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Al's Cocktails
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
76 reviews for Al's Cocktails
Review Highlights
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"It's a low key bar and they make great--and STRONG--drinks." In 7 reviews -
"Love the hi-tech juke box." In 7 reviews -
"Comfortable seating and awesome bartenders." In 14 reviews
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76 reviews in English
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Review from Jackie W.
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I figured I've been here enough to write a legit review. There are only a few words needed to sum up this dive bar:
Awesome, laid back bartenders. The older ones are such gentlemen!
Strong, inexpensive drinks. $4-5 for a well cocktail and half of the glass is alcohol.
What more can you ask for? In terms of ambiance, it is a dive bar; juke box, darts, some booths, and the bar. What's also really cool is that they have tons of books near the booths so if you want to look intelligent to impress somebody, pick up Shakespeare and start quoting!
Oh yes, and this is a CASH only bar which is cool because drinks are so inexpensive. -
Review from Michelle P.
Covina, CA
5/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
What can I say about the local dive bar? I can say that this place has recently become a favorite place of mine to go when I am visiting my parents in San Gabriel. Not only is this magical place located around the corner from my parents house, it also serves as an aide to help me get through some of those rough "parent-daughter" moments. My little brother actually turned me on to this place one night when we were really craving a beer and a different atmosphere.
You walk into the bar with is pretty small and there are booths along the right side of the wall and then a long bar on the left. The smell is musty and kind of stuffy which puts you right in the mood to get snockered up. There jukebox is the newest thing in the place and stands out because it is also the brightest thing in the place as well. My brother and I like to put on a list of heavy metal and then switch it up with Gangsta rap and then add some Berry Manolo at the end for kicks. The look on the peoples faces in the bar when we do that are priceless. You know they are trying to find the joker that switched up the mood of the place. A bit of advice, you just need to find the laughing fools at the bar to know who put the mix on the jukebox.
There are dart boards at the back of the bar and they are electronic. Now I am not that old but I am old school in the sense that I like cork dartboards. I know people complain about not being able to keep score but to me what matters is the darts actually sticking to the board which isn't always the case with electronic boards. Because this place is small and the dart boards are at the back of the bar by the restrooms the last booth is always crowded...even if you aren't the ones playing darts so beware.
They are a CASH ONLY bar which I did not know the first time that I went. When I asked if they had an ATM the said NO, but there is one down the street. So I walked down the street to the Bank of America ATM and took out money and then walked back like a loser. That was a bummer.
The prices are decent. The drinks are strong though. There are only a few bartenders that work here so if you want to get in good with them it isn't too hard to. They are all men so if you are looking for some good eye candy you won't find it here. The kind of people who go there are from ALL walks of life. I wouldn't even be able to categorize them at all. I mean hey, I go there....
Al's is just a good ol' dive bar in a town that is slowly ridding themselves of places like that. Though I have a feeling that Al's isn't going anywhere any time soon. If that were to happen I'd be the first person outside the bar with a sandwich board saying, "Al's cocktail lounge HERE" with an arrow pointing inside. Yes, that will be me. HONK if you feel me! -
Review from Hong T.
2/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a random thursday night adventure this was. being in ktown for dinner and drinks to suddenly appearing in san gabriel at this little dive bar. I definitely felt a bit over dress being in this bar, but hey whatevers. if your out to drink then thats all there is to it. And its CASH ONLY! did not know that, but thanks to our sugar daddy that night (friend) lol
our bartender surely hooked us up, he totally made our drinks extra strong. as we sat,drank and talk we were surrounded by so many dudes. lol everyone there was obviously locals:) so nice to see, and wow those dart players. pretty good.
a little hole in the wall bar with a lot of character from its customer and look of the place. random funsie night indeed. as we left our bartender told us to "becareful" :/ -
Review from Crystle A.
Arcadia, CA
5/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Super reasonable drinks!!!! Timmy is the best bar tender there!
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Review from Jeff H.
1/23/2012
Who would have thought this cozy neighborhood bar has aged so gracefully considering the changing demographics of SGV over the decades. On a Saturday night, it was packed with a range of generations and colors here. A drinking version of the UN!! Friendly crowd here.
