Backstage Bar & Grill

The Backstage is, hands down, my favorite bar in LA. Don't be fooled by the exterior. It looks a little forbidding at first. But when you walk in, its like entering an alternative world where everything is right. The place is very dimly lit, but very warm feeling. Everyone that works there is unbelievably friendly. You feel at home right away. Drinks are cheap and the food is sensational. I dont really live that close by, but when my friends and I start trying to figure out where to go, we can never come up with an idea that we like better, so off we go to the Backstage. I highly recommend a drink they make called the Culver City Slut. Its goooood. Thanks Backstage, dont ever change!

Pros: Unpretentious, great staff, shockingly good food, fun!

Cons: Can get crowded on weekends. Wish I lived a little closer.

Posted 10/19/09

I've been going to the Backstage for the Sunday games the past couple of weeks. Its been great. I start the morning with a Bloody, which is quite tasty, horse radish and all. Usually, by then I'm feeling alive and switch to beer. They have alot of televisions so I can always find a game I'm interested in. There fries are so good and garlicky that last week I had two orders in one sitting. Warning: there is a weird Seahawk contingent in the bar.

Pros: Yummy Food, Good place to watch the game

Cons: Can Get Crowded

Posted 10/14/09

Just one of the most down to earth places I've ever been to. It's not a "club", it's not a "lounge" per se...it's a bar and a great one at that! Everytime I come in, it's like being on that show "Cheers." If I come in the daytime, Jillian knows my name and has my beer sitting on the bar before my eyes have even adjusted to the darkness. The night bartenders and servers are always super friendly and sooo accommodating!! It's like being having a party in your own living room. And have you seen Steve?? Smoking hot and man, does he make up some of the tastiest drinks ever!! I've made reservations for birthday parties here without having to pay a dime or get "table service." And then they give a free round of shots and a toast to celebrate!! Never heard of that anywhere else in LaLaLand. I love this place so much that if the Backstage were a guy, I would marry him.

Pros: Bartenders, Servers, Door Guys!! KJ Shane! Awesome!!

Cons: It's in Culver City...I mean, really??

Posted 10/12/09

# 2 on the list of "best beer selection in LA"? they had 6 taps, one of them was out (fat tire). a 5th spewed when the bartender tried to get me a taste of the "backstage pale ale", leaving only 4. blue moon, newcastle, miller lite, and something else even less memorable. the bottle selection was only slightly better. now i have to wait until 6 to hit father's office and salvage this beer expedition.

Posted 10/11/09

Well I just moved down to the Culver City area and a co-worker recommended this place to go and have a drink!! I wasn't treated courteously at all, in fact the service was so bad, appetizer and 1 drink and out!! We had to ask the Bartender to sen...d a waitress over and once we got served she never came back to ask if we needed anything else, in fact when she did return that was to give us our check!!!

Pros: Close to Sony Studios

Cons: Horrible Service

Posted 10/08/09

Good prices good selections and Rock Band on Sundays... overall a pretty epic experience with great grub and cheap PBR cans and on occasion... Arrogant Bastard 24s... awesome Culver City hangout!

Pros: arrogant bastard! pbr cans!

Cons: none!

Posted 10/08/09

this is King Chris inviting you all out for a great live soulful show every wed 900pm

Posted 07/29/09

Great song list to choose from, even so many new songs! Everyone sings along with you, great place to sing karaoke for the first time! So much fun

Pros: Best KJ on Westside

Cons: Get there early

Posted 07/26/09

Great service, even when busy. Good food to go along with cheap drinks. TV's in every direction. Just a good spot. Everyone celebrating, it was so much fun.

Pros: Like 20 hi-def tvs

Cons: Hard to find a seat, get there early for games

Posted 07/26/09

Good people, great staff, cheap drinks, everyone enjoys. Good atmosphere,

Pros: Most fun I've had singing Karaoke

Cons: Get there early to sign up

Posted 07/26/09

I was not expecting such a great martini from this place. Simply out, I was pleasantly surprised.

