The Friend

The atmosphere and drinks were great, easily deserving four stars. However, I strongly advise against using the photo booth. It costs $5, but it's completely non-functional, and no one seems to be bothered about it. There's a number on the booth to text for assistance, but it's unresponsive, just like the bar's response to the issue. Sure, $5 might not seem like much, but the fact that they have a machine taking customers' money and don't seem to care is a significant concern.

Came for a Dominican party on Sunday. I think they host these types of events monthly, and it was Jumpin! Food sold outside, and it was packed to the brim! DJ and dancing was the point of the party. This is an all day event and put opportunity for Dominicans in LA together. Everyone was super welcoming of me and my friends as non Dominican guests. Great venue and event.

Love this bar! But the best part by far was the bartender DeeDee. She’s a true mixologist as my “regular” drinks were sensational simply because they were made by her! Her skills and personality are top tier. Can’t wait to come back!

Staff hated being there. Literally heard one bartender (tall white guy with glasses) say that, "the owners are stuck in pre COVID times and that if they didn't change things the bar will fail" in front of 5 patrons. Then the lady gave me attitude when I made a simple request for my drink. Not great service. The place was dead on a Friday night, makes sense.

My phone has been stolen here TWICE. So shame on me for ever coming back here, I guess. There is a ring of phone thieves that come here. Every girl in our group had their phone stolen. When we told the staff they shrugged and said they were not liable, but clearly this happens all the time!

As of last weekend, there was a sign that said it was temporarily closed. Something should’ve been posted online, on their Instagram and website. It’s a cool spot, but I wish I had known how long it would be closed ahead of time.

Used to love this place back in the day. My phone was stolen as someone went into my actual purse and took it out. Shocked because we hadn't been there for more than 20 mins. We Find My Friend's it to an apt within walking distance of the bar... suspiciously close. There are signs that say phone theft is on the rise. My advice is when you see those signs, just go ahead and leave the bar. It's not worth the headache in the morning.

There is organized phone robbery going on at this bar. we have had our phones stolen twice in a row. Avoid this bar at all costs.

Great dance club with good music but insanely packed. Was hard to get to the bar and order without waiting for a while. The bar tenders were nice, just busy. They wouldn't serve us water and said there was a cooler at the other side of the bar with water (there was not). Would come back to dance but come hydrated.

Do not come to this establishment if you want to have your phone stolen! Sadly, like other reviews, we had this happen to one of my friends on Friday night and had my purse completely opened, which mind you, would not be open in any case due to my necessities being in my pocket. Not only did this ruin her night, it sucks to be violated when we were out for a good time. There are also multiple signs posted everywhere, so this should have been a red flag to leave. Also the bartender that helped us, was rude af! Ordered a mezcal cocktail and he proceeded to say that only elderly people drink this. Please tend to your paying customers kindly and leave your comments to yourself. Especially when he looked 3x older than the crowd.

Ambiance: more dead than expected Cocktails: meh. I had "The Dreamer" which was okay. Then I had "The Face" which was definitely below average, will not have that one again. Learned the hard way that the HH is until 9pm (even if their Instagram / stories makes it seem otherwise). Vibes were neat, retro. We used the photobooth. $5 for 4 pics. We picked color and somehow got sepia. They print 2 sets but you can also email to yourself and they send a video of the photos. It's neat. Unique spot but that's it.

This place is always a vibe. They play really good music everytime I come and I like that it's free to get in as well. There's a cute photo booth to take pictures and there's an outdoor smoking area as well. It's also really cool that they have a self serve water station!

Sleeper bar...this happy hour is too good to be true and hasn't changed in years. I almost forgot it was open? DJ, booths, good vibes. They have food too. Outdoor patio for smoking and chilling on a hot night. Definitely making this a go to, let's get some more people back here!

I've been here a few times, I've been for happy hour and I've been late at night. A fun spot to meet people and go out late at night and definitely more intimate earlier in the day.

Tiny It can get warm Mixed Crowds Bar is limited, but still hits The Djs rotate so you gotta go on a night you like the DJ they advertise, because when the DJ is playing just the right mix The Friend pops off and the vibes are immaculate. Super fun spot to come to with friends.

Love the chill dance floor vibes. No entry charge. Clean bathrooms. Good drinks. Perfect location next door to another fun spot!

