Artesia Bar

Good drinks, good music, and good people behind the bar

Great atmosphere. LGBT friendly. The karaoke night is cool.

About as perfect as a neighborhood gay bar can be!

Awesome little LGBT dive in the South Bay. Fast service and super friendly barkeeps. Also can’t beat a pool table and an outside “smoking section” when you need a break! Themed/events nights are always fun. Drag queens, karaoke, local DJ’s, etc And the drinks are really reasonable. I’d be here every week if I wasn’t an hour away lol

Had my 21st here, everyone was super friendly! Dennis helped a whole lot and was very accommodating to my party! It was on a Thursday night, karaoke night, and the energy couldn’t have been better and everyone was having a great time (even my straight dude friends were up on the stage singing and having a blast!). Back patio is a perfect spot to sit and chat, since inside gets a bit loud, though it is open air so if it’s a cold night bring a jacket. I’d highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun but casual place and I will definitely be coming back soon!

The Artesia Bar is fun and festive. The mood is always cheerful and lively, and everyone is always having a good time. On Thursday evenings, there is Karaoke night, and lots of patrons get up on the small stage and sing their favorite tunes. There is also a really good smooth jazz sax player, who plays instrumentals but also backs up some of the singers on their tune selections. Only thing is that I wish there were fewer Top 40 tunes being picked to sing, and more of the fantastic hits from back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's, because there was so much great music written then! The wine is good, and you always get a nice sized glass. Though it is considered a gay bar, you can go there if you're straight, too. Anyone can go there and relax. It's a fun place to hang out and unwind, so l recommend it!

This is a wonderful little tucked away establishment that's LGBT friendly and tolerant to all it's patrons. They serve good drinks at decent prices, are very safe, private, and well-received by the community. One of the few gay hangouts available in the South Bay Beach Cities area, outside of Long Beach, Hollywood and Downtown, that tend to be a lot more risque in every sense of the word. They've been closed indefinitely due to the coronavirus, but they're much missed by all their patrons, assuredly. OPEN SOON!!

A very fun bar with a chill crowd. They do karaoke on Tuesdays and Thursdays, always a good time. Strong drinks, unisex bathrooms with condom expensing machine, outdoor patio "inside" the building you can smoke in. No real food options nearby though. The Mexican place next door closes early and isn't open much

Yessssss! Pool table, outside/in smoke area, drag dj, and regulars all make this bar FANTASTIC! Went in looking for a drink and good company. This establishment did not disappoint. Bartender was friendly and so was everyone else. The drinks are okay and the conversations excellent. Overall win win spot!

Had the best time. Loved Chromatica Gaga. She gave a killer performance of Abracadabra

WeHo vibes without the commute. Solid drinks, great bartenders, ambiance. Five star across the board.

The best bar ever. So much fun, everyone is amazing and you feel so safe. The drinks aren't too strong or too much ice or anything, they're delicious and well-priced. All the staff is so wonderful, special shoutout to Max, Erick, & Miss Georgia!

I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to have a bar like this in my neighborhood! All of the bartenders are cutie sweetie pies! Artesia Bar hosts multiple LGBTQ+ events weekly and the crowds are always fun, respectful and hot. The drink prices are decent and the ambiance feels like your favorite (inclusive) neighborhood dive bar! Karaoke happens 3 sometimes more days a week! Heather who normally hosts is gorg and so sweet. Max is a bartender (and I think) co-owner and he's just precious, making the vibe feel friendly and personal and pouring tasty, decently strong drinks for a good price. Scotty (bartender) is a cherub too. I just love it here and will keep coming any time I have friends in town or need to take the edge off of life

I stopped in over my birthday weekend and had a great time! The place was clean, bright and inviting. The patrons all seemed pretty friendly - no creepy vibes. Loved the drag DJ/hostess who led the bar in singing "Happy Birthday" to me...and gave me a shot of tequila on the house! Oh, and I'm straight, BTW (if that matters). What a great spot for a drink or two and to enjoy people being themselves. 5 stars

Great spot for the lgbtq+ally community. It's a dive bar but with a great culture and fun community events. The bar tenders are all welcoming and they make great drinks.

