Hermosa, Manhattan & Redondo Beach Drinking Landmarks
After personal experiences, consulting with several others – over drinks, of course – and running down memory lane, PubClub.com has assembled a list of the Top 10 iconic bars of all time in the South Bay Beach Cities.
This is the best of the best in Hermosa, Manhattan and Redondo Beach. This list went through many changes and placement adjustments, but this is what our team of South Bay experts – veterans of the bars – deemed to be the most worthy establishments.
They are the wildest, most fun, best pickup places and best hangouts in the history of the South Bay.
This is the first of many stories on historical drinking landmarks in the South Bay. Future articles will be on the Top 10 Sunday Bars and Best Current Bars, Top Bars With Speciality Drinks and whatever else we can think of to celebrate the rich history of nightlife in the Beach Cities.
The Top 10 List
1.). La Paz, Manhattan Beach
Probably the wildest of them all, this was a dark dive bar six days a week. But on the seventh, its upstairs patio was full of sunshine and every single person who was smart enough to get there before 3, Sundays at La Paz was a weekly ritual. It pretty much only served beer but that was enough to get people buzzed, often until well into Monday.
It was located where the upscale Strand House now sits, quite the contrast! Its prime time was from the 70s, thru the 80s and into the very early 90s.
2.) Beach Bum Burt’s, Redondo Beach
Located where the Cheesecake Factory is now, Beach Bum Burt’s was a nice and classy Hawaiian restaurant and bar. It had excellent coconut shrimp & mahi mahi.
But on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, the singles swarmed in and it turned into one of the South Bay’s all-time great pick-up bars. The roof opened up and there was a catwalk around the top where you could look down on the action, then go dive in it yourself.
Long-time locals fondly remember Beach Bum Burt’s bar. It was at its peak in the early mid 80s.
3). The Original Sharkeez, Manhattan Beach
To many, the original Sharkeez (where FishBar is now) was not just a great locals’ watering hole, it was a drinking landmark. Sharkeez had everything – great music, sports, those awesome surf videos, fantastic food and strong, creative drinks served in big plastic buckets.
Most importantly, it had the crowd. It was such a good-looking crowd, someone visiting from out of town stood at the door with his mouth open for several minutes and them remarked, “my gosh, it looks like a beer commercial in here.”
Yet it was better than any beer commercial could even create, a real-life one-stop-for-everything fun bar with Mexican tropical decor and a crowd that was all South Bay singles. In its time, Sharkeez was the #1 spot for Friday Happy Hour and Friday night, for sporting events and as a singles bar.
Sharkeez was at its best in the early to mid 2000s.
4). 12th St, Manhattan Beach
Soon after LaPaz went away – Sunsets never captured the same Sunday magic outside of AVP weekends – a local fun guy named Pat opened a bar on 12th Street at Highland. Right off the bat he put in Joe’s Band, the South Bay’s all-time party band, and the party was on again in the South Bay.
12th Street was the Sunday evening bar that turned into Sunday nights, a blur of dancing, drinking and hooking up with singles. Eventually, 12th Street became a tag-team partner of a bar that opened up right behind it, H2O. This awesome run f fun lasted pretty much through the 90s.
5). Red Onion, Redondo Beach
In its heyday, the Red Onion was the notorious singles party bar with locations throughout Southern California. The one in Redondo Beach had the reputation all over the city being the best of them all.
Locals went there for super cheap food and big drinks and used that as fuel to make sure the place lived up to every bit of its singles reputation. It must be noted that the Red Onion operators are the ones who created Sharkeez.
The 80s was the prime time for the Spread, er Red, Onion.
6). Tequila Willies, Manhattan Beach
Tequila Willies, located in the Manhattan Village Mall, was what the South Bay does not have not now– a must go-to Happy Hour Friday bar. There was no discussion about where to go then because everyone went to Tequila Willies every Friday.
It had a large bar with margaritas flowing out as fast as the bartenders could make them and a train running above the bar. There was a patio outside but the real action was inside by that big bar. The South Bay really needs a Tequila Willies again for those Friday Happy Hours.
It faced out and eventually disappeared – Islands burgers is there now – in the mid 90s.
