We had a fun time last Saturday night until the security guards decided to attack a guy on the patio until they drew blood. Â It was very strange- there was some drunk patron that was confronted by 5 security guards- when he could have been escorted out from the bar after his original belligerent behavior. Normally I would want the drunk guy out- but he was swarmed by security, they decided to take the first punch at him then pile on before calling authorities. Â They only got off of him when we said we were recording the altercation. Â
Later that night, I overheard a ponytailed security guard bragging about his take down in the mens room "No, I didn't just get off break- I just got off a fight" It's a fun place that may need some new security- maybe with some training....
It was my first time coming here this past weekend and I'm soo bummed we didn't make Howl at the Moon our first stop of the night!
We ate at Karl Strauss at the beginning of the night and received free admission for Howl at the Moon from the waitress. Keep this in mind, because I know Howl at the Moon charges after a certain time.
We came about an hour before they were closing, so all the seats were taken and it looked like the place got hit by a hurricane, but that didn't stop us from having a good time! My group and I stood around the bar area, dancing and singing along to the music. They have a live band that plays all kinds of different songs and a small stage area in front of them that allows people to show off their movies, or lack thereof, to the crowd. This place just felt like such an escape to me. Like you could really let loose and just have fun and be silly.
They have buckets of mixed drinks such as AMF for $30, which is perfect for a group of 3-5 people.
I would definitely recommend making a stop in here if your at Citywalk.
Went a wee bit over dressed - Like maybe I should have gone to Infusion instead.
But my friend won a free event so I tagged along. It was packed, a lot of people a little too casual esp. for a typical $10 cover charge; but I didn't have to pay for that because of the event!!
I loved the duel piano thing going on, good songs, and I enjoyed the outdoor patio.
I LOVED Ronnie!! The bartender who worked out on the patio!! He was so accommodating despite it being completely packed. He provided the best customer service for a bar tender in the LA area, hands down. Compared to some of the other bar tenders and even the "door girl" - who were quite rude and provided weak drinks. He made it all happen on a busy ass Friday night!! Give him good tips! He's been there for around 10 years!
Go casual FYI if you're coming here and DEFINITELY get a bucket, tastes like liquid jolly ranchers, theyre so delicious!!
If you love live music and a feel good time then this.is the place for you. Sunday night's are packed with great people and good times. The Bartenders make great drinks. One time I had some drinks that didn't taste like they should & the bartender fixed it right away. It is a packed crowd but its still a good atmosphere. I recommend it.
Review Source:This is definitely a place you should go if you have a bachelorette party and want to stay local. The talent is ho-hum for a piano bar but they make it really comedic and vulgar. They let a lot of people get on stage which is neat!
It's kind of cool that people walk around in nurse costumes with shots out of syringes and cool treats like that you can purchase. There are really yummy drinks like a Creamsicle and also fishbowls you can buy.
It's super crowded on Fridays so get there by 9!
This place is easy to hate and easy to love. Lets see, there are tons of things to love like the live piano band that performs every night. They take your requests and keep the energy and mood up in the bar. The staff is extremely friendly and polite which is always a plus. The atmosphere of the place is awesome, just makes you want to stay all night and have a good time. There is an outdoor patio so you're not just indoors. But with all that being said, there are many things not to love.
There is a $10 charge just to walk in the place. And okay $10 isn't too bad, annoying but not bad. But then the drinks are pricey which is typical for majority of the bars but once you taste the drinks you wonder if your $12 or $13 drink even has any alcohol or if you're just paying for the coke or the juice mix. The drinks have very little alcohol and are over prices for that reason. There is no food but they do have someone from Johnny Rockets come upstairs to take your order. Which is awesome, however I don't want to wait an hour and a half for some onion rings. The bar gets really crowded, both inside and the outdoor patio. Which constantly gets the bouncers to tell you to move because you're in the walkway but there's no where to move to because there's already someone every where in your bubble.
Overall, I use to love this place when I first turned 21. It's a fun place to be but once you start exploring other bars and notice how great and affordable they can be, Howl At The Moon just seems so ehhh.
After dinner, drinks, and dessert, what do you want? Get your minds out of the gutter. How about some Live Music!
