After spending 3 months in Buenos Aires, Bar Montecarlo has become e my favorite neighborhood spot. A classic bodegón in the Palermo Hollywood neighborhood of Buenos Aires, with checkerboard floors, big windows, comforting homemade food, good wine, and the best pastel de humita I've had in the city. Founded in 1922, it's one of Buenos Aires' historic "Bares Notables," and was once frequented by figures like Che Guevara and Jorge Luis Borges, but what really makes it special is the warm neighborhood atmosphere. And a special "shout out"to our favorite server, Juan, whose kindness and easy charm always made us feel welcome. When I go back to Los Angeles, this is one of the places I'll  truly miss. (And Juan too!) read more

One of the best dive bars in LA. If you know, you know. Great pregame spot before shows in downtown. Cheers!

Dear customers New business hours Wednesday 7pm-2am Thursday 7pm-2am Friday 7pm-2am Saturday 6pm-2am Sunday 6pm-2am Drink specials!!! ONLY $8.00!! New Castle & Whiskey Or New Castle & Jose Cuervo I'm looking forward to seeing you! :) read more

See all

My favorite bar for over a quarter of a century. Fun, friendly, unpretentious, good old fashioned workingman's watering hole untouched by modern bougieness and gentrification. read more

Monte Carlo Bar - a woman giving a thumbs up - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This bar is an icon. A no-frills dive bar that hasn't been spoilt by gentrification. Mari, the owner, is a darling and treats you like any other. No special services nor attitude. Just a simple drink and a smile if you're lucky. Plenty of regulars here that have been frequenting the spot for ages. Just remember that everything is cash only so make sure to hit the ATM before you enter. read more

My favorite place. One of the last of the good old-fashioned dive bars not yet assimilated by creeping upscaledom and gentrification.

It's old school with class of its own. Bar itself is tiny and probably can only accommodate 10 people at a time. There's a pool table and 2 TV for your viewing pleasure. You can play music through the jukebox and chat over simple drinks. Don't ask for Old Fashioned or Manhattan or anything complicated. Just selection of beers and straight up shots or whiskey over rocks. No food but there is a vending machine. The white tiles in the bathroom is interesting and definitely a place to strike a pose if you want. People are friendly and you will see old guys sipping on beer chatting up the night with the bartender. I met a nice fellow named Kevin who told me all about the bar. It's $3.75 for beer and $7.75 for others. You can go wrong with $20 for 1 glass of whiskey and 2 beers with tip for the night. read more

Monte Carlo Bar - Maker's Mark - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Let me start this review by saying that I have been thrown out of this bar not once, not twice, but three times over the years. It's still without question my favorite bar in LA. And listen, you should know ahead of time; this place is a REAL piece of shit. But in the best way possible. It's divey, and dirty, and sketchy, and everyone here is a fuckin blast to talk to or play pool with or get into a quick fist fight with. Or watch VHS tapes with on the old tube television that's sitting on top of the vending machine (both of which face away from the actual bar, and partially obstruct the front entrance, which begs the question, who exactly are they for? Street traffic?) Also, you've got another thing coming if you think there's even a 1% chance that vending machine works. But no worries my friend, because Mari, the bartender & owner, is gonna hook you up with some loose Cheez Its or Animal Crackers from her purse after she watches you blow a dollar on trying to get some fun size Doritos outta that vending machine/booby trap. And if you think $1 is expensive for fun size Doritos, keep in mind that the drinks here are insanely cheap, so it evens out. Hope cheap you ask? Hard to say... Mari likes to run a bit of sliding scale, depending on how much fun she's having on a given night. But I've never paid more than $3 for any beer, $6 for any drink, and I'd say 2 out of every 5 rounds of shots are on the house. And she's gonna keep those purse snacks coming too all night long, so that's pretty good value as well. The only real downside to this place is that there is literally no ventilation whatsoever, but to make up for that, the front door also doesn't really work and is always open, so you'll catch a nice breeze coming off 3rd st. Plus there's like 10 mid-sized fans laid out across the bar at all times, creating a real cat's cradle of extension chords that can make for some fun bloopers once your lit. Overall this place is somehow very chill, while also being very fun, and it's for sure the only place I've ever been that has a broken clock that isn't even right twice a day. Also, they've got a real relaxed policy on last call, and closing in general. That might have something to do with the only clock in the building being broken, or it might be because of the aforementioned lack of a front door, but if I had to bet money on it, I'd say it's because the Monte Carlo is fucking awesome, and they just don't give a shit about things like rules or laws or functional clocks/vending machines/doors. One of the last great dives in LA. Truly a gem. read more