Caution - one of the bartenders altered the tip amount after we signed. This used to be our go to bar. However, the bartenders have become less and less friendly and for some reason, the drink prices fluctuate depending on who makes your drinks. We got 2 tequila sodas for $22 and the next round was $26. The friend used to always be bussin' but as of late, its been much quieter, prob due to said reasons.

The Friend is a bar that brings a dark, moody vibe with a lively energy that's both inviting and intense. The space, while on the tighter side, creates a sense of intimacy and buzz that adds to the evening's excitement. Though it can get quite crowded, this only heightens the vibrant atmosphere that makes The Friend a standout spot for nightlife. The music selection is carefully curated to enhance the experience, offering a soundtrack that complements the bar's ambiance. The bartenders are not only skilled but also add a personal touch to your visit, crafting drinks with flair and keeping the mood upbeat. If you need a break from the bustling interior, there's a smoking area in the back where you can relax and catch your breath. Despite the compact layout, The Friend manages to offer a dynamic and engaging experience, blending good music, excellent drinks, and a lively crowd into a memorable night out.

I looove coming here with my friends, the place is small, and it can get crowded at times, but no matter how packed it gets, it's always a good time! It's best to check out which DJ's will be there the night of before going!

Love it. Watch out for the Disney Characters, but otherwise you might find a great DJ and happy hour till 9PM!!!

Went here this past Saturday as a recommendation from a friend, right before we left at 1 AM my phone was stolen right out of my purse. Within 5 mins the phone was turned off and we couldn't track it down. It's now being paraded around LA by the thief that stole it. 10/10 do not recommend coming here and if you do make sure you have your belongings strapped down to you with super glue. Having your phone stolen on your birthday is a complete buzz kill.

My phone was stolen out of my bag within the first 30 minutes of being there. Staff was not helpful at all and it apparently happens frequently at this place. BEWARE.

THIS PLACE IS TERRIBLE. PHONE STOLEN OUT OF MY POCKET within 15 minutes of being there. When telling the workers nobody cared and said "did you not see the pickpocketer sign" they have cameras and choose not to put a stop to the stealing. SHADY, they are definitely all in on it. DONT GO HERE

DO NOT SUPPORT THIS PLACE. My friend had her phone stolen right off the dance floor as well. It's a perfect set up for pickpocketing, the music is bumping, you're disinhibited, crowded dancing floor, not knowing who or what is bumping into you. We were met with the same apathy from the bouncer and staff members. Spend your money elsewhere while being able to keep your belongings. Perfect way to ruin your night.

This place used to have the best vibes, the best music and the best bartenders. Not sure exactly when they decided to give up but even 6 months ago it was a better place. Not only did my girlfriend get her phone stolen, the staff was so rude. Especially the guy with an accent (Australian maybe?) was super creepy and also clearly drunk. I miss back in the day when the bartenders were fun and you wanted to take shots and hang with them. Now you couldn't pay me to ever go back here. Truly the worst bar in silverlake, avoid at all costs!!!

Came here with my brother and his friends! First time here and I thought it was cool. I think the DJ could've played other type of music instead of just hip hop. Not sure if they only play hip hop here. But other than that the vibe was cool, drinks were good and the space was tight enough to dance until they close.

Packed so it's a blast, bartenders go quick with whatever prices but the huzz r worth it.

I love coming to The Friend! I feel like it's really easy to talk to strangers there because it is on the smaller side. The bar tenders are AMAZING and all so kind. They usually have great DJ's so if you like to dance this is your place

Super cool place awesome music great service with reasonable prices and every one is so friendly!! Love it!!!

We came here for a Dominican night and had the best time. I'm sure it's a different vibe on a regular night, but the bar was *packed* when we went and we were still able to get drinks pretty quickly! They have a cool space with friendly service in a great area. The parking is really tricky, I would recommend taking an Uber or be prepared to park far away and walk. And bonus points for having a disco ball!

Came here for my friend's birthday and the margarita pitchers were great. We ordered the "the problem child" and it was stronger than I expected. Boy was I in for the night. I also ordered the potato taquitos and truffle guacamole. Flavors on point, highly recommend. We ordered everything through the app when we were seated but that didnt stop them from giving us great service. It was a cold winter night when we went but they had plenty of heaters outside to keep us warm. Bonus points for that. As for parking, no dedicated lot just street but we are in Silverlake so no surprise there. Shoutout to Denys!!