Pros: Delicious Dirty Martini

Posted 07/26/09

Love a good dive bar and this was up to my specifications. Cheap drinks, chill atmosphere, great jukebox, and very good food for a dive.

Pros: Nice dark hole with excellent food

Cons: Not too many vegetarian options for my date

Posted 07/26/09

Everyone that works there is great, the food is good, lots of fun for all. They have a lot of fun things different night of the week also.

Pros: everyone is friendly great food

Posted 07/18/09

I had my 21st birthday here this week and it was so much fun! Our waitress was amazing she made sure I had a designated driver, when I had to much (of course) she made sure I was being taken care of. Everyone there was really chill, no "plastic" or "fake" people. I had an amazing Grill Chicken Salad and the drinks were SO STRONG. The first drink I had was a redbull vodka and I swear there wasn't any redbull lol. Monday was regulars night so domestics and mix drinks were only $2. Overall I felt taken care of, service was phenomenal and I basically love it. I'll definitely be back.

Pros: Amazing Service

Posted 06/09/09

Since I've been in LA, I've gone to mostly clubs and lounge-y type places. Fun, but not a lot of warmth. This place reminds me of home (just outside of Chicago). The Backstage is old-school (in a good way), unpretentious and friendly. The staff is not typical 'seen it all, done it all' LA types. They seem like regular people who care about doing their job well and making you feel comfortable. The food is bar food plus. I don't know exactly where the 'plus' comes from, but everything I've tried here is better than at other places. The prices are low, the drinks are strong, and the room is very warm and comfortable. Nice mix of people, liking each other and having a good time. I wish the real world could be a little more like this place. There was a birthday party there the other night and the people seemed to be having more fun than a bunch of kids at Chucky Cheese.

Pros: Friendly staff and crowd, great food, strong drinks, low prices

Cons: Wish I lived a little closer

Posted 03/06/09

I had a Birthday party at Backstage recently and had a blast! The food was awesome(love the fries) Our waitress was very attentive even though we were a big party and it was packed she always had a fresh beer ready for me. The karaoke that night was fun and at times hysterical... I highly recommend this place to anyone that likes a chill neighborhood bar with a lot of heart.

Pros: Prices, Karaoke, atmosphere

Cons: None that I can think of

Posted 03/06/09

Writing this EARLY in the AM because the food I had at Backstage last eve woke me up in a bad way... I guess if I happen to be right near by, I might drop back in for a drink and a game of pool (1 table) some time. Definitely not for the food and definitely not going out of my way to get there. Also, our waitress was lame and it was not busy or anything. I had high hopes when I 1st walked in, as an east coaster the dive bar feel was right up my alley.

Pros: dive-y bar, for LA

Cons: food, service

Posted 03/06/09

The crowd feels nice, yet the food is horrible. The french fries are so salty that you would need vaseline on your lips to soothe them. Don't even consider the beer on tap because it is flat, same goes for the diet coke. We did not try other drinks.

To get service you need to go to the bar to ask for someone because your server avoids eye contact, even if the bar is half full!

On the plus side, when Culver City downtown is packed on a Saturday night, this place is still semi full, so at least a place to get a beer.

Pros: Price, Lots of Space on a Saturday Night

Cons: Bad Food, Service, and Flat Beers

Posted 02/06/09

IM NOT REALLY IN TO BARS ..... BUT THIS PLACE HAD ME HOOKED WITH MY FIRST DRINK:)
THE DRINKS ARE STRONG AND CHEAP .THIS PLACE IS LOADS OF FUN ITS CROWDED AND VERY LOUD........ THE PEOPLE ARE NICE, FRIENDLY AND LAYED BACK .....GREAT SERVICE AND FOOD.....THE BEST TEQUILA SUNRISES AND GARLIC FRIES...... LOVE THE KARAOKE ....... I LOVE THIS PLACE......

Pros: GREAT ATMOSPHERE FOOD AND DRINKS....FUN KARAOKE GREAT SERVICE

Posted 01/10/09

I haven't been to the Backstage on a weekend, but weekdays are chill. Very comfortable and easy. The crowd and crew are friendly, the lights are low and the jukebox is the best. It looks like a regular bar from the outside, but inside its dark and cozy. I may try it on a weekend someday, but for now, weeknights are for me. $2 drinks on Tuesdays seal the deal.

