Grand Star Jazz Club

First time there for Club Disintegration. Great DJ, fine space, drinks a little expensive for what you get but that's LA for you. I typically go to Bar Sinister for my goth club needs but not everyone is down for that spot for various reasons so if you want goth music but somewhat more...low key...just go here.

This place is so much fun. They have different events and DJs. I usually go every third Saturday of the month to 80s night upstairs. DJ filthy Rich runs members only and it's a blast. If you want to get your dance on this is the place. Full bar upstairs and downstairs.

I haven't been often but when I go, I go to Boombox. It's a great venue. It's modest in proportions across it's two floors but it's intimate. If you want to go and experience music, people and culture; I can think of no place better. Highly recommended.

Divey throwback club with lots of 80s music, mood lighting and spacious ambience. Not too many places to sit but plenty to learn. There is a bar area right at the main entrance and another upstairs they open later in the evening. It's a 10 minimum for card and you'd have to close out down stairs to move your tab upstairs or vice versa. Drinks at great though small and served in disposable plastic cups. Bathrooms are nice a enough and the music is fire. Not sure if there is always a cover but definitely for holiday weekends for sure.

It's really an institution to me. They play throwbacks here and it feels like a high school dance. The drinks are cheap and weak but it's not a bad place to pre party. Lots of great memories and a solid venue for event space.

Pretty cool. Prices of drinks are a bit high but are made well. The bartenders are good . I will definitely be back

A first Saturday hip hop classics type night, it was just what I needed. Excellent music both upstairs and down. As a solo lady I had a lovely time, people were kind and no creeps. From MF DOOM to K Dot and so much more. Really needed to come across a place like this, that reminds me of a house party vibe. Chill, no pretense. Plus that Bruce Lee statue visible thru the upstairs windows is pretty cool, Chinese lanterns and all - the place is cinematic.

Little hole in the wall place, nothing fancy. Over-priced drinks. Bouncers with attitudes. Events are always empty

This place had good drinks and has plenty of room to dance around. For the event we went to, they opened the outside to enjoy your drinks and listen to the music around the area. Drinks were a bit small and pricey but we liked it enough to come back.

The bouncer assaulted the guy I was with here last night, Friday September 3. We tried exiting with our plastic cups in hand, and apparently that's not allowed, so the bouncer punched my guy's drink out of his hand so it went flying and then pushed him. It would've escalated if I hadn't intervened and pulled him away. I was legitimately frightened. Never coming here again. All that aside, the bar itself was super underwhelming. Cramped space, and no one in the crowd could dance. The drinks are served in tiny plastic cups you can't take outside, and isn't that the point of making them disposable anyway?

The Grand Star Jazz Club is in the Chinatown Center Plaza... not far from General Lee's. It sits near the Broadway side of the plaza and is not as easy as spot as one would hope... especially at night... I haven't been here very much...but I do enjoy the vibe, the layout and the space... There is a bar area right when you walk in that is usually pretty fast for service... however when the upstairs loft area (huge) opens up.. the second bar up here and the dance floor are life... they play deccent music (slightly better in the loft)... nothing too extreme or obsecure which is a little bittersweet especially as they have various themes nights and/or weekends... maybe some djs are more eclectic than others. Almost always with a cover of $5 and up.... depending on the night. The drinks are solid... not heavy on the pours but not too water downed for cocktails... beer is pretty fair and some variety offered... you'll definitely get your money's worth in cocktails if you find the right bartenders... all fairly personable.... Some bars in LA allow you to wander about and transfer your tab from up stairs to down but some don't and Grand Star is no exception... you'll have to close out if you move between the two or simply use cash. While there aren't too many places to lounge between DJ beats... there is plenty of space to lean /stand. Weekends are definitely the best days... mainly Friday and Saturday. I haven't been here for karaoke yet... but will definitely check it out and give this spot more of a chance... Bathrooms both upstairs and down... upstairs is very upkept... I'm still not sure to this day... why GSJC is classified or known as the Grand Star "Jazz Club"... guessing something to do with the history rather than the atmosphere... the complete opposite of something out of LA LA land's Jazz Club.