Cool space with a fun vibe for music. Servers were also really friendly. I'd come back

Came here after a night out with my friends and honestly seen the size of the venue. I thought it was gonna be uncomfortable and too tight but this night I believe everyone had enough space to dance around and move around without bumping into everyone. The music selection wasn't bad now some people did have some recommendations and kind of threw the vibe out a bit but aside from that nothing too bad about this place the Dancefloor is pretty much the whole venue. The vibes are cool chill and the people were friendly.

Great place for after work happy hour with some friends! Happy Hour is from 7pm-9pm, my favorite drink on the HH menu has to be the Aperol Spritz. A close second would be the classic margarita, I like it with a tajin rim rather than a salt rim. I've gone twice now and there have been events being hosted both times, (Tuesdays) so the crowd is nice never too busy or crowded but for sure a good amount of people are there. You need to check this place out for yourself and you're sure to love it!

Best bar for dancing on the East side. I've found myself at The Friend for friend's birthdays, to hear specific DJs, cheap bottles of beer and decent drinks for a bar like that. The music is a crazy mashup of 2000's hip hop, afrobeats & pop music that feels super nostalgic but also hits the spot. The crowd is diverse and I made some new friends and actually talk to people I didn't come with which is always a cool vibe for LA. Not pretentious and the staff, doorman, DJs & bartenders are on their stuff. Greatly appreciated!

This is a weird review because I had a great time at The Friend but my phone WAS stolen like 10 minutes after I got there. The door guy was a total jerk and I'm pretty sure he was in on it. Careful, friends.

Nice neighborhood bar, good music and nicely priced drinks. Good service. The secret might be out and it gets really busy over the weekends

Fun place to come hang on a Friday or Saturday night. Drinks were delicious and happy hour price is on point. Great place for casual dancing too. Not overcrowded and solid DJ. Came at 9pm for drinks after dinner but will say the crowd picks up more around 11pm

Such a fun bar!! I came here on a Saturday around 8 and they had happy hour... happy hour on the weekends - sign me up! I ordered a mezcal margarita for $8 such a great deal! Around 10 they started to take away the chairs from the bar and the dj started playing music. Everyone got up and started to dance and I had the best time. Very casual place with good vibes. There's metered street parking if you are driving.

Went all the way to the Friend Bar when I knew Toola was DJing. But once there they told me that the dj was late....

Cute and cool bar in Silverlake. Great daily happy hour 7-9. Lots of pink inside but in a fun, charming way. There's a big open space that's also a dancefloor for when the dj comes out later at night. They have different events throughout the week. But come in early for happy hour and it's a really cool place to have a few drinks with friends before it gets too loud. Service is awesome. The crew are so fun and friendly. Shout out to the bartender Will for making some awesome drinks. Parking can be tough. There's street meters but they fill up fast. You might have to walk a block or two down the street. If you're around Silverlake, definitely check this place out. Add The Friend to your next happy hour list.

