Backstage Bar & Grill

What a great hidden gem! We caught happy hour and the prices and food were excellent! Cat was one of the BEST servers I've ever had. She's friendly and helpful and seems to really enjoy what she's doing. We were also there for karaoke. The line up was LONG so get there early. The singers were great and very entertaining. It seems like a small neighborhood bar but as an outsider, I felt welcome.

Classic dive bar near the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City. Long standing bar with history. There are stories of old Hollywood players coming in and wreaking some havoc. Supposedly the munchkins were known to raise hell in here after wrap. (Yes it’s been around that long) The food is a step above your typical bar food. The drinks and service are solid. Apparently it’s a superb karaoke bar.

GreAt local spot the bartenders make you feel like they known you for years great service and fun atmosphere a must for any karaoke lovers as well

If you are a lover of karaoke this is the place for you. The vibes are always on point and everyone is there to have a great time. A fun performance floor where singers and people dancing collide. Be sure to get there before 9pm as the list fills up quickly to be able to adorn the stage. Drinks are always good and staff is friendly. I've been to a many places for karaoke and this one is still my favorite.

Backstage Bar & Grill is the perfect mix of great food, good drinks, and a fun, laid-back atmosphere. The menu has plenty of tasty options — from juicy burgers to flavorful appetizers — all cooked just right. The drink selection is solid, and the bartenders know how to pour a perfect cocktail. Live music and entertainment give the place an extra spark, making it feel like the night is always young here. Whether you’re catching a show or just hanging out with friends, this spot delivers every time.

Servers were exceptionally well organized and efficient. In the chaotic, loud, fun space that is Backstage, the ladies who took and brought our orders were friendly, fast, and accurate. We had a great time and enjoyed the food, the singing, and the service. Delicious food. (My pics don't do the food justice!)

Great younger crowd. Awesome singers 🎤 . I highly recommend for a great time. KJ was great. No skips. The waitress always has a smile. Across the street is the Sony movie studios. Friendly crowd. Big shout out to all the staff. Security is at the door and prepare to show your ID. ENJOY 🎤

It's very dark and cold. The bartender was great and very nice. Their cocktails are a tad sweet, though this is coming from someone that doesn't like any sweetness in their cocktails. They will make custom drinks.

My birthday,just up here maybe 3 months,wanted try smthn besides pizza!! Great place,great workers/owner And by far ,very far ,the best prime rib sandwich I ever had,awsome

The breakfast burrito was TOP TIER!!! It came all by itself, but it was sooo good. My drink was good and the bartender who placed my order and made my drink had really good customer service. The wings...my friend said the wings were too small, but "hey." lol The music was great. I love karaoke!!! Great spot. Glad we came!

Stopped by on Friday, 06/28/25 to meet with my old coworkers - catching up!!! PARKING: Can be a bit tricky, so read the signs (street parking) AMBIANCE: Upon entering the place was extremely dark and dim, so it will take time for your eyes to adjust to the environment. A bit small but a great place to mingle and chat. FOOD AND DRINKS: We ordered drinks. I personally ordered 2 drinks: 1 Island Margarita and 1 Watermelon Margarita. We ordered appetizers and shared: - 1 backstage garlic fries - 1 guac and chips - 1 cheese quesadilla - 1 chicken skewers with thai peanut dipping sauce RESTROOMS: Only one stall for women.

I am a Seahawks fan. This is a Seahawks bar. I've been coming here for two years. Love it. Wished I lived closer. It's a football atmosphere. Food is what you'd expect from a bar. Not Michelin Star but not bad at all. I like it & have never had a bad experience w it. Service is great. They're All very attentive/ quick.

Great customer service!! The beer is very tasty. "Olivia was very welcoming. Would definitely come back to Backstage, liquid candy is a really good beer! Highly recommended it's my new favorite beer!

I went to my friend's bday here and it was so fun so i wanted to have mine here too. I emailed them twice and called them all for them to never get back to me about having a reservation. Rude! When i called them the woman i spoke to basically said the person who does the reservations are best reached from that email. I gave her my info over the phone and i asked if they would get back to me tonight since it was the day before my reservation was supposed to be and she said she "hopes so". I emailed them again just to make sure and included a number to reach me and still never heard back. I asked my friend how she got the reservation when it was her birthday and she said even though she emailed them 2 weeks prior to her birthday, they didn't confirm until the day of!

Went for a former coworker's retirement party. I thought it was going to be open bar, but for the price of the drinks it made sense she made guests buy their own drinks and food. The cocktail was about $14. Pretty strong drink, glad I only got one. I wasn't that interested in the food on the menu. Just looked like basic bar food. But the service was good and the ambience was great. Kind of dark, but work a giant tv screen for the sports junkies, which I am not. Honestly don't think I'll come back as I am not really a bar hopper.

