Al's Cocktails

Been coming here for years and this is still my favorite bar! I’ve met many good people here that I’m proud to call my good friends! Frances and Shawn are truly the best!

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.

Love this spot… Always great service from the bartenders.

Frances was rude and didnt even act like they wanted to serve me i have been here before and the service was excellent the first time I brought friends with me and this experience was terrible if they dont like their job why do they work there so rude I hope the service improves

If I could leave no starts I would Frances has horrible customer service. Rude person I do not recommend this place

As a dive bar kinda guy, this place really resonates with me. Love that the pours are good (Sara at least) and cheap - $5 for a well whiskey sour or a full pour of wine, $7 for call whiskey rocks. Cash only which is OK, just know ahead of time. And went there last night with my daughter for a quick drink before dinner - loud, obnoxious drunk group of sketchy dudes in the booth beside us. Lots of cussing and vulgarity which is fine with me but it was loud enough to be distracting and the bartender didn't really do or say anything to them, which may have been uncomfortable and awkward so I get it.

Fun little quaint dive bar. Honestly a good place to sit down and catch up with a friend, as it seems to be far from more popular places like downtown Alhambra. Be prepared to bring cash as it does not take card. Bartenders are modest and crowd was pretty quiet for a Saturday night. A couple food spots down the road and a domino’s next door in case you get hungry, which I’m sure people have ordered and brought in.

Chill atmosphere, and probably the only place in Alhambra with an electronic dart board. I recommend this place if you just want to throw some darts and relax.

Franicis is a dream! Makes great drinks, is super friendly. Shawn makes the best martinis! Best dive bar ever!

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!!!

Im updating this review to 5 out 5! This place will always be a great place. Not sure why I even left this at 4. I am here to right that wrong.

At first glance, the place looks not like any LA bar you've seen, maybe because this bar is the oldest one in San Gabriel! So, it holds ALOT of history! And should be appreciated and respected. The bartender is the epic OG of the bar, she's a fun women, who is very nice and sweet, I can tell her heart is warm and her personality is just amazing and shines right through her face. She made me feel comfortable when I arrived with my date and has set of skills outside of work that impressed me. She made me this drink called BLACK ORCHID, omg it tasted amazing, I recommend. BTW, this place has good parking as well, right behind the bar. Check it out. Place is CASH ONLY, keep that in mind 2.

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.

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!

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 ;)

Cool vibe and hang. Nice tunes on the jukebox, friendly people and bartender, and even parking in the back. Drinks are strong and cheap, to boot. Only quirk is that it's cash only so bring dough. Oh, and another really cool thing: they have stacks of action/mystery paperbacks that people can take, read, and return on the honor system, how cool is that!!!??? Loved it. I'm not usually in a bar unless I'm playing but I'll probably be back, and bring some paperbacks, too.

Highly recommend this place. 5 star dive bar! Charlotte was a very kind server and had a lot of history of this establishment available to share. Clean, stiff drinks and friendly staff and patrons

We love us some Al's. We came in one afternoon to chill. Had some time to burn and was catching up with our friend.. its a wonderful place. A total dive bar, but they have music selection, darts, and other things to entertain you. Friend had Jameson, bf with his maccallan 12, and beer for me. Tab was way cheap. Seriously great hangout and prices. Cash only. No food served but have snacks and sometimes the bartender had food to share. Parking in the front or back.

Al's is the best place ever. While they were closed my sister and I may or may not have gone up to the door and pushed juuuussst in case! Seriously, they have the best drinks & best vibes. I can't wait to go back!!!

A typical dive bar - small space and limited seating but it really gives you a homey, comfortable feeling! I've only been to Al's once due to my friend's recommendation but I really liked it. :) I was skeptical at first though-from the looks it's not somewhere I would have voluntary visited or checked out with my friends. But I gave it a shot anyway because there was nothing for me to lose especially when my friend guaranteed me that they served cheap, good drinks. Well guess what? Al's served me a jameson ginger that was nicely buff for only FIVE DOLLARS. I mean how cheap IS that? Score! It's also super cute that everyone seems to know each other and most people seem to be a regular here. I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area!

Top of the line dive bar, and I mean that in a good way. The smell and the vibe is what brought me here. Years of pouring hard booze makes it a proper place for washing the trail dust from one's mouth.

Came here on Saturday, and what a little gem! Keep in mind this is a Dive Bar, so it has a more "local" feel. The space is small, and they only have 3 booths. There was only 1 bartender/mixologist for a Saturday night. CASH ONLY, no tabs. Mixologist Nicole was really great. I didn't want to drink anything too strong and asked if she could make a Fuzzy Navel; she said she could look it up and try! It wasn't a traditional Fuzzy Navel, but came out delicious! My group of 6 all ordered drinks and the total was $24, including tip! (That's, at most, 2-3 drinks elsewhere!) They also have a new "high-tech jukebox" as I called it to my friends. It isn't too loud, so conversations can be had without feeling strained. I'll definitely be back!

Al's Cocktail is one of two local dive bars on Las Tunas in San Gabriel. (The other is Sharky's, another super dive bar located 50 yards away from Al's.) It has a very chill atmosphere. Great sound system from the jukebox. Electronic dart board for entertainment. Al's is super small but has a full bar. Don't expect top shelf. For example, the best they can do is Glenlivet 12 and Black Label. Nothing on tap and bottled beers are $4.50 each. The crowd is friendly, local and seems to know each other, but no one will hassle you if you just want to chill. So Al could be a fun place to check out with friends if you are looking for cheap drinks and decent music in San Gabriel. Oh it's cash only.

