Golden Gopher

Golden Gopher is a great little bar in downtown, with really cool design, friendly servers and bartenders, a cool outdoor patio, and a decent selection of beer. Most of all, I liked how it wasn’t extremely crowded.
And, with the fantastic Pellicola Pizzeria right next door, what else do you need?
To qualify this just a little, Golden Gopher is an awesome dive bar, but definitely not a destination unto itself, so I don’t think it’s worth it to go out of your way to come here.

Great bar. It’s very cozy and warm. It also feels OLD… and apparently, is from the early 1900s. You can order a slice of pizza from the place next door… the bar staff are all very nice and knowledgeable… the ambience is dark, the bar is a nice dark wood, and there is an outside area to smoke. You can play video games, or pool, as both are available inside.
I liked the fact that most times I’ve come here, I’ve always been able to find a seat at the bar. I’ve met two bartenders here, Frenchy (he’s actually French) and another gentleman whose name I forgot, who recommended some tequila as an option to what I was choosing, and saved me some money LOL. I’ve not been here when it’s been busy, and I can’t tell you how busy it gets, but for me, being a low-​key guy, I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve seen. We came here after a very rude experience at Clifton’s instead, opting for pizza instead. You can get a slice and a beer, or maybe a slice with a shot, and it was well worth it. You can get pizza by the slice by itself as well. The Door Man is also nice. I also believe you can buy beer to go (bottled) at this bar, as there’s what looks like a small cellar by the door.
The Golden Gophers along the walls in little nooks are cute.
Also, remember. This is Downtown LA. It’s not Beverly Hills (good). The area can seem a little shady at times, but there are a lot of patrols. You can blame the city for trying to clear out Skid Row… the homeless just end up scattering, and some end up in Downtown.
If l lived in DTLA, I could see myself coming here a lot to write, read, and drink. There are quite little booths and nooks for those reclusive types like me that still love the drink. Give it a shot sometimes!

If I lived in DTLA, I could see this being a go-​to-​spot. It doesn’t try too hard to be something it’s not and I like the eclectic crowd that it brings in. It’s a simple bar, pool table, solid taps, and a good cocktail list. Bartenders are on point and quick to offer up a recommendation.

Nice place to have drinks with friends! Drinks are strong, but safe enough. I have to say that outside look isn’t the best, and we were expecting a low level bar and we were thinking yo find another place, especially because we were celebrating my sister’s birthday and the place looks sort of creepy but once we walked in Environment and décor make us feel so comfortable!

nice place
best hooch bar in dtla
most bartenders and staff are pretty nice too
bald dude is a jerk and waters down drinks
honestly one of my least favorite bartenders ever
solid place though

Cool spot, not too big, great place to stop by for a drink or two and move onto to the next. Service was quick and they have a little outdoor patio. Also has a pool table and video games.

Good drinks. $ 8 for my jack and coke… chill ambience and I’m lucky to say that the got here before the crowd did lol

Cheap drinks, awesome patio and good service from bar tender, but security sucks. if they are busy and the security guy doesn’t feel like letting you in they wont. its happened 2 times know.

One of my favorite bars in LA! Kinda reminds me of home (Oakland,) because it has a stylish look but still a down to earth vibe you would find at your local watering hole. Very chill.

It’s an okay bar to go with friends and hang out. But they don’t make drinks, so if you like beer then go here, for drinks or cocktails looks for another place. Happy hour is still pretty pricey. We left to hooters after 1 drink. It was an okay experience. They have a pool table

First stop on our bar-​hopping night this weekend. I absolutely fell in love Chill atmosphere, beautiful design with cozy booths and a sweet patio. The bartenders were very friendly and made us some killer cocktails. We will definitely be back.

I REALLY enjoyed coming here! At first, I cringed at the thought of a pickle themed shot, but it was actually really delicious! The bartender was really great as well, she was good to us and we returned the favor!
The atmosphere is pretty cool, there’s a lot to do here whether it’s taking pictures in the photobooth (I LOVE PHOTOBOOTHS), or a nice game of Galaga, or billiards! The outdoor seating area is great too. It wasn’t crowded that night so there was plenty of seating.
Will definitely be back!