7). Harry O’s, Manhattan Beach
This was Cisco’s, once owned by one of the Smothers Brothers, then became Brennans and, eventually one of the legendary nightclubs in the Beach Cities.
Harry O’s had bands – frequently it was Joe’s Band – crammed onto its tiny stage, a packed dance floor and singles would lean in and around that big rectangular bar. It was the bar of the LA Kings and visiting hockey players and was once even shown in Sports Illustrated.
This was the easiest pick-up bar in the history of the South Bay; the girls would tell the guys right up front whether or not they were interested and if they weren’t, there were plenty of other choices.
WIth bands like the M-80s and Pine Mountain Logs, it’s where everyone who did not get laid on the weekend went on Sunday nights, earning it the nickname of “The Last Chance Saloon.”
From its prime in the mid 90s to early 2000s, Harry O’s eventually became several other places and is now Sharkeez Manhattan.
8.). Sunsets/Beaches, Manhattan Beach
Eventually – over several decades – the owners of La Paz wanted to make money more than one day a week, so they went somewhat upscale and created a restaurant and bar called Sunsets. Later to be called Beaches (and, for old time’s sake, La Paz, and then back to Sunsets).
Anyway, the locals took over the downstairs bar and with the dish of a bartender named Trish dishing out wildly-strong Cadillac margaritas the place was suddenly one of the most packed places in town.
Friday nights were the best times on a weekly basis but the craziest times were during the Manhattan Open when the AVP was at its peak in the 90s and 2000s.
9). Shellback Tavern, Manhattan Beach
The dive just up from the pier still thrives today. “The Shell” is the off-the-beach-bar that brings in sweaty volleyball players who buy beers by the pitchers, and then the place gets hot and steamy at night as it’s swarmed by 20s and 30s South Bay singles.
There’s nothing much to it, just a good, kicked back bar serving drinks in a beach casual environment, making it a true South Bay classic.
10.) Chillers, Redondo Beach
Some locals still carry the scars from this bar. They would get hammered on those frozen drinks – the rum-heavy Passion Punch was a PubClub favorite – then attempt to bike or rollerblade home and get “party fouls.”
The large side patio was THE Sunday afternoon destination after 12th Street went away, and it stayed that way for many years until neighbors complained about the noise and an undesirable crowd began to take over from the locals.
In it’s prime, which was in the 90s, it was a prime place indeed. Nothing has made it in this location since, despite being in a prime place next to Ruby’s in the King Harbor parking lot.
Honorable Mention Best All-Times Bars
Australian Bistro, California Beach Rock ‘n Roll Sushi, Cassidy’s, C.J. Brett’s, Critters/North End, Ercoles, H2O, Orville & Wilbur’s, Pancho & Wongs (held the Miss Michelob Light bikini contests and had bands at night), Sharkeez Hermosa, Hennesseys Manhattan (dollar beer Thursday’s), Pancho & Wongs, Sangria (after AVP tournaments), Toe’s Tavern (especially when The Fox played), HBYC (Hermosa Beach Yacht Club, a classic dive still around today).
Current Honorable Mention Best Bar: Pancho’s
This bar has been around forever. The cantina is packed every weekend night with a rock-n-roll Hall of Fame series of musicians that make up the band – the sax player toured with Kenny Loggins, the bass player with Fleetwood Mac the drummer could be from any band from Styx to Alice Cooper.
Still More Classic Bars Of The Bygone Era
Cisco’s (dirty dancing night, then Brennan’s; co-owners were Clint Eastwood and the Smothers Brothers), The Flying Jib (60s & 70s one of the all-time wild ones in the South Bay; dirty dancing contest the ones got their clothes off the fastest won; where Body Glove is now located), First National Food & Beverage (where El Porto Liquor is now; locales called it the “First National Food & Drug Co,” and it was also Jimmer’s, and several other names), The Hole In The Wall, The Frigate (the place for stewardesses, where FishBar is now), The Strand Bar (right on The Strand at Rosecrans).
kevinwilkerson says
Texas Loosey’s update: It was destroyed in a Nov. 2023 fire. Oh no!
kevinwilkerson says
Oh my gosh – thanks for mentioning this place. Yes!