I scored comps, so we decided to check it out. Billed as a "dueling piano bar", I was slightly disappointed to discover it wasn't that particular evening.
Regardless, we managed to catch the last hour of an acoustic cover band, who brought a local rapper on stage for a few songs. It was cool to see the melding of different music genres.
The main act came on around 11. The group of 4 were multi-faceted, in regards to their ability to being able to play numerous instruments and all being able to sing. They covered songs from all decades, where the prior band was more 90s-focused.
We left about 1 AM. The bar wasn't THAT busy, but I'd be curious to see the "dueling piano" act.
I really like this place a lot. I discovered it not too long ago and I have gone every weekend since :( eek. But honestly, it was exactly what I was looking for. They are super chill, you can get aways with wearing jeans heels and a top and you fit right in. The drinks are good, nothing fancy but they do the trick. And if you get the bucket...it will do more than a trick lol. But honestly, they are so chill, you can request songs and dance to them. The piano guy is amazing, the singers are so dope. Its just such a chill and super fun atmosphere. Nothing better then winding down on a Friday after a long days work here. Super fun, chill and happening. I give this place a 5 star because they were exactly what I was looking for. If you want a chill fun night out where you dance and sing along to anything from 80's to todays top hits...then this is your place. Hope this helped.
Easy parking. Sometimes (on the weekends) there is a 10 dollar entry fee...but worth it.
If you are going to go here sign up to "Win a Party" You will almost certainly win since they want you in the place. Basically you sign up for a party, win it, then come with up to 100 friends, Â get a free drink and some dollar drink tickets. Sit at a table, the waitresses help you out, you get a free dinner bar from 6-8 or something like that. Then you order a bucket of booze, request songs and have fun. It's a simple experience, yes it gets packed, yes it is loud, but it is infinitely entertaining.
I've been here twice and have always had a great time.
This place is cool. I came one night on a weekend and they said $10 coverage so we left an went to saddle ranch...But i yet to come back again on a thursday and we got in with no fee. The bouncer guy with the ponytail is quite humerous. He really checks I.D like your entering the white house. He stared at me for a minute like it wasnt be but whatever.. I can tell he has made I.D checking a career. awesome bro!
Grabbed a beer with the boyfriend, good band was playing ..it was some chick she had a nice voice and style to her. Wasn't too crowded..drink prices were fair i will come back again only on the non coverage days that is. $10 is not worth getting in to here.
its a piano bar the musicians are pretty good, and the service is good, but man is it crowded, standing back to back side to side in a cramped area not designed for as many people as they let in. last time i was here it was filled with and 40 to 50 age crowd so if you are looking to find a divorcee this might be the spot. just keep in mind people arent real original with their song requests and get ready to hear piano man at least twice a night, followed by some neil diamond, good god.....ugh
Review Source:Always loved this place! Great for groups. The place rocks on special event days such as St. Patty's Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc.. Can get loud (of course, it's a bar!) and not to mention it gets really crowded, so be warned. But if you're looking for a fun evening out with lots of alcohol and live music (dueling pianos), this is your place to be!
Review Source:I was confused by this location. I've been to piano bars before and I've been to a Howl at the Moon so I was hoping for a few drinks and a few piano bar songs. I heard a couple of piano favorites before a full-blown "band" came out to do covers. This included everyone from the piano players to the wait staff to security. At first, it was kind of entertaining and amusing, but then it turned into something awful. It was like watching a really horrible cover band but kind of feeling sorry for them because it seems like they are trying. But then getting annoyed because you just want them to play the piano!
The fire alarm went off for awhile (no fire, thank goodness). I clearly hadn't enough to drink and wasn't in the mood for glorified karaoke. Glad we had free cards and didn't have to pay cover. I usually like Howl at the Moon, just not this one. And the company I was with agreed.
Came here last night for the first time for a mini post-celebration of my friends birthday party! There was no cover charge at all and all I gotta say it was great!
Having great company and drinks can make your night that much better! The drinks were cheap and the bucket of pure goodness was only $30. It was soooo goood! Definitely a creeper though, sex on the moon and hurricane were really good, but Adios Mutherfucker was not. Shots of tequila were great as well!
The music was great and there was a variety of people in the crowd. I will for sure be returning to this place! Well worth the drive and parking fee!