Very cool/chill ambiance, bartenders were very friendly and had great service with them. They have all sorts of things to do besides just drinking. Karaoke night, trivia night, and they even have a night where a DJ comes and plays music for people. They also have an outside patio to smoke which is great. They don't serve bar food, but you got plenty of food surrounding the area.

This place is open to anyone and everyone . The bartender , Dennis, is very approachable . This hidden gem of bar should be hidden. Whenever I come here I always feel welcomed

Honestly this is my favorite lowkey bar I love coming down here , I bring all my co workers and it's such a chill vibe Max is amazing and coming on Thursdays is the best because they have karaoke also I personally don't sing but my friends got up and sang a few songs, the girl who does karaoke is reallly nice and she sang a few songs with them which was nice because my friends sound terrible. We will be back this Wednesday because I heard the have trivia .

Really nice bar! I had my favorite whiskey ginger drink it was super strong. My friend & I were saying how we appreciated it being a more mature lgbtq crowd.

First time there... Bartender 5 stars ... KJ not so friendly .. Seemed to be bothered for asking simple questions... Still ... Had a great time .. -2 for KJ

How about don't announce your open when your not it's pretty messed up that I drove 35 mins when ur web pg says your open but when we got there it was pitch black also how about you let customers know where there is parking??? Very disappointing!

Very fun crowd, met some cool people, not the cheapest place to drink anymore, but I think dive bar prices are gone everywhere. Great bartenders, they know to pour heavy or pour for taste if you ask. Karaoke nights are the best in the area, not sure why some people are complaining, my friend exclusively sings Spanish songs all the time. No food, Taco Bell is within a five minute walk. Outside area for smoking, they do events every now and then too. It's my regular spot and I got about five bars between me and it.

Love that the South Bay has this great, inclusive, LGBTQ bar! It's got a pool table, a great little patio, and a friendly cool vibe. Also, there's new Queer owners, that's great! They've got some nice events lined up too. Also, they have new hours of operation, which I love. So, you can chill on a weekend afternoon after the beach, or after work on a weeknight. My hubby and I attended their Grand Reopening and a political fund-raising event. My hubby likes to sing Karaoke, and they've got a great KJ, Heather, too! Finally, a Queer Oasis on the sands of the South Bay!!!

This is the ONLY LGBTQ+ bar in the South Bay (Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hawthorne, Gardena, Palos Verdes and San Pedro). I am still shocked that I only discovered this bar last year. The first time I came here was with my two queer friends and on Karaoke night. The night was great!! Performers both experienced and new comers lit the place up. The place had great sound down by the stage. Outside the stage room it was easy to hear the thumping of the music yet it wasn't so loud that you had to shout to talk to people. In addition to karaoke, they have decently priced drinks that actually tasted good. I find very few places in Los Angeles that have good drinks AND good pricing. Have their cranberry vodka. The cranberry is sweeter and not as acidic in taste like many other places. This crowd was one of the best I've stumbled upon in Torrance. Everyone was very nice and chill. The people here were all open to connecting with no walls to get in the way. I have been going every weekend because it feels like I found a family. Shoutout to Heather for controlling the singing machine and letting me sing Katy Perry songs! P.S. You can come dressed in crazy clothes and people will accept you for you. Check out our fits!

The best bar and karaoke in the South Bay! Very welcoming and friendly crowd, you'll always have a great time no matter what day of the week it is. KJ Heather has the absolute best show in the area and is very gracious and accommodating. Bartenders Max and Dennis are always there to welcome you with a smile and their delicious drinks. You must come and see it for yourself!

I wish I could rate this place a zero!!!! The very bitter lady that is in charge of karaoke night is so RUDE!! She WILL NOT play a song that you request in Spanish ?!?!!! My group has tried to be regulars at this bar bc it's super close to our house but honestly it's not even worth it!!