CLS1 says
Texas Loosey’s?
kevinwilkerson says
That’s awesome!
Rose & John Osten says
Met my husband at the Buc – still together after 46 years! Great music and $2.99 steak dinner. We saw you years ago in Mexico Mike!!
kevinwilkerson says
Oh yeah, Besties. And heck yeah on the Tequila Sunrise movie. Mel Gibson “lived” at that house on 9th & The Strand in MB.
The Big D says
Late 80s/early early 90s was all about 12th St with the Frohoff brothers calling dibs on the hottest gals.
And everyone forgot about Bestie’s in HB.
How about a Sunday morning breakfast at the Wild Goose, or if not too hung over hoops at 8th St park?
Peak South Bay Bar era, and crowned by the movie Tequila Sunrise with Mel Gibson as a drug dealer in MB and his RUHS pal Kurt Russell as the cop trying to keep him from getting busted.
Amazed I came out of there without any STDs.
dorothy says
Trying to remember if that is where I saw a very young Kenny Loggins
kevinwilkerson says
Casey, you out there!?
Heather says
Where is Casey and the owners at? Casey had blondish hair and was one of the bartenders. I used to work there in 94. Lost touch. Would love to say hi.
Gerry says
Yup, that was my nightly stop on the way home every night when I moved to South Bay in 1965.
I lived just up the street
One of the bartender told me he was a grave digger, every body there was fun.
I think I may have lost some of my hearing due to the locomotive audio tape….
Gerry
Gerry says
Yeah, I do.
I was a bartender The Blue Book 1967-68..
Gerry
kevinwilkerson says
That became Harry O’s and is now the location of the relocated (from a couple blocks away) Sharkeez.
kevinwilkerson says
Great story!
Cynthia Abney says
We met at Pork Chop Browns in 1989!
Cynthia Abney says
We are trying to remember the name of the bar where we met – I am calling it John Bull Pub, hubby calling it Pork Chop Browns – do either of those names ring a bell?
Scott says
My grandparents owned The Pitcher House. I had Pitcher House t-shirts for xmas my entire life :). They always had Laurel and Hardy because my grandfather loved them. He sold it in the mid 90s since he was starting to get dementia. The family dirt is that his partner at the time took advantage and ripped him off. He ran it for at least 20 years though. I can’t remember what night it was – Thursday’s maybe? – but he would have spaghetti night. My mom would bring us over and as long as we didn’t go out front we could stay in the back and have some of that bomb ass spaghetti!
kevinwilkerson says
All awesome places.
Dana says
1989, 1990 was Bentley’s on Rosecrans in El Segundo and CJ Barrymore’s along with Red Onion
Carol says
Thank you. Couldn’t remember the name. Great drinks & dancing!
kevinwilkerson says
Oh that’s going WAY back!
Jim says
Hermit Crab races at Brennan’s Manhattan. Turtle races at MDR
kevinwilkerson says
That’s awesome. Thanks for the comment!
TDY says
Moved there from Detroit to help open CJ Barrymores and then bartended there.
What an absolute blast to work there. Tips were outrageous and yes, we danced on the bars, sometimes with customers. incredible place to work at for a while! Basically getting paid to party. Some of the best times of my life.
kevinwilkerson says
It was certainly THE spot but not for the longevity for this article. Thanks for bringing it out here!
chris rob brown THE TWINS says
what about cj barrymores el segundo worth a mention
Gordy Ross says
Sorry ’bout my behavior at Baxters during that time. Blame it on the music (LOL). My favorite go-to place for many a years in the mid 80’s. When did that finally close? What replaced it?
Asking for a friend.
Gordy Ross says
Don’t know about the band, but sure got blasted on their wine … who needed a bar when the girlfriend would drink cheap Boones Farm -and- Annie Green Springs. LOL.
Gordy Ross says
Got a cross street of Sepulveda?
I remember the RainTree also, just not where it was.
Gordy Ross says
Parking lots worked for me, especially the one where the PRINCESS LOUISE was docked…that was one huge parking lot.