A typical dive -- It's in a small space with a few booths and a row of barstools, and best of all, insanely STRONG drinks. Â I've watched all of the bartenders pour and they are very heavy handed with the liquor. Â A bartender smiled and told me, "We like to give you a Jack with a splash of Coke." Â He wasn't kidding. Â Â Oh, and the bartenders are very friendly blokes. From the looks of it, the bar is family run operation. Â
A typical drink is less than $5. Â $10=happy!!! Â $15=wait, how do I get home? Â $20=where am I and who are you? Â i won't get to $25 because at that point, all my cognitive abilities have left the building.
The crowd is diverse.  A few old timers here or there and groups of 20's and 30's.  I do have to say once I had a fun time once, playing the "is that a dude or chick?" game.  It  was a female.  Despite the boy cut and very macho mannerisms, boobs don't lie. Â
A very relaxed and chill place to throw back drinks on the cheap.
A typical dive bar - small space and limited seating but it really gives you a homey, comfortable feeling! I've only been to Al's once due to my friend's recommendation but I really liked it. :)
I was skeptical at first though-from the looks it's not somewhere I would have voluntary visited or checked out with my friends. But I gave it a shot anyway because there was nothing for me to lose especially when my friend guaranteed me that they served cheap, good drinks. Well guess what? Al's served me a jameson ginger that was nicely buff for only FIVE DOLLARS. I mean how cheap IS that? Score!
It's also super cute that everyone seems to know each other and most people seem to be a regular here. I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area!
By far my favorite place to drink :)
It's small but I enjoy it. Â The staff is friendly and drinks are decent prices. Â Its a good place to come, hangout and have a drink with a few friends or after work. Â
It does get crowded on the weekends. Â It's a mixed crowd but there are some older people from time to time.
This is very good dive bar with old school vibe. Â Tim the bartendar makes the best drinks. Â Strong and delicious. Â Get there before 8pm because there is more room to sit their booths. Â Tim says by 9:30pm and after, the place gets crazy full f/ people Hacienda heights come to this place. Â Mix with old crowd who drinks before 8pm and after that is the 20's or 30's crowd. Â The bar is narrow and enough room to stand or sit at the booths.
Review Source:I've never been to a dive bar before, and when my friend offered to take me here last night, I was having second thoughts about accompanying him. But you know what? It's true what they say - Tim is the nicest, most friendliest bartender I've had the pleasure of meeting, and he is reason enough for a visit. He made me a perfectly girly and fruity drink before hooking us up big time with cups full of grey goose even though we only asked for a shot each. He came back to check up on me while I was laughing my way out of my seat, and he showed me a lovely photo on his cellphone of him and his wife. Cute! He spoke a couple of phrases to me in Mandarin, and I couldn't help but laugh with him.
The crowd is a nice mix; and from what I hear, the regulars say the people they generally meet are chill. Relaxed vibe all the way through the night though it did seem a little busy - most bar seats were taken, couple of patrons standing around, tables were all occupied.
I don't think I've ever been as wasted as I was last night as I was stumbling out of the place while only spending so little. Had me a blast, and I'd do it again if given the opportunity...but maybe not anytime soon as I'll need some time to get over the smell of alcohol.
Oh, and you're entirely welcome to bring in your own food! Cash only.
Cool little watering hole in San Gabriel...funny it was just down the street from my house when I lived in North San Gabriel but I never went into it.....today I did and was pleasantly surprised how cozy it was and how nice the peeps were in it.
Small little place with booths, dart board, pretty good bar lighting and cheap strong drinks.....cheap strong drinks.....yes cheap strong good drinks.
Full bar....bartender is very knowledgeable and probably can make anything you want. Â Couple of electronic games to keep you busy. Â
Smells like smoke a little but that what makes it even more divey! Â Plenty of parking on the street and behind it. Â Safe area. Â Carls Jr. within walking distance a block down if you get the munchies. Â
Mixed crowd of what looks like regulars, hipsters, and your moe's tavern mix. Â Makes it even more divey and cool!
Sweet place!