Checked this divy bar in my neighborhood-and it was exactly what I wanted dive bar to be!! Cheap-ass drinks ($3.75 beers and $7-8 cocktails), chill bartender, little dinge interior, juke box, pool table, vending machine with crackers/ chips, CASH ONLY, and strange-but-interesting local ppl to talk to!!! I had awesome time with my husband here, was not busy at first but started to fill up. One of the people at the bar said this place was filmed with "Anthony Bourdain" at some point. While another person talked about "David Choe" being customer in that bar. I could careless about who comes and visits there- I loved and digged the vibe-had good time! Definitely would be back for quick drinks. (Though beer selections are very limited) read more

Monte Carlo Bar - Sketched at this bar no one bothered me. I love for that reason- everyone is very Chill!!!! - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is my favorite place to get drunk. If you want to hear Smooth by Carlos Santana featuring Rob Thomas from the hit band Matchbox20, then look no further. Mari is the best and I really hope to see the doors open back up soon. read more

Sexy weird sleazy dive great for taking your sexy date to or meeting a tinder random & basically making out on the bar. It's the no tell motel of bars & it's perfect. read more

This was the worst hole in the wall bar I ever been to. The bartender/ owner was super rude, racist and just awful. She kicked us out because not all of us were drinking Really ? Cash only and she questioned our motives. Um bai read more

FIRST OFF, the jukebox is legit. along with ur mexican cantina classics, you have motherfuckin TWIN SHADOW and the clash, and the stones, freakin florence and the machine. bobby d (dylan) and TONI BRAXTON. that's five stars right damn there. BUT... ALSO... they have the best shittiest pool table in all of Los Anjeles County. GUARANTEED. HANDS DOWN. why? the short stick is a full size stick broken in half (probably in a bar fight, yup). There is no 8 BALL, the bartender (who is fucking awesome) says it was fucking stolen. bam. DIVE BAR. ALSO there is no 7 BALL. but there are two #2s. so, well, get creative. there is a HANDMADE 8 BALL. you'll know it when u see it. oh and the pool table has to be operated with a key. you just pay the bartender when u wanna play. its that divey. THE DRINKS are NOT watered down. mari (sp?) does not rip u off. she's a really awesome bartender. that said this IS a dive bar. and what kind of dive bar would stock cherries?? NOT THIS ONE. nope! my woman couldnt get any cherries here and we were DAMN pleased. went here for a BIRTHDAY drink. what other bartender would send the bar's DRUNKEST patron to go fetch a donut, so she could light up some candles and sing me happy birthday??? this place is the SHIT. also this place is a stone's throw away from the equally badass Shatto Lanes Retro Bowling EStablishment Haven. pair the two and call it a fucking awesome night. GO HERE TONIGHT. (bring friends though) also there's sports and vh1/mtv on the teevee. read more

Monte Carlo Bar - Birthday donut courtesy of Bartender - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is the ultimate bar of bars. Old school. One pool table, a jukebox, stools with the red tops, one bartender that kicks a$$, drinks are very reasonable, door is always open unless it's winter, everybody knows your name and are glad you came. It's where the troubles are all the same and you can have the best conversations. read more

