The Little Friend
Bar · Venice ·
Subterranean bar with playful decor, strong cocktails, and dancing
Subterranean bar with playful decor, strong cocktails, and dancing
"Trying to find great places to dance on the Westside isn’t easy, especially if you don’t like paying for bottle service (we don’t) or waiting in line (we also don’t). Fortunately, Venice’s Little Friend is our refuge in this part of town. The sibling to Silver Lake’s The Friend, this bar plays actual records in a small space that makes you feel like you’re partying at the Peach Pit After Dark. They’ve got all kinds of themed dance nights, like disco, house, and “Madre Mondays” when they have all-night Happy Hour and lots of tequila" - brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins
"The smaller, more intimate sibling to Silver Lake’s The Friend, this Venice bar is where you go to dance the night away to throwback 80s hits with a bunch of sweaty strangers under a disco ball. As the name implies, the space is quite small, made up of a few tables and a tiny bar in the back that serves great cocktails and natural wine. The cocktail names are part of the charm here, with each one personifying a certain “type”, like The Joker, The Hustler, and, our personal favorite, The Passion, which has a strong mezcal kick with sour hibiscus and passionfruit flavor." - sylvio martins
"You become a different person when you’re with your childhood friends - and that person is a god of the dance floor. Since you have too much self-respect these days to be seen inside an actual club, head to The Little Friend in Venice instead. The tiny bar hidden behind Sunny Spot has strong drinks, a crowd that won’t annoy you, and a disco ball-adorned dance floor that just won’t quit." - brant cox
"If we’re going off the traditional Hollywood rule, the sequel is never supposed to be as good as the original, but Little Friend is the exception. The second location of Silver Lake’s The Friend opened in Venice this summer, and almost immediately became our go-to dance spot on the Westside. As the name suggests, it’s not a big space, but the crowd size is always well-managed, so even when it’s at capacity, you never feel like a sardine swaying to the beat. The dancefloor energy definitely changes based on the DJ, but with cocktails this strong and a disco ball overhead, it’s never too difficult to find your place at the party." - brant cox, kat hong, brett keating
"It’s always fun to spend the night dancing under a disco ball - whether you’re drinking PBRs while you do it or not. That’s why Venice’s Little Friend should immediately enter your rotation of bars to not drink in. This little place tucked behind Sunny Spot on Washington Blvd. has DJs spinning actual records and themed nights pretty much all week, from ’90s hip-hop to Prince to disco. They’ve also got a cool, friendly crowd that’s not afraid to mix it up, if it’s the kind of night where you’re looking to meet someone." - brett keating
