HMS Bounty
Traditional American restaurant · Koreatown
3357 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Highlights
Nautical dive bar with classic American fare & affordable drinks
Nautical dive bar with classic American fare & affordable drinks
"This nautically themed Koreatown dive is an L.A. institution, in the base of an old apartment building (The Gaylord). Its age and location make it a favorite among the locals. Ideal if you're a swarthy sea captain who prefers well whiskey and cocktail shrimp, or if you've had your fill of The Prince (located across a few blocks away) and would prefer the company of a white-collar grandpa over a manic pixie dream girl." - The HR Dept
"Walking into this nautical-themed dive bar in Ktown feels like stepping onto a fishing barge that got lost at sea in the ’40s and has been floating around ever since. There are musty leather booths, “Careless Whisper” quietly playing over the intercom, and scattered tables filled with solo diners eating steak and sipping well tequila from a shot glass. We have reason to believe every single person inside here is an apparition, but you’ll never know for sure because it’s so damn dark that you can't see two feet in front of you. Once you do find a table though, be sure to order some fried calamari, a baseball steak, and one of our favorite shrimp cocktails in town." - brant cox
"From a cameo on Mad Men to a roster of celebrity clientele, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, HMS Bounty is the stuff of legends. But it’s not just the decades of stories that make this nautical-themed Koreatown bar great. Some type of bar has stood on the ground-level space of the Gaylord apartment building that the HMS Bounty has occupied since 1924; first, it was the Fountain Room, before moving through iterations as the Gay Room, the Secret Harbor, and the Golden Anchor. The bar opened as the HMS Bounty in 1962, drawing its name from a British merchant ship that gained notoriety for being the site of a mutiny in 1789. The naval motif extends throughout the interior of the bar, with portholes on the walls, illustrations of vessels at sea, and a ship’s wheel hanging above the bar. HMS Bounty doesn’t look like it’s changed much since its opening: Red leather banquettes comprise most of the seating in the main space and back room, accompanied by a steadfast wood bar with tall stools and a few smaller tables. The prices also feel of another decade, with plenty of cocktails coming in at under $10, and a baseball steak, served with vegetables and mashed potatoes, clocking in at $18.99. The cocktails are strong, like a whiskey sour that’s heavy on the whiskey, but that’s just part of the charm here. Weekend evenings tend to get busy, but head over with a group on a weeknight, start with a round of boilermakers and French fries, before ordering steak dinners, one of the best Caesars in LA, and a round of martinis. Always end with dessert, especially the bread pudding, which is served warm with a scoop of ice cream. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: The bathrooms at the HMS Bounty are in the adjoining Gaylord apartment building; head out the side door of the bar and ask the apartment doorman for directions. There’s also a jukebox guests can control from their phones, download the AMI Music app for access." - Mona Holmes
"Plain and simple, HMS Bounty is not cool. And that’s exactly why it is cool. This dive bar on Wilshire has been around since the dawn of time and has an aesthetic that could be described “senile pirate’s living room.” But the drinks are cheap, the crowd is fantastic, and the $19 baseball steak is way better than you think it’d be." - sylvio martins, cathy park
"This Koreatown classic seems to be lifted straight out of the late ’60s, with a convivial after-work and early evening crowd. The easy American food is solid and the menu has more options than one would expect, including steak, pasta, and onion rings. The room seems to keep extending to the back, with dusty vinyl booths ready for small groups to sit for hours on end. Plus, the drinks are super affordable, and the old maritime vibes will feel right when you take down a few beers." - Matthew Kang