Posted 12/29/08

This is my new favorite place! I was there for my best friend's birthday and we had the best time ever. I can't remember our server's name, something like Anna, but she gave us the kind of service you could only dream of. Everyone there seemed to be having a crazy good time and the whole place felt like a party. I didn't eat, but the food looked great. It's good, cheap fun and everyone who worked there seemed glad to be there. I haven't come across anyplace like it out here. Thanks, Backstage. See you soon.

Pros: Friendly staff. Good, cheap fun.

Posted 12/28/08

WORST KARAOKE. This place was rated well on here so I decided to have my party here on Saturday the 13th of December, 2008 and it sucked. The Karaoke started an hour late and even though we signed up for songs 45 min before they started, I had to give the guy $20 bucks to finally let my friends and I up after being there for 2 hours and never being called. We were there all night and didn't make it back up to sing because it was WAY TOO CROWDED and people kept paying to get bumped up(that karaoke douche must have made a killing that night in "tips"). Drinks are way over priced for a dive bar and they gave one of my tables i reserved away claiming we were late. Don't bother trying it out, stick to the places you know for karaoke, Sardo's for example in Burbank, or Pig N Whistle in Hollywood.

Pros: NONE

Cons: crowded, no space to sit, expensive drinks and worst karaoke operation i've seen

Posted 12/27/08

i've driven by this many times, but have yet to go and check it out, but it sounds like a great time, and def could use some time to relax from work

Posted 12/15/08

I've been to Backstage 4 or 5 times now, and it has consistently been somewhere fun with a cool, diverse crowd (not too trendy). The food there is GREAT!!! Definitely have to try the mac & cheese. And if it's your birthday, they really go out of their way to make sure you and your party has a good time. Based on all the great reviews, the place is probably smaller than you'd expect, but it helps for a cozy atmosphere where everyone cheers on whoever's on the mike for the karaoke. If you're looking for a good time, Backstage is a great place to chill. You can go dressed up or in bar attire (jeans, nice blouse), which is really cool. There's also always lots of people at the spot, so it's a gauranteed fun night with a crowd.

Posted 08/09/08

Six friends and I came here on a Wed night to celebrate my 25th bday and I didnt expect much based on the front of the building and the fact that we went out the night before in Hollywood and I was so dissatisfied by the way the bartenders could care less that it was my bday. Boy, I was wrong about the Backstage. This place was so generous to me on my bday! The band sang happy birthday to me and then ordered my friends and I two shots each- all on the house! Coming from Santa Barbara this would be standard behavior as far as Im concerned but not in a big city like LA. Luckily we found this place or my bday would have been disappointing and I think I would have forever disliked LA. Thanks Backstage!!

Pros: Friendly staff and crowd- anything goes

Cons: None

Posted 06/19/08

This place has become my new favorite bar in Los Angeles. The crowd is unpretentious, the drinks are cheap and strong, and the staff are friendly and efficient. The karaoke regulars are impressive, but everyone cheers for you even if you're terrible. (I should know!)

It's also a great place to have a party -- I celebrated my birthday here last Friday. The cocktail waitress was taking orders about thirty seconds after we sat down, and she went out of her way to start individual tabs for everyone, so we could avoid the usual bill confusion at the end of the night. When her shift ended, she made sure to let us know she was leaving, and introduced the waitress who'd be taking over. The bartenders are fast (and cute!), and they sent a free round of birthday shots for our whole table. In general, the service is about a thousand times better than you'd expect from a self-professed dive bar.

Thanks to everyone at the Backstage for such a great night! My friends and I will all be back. :)

Pros: Service, strong drinks, great DJ, there's a photo booth!

Cons: none!

