I've been to the Verdugo a few times and am always impressed with their craft beer selection and the music choice. HOWEVER, I am always let down by how rude the bartenders ALWAYS are to me and whoever I'm with. I understand that as a bartender you have the pleasure of working with belligerent drunks more often than not which would put anyone in a bad mood. But why punish the innocents? I was stiffed on my delicious beer not once but TWICE in one night. WHY?!? A gentleman to my right ordered the same beer in the same glass and received the proper amount marked on the glass. I left it alone thinking it was a simple miss pour, much to my dismay it happened again with my second glass. I generally like to avoid awkward situations and am not that much of a lush so I left it alone.
Now on to the reasons as to why I gave them 4 stars...
The atmosphere is fun and trendy. I spend most of my time on the patio that is lit with cute string lights and decorated with craft beer posters and wooden tables and benches. The perfect place to spend a summer night. They even have Chimichurri an Argentinian grill serving delicious empenadas and choripans (Argentinian sausages) which is perfect for everyone's late night drunk munchies. Mmmm...
If you like to drink, and love to find special little hole in the wall places. This is one of those places. A single lit sign that says "cocktail" in a suspicious neighborhood, and unusually hard to find parking; this can only suggest one thing in LA. A hipster bar!
Yes it's hipster, but Unlike your typical hipster bars, I didn't see them serve cheap crappy beer or $3 margaritas. Only the finest finest imports and microbrews around. And if you fancy a cocktail, their bartender will make you a proper drink.
The best part about Verdugo is the bar layout. You got your bar stools up in front of the bar, your lounge booths behind that, and some in the middle room by the bath rooms. And outside, you got these bench style tables for socializing. Don't worry, they got ash trays and jenga on deck. Always a good time when jenga is involved.
The drinks are a bit pricey. They are about 6-7 dollar per cup or pint depending on the beer. We came on a Monday, just happened to bump into the guys at Gramercy beverage co. A local beer distributor. They were giving out these neat beer glass from Monk Ale which the purchase of a glass of their Belgian pale ale($7). They were nice enough to tell us about this American brewed ale by Ale. Check out this video I did with owner Jeremy and his lovely assistant Judy.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FNVGoQTveLlA&s=c066657a4aae570ea31817f6a311d5c1276362a20597bbbb7c80df1beaa2091d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://youtu.be/NVGoQTve…</a>
Check out our video of this place, make sure to subscribe on YouTube if want to see more!
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FQMTC5so_TsU&s=1c525c5d840f2d3b5c44786ffa0234280978971062f2d6ca1bd6b984f914032f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://youtu.be/QMTC5so_…</a>
From the looks of the outside and surrounding streets, one might steer clear of this place. The aging cocktail sign on the outside doesn't reflect what lies inside. About 25 craft beers on tap. IPAs, pils, sours, and darks. Something for everyone. The inside has a cool feel to it, especially the curved bar. There's a big patio outside with tons of seating. The nice girl behind the bar gave us the short history of the place. It's been there since the end of prohibition. It's changed hands several times but because it has never closed, they can still sell carry out beers. I think will drink there though.
Review Source:I live walking distance and love this place for its amazing open patio, friendly bartenders (much better than last summer), and indoor decor. The rotating food trucks are awesome and it's good to see them coming more often now! The only thing this place needs is an outside bar, badly. The wait inside is truly epic.
Review Source:This is a local bar.  I'm not from LA, but we went her for  beer after a wine dinner (we needed more alcohol, apparently.. :) ).  The beer menu is smallish, but a good selection.  I enjoyed the Drake's Hopacalypse IPA a lot.  A new one for me that I will look for again, as it was very well balanced.
The bar area is very open, with booths against the wall opposite the bar and a lot of open space in between. Â Seemed a little off, ambience-wise, to me. Â
An eclectic mix of customers too. Â Us, a bit of an older crowd, some young ones, neighborhood folks, too. Â
From the outside looks like a seedy bar. Â It is and it isn't at the same time. Â You had to be there.
I give 4 stars for the craft beer selection. Â They have Pliny the Elder on tap, which is the holy grail of IPAs to some and is made in limited supply, so that's pretty impressive.
However, the bartender gave us a completely wrong tab and insisted she had poured us several mixed drinks, when in fact we had only ordered beer. Â After arguing for a minute, my bf got the right tab, but it really put him in a bad mood for the rest of the night. Â I should also mention the bartender took our first order then went to take a shot with someone before pouring our drinks. Â
I would go back because I'm sure other staff are better, but based on the first visit... meh.
This place is a scene out of a movie. I know they've used Fred 62 a lot in films and I feel like this place could've easily been in films. One of the last bars to remain untouched in L.A. and has an old school feel inside. Tons of fun and I recommend going if you're looking for a chill spot that's not crowded with tourists.
