Hugely entertaining gay bar. Great pool, hilarious bartenders, flattering clientele born circa 1972-80. Not a bad mid-week designation (especially if you tire of W. Hollywood) read more

I am saddened that this place became a victim of gentrification. It was the best LGBT dive bar in the area. It is not the same and lost its spark. It's now your typical bougie bar with hipsters. Horrible and rude service! read more

I miss the old Roosterfish! So much fun and easy going.....now just trying to be hipster and it's not.

Poor service, rude to guests, not polite to patrons of the bar. Came with a big party and no one who attended would recommend it.

Great atmosphere,great drinks and great host/owner Mario! Great makeover of a place that was falling apart. Nice decor!! I had a great time and will be back soon! read more

I really miss the old Roosterfish when it was a neighborhood gay bar. Back in the day, you could get a cheap drink, play some pool or darts and hang out talking with friends and strangers alike all night. The new ownership turned a fun local dive into a boring overpriced clique establishment that allows babies along with their baby strollers and yippey dogs. I ordered my cocktail, swallowed it as fast as I could to leave the babies and dogs along with fonder memories of times gone by! read more

This bar has no identity. Is it a gay bar? A cocktail bar? a neighborhood bar? One cannot tell. I found it to be cliquish, pretentious, very unfriendly, drinks way overpriced. I was damn disappointed. read more

I will never return to this location again. I miss the days of old Venice and when RoosterFish was a gay bar. After waiting for almost an hour, our group of 5 ladies showed our IDs to the bouncer. Mind you, while in line he was yelling at patrons in line to wear masks, even though he had his mask hanging off one ear, and the CDC has relaxed mask restrictions. All of us are 30+, yet the bouncer examined our IDs like we were 19 year olds trying to sneak into a bar. Once we were granted access to the mediocre at best bar, we stood there looking like schmucks. Two of us went to the bar, while the others in our group waited in line for the restroom. The bar tender was asking how we got in and told us we needed to be seated by a hostess to order drinks from the wait staff. Then we tried to find the hostess. We spoke with her and this is when the 2nd Spanish Inquisition began. She interrogated us on how we gained access to the bar, insisting that no one can get in without her seating people. We tried to explain that there must have been a miscommunication because the bouncer let us in. The hostess said that that was impossible. At this point I was getting frustrated. I knew she was inferring that we were lying. We asked if we could make the situation right and be seated. Prior to this she said that half of our party could stand by a high top table. She must have been confused as to who we were because when she questioned why we had five people in our party she said she recognized some of us and not others. Then when we explained again that there was a miscommunication and we would like to be seated, she said "No, I think you are lying." There was no possible way to sneak in. There is one access point into the bar, and there was a line down the block to get in. If anyone tried to sneak in they would be either be caught or yelled at by the others waiting in line. At that point I had had enough and exclaimed, "Enough, I'm leaving!" Please note that I will never patron this space again. I will not be treated like a naughty schoolgirl. Also, I do not drink alcohol, so this is not a instance of fuzzy memories from a night out. read more

Went to visit LA after being away for many years, and living in Venice during the late 90s. It's nice that The Roosterfish is still in existence ... But if you're looking for the "Old Roosterfish," it's best experienced in your memories. Going to this "upscaled" version of the bar is just going to cause you all kinds of cognitive dissonance ... read more

This place was much better back when it was a dive bar. Though I will say that they did do a great job with the remodel. It's got nice clean, chic look to it. But the positives end there. The vibe and the service is much different and not in a good way. I was there recently on a pretty crowded weekend night. I ordered two of their cocktails from the bartender. And she said: "It's way too late to make custom cocktails." It's true that it was late, and like I said it was crowded but this place is literally a cocktail bar with 14 different ones on their menu.  You're better of going to a place like Blind Barber or Nighthawk, if you're looking for a late night craft cocktail. read more

$1 per cherry on an old fashion. Bs. Does any bar charge for limes? ?cherries or any garnish.