The Monte Carlo is the place I head to after a long day at work. I look forward to seeing Mari (the cute, friendly Japanese bartender) pour me a drink. She's always super sweet and easy to talk to and the drinks are cheap and good. You'll find lots of old regulars here sitting at the bar and there's always somebody playing pool. The jukebox is great because it's so bad! It doesn't play anything past the year 2000. I'm almost afraid of writing this review because I don't want to share this dive bar with anyone else. I love the Monte Carlo! read more

See all

It's a decent little joint nothing to special but good bartenders just a sweet heart , reminds me of when I used to go to the little small bars in Okinawa. When I was in the marines I used to love Little whole in the wall places. So yeah just stumbled across this little place so I had to check it out. They got some good tunes on the juke box i digged it read more

Monte Carlo Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came into this bar with a date and Mari the bartender said we didn't have to pay because it's on another guys tab. Wowee. We got limes too. We also watched a random guy pull the door and he couldn't get it and everyone inside was rooting for him but he shook his head and gave up. Lol. Bathroom has toilet paper so that matters. Would come here again for more divey stories. read more

The dive of all dives! Yes, you heard it first. This is like if the Drawing Room met the Goldroom - and they had a baby. Meanwhile, if King Eddy Saloon met Frank N Hanks and they had a baby. And by some miracle, those two babies met and fucked - this would be the product of the shit they birthed. Nestled between a beauty salon & barbershop (at the border of K-Town) this cash only spot is a manifestation of all that is good and bad with the L.A. dive scene. The joint looks a bit run-down (but it only adds to it's charm). Aside from the bar area, a few stools are scattered about for your seating convenience. For entertainment, a trio of TV's allows you to take-in any Lakers, Dodgers or Mexican Primera División game. If professional sports are not your thing, well first off...whats wrong with you? Second, seriously? In any event, the Monte Carlo offers a pool table to sooth that billiards itch and a vending machine to sooth that "I don't need to go on a diet" presumption (chips, cookies, etc.) No real ventilation indoors; so the front door remains closed during winter hours (and likely open come summer). As for the soundtrack, an assortment of genre's overplay from the jukebox at any given moment. From Chente to Bowie. The bartender, a voluptuous-Japanese Elvira lookin' gal is very welcoming and can communicate with you in English, Spanish, her native tongue or drunken bar slur. Beers offered include: Modelo Especial, Tecate, Bud and Stella at $4 apiece. Well-drinks are generously poured at $6 a glass. Clientele is a mixture of neighborhood borrachos, futbol enthusiast & local "businessmen". Not a hipster in-sight, but I have a feeling that one will eventually stumble in here & mistake the joint for a cafe or art gallery (just like roaches -- where there is one, there are always more). If you wish to get plastered on a budget, this is the place to be. Sure the joint may not have the luxury and lore of it's Las Vegas counterpart of the same name, but at least this Monte Carlo has... nevermind. Just mind you Ps & Qs and take-in a ballgame. On a side note; a McDonalds, Jack N' Crack, Taco Truck & a Pho Restaurant are all within walking distance to subdue the munchie monster from within. read more

Last February my friend and I stumbled into the Monte Carlo. It was my second visit and I was little bummed that the fly tape was absent from the bathroom. I took a seat next to this guy who, though he lacked a drink, was inexplicably, completely wrecked. I think he mumbled that his name was Miguel, which worked out 'cause my limited Spanish sounds like mumbles anyway, so it's possible that we understood each other really well. Anyway, I had no problem having a little too much to drink and I made the mistake of standing next to the pool table. This group of girls show up and challenge me and my friend to game. The bad news is that I am awful at pool and I only get worse as I drink, the good news is that my friend is the exact opposite. We play for drinks, the girls end up losing and then claim that they don't have any money. Oh well. This is where it gets fuzzy. I guess this girl walked in and she was already out-of-her-fucking-mind wasted. Unfortunately this kind of thing attracts problems, but what a trooper, she kept ordering drinks until... A few minutes pass and one of the pool-playing girls comes out of the bathroom and informs my friend that there's this unconscious girl with her head resting in the sink in pool of her own vomit (wonder who it could be). She assured us that this girl was her friend and that we had to do the right thing. After digging through her 'friends' purse, she finds a set of car keys and a piece of addressed mail while my friend and I carry the girl outside. One beep of the key-less entry remote helps us find the girls Pontiac. 30 minutes later we show up at her apartment. The pool girl, who was driving, seemingly couldn't park the car and scraped the it against the garage. By this point I figured out that she was not 'friends' with drunky and the vehicle she just damaged, she didn't really have permission to be driving. I got out, went and knocked on the apartment door to find the drunk girl's mother and brother sleeping together on a hide-a-bed in the living room. They came outside and collected the girl from the backseat of the car, while I tried to explain to the mother in bad, mumbly Spanish about how we pretty much saved her daughter's life. Apparently, I was a little too mumbly 'cause she couldn't understand and kept threatening to call the police. Eventually we managed to explain everything (I think) and they were sorta grateful (I think). On the long walk home, I promised myself that I would never go back to the Monte Carlo again. It's that kinda place. You could go there a hundred times and have a hundred different, stupid, semi-illegal experiences and still love it. read more