The bartenders are attentive and speedy. Very cool modern jukebox. Booth seating. is available, they fill up quick.
Really a great chill spot to knock back cheap drinks with your crew. Sober up before leaving; Las Tunas makes you easy prey for the local PD. -
Review from Joe C.
La Habra, CA
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yes I see all the five/four stars for this place. Trust me I don't try to be the odd duckling. In fact I prefer to be invisible, even bought a book on it, "How to be invisible" No joke. LOL
It was guys night out. He's finishing paramedic school so he invited his friends and I out to celebrate. I met two new friends, the other dude looked like Thor - right, like the God of Thunder, like Chris Hemsworth, like Thor the movies. And, he's a nice guy some guy gets all the girls. He's that guy.
He, my friend not Thor, decided on this bar based on Yelp reviews. I hate to ruin it for everybody. I hesitated and figured if you don't know it, it won't hurt. Right? But then I wouldn't be telling the whole truth. You decide.
The drinks were strong, cheap!!! $5 for a whiskey and coke and it was pretty good whiskey. But in the middle of the drink, Thor pointed out nonchalantly, "Look there's a roach." Me, "mmm, what?" I looked over and HOLY SHIT!!! It's not a Roach... it's a jumbo size, king kong, I can fly at you, I eat little roaches, you can't kill me size of a roach. I was grossed out!!! It was crawling over the glasses that the bartender used to pour my whiskey and coke. Granted the glasses were flipped down. But I couldn't help to think that it had crawled on my glass.
So from this experience you can say that they don't have monthly pests control for years. I mean how does it get that big? Did it come from Taiwan? Ukraine? That was not an American roach yo!
Recaps:
Drink's cheap
Drink tasted... hate to say it, good not great but good.
Roach - big, like it could fly at you with a roach sword and stab your forehead, like it could stands on two legs pull up its six fists and hollar to you in Ukrain accent, "Bring it pansy!" It's big. Ok, you get the point.
Really wanted to like this place because it's quaint and every now and than every man needs a little place, with original set up with the same staff to hang out. But after this incident you won't see me in there, sigh.
To the owner: That health department woman that comes to your place. I called her. Clean up your stuff! -
Review from Jennifer Y.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 2/12/2012
Twas a quaint carefree little Friday night
When all through the cramped, tiny Al's Cocktails
A bunch of old tramp-stamped hippos were celebrating their lack of lives
My friend and I walk through the back door, all joyful and chipper
When suddenly, as if on cue, all heads turned to stare at us
Their eyes burned into our souls, scrutinizing our every move
In hopes that we would leave their trashy little party soon
Thick, gelatinous women getting all snug and cozy with the bartender
Oggling him with googly eyes as if he were a piece of candy
My friend orders a Long Island Iced Tea, and I a "something sweet and strong"
Which really just turned out to be a Long Island Iced Tea with an extra shot
We settled into a booth hoping for a good night's chat and a few laughs
But those unyielding eyes refused to pry themselves away from us
What? Have you never seen two Asian girls in a dive bar before?
Sitting uncomfortably in a room full of thick, tense air, we quickly chugged our drinks
We dared not utter any words or do anything that would prolong our stay
The ancient old farts, including the bartender, impatiently awaited our departure
As soon as we slurped the last drops of our drinks, we sprang to our feet
We made eye contact with not one person and hurriedly bolted out the door
What a sigh of relief when we felt the night's cool breeze on our faces
It felt like we had just narrowly escaped from the crazies of an insane asylumListed in: I HEART LA (minus the smog), Let's Live It Up!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/13/2011
Do you hate spending large sums of money? Are you a cheapskate who loves your alcohol? Looking to… Read more »
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Review from Clay O.
Monterey Park, CA
9/26/2011
Searching for a good dive bar in which to wallow in my depression (don't ask), yelp suggests Al's Cocktails.
Wait, "that's the place I wanted to go to for so long but never could because I was too young at the time," I think to myself.
There were so many things about it that appealed to me... It was REALLY seedy. They had "No Talent Nite." They booked punk bands. But most of all, they had a sign that read, "no dancing allowed".
Or so I heard.
But located in San Gabriel? That doesn't sound right... and Al's "Cocktails?" I thought it was Al's "Bar?" whatever, it MUST be the same place...
