken evening.