Looking at the other reviews it's obvious that we weren't the first to experience a terrible bartender! The owners obviously don't seem to care that they hire terrible, rude bartenders. We went there and ordered 3 drinks and were immediately shouted at and treated like shit tonight. Of course I still tipped her for having a difficult job, however, she grabbed it and moved onto the next customer without a word/smile/ or even look!! I understand the girl who was working there (tall, short hair, glasses) probably hates her job but she was slow, aggressive and arrogant. Let's hope she finds her true passion elsewhere. We decided to leave ASAP. read more

RIP Roosterfish welcome Douchbags. I wish they would have just torn this place down. To keep the name and call it a gay bar is ridiculous. Lotta straights thinking they're cool for being in a gay bar while staring at we three gays like circus animals. The music is more suited for bad dancing at a wedding. It used to be funky but not on purpose. One of the good yelp reviews states "I wanted a drink with a cucumber in it but it wasn't on the menu.... my husband ordered a Manhattan." That right there tells you what the new clientele is like. read more

First time here and disappointed. The bartender I had was nice but not very informative about their drinks. The drinks were watered down and way overpriced. The bathrooms were gross, the floor was covered with water that was probably from the toilet, leaving the toilet paper wet, and trash all over. For the prices this bar had, not worth the experience. read more

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Great cocktails but poorly staffed. Wont serve cocktails on menu if busy. Like I'm going to drink a Stella because it's crowded. Hah right

This is not a gay bar. If you were hoping to have drink at a gay bar, move along sailor. You will have better luck meeting gay men at The Brig down the street. The place was almost empty when I arrived and I could not even get the attention of the bartender. I waited a while, walked around around to have a look at the re do, since I used to come here all the time. I returned to the bar - still no service. So - if you want to wait a long time for an over priced drink in a sort of chic looking place that lies and calls itself a gay bar, this is the place for you. I give it a BOOT, not a TOOT. read more

Roosterfish is a really fun, attractive spot for a couple drinks. The cocktails are really tasty and the happy hour prices are worth checking out. Inside, the decor and ambience exudes an element of cool, interesting and stylish. There is an outdoor space in the back and plenty of seating inside and around the bar. This bar is more of a destination rather than a stopping point on your night of bar hopping. It's conveniently located right on Abbot-Kinney so I recommend grabbing dinner somewhere on that street then hitting up Roosterfish for their happy hour opening-7pm weekdays. Definitely worth checking out! read more

I was hesitate to go to Roosterfish on a busy Saturday (last night) but that is the absolute best time as a critic to write about the ambience of a late night establishment. First and foremost, the White female bartender I believe to be named Deidre with the short haircut and tank top last night is far beyond her capacity and feels entitled to stand ground when a Black woman (me/I was the only one in the entire bar) speaks up about being next in line, she seem to not know the difference between me standing up for myself and what being 'rude' entails. Decided not to continue engaging with her because it is pointless with someone who lacks self awareness but the fact that she thought that was even ok/professional to speak to a customer in the manner she did is beyond me and reflects the inability of management to communicate with patrons. This was the same case for the Latinx bartender. The establishment was packed, possibly pass capacity and there was no water cups near the jug but every single bartender I told about this infraction seem to not care and was more focused on attacking the customer, the one who is tipping and playing their rent. It would take a lot of time to 'wine and dine' each person at the bar but it is helpful to look someone in the eye when taking an order at bare minimum which could possibly help in the bartender not forgetting and 5 minutes later asking for the 2nd time what we wanted which is what happened. The quality of service was below ground level and suffering greatly. This was my 2nd time here, the 1st time the system shut down and the bartenders had to write down orders, silly me actually helped in getting people to buy expensive bottles because I felt sorry for the malfunction, now I do not. I've written about establishments like this before and what I am absolutely sure about from years of work is this place won't last. Their yelp score (which is important) is now at 3, so although they were super busy last night that will soon wear off, people will get the hint that they mistreat themselves and others and it will either shutdown or turn into new management or another bar. Patrons and people in the community are very valuable to a business. I could go further in making this a quicker reality but its already failed and time will do the work just fine. I will leave you on 3 great notes, the bouncer is AMAZING and should probably work as a bartender and the decor inside is beautiful, love a circular bar and the DJ did a fantastic job last night, bringing back a lot of old school house. All in all this place is not worth your time or money and definitely not worth me critiquing over because then it would be up for debate to attend which I do not feel is the case. I refuse to give them any clout. The owners would be doing themselves a huge favor especially in the long run if they 'clean house' and get new staff that have at least 'good' customer service, don't think it will savage their failing status but it would at least keep them afloat for a little bit longer. Not everyone would even tip after the poor service and professionalism I experienced but I know from 1st hand how hard it can be to make a living from bartending so never biter but they didn't even deserve a penny if I am being frank. read more

