The Los Angeles Live Venue Drinking Price Guide
Hollywood Drink Prices By The People, For The People
We’ve been talking about doing something like this for well over a year and it is now time to get it out the door. Please bookmark this page. May it serve you when planning how much money to bring (or not to bring) the next time you hit the live music circuit. With any luck we’ll eventually be able to tell who’s doing things right, who’s doing things so-so, and who’s shafting everybody in the ass indiscriminately across the board.
The next time you go to a show you need to remember:
- Where were you
- What was the date
- Who was playing
- What drink did you order
- Which bar did you order from
- How much did it cost
- Any other pertinent information (How was the drink? etc)
The ’which bar’ category has been added based on the fact that within venues themselves, some bars offer drinks not available at the other bars. Example, beers are available in super big gulp sizes at the downstairs bars at Spaceland and Roxy but not at the upstairs bars. You get the idea.
Every time you see a show and order at least one drink, come back to this page and add your info to the comment section. Every week or so, we’ll update the master list with your input, sorting by venue then by date within venue. If this takes off we may eventually have a serious resource on our hands here, and we will database it. If it doesn’t take off, we’ll then know you are all (a) lazy or (b) non-boozers. Either way we win; demo data is prettymuch invaluable these days. I’ll start the chart with last night’s show and a recent foray at the Troubadour. Let’s do this, people! Price guide after the jump.
*** THIS CHART LAST UPDATED 26 OCT 2007 ***
The Los Angeles Live Venue Drinker’s Price Guide | ||||||
Venue | Date | Act | Drink | Which Bar | Price | Notes |
Avalon | 10/10/07 | Beirut w/ Alaska in Winter | Corona | East wing (looking towards the stage), downstairs | $6-7* | Cold, too much for a beer. |
Avalon | 10/12/07 | Beirut | Jack and soda | Bar to the right when you walk in | $10!!! | Decent pour. |
Echo (upstairs) | 10/22 | Castledoor | Dewars and Ginger | upstairs bar | $3 (special) | not so great, but i don’t like dewars |
Echoplex | 10/15/07 | Boris, Damon & Naomi | Corona | Both Bars (back and side) | $5 | not bottled, in a cup, but they let me watch them pour it |
El Rey | 9/21/07 | High on Fire | PBR | Lobby Bar | $5 | bottle dumped into a plastic cup |
El Rey | 9/21/07 | High on Fire | Jack Daniels & Coke | Lobby Bar | $9 | NA |
El Rey | 10/12/07 | Dark Star Orchestra | Heineken | Lobby bar | $7 | Poured from bottle into a cup |
El Rey | 10/16/07 | Patrick Wolf | Stoli Raz w/soda | Front bar | $8 | NA |
El Rey | 10/18/07 | Two Gallants (kicks ass) | 1 stella, 1 whiskey/ ginger ale & 4 jack & cokes | inside bar | $47 | acceptable pour |
Forum | 10/23/07 | Interpol | Coors Light & Dos XX (Beer only @ this venue) | Floor | Domestic 8.50, Import 10.00 | Big decent sized cups, 2 drink min. per purchase (*) (?) |
Venue | Date | Act | Drink | Which Bar | Price | Notes |
Greek | 9/21/07 | Sea Wolf, Sondre Lerche, Air | Dos Equis | Snack bar, main area, window closest to the bathrooms | $10 | Domestic beer choices are terrible so you are pratically forced to bump up to a $10 “imported” beer. |
