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Categories: American (New), Lounges, Gay Bars
Neighborhood: West HollywoodMon-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"i love how these new brasseries are finally hitting the LA gastronomy scene. the hall one of the many new brasseries being open only 6…" read more »
Happy Hour review!
For those that haven't been to The Abbey, the place is huge. There are 4 bars, 3 indoor & 1 outdoors. It was nice to see that even during happy hour 2 of the 4 bars were open since sometimes bars fall short on the servers (and service!) during happy hour. We grabbed a table on the outdoor patio, and we were greeted by our server for the night, Kevin. He made sure we had a happy hour menu and whatever else we needed for the rest of our visit.
On Monday through Friday, The Abbey offers "Everything Five After Work Special." For drinks, there's a choice of 4 martinis, 4 mojitos, 3 wines, and well drinks & beers. There are 8 choices for appetizers. That is definitely a lot more variety than we've seen featured at some happy hours lately. As readers of http://www.TheHappyHou... know, we like choices.
It took us a while to decide what food to order as he assured me that everything was good. We finally decided to split the calamari & nachos supremacy. Odd pairing, we know, but good nonetheless. When the plates arrived, I couldn't believe that it was a happy hour serving size. Just like the drinks, the food was of generous proportions.
I can't think of one reason not to return to this happy hour. Our server, Kevin, checked in within us twice prior to the closing of happy hour, a major plus. The drinks were tall and tasty, the food portions were of great size, the service was amazing, and the price was right all around.
Huge place that is very sophisticated and impressive looking.
The drinks are pretty pricey though, and nothing to brag about.
My friends and I came here but immediately left after just one Midori Sour.
Great place to impress friends over drinks... sometimes. Don't bother with the less than mediocre food & service.
Pretty people, pretty place, pretty pricey!!
I was amazed at how beautiful The Abbey is! Being chilly outside, I immediately made my way towards the huge fireplace. Sadly, it was roped off for someone's party, but I was able to glean some warmth by standing outside the ropes!
The music was decent, the drinks were nicely-made and nicely-priced, and the people were cool. My gays were sadly disappointed by the go-go boys, with good reason. There was one who was "beefy" but was a little chunky honestly and had, OMG, a ponytail!!! Soon after, we headed next door to Here Lounge where the go-go boys were much more attractive!
I'd totally go back to The Abbey.
Give me my 15 dollar mojito STAT.
Best drinks ever. Quality ingredients.
The best gay bar in the world.
If you are gay, if you are not gay, if you like fun, if you are a resident or even just visiting LA you MUST go here. This is the center of the gay world aka West Hollywood. You should look hot but you don't have to be gay to go here. I know it is cliche and a bit sleazy, but it is part of of the charm. If you are going out in that area at all, tell your pals to meet up there and start your night in the best gay bar in the world.
Loved it. There was gay white men dancing in speedos on top of the bar and they all had great bodies. Men were coming up and putting dollars in their panties. VIP was a little box that was not worth getting into.... its big and spacious and the bathroom. Ok the bathroom line was ridiculous like it didn't seem to be a lot of females in there and I know why; THEY WERE ALL WAITING TO PISS! So, I saw like .. 5 cute girls in there and one of them were black. The black girl was super hot. Got her number. Good times. The girls weren't really dressed up.. more like sexy boots or something.
Parking is ... 10 bucks. Cool.
Drinks like 12 bucks for a Long Island.
I went on a Saturday and planning to go this Tuesday because I heard its goodtimes on Tuesdays too.
Don't even think about breaking a C-note here. I don't really see why it's such a big deal to break a fucking hundred dollar bill, and I don't think I need to buy a $14 drink to do so. Open your damn drawer and give me twenties!
Cashier at the baked goods section gave me change and explained that A) people in LA never pay with cash so the change in drawers is limited and B) the bartenders don't like doing anything without a tip. Lazy, entitled service industry employees? Shocker.