This place is great. Tim the bartender is a really nice older gentleman who is crazily awesome for pretty much handling the whole bar by himself. And that place gets packed. He always greets us with a handshake and knows our drinks.
Anyhow, Al's Cocktails is really laid-back. It's nice to hang out with friends or sit back and people-watch. There's a variety of people who come here- older customers who have been here for years, medium aged customers who have also been coming for years, and the young ones who heard about it from yelp. And yelp is right, like I mentioned, it's laid back, the people are friendly (I've met nice, interesting people and I often see people talking to each other and meeting new people), and the drinks are cheap. I haven't had a mixed drink here but I heard they're cheap and generous with the alcohol. I just have wine (which I think we're the only ones who do) and it's only $3/glass.
So I highly recommend Al's Cocktails. Oh, I almost forgot. It's cash only.
Love it. Cheap drinks and close to the house! I'm a Jack and Coke kind of guy. And, usually, it's hard to find a place that pours them with that little bit of Coke to add some ZING to my Jack. Al's is the place for this!
$5.00 for a glass of "Fuck it, I'll have another". Or, you can just drink beer. Good spot to go with a few friends. Just a few because it gets goddamned crowded in there. And, I want more space for me, people! So, don't bring all of your damn homies. Just a couple. Shit!
Great pours, friendly staff, and surprisingly, cool customers. I say surprisingly mainly because Al's, from street view, looks like a total dive. No windows on the front. Just an old sign that say's "Al's Coctails".
Always drove past this place wondering what kind of people were inside, what kind of shit happens in there. I really missed out for those years before I decided to just go in.
While I'm not a regular by any means, I feel like this is my "go-to". I recommend this place to everyone. Even you, internet.
i've been living around the neighborhood for years but i never even noticed this little place. i like it though, i am glad we found this place.
drinks are cheap, bartender (hi wolf!) is nice and friendly, you can smoke inside as long as it's before 6pm since - we went back a little pass 11pm and it was super crowded so we had to leave...
the first time you go you might get a little intimated by the neighborhood and parking lot, but it's safe - i think!
I've only been here once but my fiance and his friends are regulars. Â
Al's a great neighborhood bar with cheap drinks and HUGE shots. Â We had a blast playing darts. Â My sister had trouble with her dollar bill while inserting it in the dart machine and a man sitting at the end of the bar came to help her. Â He even inserted his own dollar bill for her to play. Â Turns out this man was Al!! Â What a nice guy. Â Super friendly and wanted us all to have fun. Â We only inserted money once and played the entire time we were there.
The booths are also very comfortable.
So, on my way to get a big ass bowl of pho at Golden Deli, you always see this spot on the way there. It says Al's, and in smaller font Coctails.
I convinced my friends to roll in after we indulged our pho and eggroll ness. To my surprise, its a small bar. Its a bit of a dive, but a very nice and brightly lit dive.
I quickly ask the bartender to hook me up with a whiskey sour, and my compatriots order up some beers. Not only is he polite and cordial, he's got a bit of a heavy hand!
He's down to crack jokes, and so is the rest of the bar. They seem to have quite a few regulars here, but no one rolling through seems to be any trouble, and most are down for a conversation. Use proper bar etiquette (don't be a dick).
Needless to say i'm glad I dropped in. I will be back soon :)
I absolutely LOVE Al's!
I remember the first time bf took me here..and I was a little skeptical about this place.
Okay, not a little..really skeptical. He wanted me to meet his favorite bartender, but he was never there when we went. (Tim)
But, I came out of that place feeling really good off the dranks, and not burning a hole in my wallet!
Maybe 4 visits later, I finally met Tim, and he's a lovely older gentlemen bartender. Greatest bartender ever. HE HOOKS IT UP ON THE DRINKS. Not only with alcohol, but with the money itself.
Number 1. He remembers all of his customers, and what they like.
First time I met him, I ordered myself a Midori Sour.
The next time I came back (maybe a month or 2 later), he shakes my hand and goes, "Midori Sour?" I was like..you're amazing.
I came back on Saturday..and it was a packed night! Tim was there being the great guy that he is and assisted the bf and I right away.