Fun quaint little bar. Karaoke setup is nice with several monitors and system flexibility to maximize song options! Nice friendly bartenders!

Why/how this girl from Weho made a trip to Redondo Beach to visit the Only Gay Bar in the South Bay? Well Kids, take a seat. Taylor's got a story to share with ya. So, in typical me fashion, I wanted adventure on a Saturday night. I had already made several promises with myself to stay inside, save money, and be a good girl. But the devil inside me wanted no part of this nonsense and urged me to slap on an outfit, makeup and hang out somewhere fun (She loves to run the show). Did I want to go to Echo Park/ Silverlake again? Naw. I wanted to go somewhere completely different and with thorough research, I decided to make my rounds in the South Bay. I already knew that I wanted to have a Tiki drink at Purple Orchid, but I didn't want to stay there the entire night. Only going to one place on a Saturday night out is one of my cardinal sins, so I knew I had to look up somewhere else to continue my night of BIG fun. And Low and Behold, with its giant red lettering. The Artesia bar spoke to me. Earlier in the day, while investigating the Artesia bar to make sure this was the place I wanted to go. I noticed on their IG, they had dancing after 9pm (good sign) and then with a little bit more digging, I found the manager of the bar (Dakota- incredibly sweet by the way) who also hosts karaoke when they have it (Wednesday+ Sundays I believe but don't quote me on that). I walked in at around 9:30 and asked for a drink. Who was bar tendering, none other than Dakota who's IG I happened to find earlier. "Do I be creepy and tell her that I found her profile before I even met her?" I was drunk enough already to let her know and she actually thought it was pretty funny. After grabbing my drink, I headed outside to the smoking patio. The patio is huge! And there were already a few people sitting outside, having a smoke. I introduced myself and found out quickly that they were all regulars and I see why. The place is very relaxed and not this super froo froo over the top gay bar. Its literally a nice, friendly place where people from all walks of life know each other and get to hang in a positive environment. I really felt the love here and I wish that a Lyft ride wasn't super expensive to get here because I would happily make this my regular bar as well. The Cheers vibe was truly solidified that night since it was one of the regular's birthdays. There was tons of food out for anyone who wanted it and fun music playing. Wow! What an amazing little bar. I really enjoyed my time here and felt like part of the family even though I have never been before. Will I be back? Of Course!

I have been coming to this bar consistently for 4 years and always had a great experience with Dennis and Heather. I decided to come out on a Thursday night for karaoke and unfortunately had a terrible experience with the bartender Max. He was very unprofessional and made me feel very uncomfortable . He tried to have me "come over" in front of other guest, I respectfully declined, then he proceeded to be rude and disrespectful to me. I love coming to this bar to escape uncomfortable experiences but I will NOT be coming back to this bar when he works, as I heard this is the norm!!! This is unacceptable!

Came here years ago when it was the Dolphin. There was more of a funky beach town dive feel back then. Physically the set up is pretty much the same...pool table in front, long bar to the side, side patio, small mini-stage in back. Big difference is that the grunginess has been painted away, & there is an extensive stock of varied liquor more elegantly displayed. It also feels more loungy w/ the addition of a comfortable over stuffed leather sofa & matching club chairs. Tuesday was Karaoke (kah rah oh keh) night. So Yelper Jim W. belted out a few tunes. The Karaoke DJ was convivial, & when there was a gap in people coming up to sing, the DJ or the bartenders came up to bat. The two bartenders on Jan 31st were thoughtful & considerate. Fun night listening to newer pop as well as old show tune standards that have stood the test of time. Lou Reed's Walk on the Wildside & Liza Minelli's Cabaret added an appropriately, slightly louche tone to the bar. 4- Yelp stars for an enjoyable après dîner diversion.

Great vibe, bartender was friendly, and great music. I went in the middle of the day and no one was really there but had a great convo with the bartender! Many nightly events and weekends parties. I plan to check it out again soon!