I have been here a couple of times. Â Meh.. What's with the homely looking staff of girls lately. Â Put some make-up on smile and be fabulous. Â Seriously! Â The staff is totally lacking in a lot of areas and not the friendliest either. Â They all look like they don't want to be there. Â I also had David as a bartender. I don't think he wants to be there either. Â And the bar manager I can't remember his name but he is off his rocker too. Â
Like I said I have been there maybe four or five times. The bar manager told me they were struggling during the week. Â Gee I wonder why. Â Maybe you should hire people that actually want to work there and are more inviting. If they don't want to be there why should I. Â
The friendliest person there was the door man. Â A dark skinned gentlemen I wish I knew his name. Â He was as sweet as pie.
The vibe here comes and goes. Â It can be silly at times. Â I think children would enjoy it more than adults. The entertainment that is. Â It was interesting to hear some of the servers go up and sing songs that would probably put Simon Cowel in a coma. But I suppose when you are under the influence anything sounds good. Â
Well needless to say I am unimpressed with this establishment and their staffing. Â
They could have so much more potential. Perhaps change out management. Needless to say I will NEVER be back. Â I'll drink to that at home. Â Cheers!
SO, first time here. Came for my girlfriend's birthday since she won a "howl at the moon party" . Everyone in for free after 10pm. They give you a ticket so you have "$1 drink"...don't be fooled, it's the cheapest beer and pineapple juice with a drop of some alcohol".
I usually review when I'm starstruck by the service or super disappointed. This was a night of total disappoints! So, we go to the bar area, the rudest Hispanic bartender EVER! I mean EVER!! Even the bartender in Hollywood and LA clubs weren't like this. The name on the receipt was David, heavy set guy. The guys we are with ask him what we can get with the tickets, seriously looks at our group and asks what we want, totally ignoring the question. So they ask again what we can get; again he asks "what do you want". They tell him tequila, he rolls his eyes while shaking his head and asks ,"well what kind" as he raises his hands. They tell him again that they were told they can get the cheap tequila with the ticket. He scoffs! I mean, really!? We couldn't believe what we were hearing and seeing. Who did this bartender think he was??
We left the tickets there, ordered Patron Shots instead and went back to our table. Our group of guys were too furious to want to stay. We grabbed our group which was seriously over 30 people with the "howl at the moon party" and left.
Thank God Saddle Ranch was still open! Even with the drunk and "clubbers" there, the vibes are so much more fun and bartenders make you feel right at home.
NEVER AGAIN WILL WE GO TO HOWL AT THE MOON AND , YES, ALL FOR ONE SAD LITTLE BARTENDER....
CUSTOMER SERVICE GOES A LONG WAY, MAKE YOUR COMPANY FEEL AT HOME, Â WE COME TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY NEW PLACES. WHO TREATS CUSTOMERS -PEOPLE, LIKE THAT??? YOU HATE YOUR JOB, QUIT.
only reason I put another star is because the beer guy holding all the signs up when you first come in (Samoan looking guy with an Afro) was a fun guy with our table and singing to the songs. He made up for so much. Hire more people like him.
I don't even know why this place is even classified as a bar. Weak drinks and good luck if you even get buzzed off of these because the bouncers will kick you out. I saw them kick out a guy who was buzzed and sitting at a table minding his own business. Don't  waste your time or money.
Review Source:I have only been here once and I definitely enjoyed myself!
Granted this place has a cover, which is a bit much ($10).
The drink prices are pretty high and the bar is actually not that big. I was expecting more options.
This place is packed! We came here after dinner on a Friday night around 9. The place was crawling with bridesmaids and birthdays. They have shots going around, plenty of seating if you get there at a decent time. The crowd is a bit on the older side, plenty of drunkies. The people who come here are quite interesting.
The entertainment it what made it fun, the people at the front are pretty hilarious and the songs they pick are fun. It is like a karaoke bar, but without you having to karaoke at the front, you just sing along.
I would definitely come back, but just really don't like that I have to pay a cover charge and since I didn't know, I am glad I even had cash on me.
