This is the spot you come to for chill non-pretentious vibes. It is the sweetheart of local dive bars with plenty of history in the walls and an awesome owner. The drinks are nicely priced, and the staff is always friendly. You can order or bring food from the outside and just hang out while listening to the Touch Tunes juke box. Come with positive vibes and you'll have a good time or forget this review and don't come here if you like to cause drama. It is cash only, but they do have an ATM on site. There is plenty of street parking and a small back private parking lot. read more

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$5 beers and $10 cocktails that are strong af - can't beat the price. Bartender was cool and funny and the place had a good vibe. Cash only.

A good dive bar for locals and local type people. Drinks are cheap. Cash is required. Music seems to be a juke box and it was 80s hits on our last visit. read more

Al's Cocktails - Marg and Martini - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Good place to watch baseball and enjoy a cold one with the boys. No beers on draft, but wide selection of bottles. A good heavy pour on mixed drinks and cocktails. Quick service. Cash only. Street parking outside. Will be back. read more

Al's Cocktails - the world series 2025 - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

My husband and brother-in-law have been coming here for years and somehow this was my first time. Small dive spot. No frills, cheap drinks, and good bar tender. read more

Old school since 1945. If you enjoy dive bars just like I do then you will have a nice time here. The patrons are chill and the bartender is nice and fast with making the drinks. The only drawback is that they only carry bottled beer and no beer on tap. If you want to gamble they also sell Lottery tickets but no Scratchers. read more

Al's Cocktails - Old school since 1945 - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

My favorite dive bar in San Gabriel. Cash only, no frills, strong drinks, and plenty of parking in the back for your DD. What's not to love?

Great drinks, friendly bartenders and that classic old school neighborhood bar feel. Extremely lovely and well maintained bar. I loved it here. Definitely a nice low key hole in the wall. I recommend a stop here if in the area. Definitely not a "party" bar but a timeless classic. Good energy, no drama and just a good time. read more

A great spot I had ventured to. Very dim ambiance with a super chill vibe. Drinks are good and around the neighborhood corner. read more

Al's Cocktails - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Drinks are strong, delicious, and priced like it's still 2019. We took embarrassingly too long to decide on a drink, but the bartender -- Shawn, was super patient and welcoming. We settled on gin and tonics, followed by a Tom Collins, and both were excellent. If you're looking for a quiet, down-to-earth place to have a few drinks and chill without breaking the bank, look no further...Al's is the place. We'll definitely be back. read more

Tonight I came in after a really hard day. Frances was nothing but a pleasure. Let me take my time on ordering a drink. Made the best cape cod for me. Wish more bartenders were like her. Will be back again! She is amazing! read more

Great quiet bar that's very affordable. Great place to chill and talk with friends. Cocktails were $5 each and beer was $4 each. If you want a place to just chill and talk or to watch a game. This is a great place for that. Music isn't too loud and gives a very chill vibe. Patrons are also pretty quiet for the most part. read more

The male employee behind the counter, Frances, was extremely rude during my visit. Greeting customers with "What do you want?" is completely unacceptable. A professional employee should be saying something like, "How can I help you?" or "What can I get for you?" This level of disrespect shows a serious lack of customer service skills. Frances needs to be reminded of his responsibilities and maintain a professional attitude at all times. Personal issues should never interfere with customer interactions. I expect this matter to be addressed promptly. read more

I had mixed feelings about this place. My whiskey sour was super rough, like super, super rough. But then I'm not expecting anything amazing considering it's a bit of divey bar. But I didn't like the vibe too much, just wasn't feeling it but that's just me. Other people very obviously love the vibe of the place so don't let my review turn you away. read more

Work has been rough so I stopped Al's to have a drink. Francis was working and was very friendly like all the bartenders here. What is really great is she id's people who walk in, and there are some that get upset because they do not have the proper id. When you are doing your job and get the boot for not having id it's your fault. I enjoy this establishment with all the bartenders, Sarah, Shawn and Charlotte who will always take care of you. Don't pass this place up. read more

Al's Cocktails - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

The coolest dive bar in a 20 mile radius. Inexpensive drinks and you can bring in pizza from Domino's next door or the great taco truck across the street. read more

Decided to have a late night drink and just chill. Found this place near my area and decided to give it a try. I started to like dive bars when I'm just trying to relax and talk. Parking is in the back. At first I thought the place was closed, it looks closed from the outside but it's actually open. There wasn't much people on a Thursday night so there was plenty of seats. We got helped right away and the bartender was really nice throughout the experience. I ordered malibu rum with Diet Coke and my boyfriend order jack and coke And it came out $12. This place is pretty affordable to get a drink! The place looks really cozy and it's pretty small but cool decorations and the music is mainly oldies and country. There's a modern jukebox. The only thing I didn't like (one star off) was that it's CASH ONLY. That's hard for people who only carry cards and they do have atms but they have a $3 charge fee which sucks. Overall this place isn't bad to come here for a drink and chill. It is affordable. Remember to bring cash. read more

Al's Cocktails - $12 for 2 drinks - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Great watering hole, they are becoming harder and harder to find. Check it out if your in the area for low key spot

Great value, cool vibe. Found this place by accident. More bounce to the ounce, more bang for your buck and good service.