Posted 04/27/08

What a find! I'm from Hermosa and my date was from West LA, so I sought a burger joint in between. Found Backstage via citysearch. On a Thursday game night parking couldn't be easier. Atmosphere, small and dark but perfect for a bar & grill. Employees from doorman to bartender to waitress COULD NOT HAVE BEEN NICER. Place was packed but we never hurt for service. Our burgers and fries were okay if you like PERFECTION and SPEEDY PREPARATION. The crowd was an eclectic mix of everything from suits to jeans/t-shirts and folks in their 20's, 30's, 40's, ??'s and everyone had a smile on their face - not so hard when you're having a great time. I will return. I will recommend to others if they're interested in a fun time and a great burger.

Pros: Great Bar & Grill atomsphere (unpretentious), Easy Street Parking, Terrific Service

Cons: I honestly have no cons to list

Posted 04/18/08

After attending a Birthday party at Backstage this weekend I had to write and let you all know of my plight! I had a BLAST!! I honestly do not like big crowds and am frightend of karaoke but this place changed some beliefs and I certainly will be back. The drinks prices were shockingly reasonable and certainly had a kick... (I am still feeling it today). The food was great for a dive bar and I reccomend ordering the sampler so you can have a taste of several things. Karaoke was like a "Twilight Zone" episode, everyone in the bar was singing along wich gave it a feel that you were at a party in someones house. The DJ was top drawer but I do have to say with the masses attending on Saturday the list was very long, so sign up early.

Pros: Bartenders, Drink Prices, Karaoke

Posted 04/05/08

I've been a bartender at the Backstage for over 2 years now, longer than I've stayed at any other bar. the customers are awesome, which is a major reason for my longevity. The staff will always greet you with a smile and are genuinely fun people, and the owner truly cares about the happiness of our patrons. The drinks are more than reasonable, and they're made by some of the cutest bartenders in the city (myself excluded, I'm just there for my speed! LOL!). If you're looking for a bar with a really cool vibe and positive atmosphere, somewhere you can relax and have a great time on a budget, then I recommend the Backstage.

Posted 04/05/08

We don't have a lot of them, but this is culver city's best bar. Sing a song that people know of don't hear a billion times and you'll do awesome on karaoke.

Posted 03/12/08

IF U LIve in l.a this is the spot FRiendly people and treat u like fam THursdays are rockin

U guys are the best

Pros: Location is great

Cons: Can get busy inside

Posted 02/27/08

I went there on a Friday night, and it was really fun. I am NOT a karaoke person, but this place even had me singing! If you're going to sing, get on the list early as it can get long. It's totally chill with fast, friendly service. The drinks are cheap, too!

Posted 01/05/08

This is the best place in town!!!! Good food, great drinks, excellent prices, AND BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!! I want to go back many times!!!!

Pros: thumbs up to the great service!!!

Cons: Get's a little crowded, but really fun!!!

Posted 11/01/07

Some friends invited me to join them Tues. night for happy hour at Backstage. When I first walked in, I thought ?what a dive.? It was pretty dark inside and looked empty. As time went on and my eyes acclimated to the light, or lack thereof, I really began enjoying myself. The sliders and the chicken fingers were excellent!! The drinks weren?t too shabby. It ended up being a fun, low-key bar. I?d definitely go again. Maybe next time I?ll even try my hand at the karaoke.

Pros: excellent menu

Cons: parking could be an issue

Posted 09/26/07

My wife and I are non-drinkers, but we find ourselves at Backstage for karaoke at least a couple times a month. It's such a fun, infectious atmosphere: The service is almost always awesome regardless of the crowd, KJ Shane does karaoke better than anyone (with a phone book-sized book of songs), the food is pretty darn good (nachos and skewers recommended), and you get a perfect mix of great performers and drunken mumblers. When I feel like busting out some Beastie Boys or my wife wants to belt out White Rabbit, we wouldn't dream of going anywhere else!

We usually get there early to secure a table (often, parties bogart the tables) and find relatively close parking across the street. If you're a karaoke novice, worry not: People are usually encouraging of n00bs.

