Sweetwater Saloon

We came to this spot earlier in the day and it was completely empty. The atmosphere is very quaint and welcoming. The lady at the bar was friendly. The pool tables are in pretty good condition, although some of the cues are a little broken. Overall, we had a very good experience at this spot.

Its okay! Not the best place I’ve been but a cool place to meet new people… my biggest issue was the bathroom. It’s all gender inclusive but the door does not lock and the toilet is only blocked off by a very small wall.. had many men walk in the bathroom while I’m sitting on the toilet for all eyes to see. Had to immediately yell for them to get out.. This made me very uncomfortable.

Lovely little bar in a wonderful part of Long Beach. Juke box and good drinks and pool table. I was there in a random weekday afternoon so it was quiet then. I'm sure it's wall to wall people on weekends! I'll definitely go back.

Absolutely adorable friendly spot, our usual local hang out. I LOVE that the crosswalks on all 4 corners around it is now rainbow colored. Hell yeah! More color is much better 🌈. I am so proud of Long Beach! They think Hollywood, West Hollywood is pofressive, but let me tell you, they got nothing on our LBC, cause we are Hollywood by the sea! Huge progressive crowds here, youthful, inclusive, LGBTQ friendly and supportive, multicultural, fun, sweet, people oriented. Pride 🌈 is huuuuge here, parade goes for miles, and much less % of narrow minded souls. And this spot, is a staple in the LBC. I am not gay, but I have been here many times, and always had a blast, I love the ppl of Long Beach 👉 they love to have fun and are very engaging and friendly. Come down to here one time, and you will know what I mean. Engaging staff, great prices, party crowds going for days. Not a dull moment, even when empty, just a great vibe!!!

The Bartenders Mel and Terry are amazing! Always a good time😊

Drink was great and atmosphere was chill but the bartender kind of ruined the experience. We came in about thirty minutes before happy hour ended and ordered a round of drinks— $24 for three, which we thought was kinda expensive but me and my friends had just gotten there and were busy catching up and didn’t think much of it. After catching up we try and order a second round, but we can’t catch the attention of the bartender and he keeps disappearing into the back. After a while I finally manage to get his attention (in his defense it might have been his break? He was eating fries) and order another round (this is after happy hour ends) and the bartender tells us it’s $22 for the same three drinks. I was confused and mentioned how he charged me $24 earlier when it was happy hour and should have been cheaper. I was only holding a $20 bill so I asked if it would be okay if I just gave him that and call it even, to which his response was “have you ever heard of tipping??” In a really snappy tone. Now I’m a service worker so I understand getting fed up with ppl not tipping but I’m quite used to leaving a big tip when I leave, especially when I’m staying at a bar for a while, so that’s what I was planning to do here. I didn’t feel like arguing so I just went and grabbed some more cash from my purse, but the snappiness of the bartender kinda spoiled me and my friends mood. We ended up leaving after that and getting some drinks at mineshaft down the street, with much faster service from a much nicer bartender. A friend who’s lived in Long Beach for a while recommended sweetwater, but I’m sad to say even she didn’t think it lived up to what it was like pre Covid. Maybe the bartender was just having an off night but it’s kinda a bummer to head to a chill bar for chill vibes and deal with a snippy bartender.

My boyfriend and I were visiting Long Beach from Austin, TX. After checking in and spending some time on the beach, we decided to look for a nearby bar. It was a lovely 12-13 minute walk from the beach and although Sweetwater Saloon wasn’t our intended target, we came across it before making it to our original chosen destination, and I’m glad we did! The customers and staff were very friendly. The bartender that took our drinks seemed to be new, but very attentive. I grabbed a beer (can’t remember the name, but it was a heavy dark beer), it was delicious. My boyfriend grabbed a tequila water, which was made correctly, not too heavy not too light. We paid $13 total for our drinks, which compared to the prices in Austin, is a great price for two drinks. The owner or bar manager was lovely. He was very attentive and sociable. Would definitely visit again!

Quaint, clean, roomy with two pool tables and still room to dance.

Place is so small and it's very boring. There wasn't a huge crowd in there when we got there at 11pm. Beer was $8. The bartenders were nice and friendly. Won't be coming back here. Nothing special about it. The restroom doesn't have a door. It made me feel very uncomfortable.

This place is very cute and very local. You can play pool with your friends and the drinks are like rocket fuel and you can bring your dog.