Gee, where to begin. Everyone just LOVES the Abbey. I don't and here's why:
1. It's like a gay…
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Don't you wish your boyfriend was hot like me
Don't you wish your boyfriend was fun like me
Don't CHAAA
Yes how I do wish all of them pretty boys can somehow convert... and... let me drool all over them... I feel like a pervert every time I go there... Yikes!
I love the music (disco disco disco dance dance dance!), I love the beautiful people crowd, I am sorry I am straight as hell and I love The Abbey. The Abbey is so sexy. Oh yeah and no covers.
The only thing I complain about is how small the woman's restroom is, only two stalls and always a long line, but it doesn't take away any star from my rating... because
My gay bar cherry has been popped!
I LOVEEEEE how comfortable this place is. No line, no cover, plenty of random seating and space. There are people everywhere having conversations, dancing, and gawking at the bartenders and quasi-naked go-gos. You don't have to be gay to come here - there are plenty of straight dudes (some looked like they weren't sure where the hell they were) and LOTS of chicks. My fave is that you don't have to worry about nasty skeezers trying to holler all night long.
Also, the DJ was huhhhhhmazing. I guess Thursdays are "Sanctuary" nights and he's there every week? YES PLEASE.
The parking lot for the park right behind it is only $1 an hr and there seemed to be parking aplenty.
I'm coming back here again and again and again!
I enjoy this place. its a little more classy than other west hollywood bars but i really wish it was more layed back. the atmosphere makes it so its trendy so put on something nice, grab a $50, and just be prepared to hang out. I dont see it as a hook-up bar but rather a bar to hang out with your friends and meet some interesting people.
Make sure you use the bathroom before you leave your house too, the lines get really long.
The bartenders are stuck-up and most of them are a butta-face, but I still like to visit it when I head to WeHo.
Sunday night. There's work the next morning, and yet this place is packed!
I actually came to the Abbey with my best friend, hoping to grab something to eat but we ended up spending like 4 hours here. We ordered the nachos (meatless) to share, but only ended up eat half of it since it was freakin' huge. I really liked the environment and the feel of the place. Even the crowd was rather pleasant, well...except for the drunk chicks who kept taking their tops off.
Although the music wasn't the best, the vibe was still good. The staff was friendly, the drinks are strong, the food is tasty, and overall the place is clean. I'll be back! *ahem*
The first time I was taken to the Abbey I thought it was some type of sick joke by my friends. Why the hell would I want to spend my night grinding with a bunch of flamers? Then I realized how many women come here!
That's right! The place is full of fruit flies who all let their guard down because they are in the presence of some real divas that make their own tantrums seem so boring.
Anyway, the place has really grown on me especially after you see how easy it is to pick up women at this place. It really is like taking candy from a baby. The unsuspecting women get really comfortable because they are around a bunch of gay guys, on top of that the atmosphere is really fun and scandalist which makes them get even wilder than they would at a fancy spot like MI6 that is "hetero." My guess is that they get really loosey-goosey here because they don't think anyone is trying to get in their pants.
Anyway, if you don't have a problem watching some dudes make out and if you don't mind them buying you a drink, then you should really come here!
Decoding Key
Face control or dickhead door men: ***** (real chill)
Sleaze Factor : ***** (you have to fight them off with a stick)
Price Factor: ***
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Above Average
** Below average
* Poor
The Abbey is to WeHo what SideTrack is to Chicago - it covers MANY square feet and everyone goes there, but no one really knows why.
I go back and forth with liking/not liking the Abbey:
- The bartenders have attitude, but they're hot (most of 'em)
- The patrons are usually more obnoxious than at most other bars in the 'hood, but some of them are hot
- The indoor/outdoor space is pretty cool
- After I pee, I really just want to wash and dry my hands in the bathroom, not have the fragrance counter from Macy's there with me, plus I don't really like having someone holding the paper towels hostage so I have to tip him in order to dry my hands.
- The fireplace is bitchin
- The food option is cool
What's a gay to do? Have one drink/meal and head somewhere else.