The little Japanese queen will take car of you, this has to be the dive of all dives. Very, very, very small maybe 15 people capacity ( no joking) but the strongest and most generous drinks in all of LA , I had to ask for a side to a cranberry and Vodka,( this is a dive Bar) but its the best by far, can't pick up chicks there are none, she plays what she wants to on the juke box, there's no better watering hole ...... read more

My new favorite dive bar. Pool table, cheap drinks all under 8$, and the sweetest bartender Mari. I was afraid to come here for a while but NO LONGER. read more

Drinks under $5 is nice but the place is a bit TOO dirty for my liking there is "dive bar dirty" than there is just dirty non-the less it is a true DIVE. The pool table is in very poor condition and it's nearly impossible to play a game on it because of spacing in the back. The juke box has great selection and the bartenders is very friendly and makes you feel very welcome! CASH BAR ONLY! read more

This place looks super sketchy from outside, but was actually really friendly and fun. The bartender helped us with food tips nearby. Beers were cheap but CASH ONLY so we could only afford one each. Wish we could have stayed longer! read more

I needed to update my review! Both Mari and Aria holds it down for me. I'm here almost once a week as I go out every night. Great drinks, Mari makes the best whiskey sour, period! Don't ask for collins or old fashioned over here. Stick to the basics cause they make the basics taste special. And tip your bartender! read more

The best bar in LA. It's a time hole in the wall, but it's great. The drinks are cheap the bartender is awesome and the vibe is great.

This is a proper local dive bar. Nothing fancy, just cheap stiff drinks. Cash only, mostly men over 50. I met a man there who has been a patron longer than I've been alive. read more

Dive dive dive But the beers are ice cold and cheap!! Also the customers are interesting and nice in an exentric way- lol Cash only

Fugly and real. Refreshing in a land of douchebag/shallow bitch drink mills. Fuck you corporatization, you suck LA dry but nature will find a way to survive. read more

Mari on weekend evenings is awesome. She is so cool and so hot! She is the reason why this hole in the wall dive bar is so nice to hang out at. Mari's positive energy really balances out the place so that one drink or ten drinks plus Mari the bartender will bring you into a Zen state of being. read more

Dear Monte Carlo, you are quite the dive bar...I think I've been dosed (ghb & rophenol) multiple times, er... which sucks. Who blacks out from Budwiser? Generally not the experienced drinker (look at my check ins and reviews - I'm by no means a teetotaler). But, seriously, WTF! Never going back. The bartender is nice and the jukebox is rockin', but the crowd is freaking shady. There's a reason you never see chicks at this bar. read more

This place was ok. ...there were a handful of older gentleman telling the bartender that I was way too young to be at the bar. .... It was clear that is their hangout spot, no harm done all was good! read more

What happens when dive bars hit rock bottom...which I say as a compliment! As authentic as they come. Jukebox with a completely batshit nonsensical collection. A pool table that looks like it's seen things it's been traumatized by. Stiff, cheap drinks poured by the ever lovely Mari. Cash only, but a little goes a long way. The clientele certainly would not be described as young and upwardly mobile, but isn't that the point? The barstools at this spot have more character than entire blocks in WeHo or DTLA have. read more