I know I shouldn't be, but I'm even further enticed when I read a yelper say Al's was the source of her DUI.
Maybe I'm just imagining it, but every head turns as we enter, slightly making us feel like we've just walked into a redneck bar from Easy Rider. And when I try to order a Caiparinha, the bartender gives me a "I don't even know what the hell that is."
Figuring I'd better stick with something that's been around a while, I try to recall what they drink on Mad Men... "I'll take a Blue Hawaiian" I say.
Whoa... the yelpers were right about the drinks here being inexpensive but strong...
But a few days later, I again think to myself that I must have totally over-romanticized this place in my head, because it just didn't live up to what I'd envisioned, so I Google.
Shit... "Al's Bar" WAS downtown, AND closed in 2001.
Wow... I'm ONLY a decade late. -
Review from Leslie R.
Duarte, CA
1/25/2012
Awesome bar! I grew up in SG and when it came time to hit the bars, this one was a must! Timmy is the best bartender! If you are new to the drinks just let him know what you like taste wise and he will mix something up for you. The bar is cash only but there are banks/atms around the block so suck it up! Everyone is very chill here and I have yet to see a fight. My oldest brother and his wife use to go all the time so when I went, Timmy knew to hook it up. Lots of regular customers here. Drinks are strong so beware. Only thing I don't like is the dart board...a new one is needed. Other then that, awesome hole in the wall bar =]
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Review from Edwin T.
El Monte, CA
1/9/2012
This place is definitely a must go if you are looking for that small hometown feel. Having only a few booths, a long bar stacked with liquors, and a dart machine, you can't really ask for anymore. Normally i would like a pool table and such but usually at these types of places they are over packed and impossible to get a game. And without the racket of people hustling each other, I definitely didn't miss it. The bartender was very attentive, even when having to deal with the high volume of people there on a weekend and I didn't feel that I needed to flag his attention by sheer will. I usually go for Jack on the rocks and requested for less ice. He didn't give me the usual speech I hear from all these other restaurant/bars, which is "you don't get more liquor with that you know..." He gave me a generous amount of liquor with enough ice to chill it down for enjoyment. The crowd is definitely great and I had awesome conversations with random people at the bar and no one is there looking to start trouble, which is always a win in my book. So grab a seat next to the bar and order up your drink of choice because you will definitely be wanting to come back here.
Cheers!Listed in: Divin' in and Divin' Bars
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Review from Linda L.
Rosemead, CA
7/19/2011
Damn this place for giving me my DUI last year but it goes to show that they are very generous with their shots. VERY! It is a total neighborhood dive bar with a very laid back atmosphere. Side note: I get shitfaced here emm... pretty much every time! So if you are looking to get wasted without spending $$$$ then come here! Trust me, drinking isn't cheap!
Category: I would tag it under CHEAP DATE spot. So ladies & gents- wink wink ;] -
Review from Betty P.
Rosemead, CA
11/20/2011
Very chill place. Cheap drinks $5-$7! Random crowd, but in a good way. The bartenders look like no-nonsense, old-school bartenders who for some reason make me think of shrimp boat captains. They have a jukebox with a lot of updated songs and a dart machine. Great local place to get my midweek drink on! Oh yea, their drinks are strong! For about $5 you're basically getting a 3/4 glass of Jack and a splash of coke for color! :)
Oh, quote from my husband after I took him there for the first time and he ordered a few shots and drinks, "This place is cool! I came in with money and I left with money!" -
Review from Edwin S.
9/30/2011
Good, fast AND cheap. Never judge things at face value.
I ordered a top shelf drink for $5. Yes, it is that good of a deal. If you want pretense and trendy, go to the west side or downtown. This place serves good solid drinks for a great price. Come as you are. People even wear shorts here at times. -
Review from Charlotte M.
Alhambra, CA
11/9/2011 1 photo
If you are like me you look for two things when it comes to a bar:
-Strong Drinks.....
-For Cheap
This place takes the cake. Al's gives you a BIG bang for your buck. I pay $5 for my drink of choice, whiskey gingers, and that is including the tip! Just two can get me buzzing.....and I am definitely not a lightweight.