I have only been to a few clubs in Weho, but I have to say that this is my favorite so far. I have been here for lunch once, and multiple times for the night scene. The food was pretty good. I had a sandwich and it was scrumptious.
At night, this place completely changes. I have to admit, I'm a huge fan of the people that work here. Gay or straight, those men are gorgeous and nice. I was tipsy one night and got a little carried away with the go-go dancers, but instead of getting all uppity with me they just smiled and laughed it off.
I like the music they play. It's better than most of the other clubs in Weho because they mix it up with different types of music. they don't play just boom-boom-tiss music all night. I simply just can't dance to that all night long.
The place huge, and each section of the club seems to have different types of people. It's always a fun adventure to meet people at this place. I would try to get there a little bit early though because parking is tough and the place gets packed.
I do find one thing weird about this place though
(and my only reason for docking their rating by one star)...
Every time I drink at this bar I start sneezing. Yes, sneezing.
What does that MEAN!? Am I allergic to the go-go dancers? Say it isn't so...
I really enjoy this place. I typically only arrive for late night festivities, but it's always really fun. Their food and drinks are delightful, but pretty pricey. Although, if you order an AMF, I think you are getting almost your $12 worth. It is so classy inside, and the service is pretty good, even if you aren't a sexy guy. The ladies restroom is stocked with all of the amenities you could dream of...anything from cigarettes to hairspray to dum dums. The music is always good and the ambiance is great.
I am not sure if this is still occurring or not, but they were having this "famous" drag queen perform on Monday nights. She would squawk on an on about nonsense and then lip sync to a gay anthem. In order to cue the music, she would make this hideous sound with the back of her throat. It was utterly unappealing. I haven't been on a Monday in awhile for that very reason.
All in all though, it's a smashing good time.
Gay or straight, it's a fun place to be!
Great ambiance--indoors and outdoors. Good place to hang out and people watch. If you don't like techno, stay away. We came a little before closing and the service was still good.
We only got drinks here and they were great! Minh got a frou-frou mix berry mojito--best mojito ever! It had a lot of fresh berries and also served with a stick of sugar cane--nice touch. John got scotch (with one ice cube)--nothing special.
Good WeHo hangout if you are in the area. Will definitely come back to try their baked goods (Minh's idea) and food.
THURSDAYS now the SANCTUARY (gay men's night).
It seems the gay boys have finally had enough of their former temple of gaydom being taken over by the straight girls.
Thursdays starting Jan 28th, 2010 will now be known as Sanctuary. A Gay Men's night to reclaim a bit of the atmosphere of 'before the SBE-fication' of the Abbey.
So straight girls, we love you, but it really isn't fun watching you get really drunk, shreik at the top of your lungs and dance like Girls Gone Wild thinking its funny. We'd rather watch a rerun of Glee than endure the sight of your ta-tas falling out of your see through blouses or your too short skirts riding up past your panties. Aren't there enough straight bars where you can go do that for your straight guy admirers? Let the gays who get no respect in this state (Prop 8) have some fun reclaiming their old playground.
Yes, the drinks are too expensive (but generally well made), the bartenders a bit surly and that weird smell in the patio just won't go away. Bartender Luciano reigns as West Hollywood's wet dream for both girls and boys (sorry ladies but he's gay and single).
If you remember The Abbey before the Icehouse and the cabanas at the back, well you're old !! -- but you were part of its heyday.
According to my attorney, this is a very tourist-y place in LA. But, to my surprise, the space was devoid of any said tourists when I came last night.
For starters: This is one of the few places I've been to where the melding of the outside patio going into the inside of the restaurant works wonderful. It's very warm. And the booths are so cozy. Service is great, and out server was attentive, courteous, and friendly.
The homemade chips are great: Thick sliced, just salty enough and have a good bite to them. Chicken strips are store-bought, no big deal, they're chicken strips.
My lemon drop was just sweet enough, but still packed a nice punch.
2 people, 2 appetizers, 1 salad (my friend had it, I didn't try it, hence my not mentioning it), 2 drinks = $54.