I ordered me a Tequila Sunrise, bf a White Russian. Together=$10 bucks.
Next drink..I asked him for a sweet strong drink, and the bf ordered a spicy Bloody Mary.
Tim was doing his mixing, and made me a Zombie. He goes, "After this drink, you'll be like the Walking Dead!" I was like aww suhhnap, *fist bump* Strong it definitely was!
The next thing I ordered was a Khalua Milk, and the bf ordered..what did he order? Lol. I forgot -_- but..as I finished my K.M, I didn't even ask for another one, but Tim hooked me up with a refill!
Want to guess how much those 5 drinks cost? ......FOUR..TEEN..DOLLARS.
$14 for 5 drinks..geesus..gotta love the man!
7 drinks for the night cost us 24 bucks altogether. Minus tip. Forever a favorite place of mine. :D
Cheap (and strong) drinks = definitely a plus in my book!
This is a local SGV dive bar. No crazy decorations, no crazy gimmicks. You just come here to drink and chill with friends.
About $5 gets you a good well drink (including tip). My drink of choice is always a Whiskey Ginger.
Parking is in the back, and if there aren't any spots there, there is lots of residential parking.
Cash only.
Dive bar in the San Gabriel Valley...what the eff? Believe it or not but this place is one legit dive bar! I know what you are thinking... we live in a city full of Asian market and Asian restaurants, how it possible to have a dive bar, right? Â Haha...
I didn't believe this place too until a few friends talked about it. I finally came here with a friend after work and sat at the round booth eating our late night Carl's Jr food. Yes folks, you can bring your own food in here. Don't trip, people here won't look at you all weird just because you have food. They are only looking at you because they are jealous that you thought ahead yourself before drinking with an empty stomach. :)
Don't expect this dive bar to be huge because it's not. The capacity is about 50ish people? There is street parking in the front and in the rear. I would prefer you to park in the back just to be safe. Big streets tend to have more cops sitting out. Cheap drinks and a chill place. By far the best bar in SGV. Drink up and drink responsible. I will come back for you Al's ;)
Dive bar + cheap drinks + diverse, but friendly crowd = total WIN! Â Lived in the 626 most of my life and only found out about this place a few years back! Â I had passed it many times and actually thought it was a shady, shady buy-me-drinkie kind of place since there are no windows to speak of!!!
I was totally wrong and happy for being wrong! Â The inside is pretty small but the walls are filled with funny signs with sayings such as "ALCOHOL - I only drink to make YOU more interesting!" Â How can you not love that? Â They also have a digital jukebox so I can play my old school Bone-Thugs-n-Harmony jams!
On this past visit, a fight broke out, a dude got knocked down & punched hard twice in the face, and I felt like I was the only one who was going to jump up and try to stop it (fights like that get broken up quick style in Hawaii - I guess not so much on the mainland?). Â The crazy thing is, the two guys were allowed to stay in the bar. Â Anyways, it was an interesting first night back in Cali!;) Â Go Al's! Â I'm definitely a fan!!!
Timmy!!! I love this place. Tim & Frank are awesome! Shawn I believe is the bartender on Fridays. If you're low on funds but want a cheap strong drink... head to Al's. Tim is always very polite. Frank seems like he's gunna steal your drink and kick you out but he's a good guy.
It's a small place but gets packed at times. Restrooms are built for midgets (little people). Theres a dart game, few tvs, and a jukebox. Crowds always coo. Never any drama. If your looking to just hangout, socialize and drink with new people, this is your place. Tip your bartenders!
Believe the reviews guys, this place is good for what it is. Â Prices are cheap, usually under $5, and they do hook you up! Â They are generous about how much they would like to intoxicate you. Â Each time I go there, I would have to squint with the first sip I drink. Â It can get a little busy on weekends and rightly so. Â Although it is a very small bar, standing up is good enough when you're having a good time at a place you're perhaps out of your comfort zone in. Â I would always suggest this place when running out of ideas of where to go, and will continue to do so! Â Some might be hesitant on going since come on, it's a bar in San Gabriel, but if it surprised me going there, it might surprise you too. Â It really is chill there, and that's my preference.