Terry was very rude to me from the beginning. Wouldn't let me buy a drink for my friend. Then he wouldn't let my friend buy me a drink either. When I was talking to another patron about Covid he cut me off mid sentence and said I obviously didn't know anyone affected by Covid and asked me to leave. I didn't even get to play a single game of pool. I've been there many times and have never been treated this way by any other bar tender. 0 stars tonight!

I'm so glad this bar is here in Long Beach! It's always the go to spot. Staff is great and friendly. Pool table is pretty much always available. But don't forget to bring cash. It's a cash only spot. I love how I feel so welcome here and always strike a conversation with anyone. They have jukebox too and whoever "DJs" plays pretty good music. If not, you can always jump right in and change it lol. I start Laughing when the music switches back from one genre to another lol. Parking can be somewhat hard but I usually bike or scooter. The locals will tell you their secret spots where they won't get tickets lol.

I'm so obsessed with this place. A cutie little bar for the local gays! I love the Wednesday drink deal and the free pool. The Photo Booth is my freaking favorite and it can take all my money. I love that I can pick songs. I adore all the staff. Including the bouncer - she's both the sweetest and the most intense baddie ever. Also- the taco truck outside?! Soooooo fire. Starts at 7! A few things you need to know before going to this bar for the first time, since I read of these reviews and few of yall don't seem to get it... - It's a GAY bar. An LGBTQ safe place!!! That doesn't mean straight people are not welcome. That just means you better not disturb the peace and safety of one of the only few gay bars we have. - it's a freaking dive bar, people. Some times it's so packed that you have to throw an elbow or two to get a drink and that's FINE! That's part of the dive bar experience. - the bathrooms are weird, get over it. At least they have two. - it's cash only, again - get over it. - there will be lots of gays, not all of us are nice. But chances are you will meet some of the coolest people ever there.

Terry was a fantastic bartender! Prompt and friendly service, coming from two women in a bar full of men. Don't let the bad reviews sway your judgement: wonderful bar with good pours and good bartenders

Divey but owns it and makes it a nicer experience. Two pool tables. Pay by quarters. Dog friendly. Chill vibe. Decent beer selection on tap. Specials. Music. Owners are really nice and again super chill. Definitely the kind of spot that is great for locals and catching up with friends. Or making new ones! Pool vibe can get a bit weird sometimes depending on who's playing but otherwise nothing to call out.

I've been here a few times on a Sunday night and had a great time. Drinks were strong and the bartender was nice. There's two pool tables for all you pool sharks out there. As with a lot of bars here in Long Beach, it's cash only. Fun Fact: they definitely have the saloon style doors that swing open. Fun!

I really enjoyed the vibe of this spot last time I was there! It was full but not overwhelming and the crowd was a good one. A lot of the other gay bars on this street are very much gay-MEN's bars, primarily, and this one definitely seemed more catered to sapphics, which was particularly reassuring and exciting for my friend. I'd already had a few when we arrived, so just ordered a Roy Rogers, and when I tried to pay for it the bartender would not let me. It was fantastic and I will definitely be returning.

This was the 2nd time my wife and I had come to this saloon . IT IS CASH ONLY , much like the rest of the bars in the area . We were greeted by a sweet bartender I didn't get her name but I wish I did she had red lipstick on with blonde hair ? Honestly it's dark in there hard to tell , she was kind and took our order even gave me a couple of recommendations as I don't normally go to bars . As I mentioned earlier it was dark but it's "bar lit" some colorful string lights , some lights over the pool table's calming almost if your into that (which I am) great music was playing on the juke box , music videos playin on the tv . The drinks were STRONG honey , I had maybe 3 drinks and called it a day . I will be back it's a cute little bar

The atmosphere was okay, but I did not feel safe there as a gay woman. The bartender that was there tonight did not give a shit that a man was staring at me and my tits for a solid hour, even after I asked him to stop multiple times. I even had to yell at him. Bartender said that 'he's a really nice patron' and that was that. A couple of STRANGERS who I was playing a pool game against had to confront the creep and shield me from his gaze. I cannot express how disappointed, frustrated, and violated I felt. A gay bar is the last place that I would expect this to happen. To the bartender, if you read this: do better. This is your community too and you should protect it. Don't throw other sapphic women under the bus just because you want to cover your arse.

Service was horrible! The bartender "terry" or however you spell their name was a complete mess! Súper agro and racist! And by the way we're in 2024 "cash only is old news" this place sucks!