Little steep? Yea, a bit I suppose. Unless you are loaded and have money to go out every night, then this isn't an issue. But for late night drinks and a quick bite of food and a relaxing booth to chat it up in...the price was well worth it.
I'm sure this place is just packed to the brim on the weekends, so I would recommend going on a weekday night, if your schedule allows.
Loved this place!
I never made it out to West Hollywood very often when I was in L.A., but this was quite possibly among my favorite places in WEHO. If you are completely oblivious to West Hollywood and what it's about, the area predominately caters to the gay and lesbian community. I had a few friends in the area/loved to visit when I could, and found the Abbey to be among the best of the establishments there.
There are several bars throughout the premises...a couple inside, and a nice outdoor area as well. The place is upscale, classy, and not unlike the type of place the late Jenny Schecter (yes, that's an L Word reference/joke) and her friends would frequent; yet at the same time, it caters to all walks of life: Girl-boys, boy-girls, queeners, in betweeners, or just your run of the mill non-genre seekers like myself. You really kinda feel the love when you're there - people aren't there to judge/look down their noses at you like they might at your typical Hollywood club.
L.A. doesn't often get chilly, but when the sun sets, it can cool off a lil bit, so the outside region of the restaurant offers several heat lamps scattered across the grounds. I get cold easily, so it was nice to stand near them while schmoozing with new friends and sipping cocktails.
In addition, the inside areas offer several areas to "get cozy". There's plenty of comfy furniture, which is great for achieving a closer feeling towards whoever youre sharing time with :) It's classy and relaxed simultaneously, which is hard to achieve, but the Abbey manages to hit that mark perfectly!
The funniest part for me was the litany of hot/pretty boys manning the bar. Admittedly, very few of them are actually gay - just very pretty, and willing to take advantage of their good looks to acquire equally great tips from admirers ;) Just a fun factoid that gave me a giggle or two :)
I would suggest The Abbey for anyone passing through... gay, straight, or indifferent.. But obviously this is not the place for homophobes. I mean, you've really no need to be in WEHO if you fall into that category anyway ~ that's kinda obvious,lol.
The Abbey will deliver whatever it is that your preconception about the place is. If you think its going to be a little pricey and pretencious, it is, if you think its going to a be gay bar with lots of straight people in there, it is, if you think its going to have a big patio, hot go go boys, lots of tourists, a place to dance, a place to hang outside, moderately competent bartenders, strong drinks, and be overly crowded, it is.
Its a little bit of everything all rolled into one, and if you like to have fun and ready to have a non judgemental attitude The Abbey is a great night out!
This place gets packed on Saturday nights. The music was great, good mix of everything just like the crowd. Drinks were strong! Order my favorite, the Berry Martini.
Parking is easy, across the street or street parking if you can find it.
Four stars because I waited about 25 minutes in line to go potty. And yes, there was also a line for the boys- ladies, have you ever seen this?? :)
You must try a strawberry mojito- fresh fruit is awesome in drinks!! There isn't a "formal" dance floor, so it was sort of hard to dance between people who are just trying to walk through. However, I didn't care so I danced my butt off.
Also, be warned that you must restrain yourself from knocking out the go-go dancer with the tattoo on his back and dragging him back to your place so you can have him all to yourself,
This place, as another Yelper so aptly put, is fun, loud, and pretentious. But really though, what else would you expect from a club that's found in West Hollywood and called The Abbey? We went there on a random night (Tuesday) so it wasn't as crazy as some of the other Yelpers have experienced, but none-the-less, I still had a great time there. Their strawberry mojito is to die for! They serve it with a raw sugar cane and actual pieces of strawberry in the drink, so you know it's the real deal. Plus, it's delicious and can also knock you off your rocker for the night.