Henry Fonda | 9/21/07 | The Rentals | Coors Light | Downstairs bar facing the stage | $6!! | On tap; pee water def not worth 6 bucks |
Hotel Cafe | 9/30/07 | Terra Naomi | Stella | Bar near the stage | $6 | Bottled |
Key Club | 10/16/07 | Astra Heights | 2 Red Bull & Well Vodkas | $19.41 | what!?!? | |
Mayan | 10/25/07 | Gogol Bordello | Vodka Tonic | Upstairs Lobby | $8 | very average |
Mayan | 10/25/07 | Gogol Bordello | White Russian | Downstairs Lobby | $9 | very average |
Orpheum | 10/15/07 | PJ Harvey | johnny walker black label rocks | upstairs bar | $7 | nice, strong pour |
Venue | Date | Act | Drink | Which Bar | Price | Notes |
Palladium | 10/12/07 | Morrissey | Vodka (Absolut) & Cranberry | First bar at the entrance | $10 (you call it), $8 (house liquor) | Weak, it was served in a small plastic cup, overpriced and underpoured |
Safari Sam’s | 10/15/07 | Black Francis | Black and Tan | Upstairs Bar | $6.50 | B&T made with BASS |
Safari Sam’s | 10/15/07 | Black Francis | Red Stripe | Upstairs Bar | $6.00 | NA |
Safari Sam’s | 10/15/07 | Black Francis | Red Stripe | Downstairs Bar | $6.00 | NA |
Spaceland | 10/16/07 | Dappled Cities & Figurines | PBR Draft | Main downstairs | $3 | A bit foamy, but hi, $3. plus super friendly bartender. |
Troubadour | 9/19/07 | Clap Your Hands Say Yeah | Jameson, rocks | The Palm (SaMo Blvd) | $7.00* | Dan Tana’s Too Damn Packed |
Troubadour | 9/19/07 | Clap Your Hands Say Yeah | Heineken | Downstairs Main Bar | $7.00 | NA |
Troubadour | 10/19/07 | Black Lips | 2 makers and ginger | main bar | $17 | Well made drink |
Troubadour | 10/19/07 | Black Lips | Stoli and Red Bull | main bar | $10 | It was ok. |
Troubadour | 10/20/07 | Dr. Dog | Corona, Heineken, Black Label and Soda, Jack and 7 | main bar | $32 | Decent pours |
Wiltern | 10/23/07 | Jesus and Mary Chain with BRMC and Evan Dando | NA | NA | Beer: $6/ $7 Wine/ Chpg: $6 Well Drinks: $7 Call Drinks: $8 Bottled Water/ Soda: $3 Gatorade: $4 |
I didn’t drink anything. I took craptastic cell photos of the Wiltern price list. Upstairs. Main level bar. |
*unverified
Photo of South Bay bartender taken by losanjealous ryan for www.losanjealous.com – an independent music, events and original content site based in Los Angeles. Used with permission.
how did i miss this?! genius. this would be a GREAT wiki, so people could update it as drink prices change. BOOKMARKING NOW.
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1. Nokia Theatre
2. 12/12/07
3. Bjork
4. Heffeweizen / Stella Artois / Cape Cod(Smirnoff)/Wine
5. Nokia Lounge
6. 10.50 / $7.00 / $7.00, $9.00 for Premium like Grey Goose, Makers mark, etc./$7.00
7. All mixed drinks are measured pours, heffeweizen was on tap and comes in a large cup, bottled beers are poured into a plastic cup. mizxed drinks were weak, best bet is wine or beer.
1. Nokia Theatre
2. 12/12/07
3. Bjork
4. Sapphire & tonic / Stella Artois / Bottle o’water
5. Loge / Mezzanine
6. $8.00 / $7.00 / $3.75 or $3.25
7. Measured 1 oz. pour / Bottle / 20 oz.
1. El Rey
2. 12/5/07
3. Patton Oswalt/A Ninja
4. Skyy vodka/rocks
5. Downstairs bar
6. 8 bucks
7. Could have been a more generous pour for the price
1. Music Box at the Fonda
2. 10/30/07
3. Battles/ No Age
4. Bottle of Water
5. Roof Bar/then downstairs bar
6. 5 bucks
7. Didn’t end up paying, they wouldn’t even give us tap! apparently ‘filter was broken.’
Drank from bathroom sink instead.