Hadn't been here in a looong time & stopped by on a whim on my day off. Wow, was it great to be back! Dustin, the bartender, and Kelly, a barfly, made my visit a hysterically enjoyable one. Such a great place. Thanks gents. Jav

Nice local dive bar. Friendly barmaid. I'm not gay or pride or lbgt they did not discriminate against me

Anthony I haven't returned to old roots up until this year and I appreciate you being simply the best person anyone can be. Your service and amazing attitude is the reason I always come back for more! Thank you for being an awesome human and loved our conversation! I was with friends and family who feel the same way. Thank you for so many memories embedded in our brains for the rest of our life!

As a gay man I didn't feel very welcomed to be honest. It was definitely a local lesbian bar. Kinda dirty too, with subpar service. Def won't be going back there.

I have NEVER been treated so poorly ANYWHERE as I was just treated by Terry, the manager of the SweetWater! I don't go into this bar often, and now I will NEVER DARKEN their door again! I ordered a Rose Kennedy from Terry, and when he brought it to me, it was MOSTLY cranberry juice. I asked, "I am sorry, but is this a Rose Kennedy?" I am type 2 diabetic and can't have all that sugar. The drink is supposed to be mostly vodka and seltzer. His response to me was SHOCKING to say the least! And ESPECIALLY FROM THE MANAGER! He took my drink and THEW IT!! ...then slammed it down, and yelling "YOU'RE JUST BEING RIDICULOUS!!" With soooo much attitude! ...I said "ya know what, just give me back my money, and I'll leave!" I hope someone reads this and doesn't have to suffer the same horrid treatment as I did! And I hope the owners read this and the MANY complaints I imagine that Terry has received and does the right thing to GET RID of this disgrace to customer service! "Terry, you don't belong in customer service!! You should be ashamed of yourself!" I am a nice person who expects to be treated with a basic level of respect back. I don't think I have EVER been treated so poorly!

Always a good time, chill vibes, awesome bartenders, and heavy pours. Security is amazing and no bs is allowed.

Sooo since the bartender calls gust he gets mad at for simply dropping a glass stupid bitch I was disgusted as a customer watching this all go down it was incredibly disrespectful and they that's why they're empty

The bartender Terry has ruined this bar for me. I used to love coming here for years and the last time I went there...Terry treated me so poorly, that I will never return. Watch our for his service and write a review if you experience bad service from him. He is known for ignoring people to serve men he is attracted to instead. He discriminates agains women and trans men. This is a lesbian bar...he has NO business working there with the way he acts towards us. The last time I came to this bar, I had invited new friends to meet me there, telling them this is my favorite bar in the area. Terry was normal taking my first drink order. I tipped him generously and was my normal sweet self towards him. Then, the next time I went to order a drink, I made eye contact with him and said his name. He had just made his way down the bar and gotten to me...then skipped me and help the entire bar again for the next 25 minutes. He finally got back over to me and I said, Hey terry can I order another Truly? He said fine...and then took the guys order next to me...and served him first...THe guy had ordered a shot and Terry took his time chatting with him. THen he quickly ran over and grabbed a truly and gave it to me. I asked him, why he had helped all those other people before me, included the guy that had JUST walked up next to me. He looked surprised that I was call him out on it and he said "its a busy bar". I promise I am telling this story verbatim and not exaggerating. I replied...ok well if it wasnt intentional..I understand..but I just wanted to let you know. He then leans back to stand up straight and says in a much louder voice "DO you understand??" From there it was us talking loudly back and forth (I never swore or yelled I just explained what was going on right in front of me). YOu can guess what he did next. He immediately says ok you can go and tries to take my drink. I deny him at first and reiterated that I simply stated that he helped all those others before me when clearly I was next and he had seen and acknowldeged me. Even down to the guy that JUST walked up. THats not fair! And just because I say something about it..asking him why...he abuses his position as a manager and simply kicks me out. I wasnt drunk ( I had ONE truly) and I wasnt yelling until HE yelled. THis guy needs to be fired and please make a review if he has done anything like this to you.

Love this place when I am in the "gay"borhood of Long Beach. I love to shoot pool so this is a great place to chill and shoot. They are dog friendly which is also very nice. People are usually playing good music on the jukebox. Good mix of men and women... some of the gay bars on the street will have no women.

Nice place overall! My friends & I had some soda water & played pool! I'll probably be back soon for another drink & some more pool time

Great ambiance, love that there are two pool tables there. I ordered a moscow mule, it wasn't that great, but other drinks overall is pretty good.

