South And American Junkie Are Michigan Alumni Sports Bars In L.A.

Westwood Spots And Hermosa Beach Became Wolverine Territory When UM Plays

American Junkie in Hermosa Beach and South in Westwood.

These are the conquerors of the West for Michigan alumni on the West Coast, at least in the Los Angeles area. They are the places to watch the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game against Louisville.

There are tons of Michigan alumni in L.A., and they are very passionate about their teams. “Go Blue!,” they love to yell.

And the places they do it in Los Angeles are these two spots.

American Junkie is the more casual of the two. That’s because it’s at the beach. Hermosa is the young, single and fun town of Los Angeles, and American Junkie fits right into that lifestyle.

It has two main areas, an indoor section with mostly tables, and a kind of outdoor patio that’s open to the outside air. There are bars in each area, and for Michigan games both are jammed with people in yellow shirts – oh, pardon me, maize – with the age group ranging from fresh-out-of-Ann Arbor to long-time alumni.

They are sprinkled in with casual observers from the South Bay Beach Cities, who love nothing more than hanging out in busy bars.

American Junkie also has Happy Hour everyday, from 3-7 p.m. Beers – all beers, including Kona, Sella Artois and even Goose Island craft beer – are just $3. So, too, are well cocktails.

The scene is very casual and most people live in the area and arrive on their bicycles.

In Brentwood, the scene is a little more intense. South gets Michigan fans from all over Los Angeles, and they pack the place. South has a large bar area kind of divided into two areas, to the left upon entering, and to the right. All the Michigan people are to the right, and the hard-core fans are in glass-enclosed rooms.

So if you want to yell “Go Blue,” these are the places to do it in L.A.