I went to this bar while waiting for my reservation at the restaurant across the street. Tried to get the bar tenders attention for an hour. Not enough personnel to manage the bar here read more

I was so pumped that around the time I moved to this area a "gay bar" was reopening on Abbott Kinney. Well, not only is this hardly a gay bar but it is also pretty annoying in here. Why? Well, because it is super pretentious and full of overpriced drinks. It's one thing to tolerate the straight hipsters galore in this place, but another to put up with rude bartenders serving overpriced drinks. On one visit I went up to order 4 manhattans made with Bullet bourbon. I watched the bartender pour Jim Beam whiskey into a shaker and when I stopped her to explain that I ordered something else, she got really upset and told me I didn't say that. She proceeded to slam the drinks down and make it known that she wasn't cool with me. I know bartending is a pain and demanding, but when someone is paying $15/drink, service matters. The inside is really cozy and cute, I just wish they would take customer service seriously. Side note...I have been back twice since and had better service, but the attitude and vibe are still all around. read more

Bad bad experience!! I would not recommend this place to anyone who respects himself/herself just a tiny bit. The stuff were so rude and provocative towards me and my wife last night at the bar where everyone was drunk, including the owner of that place. He is definitely on some kind of heavy drugs as welI (according to how he was acting with me and my wife last night. I will definitely report this place to a better business bureau. Let them check the quality of customer service and the stuff including the owner. Stay away from that place, don't waste your time. read more

My fiancé and I went here for a drink on my birthday and we were more than disappointed. As locals who would love to support a neighborhood bar we just couldn't get past the rude service and $15 "well" drinks. We just came from the Tasting Kitchen where we had phenomenal cocktails so we came here to continue the experience. We asked the bartender for a cocktail list and he said "our cocktail list is wine and beer".........WTF?! We saw other bartenders making drinks so we asked if he could make a rum old fashioned and he begrudgingly said "ya." Our drinks were unpalatable and tasted cheap and sugary. If you are a 20 something looking to feel COOL at an Abbot Kinney bar and enjoy paying for overpriced well drinks, you should definitely go here. For the rest of us, I'd recommend Neighbor, Felix, or Tasting Kitchen. What a waste. read more

My first time at Roosterfish was after its infamous remodeling, so I can't speak much to how the place has changed. From my perspective Roosterfish is exactly what you would expect from a bar on Abbot Kinney - beautiful, quaint, and full of hipsters. The bar has beautiful decorations and the bathroom has a nice surprise While all of that is great, what sells me on the place is that the bartenders do a great job making yummy and strong drinks. I highly recommend "The Bull in the China Shop" which is mezcal and Champaign - delicious!! read more

Good bar, awful gay bar... The drinks are good and the inside is cozy and well decorated. We went during happy hour so they were reasonably priced, but their specialty cocktails were on the pricier side. With that being said, if you're looking for a good gay bar, this isn't it. Despite the giant pride flag outfronnt, it seemed nearly everyone in the bar was straight. Everyone stuck to their, often rather large groups, and no one tried to make conversation with each other. The bar tenders weren't all that exceptional either. Okay experience overall, probably wont be back any time soon though. read more