The grand star jazz club is an awesome little venue. It is very much a hole in the wall local spot. I was here for the more recent16th annual J Dilla celebration of life event. There was a nice , chill crowd there. Most of us in attendance were a bit older and appreciated the music and were not there to get into any brawls or start anything crazy There is no real patio area. The only patio area is the small sliver of space just outside in front of the venue. It is partitioned off. There is an upstairs. That is where most of us were gathered to watch a few of the big head liner DJ's & emcees do their thing. it is always great to see the beat junkies in attendance. The bar is an awesome place to start when you get there. The bar is small, but they are heavy pourers. Two margaritas in and you might be a little bit more than just tipsy. Parking is available on the street. There is a small lot adjacent to the venue. Although, I don't know what the restrictions might be, or if there is a cost involved. The area is patrolled by city security periodically. They will actually escort you to your car if you feel the need to have company.

Been coming here for years now. The staff are really nice and have a mellow vibe. The drinks are strong but not over done. The place is clean and roomy. Bathrooms are clean and always well stocked.

Jazz Club aye? The funny thing is I think the door monitor randomly calls out the cover charges. A couple of my friends who went inside probably ten minutes earlier paid $5 per person. When I got there, she was asking for $10... wtf. I don't believe in paying cover charges anymore because the drinks are expensive enough, in addition to tipping. There are plenty of places in Los Angeles that's nicer and hipper to go, and it's free cover. Anyhow, I wasn't planning to stay there. My friends were already inside, and the door monitor was nice enough to let me walk inside to find them. I promised her if I stayed, I will come back out to pay, and that another friend of mine was outside waiting. So guess what? My friends and I decided to stay for some drinks. I went back to the front entrance to pay the cover for myself and my other friend. I found out the cover was only $5.00 from my friends inside. Now, that got me thinking. I asked the door monitor why she was charging me $10.00 when my other friends got in for $5.00?! She had nothing to say except to charge me $5.00. The moral of this review is about good business practices, and being honest to customers. It's not about the $10.00 she was attempting to charge me, but rather being modest and not trying to pocket an extra $5.00. I wasn't too happy about that. Now to the drinks. It was $9.00 for a small plastic cup of whatever Vodka they had available with a club soda mixed in it. Not worthwhile for me again. With ice, the drink was no more than eight ounces. I asked the bartender what kinda Vodka he uses. He hesitantly showed me the bottle quickly giving me a puzzled look while he was doing it. I still don't know what kind of vodka they use. To avoid mishap I nodded an okay. The reason I asked is because I'm quite picky on my whiskeys and vodkas (liquors). The not so good brand hard stuff will give me a headache in the morning after I wake up. I don't know if you want to call it a hangover? Lol. So that was what that exactly happened in the morning! Grand Star Jazz Club is more of a hip-hop bar with a small dancefloor. The time I was there, nobody step foot on there, and the bar was never packed. The hip-hop stuff is okay for me personally, but it's not really my style or choice of music anymore. Sorry. We got a lot of stares from others as we walked in. I don't know if it was a friendly look, or fighting glare. Lol. This reminds me of the movies. Anyhow, my experience at Jazz Club wasn't pleasant. Somebody trying to rip me off at the door is not cool. The bartender being grumpy (if he was) is not cool either. The music was okay. Just a bit on the ghetto side.

LADEAD regularly hosts events at this location. I've been here many times over the years. The venue is mediocre at best -- don't let them fool you about the "smoking patio". It's just a fenced off strip outside the club entrance. It doesn't feel integrated and certainly isn't comfortable. Self-important promoter DJ Xian creates a hostile and exclusionary environment.

This little hole in the wall club is located in Chinatown at China Central Plaza. This place use to be a restaurant back in the 40's but has been converted to a nightclub. The vibe of this place was fun and lively because of the dj and the people. This place does need a lot of work by way of decor. They have a small patio for smoking and conversation. Their is two bartenders and the older Asian is knowledgeable and made decent drinks but the price is a little on the expensive side for the cup size given. The dj's were spinning the cuts. People dancing and vibing off the music. Wish this place would do a little updating and it will attract more people into this place.