I desperately want to give this place a great review because it's the only queer bar in the vicinity but the vibes were horrendous, they were playing catfish the whole time on the tv??? What?? Full of straight people, the karaoke lady was asleep at the wheel and the drinks were trash. Saw three people return their drinks, I probably should have too. First and last time here sorry.

I've always wanted to check this place out. Really fun vibe/atmosphere. I'm local and I plan to come back again. Feels like a hidden jewel in north Redondo.

Great bar to get a drink on a Friday or Saturday night ! Me and my bestie could not figure out where to go but the gem was perfect spot to chat , drink and catch a vibe .

Artesia Bar is the most welcoming bar to ALL. I have been coming to this bar for years ‍ it is home! I have watched this bar grow in many different ways the number of people that come out especially to karaoke nights is insane for what looks like a hole in the wall bar. Big special shout-out to Heather (KJ) the Artesia bar would not be what it is today with out her Mac that sexy bartender sure does know how to mix a drink maybe it is the way he shakes it that makes these drinks so delicious. (Green tea is a must) I am very fortunate to have a small Gay bar right around the corner.

Honestly this is an AMAZING BAR and it feels like home especially being the ONLY gay bar in the area! DJ, MAX, HEATHER, and NICK are all spectacular!!! They make the whole bar great with fun events like Drag shows, Drag Race View, Trivia night, Karaoke Night, and so much more fun events even like Lingerie night!! Keep it up! Love y'all

If I were able to rate this location zero stars I would. The bartenders are very friendly however karaoke is one of the most popular things at this location. The woman that overseas this is not friendly, very rude, and extremely unprofessional. We have tried working with her to request songs or just to be supportive in our services and she refuses to provide great service. As the only LGBTQ+ in the South Bay I strongly recommend going to other locations to avoid confusion with the staff remember. It is extremely uncomfortable to work with someone who is not an ally with the community. She may be part of the community but her behavior is extremely unacceptable and a poor reflection of this location.

Beat casual gay bar in the area! Perfect place to grab a drink after work or come and party on the weekends. Lots of fun things too! Karaoke, trivia and they also stream Drag Race. If you're looking for a new spot then give it a try!

Great spot and atmosphere Drinks are good and bartenders are super friendly (Max is the best) You'll have a great time

Lady playing karaoke was rude and talking shit even after paying 20 drinks she went over board

We were grotesquely discriminated against when we asked to sing at Kareoke in Spanish music by Juan Gabriel and Gloria Trevi. Even the person in charge of Kareoke HEATHER aggressively yelled at us to leave the place and not to come back....Unfortunate that in the 21st century there are still people with a superiority complex and they treat the customer as in the age of segregation....... We are already in contact with our lawyers and we have decided to sue, it is a matter of time. HEATHER needs to be taught a civics lesson in criminal court..... THERE ARE ENOUGH WITNESSES. Fuimos grotezcamente descriminados cuando pedimos cantar en el Kareoke en Español musica de Juan Gabriel y Gloria Trevi. Incluso la encargada del Kareoke HEATHER, nos grito de forma agresiva que nos fueramos del lugar y que no volvieramos a llegar....Lamentable que en pleno siglo XXI existan todavia personas con complejo de superioridad y traten al cliente como en la epoca de la segregacion.......Ya estamos en contacto con nuestros abogados y hemos decidir demandar, es cosa de tiempo. Hay que darle una leccion civica a HEATHER en una corte penal.....HAY TESTIGOS SUFICIENTES.

Love the creative drinks. Service is also quite nice. Too bad their hours are very limited but then again, with Covid it's understandable why they wouldn't want to be open more hours at 25% capacity. Hope they stick around until this whole thing blows over.

This place is so nice. We went on a Wednesday night which happened to be trivia night, and it was such a chill and friendly atmosphere. The bartender and host were very friendly and the drinks were great!