Great little dive bar. They have darts and booths. Plenty of parking in the back lot. The drinks are strong and so are the women. JK. Good place to drink, relax and listen to the music. And they have books! I know weird. But it's something different. Will go again. Cash only. Be ready to be chill 'cause it ain't fancy.

This is a really nice spot. It's small but that's cool. I think that's it's small and cozy only add to this place because it allows the customers to mingle with each other instead of being all spread out from each other. I also noticed that this place attracts different ethnic groups. That's unusual for this area so when you see something like that, it's easy to notice. What I really like about this bar is they have a library style book exchange thing going there. Feel free to take your books to AL's that you no longer want and let others read them. If you want a book, you can also go and just pick up any book for free. No cost or anything. I think that's amazing because education shouldn't come with a dollar sign, education is always better when it comes with a nice cold beer #SG #StreetGold

Absolutely awesome diving spot. Ready for all kinds of issues here but other than cash only I ran into none. Definitely a rocken locals joint with cheap and i mean CHEAP beverages. Dont expect any of that swanky hanky panky chit here either. They have no reason for those kinda games or ridiculous whatevers. Just a place to come with friends to enjoy an adult beverage or ten. Not a place to roll to be seen or be kewl. They dont have time for that kind of jackwagon here, sure you can occupy your stool alone and look like a goober, but why? no reason for that chit. Pro Tip: There is plenty of pawking in back as well as a door from the rear. There is also street parking on the east side and in front. Overall though this is a totally chill spot to hangout. Definitely not for the trendy or upscale... I cant wait to go back. I have been here a number of times already as well. Who doesnt want to go somewhere that you can buy a round for all of your friends for like $30! The most expensive drink I have come across here was $6 just for a heads up. I love it. Who knows when I will see you here. Perfect for the random, lets get a drink night...

My cousin and I stopped by this spot completely on a whim and due to their great reviews (we were in the area after dinner). This bar is a little hidden but there was plenty of parking and we had places to sit even though it is a little small. The prices are great. I got a Stone IPA for $4 and my cousin the DD got a Coke for free. Super nice! I truly appreciate establishments that provide perks for designated drivers. There's a dart game here that I got to try because the people here are super friendly. I wish I wasn't a couple drinks in (I could have done a LOT better) but I had a great time. The ambiance is very chill and divey, which I love! Also, I ran into an old friend here and found out that he's been going to this bar for like 10 years. If that's not a sign of a genuinely good bar, I don't know what is!

Now this is my kind of bar! If you like friendly dive bars, this will be your kind of bar too. Why? 1. Though there's a door in the front, everyone enters in from the back. Just watch out for the huge stuffed gorilla in the old fashioned phone booth. 2. When you walk in, the local regulars give you that polite nod of acknowledgement. 3. When the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" plays on the juke box, and you begin to notice everyone soaking that one in. 4. Purse hooks underneath the bar. The fanciest places don't even take this into account, but Al's does. 5. The cleanest bathroom ever for a dive bar. You get seat covers, soap, AND paper towels. The door even locks too! On my last visit, after Tim the bartender greeted us, we ordered a goose screwdriver and tonic. That screwdriver had an "ever so slight" tinge of orange, just how I like them. After my first drink, I noticed that the place started filling up with more locals, who went barstool to barstool saying "hi, how're YOU doing tonight"...this of course included a very friendly group of middle aged women donning heavy amounts of makeup. I loved it. So, it's been YEARS since I've gotten even slightly buzzed off of 2 drinks. Well, I did that night at Al's. Thanks to Tim and his heavy hand, I went home extremely relaxed (thank goodness I wasn't driving!) Oh, and Tim personally shook our hands before we left and thanked us for coming in that night. You might be thinking that given the above, Al's cannot be a true dive bar, and that only true dive bars are dirty, with smelly patrons, mean bartenders, wobbly stools and outhouses (or troughs) in the back. Well, if so, allow this to be your introduction to the concept of a friendly neighborhood dive bar that keeps a great place like Al's up and running, all for the locals, and for appreciative non-locals like me. If you're still not convinced, here's a dive bar tidbit: At Al's, the cost of 4 semi-premium vodka drinks with around 3 ounces of vodka each is $16. And the OJ didn't taste like Lysol and the tonic wasn't flat either! Cash Only!

I really wish I still lived in San Gabriel just for Al's! After 2-3 drinks, I'm already buzzed. I always order the Southern Comfort Kamakazi, delicious. What more can you ask for when your bartender offers you an extra glass for free when the cocktail alone is only $4! Tim is a great bartender, friendly and loves what he does. First timers always get a friendly handshake from him. This place can get packed, but who cares, it's a dive bar! After a few drinks you'll begin to think that there's actually a real gorilla in that phone booth. Oh and it's cash only!

Cool little watering hole in San Gabriel...funny it was just down the street from my house when I lived in North San Gabriel but I never went into it.....today I did and was pleasantly surprised how cozy it was and how nice the peeps were in it. Small little place with booths, dart board, pretty good bar lighting and cheap strong drinks.....cheap strong drinks.....yes cheap strong good drinks. Full bar....bartender is very knowledgeable and probably can make anything you want. Couple of electronic games to keep you busy. Smells like smoke a little but that what makes it even more divey! Plenty of parking on the street and behind it. Safe area. Carls Jr. within walking distance a block down if you get the munchies. Mixed crowd of what looks like regulars, hipsters, and your moe's tavern mix. Makes it even more divey and cool! Sweet place!