Review Source:Literally a hole in the wall place, though the bartenders are super friendly. Beverages here are strong and affordable (even for the broke @$$ college student).
People come from all over the place to hang out here after work or on a weekday night to catch up with friends or family.
I came with two of my SoCal friends that I was staying with the night before I flew out of LA. We had such a blast hanging out here and catching up. When I first walked in, the regulars didn't stare me down like in other bars. Instead, it was just a glance and a shrug.
When I went to order a drink, I got carded. I guess I'll continue to get carded until I'm 40, though I love my Asian genes! It keeps me looking young and sexy! xD
Great place. Nice laid back atmosphere with booths and seats at the bar.
$4 beers (no tap) or $5 for cocktails. The lack of tap beer is a pure minus for me. They also sell bags of chips for .75
Juke box and dart board for entertainment. 3 tvs with sports.
If you keep in mind this is a dive bar you will appreciate it. Parking lot in rear.
Thanks to Yelp for helping me to find a bar at 1 in the morning, just in time for last call!
Sad, but true... needed a quick drink after getting off of work and was looking for a small bar in the SG area. Â Al's is definitely a locals type of dive bar that serves strong, cheap drinks. Â I got a vodka tonic for $3.75. Â Can you really ask for anything more? Â
I will definitely be back!
Parking lot is located in the back. Â CASH ONLY!
I figured I've been here enough to write a legit review. There are only a few words needed to sum up this dive bar:
Awesome, laid back bartenders. The older ones are such gentlemen!
Strong, inexpensive drinks. $4-5 for a well cocktail and half of the glass is alcohol.
What more can you ask for? In terms of ambiance, it is a dive bar; juke box, darts, some booths, and the bar. What's also really cool is that they have tons of books near the booths so if you want to look intelligent to impress somebody, pick up Shakespeare and start quoting!
Oh yes, and this is a CASH only bar which is cool because drinks are so inexpensive.
What a random thursday night adventure this was. being in ktown for dinner and drinks to suddenly appearing in san gabriel at this little dive bar. Â I definitely felt a bit over dress being in this bar, but hey whatevers. Â if your out to drink then thats all there is to it. And its CASH ONLY! did not know that, but thanks to our sugar daddy that night (friend) lol
our bartender surely hooked us up, he totally made our drinks extra strong. Â as we sat,drank and talk we were surrounded by so many dudes. lol everyone there was obviously locals:) so nice to see, and wow those dart players. pretty good. Â
a little hole in the wall bar with a lot of character from its customer and look of the place. Â random funsie night indeed. Â as we left our bartender told us to "becareful" :/
Twas a quaint carefree little Friday night
When all through the cramped, tiny Al's Cocktails
A bunch of old tramp-stamped hippos were celebrating their lack of lives
My friend and I walk through the back door, all joyful and chipper
When suddenly, as if on cue, all heads turned to stare at us
Their eyes burned into our souls, scrutinizing our every move
In hopes that we would leave their trashy little party soon
Thick, gelatinous women getting all snug and cozy with the bartender
Oggling him with googly eyes as if he were a piece of candy
My friend orders a Long Island Iced Tea, and I a "something sweet and strong"
Which really just turned out to be a Long Island Iced Tea with an extra shot
We settled into a booth hoping for a good night's chat and a few laughs
But those unyielding eyes refused to pry themselves away from us
What? Â Have you never seen two Asian girls in a dive bar before?
Sitting uncomfortably in a room full of thick, tense air, we quickly chugged our drinks
We dared not utter any words or do anything that would prolong our stay
The ancient old farts, including the bartender, impatiently awaited our departure
As soon as we slurped the last drops of our drinks, we sprang to our feet
We made eye contact with not one person and hurriedly bolted out the door
What a sigh of relief when we felt the night's cool breeze on our faces
It felt like we had just narrowly escaped from the crazies of an insane asylum
Who would have thought this cozy neighborhood bar has aged so gracefully considering the changing demographics of SGV over the decades. On a Saturday night, it was packed with a range of generations and colors here. A drinking version of the UN!! Friendly crowd here.
