Manhattan Beach Bar Review: Shark’s Cove

Local Sports Bar Becomes Live Music Venue and Good Party Spot By Night

By day – and also by Lakers games at a certain time of the year– it is a sports bar.

TVs everywhere on the wall, even small ones at the tables. One never has to strain their neck to see sports at Shark’s Cove.

But by weekend nights, all eyes are on the little stage, where local bands set up and play, turning Shark’s Cove into a casual, carefree local’s favorite just steps from the beach.

Located on Manhattan Beach Blvd., right in the heart of downtown Manhattan Beach – one can see the Pier from the entrance – Shark’s Cove is the sister bar to its original (and still standing) location a mile and a half to the south in Hermosa Beach.

While the original is larger, has several pool tables and is one of LA’s top bars for Pittsburgh Steelers fans during the NFL season, the Manhattan bar is smaller and more suited to sitting down watching sports. Or crowding onto its makeshift dance floor and letting lose to the tunes at night.

The bands that perform play primarily rock cover and fun “party tunes,” but nothing too wild. After all, the place is fairly small and with the watchful eye of the Manhattan Beach City Council and a few bar-cautious residents nearby, the place cannot get too wild and crazy. Well more than half the patrons are still seated at their tables, for example.

But it is fun. That’s because Shark’s Cove is carefree and casual – jeans are considered formal dress here – there’s rarely a line and never a cover charge, A healthy selection of draught beers is available (including PubClub.com favorites Longboard Lager and Kona Firerock), plus at night a cute girl mans a jockey box by the door.

For those who go early for dinner (or even for lunch), Shark’s Cove offers specials every day of the week –2-4-2 burgers and $4 Budweisers and Bud Lights on Monday, tacos on Tuesday, a pretty darned good tri-tip steak sandwich on Wednesdays, a half-prices second pizza on Thursdays a Happy Hour that runs from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., on Fridays– and, just announced, a late-night Happy Hour on Thursdays.

On weekends, it serves breakfast until 1 and offers $4 mimosas and Bloody Marys during that time.

Regular Happy Hour is M-F, 3-7 p.m., with $4 draughts, $4 house wines and well liquors. Food is 50-cent wings and $7.95 combo platter.

Finding a table during NFL Sundays can take a wait, and for bigger events – Lakers playoff games, March Madness or any other such happening game-time arrivals are likely to be standing.

Another crowded time, which is surely to catch newcomers and visitors to Manhattan Beach off guard, is after the annual Old Hometown Fair the first weekend of October.

Shark’s Cove Details: 309 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
(310) 545-2683