Between a 3 and a 4. Went here on a Sunday night with my sorority sisters. You have to pay for parking which was $10 (I hate paying to park but with a group it comes out cheap). We heard drinks were three for one but I can't confirm it since we only ordered the buckets. We went in, and it was really packed... too packed to even move. The piano band was not getting me in the mood neither was the crowd. We actually left and tried another club, we ended up coming back because of the drink special going on, ended up getting buckets instead, like another review said, you have to be above buzzed to intoxicated to enjoy because once the drinks came it was good, we were singing with the band and had a good time... not a club atmosphere at all, mainly because of the music...very small place... go with the right crowd and you can have a good time, oh yeah. No cover fee when we went in.
Review Source:Wow been here may times finally writing a review. First off I like this place (almost gave them 3 stars but added a star while typing lol) Secondly, it's lost some of the charm after all these years but I had some fun here in my 20's and still enjoy myself in my 30's. So lets call it a loving 3.5 stars rounded up!
Getting a drink is easy, the waitress aren't world class but they work hard and keep you liquored up!
The music and performances and public embarrassment has always been on point and even after all these year still a good F-ing time!
Now I never have to pay a cover so perhaps I wouldn't love this place if I paid whatever it is they charge to get in...(and parking is free so double bonus).
But even with the perks lol I still like this place. I certainly don't make plans - anymore, to come here but on the rare occasion we find ourselves nearby, I'm never hesitant to stop in.
Good memories of hooking up I guess, this place is golden in my eyes (using my free parking and no cover to reel'em in) LMFAO!!!
Was there for a bachelor party. Seemed like you had to be extremely intoxicated to have as much fun as everyone else.
I liked that they had craft beer on tap and in bottle.
The musicians were extremely talented... I felt bad that they were subjected to singing/playing someone else's mediocre songs.
This place seemed like a really cheesy, campy, tourist trap, to be quite honest. Â It is packed to the gills with drunken, sloppy, and disoriented folk. Prepare to be shoved, pushed, elbowed, and stumbled over as you try to watch what can only be described as a 'Wedding Singer' caliber performance by a live band that could have benefitted from being about 10 years younger... This pretty much sealed the deal for me that I will never visit city walk again. If you want to get smashed out of your mind to the point that spelling your name is a champion feat and sing along to Journey and Sublime, go to a college party. At least you'll save the $10 parking fee, $10 cover, Â and a thread of self respect.
Review Source:I like this place. It's fun and its like being at a concert. Â Although I think part of the reason why I had so much fun was because I was wasted out of my mind.
It's in Universal City walk so get ready to cough up the 10 or 15 bucks they charge for parking.  If you want to be cheap, you can park down the hill and walk to City Walk, but  I warn you, it is kind of long...
Anyway the venue is decently size and is set up like being at a concert. Everything is kinda fashioned to point towards the main stage. Â Basically, they have like 5 people on stage that play songs requested by the audience. Â They are all pretty talented and can play many instruments (they rotate around) and sing. Â If they dont know a song, they will pull up the lyrics and music sheets on their iphone or ipad and play it live, pretty damn amazing. Â Get drunk and sing along, its fun!
They always have this promotional thing where they give out $1 cocktails to a group. Â They will invite one person and their party and give them like 3 tickets (per person) for a $1 cocktail. Â Cocktails are small and watered down, but I'm not going to complain.
Their famous bucket cocktails are cool, but it is ALL ice and priced pretty high. Â I wouldn't recommend them, but for novelty/experience purposes, I say fuck it and buy it. Â It's more of a drunk purchase too anyway.
I had a great time here and will go again!
Maybe this is a good place to go; maybe not. Â Unfortunately, my 25 y.o. niece and my sister won't be able to to tell you. Â Why? Â Because Howl's "safety guidelines" deemed my nieces driver's license to be fake. Â Further, they told her she was "lucky" they didn't confiscate it. Â That would have made for an interesting time at the airport when she tried to fly back home. Â My niece is a young hairdresser who probably changes hair color like most of us change clothes. Â And yes, the address on her license wasn't current. Â Nevertheless, her face hasn't changed and her license wasn't fake.
A phone call from me to the establishment did nothing - in fact, I encountered the same kind of arrogance and inflexibility (thanks to some magic booklets that tell one all about driver's licenses all over the country - and even the world! Â How impressive!) that my niece and my sister did.