A hole in the wall gem with a 60’s music jukebox, old school video games, a pool table, a cute patio and liquor to GO.
The interior gives you a cozy vibe, from the dimmed lighting to the friendly environment. Great place to have drinks and catch up with friends!

This bar is quite disappointing. The crowd was strange, the drinks werent that strong, the interior is cool but the outdoor patio was small. I wouldnt go out of my way to come here again
If you are looking to try something new and are thinking about going somewhere out of your bubble, I would probably recommend other bars in a different area. LA Live, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills ect. these would be better options.
** If you take a 20 second walk in either direction from the bar it’s very dirty and there are a lot of questionable people hanging around. One of the girls in our party didnt feel comfortable walking to her car alone, and I felt obligated to keep an eye on the girls.
The area here is not that great, and it takes away from the bar scene in my opinion.

One of the oldest bars in L.A. Opened in 1905. Jukebox. Booze-​To-​Go. Wow!
When bar crawling in L.A., you should make it a point to add the Golden Gopher to your list. It’s not one of your pretentious high-​end bars, but it’s definitely not an eye-​sore either. Located not too far from FIDM, this bar is dimly lit on the inside, has a cool jukebox, video games, pool table and a patio for you smokers.
Bartenders are very knowledgeable and make great cocktail suggestions and pour generously. Craft beers on tap were about average for a non-​craft beer venue. The cool thing about this bar is that you and your friends will have a great time catching up, or taking a breather before heading to say … Seven Grand? Haha.
Being one of the oldest bars in L.A. (circa 1905) should warrant a visit for a drink alone. A grandfather’d license allows them to sell you booze-​to-​go on your way out! How cool is that?
Reasonable pricing. Street parking. Generous pours. Highly recommend.
Enjoy!

Cool DTLA spot for a drink. They have a jukebox, score. This last time I visited the bartenders were super rude. Not sure why my friends and I received the stank attitude. Whatevs. Small outside patio for those who wanna smoke. Dimly lit. Decent rrs. But they lose 2 stars for their rude service.

A bar with pacman, photo booth, outdoor patio, pool table, AND good drinks?! Yup this place got it all. I don’t know why we don’t come here more frequently. I’ve never had a bad night here before. The crowd’s always chill, bartenders always nice and quick to serve. If you haven’t yet definitely worth checking out.

I’ve been here like 6 times and every time I come my experience have been amazing ! It’s a chill atmosphere and has a cozy bar like scene to it. I came here on a Thursday night and it was super chill had a few drinks bartenders were the coolest down to earth people ever!
I have nothing bad to say about the golden gopher! It’s a chill spot to come hang out and have a few drinks with friends! They have a pretty good selection of Alcohol for a not to expensive amount! My fav I must say is the Allagash White! It has a citrus crisp taste to it! Don’t forget to TIP your Bartenders!
Golden Gopher you rock!!!

This place has been around for quite some time. We usually pop in for a drink while we wait for our table at Colori Kitchen a couple doors down.
They have a great selections of beers on tap and the drinks poured can be quite stiff. The ambiance is rather dark and gets stuffy in there, but they do have a small quaint patio outside if you want to catch some air. They definitely have made the most of their space here.

Apparently this place has been around for forever, and it seems to be the prototype for DTLA bars — dark, indoor/​outdoor, good drinks, nice mix of music, solid young crowd.
One warning tale — do not order the Michelob Pony unless you know what it is. My friends were being cheap and thought they’d order the only $ 3 beer on the menu and boy did they learn their lesson — it’s literally a miniature bottle of Michelob. Like, baby-​sized. Do not be cheap like my friends and end up holding an embarrassingly-​small bottle — just pay the $ 8 – 10 like a normal adult.
Overall the vibe at Golden Gopher was casual and cool, and definitely a place I’ll be adding to my list of go-to’s for DTLA!

Omg they have Pac man game lol !!!
That is just awesome.
They have a few seats not much, its a small place not that big but it gets packed inside.
The security guard is so nice.
Freeeeee entrance? Um. Yesssss that is awesome for a good environment.
They have many drink or shot specials which is great.