Hook-Up

I have a blast every time I come here. Happened to make it on there 40th anniversary party. I like the fact that most of the people there are regulars and I see them every time I come. I shall return..

I hate gay bars. I swore I'd never step foot in one. I've always held the assumption that every gay bar would either be a meat market with creepy old men on the prowl or full of pretentious WeHo-style twinks dancing to terrible electronic music and setting anything flammable ablaze. Imagine my surprise when a friend dragged me kicking and screaming down to Pomona, where I stepped foot in a small-ish dive bar with a diverse crowd of guys and gals, pool balls clacking, and the smell of cigarette smoke wafting gently through the air. I was home!

The Hook-Up is now my go-to gay-friendly watering hole. Drink prices are quite reasonable, the majority of folks who hang out there are super chill, and the world's sweetest bartender, Christina, pours like a boss! If twinks and dancing are more your thing, you may have better luck at the Alibi down the street, but if an unpretentious dive is more your thing, The Hook-Up is your spot.

Weekend nights get packed, as is expected, but there's lots of fun to be had during karaoke night on Wednesdays, and Sunday late afternoons for the $1 to $2 beer bust.

After coming here on such a regular basis I think it's now safe to say that I am a regular.

The drinks are cheap in price but high in quality, you're definitely going to be tasting the alcohol. The crowd is usually very tolerable and manageable, with the place being frequented the most by regulars, but like any other bar it's usually standing-room only on weekends. It has a very homey and neighborhood bar feel, with most of the people encountered being friendly and approachable. The bartenders I'm most familiar with: J.R., Christina, and Betty are very nice and attentive and provide bang for the buck and will always chat when they have a minute.

If you go here expecting to play pool you'll more than likely be in for a wait, as the single pool table the establishment has is often occupied. And like any gay bar you may find yourself getting hit on or made uncomfortable by a creepy older guy or gal or by someone who's had one too many.

Overall, a nice place to spend a couple bucks and get to know some new people, but don't go there expecting lots of extracurricular things to do.