I live down the street and have only been a few times. I was intimidated when I first moved to the neighborhood because it's so sketchy looking, but it's a great dive bar. Strong and cheap drinks (a shot of whiskey here is more like 2) and tons of other alcoholics. WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU. Also, I wouldn't recommend this place to women, especially if you're going alone! Also they have the most amazing jukebox selections (if you're into Swing music (Benny Goodman, etc), 80s music (Rod Stewart, Madonna, etc) or Latin music (Celia Cruz, etc). read more

I hate to sound like a jerk but this is not a "cool" dive bar. It's just a wretched, smelly place that looks like a glorified living room. 25 years ago a friend of mine from USC (not a frat boy!) lived around the corner and I went to this place with him a few times. It seemed better then. I went to it in January of this year with him and man, it's seen better days (though my friend thinks the bar tender might be the same). A real depressing, sad place. If you want to see a cool dive bar there are many others not too far away. Avoid. read more

old-timers sitting at the end? check. stinky-to-high-heaven homeless guy chillin' outside? check. drunken salvadorean dancing with the ghetto-fab bartenderette? checkcheckcheck! for what it is, a dive bar's dive bar, monte carlo is quite an experience. a friend of mine lives nearby & we stroll down here for the *cheap* drinks & people-watching when we want a quiet night out. bartender's great & some of the regulars get reeeal friendly, like the guy who chatted up our token gringo friend for half an hour & bought us a round of coronas after discovering he spoke spanish. 'que pasooooooo!' 'we amigooooos!' 'mas cervezaaaaaa!' read more

This is an amazing dive bar. small, has a pool table, and a music player...what else do you need? can't give 5 stars because no dive bar should ever receive 5 stars lol. but no complaints about anything read more

Went here because Anthony Burdain had it in his show. Not impressed. Parkimg is a nightmare. Place is ugly and shady. To be fair, went there too early on a Friday, but it seemed packed with landscapers on a break. Bartender was super nice but to no avail. Left after a couple of drinks. You're better off going to Frank N' Hanks if you're in the mood for a dive bar. This place sucked. read more

If you like dive bars (real dive bars - not dive theme bars like King Eddy has become) then this is possibly the best in LA. Drinks are cheap and strong, the bartender is really nice, and you might not get in a fight with a homeless guy. read more

This has always been the one place that seemed to creep me out the most. Since our quest to own a bar has really slowed to a halt we thought we would hit all of the crazy places that we have always discussed but never set foot in. Of course Diamonds is along for the journey. Brace yourself as this Fri night (I think it was) takes us to eight or nine places. All of them seedy. Except one - which we didn't care for. Again, reward if someone alerts us to the selling of a bar - if we end up buying it. Cash reward. We know someone out there knows someone that knows about some place for sale. Cash reward. No kidding. The Monte Carlo Bar - fancy sounding I know. Its 7pm or so so we feel that its safe enough to roll in to this place. A bit intimidating for some reason - guess its the all black bars on the front window motif that they are rocking... but once inside its actually pretty friendly. Full bar - complete with the Costco style handles being poured. The older guys there have been so for years or so it seems... Pool table toward the back which I'm sure is rarely used. If you are in direr need of a game my money would be on this place. The bar is falling apart. Watch your step. The front door is completely clear glass which makes for some interesting viewing if you are sitting at the bar... Other then that it was pretty much business as usual - older, dare I say down and out men drinking it up. Some have been around long enough to have nicknames... Check out the fine selection of snacks in the vending machine - which is right at the front door for some odd reason... on to One Eye Jack... read more

Very ducked off, wedged between convenience stores and a barber shop, it can easily be overlooked. There's nothing fancy about it, yet prices aren't exactly super cheap either. Just an unpretentious spot to grab a drink when you're thirsty. read more