The actual place is super cute inside too. It's decorated with pseudo-Christian decor, aptly so because it's named The Abbey, so it's like partying in a 16th century monastery. The walls are decorated with stained glass windows and "paintings" (they were actually just cloth draped over the walls). Thankfully, I didn't see any actual crosses, so it wasn't too blasphemous haha! The outside of the bar has a cute seating area, with heat lamps for those cold LA nights and an outdoor bar. I would come here again on a different night to get the full Abbey experience! Take note though- their drinks are $12 a pop, so either come with some money to spend, or pre party before hand!
Very cool bar -- trendy, lounge beds with pillows, great atmosphere, nice patio. Great place to go in the afternoon on a typical SoCal day and people watch.
Love love love this place! It's gorgeous, the people are gorgeous, the drinks are good, and the music is fabulous. One thing to note, the ladies line to the bathroom can be ferosh. Look out for line cutters that try to shank fools. Otherwise, good times.
The Abbey has been one of my favorite for yrs now. The drinks are always awesome! The Happy hour is to die for! and the venue is just an overall super sexy place.
The lighting is perfect! The outside is stocked full of heating lamps for those that want to go for a smoke. The music never lets me down. And there is always a great mix of people...
They say it's the best place in West Hollywood to bring your straight friend...lol
and it's true... there's alittle bit of everything in The Abbey
loveloveLOVE the abbey!
Its not a club, so there's no cover charge, but you definitely spend the night dancing your butt off!
Drinks are great, security & management are great, all in all the abbey is a great environment!
The clientele are just as cool, too. You're bound to chat it up whether it be in the line for the bathroom or the tables outside (which aren't roped off and "reserved")
It's the "place to be" without pressuring you to look like part of the crowd.
This place is SOOOOO money ;)
Okay, I'm ready to admit that my previous 4-star rating was only a result of my resistance to ever give 5 or 1 stars. The Abbey earns 5 stars. It really does. I've yet to have anything here that wasn't completely delicious. The space is really fantastic, though I always just go for the patio (immediate gratification, I suppose). Really, really love the Abbey, and I need to remind myself of that more often because I truly don't go there enough.
Totally solid in everything that they do. We always joke that we could pretty much spend 24 hours… Read more »
Went here last night with my sister and the food was amazing! Happy hour too! Everything $5.
The Abbey is a quintessential gay bar in We Ho. It has a great happy hour that ends at 7 pm. In their menu they claim to be rated: "The best gay bar in the world". That's a pretty big claim, considering the world is pretty big. Service is okay, not great. Got lots of attitude from our female server. I felt like apologizing for how bad her casting must have gone earlier in the day... Food is decent. I prefer O-Bar any day! Better service, better food, better drinks. Just plain better :)
The Abbey is a very nice space nestled on Robertson and Santa Monica. The decoration is nice and there are several places to sit. The best part about it is that even though it's a gay bar, it's a safe place for straight people to mix and mingle as well. I don't go here unless there's a special event of some sort but when I have been the crowd has been pretty decent for a place with no promotion. The general manager is good and the bouncers do a great job of keeping out underaged idiots.
ok i CAN write about their beautiful, huge venue- their no cover charge (yay!)- awesome DJ-scrumptious house potato chips- yummy raspberry mojitos and hot bartenders...
But i am going to write about their cupcakes- cuz that's what i do...
For the special b-day girl, a cupcake tray was requested and we got to sample 6 different kinds of cupcakes- and they are HUGE!!! And these were not just any cupcakes- they were from Crumbs Bakeshop! I got to try their red velvet with buttercream frosting and some of their vanilla. They were delicious and fabulous!
Does The Abbey need yet another review? In fact their 453rd review.I think not but I will. We came here after having a Davines color class just a block up at the Trust Salon. I swear if I worked at Trust I would be at The Abbey every day! We were a little hungry but not much so we stopped in with the idea that we would split food. My friend and I split the BLTA and Chicken Satay.. All that I can say is that the food is/was amazing! Portions are rather large that is why we split it. Even with us splitting our food we still had to get a box to go! Prices are reasonable, the patio is nice.. Perfect for people watching or getting some of those warm rays of the sun.
