Little Joy Cocktails

04/15/09

Dead, dead, dead

by kimbrew at Citysearch

The owner must be smoking crayons in the back room. Who in the hell would have their cleaning lady run the bar? I am all for opportunity and giving someone a chance but come on, would you hire a high school graduate to run Apple? Basically she is running it to the ground and I can imagine it closing by the end of the year since nobody goes there anymore. She talks down to the employees, threatens their jobs if they don’t do what she says, and watches their every move. She lurks in the corner and scowls at the customers. She takes orders and has the bartenders makes the drinks for her and STEALS their tips. A few weeks ago, as I walked past the bar from Short Stop to Gold Room, two sleazy drunk men (one of which is the manager's husband) were standing outside the bar trying to lure people in as P-p-poison was blaring in the background. It reminded me of the T.J. bars with men trying to get drunk Marines to go inside to see a ti*ty show. Maybe if there was actually a donkey show I would have stopped in. I don't care about the new paint as I'm sure the walls will be covered in graffiti soon enough. The new patio chairs scream old lady special at Costco but these are just minor cosmetic issues. Putting that aside, I will not support a business that mistreats their employees. They are the coolest and nicest bartenders in town. It is the only bar that I felt comfortable walking into by myself, ordering a drink, and having a lovely conversation with the bartender and the stranger next to me. You can feel the tension between the new management and staff in the bar now so it is no longer a comfortable, inviting place to hang out in. Thanks goodness for Short Stop and Gold Room. That is where everyone has been scared off to like the ro*ches that once inhabited the place. Sadly, Little Joy is dead. Tears.

• Pros: The wonderful bartenders
• Cons: The bitter old *itch of a manager

12/06/08

Anyone see Desperado

by gilbertarenasfan at Citysearch

Reminds me of the bar where he looks for Butcho. I went in there and its too hard to describe it. Go for yourself. Just don't get into any fights and try a hotdog from one of the vendors outside.

12/05/07

Awesome pool tables and a great happy hour(which is 3 hours)!

by yeahimtrash at Citysearch

I love this bar. Although last time I went there was some faggotity dude there yelling and complaining about something, but thankfully the friendly bartender squirted him in the face with soda and kicked him out of the bar! I continued to play my pool game in peace, and then went outside for a cigg, and the same guy was outside, drunk as a skunk and yelling at the owner! Luckily the owner picked him up by the collar and threw him against a wall. I love how the employees make the environment save and inviting for local drunks whom are not interested in fighting. FIVE STARS!

04/06/07

Rude Bartenders, Bad Drinks, and one fuzzy big eared creature

by nikvenet at Citysearch

I've never had a decent drink at this place. Always watery flat coca-cola with hardly any booze poured in and no ice. Gross. Last time I was dragged there we saw saw vermin. I'm not an expert, but I think that'll get you shut down by various city orgs.. too much for even a connoisseur of dive bars. There's no reason to go the little joy. It lives up to its name. Visit the Short Stop located thirty seconds away. Especially if you don't like the bartender robbing you by giving you the wrong change. I like places that make me feel good about spending my money, this is not one of them.

• Cons: diseasy

04/06/07

If you like getting robbed by the bartender or watery drinks and the smell of urine, look no further for your fav bar!

by tonycost at Citysearch

I was really looking forward to this bar, i'd heard a lot about it. When I got there, the first thing I noticed is the smell of feces and urine coming from the bathrooms. It was unsettling. We would have left right away, but had to meet one more person. My girlfriend and I ordered two jack and cokes. They came with one ice cube each, and we're the most watered down drink I ever had. Beyond this, I gave the bartender a 50 dollar bill for two drinks that were supposed to be twelve dollars. This would have meant 38 dollars change. He gave me four dollars back (wrong no matter what I gave him), and said he hadn't seen a 50 dollar bill in weeks. When I asked him to please check the drawer, he wouldn't and started to get really angry. He then squirted coke at us from the gun and asked us to leave. We did. While standing outside waiting for our third friend to show, the manager threatened us with violence if we didn't leave. i told him it was a public sidewalk, and the 50 dollars he and his employee had stolen from me should be plenty money to get off my back for a bit. He grabbed my neck in front of my girlfriend and threw me up against the wall. I'm not a big guy, and haven't been in any kind of situation like this since I don't know when. This place is the worst. If getting robbed or beaten up is your thing, or you like watery drinks and the smell of feces/urine, look no further, this is your place.

10/22/06

Wonderful

by geezopeez at Citysearch

Little Joy is like an old, dependable friend. The bouncers are nice, the bartenders are nice, and the crowd is, in general, pretty relaxed and approachable. A good mix of people ranging from locals to valley-dwelling gawkers looking for a night of fun. Highly recommended!

• Pros: Good crowd, neighborhood, cheap
• Cons: Cheap liquor

11/29/04

Echo Park's locals-only dive bar brims with vibrant vibes despite its dismal decor.

by Tara Lis at Citysearch

Local band flyers and photocopied want ads greet customers walking through the angular entryway, which obstructs the goings-on inside from street view. Bud Light lampshades hang over tattered tan-vinyl booths up front. Two pool tables in the back are perpetually lined with quarters--don't be surprised if the eight or cue ball are missing. Cute bartenders serve reasonably priced drinks, but don't expect top-shelf liquor. Jukebox variety favors '80s new wave and '90s indie rock, and DJs often set up in the back corner, where they spin everything from Ella Fitzgerald to Siouxsie & the Banshees. Little more than a hole-in-the-wall, this unsuspecting venue has become a prime post-9pm destination for an unusual mix of the artsy, just-turned-21 set, longtime locals and gay and lesbian crowd.