I was looking for a place JUST LIKE THIS ONE !! The Artesia Bar was perfect in every way. Most importantly, the people were friendly and the service EXCELLENT! Thank you so much :)

Artesia Bar is a fun and safe space for people to drink, dance, sing and meet new friends. Heather is the most dope karaoke dj with a beautiful singing voice and every bartender is ready to serve you shots and cocktails all night long. 10/10 definitely recommend

I came to this bar with my boyfriend. The bartender wasn't that bad. She was friendly. Maybe some reviewers will disagree with me. We had a Blue Hawaii, a Moscow Mule, and other mixed drinks. My only criticism is that maybe you guys could study mixology or drinks a little more. The crowds started showing up around 2200 or so after happy hour. Everyone was in groups and talking. I honestly felt comfortable with my boyfriend at a bar. I for once have felt comfortable and secure going to clubs and bars after the Orlando incident. A police was parked across the street, so I felt more safe and comfortable. We played pool for a while. In the other part of Artesia Bar, there's a designated area for smoking. Overall, I had a good experience. They have a Pride Flag near the small stage. The DJ played some good music. I guess the music really depends on your taste. He played some 80s and 90s music. Some pop... Then, My boyfriend and I danced a little. We called it a night and headed home.

Really like the vibe of this place. There aren't many queer bars around me and this place is probably the closest to me. Parking is alright but I wouldn't imagine busy nights because there's just a small parking lot behind the building. The bar is pretty small actually, but the drinks, music, vibe, decor everything is great. Our bartender was Ray and she served us great drinks and made us feel pretty welcomed there. She's usually bar tending Wednesday nights not sure about other nights because I went on Wednesday which is, I think ladies night. Another bartender shout out for Meryl who also bartends Wednesday nights. She and Ray are lovely. There's a pool table, giant tvs, smoke areas this place is probably a great hang out zone, especially a safe space for my fellow queers. Definitely coming back to this little jewel in the city.

You know how the protagonists in sitcoms have a regular local spot where they hang out with their friends? This is definitely one of mine! It's small, intimate, and very friendly. On the occasions when I have come here alone, I have had no trouble making conversation with other patrons or the bartender on slower nights. I am a huge dork, so I love that they have trivia nights. Great spot to unwind after work!

Beach Cities gay bar with Happy Hour 'til 9.00 PM.. the usual friendly crowd.. big screen TVs on 3 walls, pool table plus enclosed patio near the bar. Late crowd. Located on the border of Manhattan Beach & Hermosa Beach at Green and Artesia, but technically it's in north Redondo.

Second birthday celebration here and again it did not disappoint! Thanks Nick for your help! You were awesome!

Good atmosphere, but would like cheaper drinks. Or are there happy hours or specials I'm not aware of?

Bar tenders definitely don't know what they're pouring. Sloppy bartenders are taking shots and fucking up orders. Don't know the difference between Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale, and the difference between beers like Sculpin or Goose IPA. They didn't have Ginger Ale so they gave us Ginger Beer with our bourbon expecting us not to know the difference... like, let a bitch know before you substitute something and maybe I wouldn't be writing this review. Asked for a Sculpin, but when we got it, didn't taste anything like it. We asked if this was really Sculpin, and dude was like, "I don't know, maybe, I just pulled it.." like really. Bad work ethic, bad customer service, not going back there again.. Oh and also the music was definitely, way to fucking loud and inconsistent.. and even though there was a smoking section/patio, the entire bar smelled like an ash tray. Negative stars if I could.

This place is what you would expect from a dive bar with a strip club vibe added to the mix. Drinks: I recommend sticking to beer. I tried ordering a cactus cooler, the "bartender" handed me a horrible concoction, definitely not a cactus cooler. On my bill he charged me for a sex on the beach. But the drink I received was not a cactus cooler or sex on the beach. It was just awful. Dancers: were dry humping on the pool table. I'm not complaining. It was entertaining. Music: Mostly hip hop with some salsa (on Wednesday). WAY too loud. Don't plan on having a conversation with anyone. Other note: crowd peeks at 10:30-11:30 then it gets dead real quick. I might come back if my friends insist.