So a $20 cab fee was wasted just trying to have some fun. Â From what some reviewers have written, it was probably a blessing in disguise. Â I live in SoCal and will steer people away from this place any chance I get.
Summary: I really like this place and the fact it's located at Citywalk isn't held against it.
I've only been here on Fridays and this place is usually dead till 10pm. By 11pm its packed. The buffet food from 6-8pm is actually really good. I look forward to the small tacos they make every time I come by.
Once this place is packed, the vibe, the music and the crowd are great. There's one jerk bartender in the bar on the right, always, but everyone else is cool. The party is popping like you're in Cancun with girls coming around with shots in tubes and jello shots in large plastic syringes needles.
Also, if you really want a song played, just give them one with a tip but save it till later in the night. If you for example give them a song like Oasis-Wonderall at 9pm, they seem to not play it because they know its a hit that people will want to hear later but not hear twice.
Disclaimer: I have only come here for work events with connections, so I've never had to pay a cover and the drinks are usually half off, so I can't rate this place on price. Otherwise this place would be 5 stars since I've been able to order 5 rounds of Jameson for under $25.
This place is pretty horrible. It's a pain to get here, as you have to pay for city walk parking and then there's normally a cover on top of that. The place was packed, which you would think would be a good sign, but the whole place is stuffy and it's hard to move around. There's a bunch of stupid rules about drinks not being able to transfer to the patio to the inside and vice versa, and the drinks are far too expensive for what you get.
I could deal with all of this, if the bar was in any way fun. My friends and I attempted to dance along while the piano players butchered song after song. Their version of Kanye's "Golddigger" was unrecognizable. And they lacked the wit and improv skills that you normally see at good dueling piano bars. I really don't plan on ever coming back to this place, it's not worth the money or inconvenience.
I went for a friends birthday and it was really fun. It was the first real bar I've been to so I can't really compare but the employees were all really nice and helpful especially the bartender . The live music was really fun too but kinda got annoying after a while because there were so many people. I ordered a couple drinks and It was super watered down! I should have visited yelp before I went.
And there was a bathroom attendant which kinda make me uncomfortable. Lol
I came here for my best friend's birthday last night. We didn't have to wait in line because she reserved a table (there wasn't much of a line anyway but it would super crowded!)
I did my research like the good little Yelper I am and saw that their drinks would be watered down and therefore ordered their specialty shots, but only after ordering a gin and tonic because I wanted to try it. It was good but the Applesauce shots were the best. It's like apple cider but better. I also ordered my best friend the Elvis Bomb which she loved.
The alcohol made the music a bit more tolerable. It did not make all the really intoxicated people around us tolerable though. So much violation of personal space...and there was a fight too! It was pretty intense. But they handled it after 2 minutes... so their security could be a bit better probably. Additionally, the music and the singing... the small talking on stage. IDK. I couldn't handle it until they finally played the music that was good (Beyonce) which lead to me being pulled to the stage by a dancer who worked there to dance with her. Blame it on my demonstration for my friends. Anyway..that right there shows that they really do try to involve the people who are there...they make it fun for everyone..or think they do. They have this really cheesy shot girl demonstration thing that's all sexual and I couldn't watch it because I was so embarrassed for the drunk person and for me.
Maybe I'm just not as fun as everyone but I didn't find it that great..... except for the whole Beyonce part. That was fun.
Went here yesterday, Best part about the whole thing DRINKS ARE 3 FOR 1 EVERY SUNDAY!!!!!! Cool place. Awesome environment. Pretty chill not your typical bar where you can actually dance but they do have this really cool band that sings live and you can request any song and they will sing it. Love this place.
Only reason why they got a star taken off was because one of the bartender was really rude,...like umm its sunday you know drinks are 3 for 1 so why are you serving people their free drinks with attitude. other than that the night was great.
Since I was of age... sure.... um yeah I've been here at least 20 times. Always had a good time, but there are so many reasons that it was never a super duper time. This place is a solid 3. Why?
Pros:
*fun crazy environment
*you get to see drunk girls on stage get slapped in the ass
*live piano/singers
*cheap freshly grilled hot dogs (on busy nights)
Cons:
*i don't care splurging non a drink, but not on watered down ones...
