St. Patrick's Day 2009 Events in Los Angeles

613 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 629-2353

St. Pat’s Day starts early at Casey’s. On certain evenings leading up to the big day, patrons will be able to warm up their palate with Jamison whiskey tastings, and score some coupons as well, if they feel further warming is necessary. The festivities begin in earnest on the weekend preceding, with live music from Paddy's Pig on both Friday and Saturday nights. Then on Tuesday, the bar will open its doors four hours early, at 7 a.m. (there’s no cover, so show up early if you want to avoid waiting in line), so patrons can get a jump start on drinking green beer while listening to bagpipers and the DJ (hopefully, not in combination).

But wait, if Casey’s pub is too … stationary for your tastes, you can buy a seat on their double-decker party bus, which actually participates in downtown’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. $20 gets you a seat on the first story, or party on the top deck in the open air for $10 more. And yes, the price of admission includes beer. I didn’t ask, but I assume that if you throw up on any kids along the parade route, you win a fabulous prize and will be hailed as a hero on the local news. Bonus.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Casey's Irish Bar & Grille

840 S. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 936-7151

Los Angeles’ old Irish pub/restaurant probably doesn’t have to do much to attract patrons on March 17 — and so they are not. Aside from opening their doors at 6:30 a.m. instead of 11:30, you’ll find Tom’s just like it always is, albeit probably a bit more crowded and lively. If you’re Irish though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more amiable crowd with which to while away the hours over Guinness and Jamison and exchange stories about the old country.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Tom Bergin's Tavern

575 S. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 935-1577

Molly’s will open its doors at 6 a.m., and if years past are any indication, it’ll be packed to the gills by 8, and that’s despite the $20 cover. However, unlike some other places that are planning on charging like they’re a Hollywood club, and you’re a group of five guys, Molly’s will treat its guests to a full-on concert from noon to closing. A little Celtic folk rock, a little reggae, a little bagpipes, a little of everything for everyone, whether you wanna drink and fight or … drink and … not fight? (Seriously, people, no fighting.) Full sked below:

12 p.m.—The Celtic Divas featuring Brooke Alberts
1 p.m.—Bagpiper Thomas Allen
2 p.m.—The Celtic Divas featuring Brooke Alberts
6 p.m.—Slugger O’Toole
8:15 p.m.—Headbone
9:30 p.m.—i-94
11 p.m.—The Dirges

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Molly Malone's Irish Pub

3267 Motor Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 559-9648

Info TBD

11168 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 838-3745

Culver City’s own slice of the Emerald Isle will be laying it on thick with live Irish music, bagpipers, leprechauns … Leprechauns?!?! The woman I spoke to said leprechauns were going to be there. I didn’t really press for more information. Perhaps I should have. I assume these leprechauns are going to be the “Santa’s Elves looking for another fat payday” types rather than the “Oop! You caught me! Here’s some gold!” types or the terrifying a young Jennifer Aniston types. If it is the latter though, you’ll have plenty of space to hide from the murderous trolls because Joxer’s turns its parking lot into a beer garden to give its patrons ample room to pass out face first without hitting anyone on the way down.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Joxer Daly's

2700 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90407
(310) 452-1734

Finn McCool’s, somewhat surprisingly, is not a beach bar with a sunglasses-wearing Shark as a mascot. It is actually a traditional Irish pub, and it looks the part. They even shipped over their actual bar from Ireland, I guess, because no American bar they could find was stout enough to bear the weight of so many pale, befreckled forearms leaning heavily with drink. Have you ever seen a bar collapse under the weight of its patrons? It’s not pretty. But I digress.

Finn’s (McCool’s?) is going pretty much all-out, leaving no Blarney Stone unturned to deliver the revelry. They’re opening up three hours early, at 9 a.m., to serve up some traditional Irish breakfast and, ahem, “coffee.” AND, to really kick the St. Paddy’s spirit into high gear from the get-go, they are bussing in actual Irish people! Yes, a whole double-decker full will descend upon McCool’s bright and early to whip up a nitrogenated froth and teach you about hurling before they are whisked away to their next pub.

After breakfast, take a nap on the sturdy bar, but get up before 2:30, cause that’s when the music starts! Irish singer Marion Griffin will kick things off with some Irish folk. The tempo will assumedly be turn up a notch, though, at 3 p.m. when the Riverdance dancers arrive. If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll tell you some stories about Michael Flatley’s notorious backstage diva behavior (“God dammit, Terrence, I said FOUR-ply! FOUR!”)