This place is a great local bar, which is a hard find in the SGV. It is cozy and bartenders are extremely friendly and welcoming; very unpretentious.
I like this place on the weekdays for a late afternoon drink to wind down.
During the weekends this place is great for a good pregame cause it is fun and again so cheap.
This place is great for all occasions. -
Review from Jason S.
Monrovia, CA
7/30/2011 7 Check-ins Here
I've avoided reviewing this place for 3 years because I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag, but it looks like everyone else already did...
Fantastic, the best damn bar in the San Gabriel Valley.
Heavy pour, good people, broom-closet sized bathrooms, great friendly bartenders.
Each time is a sure-fire good time, and the vibes here are always great.
I'm mad at you all for not keeping the secret... so if you come to Al's please come and relax, smile, and enjoy. Don't come and complain because there's not pretty stuff on the walls like the Edison. Or because they ONLY take cash. Or because they let you smoke inside during the day (no smoking inside at night).
Don't f*** up our bar, and you're welcome to join in the beautiful thing that is Al's Cocktails... -
Review from Matthew T.
San Diego, CA
11/2/2011
Nice cozy little bar to come to after work or a long day. Comfortable seating and awesome bartenders. Drinks are really cheap!
If you're looking for a place to go to for some really cheap drinks and conversation, you should hurry over. -
Review from Alex N.
San Gabriel, CA
7/23/2011
So if you want a bar that's an actual bar - come here. If you're looking for a gastropub with well-dressed waiters and $14 cocktails, go to downtown LA. I loved this place the second I walked in. The smell of smoke, a relatively quiet surrounding, and people that are there to do one thing: drink. The bartender was extremely friendly and is generous with the important part of the drink: the alcohol. You will taste your drink they way it should be: strong and not diluted. And your wallet will thank you - I ordered bourbons and scotches for half the price I would get them in LA and the cocktails are a great deal. Just make sure you take cash because that's all they'll take.
As a side note, they have a dart board that keeps track of the score electronically and they have a jukebox. If you get hungry, they have chips and probably more. I also saw some people bring in burgers from another place. -
Review from Alexandra M.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
1/23/2012
Al's has always been close to home. Owned by a family friend, Reggie has been keeping this bar a fun watering hole for all of SGV finest socialites. I've been coming here for a few years, drinks are always strong to order within a great price. I absolutely love the jukebox and lottery games. The place is small and a bit of dive, since smoking is aloud inside, but nevertheless & great place to grab a drink & relax.
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Review from Anthonny G.
Alhambra, CA
10/9/2011
This place is pretty awesome,
It maybe a small dive bar, but what it lacks in size, it makes up with in the quality of there drinks..
A drink i normally get usually cost's me $10-$14 at other places but here it was only $5. and the quality is just as good as the Trendy Upscale Bars, and lounges in Hollywood..
I'm seriously thinking of staying local now after finding this place!.
you can go dressed upscale, casual, or just as is ... The people and the drinks will have me going again and again... -
Review from steve b.
Alhambra, CA
2/7/2012
Awesome bar if you just want to grab some drinks to chill. The prices are good and the crowd is chill.
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Review from Chau T.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 1/4/2012
So I move away and decided to stop by for a quick drink on Christmas Eve (um...from 8pm to 1:30am-ish ha-ha) and its now a mixed crowd. The locals seem to have disappeared since the place gets crowded by people from Yelp. So it's a cool place to meet anyone from anywhere these days. However, I still love Saturday nights since Tim works that day. I'm not sure what other days he works, but it's really the bartender that makes the bar. I guess if you're visiting based on yelp reviews then who cares if the patrons are local or not since the crowd that likes joints like this are cool by me. -- Tim is super awesome so tip well since the drinks are so darn cheap ;) -- Oh yeah CASH ONLY
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2011
I won't repeat everything other yelpers said...just the important stuff. Tim its cool; drinks are… Read more »
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Review from P T.
Whittier, CA
What a good find this place is. My date recommended coming here since it was close to her house. Al's is really small. It has 4 booths against one wall and seats at the bar. It was pretty packed on the Saturday I went here and I had to stand for about 30 mins until a seat became available.