Friendly service. Delicious drinks. Very nice patio. Dog-friendly. Definitely not the historic gay bar it once was, but still a goodie. Week days happy hour are my favorite times to go with co-workers read more

This is a hidden treasure! Spent the day on Venice Beach and randomly found this bar. This place is so comfortable, chic and chill! Sonia the bartender made me stay waaay too late (It's easier to blame her).Honestly, If your looking for a cool, unpretentious bar come here. I made several friendships and had great conversations with people coming in drinking next to me Definitely where the locals go When you go to the bathroom don't forget to look up! read more

My god, what a fall from grace. This is the reason people hate hipsters. What was once the gem of Abbot Kinney because it was NOTHING like Abbot Kinney is now the Trump of Abbot Kinney. When your WELL vodka is 12 dollars, you've lost your soul. Roosterfish has lost its soul. I am sad. read more

I'm gay. I hate gay bars more than paper straws. After 10 years I still love this place. (In spite of all the girls....)

I used to really love this bar and would look forward to coming here for a game of pool and a round of drinks. After today, it's safe to say I won't be coming back. We paid money at the jukebox but the snobby bartender decided to skip our songs we had selected. At first, I gave him the benefit of a doubt that he didn't know we had paid for and selected the songs. When my friend approached him and explained that we had paid for the songs, he replied saying that he didn't want to listen to country songs for 2 hours. First, we were there for less than 30 minutes. Second, if you don't want to listen to these songs, don't make the songs available on the playlist. And third, he didn't even offer to give us credit back to pick new songs. I've been a Yelp member since 2009 and this is my first Yelp Review. I've never felt so compelled to write a review about an establishment. read more

First, let me say, I really like Roosterfish. But damn... they have one bartender who is the biggest douchebag I have ever encountered. He gave my friends and I some of the rudest service I've ever had, wouldn't even give our DESIGNATED DRIVER a glass of water, and was quite frankly really mean about it. And, when we didn't tip for our shitty service, he got even more upset. I'm normally an overtipper, but seriously dude, you can't treat people like shit and expect them to give you money for it. They just lost a regular customer. And if I ever go back, I know which bartender to avoid. read more

I had the same thing happen to me as Hannah V below! I was at this bar a few weeks ago for first fridays. Well we decided to hop into this bar, and at this point I was switching to water for the night. My boyfriend had already gotten me one glass of water, but when I went to get a refill on my own, I was ignored for awhile as he got all the men's drinks first, and when the bartender finally came up to me I asked politely if I could just have a refill on water. The bartender's answer? "Do you got a tip for that??" Ok first of all WHO ASKS for a tip? Let alone for WATER?? I said "no" (I honestly didn't have any cash on me, and once again who tips for water!?!) and then he asks... "what number water is this?" I reply "it's my second" now with a little bit of attitude because I'm getting annoyed at this point. I'm sorry but just because I'm a straight girl, that doesn't give you the right to treat people differently in your bar. If the roles were reversed and I was a bartender only treating all the gay people rudely, you bet that would be all up in the news! I treat everyone equally! Gay... straight... whatever! And this establishment should too! This place made me feel disgusted and I won't be going back... Sorry. read more

Roosterfish made my Easter this year. Label me a straight girl with a boy who doesn't play Easter Bunny. I made it all the way to 4:45 p.m. on Easter Day without a single hint of chocolate or marshmallow headed my way. Then I suggested we head over to our local gay dive bar and lo and behold there were eggs filled with candy for sale (proceeds to charity), cute bartenders wearing bunny ears, classic Easter films on TCM running on the tv over the bar and, of course, plenty of Xtina and Pet Shop Boys tunes playing on the stereo. I've found the bartenders to be quite warm and welcoming here. It is so not Abbot Kinney that it is exactly what this Abbot Kinney-ite needs from time to time. Cheap drinks, burgers and hot dogs on the grill, and plenty of cute boys and girls to check out. I love me some Roosterfish! read more