[…] as fuck and probably not aware of it. Every so often I gather some data for the great Losanjealous live venue drinking project at bars throughout the […]
1. The Music Box at the Fonda
2. 11/10/2007
3. She Wants Revenge
4. Absolute Cranberry, Tall
5. Absolute Screwdriver
6. Heineken on Tap
7. $27 total
1. Spaceland
2. 11/11/07
3. Cursive
4. Newcastle, Red Stripe
5. Downstairs by entrance
6. $10 total
7. Bottles
1. Echoplex
2. 10/04/2007
3. Do Make Say Think
4. Vodka and cranberry
5. Backside bar
6. $7
7. In a cup
1. Echoplex
2. 10/04/2007
3. Do Make Say Think
4. Corona
5. Backside bar
6. $5
7. In a cup, decently priced.
1. Henry Fonda
2. 10/30/2007
3. Battles
4. Rum & Coke, Vodka on the Rocks
5. Downstairs bar
6. $18
7. little cups and bottom shelf alcohol
1. SkyBar
2. October 31st 1am
3. Hennessy Cognac Paradis XO
5. The Hut (upstairs)
6. $75
7. drink was great bartender, Vee, tossed in a giant Jägermeister for $15
1. El Rey
2. 10/30/07
3. Ted Leo + Pharmacists
4. PBR (bottle)
5. Inside the venue (lobby bar was closed)
6. $5
7. Bottle poured into a party cup. Also got a free glass of water – no charge for the water which was nice.
1. El Rey
2. 10/30
3. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
4. Mudslide
5. The one inside the venue
6. $8
7. Pretty strong drink. Bartender was v. cute.
1) Echo
2) 10/29/07
3) Castle Door
4) PBR on Tap
5) The Bar
6) $4
7) Served in a plastic cup – probably 12 oz but hard to tell.
1) Sports Arena
2) 10/28/07
3) Bruce Springsteen
4) Bud Light on tap
5) Makeshift bar of two long tables
6) $7
7) Bottled water was $4
1) Echoplex
2) 10/26/2007
3) U.N.K.L.E.
4) Vodka/Tonic
5) Back Bar
6) $6
7) Too much ice, but a good amount of vodka
1) Echoplex
2) 10/26/2007
3) U.N.K.L.E.
4) Heineken
5) Back Bar
6) $5
7) Tap
As for the acts:
Hotel Cafe: Jay Nash
Avalon: Beirut w/ Alaska in Winter
Hotel Cafe:
-Girl Scout Cookie (Bailey’s + Creme de Menthe)= $7
-Another drink with pear vodka + cranberry juice =$7
(The barman at the Hotel Cafe is pretty good about mixing something up for you if you’re not exactly sure what you want at the moment)
The Avalon
-Black Russian = $8 (syrupy sweet… like Hershey’s chocolate syrup with alcohol. Gross)
1. Safari Sam’s
2. 10/24/07
3. Kelly Willis
4. Stella Draft
5. Downstairs bar
6. $6
7. …
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1) The Mayan
2) 10/25/2007
3) Gogol Bordello
4) Voda Tonic / White Russian
5) Upstairs Lobby / Downstairs Lobby
6) $8 / $9
7) Both drinks were very average.
You guys are slaying this. I’ll update the chart this week.
1. The Wiltern
2. October 23, 2007
3. Jesus and Mary Chain with BRMC and Evan Dando
4. See below
5. See below.
6. Beer $6/$7
Wine/Champagne $6
Well Drinks $7
Call Drinks $8
Bottled Water/Soda $3
Gatorade $4
7. I didn’t drink anything. I took craptastic cell photos of the Wiltern price list. Upstairs. Main level bar.
1. The Forum
2. 10/23/07
3. Interpol
4. Coors Light & Dos XX (Beer only @ this venue)
5. Floor
6. Domestic 8.50, Import 10.00
7. Big decent sized cups, 2 drink min. per purchase
1.) The Echo (upstairs part)
10/22
Castledoor
Doeurs and Ginger
upstairs bar
$3 (special)
not so great, but i don’t like doeurs
Troubadour
10/19
Black Lips
Stoli and Red Bull
Main bar
$10
It was ok.
It was actually 10/20/07. Still a bit woosy from it all.