*le sigh* this place used to be great. It used to be a great local place to get great drinks, great music, dance your heart out without pretentious or judgemental people, plus it was diverse. We live in the area. We got there at 8pm for the happy hour and to dance afterwards. We had a booth, barely anyone was there, pretty normal for that time of night, but a great late happy hour. People start to trickle in. The DJ gets going. Then Amy Pohler's ex, Nick Kroll, walked in with some friends, and more random celebs walked in. The place then had a lot of them. They take an empty booth. Some guy told my friend it was Nick Kroll's birthday, but it wasn't a private party. They just all met there. I don't know if he was too cheap to rent out the whole place in order to have a party where he didn't mix with the locals...he didnt and he probably should have, if him or his friends was going to act the way they did. We were just chilling, trying to enjoy my friend's bday. Some of the people in our group had a particularly hard year,and we all were just happy to see each other again. Then Nick or one of his friends proceeded to have a worker tell us that the booth is "reserved". This place is small, there are only a few booths. In the times I have come to The Friend, booths were for everyone, first come, first serve, that is how it has always been. People came to have good drinks, dance to talented DJ's, and just be with down to earth people. It's not a bottle service type of place or even a stereotypical club, which is why we hang there. Everyone is treated equally...or so we thought. But the very thing that those celebs probably liked about the place, the lack of pretentiousness, the diversity, and the fact no one cared who they were, they managed to create an atmosphere that screamed "you don't belong" , which is unfortunate. If you feel that way, rent the place out for the night. Don't try to cosplay as if you are down, then try to create a social hierarchy in a place that supposedly doesn't have any. We left because it was just weird. Maybe others would have been excited to stay and mingle around, but we would rather be at a place where you can dance your heart out and socialize without random older men (celebs or not) staring at us. Listen, when establishments get celebs coming through to the degree it did last night, the clout chasers will inevitably follow and random people hoping to catch a glimpse of a celeb again will then try to come to the place, as well. It will be great for the profit of the business, whoever runs The Friend. But then you lose the very thing that made you great in the first place and then become like every other bar in LA. *gasp* then your bar might even be seen as being similar to the West side bars. Me basically saying, that I won't come back here and waste my dollars at this place (which is true, I won't---there are still cooler places left, some in Echo Park, but to be honest its heading towards Chinatown and Highland Park now), will likely mean nothing to the people at The Friend...and that is okay! That's the weird town of LA that we live in. Congrats, I guess?

Super cute bar, I love the interior and the match books are super fun. we come pretty regularly, our bartender DeDe is an angel. She's super fun and we are always psyched when she is here. Unfortunately we weren't able to buy her a drink. It used to be a way better vibe when we could buy our bartender a drink (or two ;) )

Great energy and awesome music! My friend decided to have her birthday here. She reserved tables (free) and we ended up near the entrance area behind the DJ which was pretty cool! The dance floor was large, but was still pretty packed considered how many people were there.

Came here on a whim with friends on a random weeknight and thoroughly enjoyed our time. The drinks are reasonably priced with lots of variety. But what really makes this place bomb is the amazing DJ's and the disco ball! Our whole group loved both DJ's that were there and have heard it gets super packed on weekends so we will definitely be back.

06/06/2018 Sometimes, signing up for those mailing list things has it's benefits. Heineken created an event called Afterwork by Heineken at The Friend. I believe this is the first one in Los Angeles as they are doing events in New York City too. I thought there would be a long wait since I was not sure if this is a big place. I followed a few people who stood outside waiting to get in like a regular bar or club. We got our IDs checked and was directed inside. Marked off on the guest list and a green wristband that has those little buttons. You get a free drink with one of those buttons. The inside is set up like a diner seating with booths and candy stripe canopies. It's a short bar counter for two bartenders to grab different drinks for everyone crowding that area. As they passed around light bites, the tacos were definitely a hit. The DJ was playing some great tunes right before the #DoodleGang started an activity. Passing around paper and markers, it was a drawing contest. The prizes are pins, stickers, and I think a gift card. Vienna is the artist so she got some stickers for her efforts. It was a cartoon drawing of your neighbor without looking at the paper. Next is a favorite item and activity. Once this place gets crowded, it was hard to get back to the only pinball machine. It was fixed where all you have to do is press the button for credits. Basically the games are free. For this event, Heineken brought seat cushions for the booths which some people took home as souvenirs. I don't think those cushions were supposed to leave with people as the Heineken crew were collecting them back for the next event.

Just had a great night at The Friend. Deedee was a sweetheart and made our night. Will definitely be coming back soon!

my roommate and i both had our phones stolen out of our zipped purses, and the security guard did nothing when we told him except blame us and tell us that we should've left our phones at home. don't come here if you like your personal belongings lol

We recently celebrated my Wife's birthday here. From the jump, Teron set the tone. He was very prompt, professional, and very accommodating. Nick behind the bar was incredible, he took such good care of our entire party. Top notch service and attitudes from both gents. Thank you both for helping to make this special occasion, extra special!!

