Very nice open space with plenty of seatings as well as bar spaces for customers to choose from. Extremely innovative drink menu categorized by texture or style. Good variety of snack foods to complement the different cocktails. Staffs are very friendly and knowledgeable about the drinks providing excellent suggestions based on one's preferences or taste. Will definitely return again to try their different cocktails. No wonder is rated top bars in the US and world. Parking is very difficult but not impossible. read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

this bar has been there a while pretty standard "date bar" alot of locals which is nice drinks are definitely good pretty well staffed its a pretty big bar I think i need to come back with the puppies during a day drink read more

Such a cute cocktail bar in Echo Park! There was a special book signing event for "Saved by the Bellini" held here, so my friend and I came to try out the 90's inspired drinks such as the Gusher Crusher and The Pump. The bartenders were so kind and fun. There were enough tables in and outside of the venue, and has enough space where if there was a full house it would not feel small. I decided after trying 2 drinks from the event's menu that I would deviate and try the Mocha- Tini from the bar's menu, which was delish! Parking was easy breezy (and free)! Would definitely come back. read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This place keeps our credit card information and recharged us after we leave. We order three drinks here. Three of them are disgusted. The food there taste like just heated by microwave. The worst thing is that one of the drinks taste like shit, so we asked waitress if we can change it to another drink since we didn't tell the drink will taste like this when order it. They changed another one for us. But when we back home they charged the changed drink fee in the mid night. They just keeped our credit card information read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We were excited to hit up Thunderbolt after seeing them being heralded as one of the top 50 bars on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list in 2021. You can imagine our expectations going in with this in mind. My hubby and I arrived on a weekday evening and waited about 5 min before 2 seats opened up at the bar. The night was starting off on a good note as we love sitting at the bar! We love trying craft cocktails all over bars/restaurants in LA and this time was no different. My favorite spirit is Mezcal so I ordered the Highball of the Month which was, to my surprise, was served to me in a can. Our bartender explained that $2/can goes to a good cause which I thought was neat, but solely basing my opinion on the cocktail itself, it was very lackluster and felt strange to be given a canned cocktail when we were hoping for a full bar experience. I wouldn't have known until I ordered it though. The second cocktail ordered was the Tart Cherry Thunderbolt and it was so spirit forward and punchy, it just wasn't enjoyable. So instead, we asked the bartender make an old fashion, to which they put their own spin on. It was better than the Tart Cherry, but not super memorable. Overall, we just weren't impressed with the cocktails at Thunderbolt. There are other bars in LA we feel deliver more thoughtful and well-balanced cocktails that we will be sticking to. Maybe it was an off night? Who knows. Cool concept, but the execution missed the mark for us. But all that's said and done, this is just my honest opinion. Kudos to them for doing well during a pandemic though, that I can respect. read more

Thunderbolt - Highball of the Month - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've come to Thunderbolt more than ten times, and the service just keeps getting worse. If you're not seated at the bar, you basically get ignored. Last visit I sat for over 15 minutes with no acknowledgment, and since the bar was full, I had no choice but to go up myself. Staff attitude was cold and unwelcoming -- really disappointing. read more

Placed in LA's top 50 bars for a damn reason. It has taken me two years to write a review because...how do you review damn near perfection? Bartenders Jamal and Tom my muthafuckas. However , all the bartenders are friendly. Dope vibe in this place. I first experienced Thunderbolt in March 2020, just before COVID shut down and I had a great experience then. Super glad they survived. Same owner from Park's Finest, another great establishment located next door. I appreciate the clientele at Thunderbolt because everyone is chill, speak to one another, not stiff and upitty like most LA bars. Thunderbolt, I can come as I am, no need to dress up. Often I come alone and make friends here. A great place to come with a book or do some writing as well! Second Sundays ' Biscuits and Jam is my favorite shit. House DJs Phatrick and Bonds with 1-2 special guest DJs. I sweat my perm out every time...I don't have a perm, but! I am dripping sweat like it's 1992 where the harder you sweat on the dance floor the more attractive you are. THE DRINKS: Negroni Aperol spritz Paloma P-town Trash can Whatever the hell they version of a martini is, you will be elevated to another level. Essentially, anything on the drink menu is a win. I've definitely been through most of the drink menu and everything here has been superb, I just prefer some drinks more than others. Even them damn sugar frosty slush drinks that only 20-something year olds should be drinking are good! THE FOOD: Solid. Not amazing, but 10x better than typical bar food. And that's fine, I come for the drinks, music, and people. Pricy for the serving size, but you'll pay it. Salad Very good and light. Chicken Lollipops Every time. Best item on the food menu (in my opinion) Biscuits Every time. Hella good. Do not try to share. Green Fried Tomato Sando Uh. A bit of a joke. The tomato slice is actually perfect. The problem is that it's one slice between very thick pieces of bread (the bread is good) and dressing. Add two more slices of tomato and two crispy pieces of lettuce, it be Mac and Cheese Basic. If you're in the mood for it, go for it. Pimento and White Cheddar Cheese Very good! Friend Chicken and Biscuit Is a crowd favorite. I don't care for it. If you like thigh meat, the chicken is delicious. The biscuit separate from the chicken is delicious (with butters and jams). The two together as is don't work. The biscuit is too thick and crispy on top to be enjoyed as a sandwich bread. As a whole sandwich it's too dry for me. Fries Depending on the day, are great. read more