Other entertainment will include the world’s largest leprechaun — evidently, which, there are many ways to could work that angle I guess — who will lead patrons on a scavenger hunt for a pot of gold (o’ gold?). Leprechauns not really feeling the pinch of the world financial meltdown, it seems. I guess he hasn’t seen any of those CashForGold.com commercials, so, you know, shhh.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Finn McCool's

2226 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 829-5303

When you’re an Irish bar on St. Pat’s Day, there’s pretty much two directions you can go: have specials, get some live music, and put some effort into it; or raise prices and charge a cover. O’Brien’s has chosen the latter route, and was very candid about it. And why not? It’s St. Patricks Day, what are you gonna do? Go to a Chinese restaurant? Mwhahahaha!

Anyhow, O’Brien’s is opening its doors bright and early at 6 a.m., and the bartenders assured me that if you’re man or woman enough to show up at a bar that early, they won’t charge you the $20 cover that will apply to the cowards and wusses that don’t show up until after they’ve had lunch. And yeah, the beer will be green.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at O'Brien's Irish Pub

2941 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 396-4725

The other O’Brien’s (or is the other O’Brien’s the other O’Brien’s? Whoa, I just blew my own mind!) will also open its doors at 6 a.m., instead of their normal 11:30, and will feature live music beginning at 3 p.m. Te set-up at O’Brien’s is such that if you would rather not listen to the music, you can stake out a place in the front room or outside on the patio and drink in peace — well, whatever counts as peace on St. Patrick’s day. Full sked below: 3 p.m.—Surf Chicks
6 p.m.—PJ Smith Band
10 p.m.—Slugger O’Toole

Event: St. Patrick's Day at O'Brien's Irish Pub & Restaurant

2615 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 449-1811

Sonny’s is another popular Irish — well, Boston — bar on Wilshire. If you’re trying to decide between going here and the O’Brien’s down the street, it’s going to be somewhat of a Hobson’s choice. Sonny’s will, however, have live Irish music throughout the day, and their cover is only $10, AND the cover doesn’t kick in until 2. The doors won’t open until 10 a.m., though, so if you chose O’Brien’s you’d already have been drinking for four hours. Also, Sonny's serves beer and wine only. Not very Irish of them. You decide.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Sonny McLean's

4089 Lincoln Blvd.
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 821-6622

Brennan’s is looking to be a good bet for live music on the West side. Four bands will play throughout the day on two stages, one inside, one on the tented patio. The bar will flip on the “open” light at 6 a.m. (I’m seriously curious at this point how many people are going to show up to these bars that open just after sunrise. They must do it because there are enough people who want to drink that early to at least cover expenses, and even that is kind of impressive), but the entertainment doesn’t start until 1:30 p.m. No turtle races today, so ladies, feel free to stand upright at all times (you’re probably not going to get this joke unless you’ve been to Brennan’s for turtle races). Full sked below:

Outside
1:30 p.m.—The Lads
4:00 p.m.—Cowspace

Inside
4:30 p.m.—Dazed and Confused
9:30 p.m.—The Mandrakes

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Brennan's Pub

100 H. Fisherman’s Wharf, Redondo Beach Pier
Redondo Beach, CA, 90277
(310) 303-3880

Kilkenny’s, like most every other South Bay joint, is going to get crazy on St. Pat’s. And most bars down here won’t be hosting bands — thus sacrificing precious floor space — nor offering many drink specials — thus sacrificing precious revenue, but none of the patron will mind. Because it’s the South Bay, and there’s a good excuse to start drinking before noon, and really that’s MORE than enough. Kilkenny’s will open at 9 a.m. and there’s no cover. Stick around and you’re likely to catch one of the roving bagpipers that will be moving from bar to bar, supplanting the Mariachis as Los Angeles’ official brand of roving minstrels. A DJ will provide grinding music.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Kilkenny's

8 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 372-5759

Due to this Hennessey’s’ prime location on the pier in Hermosa (and Irish-sounding name), they could probably charge a $50 cover and switch out their normal drink menu for one from the bar at the Four Season and the clientele wouldn’t bat an eye. After all, it’s just money, and being able to grab a choice spot on Hennessey’s’ front patio and preen in green for the poor lames stuck waiting in line, I mean, you can’t put a price on that, bro.