Love this place! Great vibe! Solid drinks. Tasty food (get the nachos). Dark inside in a good way! Best of all, excellent service (Olivia rules!). Check this spot out if you dig classy dive bars w cool, chill atmosphere.

Short walk from all the shopping and restaurants near the culver steps. Nice spot to watch sports, grab drinks or some bar food. Have been here a few times and they have great bartenders. Go see Olivia! She's a gem! Portions are large enough to share and service is speedy.

Food is nasty but the karaoke was entertaining and fun. You need to experience "Da Dang" experience. The service was great Kat was very attentive. For fun definitely go but it before you come.

My office party was held here. It's dark, loud, and lovely! The bar food was definitely above and beyond expectations. Sliders, Sweet potato fries, and fabulous service made a great evening!

Ambiance: it's an old fashioned dive bar located in Culver City, very loud inside, full bar service and multiple TVs on every wall, good for group hangout and sports night Service: fast and friendly, patient with questions Food & Drink: variety choices for drinks and happy hour items BACKSTAGE SLIDERS BEEF, TURKEY OR CHICKEN BREAST - *** three sliders choice of beef, average LA WORKS "LUNAR KITTEN" IPA - **** recommend TARANTULA HILL "LIQUID CANDY" HAZY IPA - *** average Price: affordable prices and decent portions, expect about $15~$20 per person

This has a nice milwaukee/chicago bar feel where it's dark, intimate, and has a fun vibe. The staff were friendly and attentive. We didnt order drinks but we did order food and it was bomb bar food. I personally loved it. I would come back and get drinks.

This place has been around for decades!! I grew up in Culver city but haven't been in awhile. Dark dive bar feel with stiff drink prices & reasonable prices. Didn't get to try the food this time around,,,

Stopped in for some cheap drinks and eats after a hike at Kenneth Hahn park. A true local dive, located right across from Sony studios. When we entered the nondescript door, it was love at first sight. Dimly lit and soaked in red light, wood paneling, neon signs, bar stools and a photo booth. Fun retro vibes all around. The bartender working was friendly and personable. They offer beers, ciders, and cocktails. We enjoyed a beer, cider and happy hour mac and cheese and it all hit the spot. It wasn't busy since it was earlier in the afternoon but I know they can get busy during special events. Well loved for their karaoke nights. Street parking all around. Come check it out if you're looking for a dive bar that offers a good time!

The food was horrible !!! I had a veggie plate and asked for no broccoli. I was told it would cost extra for celery!! Then I got wings that were that were unrecognizable! 2 people can barely sit at a table to enjoy the atmosphere. This place will not be on the return list!!!!

who doesn't love karaoke!!! i came with my bestfriend and we KARAOKED the night away. also the photobooth is so cute! we took so many pics since it's a vintage film booth. the drinks were delicious and strong enough to keep me buzzed through the night. i would come again for sure!

Mostly good. My husband and I were in California for just the weekend and we wanted to hit up karaoke. One of the locals recommended it. It's a popular place! That means parking in the lot OR on the street on a Saturday night was impossible. A wasted drive; we returned to the hotel. We went back again on Sunday night. Still full parking lot! This time we found something semi legal on the street, though. The bar is nice, and I had some delicious mac and cheese! We waited excitedly for karaoke. The bartender/server told me we could come up for karaoke slips when we buy our drinks. Yup, you earn slips by drinking! Controlled substances, those! Ironically, I don't drink alcohol so I had to convince them to give me slips anyway since I had bought food and some cran/soda/lime. He obliged. It was a relatively quiet night, so we were allowed more slips and we sang four times. The patrons were wonderful. A guy named Evan sang Rooster by Alice In Chains and I had to praise him for doing it justice, and tell him I was in town from Seattle. He perked up! What ensued between him and his friends was a Seattle Alt Rock themed night. It was great fun. Giving four stars because I think making people drink to get a slip is kinda weird and encourages overdrinking. The parking situation sucks, but they can't control that. Thanks, Evan and everyone there!

This place is so fun! Great choice of food, drinks and songs to karaoke too. Plenty of metered parking and easy to get to. Highly recommend to let loose and have a good time.

I went in for a quick Karaoke stint and was amazed how great this place is. I had ordered some Chicken Nachos and was entertained by all the Music talent of the people dining karaoke. Nice sized bar and plenty of seating. Friendly Bartenders and attentive Servers made it easy to order food and drinks. Even the Bouncers and doormen security were very friendly. If you need parking , there are a few spots down the street and easy walking distance. Other than being an "Seahawks nest" during Football season, it is an ideal place to catch a Game or belt out some tunes via karaoke.

We had a great experience with our bartender Ava! She made our time fun and poured great drinks. We will be back!