Posted 09/24/07

We wouldn't DREAM of having a party anywhere else! We are always treated like stars and they have pleased all of our guests with such smart and varied food. The Karaoke brings us more together and helps to create some really great memories. Every employee at Backstage makes us feel that the evening was created just for us. Cannot wait until the next time.
Conny
Click Media

Pros: Professional Staff, Fab Hors d'oeuvres, Well-run Karaoke

Posted 09/17/07

I often check out the reviews of places but never write on. When I saw someone's review trashing Backstage I had the speak out!!! This is the best dive bar in the Los Angeles area!!! I have gone to many birthday's, going away, let's just get together and sing events here!!! I even had my 26th Birthday party here! It was GREAT!!! GREAT FOOD, GREAT DRINKS (CHEAP TOO!!), and a GREAT ATMOSPHERE!!! YOU CAN SING UP A STORM, ACT AS CRAZY AS YOU WANT, AND INSTEAD OF PEOPLE TELLING YOU TO STOP THEY JOIN IN!!! THE BARTENDERS ARE GREAT!! THE BOUNCERS ARE GREAT! THE WAITERS AND WAITRESSES ARE GREAT!!!

If you are looking for a good time and a place to get away from all of the PRETENTIOUS bars this is the place for you!!! I love Backstage!!! And yes we are having another party there next month!!!

Pros: GREAT MUSIC, FOOD, DRINKS, PEOPLE, DIVERSE (EVERYONE FEELS WELCOMED)

Cons: NONE!!!

Posted 07/15/07

Saturday night I took 3 friends visiting from Pheonix to the Backstage Bar after finding it on citysearch. The reviews had been great so I thought it would be perfect. We got there at 9 and drove around for 15 minutes looking for parking (we finally found a spot down the street) It was kind of busy but after waiting at the bar for a couple of minutes we got a pitcher of beer with 4 of the DIRTIEST glasses!! It was truly disgusting! then the beer was warm, and the only table we could find was a little crusty! We were going to order food but after that we changed our minds! I will say the DJ was really friendly and the waitresses were cute and curteous, but... We were grossed out but my friend really wanted to sing karaoke so we stuck around for a little before leaving. This nasty neighboorhood hole-in-the-wall turned out to be just that!!

PROS-freindly staff, good DJ
CONS-no parking, general lack of cleanliness

Pros: cute waitresses, good music

Cons: dirty, no parking, crowded

Posted 07/09/07

sO i AM STILL BUZZED! My best friend had his b-day tonight at backstage and it was a blast. We ate early and the service was wonderful....and the food...wow. I had a portion of the sampler and it was tasty!!!! The DJ played videos and we danced when we probably shouldn't have but WHO CARES!! Then he started karaoke!!!! I honestly am scared of karaoke but it is fun here. No pretention just fun fun fun. We will be back!

Pros: Food, Drinks, waitress, DJ Shane

Cons: ???????

Posted 07/07/07

fyi. New parking restrictions have gone into effect. Permit Parking only from 6pm - 8am. The neighborhood is watching closely to insure that bar patrons are ticketed when parking in permit only areas.

Posted 06/12/07

Nice people work there. Even when it is super crowded you don't have to wait to actually get your drink. The way I drink that is important! :-)

I went in for lunch about a month ago and saw some fliers for Ladies night on Wednesday. Sounded like fun so decided to try it out. It was awesome. I go every week now and look forward to wednesdays. I also started to go on saturdays too, not bad at all. great crowd, lots of people.

Overall, this is by far the best bar on the westside. It is one of the few places you can go and have a big night of drinking/dancing or go and just hang out.

Posted 06/12/07

This is my idea of what a bar should be, a friendly place where you can be yourself and have a good time on a budget. I've been in on weekdays and weekends and the crowd (bigger on weekends, of course) is a great mix of people...studio types, blue collar types, student types, just a good natured mix. It's very easy to make friends. The Backstage was the second bar I went to when I moved to LA and didn't know anyone. I love it because it feels like a big family that I fit into, no matter what the night. It's not the only place I go in LA, but its my favorite. They have a lot of parties here and the party people always seem to have a lot of fun. I'll probably have my birthday here. The only thing I ever order is the burger and fries. I keep meaning to try something else, but, what can I say, I love that burger. I usually hate karaoke, but they've figured out a way to make it a good time, even for non-fans. The room is dark wood and dim and very cozy. But, its not any one thing that brings me back, its all of it: the staff, the crowd, the cheap strong drinks, the room, the food. The overall effect is that you feel at home the first time you're in. To me, that's what a bar ought to be.