Review Source:I've been to Verdugo plenty of times, even had my birthday here last year. Â Based on my experiences there, I decided to do my last minute going away party at Verdugo. Â The evening was going great...UNTIL the end of the night where some random guys decided to pick on my friends. Â Needless to say a fight ensued...punches where thrown, people were bleeding, cops were called, and had take a friend to emergency. Â Sad to say that a fun night turned out to be a traumatic experience. Â I found out later that these guys were "regulars" of the bar. YIKES! Â
I know that it's not Verdugo's fault. Â But I wish they were just a bit more helpful in breaking up the fight. Â Note to self...don't hang out at the front cause randoms will try to start trouble.
Perfect meet-up place for your friends who live in Echo Park, Atwater, Eagle Rock, Highland Park and S.Pas. The Verdugo, ever the crowd pleaser has something for everyone.
A really nice bar with a chill locals' feeling (with exception of Friday and Sat Nights when the douche-sters emerge) Â The Verdugo offers a solid list of beers, ales and stouts that will hold you and your mates just fine. Â If the need for a cocktail should arise, Â then you are in luck, as the bar keep has proven time and time again that they can mix to please.
The Verdugo has comfortable seating inside as well as a bonus patio, giving it a sultry beer garden vibe during Spring and Summer. Â The house dj's have educated ears and play to the relaxed tone of the crowd well with deep cuts, clever re-mixes and choice blasts from the past.
I love it when I hit the sweet spot when Grill "em All is parked here! Â That is definately a nice partnership and bonus.
This is a funny place, because it's a great day drinking destination with a fantastic beer selection, and then at night the lights dim down, a DJ starts spinning in a booth, and suddenly it's a swank "lounge" location. (You know you've been hanging around too long and should probably go get some food in you if you see that transition occur.)
I think I'd prefer the day ambiance to the night, but that's just how I roll. Big sunny patios plus good beer and friends hanging out equals happiness. That said, it's a pretty chill place to get a drink with a date in the night hours, too... lots of excellent options from the full bar, with a few different specialty options up on the board (a special cocktail, a special beer on draft, a special bottle of beer-- they sell bottles to go, too... sweet!)
The Verdugo Bar is pretty awesome.... not only because its 2 minutes from my home, but the Beer tastes GREAT. I love their really dark brew, i never knew the name, but ive always asked, "The one that tastes like Guiness and Coffee." and they usually know what i want.
Last time i was there, i was getting a little twisted. On their TV they were playing The Last Dragon, hahahahahahaa, and DJ Phatrick was playing some Funk on the 1's and 2's. and like usual, there was a Taco truck outside serving Indian Food.
On off days, its awesome because theres Parking, but on Busy days, theres NO parking and a Line...??!!! WTF IVE NEVER HAD TO WAIT IN LINE TO GET IN THIS MESS!
But all good. worth it it when all your friends are there, and the drinks keep comin!
I might be a tad old for this place, the loud rap music etc.
But no one is too old for crappy bartenders and snarky service.
I live nearby, so close that I could frequent this place on a regular basis.
I don't go much and every time I do, I get reminded why I don't.
I think it was better when it first opened as the Verdugo, but I don't know who runs the place etc now.
If you like loud music, the smell of Clorox and the bad end of a rude bartender, then by all means go......
I think I am done.
Why do I come back to places with no parking AND bitchy bartenders? Why don't I remember I was here 3 years ago and wrote about how rude the chicks are?
Do a search on this page for "rude" and "f*ck you" - take out the asterisk. Â You'll find over 10 refs (yelp sort...) Â on the exact reason it should be legal to slap the shit out of one person a year without repercussion.
If you enjoy "I'm  just here until I can find a Westside bar owner to sleep with" attitude - go.  I find happier chicks working  at the DMV.
I chose to celebrate my bday at Verdugo this year and I am very happy with that decision! Â The manager took good care of our group and set us up in the center room with the big booth. Â Even though when I called several times to reserve it the girls answering the phone were not very inviting and lied to me stating they don't reserve. Â The manager was very sweet and hooked it up! Â
My only complaint is the short brunette bartender that is a total rude "B", I got several comments made to me by my party guests to that affect and she did shove one of the guys out of her way at one point... NOT COOL lil bartender girl... Hence the four stars not five :(...
Overall-beer selection is the bomb, music is just right, and crowd is still awesome!
Parking still sux but that's the beauty of a hidden gem...
After about 7 months, I returned to an old favorite to celebrate my bday. Verdugo is cool semi-hidden bar. You wouldn't think that it's worth stopping by from the outside, but always remember that looks can be deceiving. Verdugo Bar is awesome because of its chill and casual atmosphere. There's plenty of seating inside and a pretty big bar. There's also a spacious patio that is perfect for summer nights.