I went here for the first time not knowing that you have to be 21+ to enter (which I am). As I walked in, the security guard (tall, white, male, short dirty blonde hair) grabbed me by my belt loops of my pants and yanked me out of the place. My friends and I were so in shock and scared. Completely unprofessional and borderline criminal!!! None of the other employees said anything either and could care less when I said something. I understand if I needed to show my ID (happy to), but there was no one around at first and a simple tap on the shoulder would've sufficed!!! Very upsetting and disappointing

Fun place for a drink with friends. Went on a Sunday afternoon to try Calabama Breakfast Sandy, good music, and some wine. Nice little spot to relax and has a full bar. There is also an outdoor area as well. They checked vaccine cards at the door so don't forget. They do take a pic of it if l it's easier. The breakfast sandwich (a Calabama pop up) was the main reason I came but it turned out to be a fun place to kick it for a couple hours.

Stumbled upon this place after moving to Los Feliz. It has a very interesting and unique vibe! The decor and music sets it apart from any other bar in the area. They have a great happy hour that is all week long from 7pm-9pm.

On a Saturday night, my best friend and 8 other individuals had their cell phones stolen at The Friend. My friends and I have been coming to The Friend for over two years, but we will not be returning given how management and security handled this. Around midnight, my friend noticed her cell phone was missing. When we approached security by the front door, he said my friend was the 6th or 7th person to come up to him and say that. After checking in with other staff members, we went outside to the front (on Hyperion Street). There were several groups of people (maybe 25-30 people total), all saying someone in their group was missing their phone. We spoke with the manager (or so we thought) who said this "happens all the time" and he went on to talk about how much money people make selling stolen phones. I was told by security that they couldn't really do anything about it and that one of the patrons should probably call the police. The police arrived and nothing came of it -- all 8+ phones are still missing. Throughout the two hours we were on Hyperion from midnight-2am (with 30 other people) trying to sort this out, management/security were so unhelpful. The bouncer said, "Yeah, this has been happening here for weeks!" And that's what confounds me -- if this has been happening for weeks, why not warn your customers? Hang a sign in the window telling people to keep their phones close or at the VERY least tell people as you check their IDs at the door to be extra careful. At the very end of it, when we asked the Manager how often their security footage overrides he said, "I have no idea. I'm just here for the night. I don't work here normally." That was 100% not the response we were met with two hours earlier. So... yeah. Will never be coming here again. There's a pattern of theft and the owners/management have no intent of keeping their patrons safe. Go to the Friend if you want to have your valuables stolen and be met with a shrug.

This bar is making you show proof of vaccination now. There wasn't a line on a Friday night around 11:30-12 so we got in right away which was awesome. The music is like every other mainstream bar which I wish wasn't the case. It was still fun and lively with people dancing. Def don't come here if you're scared of covid

Okay here goes nothing. I went here for the 4th of July weekend, my first time out since rona and ready 2 rage with the posse. Mind you this is a place for hipsters in Silverlake but the decor was 50s and had a disco ball but had bartenders dressed in Parisian attire like striped shirts. So confusing. The layout of the place is bomb though. So much room to dance and get down so that's what the 4 stars are for, the structural layout. Not the MUSIC or 50s 70s Paris decor (ok 3 themes someone needs to get GORDON RAMSEY or that bar guy to redo the place cause it was very confusing in there) Dj Steven blood bath aka @stevie88 on IG yelled at me when I requested Rihanna we found love while he was "doing something really important bro." I told him it I can't tell what he's doing, I'm not a damn dj! And the music was worse than a batmizvah!! When he finally played riri and all the girls got down. He was playing drake and Stevie nicks like WTF LOL. Anyway that dj was rude AF. I have never been yelled at by a dj before and I actually work with djs for a living as a trance artist and Composer!! After all of that I'd still come back because you can dance and meet people. The drinks were good and they have a cool smoking section in the back. It I'd a total meat market though if you're looking for some fun! Definitely don't have the steven dj guy back he was so mean and yelled at me and called me a bro!! I'm a woman and very womanly.

What a rude blonde bartender. Dont know what her problem was, made eye contact for a drink and patiently waited as she served a few others that arrived after me. Didnt give me any signals (maybe i wasnt on her side enough even though i was passed the divider onto her side?). Never seen her before in my life, let my party people know. Overcrowded for a whack service. They probably dont care

i had the BEST time here out with my friends! w music was great, drinks where on point, and the staff was super friendly. the bartender named Dede was so much fun, served our drinks with a side of sassy jokes and never kept us waiting. we promised we'd come back to see her again and we plan to soon!!