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I went to Thunderbolt on a Friday night around 7/8pm and sat at the bar. It was lively but not super crowded. The bartender was awesome! He explained all his drinks and how they went about creating their menu. I got a total of about 4 drinks on the menu. The best is definitely their bitter melon drink. Even though I hate bitter melon as a vegetable. It was carefully balanced so you get a subtle sharp bite of it at the end which I thought was really cool. Definitely one of the most interesting drinks I've had. They had great music as well! read more

Thunderbolt - a glass of beer and a drink on a table - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We had five drinks between the two of us over an hour or two and an order of fried green tomatoes. The drinks and the food were delicious! The waitress did a great job describing the drinks. I wish we had more time and a shorter distance to travel, so we could have tried more. I'd go into more detail, but previous reviews have described everything we tried. Just know that this place lives up to the hype. read more

I don't remember where I read about this place, but wow. My partner and I wanted a spontaneous day-date last Sunday and ended up here. Parking wasnt hard to find but we did end up parking in front of a homeless encampment; if that's not your cup of tea, you may need to walk in from further. Staff was all super friendly. All the other guests were chill (we didn't interact with anyone but everyone seemed smiling, laughing, and having a good time without being obnoxiously loud for a Sunday afternoon). Ended up getting a few drinks after taking a bit of a dive into their detailed menu. I wasn't a fan of two drinks but that's because I really don't like those ingredients ever. My partner who ordered those til drinks, on the other hand, LOVED them. I could tell these drinks were lovely if you liked the ingredients (olives for one; mushrooms for another). Definitely planning on returning for some pre-dinner drinks in the near future. read more

This bar is a great little hidden gem! The drinks are fantastic. They used to have a variety of mocktails, including an old fashioned but last time I went their mocktail menu had been minimized to one. There is plenty of seating - if you can't find a seat inside, you are bound to find a seat at least outside! read more

Meat lovers pizza: 5/5 Garlic knots: 2/5 Nuggets: 4/5 Service at Thunderbolt was super fast and efficient. I wish I ordered a pizza w some veggies but the meat lovers was still lovely (partners choice). I was not a fan of the garlic knots, lacking flavor or salt but I will say the dough was really good. This place was clean and I would come back to try another pizza. read more

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I've had Thunderbolt bookmarked for a couple months now and we happened to be nearby so I said, let's swing by and have a drink. This place was everything I needed on a Saturday early evening! The energy is just right! I love snagging bar seats when I'm able because it's a different vibe and you have a chance to see what all they are making. The bartender was SO friendly and fun. She's vibrating right at that optimum level. I wasn't sure which cocktail I wanted and she and the other bartender helped me decide on the tequila based Frutera with Manga, Tamarind, Cucumber and Lime SPICY!!!!! How I like my drinks. This drink was very yummy. I love tequila and that kick that hits the back of your throat. Yumm yummm yumm. The ice cubes are great too! My friend had a mango cart and we shared the biscuits with pimento cheese, jam and pickles. Honestly, I'm just a few days off a trip from Atlanta so getting biscuits and pimento cheese just right, isn't easy. The pimento cheese hit - I'm literally obsessed with pimento cheese. The biscuits were just ok in my opinion, a tad on the dry side but really I'm perfectly happy with a scoop of pimento cheese and pimento cheese only. I'd definitely recommend if you're in the area. Great music, great space, very friendly service. read more

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The drinks were all incredible. They all are very well balanced, creative, fun, and you could taste the spirits in them. The bartender was extremely patient and fun to talk to. He did an amazing job explaining all of the drinks to us. And was just genuine and had a good time with us. Every second Sunday of the month, I think they do a dance party of some sort! How fun!!! I definitely wanna come back for that. One of the best bars in LA hands down read more

