Live Music Venues, A Down & Dirty Beer Bar, Slipping Into The Slip & The Fire Chief
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Nightlife Blogger
Welcome to Redondo Beach, California, one of the three beach cities in the South Bay of Los Angeles. Redondo is the larger than its neighbors to the north, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
It also has a harbor and a big horseshoe-shaped pier, around which are a few places to have beers and one special kind of cocktail.
These are the places I go to first, where I want to meet friends and where I take visiting friends among the many bars in this Los Angeles beachside city, and the only one in the South Bay with a harbor.
1.) Old Tony’s
No matter where you travel in the South Bay or even the world, you won’t find many places like Old Tony’s. One of the great things about this bar is that it doesn’t want to be anything but, well, Old Tony’s. It also has a true signature drink – not one of those made-up “signature” drinks that new hip bars claim to have – but a real signature drink, one the bar is known for throughout the area. And thanks to PubClub.com all the way to the shores of Australia (right Casey and Rosko!) and the Alps of Switzerland (right Chris and Beat!). It’s the Fire Chief and it alone makes Old Tony’s a rare treat in a bar: it’s a destination. Locals know to go upstairs to the “Crow’s Nest” to have them, and don’t forget to look down because the Pacific Ocean waves are crashing right below your feet.
2.) The Slip Bar & Eatery
Everyone in the South Bay either seems to be one of the many owners of The Slip or know one of the many owners of The Slip. That’s part of what makes it so comfortable. It’s like walking into one of the owners’ living room. And that’s just the way they want it. It’s a comfortable place to plop down and occasionally enough things can get a little wild with a fun group that parks it there for a while. There’s always a beer special for $3-5 and often, there’s live music from a local musician.
3.) Shade Hotel
I like this bar because “the twins,” the friendly local brothers from Phily, run it. Plus, it’s one of the few places here that’s actually right on the water and the design takes full advantage of it. There’s also a rooftop bar. And the crowd is what I would describe as “friendly upscale,” meaning there’s money makers who eat and drink here but they are not, for the most part, stuck in their own world. Overall, Shade is a nice, comfortable place to drink. If you’re picky, then you can say that Shade is not actually at the Redondo Pier but it’s close enough, a quarter-mile to the south on Harbor Drive, to included here.
4.) Starboard Attitude
I like this place because it’s a down-and-dirty bar. It also gets in some of the most awesome bands in the South Bay and things you don’t hear anywhere else, like the blues and on Sundays a Led Zeppelin cover band. The place absolutely rocks but it’s a shame more people don’t go to it. You should, for it’s a rockin’ good time. Dress comfortably, for it can get hot in there.
5.) Naja’s Place
There’s no need to dress up for this down-and-dirty bar with 77 craft beers on tap, several more in bottles and, on weekends, a loud band playing that has the people up and partying to the music. On weekends, bicycles are stacked up on the railing outside Naja’s signaling that several South Bay’ers have stopped in there for a couple of beers and the band. Quite often, I join them in there, too.
Honorable Mention: BALEENKitchen, Portofino Hotel
Bar Locations: Redondo Beach Pier Map
RELATED POST:
Leave a Reply