Look out, I think I may have a new fav karaoke spot! This place was awesome and we had so much fun.
It's a small, dive-y spot in a strip mall-ish location off of Columbia Pike. Amble free parking so long as you arrive early enough.
We arrived shortly after 7:30pm and the place was practically empty. Which means were were easily able to snag a booth. It's a seat yourself kind of place.
Karaoke didn't just start on time, it started a few minutes early. And that like never happens in the karaoke world. But at 7:57pm, the host kicked off the night. And at this point, the place was still practically empty. So James O. was easily able to get his name on the list and sing several songs right off the bat.
As the night went on, it got crazy packed. But it was never so packed that is was obnoxious or unbearable. It was just a fun, great crowd. It seemed to hit its prime around 10:00pm/11:00pm. We stayed until just after Midnight, and while the crowd was still going strong, it was starting to dwindle a bit.
The beer list was quite meh. But they had Angry Orchard Cider and Sam Adams Seasonal, which while boring-ish, are nice drinkable beers that plied me with more than enough alcohol for the night.
The menu was decent. Lots of a variety of offerings. Everything from crab cakes to chili dogs to hot wings. They even have wings so hot that you have to sign a waiver! I did not attempt those. All the food was reasonably priced and tasty enough.
There's not exactly servers here. It was more like one guy running around like mad trying to take care of everyone. But we never had to wait long for anything we wanted and he always offered more drinks, etc. whenever he ran by. So for dive-y bar with quite a crowd, the service was pretty good.
The $10 cover thing was confusing. To me, cover means you pay at the door. Instead, think of it as a 2 drink minimum. You've got to eat or drink at least $10 worth. If you don't, at the end of the night, you'll get a $10 bill you have to pay. This was no problem at all for us. Our table of 3, spent about $50 on food and drinks.
So more on the karaoke... The host was great. The song list was extensive. The set-up worked well. It moved at a fast pace. Everyone rotated fairly. And there were boring breaks. Definitely one of the best karaoke nights I've done in the DC area. We will be back!
LA is a great little dive bar. Â It's a neighborhood establishment that always draws a regular crowd and is always popping on Friday/Saturday nights. Â The food is pretty darn good and Chef Dave does a really good job of putting everything together. Â If you're looking for a yuppie-style Arlington place, this isn't the joint.
Review Source:I come here way too often. Karaoke is a guilty pleasure of mine, and with being so close to where I live, it is hard to resist my wonderful LA Bar and Grill.
They have karaoke on Saturday nights from 8-11. Typically if you don't get there before 9:30, you're likely not going to get to sing because so many people sign up early. It is a ton of fun to be the singer or onlooker. Turns out most people who do get the courage to sing are pretty damn good. You rarely hear someone who is totally off key. You're more likely to see people miss lyrics than sing horribly. Either way it is all in good fun. It is a small venue with plenty of standing room if you can't get a table.
They had decent food and drinks with a vast selection for any sort of bar patron who rolls in. Trust me you won't have any complaints. Enjoy your visit when you're on the Pike!
Ah, the lament over the loss of the local dive bar.
I certainly appreciate that they had to do it - I mean, you can't be a teenager forever. At some point, you end up that guy in the ratty clothes and stringy beard at the punk rock show staring menacingly at everyone. You spent your life partying on the cheap, not worrying about money or social niceties, and eventually you are old and have done nothing with your life. LA Bar and Grill has decided to do something with their life, shave their beard, cut their hair, and trade in the denim jacket with a Motorhead patch for a sensible pair of khakis.
Cleaned up the interior, the menu, the staff - everything. The food is better (and tasty,) although the beer selection has suffered (hasta luego PBR.) The bar isn't bad, and neither is the decision to clean it up a bit - in fact, it's probably been great for them.
I, however, still miss partying with the old dirtbag. Somewhat recommend, depending on where you want to do your drinking. I probably won't be back.
Oh L.A. Bar. . . Many a night has started and ended here. It is a great hole in the wall with awesome atmosphere. No pretension to be found here, unlike many of the bars in Arlington. Even on busy nights service is fast and friendly and drinks are resonabliy priced. There is always a great time to be had at L.A. and I almost always leave having made a new friend.