I use to come here for LADEAD events, but the vibe here has stagnated. It is now a painfully boring scene with mediocre music and an extremely pretentious DJ.

I just found this underground bar/club. I like that it is off the beat and path. DJ plays some popular 80's song and some some underground stuff I forgot about. Great vibe because everyone was there to dance. Will definitely return even though I live somewhat far away!!

Parking: Chinatown streets Jazz Club: I came here late at night on a Saturday with some friends. There was a $5 cover charge, cash only. The inside was dinky, sat at the bar and it says $10 for credit card, but I ordered one drink that was $7 but the bartender allowed me to use my card, which is great. They had this goth night, which was VERY interesting. Music was good, closed down the club. I would come again with my friends. It was very chill.

if you're gen z don't bother lmao. hella old heads, vibey music but depressing atmosphere. stinky

Love Grand Star Jazz Club, I think it's such an underrated little spot in LA -- the drinks can be a bit on the weak side, I usually order a Jameson and Ginger Ale, and it seems pretty watered down. I do love the upstairs and downstairs dance floor areas and plenty of seating and lounging. Great Sundays with Therapy crew!!! and love the Boombox events when they come to GSJC!!!

The venue itself is fine, a little run down, but in a club atmosphere, that never matters. Two levels for dancing, the upstairs has plenty of room. The lighting and speakers could be improved, but again, nothing to complain about. I was inspired to review this place, because I've visited twice now, and am extremely disappointed in the way the bar staff responded to my confusion about their crap policy. Apparently, the patrons are not allowed to be served cups of ice water. If you want to hydrate yourself while dancing and drinking... you must pay for that privilege. I find this ludicrous. When pressed, (in a non confrontational manner I might add) their response was to become rude and sarcastic. There's no reason to treat patrons like this, (even if they may or may not be idiots)... because then they go on yelp to write you a negative review, and you lose business. I hope your ice and water stays safe GSDC.

Bad! Dirty and very bad service. My husband came here and forgot his sweater. He called the same night and they said its there, we asked if they can keep it for us to pick it up. I came by the next day and they didn't have it!

If you are a first timer at this bar, save your money and go else where. My first time here my gf and I were all vibes with the dj minding our own business until a couple sitting down at a table told us we need to leave, because we bumped "their" table. When I asked the guy what's wrong, he physically got angry and pushed me. I've been in some bar fights but this left me really confused..the dude wasn't worth a shit and obviously was a regular. I went and told the "security" that a customer physically put there hands on me and they should ask him to leave... They pretended that they gave a shit and did nothing to remove a potential dangerous customer from their establishment. We ended up leaving. Drinks were shit, service was shit, safety was shit, DJ was great. It came across as a bar that wants to be better than it is. It's really a dressed up turd that looks hip and edgy. F+ ..There are a lot better clubs in LA than this.

Stopped in for a quick cocktail before dinner at Starry Kitchen (popping up in their kitchen before the club starts rocking.) Bartender Gary sure did take care of me, serving up a super drink (Lapu Lapu) topped off with 150 proof rum. It was gigantic and delicious. Thank you, Gary! Atmosphere? Kept thinking I was on the set of American Hustle.

My boyfriend and I visited this place today to grab a quick libation...$14.00 for two small canned Modelo beers? Never coming here again!! Geez!!

With the name The Grand Star Jazz Club, one would think that they play nothing but jazz. Well, maybe because I have yet to come on a night where they actually do play jazz, this place is quickly becoming one of my fave joints to get my swerve on! Located right in Chinatown, the Grand Star Jazz Club has that vintage look and feel inside. The dance floor has lights lit up underneath, giving it that 1970's vibe! Usually, I come here whenever they have an 80's/dark wave/ goth night, since I am a fan of the genres. They also do have other shows here as well. Cover charge can depend on the night and the event that is being held. Usually on Friday nights, they will charge $5. They do have an upstairs area that I have never been to, as well as a small smoking patio right outside the entrance. Drinks are on point, but can vary in price as well. Inside, the dance floor is roomy and well, you cant miss its lighted floor! Given the feel of the place(vintage) I say that this place will continue to stand the test of time! And I will be back...especially during 80's/goth nights!