But if you do show up early (Henn’s doesn’t need to open early because they open at 7 a.m. every day), the party will most assuredly come to you. And if you manage to score one of those coveted patio tables, the world will truly be your oyster. Just don’t expect any special treatment due to the date. Other than the surfeit of green bikinis and the Irish music on the P.A., you probably won’t be able to tell the difference between March 17 and your average Hermosa Pier summer Saturday afternoon. In fact, it’ll be so much like a Saturday that the customary 2-for-1 breakfast and burgers offered on Tuesdays won’t be available! (Call on this, perhaps. I have received several different answers as to whether or not Henn’s will be offering this deal. I’ve narrowed it down to yes, no and maybe, but the guy who said no sounded the most confident.) Really, though, can you blame them? If they kept that going they might as well just light giant stacks of money on fire, and while the color scheme of burning money might be right in line with the holiday, somehow I suspect they won’t be doing that either.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Hennessey's Tavern - Hermosa Beach

13 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 546-4813

The Manhattan Beach Hennessey’s, like its Hermosa counterpart, opens its doors at 7 a.m. It’s less of a party spot than the two Henn’s down the coast, but it will still no doubt be packed with drinkers on St. Pat’s. So if you live in MB and don’t feel like riding your beach cruiser down to Hermosa and dealing with the insane crowds, stick around within stumbling distance and head to the local Hennessey’s.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Hennessey's Tavern - Manhattan Beach

1712 S. Catalina Ave.
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 540-8443

The Redondo Hennessey’s, bucking the company trend, will have something special going on: namely, a big tent set up out back that will feature live music throughout the day. The band, which will forgo the Celtic fiddle in favor of the cock rock, will rotate all day between Henn’s and Mickie Finnz next door. Also, to accommodate the crowds, three satellite bars will be set up in addition to the main one, so you can piss off up to three bartenders before the bouncer comes looking for you. Good times! Also, despite the extra entertainment, there still won’t be a cover.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Hennessey's Tavern - Redondo Beach

50-A Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 798-9762

If you’re a regular at this Hermosa Beach staple, be sure to make your presence known and remind the employees of your constant and loyal patronage in the days leading up to St. Pat’s, because they will be handing out coupons good for your first drink on St. Pat’s Day, providing you show up before noon. But they’re not explicitly trying to encourage a.m. drinking, per se. It’s just that once the clock strikes 12 the place starts filling up quick. Doors open at 7 a.m. for kegs and eggs. There’ll be specials on Bloody Marys and screwdriver pitchers until noon. The DJ shows up at 2 p.m. and the cover — which will be $5, but might increase to $10 if things get too crowded — kicks in at around 3 p.m.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Patrick Molloy's

71 S. Pine Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 437-8300

Phew! Trying to write interesting blurbs about so many Irish pub is tough! I was going strong for a while, but am definitely fading a bit here, and I don’t want that to reflect poorly on the pubs that happen to be lower down on the list, just because I’m running low on jokes and ways to get excited about green beer. But anyhow, if you’re down south in Long Beach, there's a few options for St. Pat’s revelry. The Long Beach branch of the Auld Dubliner franchise will feature two bands, one day one night. From 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Hoist The Colors will play some Celtic folk rock, followed at 9 p.m. by Craic Haus, who cleverly bills themselves as shamrock-a-billy. Get it?!?! In all seriousness though, that sounds pretty good. Cover is a very reasonable $5.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub

803 E. Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 437-1836

Info TBD

2751 E. Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 856-8000

Gallagher’s is opening their doors at 9 a.m. to serve a tradition Irish breakfast. Celtic rock band American Wake will fire up the amps at 1 p.m. and play all day, on and off, until closing. And since the gentleman I spoke to at Gallagher’s was kind enough to actually give me some specific pricing info, I feel like I should pas it on: Shot special, $3 per, for something called an Emerald Tart. He didn’t specify ingredients, but if I had to guess on a color, I’d say … purple?