Calling it a dive bar is kind of a stretch. There are not dive bar characters in here. I felt safe the whole time. Most of the customers appear to be locals and the crowd is mixed with young and old. The prices are really good and the pours are strong. They have 1 dart board and a juke box. Its pretty much a place to just chill. Cool bar for the neighborhood.Listed in: THE BEST
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Review from Joseph J.
La Puente, CA
7/27/2011
My friend took me to this place recently. It's a small little bar, but I liked the enviroment. It's one of those spots you hang out with your buddies on a weekday after work. Here's the highlight of the bar:
- Electronic Texas Holdem Machine - $3 play with yourself, $4 play with a buddy
- Cheap drinks
- Very friendly bartender
- 3 Table/booths
- Bar seats
- Dart machines
Oh and I was introduced by the bartender how to make atomic fritos which was hella good!! -
Review from Jeovana T.
Upland, CA
12/30/2011
I've only been here once but when I get the chance I'll go again and again! I loved the atmosphere of this bar; it's not a dingey-scarey kind of dive bar but one of those small town hole in the walls. The bartender was AWESOME! (Plus I loved that the other bartender had little drink himself hehe) The bartender that served myself and my friends was so nice, he was giving us snacks and always made sure we were fine and he made the BEST drinks!! My friends and I probably spent the same amount of money on the juke box as we did on drinks, we definitely monopolized it but that's what i love about dive bars is that you have control of the music; they only thing is I wished the music could have been turned up a little louder. Since I've only been here once, I can't really comment on the crowd; it was a bit of mixture from mid-twenties to probably late thirties, I do prefer a younger crowd but I do like that people weren't being rowdy and drunken idiots but people were really respectful but you can definitely tell everyone was having a great time (and how could you not with the great drinks that were being poured).
Great bar for strong but cheap drinks, a fun juke box and an easy going atmosphere!
oh, p.s and fyi it's cash only -
Review from Jennifer O.
San Gabriel, CA
12/30/2011
I love this place!! Wish i discovered it sooner. When my friend and i ordered two gin n tonics and the total came out to be 7.50 i automatically assumed it was for one drink... But no it was the two drinks COMBINED @.@.. Def coming here more often :)
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Review from Kaye P.
Los Angeles, CA
4/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is obviously a neighborhood bar. A place where there are regulars, people who walk to the bar from the neighborhood, and a bartender who drinks along with you. It's too clean and brightly lit to be a real "Dive Bar" but you're not going to be hit upside with The Scene here.
The drinks are strong, and you can buy two rounds for 3 people, for under $40 (where does THAT happen in LA, after "Happy Hour?").
It's a small place, so don't think you're going to just waltz in and get seating, you'll probably be perched around people playing darts, and maybe sharing a booth with strangers. But the place is friendly, and great atmosphere. I'd go back! -
Review from Qui C.
Updated - 11/7/2010
Al's is the Sh*t.
Super strong drinks & super cheap. Jack n' Coke, Gin n' Tonic = $4. The most expensive but definitely worth it is called "Zombie" for $7. Two of these and I'm faded.
I will go to Al's forever! and if they move I'm following them.Listed in: Good for Groups
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/19/2010
This is dive bar, so don't come here expecting great customer service and a place to sit. It's small… Read more »
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Review from Benson M.
Rosemead, CA
10/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
The experience here is like no other. Great place to meet up with buddies and just hang and relax. It's a nice little place with a jukebox, darts, video poker etc. The drinks were extremely affordable, the bartenders and service were always a delight to deal with. Even the people Al's attracts are terrific locals that are just there to have fun and chill. The only downfall is that it's CASH ONLY. Can be a good, can be a bad, just as long as you know it before hand, it should not be a problem. For me, still 5 stars for good times!
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Review from Janice L.
Los Angeles, CA
8/10/2010
I really wish I still lived in San Gabriel just for Al's! After 2-3 drinks, I'm already buzzed. I always order the Southern Comfort Kamakazi, delicious. What more can you ask for when your bartender offers you an extra glass for free when the cocktail alone is only $4! Tim is a great bartender, friendly and loves what he does. First timers always get a friendly handshake from him. This place can get packed, but who cares, it's a dive bar! After a few drinks you'll begin to think that there's actually a real gorilla in that phone booth.