Fantastic laid back atmosphere, welcoming staff and cold cold drinks! Highly recommend to pop in and check it out if you're in the area, will be coming back myself!! read more

Thanks Luke for creating this new drink from the blueberry vodka sitting on the $7 shelf!

Great local watering hole. What else can you ask for in a spot close to the house? Cash only, but the pours are strong and the prices are extremely reasonable. Bartenders and patrons alike are all very amicable. I love that they have a jukebox with a good selection of songs as well. read more

We came here on a whim. We had left trivia night over at ogopogo, and for some odd reason our old bodies decided it was too early to call it a night. We yelped bars nearby, and the group collectively agreed, "this is a place Alex would go to...let's go"! So we ended up here. Cocktails are cheap and strong(cash only) and they have a jukebox. If you're into a no frills spot, that you can have a drink and a conversation on a Friday night, this is your spot. I'll never forget this place, as it was the first time I had the entire bar singing to my chemical romance. See you soon Al's. read more

Al's Cocktails - 10/10 vodka Martini, stirred not shaken. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

I didn't like that it was cash only and there was no beer on tap. A bottle of beer cost three times as much as it would be at a grocery store. At least we were able to get our own booth, but it was quite crowded on a Friday night. No music was playing, just a lot of obnoxious, older people talking. There was a dart board, but not enough room to play. I didn't see any other entertainment. read more

Went here for a quick drink and made some new friends as well and played some dart game as well and this place overall had a very good vibe to it as well. Would totally recommend this place to anyone and I would totally come back very soon! read more

Al's Bar is the place where you go when you want to forget about life for a while. Where you wind up when you want to complain about your new ex while downing shot after shot of whiskey, or have time to kill with your drinking buddies and nowhere to go. Al's Bar is the solace-giver that won't empty your wallet. In years past, Al's Bar mostly smelled of cigarette smoke. But here in California, where smoking is prohibited in bars Al's has the distinctive smell of soured beer. The good thing is that you stop noticing the smell once you start in on a drink. During my last visit, a rat ran across the flloor....everybody noticed, no one cared. Drinking here is easy on the wallet. Why? Because Al's.specializes in 2 kinds of drinks: beers and shots. You can get away with a highball like a Jack & Coke, but locals stick with things that can be poured from a single bottle. These kinds of drinks are beverages of the local bar fly, which is at the core of the dive experience. Don't even think about ordering a Cosmo or a glass of wine; either will be horrible and Sean, the bartender, will ignore you for the rest of your visit.  All these things add up to a bar that is unpretentious, a little bit rough around the edges, and all the more charming because of it. Sometimes you just just want to sip on some Maker's, or Jack, or a beer and not break the bank. Al's Bar fills that need perfectly. read more

Al's Cocktails - My go to....Woodford & Diet. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Friendly staff and reasonable for when you just want to grab a quick drink with a friend to chat. Not sure if they let you bring food, but they have corn nuts in case you need a snack to go with your old fashion. There's a juke box like hood ol' days that will play music if you put money in it. End of the day fun spot! Glad it's in my neighborhood too! read more

Best bar in SGV to have a cocktail. Day drinking or regular drinking. Charlotte will take care of you. read more

Good pours, proper dive scene and bartenders don't put up with any of your drunken antics.

Best. Bar. Ever. Love GINA and shawn. Chill bar, good atmosphere and amazing drinks. Love love love als read more

Love this bar! The service, snacks, and the ambiance feels welcoming and low-key. Francis and Sean are some of the best. Somehow has a beachy vibe to it. I really like it. read more

The woman bar tender is rude. Asked if they offered any happy hour specials. she was appalled and just walked away. Never coming back to this spot read more

Love this little dive bar it's very comfortable. Al's been here for many years and survived Covid. They don't serve food but have chips as needed. The staff is very friendly and service with a smile. If your looking for a place to relax with a drink and play some Hot Spot this is the place. read more

First time there. Someone stole the cash we put on the bar to pay for our drinks. Bartender thought we tried to stiff him. Overall, terrible experience. read more