Pros: Great staff, friendly crowd, strong drinks, burgers

Cons: Just wish I lived a little closer.

Posted 06/05/07

I was really excited to check out the backstage, since it has been getting great ratings and reviews on citysearch. But honestly, I was just not that impressed with it. Parking was a pain and it felt too stuffy in there. I guess it's a cool hang out if you live in the area, but not worth the drive if you're not.

Pros: cheaper drinks

Cons: parking, crowded

Posted 06/03/07

Can a dive bar 'jump the shark'? If so, that's the case at the Backstage. One of my friends swears by this place, but I got tired of the same 5 people doing song after song after song on a karaoke night. Luckily there was no line (apparently there has been one in the past on weekends) given how claustrophobic the place seems inside, so I was just glad it wasn't crowded.

For karaoke, one of the clubs up on Sawtelle where you can drink in your own private room is waaaaaay better. I definitely didn't think it was a great place to go as a single girl -- unless you like the kind of karaoke singers who take themselves way too seriously. Maybe it's a good spot for happy hour, but with summer coming, I'd rather be at a dive with a patio than in some dark cave.

Pros: after-work spot, happy hour

Cons: Parking, bad karaoke

Posted 05/24/07

Thanks to all the Backstage crew for making my birthday awesome! The food is great, the staff is fun, and the drinks are strong! I had a great birthday and my friends all had a blast. I highly recommend going on the weekends during karaoke. Get there early because the place gets packed! Thanks again Backstage, we'll be back soon;-)

Pros: Food, drinks, service

Cons: crowded

Posted 04/27/07

This is the best locals dive bar! It's nice and dark and they always play good music. It's a great place to relax after work.

Posted 04/09/07

I GO TO BACKSTAGE ALOT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AND WE DIG THE ATMOSPHERE. LAST NIGHT WE WENT IN AND HAD A TAB OPEN AT THE BAR USUALLY WE HAVE TO GET UP AND KEEP ON ORDERING FROM THE BAR. THE GIRL THAT WAS GOING AROUND ASKING IF WE WANTED DRINKS CAME AND ASKED US WHEN WE TOLD HER OUR TAB WAS AT THE BAR SHE WAS GREAT WENT AND TOLD THE BAR AND SHE BROUGHT US LIKE 3 DRINKS AND WE STILL CLOSED UP AT THE BAR. WE ASKED HER NAME BUT I DID NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND I THINK SHE SAID CARA OR CARLA .
GREAT PLACE TO CHECK OUT! GREAT SERVICE!

Posted 03/30/07

I had my barmitsma at the Backstage a few weeks ago and had a really great time. The place was busy, but we were treated really well. Free shots for the whole party and great food made it even better. I even tried karaoke (never had the nerve before) and loved it. Everyone there was cool and the whole place felt like a party. I couldn't believe it when closing time rolled around. We'll definitely be back. Thanks!

Posted 03/29/07

I planned a last minute birthday party at Backstage and it was great. Ben was very helpful and they still had space for me to reserve a section at no cost despite the last minute request. The KJay was soo nice and fun and accomodating with my group. The food was great. The sliders and wings are awesome. Everyone seemed nice. Although our waitress was not the fastest or the most attentive (When we got there and sat down no one came over so we ordered drinks from the bar 10 minutes later she came over and said we should have ordered through her since it was her table). We sat near the fireplace and it became hot, it took her about 40min to turn it off. Also she did not tell us when the kitchen closed and when we attempting to order more food we couldn't. Despite that I give them an A. I had the best fun singing the drinks/food was good and even the bouncers were nice. I had a few too many and they would not let me leave until my friends came to claim me.;) The bartenders were great! I will be going back and I would have another party there!!

Pros: Great food, Drinks, Staff

Posted 03/19/07