I love that this is a family friendly spot. However, I wish this bar and restaurant provided some sort of activity for kids. For example, a few board games might be nice. Maybe even a few Jenga sets. Those definitely would be fun for adults as well as kids. Anyway, this is definitely a family friendly spot. It's the neighborhood watering hole. You may see a couple of patrons come in with their dogs even. Everyone is welcome. This spot can be a bit difficult to find if you've never been before. I feel like most people pass by it all the time, but they just never have stopped. This is right next-door to Park's finest, a famous Filipino barbecue spot. If you pass the hotel just after that, you've gone too far. As a girlfriend of mine said yesterday, as we were hanging out at thunderbolt for their biscuits and jams event every second Sunday of the month, the food is very hipster. Their menu is often times 100% gluten free. And, with that, know that the prices are a bit steep for what you are ordering, but generally everything is pretty tasty. I come primarily for the music. Yesterday DJ Bonds was spinning. He was awesome. He always kills it. I met some cool people yesterday as I was there with my daughter, a girlfriend of mine and her daughter as well. Their drinks aren't bad, the ones actually made by the bartenders when you order, not their pre-made, pre-canned/bottled ones. I have actually tried most of their pre-canned/bottled drinks. I can't say that I am really a fan of any of them. Order drinks from their female bartender. She seems to be the better bartender and I feel she has her craft down a bit more than the other gents. Parking can be rough. You have to find a spot in the neighborhood or uber it here. I was lucky yesterday and found a spot just around the corner, taking a left at the light just before the Park's Finest, opposite the nearby elementary school and liquor store. note: While this venue does have a full bar, they don't carry all the "usuals" that people often come in looking for. As an example, they don't carry Jameson but they will suggest other whiskeys and what not as a substitute. If you like to try new spirits, this might be the place for you. If you are the type who likes to stick to what you like, and I totally understand that, then let the bartenders make you what they think will strike your fancy. read more

Drinks are good and very unique and batched so you are served quickly. Menu is creative and has very interesting flavors that you can't find at many bars. Service is a hit or a miss. We have gone multiple times and have had great conversations with the bartenders before. However, last time we went on a Sunday evening, we sat at the bar and was ignored by the female bartender with glasses, despite her serving the couple right next to us multiple times and we didn't get acknowledged until another bartender noticed we were waiting for awhile. read more

The drinks here are so innovative and delicious! We went when they opened on a Saturday and were able to easily find street parking. We ordered several different types of cocktails and every single one was outstanding. We also ordered a biscuit and jam - YUM! Service is great because you can open a tab and wander. Vibe is extremely relaxed - feels like a neighborhood bar. Cannot wait to go back and try more. read more

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The drinks were yummy and food was nice, the service was great and attentive. Ambiance was chill and not too loud. Nice bar with a lot of cocktail options! read more

Thunderbolt - Fries - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've made multiple trips here over the past few months and it's consistently been a good time. The cocktails are delicious - currently, I'm hooked on the Tart Cherry Thunderbolt but also very much enjoy the Tropipop. Check out their Highball of the Month, which benefits a different nonprofit every month. My friends and I loved Momma Leah's Lollipop Drumettes, the Skillet Cornbread, and everything else we ordered. We also enjoyed Biscuits & Jams, their 2nd Sunday of the Month Party because body rolling to "Freak Like Me," while eating a fried green tomato sando is a joyful experience I didn't know I needed in my life. Even when there aren't live DJs, the music and vibe is on point. The staff is wonderful - so welcoming. If you're driving over here, you can find street parking on Temple or any of the cross streets, like Edgeware. Be sure to check out local guidelines read more

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The drinks were amazing and the food was delicious! Service was great and they gave good suggestions!

such a cute bar with a great atmosphere and yummy drinks! They have a ton of drink options and my friend and i both got a few different types and likes them all! They have indoor and outdoor seating with heaters outside making it really comfortable in the cold weather too. overall really enjoyed it and it's so close to my place that i'll definitely be back! for sure one of my new favorite bars! read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Drinks are good, food is good, especially for being bar food.. I love that they have this half outdoor half indoor counter. Service is friendly and great. I've gotten really drunk here a few times, always a great vibe. :) read more