This bar located right across the street from Sony Studios was awesome! Great happy hour, and chill vibe. I didn't do the popular karaoke, but plan to come back! We got the tacos, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and chicken fingers with fries. Total bar food, but good nonetheless. Drinks were strong, but delicious! Great place to hang out. Quiet mid-week, but probably pretty busy come the weekend. Enjoy!

Backstage Bar & Grill is the place to catch all Seahawks games. They have an awesome DJ on game day and give out free halftime Seahawks shots. This place always has a good vibe and great service. There is no cover charge and they have a great happy hour 7 days a week from 4pm-8pm. The Backstage also has a great Karaoke and takes party reservations. You can always find parking on Culver Blvd. Don't park on the residential streets, they're all permit parking only. The bar is directly across from Sony Studios. Go Hawks!!!

Ben, Claire, Kevin, Ava & every part of the amazing staff @ Backstage made turning 50 such a fun & special milestone for me & 70 of my guests from start to finish! A 5 star experience for sure!!!! Thank you all!!! 1/2 A Century Carla

Omggg my dream karaoke spot. Kind bartenders. People dance and sing along. Will be bringing ALL the girls someday

I haven't been back since the security and bouncers were watching my friend like a hawk. She had a little too much to drink and if they even halfway think that you're too tipsy then they will start harassing you until you leave.

The best bar ever! Food is amazing and the service is above average. Ambiance is nice as well and everyone is friendly. Definitely my new favorite and will be returning.

The Barton is they are awesome. I remember everything they know what you like. They do a good poor and the food is better than it needs to be for a bar.

This is my favorite happy hour spot in LA. Great food and drinks and servers is pretty good. I've been please every time I've have been. Would recommend it to new Locals and visiting friends.

Service was great, food good I ordered a Long Island and it was nice and strong not stingy on the booze

I'm biased. I was introduced to this beautiful bar over a decade ago when I worked at a nearby theater. I returned while in town for business and I'm so glad I did. A welcoming, comfortable place to have a drink, eat some of the best bar food on the planet (seriously: I only made the last trip to have their Mac and cheese again before I die), maybe watch a game, maybe hear the tech crew from the Kirk Douglas complain about the touring group they're dealing with. It's a great bar. One of my favorites. Laid back, no attitude, and the food and drink do their jobs.

Amazing!!! Was able to host a holiday party here for 25 people on a weekday night (not their regular karaoke Thursday - Saturday). Hired the karaoke Dj for the random weekday. (It costed a fee, 2 hrs for $150). They gave wristbands so they would know who was apart of our party, as well as provided drink tickets. The drink tickets allowed us to set drink limits on the amount ordered and the tab. Ben the owner was very communicative. Cindy our hostess was super sweet and cute. The FOOD is the best bar food I ever ate. Here's my rating on each item: Beef sliders came in 3 in a platter (a little bigger than the size of your palm. The best!! Still craving it now . 5/5 stars) Chicken sliders came in 3 in a platter (4/5 it was a bit chewy texture) Chicken skewers came in 5 on a platter (the best!! So flavorful, 6/5 stars) Chicken tacos came in 3 in a platter (4/5 cause I just don't like chicken tacos but my coworkers liked them) Beef tacos (5/5, would definitely come on a taco Tuesday night) Fries - can't go wrong with some fries Drinks are affordable. I tried the cucumber gimlet - it was a very refreshingly delicious drink. Parking on Culver City Blvd. I would highly recommend having your party here or just coming here on a date night. Debating to come back very soon to try their buffalo cauliflower wings.

Nice neighborhood spot. Good food. Great service. Generally ambient noise is not too much.

What a full circle to come back and echo what I experienced nearly 3 years ago, except with my own bachelorette party. I hadn't gotten to return to Backstage since writing my previous review and Ben still honored complimentary drinks he gifted to me all those years ago. He worked diligently with me via email and phone to ensure we had the best spots at the bar, all TWELVE of us, right next to the dancefloor/karaoke. Our waitress was Claire and she was fantastic. So incredibly attentive, patient, enthusiastic, courteous! A very special thank you to Claire. This place has it all in terms of excellent staffing--from the DJ to the security guards, everyone was vibing, welcoming, professional, and having a great time. Someone from the staff even came out with a polaroid and took an adorable photo of us gals. The photo frame was even pink, and the photo had the Backstage logo on it! Backstage is thoughtful in so many ways, and you can telll they go above and beyond to make their patrons feel welcomed and celebrated! And of course, the food and drinks are always phenomenal. Thank you Ben and Backstage, yet again! I look forward to whatever the next gathering here will be! :-)

I don't know what the fuck happened here, but security was fucking nuts tonight. Flashlights and yelling at people to make lanes... been coming here for years. It's an amazing karaoke bar. Not one but two guards yelled at people multiple times and went nuclear on us for "stepping into walkways". I worked in facilities for years and am a big safety nerd. This was fucking weird and made us feel so uncomfortable. Yelled at my 60 year old MIL and then threatened to remove our friend for stepping into "a lane" after they spoke to him. It's a crowded dive bar... when I walked in I had to sandwich between people. I can only assume they got written up for something. It was like a police state crazy. Maybe we make the commute to Gaslite.