I have had nothing but great times at this hole in the wall bar. I've been to their 50's dance party and their alternative night both times I was I enjoyed myself. The door monitor actually took the time to have a small conversation with us to make us feel more comfortable when it was our first time there as apposed to other places in LA where they don't even greet you and just ask for the cover charge. Inside is a pretty decent size for a bar you have a dance floor and some seating towards the back. There is a small parking lot just in front of the bar but does fill up fast especially when there is an event. I really liked the fact that everyone participates when it comes to dancing and no one is judgemental everyone just tries to have a good time which is what it's all about. To me the drinks tasted like any other alcoholic drink nothing to special and they get the job done. It is cash only but they have an ATM located inside. Overall if you've never been and want to try something new I would suggest you try it out, I did and it has become my new favorite place. LGBTQ friendly.

Had an awesome time last night, great music! Cheap drinks and the people aren't stuck up. Parking in chinatown is bad but other than that I recommend it

This place? Had a light up floor and possibly Karaoke- but their rent must be too high so they make you pay $11 for a well Vodka Martini. I also saw two people come in and order beers and the bartender didn't even pour well- the foam top was ridiculous. I don't know if they were up-selling because of the Lunar New Year parade I had attended minutes before walking into this place, either way they lost my patronage. I gave it 2 stars because, light up floor guys. So make sure to preparty before going into this place or you'll leave broke. I tip for cheap/reasonably priced drinks and smiles. I got neither.

There are different nights here depending on what weekend you go. Friday nights always seem to be 80's/British pop night. Saturdays can range from HIPHOP, Goth, French and some pop nights. So be sure to check the calendar on the website before you come by. Most of the nights do have a cover charge! Well drinks are around $9 and go up from there. Beers are $7 with 7-8 to choose from but nothing on tap. The bartenders are fast and ready to do their jobs... Know what you want when you get to the bar and don't make them wait for you. It seems to slow them down a lot. Overall good place to chill and have a drink.

This place has been run by the same family for YEARS. It's one of those last OG places that has been simply untouched by the rapid gentrification of LA. Drinks are solid, service is always incredible, and prices are amazing. There has been a variety of parties that have been thrown here, and I've experienced some of the most memorable nights filled with tasteful music and a good time. Depending on the night you go, the music can be really dope. Hip Hop die hards, every 1st Saturday of the month is Boombox. Legends like Ali Shaheed, Lord Finesse, The BeatJunkies, and Mixmaster Mike to name a few. Now, if you're looking for some bougie experience where the drinks are $12+ up for a cocktail, served by hipsters, or the bathrooms have an attendant handing you candy and hairspray for tips, girls in tight dresses and high heels, with thirsty dudes trying take a chick home, this is not the place. The Grandstar is authentic as it gets. A super chill dive bar with good music and non pretentious drinks served in plastic cups and beer in a can. This place has history, respect it, see it for yourself.

An all ladies lineup with DJ's Kristie Lomax & Dj Kerry. Two of Los Angeles's hottest female dj's. I was wearing fragile shoes that I didn't want ruined and planned on not dancing. Andrius, a 'wallflower'? What a joke. Those two ladies wouldn't let me sit down or stand against a wall for more than 5 minutes. I danced until I was completely wet. I even second guessed myself a few times to make sure I didn't smell. The party is called Spirit. Its every second Saturday. Don't be confused and go to the first level. Spirit is up that flight of stairs to the left of the main entrance. Full bar and plenty of room to dance. There are even tables for all you cool people who think they're too cute to dance. There is free fruit if you have cottonmouth or cant afford water. Dig in.

I love hanging at a good dive bar every now and then, but this place is one crack-in-the-wall away from being a crumbled concrete coffin. The 1st floor isn't too bad, but the 2nd floor looks soo run down and reeks of urine. This place definitely fits every possilbe meaning of "hole-in-the wall." The music was pretty cool, but that's the only thing I liked about the place.