Of all places, I can't believe I have not written a review on this wonderful place. Maybe part of me wanted to keep this all to ourselves. But being that it is still the pandemic, it seems to be a good time to talk about the amazing biscuit brunch I had today after a little hike. From social media, I found out that they are open on Sunday morning from 9am to noon and they serve biscuit sandwiches. For my first visit during brunch hours, I got the fried chicken sandwich, hash and black coffee. The fried chicken biscuit sandwich far exceeded my expectations. It is the size of a full sandwich to me and made my belly full. Fried chicken thigh so the meat was extremely juicy and the breading was seasoned. It had chili (maybe Thai chili) that was pickled in vinegar and with a drizzle of honey to give it that sweet and sour taste. The biscuit itself is a meal. Had you given me only the biscuit with butter and honey, I would have been content. The hash are crispy on the outside but inside, it is like mashed potatoes. Both were so delicious that I can't stop thinking about it hours later. The coffee is made with Counter Culture Coffee beans and it was so good black, it didn't need any cream or sugar! I am definitely coming back to pick up biscuits for brunch. I would like to try the pork belly, the egg salad and the egg scramble. Their drinks are pretty amazing as well, the Peach Thunderbolt and the P-Town Boxing being my favorite. I have not bought their cocktails to go as of yet but pre-pandemic, those were my favorite go-to drinks. read more

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Super cool bar I would have never found on my own. Met some friends here the other weekend. Good cocktails, and they serve food too. Was here on a Saturday night at ~10pm. The crowd was good, it was filled enough, but still able to get seats at the bar. Liked it so much, came back again the next night! read more

Came on a Friday night and while the place was lively with most of the indoor seating taken there was plenty of outdoor seating. Had la frutera and p town boxing club drinks, enjoyed both, the p town a little more tho while the others in my party swapped drinks after first taste. Waiter came by asking if we wanted any food before the kitchen closed but didn't browse the food options, maybe next time! read more

They do not answer their phone--good luck trying to get a hold of them. I posted a question regarding their phone policy and mentioned that they never answer the phone and it appears the businesses reported it to Yelp and Yelp took it down for being "inflammatory". Would not recommend calling for any questions. No parking because of the area it's in so good luck trying to casually stop by. This is definitely a drive around the area for 20 minutes for a parking spot area, which is unfortunate for the business and not really something they can control, but just a heads up if you were like me trying to casually stop in because you couldn't get them to answer their phone (what's the point of having a phone number...) The food here is pretty okay, a little on the pricier side for the taste but the drinks are definitely their shining point here. They have a knowledgeable bar team. I had a better experience coming in the early evening as opposed to later at night--I couldn't get anyone to pay any attention to me flagging them for a drink (despite the fact that other people were able to just simply walk up to the bar and order...) Mainly giving the low rating due to their inaccessibility. read more

Thunderbolt - Yelp letting me know they reported my question for being "inflammatory" when in the question I stated that they never answer their phone. - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

You're greeted with dim, moody lighting and chill music when you walk in - a perfect vibe. The beer and wine options are great but the unique, delicious cocktails are brilliant! The staff were lovely and the food was fantastic. The biscuit was enormous and served with salty whipped butter. The fries were crispy and seasoned perfectly. The tamari-glazed wings were an absolute showstopper - this is how crispy wings should always be. Plenty of seating and not too crowded on a Wednesday night. Parking sucks...but that's LA. read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hmm Could be one of my new favorites. Interesting wines by the bottle. No real happy hour but no corkage for their bottles is a plus. Food was perfect for snacking. Loved the drumettes. Almost all is gluten free which is a bonus for my husband. Don't hesitate to ask for information on their wines. They are super friendly and knowledgeable. I will be back for sure. read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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CELIAC SAFE! With fun food and drinks - what else do you need? We went before the Kings game and enjoyed food that is not usually accessible- fried chicken and more. Also, creative cocktails. Everything yummy and much appreciated. read more

Amazing quality drinks with very inventive and interesting drink offerings... all in a non presumptuous, neighborhoody bar atmosphere... Highly recommend!! read more

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Went on a Friday night and didn't have to wait for a table. It's ranked #8 in North America's 50 Best Bars in 2024. The drinks are innovative and creative, but we felt like the descriptions didn't match what it tasted like. Overall, a fun place to drink and chill with friends. read more

Thunderbolt - P-town boxing club (left) and Woodwide web (right) - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The amount of prep work that goes into these drinks is evident from the first sip. I mean, it takes the bartenders 5 minutes to describe how each drink is made! They use unique ingredients normally not found in a drink but common to the many diverse communities in LA. Pandan, bitter melon, Koji, just to name a few. They put the same amount of care into the bar bites, too. They're not just an afterthought, but elevated fare from the normal iterations. Cheers to that. read more