It's so bad.. Is actually fun again. Wish Yelp would allow the upload of music or videos. If I would have brought my mom.. She would have had a blast. Advertised for Fridays is top 40th music, a DJ and boys night. It is.. Almost that is delivered.. 60s music, a disinterested bar tender, and a stale atmosphere created by weird patrons and a basically empty bar. Guess it's a hit and miss, as we had better luck before. 2 stars as they have happy hour until 9pm with 5 bucks for well drinks.

I am writing this email in response to a karaoke night with Heather. My group and I of about 10+ people were given a warning a few months ago regarding some issues of a song selection for karaoke. The song we selected was a very popular Latino song that is in Spanish, but we were not allowed to sing the song because it did not fit the ambience of the bar. Today when we revisited the bar after four hours of purchasing alcohol, paying for billiards, and doing karaoke a few members of my group were told that we were banned from this location due to previous incidents. Keep in mind that there was only one incident in which a group member of ours paid over $20 in tips to sing Spanish-based music, thus resulting in the response of Heather saying maybe you should choose a different song. When asked why we should choose a different song Heather responded that it was not the best choice, keep in mind that we did choose this song because it was an open karaoke night, and there are no limitations no restrictions to a choice of song. Today when we return thanking everyone had moved past the situation after several hours of purchases we were told these individuals in your group are not welcome however everyone else may stay but the two individuals in your groups must leave. My group and I did not respond nor did we provide any hesitation as we had just purchased additional drinks so we ask the bartender either we complete our drinks or your refund is for something that we have not touched. We were allowed to finish our drinks and required to vacate the area - we left the premises without any altercations, incidents, or complaints. Again the situation occurred because Heather notified us that Artesia bar is selective in terms of what songs they play given the demographics that they have as clients. This is extremely unprofessional, discriminatory, a form of harassment, and blatant disrespect towards individuals play requesting music in Spanish. I am extremely disappointed in Artesia Bar and its staff for allowing this type of culture, expectations, and atmosphere to be prevalent in the Southbay. I will no longer be visiting this location and I highly recommend individuals of diverse backgrounds to be cautious of Heather or any affiliated staff. We were not given an opportunity to discuss the situation but yet it resulted in the banning of our group entirely. As mentioned in the past these are incidents that happened and can be overcome their conversations, but Arteaga Bar chose to eliminate people of color from its space for choosing diversity in a karaoke situation which is meant to be fun for those that are clients. If anyone read said I hope you reconsider visiting this location or visiting any other night that Heather is not present. My group and I were discriminated against multiple times as of this point and we will be taking additional measures to ensure that Artesia bar treats all clients with dignity and respect.

I have been coming to this bar for almost 10 years and I keep coming back. With awesome new owners, and an incredible new look this is the place to be! The bartenders and KJ's bring it! The prices are right! This bar kicks ass! Oh yeah...don't forget to tip your bartender.

The bartenders are rude and thus, created a hostile and uninviting environment. After my friends and I entered, a female bartender asked for me and my two other friends IDs, which is perfectly natural. After going through one by one, she made uncalled nasty comments about how young we are (even though we were over 21), for us to be "cutting it close". Following this, another bartender asked for what drinks we wanted and my friends got theirs and I was just recovering from a form of liver cancer and wanting to catch up with them which is why I was there. Yet another snide nasty comment from the second bartender about how "well then you don't get a napkin". Okay, I'm deeply hurt. Racism made have played a big factor in the lack of proper decorum. Not a hello, not a how was your day, simply rude tiny remarks left and right with a lack of service of questions of if we wanted anything else. If this, and continuing stares and service negligence to the Asian (as we are Asian) customers are part of how you treat complete strangers, then impoliteness must be ingrained in the artesia bar. Also, as a gay bar I found it extremely odd that there were no rainbow flags or queer identifiers, almost as if they were in the closet once more.