*nearly impossible to find a table if ur group is big
*can't walk through crowds on busy nights. like seriously you have to push.
*crowded filthy bathrooms (the bathroom lady is sweet)
*good luck getting the bartender's attention if you're a guy
Two stars because the drinks are pretty pretty tasty!
ZERO stars because of the experience. Now mind you, we went on a Wednesday night. There was a $5 cover charge, for an empty room with older clientle and a drunk band who were more obnoxious than enjoyable. Â The other thing that was bothersome is they had no snacks to munch on. I was anticipating a small appetizer menu, because it is a bar, but nope they didn't even have peanuts to munch on.
I would give this place another chance, but not out of my own will. I'll have to go on a day that's more poppin.
Luckily for us Saddleranch was still open and partying as always so we took our business there for the remainder of the night.
So I've been to howl at the moon a few times before. The first time was not bad and the entrainment was entertaining. However my last couple of visits there have really got me tired and annoyed with this place. My main two beefs are 1) the drinks are very expensive (although mostly for Sat nights) BUT they are absolutely watered down and also served in a very small cup. These guys are overcharging like crazy. Secondly the crowd size is not controlled very well. It gets to the point you can't even walk from one point to another without having to navigate through so many people. Â I'd expect heavy crowding in a club atmosphere but not a place like this.
So although I liked my first couple experiences here, I have to say that my last couple experiences have not been any fun. I'd rather spend my money where the drinks actually give me a buzz and can breathe a little.
This place was totally NOT what I expected, and maybe that's my own fault for expecting something (or anything) from a bar located in CityWalk.
So, maybe the vibe / crowd is different on different nights, so I'll qualify this review by saying that it's for a Friday night.
I heard dueling piano bar and thought it was going to this classy, cool, upscale and mature place. Â Boy was I wrong.
Mature, sure, meaning the crowd was mainly made up of people in their 30s and 40s. But they were definitely not mature. Â This place has the strangest vibe.. it's old people trying to act young.. drinking buckets full of Adios MF's, huge cans of beer, having $1 drinks, etc. Â I had my personal space violated more than a dozen times with drunk people just rubbing right up against me. Pretty disturbing.
2 stars instead of 1 because I quite enjoyed the selection of songs they were performing.
Parking is a bit annoying because it's the standard $10 CityWalk parking and no validation for this place, but you can park right by the place which is nice.
So, I can see how people who are looking for a place like this would love it. It would give them exactly what they want. But it's just so NOT my type of place or crowd and I definitely won't be going back any time soon.
I've been in here several times and always on different nights. I love Tuesdays because it's open band karaoke, which is always really fun. Sundays are great for drink specials, and Mondays have local bands. The rest of the nights get a little old if you come here often at all. With the exception of requests, they sing the SAME SONGS, with the SAME substituted dirty lyrics. Only a few of the performers make their regular songs fun and not boring, but even most of the musicians seem to think the songs are boring as well. I've never reviewed before, but I had to comment on my latest experience here.
I came on Saturday (the 14th) with a few friends, which was a bit of a mistake in itself because it was CROWDED. Still seemed fun when we walked in so we figured we'd give it a chance. HOWEVER, we noticed after ordering our drinks and listening to the performers, the energy of the performances was WAY low. The last time I was here was on a Sunday a few months ago and the entertainment was SIGNIFICANTLY better. I recognized the musicians, but the talent seemed worse than before. The effort just wasn't there. The girls were alright, but I definitely remember the men being better.
We left pretty early because we were just NOT feeling the vibe and happily swallowed our cover money just to leave and go somewhere else. As we were walking to our car, we passed one of the musicians in the parking lot smoking weed in a car!!! We recognized him from the silly sailor hat he was wearing. No wonder the men couldn't carry their weight....They're not only smoking, but HIGH on the job. Â I'm not prude, but it's certainly not what I would expect out of a place that considers it's talent to exceed expectations, but they totally let me down this time. NOT worth the parking, cover, and expensive ass drinks. I'll probably go back and try it again, as most of the staff is extremely nice and enthusiastic, but tonight, Howl was just completely off their game.