Great neighborhood spot. Stopped in for pre-dinner drinks on a Saturday evening. It seemed like everyone knew each other and was having a chill time watching the NCAA tourney. My whiskey sour was just right, and at $6, an absolute steal. My friends showed up soon after, and all enjoyed their drinks. Would definitely come back if in the area. read more

While in town for a dance comp we had a break so we were looking for a place to day drink... Sharky's door was locked but, next door was Al's Cocktails and their door was wide open! Even better- out front we found a white curb just big enough for our truck (which is cool cuz 20 minutes ain't long enough for a drink anyways)! Hung out with Sean the bartender and a local, Mike...who bought my boy a shot of Jameson (no pickle back-but, that's ok because, if the whiskey ain't fire barrel it don't need a pickle back anyway)! I loved the small town feel of the bar and the warm welcome. Made me remember how my momma loved her dive bars-the ones where you have to stop and wait for your eyes to adjust when you walk in! l. I grew up in these bars waay before I even had a school ID. Coolest thing about these bars that most people miss-when your eyes finally adjust-if you take a minute to look around-everything in them has a story! Look here and see things like the Longboard in the corner (it's the owner's uncle's) or the nostalgic drink mixer (it doesn't have a plug but, I imagine a pina colada would taste a little sweeter if it did)! It's a place where-if your boy challenges you to you a game of darts-strangers cheer you on like its's the World Series! Four quarters and a four dollar beer later and you too can be a champion-as long as your not too good for a cup of plastic darts with bent tips! Just know that Al, at the end of the bar is just a patron-no relation to the owner, Dave can barely walk and still wears his mask-but he can make a mean drink and Sean (as humble as can be) is really the owner-but, we never wuda known that-had we not asked! (Probably why even tho he mistook us for the homeless couple who had wandered in before us, he still let us leave with only the promise to come back and pay our tab because we didn't have cash on us-which reminds me...bring your cash!)! Back from a 14 month hiatus (thanks Covid) they are open for business! I can imagine how the town has missed them! Whether you're lookin' for a day drink or a night cap-a cocktail at Al's will surely hit the spot!!! read more

Al's Cocktails - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

It really pains me to share this really awesome watering hole in the SGV, but here you go...this dive bar is one of the coolest and chillest place I've ever been :) Al's Cocktails might seem to be that inconspicuous hole in the wall but it sure packs a lot of "coolness" and local flare inside. There is ample parking at the back and street parking is not at all a problem! (Take that West Hollywood!) Bar entrance is along Las Tunas but there is also a backdoor access for high profile celebrities as a quick get-away from the prying paparazzi's (Hey! it might and could happen! ...Someday) but for now everyone is welcome to use the rear door. One thing I really like about this place is it's lack of pretension, if its a bar you want- then it's a bar you'll get, a place where the young and old gather, no "froo-froo" brass tacked leather chairs or the fancy glimmering chandeliers...nope, Al's is one of those true blue "Let's get it on" drinking spot...and it's CASH ONLY! So put them plastics away and take that green dough out of your wallets, time to trade your presidents with your favorite libations. The place is tacked with signs and retro posters some comical and some educational like Smoky bear's "Prevent Brush Fires" :), and of course the blinding neon lights of Budweiser, Corona, Fat Tire and more! and believe it or not they were able to squeeze in a dart board, a juke box and a poker arcade for everyone to enjoy! Drinks are plentiful, Our bartender Shawn was pretty cool too ( thanks for taking our group pic) prices are reasonable so you can stretch your dollar as long as you don't binge. Al's does not serve food however with fast-food joints and restaurants a few blocks away, there is no shortage for the after drinking hangover treats. I really enjoyed our Friday night visit at Al's, it's a really good spot to hang with friends, chill and let loose. (You can actually talk and hear each other here) If you want a place where it's more about the company rather than the frills and gimmicks, then come here at Al's cocktails and cheers to a night of good times! Enjoy! read more

Al's Cocktails - Friday night at Al's... Super chill spot to hang with friends - Dive Bars Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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? 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 ;) read more

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This is a great place don't get me wrong, however as a military Veteran I shouldn't be approached by Gina the bartender and asked if I am Bartending. Yes I get the fact and I appreciate she is looking out for me but in all respects I found it rude as I am a responsible man myself and have been utilizing Uber or Lyft when I come here. It is my constitutional right and I did not have to answer her question if people really want to know. Just FYI. read more

Cheap and strong drinks! Friendly bartender Cash Only Booth and bar seats. Easy Parking. I wanted to go to the Rabbit Hole in Alhambra, but my date took me to this hole in the wall instead. It was a Tuesday night and I did not expect too much from it. My drink was perfectly strong. The crowd was a bit on the older side, and a bit rowdy. Parking is at the back. It's a dive bar, does what a dive bar does. read more