Firecracker lit up my night... About two weeks ago on a Friday night, friends asked me to join them here. It's the night club above Grand Star Jazz Club. There is a bar and music downstairs, but upstairs was a great Hip Hop and Old School DJ... No line, $10 cover, except I got there about 12:30 and they did not charge me. I could wear jeans and my tennis shoes and danced my butt off for about an hour and half straight. Drinks were good. Crowd was cool and laid back. Music was AMAZING! I found easy street parking after the meters stopped. I will be back.

Pretty cool place. Came here on a thursday for the bi weekly Club Reflex, 80's club. Free before 1030pm, and 5 bucks after. The day i came was for a Morrissey tribute. So all things morrissey. The music was actually pretty good. Beers, mind you most were in a can, were $3 bucks, and drinks $6. Not bad. They only had the first floor open the day i went, but it was enough. Pretty open space, good dance floor.

I was excited to try out a downtown dance spot on a happening Saturday night. Located in the main drag of Chinatown, it's tucked away from the street in the plaza. $5 cover to get in. Really? Not sure why. There was a DJ spinning 80's new wave and British pop music. I could understand a cover for a band, but not for a DJ. I tried an old fashioned, which was awful, and a vodka soda. That was gross too. Was super weak and they used 7-Up or Sprite, which was gross. I decided against ordering additional beverages. The music was alright, it was some weird kind of 80's mix. The patrons are equally mixed. Hipsters, goth, preppy, etc. I couldn't really get into the music and the drinks were REALLY bad. Like so bad I decided against driving them. They come served in plastic Dixie cups so that says plenty about the quality. I just didn't like it here. It felt too much like I was at a random house party in someone's basement that the cops would break up at any time.

Based on the reviews on Yelp, I thought this would be a cool place to take my friends dancing. I don't go to clubs, only bars and lounges, but my husband had been here a few years ago and said it was good. I like Chinatown and they have a few cool bars close by, but, unfortunately, this is not one of them. For some reason there was a cover for a DJ that was playing and even though we paid to get in, we left like 15 minutes later. It's definitely a no-frills club, it's basically an empty room with a bunch of people standing around. There was no dancing going on and the music was just ok. The only reason I gave them two-stars and not one-star was because their drinks were pretty cheap. It was happy hour until 11pm so shots were $5. Overall, there are so many better places to go on a Saturday night.

The Underground Dance thing on Friday nights originally got great stars from us after a "first night" impression. Then, we continued to go. We first noticed they played the same songs repeatedly. We started to make jokes about how often they played particular songs. Then, they changed the price to $12. For a dive-y bar kind of spot with no real "scene" appeal and some very run of the mill music from the 80s, etc, it is not worth $12. So they lost three more regulars unfortunately :(

Good music but they charge $3 for water. Never experienced that in any bar before. Total joke.

Non pretentious crowd looking to dance and revel with 80s and new wave laid back but fun energetic atmosphere well priced drinks no frills just prepare to have a good time

I went about month a go with my friend.I expect 80's or just something new from my usual Hip Hop & Spanish music so I gave this place a try. Well there was only a total of 15 people there. It was dead you can find more action in a cemetery that night. You may ask yourself " Why the 4 stars Vik? " i'll get to that in just a minute. My friend had not drank in a while so I bought her a couple of drinks 7 drinks to be exact but who's counting. I don't remember how much they charge for the entrance, I apologize. By the way I didn't drink just water. I was dancing with my friend for a bit then I stop & let her do her thing. She was a little too happy so I need to be alert. She was tooooo happy so I got her close too me put my hand around her small waist & kissed her. That's the only way I could make her be silent for just a minute. She didn't complain :) The bartender was pretty cool he explain why it was dead. They hire some new DJ's promoters promise bringing people at the end they didnt' show up. The parking is $10 is right in front of the place. Grand Star has 2 rooms one downstairs & upstairs. The bottom room is the main one that is usually open. Grand Star is located in China Town there's a Bruce Lee statue next to it. I don't know the area so no Surroundings today. The reason I gave this place 4 stars is ( Drum Roll Please ) It has potential from what I heard. I like the Vibe regardless being empty. The bartender convince me & in to giving this place a second chance.