The bartenders are attentive and speedy. Very cool modern jukebox. Booth seating. is available, they fill up quick.
Really a great chill spot to knock back cheap drinks with your crew. Sober up before leaving; Las Tunas makes you easy prey for the local PD.
Yes I see all the five/four stars for this place. Trust me I don't try to be the odd duckling. In fact I prefer to be invisible, even bought a book on it, "How to be invisible" No joke. LOL
It was guys night out. He's finishing paramedic school so he invited his friends and I out to celebrate. I met two new friends, the other dude looked like Thor - right, like the God of Thunder, like Chris Hemsworth, like Thor the movies. And, he's a nice guy some guy gets all the girls. He's that guy.
He, my friend not Thor, decided on this bar based on Yelp reviews. I hate to ruin it for everybody. I hesitated and figured if you don't know it, it won't hurt. Right? But then I wouldn't be telling the whole truth. You decide.
The drinks were strong, cheap!!! $5 for a whiskey and coke and it was pretty good whiskey. But in the middle of the drink, Thor pointed out nonchalantly, "Look there's a roach."  Me, "mmm, what?" I looked over and HOLY SHIT!!! It's not a Roach... it's a jumbo size, king kong, I can fly at you, I eat little roaches, you can't kill me size of a roach. I was grossed out!!! It was crawling over the glasses that the bartender used  to pour my whiskey and coke. Granted the glasses were flipped down. But I couldn't help to think that it had crawled on my glass.
So from this experience you can say that they don't have monthly pests control for years. I mean how does it get that big? Did it come from Taiwan? Ukraine? Â That was not an American roach yo!
Recaps:
Drink's cheap
Drink tasted... hate to say it, good not great but good.
Roach - big, like it could fly at you with a roach sword and stab your forehead, like it could stands on two legs pull up its six fists and hollar to you in Ukrain accent, "Bring it pansy!" It's big. Ok, you get the point.
Really wanted to like this place because it's quaint and every now and than every man needs a little place, with original set up with the same staff to hang out. But after this incident you won't see me in there, sigh.
To the owner: That health department woman that comes to your place. I called her. Clean up your stuff!
Now this is my kind of bar! Â If you like friendly dive bars, this will be your kind of bar too. Â
Why?
1. Â Though there's a door in the front, everyone enters in from the back. Â Just watch out for the huge stuffed gorilla in the old fashioned phone booth.
2. Â When you walk in, the local regulars give you that polite nod of acknowledgement.
3. Â When the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" plays on the juke box, and you begin to notice everyone soaking that one in.
4. Â Purse hooks underneath the bar. Â The fanciest places don't even take this into account, but Al's does.
5. Â The cleanest bathroom ever for a dive bar. Â You get seat covers, soap, AND paper towels. Â The door even locks too!
On my last visit, after Tim the bartender greeted us, we ordered a goose screwdriver and tonic. Â That screwdriver had an "ever so slight" tinge of orange, just how I like them.
After my first drink, I noticed that the place started filling up with more locals, who went barstool to barstool saying "hi, how're YOU doing tonight"...this of course included a very friendly group of middle aged women donning heavy amounts of makeup. Â I loved it.
So, it's been YEARS since I've gotten even slightly buzzed off of 2 drinks. Â Well, I did that night at Al's. Â Thanks to Tim and his heavy hand, I went home extremely relaxed (thank goodness I wasn't driving!)
Oh, and Tim personally shook our hands before we left and thanked us for coming in that night.
You might be thinking that given the above, Al's cannot be a true dive bar, and that only true dive bars are dirty, with smelly patrons, mean bartenders, wobbly stools and outhouses (or troughs) in the back. Â Well, if so, allow this to be your introduction to the concept of a friendly neighborhood dive bar that keeps a great place like Al's up and running, all for the locals, and for appreciative non-locals like me.
If you're still not convinced, here's a dive bar tidbit: At Al's, the cost of 4 semi-premium vodka drinks with around 3 ounces of vodka each is $16. Â And the OJ didn't taste like Lysol and the tonic wasn't flat either!
Cash Only!
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