Our waiter was really nice and I wish that I could of remembered his name. All that I know is that he and I had a little discussion about a piece that I saw hanging over the bar area. I couldn't help but to notice this big red blow glass sculpture which with the light reflecting was amazing. I instantly thought it was a Dave Chihuly piece. Which we discussed and hmm some say it is not some say that it is. Oh, well. It is still a beautiful piece... If it is not a Chihuly ... then pity on the fool who is stealing his style.
My goodness.
Came here after the AIDS walk to refuel the cells before taking another hike back to the car. Naturally, before looking at the menu, I ordered a mimosa. It tasted clean and refreshing. It really hit the spot and perked up my energy.
As I was looking at the menu, I noticed that most of the items didn't really appeal to my wallet. Then finally I looked at the soups. A cup of French Onion soup for $5. All right, I'm sold. Oooooh... Parmesan cheese fries for $7? I think that would pair nicely with the soup, don't you?
The soup was savory but not too salty. The broth was smooth and almost sweet... and it made me feel like I was at home again. Huzzah! I think I'm revitalized. The fries were perfectly seasoned and made not too crispy or too soggy. I think it added juuuuuust enough weight to the meal to keep me satiated but not heavy.
The food here was fantastic; I am glad I was able to find decent eats at a budget. The waiter was a total sweetie attending to our needs with nonstop smiles and enthusiasm. The vibe of the joint is relaxed... cool... and welcoming. I'll be back if I'm ever in the neighborhood again.
When the Abbey comes as topic of conversation, i often find myself saying how this place is for posers, fake, rude people and desperate wanna be's who cant think of a better thing to do.
Interestingly enough, i always have a good time here. I came to the conclusion this past weekend that, its not the place itself that makes the experience better or memorable but the people you are with and/or the expectations you have as you walk through their doors..
just get there, bring some friends, sit and have a drink, make fun of posers, laugh out loud, dance to the music and more importantly fucking relax! The food is not bad, aint great either but i dont know one single person who goes to the Abbey for the food ( the meat is a different story lol) the drinks are pricey, ok they are but if you are driving your ass all across town to have a drink, fukn pay 2 dollars more.... and finally, the posers... once on your 2nd drink they will make a great topic of conversation...
relax people... life's short
it's fun because you can bring your straight friends and they won't complain and nag at you to leave. it's beautiful inside. drinks are pretty pricey though. and the music isn't all that great - if you're not a fan of cheesy remixed techno music of already remixed techno music. but it's fun, i recommend going. i suggest pre-gaming before going in if you want to keep your pocket deep.
I miss places that don't have a cover charge!
I love how I was able to choose from a small jack&coke or a LARGE jack&coke. of course i went with the LARGE! aaaaaaand got my buzz on too. woohoo! *drinks good...*
aside from watching the go-go dancers and people watching in general, i had a great time at this place dancing with my awesome friends. music was great, too. and i would go back again!
this is the spot to be seen or to people watch. u may have to wait in line to get into this place but it's worth it.
drinks are delicious! u have to try one of their martinis with their EFFEN Vodka.
if you come here, i'd recommend dress to impress.
At here today after a six-mile walk for AIDS. Ordered the vegetable soup because I filled up on so many carbs before and during the walk - the sponsors gave away so much free food including cookies and ice cream - that I was in the mood for something light. I asked the waiter if the soup was tomato based and he said no, but it came out spicy. I would expect if I'm asking if it's tomato based, a waiter could make the jump that I have special dietary needs and tell me the soup is spicy, but he didn't. Suffice to say I didn't like it.
But my girlfriend ordered the French Onion soup and it was to die for. She also ordered the fries, and I got filled up on those - sooooo tasty!
All the waiters are like buff guys - oh yeah, this is a gay bar, no wonder. The waiter was quite funny though.
Free Shareable at Granville…
Neighborhood: Glendale
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Neighborhood: Hollywood
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Category: Gay Bars
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Category: Lounges
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