1. Troubador
2. 10/21/07
3. Dr. Dog
4. Corona, Heineken, Black Label and Soda, Jack and 7
5. Main room bar
6. $32
7. Decent pours
1. Troubador
2. October 19, 2007
3. Black Lips
4. 2 makers and ginger
5. Center bar in concert room
6. $17
7. Well made drink
1. el rey
2. october 18, 2007
3. two gallants (kicks ass)
4. 1 stella, 1 whiskey/ginger ale & 4 jack & cokes
5. inside bar
6. $47
7. acceptable pour
1. Monsoon – SM Promenade
2. 10/19/07
3. Boston v Cleveland
4. Herradura Reposado – shot
5. Front
6. 16.00!!!
7. Standard pour, surly jackass behind bar.
1. The Palladium
2. Oct. 12, 2007
3. Morrissey
4. vodka (absolut)& cranberry
5. First bar at the entrance
6. $10 (you call it), $8 (house liquor)
7. Weak, it was served in a small plastic cup, overpriced and underpoured
[…] Despite the $7 beer policy I’m a fan of the Troubadour. Bigtime. Aforementioned Earlimart will take the stage there next […]
Key Club, October 16. Astra Heights. $19.41 for two red bull and well vodkas. what!?!?
1. Spaceland
2. Tues. 10/16
3. Dappled Cities & Figurines
4. PBR draft
5. Main downstairs room
6. $3
7. A bit foamy, but hi, $3. plus super friendly bartender.
1. Tokio (live music on Mondays only)
2. October 15th
3. Kingsley
4. Sapporo (tall bottle)
5. only 1 bar here
6. $7 i think
7. comes with free sake, and dinner is 50%off
[…] The Los Angeles Live Venue Drinking Price Guide drink prices gathered from comments (tags: los.angeles guide drugs economics lists) […]
sylvia while you’re here you could save us some serious legwork by laying out the entire pricing structure of the drink menu @ spaceland.
interesting, but flawed. Spaceland does serve the big mugs upstairs. PBR, Newcastle and Guinness.
sometimes we run out of mugs but we absolutely have them.
1. The El Rey
2. October 16th
3. Patrick Wolf
4. Stole Raz with Soda
5. Front Bar
6. $8
7…
1. El Rey
2. Sept 21 2007
3. High on Fire
4. PBR
5. Lobby Bar
6. $5
7. bottle dumped into a plastic cup
1. El Rey
2. Sept 21 2007
3. High on Fire
4. Jack Daniels & coke
5. Lobby Bar
6. $9
7. …
1. Little Cave
2. Oct 19
3. None
4. Anchor Steam (draft)
5. Only one bar there (it’s a *little* cave)
6. $5
7. No complaints.
1. Henry Fonda
2. September 21st
3. The Rentals
4. Coors Light
5. Downstairs bar facing the stage
6. $6!!
7. On tap; pee water def not worth 6 bucks
I’m number 8. I forgot to add it was the bar to the right when you walk in.
1. avalon
2. october 12th
2. beirut
3. jack and soda
4. $10!!!
5. decent pour.
Somewhat related to this fantastic idea – this website shows where all the cheap/free booze is for the week:
http://la.myopenbar.com/
1. orpheum theatre
2. 10/15/2007
3. pj harvey
4. johnny walker black label rocks
5. upstairs bar
6. $7.00
7. nice, strong pour
Genius idea!!
1. El Rey Theatre
2. 10/12/07
3. Dark Star Orchestra
4. Heineken
5. Lobby bar
6. $7
7. Poured from bottle into a cup
1 Hotel Cafe
2 9/30/07
3 Terra Naomi
4 Stella
5 Bar near the stage
6 $6
7 bottled.
1. Echoplex
2. 10/15/07
3. Boris, Damon & Naomi
4. Corona
5. Both Bars (back and side)
6. $5
7. not bottled, in a cup, but they let me watch them pour it
1. Avalon
2. 10/10/2007
3. Beirut w/ Alaska in Winter
4. Corona
5. East wing (looking towards the stage), downstairs
6. $6-7
7. Cold, too much for a beer.
1. The Greek
2. 9/21/2007
3. Sea Wolf, Sondre Lerche, Air
4. Dos Equis
5. Snack bar, main area, window closest to the bathrooms
6. $10
7. Domestic beer choices are terrible so you are pratically forced to bump up to a $10 “imported” beer.