I've been to this place two times now. For their Britpop and French pop nights. I discovered this place from a group on Facebook. I love coming here. The crowd is great, lots of good energy. Everyone is really free to be in their own little world and party how they choose to. The bartenders have been friendly as well both times I've stopped by. The parking attendant is friendly as well. I had passed by this place so many times throughout my time of living in LA (my whole life) and never thought people actually partied in there on the weekends xD I love this place, definitely recommend you stop by for any of the events they hold here.

We (2 people) RSVPed but the woman at the door still asked us to pay $15 each. Advertised as $10. Not so much Britpop to start with. The DJ downstairs are better. The one upstairs (Diana M., according to their site) wasn't that good. Weird cuz it says she's from Tempest, which was a decent weekly British club night years ago. There's better air circulation upstairs but the music was bleh. There're broken glasses and spills on every table and chair. Don't expect any intermittent clean-up.

I came here with friends a few years back for Boombox and had a great time, so was looking forward to seeing the 11 year anniversary event here again. We grabbed a seat upstairs on the bench against the wall in the back of the club, but it started to get really busy and people were practically standing on top of us. We stood up on the bench to prevent being swallowed up by the crowd and I was startled to feel a pinch and tight grip on my arm pulling me down. I looked to see a large security person telling us to sit (which we did), but the rest of the night I was a bit put off because the guard was way too aggressive. I understand he was doing his job, but considering I'm a tiny 110 lb. woman it was not necessary to grab my arm and yank me. A simple flashlight and motion request for me to sit would have more appropriate, and not caused the bruises I had the next day.

Dirty, smelly, they have fruit flies , roaches and drain flies in the restrooms!! I was there last Saturday for JDilla tribute, I walk in and walk out. Never again!!

No gimmicks no fluff, just a chill place to hear some beats. When I went, DJ spun real vinyl, none of that apple mac crap which was nice to see. Some dancing was done, but if you're looking to get your grind on and do the typical LA party, this place isn't for you. cheap drinks, cheap entrance and good times here

I've been coming to this place for years. Every Friday night, the Grand Star hosts Club Underground, an indie/new wave dance night with the raddest djs and "cutest crowd." It's literally my second home and is always a blast. The drinks are reasonably priced compared to most LA bars, and the whole stuff is super chill. The Grand Star also hosts a lot of cool indie/retro/goth/salsa/jazz dance nights throughout the week, so there's always something fun going on here! 5 stars for the Grand Star! Woo!

Clubs are not really my thing. I'm just not a big fan of clubbing. This place is an exception. Coming from a big fan of 80s, goth, new wave, post-punk scene, etc. I was very surprised to find myself having a good time. I really enjoy the music. Interesting people in a sorta remote location within Chinatown on a Friday night. You can park on the street. It's a chill place to vent by getting groovy. RSVP via Facebook to keep your wallet as chubby as possible. You end up paying $5 this way instead of $8. Check out Hop Woo restaurant after since they close late and is walking distant convenient.

Bartender SUCKS. Imagine walking into a bar, sitting down, and not being attended to for 10 minutes..then finally when the bartender creepishly walks up to you he stares at you for two minutes in silence.. then asks you and your girlfriend "you want a drink?".. My girlfriend asked if we could get a drinks menu and he reached behind the counter and handed her a one page laminated sweet rum drinks menu with sticky juice and old food. Then walks away. What was once a dream to visit "Starry Crab" soon turned into a nightmare when we realized the poor quality of customer service. Although we enjoyed our food we were so uncomfortable and disgraced with the bartenders lack of awareness that we left immediately after eating. The employees of Starry said that they were in their last days at the Jazz Cafe....maybe it's good, until they can find a more promising host.