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My friends and I did a little bar crawl in the echo park area and thunderbolt was our first stop and highlight of the night! Rated as the #9 bar in North America and #2 coolest bar in the world, it's definitely worth a visit! We came early on a Saturday night and found street parking. Walking into the bar I'm immediately digging the homey ambiance and the music playing. Our server was fantastic and knowledgeable of all the cocktails and food in the menu. I got the Kiki killer that's was a fun twist on a piña colada. My second drink was the echo park trash can #2 a fun ode to the culture of echo park being a hodge podge of fruity, tangy, spicy and Smokey. Definitely combing back thirsty for more. read more

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Nice inclusive space with sofas and great restrooms. Street parking isn't too bad. Drinks are reasonable and creative (pandan old fashioned!). Don't worry about having to wait to get in read more

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Chill bar in LA that serves great cocktails. Vibes are nice and the bartenders are super attentive and approachable. My personal favorite is their espresso martini. read more

Drinks and food are great! I got the cantaloupe tequila drink with the wings... and it's gluten free!! I love that. The location is unassuming and parking is tough but I'm sure you'll find something nearby. I'll definitely be back! The crowd on a Friday evening was chill. BUT, the reason I left feeling slightly off was that my friend didn't like his drink and he asked to get it switched and the waitress and manager made a big deal about it... it was a bit awkward and felt unnecessary. Most places I've been to have been glad to exchange items that we didn't like? I don't normally leave reviews but I felt like saying that in case management is reading and is looking for feedback? read more

Thunderbolt - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Thunderbolt has many accolades, including being named The Best Bar in West USA 2022. My friends and I stopped by on Sunday evening after bar-hopping a bit around other parts of LA and the place was pretty empty, with only two or three other parties in the bar. The menu here is overwhelming -- in a good way! There are so many delicious tasting cocktails on the menu, you'll be hard-pressed to choose just one. I ultimately ended up ordering two drinks: Barcelonnette - Mezcal, Avéze, Passionfruit, Lime was my first drink; The Bloody -- Paranubes Rum, Tomato, Mango, Gochujang, Citrus, Spice was my second drink. The two drinks were delicious in their own way and I would happily order both again. If you can, I would absolutely recommend going with friends so you can try more than a few cocktails. With my two friends, I was lucky enough to also be able to try out the Fu Gwaa Falsetto, P Town Boxing Club, Koji Killer, and La Frutera. Everything tasted great, but as a fan of bittermelon, I especially enjoyed the Fu Gwaa Falsetto. 10/10 would recommend stopping by! read more

This review has nothing to do with the service (5 stars) or ambiance (5 stars) it's all to do with the food. We ordered everything on the happy hour menu except the chicken sandwich. Everything fried was great, the greens were vinegar based. That's not my favorite version but greens are different depending on where you grew up. Unfortunately the little gem wedge (we ordered 2) had hair in it. Then the Mac and Cheese... had hair in it. The fired green tomatoes are pickled? I should also mention there is absolutely no parking. When I say absolutely I mean NOTHING. We ended up parking over an overpass. (That's how much I wanted to try gluten free food) For all of the controllables of a kitchen- hair can be kept out of food. read more

I've only been to Thunderbolt twice and both times the service was definitely impeccable. We were greeted by their female bartender who is super sweet! We ordered a Frutera and Strawbanger as far as drinks were concered. Foodwise, we ordered the Mac & Cheese and the Grits! The grits were definitely a hit! It was delicious as well as the Mac and cheese! Definitely worth ordering both plates. Our 2nd time, which was yesterday happened to fall on Biscuits and Jams day! Definitely felt the vibe! This time we ordered a Smash Burger and Waffle fries. We ordered a Fu Gwaa Falsetto and what I thought was a Mezcal margarita but it turned out to be some other Mezcal drink. I tried their Orangesicle while my other half ordered the Tart Cherry Thunderbolt! And a side of grits! The corn adds a different texture but it is that good! Will definitely go back again! I wish they had more food offerings like I was able to see through other people's posts. I am definitely patient! Can't wait to go back again! read more

After a couple disappointing bar stops, we were very pleasantly surprised to randomly find a hidden gem during 2021. We were immediately smitten after our first stop by our friendly and knowledgeable bartender (sorry, bro! Will get your name again next time), vibe and, of course, drinks. Karen took care of us on our recent 2nd trip and things have not changed. We're trying to be regulars but will assume they change up their drink menu every month. We went with a few intriguing menu choices which were great, but will tap into more bartenders' choice next trip. I enjoy the extensive use of rums and mezcals in their drinks - do I like tiki drinks now?? - and will probably dig into their asian influenced southern eats on our return. After just learning they almost closed during the peak of the pandemic, I'm very happy they made it to #66 of best bars in the world. Well deserved. read more