Review Source:You either love or hate this place. My husbands loves it, I hate it. He loves it because it's a bunch of local people drinking beer, watching sports, eating burgers. It is not pretentious, not fancy, it's just a local bar with decent food and cheap drinks. I don't like it because the place has a weird smell and no air conditioning. It gets extremely hot in the summer.
Review Source:This is a bar. No doubt about it. Â The kind of place your dad would go to watch a football game. Â The only way you will be disappointed is if your looking for some kind of an upscale martini lounge. Â They have great burgers (half price on Wednesdays), sports, a jukebox, and my favorite "Big Buck Hunter".
Review Source:This is a wonderful, friendly neighborhood joint. Â The food is pretty good for a dive bar, but fairly recently they've hired a chef who specializes in some of the best soups I have ever had. Â The cream of crab is especially notable as are the chicken tarragon, beef stew (served on a bed of mashed potatoes), cream of mushroom and chicken curry soups. Â There is usually only one soup available at a time and they are not listed on the menu, so you have to ask. Â The soups are very well spiced - subtle, not overpowering - and very generous with the featured ingredient (crab, chicken, beef, etc).
The rest of the menu, though not as stellar as the soups, is pretty tasty. Â Some of the highlights:
Chili - served with tortilla chips. I don't care for the chips, but the chili itself very meaty and delicious. Â And they're fine with substituting bread or rolls for the chips.
Fish & Chips - Get the 'Little Fishy" rather than the full platter. It's a lot cheaper and is plenty for one person.
Veggie Burger - Delicious and plentiful. Â You can substitute steamed asparagus for fries.
American Shrimp - Get them grilled with herb vinaigrette.
Chili dogs - Smothered with the same delicious chili they serve in a bowl.
Burgers - The burgers are decent, but the Applewood Smoked Bacon Burger and the LA Woman burger are standouts.
The appetizers are good, but are a bit pricey. The portions are pretty large. A typical serving of bacon-cheese fries is plenty for 3-4 people.
The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful and I've never had an issue with slow service. Â Substitutions are not a problem.
The crowd is refreshingly down to earth and a welcome change from the  pretentious Clarendon crowd.  The regulars at the bar are mostly a colorful bunch of working class people along with the occasional annoying guy who just wont shut up.  I have met some very memorable characters there.
This is not so much a dive bar as a dive-themed bar in Arlington, which means it's pretty clean. Â The drinks are cheap, and the bar food is consistently enjoyable. Think buffalo chicken tenders, greasy burgers, potato skins, and bacon cheese fries. The service is always friendly if not fast, and they're very accommodating if you want to substitute sides or get half orders of appetizers, which I really appreciate. Â They're also good about splitting checks however you want them. Parking is free and the strip mall has its own lot.
It's not worth going out of my way for the food or drinks, but I enjoy their Monday night trivia and am always glad I went.
There aren't very many dive bars left in Arlington. LA bar is the last of a dying breed. I've been to the LA bar about 5 times for karaoke on Saturday night. There is a crew of regulars that comes in every Saturday. This group consists of drifters, senior citizens, cougars and drunks.
I haven't and wouldn't eat there so, I cannot comment on the food. The drinks are rather expensive considering this is South Arlington. A bottle of Bud costs $4.35. They may have the highest priced drinks in Arlington. If I'm not mistaken, a bottle of bud in Clarendon goes for about $3.50.
There is a security guy on Saturday nights that dresses up like a cop. I watched him kick out a homeless guy last Saturday. Then the homeless guy cursed him. It was hilarious!
Its almost impossible to get a taxi here. It took me over an hour to hail one on the street. Don't bother calling one, they won't show up.
LA Bar is sketchy at best. I think I'll stick to Clarendon bars from now on.
I first tried the Ethopian place on Columbia Pike, but their 3 car parking lot was unplowed. Then I went to Bob & Ediths and quickly had to do a 3 point turn just to get out of the way of a car exiting. Â I heard that Top China was good, so parked at this shopping center, but found out Top only was carry out/delivery. Â After walking by LA Bar a few times, I Â decided to be adventurous. Â
As the reviews here reflect, the strength of this bar is it is completely unpretentious and has an authentic local feel. Â There's also a big parking lot, which on this day was a glorious site to see. Â If I lived in the neighborhood and actually drank, I would probably go here often. Â Otherwise the lunch experience was well worth it.