Oh and it's cash only! -
Review from Sally Z.
1/16/2011
Cheap drinks. A dive bar, so space is limited, but just find a good spot and you'll have fun. It's a low key bar and they make great--and STRONG--drinks. We got four drinks for $21. And tip of course, but hecka good if you're comparing to downtown LA prices. Parking is easy.
Eclectic crowd, and you can get a lotto ticket here! :D hahaha -
Review from Leesa W.
Albuquerque, NM
12/1/2010
If you're not into seeing and being seen but rather hiding in a corner and catching up with a friend while getting quite seriously trashed, this is the place to go. All the bartenders, especially Tim, are sweet and have extremely weak wrists that make the drinks all kinds of scary in that really good way that leaves you wondering what, exactly, it is you did the night before but smiling so you figure it couldn't have been too bad of a thing.
Side note for those who might find this as wonderful as I do: They have a lending library of sorts there--a literate bar. Pinch me! Borrow a book; leave a book. How cool is that? I miss this place since I moved like I'd miss it if someone ran off with one of my nipples. Might fly back just to see it and say hi. -
Review from Holly W.
9/5/2008 1 photo
Now this is my kind of bar! If you like friendly dive bars, this will be your kind of bar too.
Why?
1. Though there's a door in the front, everyone enters in from the back. Just watch out for the huge stuffed gorilla in the old fashioned phone booth.
2. When you walk in, the local regulars give you that polite nod of acknowledgement.
3. When the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" plays on the juke box, and you begin to notice everyone soaking that one in.
4. Purse hooks underneath the bar. The fanciest places don't even take this into account, but Al's does.
5. The cleanest bathroom ever for a dive bar. You get seat covers, soap, AND paper towels. The door even locks too!
On my last visit, after Tim the bartender greeted us, we ordered a goose screwdriver and tonic. That screwdriver had an "ever so slight" tinge of orange, just how I like them.
After my first drink, I noticed that the place started filling up with more locals, who went barstool to barstool saying "hi, how're YOU doing tonight"...this of course included a very friendly group of middle aged women donning heavy amounts of makeup. I loved it.
So, it's been YEARS since I've gotten even slightly buzzed off of 2 drinks. Well, I did that night at Al's. Thanks to Tim and his heavy hand, I went home extremely relaxed (thank goodness I wasn't driving!)
Oh, and Tim personally shook our hands before we left and thanked us for coming in that night.
You might be thinking that given the above, Al's cannot be a true dive bar, and that only true dive bars are dirty, with smelly patrons, mean bartenders, wobbly stools and outhouses (or troughs) in the back. Well, if so, allow this to be your introduction to the concept of a friendly neighborhood dive bar that keeps a great place like Al's up and running, all for the locals, and for appreciative non-locals like me.
If you're still not convinced, here's a dive bar tidbit: At Al's, the cost of 4 semi-premium vodka drinks with around 3 ounces of vodka each is $16. And the OJ didn't taste like Lysol and the tonic wasn't flat either!
Cash Only! -
Review from Lance T.
Monterey Park, CA
1/13/2010
Great dive bar in San Gabriel. Cheap drinks and good times.
Don't let the aesthetics of the outside, fool you. I always used to pass by and snicker at this place since I have a friend named Al and he's a wino. Honestly, it looks like shit outside. No neon lights and the building paint is peeling. I ended up going here for a friends b-day and was surprised to see how packed it was on a Friday.
Inside you will find lots of history. The bartenders know their drinks and are very friendly. -
Review from Karen T.
6/12/2008
The drinks may be cheap, but this place makes me feel like a townie. Which is gross. And unattractive.
God, I need to move.Listed in: The Crunk List, The Hood
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Review from Efren L.
Alhambra, CA
8/20/2009
The bartender shook my hand when I came in I'm just realizing how much I like bartenders who are older than 50. It isn't about image to these cats, and the bars they work in are usually the same. It's about sitting back alone or with friends and just getting liquored up until the line between "friends" and "complete strangers you just met" disintegrates. For some brief moments which you do not remember, you've drank yourself out of the general alienation of society. And it doesn't matter that you are constantly a second away from either fist fighting or flirting with the wrong person.