I fell in love with this spot all over again after I tried one of the most delicious drinks. It was a pineapple upside down drink. Â If you like the cake, you will love this drink. It's absolutely delicious and boy does it sneak up on you! FYI, from my understanding, the female bartender was the only one making the pineapple upside down drinks.
I really enjoy the Verdugo Bar, I freguently make the drive out from Azusa to get a drink and dinner from what seems to be the resident food truck The Grill Em All Truck. Decor is modern but not too formal. The bartenders are semi friendly and knowledgeable about the beer they're serving. They have a full bar with craft beers on tap with a few cocktails on the drink menu.
The times I've been in there is usually a sporting event on the big screen behind the bar (e.g Dodgers, MNF, Lakers). The patio area is nice and spacious with picnic tables with the aforementioned food truck flanked off the patio.
The best part about the bar is its one of he few bars in LA with a liquor license that allows you to purchase alcohol to take home with you. Only thing that would make this place better is a kickass juke box
The best thing about this bar is the music and the variety of pretty lady bartenders-there's one for every gentlemen's type of taste, much like Cathouse.
The drinks are pricey-but sometimes worth it for the atmosphere.
The outdoor patio is large and the bench seating allows you to mingle with other people quiet easily.
Here's where it all went wrong for me--I was outside on the patio and I noticed a Marlboro cigarette promo girl. She was giving away swag and coupons for free packs to any drunk that would sign up on her email list. I understand everyone is of age at a bar and can make their own choices about smoking or not-but I just expected the management of the Verdugo to have a bit more class and not let that type of promotion in their establishment. Save that ish for Nascar
Diamond in the rough. Â Neighborhood - sketchy. Â Bar - excellent.
I went when there was some sort of cycling club meeting there which was a bit weird - dozens of cycle short clad men threw off the vibe, but that's not the bar's fault.
This joint has a food truck almost every night, which is super amazing. Â Back patio is huge which is excellent. Â Lighting out there is really nice and atmospheric. Â Beer selection is great and they have nice bottles of beer you can buy to take home with you which is a nice touch.
The interior of the bar is spacious, but there isn't much seating. Â A few deep comfy booths and the stools at the bar itself.
Lighting on the inside is nice as well.
Located in a quaint area of Highland Park, Verdugo Bar is a gem off the beaten path. Â The outside of this place is not indicative of the inside. Â I happened to go on a Monday evening; seating was plentiful both inside and out back in the patio. Â There is a variety of draft and bottled craft beer. Â Each is priced accordingly to the mode of production and ingredients. Â
My old go-to bar has become too hipster and pretentious for me. Â I think I have found myself a new go bar.
This was a chill spot that I found through Yelp. Nice atmosphere on the inside. I went with some coworkers on a Monday and everyone had a good time. I enjoyed the take-home glass option for the select beer, plenty of street parking, fun local brew options and cool decor, decent happy hour prices, and really diverse clientele.
The bar is a little hard to find your first time (no big sign outside in a pretty residential neighborhood, with a tricky parallel street that is easily confused). I recommend Google mapping with the actual street view. But once you find the place, its worth it.
I was a little disappointed that the food truck was late to arrive, so I didnt get food with my beer because I had to leave before 8:30. *I know that is no fault of the bar, but just thought it was worth noting.
Overall good place, I could imagine this becoming my local go-to spot to bring friends.
WHAAAAAT?! I've never written a review for my favorite bar in the world??? Must.correct.immediately.
Verdugo is my dream bar. My home away from home. Good beer, yummy food trucks, and a casual, friendly atmosphere. They've recently implemented a happy hour, which they didn't have before. They also do trivia now, but I haven't yet had a chance to go! Recently, we were told that they were charging $1 to taste a beer, which was a bummer (I hope they've changed that!)
Other reviewers are right, the female bartenders can be unhelpful, especially if you're a woman. Don't let them taint your experience. If you happen to be there on a night when the owners are there, you'll be taken care of. They love talking to customers, making sure you're enjoying yourself. They control their sound system with an iPad, and happily take requests, or will choose songs to match your mood.
Sunday patio sessions are awesome. Jenga and Connect 4!
I LOVE this place!
If you have a friend who claims not to like beer then this is the place to bring them. Beer is good and the bartenders will lead the way.
A constantly changing beer menu means you will never get bored. It's kind of like the bar equivalent of the Star Tours ride at Disneyland, you never know what type of adventure you will go on but you can pretty much guarantee you'll come out winning.
Also every single person who works there is super nice and genuine.
What a random little place. Â Coming here off the freeway i almost didn't believe that my navi was correct. Â How could there be an awesome bar on this street. Â Only sign that there even was a bar there was the sign that said cocktail on the outside. Â After i parked and went in i realized that i had arrived somewhere awesome. Â Great long bar lots of seats in the main room. Â Also another room and a great big out door patio. Â Really cool. Â Beer was very good. Â Seems like a great place to come and just relax. Â Lots of places to sit and just chat. Â
Cant wait to come again.