There is so much to say about this place. So many drunken nights here. I have only gone on Thursdays for "Club Transistor". Drinks are at the right prices. And before midnight they got cranberry/vodka for 2 bux. I can wasted off of those. The music selection is brit pop/60's - 70's/soul/indie kinda vibe. You'll here everything from Beatles to Arcade Fire. The crowd is very hipsterish most of the times. But there are all the nice ones and not the snobby kinds. The guy with glasses and cool hat with his camera who's always there is the life of the party outside. Oh yea be aware when your smoking outside, there is a white dude dressed as a ninja outside all the time. He's a little weird and he may be homeless. I do take off one star because the crowd does get repetitive. You see the same regulars there all the time. Overall, it truly is a great place to go to before the weekend comes. Guarantee good time there always.

The best place to dance in Chinatown! A lil divey and gritty, but that's part of what makes this place so cool. I love coming here to dance, dance, dance, have a few drinks that aren't overpriced ala Hollywood and to take metro home which is just across the street. Tony and his crew give this place a comfortable vibe where everyone is welcome, no matter your race, creed, age, or whatever, you're always welcome. Wear what you like, we're here to dance and have a great time! My go to dance spot in LA.

There are a few decades where life in the U.S. was a lot more carefree and joyous. Music from these decades seem to remind us of former happier days such as the music from the 20s, 50s, and 80s. I came here during the Chinese Summer Festival and they were bumping 80s music and Old School! It was great to kick back and listen to music from yesteryear. I can see people coming here to have a drink and listen to 80s and Old School music to help remind them of former days where life was simpler and carefree. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves with people singing along with the music being played while drinking and dancing. They have a second floor upstairs which I didn't have a chance to check out. DJ Thurgood was playing and spins on Thursday nights according to the schedule. If you enjoy this type of music, this would be the night to go to forget today's troubles and enjoy yourself for a night.

"Hip hop just died this morning / and she's dead, she's dead" Nas couldn't be more right for the most part. But on Friday night, if you walk through an alley, go up some inconspicuous stairs, and enter a small club in Chinatown, you'll know that the good stuff still moves the crowd. Right after a great meal at Tantra, "the funky fresh dressed to impress" Aimee S. and I decided to head to Firecracker, instead of Zanzibar, Balance and Cranes Tavern. "Err...too far, that cost too much and eh," said the two full-and-sleepy-as-hell yelpers. *** "I met this girl, when I was ten years old / and what I loved most she had so much soul" *** The parking fee was not Staples-outrageous so we parked in a lot right in front of the venue. A soul-jazz singer was supposed to be playing on the first level while the DJs of Firecracker held it down on the second floor. On the first level, there is a small stage with a decent dance floor for people who want to cut it up. Comfy leather couches, with tables, are in the back in case you want to get your "LA" on and talk with your friends while some struggling, talented artist tries to entertain your apathetic a$s. The crowd was ultra-eclectic. Folks of all ages seemed to be the normal crowd here. I loves me a jawnt with absolutely no pretense. However, I don't like a bartender who measures how much booze she mixes in your drink. In yelp-speak, our drinks were mos'-definitely "weaksauce". *** "Now she be in the burbs licking rock and dressing hip / and on some dumb sh*t, when she comes to the city" *** Since the band was taking a break we decided to take our weaksauce drinks and head upstairs. As we walked up the stairs I could hear the pulse of good hip-hop. My hip-hop. That '89 to '95 stuff that I grew up on. Instantly, Aimee turned to me and expressed her new love for this joint. A small, dim room with another bar. Nothing lavish. It wouldn't surprise me if some box company, like the one on LOST, runs it's operation there in the morning. Same crowd as downstairs, only a little younger, and some of them knew how to pop-lock. Damn. Did I just hear the DJ mix some Lauryn to BDP to Cypress to Q-Tip? Yep. I'm coming back. We hung out for a little while until our mouths kept arguing over who had the deeper yawn. Too tired to shake like polaroids, we drove home more than satisfied. *** "But I'ma take her back hoping that the sh*t stop / 'cause who I'm talking 'bout y'all is hip-hop" *** *Excerpts from Common's "I Used to L.O.V.E. Her" The LOWDOWN Minus 1 star for the weak a$s drinks. Plus 1 star for the great crowd. Again, no pretense here, kids. Plus 1 star for being close enough so I don't have to take the 101. Plus 2 stars for the awesome music selection. Stronje.