First time here on a Friday night. Place was beyond empty. The draft beer was $8...way too expensive! Get your drinks at a reasonable price, and you will see more lesbians in your establishment. The bar down the street has $3 draft beer plus drink specials

100% great atmosphere and CLEAN! The bartenders were cool, the drinks were on point and the crowd was great. This bar beat the guys bars all around there!

Very LGBTQ friendly and friendly people as well. Transgenders & drag queens are welcomed.

First time here and genuinely felt welcome not just by the people but the bartender Anthony!! Great guy, 2 pool tables! In addition to this the restrooms were very clean, bar top not sticky and best of all the prices were very reasonable!! Cleanliness goes a long way. Thank you for a good time!!

Such a fun place! Love the decor, the ambience, the music, the people who come to drink here & Terry the bartender! Mmmm! I gotta come here again! This was my first time here and I love the exposed brick walls! Just gotta remember to bring cash! I had maker's mark on the rocks. Soooo good! The balls on the ceiling are so pretty too! This weekend is the Pride parade...so it's all decked out! Oh! And thank you, Johnny, for buying me a drink from across the bar...you're cute! I wasn't sure if you were checking me out or looking at someone else...JK! Who the f*** am I kidding? I saw you looking at me...I was playing hard to get. I'm not easy. I'll see you again soon, though! Peace! xoxo

Y'all, if you want a low-key-grab-a-drink-after-work during THE DAY, this bar is it! If you're looking for a high-key-lesbian-fun-time-social bar AT NIGHT, this bar is it! Basically, this little staple bar in Long Beach is truly for everyone. It is cash only, yet drinks are totally affordable considering it's location. If you go in when Josh is there, he is truly awesome sauce and can whip you up anything you'd like! Perfect pour every time. I'm a woman in my twenties and I usually go alone but I have never been harassed or felt unsafe. This bar is truly a gem. Shout out to one of the best bartenders in town, Josh!! Please visit this place, you won't regret it.

This review is for Josh!!! Best bartender in town! Super friendly and funny! He loves to talk to all the customers really he does! You'll never be ignored or wait for a drink when he's serving. To the haters: The bar itself is exactly what you would expect for your local hole in the wall so if that's not your taste there's 45 other bars just like it or worse right down the street for you to complain about. Move on. Love you Josh!!!!

I love this bar! They allowed me to host a couple nights last year during my run for Miss Gay Pride 2019! I have celebrated many birthdays here with friends and family and for myself! Drinks are on point and i can not express my gratitude for the staff here!

I've been to this tired bar multiple times. But the queen behind the bar was extremely rude.I believe her name was Jerry. Right when me and my buddy walked in and sat down. We received no hello or greeting. It was just "ID's and vaccination card???" Like he was looking for a reason to not serve us. I knew my buddy wasn't vaccinated. But I thought they lifted that ban. So when the bartender said no they didn't. Then he rudely pointed at the door. Which was completely catty and unnecessary. I will never set foot in this bar again!!

Great community and cool bar but music is way too loud, can't even talk to the person next to me. Bartender is checked out.

My boyfriend and I were visiting Long Beach from Austin, TX. After checking in and spending some time on the beach, we decided to look for a nearby bar. It was a lovely 12-13 minute walk from the beach and although Sweetwater Saloon wasn't our intended target, we came across it before making it to our original chosen destination, and I'm glad we did! The customers and staff were very friendly. The bartender that took our drinks seemed to be new, but very attentive. I grabbed a beer (can't remember the name, but it was a heavy dark beer), it was delicious. My boyfriend grabbed a tequila water, which was made correctly, not too heavy not too light. We paid $13 total for our drinks, which compared to the prices in Austin, is a great price for two drinks. The owner or bar manager was lovely. He was very attentive and sociable. Would definitely visit again!

Great dive bar! Beer is ice cold and delicious. Shout out to Dustin! He was super sweet and very attentive! Definitely the place to swing by!

On pride Sunday my friend cut his finger coming into the sweet water and we were VERY UPFRONT ABOUT IT. We went to a Sweet water staff an only asked for a bandage cause jarred had SMALL Cut. I understand when people heard the need for precautiion....but the staff started washing water onto our feet our sandals. My friend was offered a bandaid but was treated like a gay pride weekend pariasite. I get it blood but dude!!!!! Honestly we were treated sooooooooo bad by the manager that we never wanted to go back. I TOLD HIM I WAS SO SAD CAUSE I HAD BEENA PART OF THIS DAY FOR SO MANY YEARS. !I had been there so many times. They treated him like he was a parasite. He was so sad.... He just has one small cut that bled like two drops. I regret telling them anything. We could have put a bandaid on it ourselves and kept celebrating but instead we cried at home.