Few things are better than having a solid neighborhood bar. Â Not the mythical crap like, "where everybody knows your name." Â ...the kind where you can wander in and have a very laid-back night. Â
The food is solid, if unspectacular. Â ...but really, that's all I want. Â A good burger, some fries and a beer. Â Is that hard? Â No, no it's not. Â LA proves it so.
The music is always a great mash of rock. Â I've heard everything from Slayer to the Dead. Â Burger, beer and rock and roll makes me a happy boy.
The staff is great, too, as a few other folks have noted. Â Never rude or snooty, just doing a yeoman's job of maintaining a great local joint.
Not much else to say other than I'll keep forking over money to them, gladly.
I'm a fan of this bar because its in a great location, never crowded unless its Open Mic or Comedy Night, the service is great and the staff is sooo down to earth, and the food and drinks are great. If you are a wing fan, definitely try their wings....and if you dare...try their Waiver wings....i mean...if you dare :).
Review Source:First, I'll say why, if I had reviewed LA Bar and Grill after the first time I went there, I would only have given it 1 star. After that, I'll talk about the attributes that led me to give it another star.
LA Bar is too big for its britches in terms of price. Â Its prices are indicative of the plague that is the restaurant/bar pricing theory that seems to be in operation in this part of Arlington, namely: there is no where else for you to go to eat/drink around here, so you will pay whatever I tell you to pay for this food and alcohol, regardless of the quality. Â LA Bar & Grill's beer selection is poor and prices are way too high for beer and rail alcohol alike. Â Food is grocery-store frozen section quality at upperscale prices. Â Both are an insult and a rip off, given the reality that this place is, in all other respects, a local dive bar, through and through. Â One of the many reasons to go drink all night at a local dive bar, despite the horrible smell, bad service, disgusting food, and annoying local yokels (all of which LA Bar and Grill has), is that you can, well, afford to drink there all night. Â The scab of this irritation is pulled off every time you get the check.
All that being said as a most important preliminary, the reasons I now give it two stars, having gone to LA B&G many times due to its being a 2 minute walk from my home, are as follows:
- Â The service is certainly dive bar quality in terms of timeliness and attentiveness, but it is also friendly, especially when you become a regular. Â Waitstaff learns your name, greets you, etc. Â It's comfortable the way a dive bar should be -- "I'm busy serving all these drunk meatheads so can't stop and have a convo, but good to see you again." Â I'm cool with that.
- Â The bar offers some interesting community-building nights, like a local comedy night. Â I think it's telling that the open mic comedy night featuring fledgeling local amateurs is paired with half-price burger night, enhancing the chances that the local comedians will have an audience. Â It's sweet. Â Not funny as often as I might like, but sweet.
- Â The locals, while certainly lacking the sophistication of academic salon attendees, and, if their jukebox and karaoke selections are any indication, being of questionable musical taste, are exactly the sort of real people that are a delight to observe and fun to talk to when they're drunk. Â There are the "karaoke guys" who go to karaoke every weekend, get there early and sing their hearts out just because they like to perform, or they secretly wanted to be salsa singers, etc. Â There are the military and ex-military who come to sing their man-yarbling hearts out to express whatever extreme emotions are rumbling below the surface. Â Often much more interesting than an academic salon, and certainly much more affectionate and friendly.
- Â I like karaoke, so I like this place's karaoke. Â You have to get there early if you want to sing within an hour of signing up, but the selection is good and the DJ is a decent, honest guy.
This is my favorite, favorite bar in the area. Â It is such a refreshing change from all of the over-priced trendy bars in Arlington. Â I should say though that I go here when I want some bar food and a beer - it's definitely on the dive side of things. Â They have great wings, great burgers (with a variety too: mushroom/swiss, BBQ, veggie), and a decent selection of beers on tap. Â The wait staff is prompt and very chill - not bugging you all of the time about getting another drink, etc. Â They also have a variety of theme nights that occur weekly - trivia, karaoke, improv, and so on. Â The best part: you can arrive in your grubby jeans and flip-flops, no one would even look twice. Â Love!