If you like your beer, then this is the place for you! Â Got a great selection of beer to choose from. Â Bartenders don't know how to make midori sours. :( Boohoo for me.
You walk in and you can choose to sit right down at their booths, or keep walking and you can enjoy your beer in their little lounge area, orrr walk a little further into their outdoor patio. Â The outdoor patio is great for a huge group of friends that want to drink, and talk, and have a good time. Â Oh and they have food trucks!! Personally haven't tried the food trucks since I've never gotten drunk enough to have the drunk munchies but I know one day I will and those food trucks will come pretty handy!
It's a pretty laid back place, I'd definitely go back.. in fact, I think I may have just convinced my cousin to get her boyfriend to have his birthday here. :)
Downside, parking can be difficult since it's only street parking & there's only one small stall in their bathroom.. not good for a bladder full of alcohol. Â Also, if it's your first time there.. you may get a little confused as to where it is since it's so lowkey. Â Just lookout for the sign with "cocktails" and wala! you have found verdugo bar!
This review is for their LAST CALL POLICY and nothing else.
I like this bar, I will go again, and I would recommend it to my friends, but they way they handle last call in beneath them!
Me- Â "I'd like to order a drink."
Bartender- Â "OK, but its last call, you have three minutes."
Me- Â "I have three minutes to order, or I have three minutes till some overgrown guy with a shaved head, and a black jacket, starts making me chug my $11 cocktail?"
Bartender- Â "I can't say."
Me- Â (in my head) "Then your boss is an ass, because he/she is putting you in a position where you have to pull this kind of stunt moments before I jot down your tip."
Bouncer- Â (just doing his job) "OK everyone, finish up you drinks (witch in some cases you were allowed to order 30 seconds ago) you gotta go!"
Me- Â (under my breath) "And there it is."
I have been coming here for a while now and I love how I can call this my favorite local bar in Los Angeles!
You will think of the area as shady once you arrive, but don't be alarmed as this place is a hidden gem. In fact, you can only know it's Verdugo when you see "Cocktails" as its sign out front.
Upon entering its doors, you will see a different, amazing ambiance with a terrific selection of craft beers. The booths are great for seating as well as the lounge area in the next room. The outside patio is always great to chill while enjoying beer, and the DJ here does not disappoint during the nights. One of the coolest features of Verdugo is the food trucks that appear constantly. Having the food trucks here is a great addition since you can eat delicious food while drinking your beer.
I will return!
Former high school teacher of mine told me about this place after checking out Bar 107. This place is easily one of my favorite bars now, and for the most part, I won't hesitate to haul ass up the 2-North to get here (Once did that drive at 12:20AM from Koreatown)
It's very spacious. The room where the bar is at is where you'll find some hipsters trying to groove every now and then. The room after that is a dimly-lit lounge-type area that I usually don't find myself spending much time at. Behind that is the patio, which has a bunch of picnic tables to sit at, and is probably the best section at Verdugo for conversation. There's a few food trucks in the front, but I haven't gone to any of them: I believe they update who the hell is showing up and when on the Twitter/FB for Verdugo.
It's also interesting watching the movies shown at the 2 TVs behind the bar. I think this entire summer, I must've seen The Fellowship of the Ring twice, courtesy of Verdugo, and then Easy Rider for the first time. The beer selection is great as well. It was the first time I ever had an Old Rasputin or Pliny the Elder, but I'll let some other reviewer play the beer snob and not make myself look like an ass.
I find myself usually coming here on Tuesdays or Thursday nights, but I think it's an interesting place to check out during the daytime. There's live music on the weekends and they open MUCH earlier: 3PM as opposed 6PM.
I think I lost my driver's license here in the past 2 weeks, but screw it, I'll still give this place a 5.
I really want to love this place it's everything I want in a bar. It's the kind of place where I would bring people in from out town.
I've been back a couple of times since I last reviewed this place, if they could just lose the attitude and slowness of the service even on a weekday night i would give this place 5 stars easily.
Everything is 5 stars about this place except the service.
What the?!?
I am absolutely sickened that I have yet to show any Yelp love for one of my favorite LA bars! The Verdugo sports an off the beaten path address but one of the most chill-worthy patios in this fine city. I've spent many a day drinking afternoon at this beer-centric establishment, not to mention many a drunken-filled evening. Any time a DJ and food truck are added to the mix it becomes the perfect medley of mid-day delight.
You might miss it if you aren't on your GPS game, but just keep your ears out for the only hustle and bustle happening in that hood and Ureka! you've found it!
Bonus: they sell beer for you to take home as well! Cowabunga!
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