Okay just to be clear, I didn't get anything to drink so this is just an atmosphere review. If I was bringing someone out for drinks I wouldn't bring them here, $16 for an old fashion? Don't get me wrong I know its abbot but damn. The booths were filled with what looked like first time tinder dates and the drink menu had lots of empty pages. Yes its cute and quiet inside but not in my price range for grabbing drinks after work. read more

On Halloween the owner dressed as a woman in pink and a platinum blond wig was all giggles and smiles. It was my first time to the establishment in years, and I ended up checking IDs with my friends while the bouncer went on a bathroom break. Two nights later we returned, I was warned that owner man is not to warm to anyone but regulars, especially concerning those of the female persuasion, and to bear it accordingly. Surely this was exaggerated- he seemed so happy before... There were about 7 people at the bar all with full drinks. I tried to hail the attention of the man at the bar who was standing idle four feet in front of me. He endeavored to ignore me by starting a conversation with a regular. My handsome gay friend came up behind me and introduced me to him- he was the owner in the dress from only nights before! On our introduction he didn't even glance my way. I attempted to order drinks but he ignored me and would only take the order from my friend. Endeavoring to be civil and friendly I complimented him on the success of halloween. He insulted me with his countenance and stabbed me with a hurtful remark about my appearance. I left entirely downtrodden. One would think someone who has suffered intolerance for years would attempt to be less hateful. Unfortunately it's hardened this fellow and as a straight woman of no celebrity I was clearly unwelcome in his establishment. I had so wanted to like it. What a shame. read more

I was excited to go last night but completely disappointed. The new set up is nice but it's been completely overtaken by straight people. It's no longer a gay bar. They should change the name. read more

Went there last night for the 3rd and last time. I guess on the 2 prior visits I didn't order the drinks so I had no idea what a major wanker the bartender was. (Martin? Is that his name?) Anyway, he got all bent out of shape when I asked for Patron tequila for the 2 margaritas I was ordering. Gee, I'm sorry to request more expensive booze from you, ya jackass! Oh, btw, this was after I waited 10 minutes for him to grace me with his presence as wiping down an already clean counter was much more important. 2 margi's for $20 - a little pricey for this crappy bar, but OK. I gave him a $2 tip and he yelled out...."Wow, 10 fucking percent, thanks for nothing." Not really sure who pissed on his Wheaties but I responded with a "Have a nice night", drank my drink with my friend and left...never to return! read more