Yes, drinking is escapism but there are things worth escaping. In late capitalism, a (semi) conscious subject's relationship to the system can be likened to the Gilligan's Island series. And liquor represents those giant palm wings that Gilligan tried to fly away from the island with, (he jumped off one of the huts and actually did suspend for a few moments in air) or the hundreds of people who came through the Island, always empty promising to arrange the castaways' rescue. Liquor is both the plan thought up of by the Professor, and the perfect way Gilligan will screw it up, at the same time.
A good dive bar is a vehicle, an excuse, an answer, a front. Al's is pretty small, with three booths, a great electronic juke box, and a classic bar. It also has a dart game. But it is perfect. It has a speakeasy feel to it because everybody comes in through the back and smokes out in the back. I've never seen a group of people smoking in front.
You know a place is special when a group of young newlyweds, still in dress and suit, come in late on a Sunday with friends and drink and play darts. They conversed with the bartenders and got nothing but wisdom and smiles.
As far as logistics, the drinks here are extremely cheap and almost Roost Level in strength. I mean the bartender has a heavy, heavy hand. And what they lack in popcorn they make up for with bags of cheetos and beer nuts.
I thank Ha, Sc, and Ja for introducing me to this place, because it is a true neighborhood dive bar and one where I can feel relaxed in. I don't have to worry about cholos dogging me for no reason or bad filmmakers taking up all the space around the bar, or pseudo-intellectuals acting like they are the only ones who really understand philosophy, art, and politics. (I, on the other hand, really do understand philosophy, art, and politics). This place gets my second all time five star rating. -
Review from Ericka S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/6/2007
I've found gold hidden in the nooks of the San Gabriel Valley! Al's was my first dive bar experience in LA and dearest to my heart. Make sure your mouth is ready for the saltiest popcorn ever...but what does that mean??? You get "THIRSTY"! As always, service is friendly, ample parking in the back, everything you can find glued or tacked to the walls...from a pick ax to a photo of the Hollywood Shorties.
And...I once saw a drunk guy fall off the barstool. -
Review from An H.
Alhambra, CA
9/12/2010
I am in an especially bad mood right now and I still can't say anything bad about Al's! This place is great for pre-partying, birthdays and nights where you just want a cool place to hang out with a chill crowd.
Crowd is REALLY diverse, that's definitely what keeps the place interesting. Drinks range from $4-7... really depends on the bartender that night. I have never had the same drink twice here! Shawn definitely knows how to concoct a variety of delicious stuff. There are always open parking spaces in the back and the jukebox plays some modern tunes from time to time.
Max capacity of this place is 60 so they definitely keep it cozy! Check it out -
Review from William K.
San Gabriel, CA
2/1/2011
YEAHHHHHHHHHH A PLACE THAT I CAN JUST WALK TO!!!
super strong drinks....wonder if there is happy hour?!?!?!
or maybe i can get some to go from carol's jr next time... -
Review from Heather G.
Temple City, CA
I loooovvveee als bar! Timmy is the best! He makes strong strong drinks and the prices are always cheap!! $20 can but you 3/4 drinks for the night.. there's a music box you can use, which is cool. Theres always different music playing.
-
Review from David R.
Los Angeles, CA
12/5/2006 1 photo
So, Thomas and I head out on the bar adventure of (insert echo machine here) A LIFE TIME! at least until next week... The goal is to hit up these 100+ bars I dug out of the wood work... The ultimate goal is to possibly own one of these places - if you are selling - we would like to talk to you. No kidding.
I don't know what I was thinking - this place is so far away that chances are that I'll never be back - but if I was - say, stranded in San Gabriel you would find me here. Full service liquor emporium. Let your eyes adjust for a second if you are coming in from a bright day - its dark. Nicely dark. We found a friendly local smoking a cigar by the door while he watched the game... 15 - 20 bar stools. large booths. Parking in the back. POPCORN! Darts and taxidermy. Pretty standard neighborhood bar in the best possible way... look for the Mixologist On Duty Sign - Danielle was working when we came in.
Look for the little rascal scooters next door and you know you have found the place.
Hint - have to make a call - don't yap on your cell at the bar, move over to the built in phone booth over by the restrooms. Its both creepy and charming...