Review Source:This place appears to live and die by the locals, which is a great mark of a dive bar. However, the $8 ripoff for partially unfrozen mozzarella sticks is not dive bar pricing. Nor the limited selection of beers and overpriced rail drinks. If there was some real competition in this area, LA would have to do more than tv dinner quality food and a locals karaoke night to stay in business. This place smells like "stale" and french fry grease that's been simmering since 1982, which again would be fine if their prices were in line with a local dive bar and not a celebrity chain restaurant. All this aside I have to mention the waitstaff are courteous and helpful
Review Source:Lunch place review. Â
This is NOT the place to go if you want really good food and within your lunch hour. Â Decent food, yes. Â Really good, no. Â I went at lunch with some co-workers and including our group there were about 15 people in the place. Â Lunch took 50 minutes to order, prepare and serve. Â In a word: SLOW. Â I didn't know that 15 people would constitute as "slammed"
The half-price burger was decent - but compared to the other burgers in Arlington, this did not meet the challenge. Â The fries were good and had a good spice, I think Old Bay.
The server was polite.
This place is probably better suited for happy hours, football, and chillin. Â Not a lunch place or if you have a limited amount of time.
I'd probably go back... but only for beer and wings. Â It seems like a very low key place /blue collar place - which is nice sometimes.
Reasons why LA Bar is the "best crappy bar ever"
1) It always has a good crowd, BUT it is not crowded
2) Darts!
3) The bartenders are great. Â One even went back to look up a shot online that he didn't know how to make. Â (And he made it very well)
4) Usually have some good live music. Â Sometimes pretty entertaining kareoke
Really I agree with the other review that it is what it is. Â I think it's a great hole in the wall bar, hidden away in the back/underground of a convenience store.
People who write bad reviews for LA Bar make me sad. Â It's the best crappy bar ever. Â It is what is is people. Â If you're going to LA Bar for a "good" meal or a "good" brunch then don't go here. Â It's a great place to hang with friends, drink BEER (not a mixed drink kinda bar), play darts, eat half price burgers, and listen to BAD karaoke. Â That's the whole point of LA Bar. Â I heart dive bars.
Review Source:Underground would be a good way to describe the location and the bar. Â Located on the back side/lower level of a 2 story building off of columbia pike, you probably need to be looking for this place to find it.
The burgers are 1/2 price on wednesdays but worth full price any day of the week and the steak tip appetizers are really good too.
I went there for brunch once on a sunday... it was ok. (not bad, but not somewhere I'd be taking someone from out of town to either)
As far as atmosphere, if your trying to avoid the uptight world around you, you've found the right place. It's a very laid back bar w/ a chill vibe all around.
This place was horrible. Karaoke can go either way, this went the way of GTFO. The drinks were so bad I got tired of sending them back. One I swore was just sour but then saw it was just the cheapest whiskey, whiskey sour, to make the drink taste like rubbing alcohol and salt. The bartender was nice enough just not great. The bottles of liquor must have been watered down before they are even poured because I spent $60 in two hours and was sober enough to not be having a good time.
Everyone sang country songs like were trying to be discovered. Never pick a slow song people, no matter how well you think you can sing it. It's a party killer.
This is a great place to host a gathering of friends unless one of them happens to be Mike Oxxxxxxxx., in which case you can plan on heavily subsidizing his Red Bull and Vodkas and then having to look forward to a futile and crass bickering session whereby he drunkenly tries to deny that he owes more than everyone else.
Review Source:Great place to go for drinks with friends. Smokey, but that'll change with VA's new smoking laws.
They're not the cheapest for drinks, but they don't gouge you. Burger night is always a pleasure and they make pretty decent fish & chips too.
This place is essentially where I go since Dr. Dremos closed. It doesn't quite measure up, but it's still a fun little place.
LA Bar and Grill is for now , pretty much the only option along the Columbia Pike corridor as far as a Cheers type establishment. There's a consistent group of what looks to be regulars that frequent the place, the staff is friendly and the food and drink selections are decent and plentiful. The problem I have with this place is it's way to expensive. When I'm having to pay almost $20 for a pitcher of Stella there's a problem.
I think the lack of other restaurant and bar options in this area allows them to charge as much as they do, but hopefully that will change once more  development hits the Pike.
This place is quickly becoming the go to bar for my friends and I.