"You know this is a gay bar, right?" Jim Faulkner was the first person I talked to at Roosterfish, and he wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into. I was well aware. In fact, I had spent the evening trying to find exactly this gay bar. Its patrons unanimously agree that it's the only gay dive bar this side of West Hollywood, but you'd never know it if you were just stopping in for a cold beer on a hot summer afternoon (except for all the male erotic art). For the best in gay-friendly whistle wetting, hit up Roosterfish in Venice. Barely noticeable from the street, Roosterfish's understated exterior is reflected by its interior, with exposed brick walls, cement floors and cases of beer stacked against the walls as furniture. The minimalist approach serves the casual nature of the bar well, making Roosterfish a great, man-cavey place to shoot some pool, throw some darts, or to just take it all in at the bar. "As an out-of-towner, this reminds me of a really fun, up-and-coming San Francisco bar," said Frisco native Aaron Lucas. "It's not typical L.A. - all 'plastic-y' and over-moisturized, with guys saying 'I can totally get you on my reality TV show.' This is realer; more 'manly man.' See - that guy has pit stains. I can appreciate that." "That guy" was Collin McNamee, a scruffy, medium-built bartender who was simultaneously fashionable and rough around the edges. Patrons informed me that these physical characteristics were the very definition of the term "otter," a colloquialism I had never heard before. Other things I learned while submerged in gay culture include the terms "bear" (a large, hairy blip on the gaydar) and "family" (as in, "His scarf tassels match his belt AND his socks - honey, he's family"). I also got an education in bracing for the shock (or awe, sure) of fornicating ceiling art, and the cataclysmic effects of McNamee's blueberry kamikaze on my sobriety. I dare you to call this drink "fruity." Apparently, this kind of gaiety is nothing new to Roosterfish, which turns 31 this Memorial weekend. Says doorman Michael Johnson, "We are a word-of -mouth bar. Everyone in the gay community knows about us because we're the cheapest drinks on Abbott Kenney - still. Anyone that flies into LAX knows about Roosterfish." This was no exaggeration, as everyone I met at Roosterfish was either from another side of LA, another side of California, or another side of the planet. Rohan Strachan had walked off the plane from Sydney just hours before, but almost immediately found his way to Roosterfish - a bar you'd miss entirely if you didn't know what you were looking for - by asking his hotel's bell hop where to find the hottest Westside gay bar. "The drinks are really strong here. We'd pay three times this anywhere else. There's just such a high concentration of groovy," he said, laughing with his sister, who had accompanied him from Australia. Both seemed enthusiastic about finding such an amicable environment on such short notice. Speaking of sisters, while Roosterfish admittedly caters specifically to the boys-only club, they have no qualms about making regulars out of lesbians. Big Apple transport Alexa Broida calls Roosterfish "the bar where everyone knows your name. There's no bars like this in NYC - just clubs. It's the people that make it. It's not a lesbian hang out, but the girls feel just as comfortable as the guys. It's equal opportunity gay." It's equal opportunity fun, period - and at the sacrifice of absolutely nothing. It's a gay bar that also allows lesbians, breeders, and even beach attire. Try finding a straight bar with that much tolerance. And nothing pairs with tolerance like a stiff one. Cheers. read more

Roosterfish was the all-time great LA gay bar - imagine Akbar, but by the beach and with a rich history (est 1978) and with gay pop art and Sunday BBQs with your elders! Then it closed. I was thrilled to see it had reopened, only to find, much like that little boy in Pet Sematary, Roosterfish should have stayed dead. Listen, I don't mind the fact that a drink now costs $17 in what was once a dive-bar. We lost Abbott Kinney years ago to the straight white people with trust funds. What's unforgivable is the fact that Roosterfish is no longer a gay bar. It was PRIDE weekend and there wasn't a gay person to be found - not on staff, not on the floor. No flags, no drink specials - and, WORSE still - the music was awful - and the bathrooms were clogged (by a tampon - you can't make this up). Rest in peace, Roosterfish. You will be missed. read more

The "new" roosterfish is not a gay bar anymore. The door guy plays games. You have to tip him to get in basically or you will be waiting in line for no reason. We saw him let 8 people in in front of us and was basically like that's how it works. "They take care of me....I take care of them." Just not a good way to start. There are still only 2 bathrooms. There is no patio that I saw. Drinks are really pricey and it's definitely not the dive I remember. The decor is nice so that's why I put 2 stars. I guess if you didn't know about Roosterfish before, are young, straight with no gay friends with you, like overpriced drinks and that swanky vibe...you might like it. read more

Im not the type to write Yelp reviews.. but for some reason, i was compelled to write one about this establishment. As someone who lives west of the 405, I was looking forward to a gay bar on this side of town. I've been to this place twice (only went the second time hoping it would be a better experience than my first).... and was thoroughly disappointed. First and foremost.. this place should not advertise as a gay bar.... its most definitely not. 95% of the patrons are all straight. Second... the drinks are absurdly overpriced. If I'm going to pay 16 bucks for a martini... i expect that its going to be one hell of a pour. Instead i got a dainty, half filled martini glass.... Oh.. and it was probably the worst tasting dirty martini I've ever had. (ohh.. and 16 bucks for a glass of wine!). I expect those prices at upscale restaurants and stuff... but not at a gay bar. I'll give this place two stars b/c the decor and space is nice. Thats about it.... read more