Love this place. Great bar staff and friendly locals. Very fun time every visit. We went on a holiday and they had fun event. I'll be back soon.

What a shame that this place has the worst bartenders. Maybe an attitude adjustment for a couple of them would make this place better?

I am born and raised in Long Beach. I am gay and have been with my husband for almost 30 years. We've been coming to this bar for almost 30 years as well. Tonight was my 50th birthday and I brought 3 straight couples for an after dinner drink. The girl at the door was so rude and discriminating against straight people it was appalling . She said and did everything she could to make us feel so unwelcome, we turned around and left. She even followed us outside to say more. With that said we never return again. So very sad.

Was there the night this JK person said the front door girl was rude. The night was a fun filled night until several people one with a 50 balloon walked into the bar. The front door girl asked for ID's...which is necessary because it's a law. The little man immediately got in her face, cussing and acting like a toddler. It was embarrassing as most of them were drunk and sloppy. The front door girl acted like a total professional in the face of these entitled BOOMERS. One of them was going on about coming to this bar for 30 years....it's funny because no one recognized them. It's so very sad that a couple of these "grownup's" are nothing but bullies. If you can't act like an adult than stay home or go to the local playground and hang out with the rest of the toddlers.

The worst service ever! Terry is so rude. He's is nice to whomever he likes but if he doesn't like you he is completely rude to you. If I can do less than one star I would. He took 30 minutes to give us our drinks and some of our friends never got their drinks. He even got my pronouns wrong... I am a she, and he continues to call me a he. Not ok!!! Do not go here to unwind unless you're ready to be stressed and upset! Just saying....

My girlfriend and I are here almost every weekend-- it's a great queer women (cis or trans) community space. The drinks are strong and its fun to play pool :)

Only queer woman bar in all of Los Angeles County! That hardly anyone knows about. It's a safe place for queer woman and the LGBQTA. It's cash only for drinks and there are only two bartenders. The place does get crowded and busy so it's normal to wait more than ten minutes for a drink. If you want to meet queer woman in Long Beach this is the place to be.

Super duper fun local spot. Bartender T****'s an asset to the place. Everyone seems to be having a wonderful time here. I visited this place the last two trips to Long Beach had fun all times. Super duper highly recommend this joint. You better come by and have a drink ask for Terry tell him that the East Coast sent you! Cash Only Folks!

Weak, overpriced drinks! Bartender was cool, but drinks were way overpriced and too weak for a total dive bar! Won't be returning.

Great daytime spot to play pool, see friends, meet up & get hefty pours!! Joshua the bartender is great & always has you laughing the whole time! Every time I visit everyone is always having fun. Classic old school dive bar- cash only.

Sweetwater is my favorite neighborhood watering hole in Long Beach. This place is pretty straightforward. Pros: Exceptional service from bartenders - The staff here are super friendly, fast, in control of their bar and genuinely want you to have a good time. Cheap drinks - This is a dive bar so you're not going to pay much, even for top shelf. Not to mention stiff drinks. I mean, what's a gay bar without a stiff one. Pun intended. The ladies - Lesbians. Bi. Trans. Questioning. This is truly and LGBTQ+ location where all are welcomed and safe. Yes, it's know more as a "girl bar" but I have met people from all walks of life. Simplicity - There's two pool tables, a juke box, a couple TVs, a nice sized bar and a few seats. 2 gender neutral bathrooms (the one to the right of the bar is a bit more open as there is no door, but I have no shame taking a pee next to another person regardless of their gender. Location - This may be more personal for me, but this place is walking distance so it makes getting home much easier. Also - it's smack dab in the middle of our little Gayborhood. Cons: Cash Only - ATM on site No AC - It can get a bit toasty, especially on the weekends and during PRIDE I'm really struggling to find another con, but I can't. I love this bar!

LOVE these people Christina is adorable and Terry is a hunk This is a neighborhood bar and so welcoming

Terry the bartender is so rude. He made me feel stupid for ordering a drink which wasn't even complicated. He even told me to stop talking when I was trying to explain what I wanted. He's been rude before multiple times but he was just too much this time. He even laughed with a customer when he told me to stop talking.