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Gallagher's Pub & Grill

13721 Burbank Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
(818) 785-4031

This Valley-local favorite certainly has a full dance card for St. Pat’s. They open their doors at 8 a.m., at which point patrons will have an hour to put away their Irish breakfast before the bands start up. Styles run the gamut from ska to folk. If you had to throw everything into one category, it would probably be “good drinking music.” $10 gets you in, full sked below:

9 a.m.—Sligo Rags
2 p.m—The Shenanigans
5 p.m.—Colm Gallagher & Friends
10 p.m.—Ken O’ Malley and The Twilight Lords

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Ireland's 32 Pub

10111 Riverside Drive
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
(818) 985-3359

This Valley Irish pub/sports bar is opening its doors at 8 a.m., but that’s about all — well, that and the larger crowd — that’ll be different from any other Tuesday. Also, due to high demand for the two items, the menu will be limited to corned beef & cabbage and Irish stew. Starting at some time in the evening they will charge a $5 cover.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Timmy Nolan's

2980 Los Feliz Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 664-0228

Built in 1922, Tam O’Shanter has seen its share of St. Patrick’s Days. Technically a Scottish pub, under the auspices of British Isles solidarity, the Tam becomes full-blooded Irish one day a year, and neither the Scots, nor the Irish, nor any of the hundreds of people who crowd this East Side establishment on St. Pat’s seem to mind the identity switch. Along with the very authentic pub, the adjoining parking lot will again be outfitted with a tent to house entertainment — including Tam regulars the Ploughboys, and the Emerald Society of Los Angeles bagpipe troupe — as well as presumably a few other places to get a refill on your Harp, or what have you.

The tent festivities begin at noon and go until closing, which is generally 10 p.m. at the Tam, but they’ve been known to extend the hours if guests still want to party, which, it’s a pretty safe bet that’s going to be the case.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Tam O'Shanter

53 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA, 90254
(310) 379-5550

Fat Faces will open its doors at 9 a.m., an early start for them, but considering how early some bars are firing up the taps, they might as well call it a day. J/k lolzzzz! Fat Faces will be getting in on the Hermosa Pier action just like everyone else. According to one guy I spoke with, they’ll “probably make up some sort of green shot or something.” Aren’t you feeling the Irish spirit just washing over you already? But seriously, the green shot will mostly be consumed by the “amateurs,” i.e. those non-Irish members of the community who, while they might lack the hearty constitution and hollow leg of your average Irishman, will nevertheless give keeping up with the born drinkers the ol’ college try! And if failure is their reward, entertainment for those of us who are holding down our twelfth shot of Jamison just fine, thank you very much.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Fat Face Fenner's Fishack

52 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA, 90254
(310) 374-3964

And so it goes. Sharkeez, which is not an Irish pub but a beach bar with a sunglasses-wearing shark as a mascot, is doing more for St. Pat’s that pretty much any Irish pub in my list above. Start with — starting at 11 a.m. — honest-to-God drink specials, 2-for-1 on green drinks, including mixed drinks, margaritas (green ones) and green beer. Even beer in green cans!

And then there are the contests: Sexiest Irish Lass and Best Dressed Guy each win $200 in cash and prizes. I assume, in order to win, you will have to be wearing green, and not a white dinner jacket. There’s also a game of hot potato, with the winner receiving a $100 gift card AND a green beer pong tourney with $100 cash prize.

So let’s recap: half-priced drinks and $600 something in prize money given out. Sounds like you could do worse. In fact — I wrote this entire list. I KNOW you can do worse. Sharkeez, man.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Sharkeez - Hermosa Beach

3801 Highland Ave.
Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266
(310) 545-6563

See above. The same drink specials and the same contests at the Manhattan Sharkeez as at the Hermosa. If you’re pretty quick on the longboard, maybe you can take down both best-dressed/hot potato contests if the times are staggered. Take note, unemployed people. There are certainly harder ways to make $400.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Sharkeez - Manhattan Beach

309 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266
(310) 545-2683

Shark’s Cove is right next door to the Manhattan Hennessey’s, but it’s not like they need the extra foot traffic that’ll generate in the first place. Shark’s Cove is a straight-up sports bar, with 45 LCDs, but they often have live music, and on St. Pat’s frequent performers Kevin Sousa and Kevin Misajon will do an acoustic set beginning at 8 p.m. Doors open at 11 a.m. as usual and no cover, as always, at Shark’s Cove.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Shark's Cove - Manhattan Beach

116 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266
(310) 376-7857

Manhattan Beach staple Shellback will have a unique menu item for St. Pat’s that bears mentioning: corned beef tacos! In green tortillas no less! Also, according to the owner, Bob, they should have some discounts on whiskey and other Irishy-type spirits and libations, but they’re still waiting on the liquor distributors to come to them with the yearly St. Pat’s-related deals on the same. However, he did say that it’s not unheard of to serve up $1 shots of whiskey. In this economy, one can only hope.

Shellbacks will open its doors at the regular hour, 11 a.m., and does not believe in cover charges.

Event: St. Patrick's Day at Shellback Tavern