Bored of your usual Belmont Shore bar hopping? If you’re feeling adventurous enough to Uber it to the inner Long Beach area, Alex’s Bar is the place to visit. Located on E. Anaheim St., just past Redondo Avenue, this local dive bar may not be centralized, but with a mere $5 cover charge, Alex’s has everything you’ll need in one spot for a rowdy night.
For over a year now, I’ve lived on Gladys Avenue, right across the way, and only just stepped foot into Alex’s last Saturday. If you’re lucky enough to find a DD for the night, the venue is packed with parking in the back lot, where the entrance is.
As you’re walking to the rear entrance, make sure you’re not a tipsy fool like me and nearly hand your money to some random guy that claims to be the bouncer. Fortunately, I had already known the cover fee was $5, so when the man told me $20, I knew right away he was a phony. That was a close one. ID’s will be checked upon entry, you’ll hand your $5 to the worker INSIDE the venue, get your hand stamped, and start the night.
With fairy lights strung up across the ceiling, and ominous masks, figurines, and paintings covering the walls from top to bottom, the dimly lit red room screams Halloween year round. This eerie, eccentric vibe might just be the prime hangout corner for a group of bloodthirsty undesirables. Most of you vampire fans know just what I’m talking about. Alex’s Bar not only hosts a range of talented local musicians every week, but it also serves as the primary set for filming scenes of Fangtasia, the vampire bar in HBO’s "True Blood."
One True Blood on the rocks please? Yep, just like the one in the show! Order some blood orange soda in a bottle, or maybe nerd-out even harder and go dressed as a vampire when you visit!
The staff and bartenders are welcoming and friendly, so if you’re 22 years old and still not too experienced on how to order at a bar, don’t be afraid to ask! I decided to stick to my go-to, whiskey sour, but little did I know you could add egg whites to your drink. After being encouraged by the bartender to give it a try, I thought, why not? The mixed-in egg whites add a frothiness to your favorite cocktail. Personally, I didn’t feel the addition made the drink more enjoyable, and if you’re the type of person that has qualms about ingesting raw eggs, then you might just want to go with your usual. Nevertheless, Alex’s has plenty of other concoctions, sans eggs whites to taste. Order from a variety of beers on tap, and if you’re a lover of jalapeño’s, try the zesty Tijuana Day Spa, or rejuvenate with a refreshing Moscow mule. Tall, canned, classic cold ones of PBR and Tecate are just $5, and there are beer specials throughout the week.
Alex’s Bar is home to a range of crowds depending on the music style of bands playing on a given night, so be sure to check out their website. Whether you’re a grunge/punk rock fan, or more into alternative/indie, the venue has a lot to offer. The Saturday I visited happened to be a regular evening of karaoke, so all types of people fused together and danced the night away in high spirits. Get a few drinks in your system, grab some friends, and sign yourselves up on the karaoke waitlist. If you’re an old soul, rock out to bands like Depeche Mode and the Violent Femmes, play a game of billiards, or take a quick break from dancing for some photo booth fun to remember your night.
Don't have any plans Halloween weekend? A trip to Alex's Bar will surely leave you in spine-chilling spirits. No matter what kind of vibe you’re into, Alex’s is worth a try, and a guaranteed good time.