Yes, this place is smokey. Its a bar. C'mon people...if you don't like smoke, well...seriously...think about what the atmosphere is like before you show up. You don't travel to another country and then go, "Hey, I really hate language barriers, this place sucks!" Use your noodle.
I've always had great service here, the drinks are reasonably priced and whether you belly up to the bar to order or have a bartender who makes his/her rounds around the tables, things are pretty snappy. We were going to order some food last time we were there but they said that they were bringing out some free food, and we could help ourselves. Sure, we didn't have the pick of the menu...but free food? Good deal. Again, its a dive bar...not a luxury bar.
There seems to be karaoke almost every night I go there...which MAKES this bar what it is. Theres always a line, there are sometimes horrible singers, poor music choices, but thats what makes it so hilarious. My friend sang there Saturday night, she had to wait for a bit, but got her chance. Be patient. Honestly, if you don't get to sing...are your feelings really hurt that much? You aren't earning a record deal here people. You're drunk...sing along if you don't want to wait. Everyone else is.
I know theres a brunch here Sunday mornings, from the description, it sounds like a good spread, but I can't attest to that. Overall, I always have a blast here, its a good choice.
I am a regular karaoke singer at L.A. Bar and, as a veteran of karaoke bars in the area, I think this is one of the best. Â I am surprised anyone would say the DJ plays favorites. Â I'm there almost every weekend and on a couple of ocassions have only sung once or twice. Â It does get crowded. Â The DJ really knows how to work the sound and makes (almost) everyone sound great.
Aside from karaoke, the food is good, there are plenty of friendly, interesting people and a great jukebox. Â Monday trivia draws a big crowd and is lots of fun. Â Everyone has a chance. Â If you're looking for something fancy, this is not the place for you. Â If you're looking for a clean, friendly, local bar with good food and fun, this is it.
I'm a neighbor but have only been here twice, mostly because I HATE cigarette smoke, paying a dry cleaner to get the stench out of my clothes, and having to wash my hair twice.
Sounds as though the food is good, so maybe I'll come back but only if there are no smokers. No way am I eating in a smoke-filled environment, and this place is too small and basementy to claim to have a "non-smoking" section.
LA Bar and Grill is a real hidden gem in Arlington. Â In a city where dive bars are getting harder to find (with Dr. Dremo and the Royal Lee closing this year), LA Bar and Grill is the best dive bar left in Arlington. Â With good bar food, simple decor, and a cast of regulars, it is a place that feels like home on the Columbia Pike corridor. Â One of the biggest nights there is Saturday for karaoke (the last regular one in Arlington nowadays) that features Luis as DJ. Â It is a great time, and usually packed. Â Come early to get a table. Â I've also been for their Heini and Head night where Heinekens and Moosehead are 2 bucks. Â One special note, I had gotten frustrated trying to get my out of town football games at sports bars where I had to fight or get lucky to get my game. Â I tried LA Bar and Grill after seeing they had Sunday Ticket, and found it very easy to have both my game and the sound turned on. Â
LA Bar and Grill can't be seen from Columbia Pike and is actually below the K-1 Convenience Store. Â This has made it difficult for some people to find it when having a karaoke meet up. Â
Only negative is it gets smokey, but that is part of being a dive bar.
Not a bad neighborhood bar, staff is really friendly and the food is ok. Most of the regulars have been 40+ the times I was there. One or two REALLY creepy regulars. One old man who does not talk but try's to stand next to or share the bar stool (yes, share like try to sit on it with her) of any girl who is under 30, even if she is in a group of friends.
Review Source:Great neighborhood place with TVs and some good nightly specials (Wed: half price burgers, Thursdays until 8 Heineken and Moosehead bottles for about $2). Â Saturday nights brings in the Karaoke crowd.
The food is solid for pub food. Â We've gotten chicken fingers, burgers, sandwiches and salads in the past. *For a bar, they offer non-wimpy salads- ie- there are real greens and vitamins to found, not just shriveled old iceberg.
The owner is a friendly woman who is usually around checking in on patrons and helping the waitstaff.
More importantly- this was our GO-TO place when we lost power for a few days in early June. Its relaxing and chill vibe was just what the doctor...errr...power company...ordered.
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