This place is such a vibe love it here and the karaoke is a whole vibe it's a good getaway when you need something to do on the weekend.

If you ever want to see a dorky human (me) singing & dancing her heart out to Nickelback, come during karaoke nights and witness the feat. But seriously, LOVE this place. The servers are so amazing, the drinks are strong and the vibes are IMMACULATE. See you next week, Backstage!

Celebrated a friend's birthday here last night and we all enjoyed ourselves. The sliders, Irish poppers, garlic fries, carne asada fries, nachos, and wings were delicious! The drinks are reasonably priced and I loved the Karaoke. I didn't get my waitresses name but she was on top of things, she had long brown hair in a ponytail and wore glasses. She's was great!

I'm a sucker for a good dive bar and this place checks a lot of the boxes! The happy hour pricing for food is great (4-8 nightly, 7 days a week) and is the exact dive-quality fare I'm looking for. Greasy sliders, crispy jalapeño poppers, delicious chicken tenders, etc. This place isn't for gourmet night, this is where you come to pound beer and devour finger foods that you will regret tomorrow morning. The bartenders are always really nice even though you have to fight for their attention to order sometimes. The bouncers kinda sit there and grumpily ignore you. Someone might spill a beer on the counter screaming at a sports game while you're there. These all add stars to my rating in a lousy sports bar! If you are not a Seattle Seahawks fan I recommend not coming here during a game as it gets crowded. I also can't hold a tune if my life depended on it so karaoke nights are a no for me, but I still dig this place. If you like bars that lack some shine, this is a solid spot to visit.

Amazing place to hang out with friends. Ava provides great service and takes care of her customers. 10/10.

Yessss! Found a new place with good vibes, drinks and food. Came for karaoke night and I have to say its been one of the best nights ever. It was a whole vibe 10 out of 10.

Fun Times! Hung out with some friends on the 4th of July. I enjoyed the good vibes! Food was Good! Drinks were Great! Thanks Backstage for a Fun 4th! Keep the positive vibes flowing! Butterfly

This review is way overdue. I've frequented this bar many times. The karaoke here is so fun. The energy is positive. The crowd is always so supportive & encouraging. The food is pretty decent also. I have very good memories here. Lots of funny videos to laugh and reminisce about.

I use to come here all the time, when i worked in the area.. the food is really good and drinks are strong.. Its a nice date night or to chill..

I love The Backstage Bar (if you can't tell by my previous reviews and several check-ins, lol). I've been coming here for about 12 years and it's my favorite hangout in Los Angeles. It's a dive bar in the best way possible. Cheap GOOD drinks, great bar food (grilled cheese supreme FTW!) and the best staff you can ask for! I've always been a regular here but since they reopened after the pandemic closure I've been coming mostly every karaoke night (Thurs-Sat). It's my "Cheers" bar and honestly the one place that brings me joy these days. I have turned so many friends on to this place and the feeling is always mutual! KJ Shane (karaoke DJ) is so good at what he does. I really respect him and how he implements rules so that karaoke is fair and fun. The karaoke selection is great! I love the new app and how many more songs they have available. The waitresses and security are great, especially Blaize and Shaun. They make me feel at home and I'm always taken care of. The best part is that you can reserve your party for free and they even give you party shots. I've had my birthday here every year for at least the last decade and Backstage does not disappoint. And of course a huge shout out to the owner Ben for keeping this bar the gem that it is!

1. Fire tacos, excellent drinks, killer happy hour 2. Super cute security guard/bouncer(?) helped me find & retrieve an earring that got stuck behind a booth 10/10. thank you going above and beyond for a little earring with huge sentimental value

Man. This is such a hidden gem. We came for karaoke and Ava took such good care of us. She was such a delight she suggested the garlic fries. Kept us laughing and made the experience and environment one of a kind. AVA thank you for taking care of me and my friends. The gin Martins was great matched a perfect bar!

The BEST bar on the westside-hands down!. IYKYK. It is the locals "Cheers" where they definitely know your name. The food here is amazing - all of it! Karaoke is the best (Thurs-Sat). All the bartenders are great but you must come here to see RUBY on Sundays during trivia and Monday nights. Ruby is friendly, super attentive and makes the best drinks - especially their lavender martini! She's the best!

Great dive bar with good people. Karaoke is very very good. The local singers will make you think twice about going up there if you aren't very good.