Cheap drinks, chill ppl, good OLD school music. Cheap drinks: A 151 and coke and a rum and coke was $13 bux! also, the had $3 heinekens and $3 Long Island iced teas until 11! WHAT?! $5 admission b4 1030. Ok so it's not exactly a place where the ballers go, but a baller would ball his ass off here and literally buy the bar. Chill people: Some clubs are meat-markets, some are lounges, and some are places you go with a group of friends... I feel like the vast majority of ppl here go with a decent sized group of friends and perhaps only the guys in those groups venture off and holler at the girls in the club who are inevitably in groups with friends. Girls in said group are still chill, it's just a lil hoop that guys at grand Star gotta jump through. Ain't no glitz and glam here - just straight "character." Grand Star might not know the meaning of "renovation." Old School music: I didn't hear any Top 40 or Lady gaga or Black Eyed Peas or frikkin iono...Usher. i love that kinda shit!! I generally prefer it when I go out. but i still had fun cuz of cheap drinks and old school beats that took it BACK!! but if i went here every week i mean...i think i'd hear a lotta the same tracks, like "Reminisce" and "Poison" Skee-Lo showed up today and he sang his joint "I Wish" so that bumped up Grand Star 1 star ;P It is also close to the Chinatown Gold Line station, like 1 block ;P The Fresh Prince of Bel Air or Theo from The Cosby Show would definitely be in his world with this spot.

Do they ever have Jazz here? The word "Jazz" is in their name, but I've never heard Jazz here. Jazz is Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Coltrane, Ella, even Glen Miller qualifies -- not "DJ Laptop" or Smooth Jazz, Cover Bands, Soul, Goth, or Dance Music. So change your name, you're offending Jazz. For actual Jazz, go to Blue Whale half a mile down the road in Little Tokyo.

It pains me to turn on my own people but there are too many things that suck about this place, encountered the two times I have been here. Here we go... Sucky thing 1. $5 cover charge (no matter how raggedly the act is) in this run down dive bar is ridiculous. It's just an old restaurant where they take away all the tables. The only seating is at the bar or outside, but no drinks allowed outside. Sucky thing 2. Above average drink prices. $6 for a large can of Bud Light. Yes, like a can you can buy at Ralphs in a 6 pack for $6. No bottles or glasses of any sort, which is good given the sketchiness of the patrons and neighborhood at night. Nothing beats savoring the 4oz. of my $9 Glenlivet 12 out of a plastic cup. Sucky thing 3. Chinatown is dangerous at night and people might vandalize your car for no reason whatsoever. This spot is the lone place open in a dark strip at night. There are lots of random dark figures standing around in the shadows of closed businesses and parking lots. Guess it shouldn't have surprised me that for no apparent reason, two of my car tires were slashed. Having to come out of a bar and change a spare tire sucks already. Slashing a second tire to force me to call a tow truck? That's just cruel man. Mind you, my 9 year old Honda Accord is the object of many people's envy so maybe I just deserved it.

I went to Grand Star a couple weeks back for the first time to meet up with some friends. There were two events happening that night, but both the upstairs and downstairs areas were completely empty throughout the entire night. The bartender claimed that there were usually 100-200 people here on Saturday nights, and that it was not common to have so few people. I would guess that the maximum number of people in the downstairs area was 25 and upstairs there was no more than 15. When I initially checked out the upstairs area, they had a band playing music that I was totally unfamiliar with. It consisted of about 10 people with a bunch of random instruments, including the lead woman playing an accordion. The doorman told me that they would have a DJ playing better music later in the night, and that I should pay the entrance fee to get a better rate. However, no DJ ever showed up after the band, and they ended up closing early. The downstairs area had a mix of 80s, freestyle, and hip-hop. Although it was a diverse mix of older music, the four different DJs repeated several songs. It seem really strange to me that you have so many 80s and 90s songs to choose from, and they played some of the exact same records up to three times. I suppose I was here for too long! If my first experience at Grand Star is a reflection of what it is really like all of the time, then I'm not sure that I ever want to go back again. It was a bummer that it was so empty, and I was glad that I had my friends show up to keep me company.