D&W Lounge

"D&W just might be the finest true dive bar in the city." - John Nova Lomax

Walking into D&W Lounge for the first time is an unforgettable experience. I looked at the tattered tarp flapping from the roof and the prison-cell bars on the front door, clenched my butt real tight, and braced for the worst.

Inside, I found the decor equivalent of a speed addict's version of Versailles. I also learned an important lesson: expect the unexpected at the D&W Lounge. As cozy as a freshly dug grave, this El Secundo Barrio dive can surprise you with a bitchin' band or drunken brawl on any given night.

Originally a convenience store back in the 1940s, this place was named D&D Lounge until 2009, when current owner Keith Weyel took over and swapped one of the letters for his initial.

The D&W opens at 1pm. But it used to open at the buttcrack of dawn (almost) at 7am, when thirsty third-shift workers were looking to drink. Nowadays we have fewer labor jobs with weird hours, hence the declining number of 7am bars and 24-hour diners, sadly.

Even though the D&W is located next to the railroad tracks in the warehouse side of town, locals say it's a neighborhood bar. Neighbor to whom, I wonder. Frank Sobotka? The Paper Street Soap Company? Maybe it's better not to ask.

This is a rare bar. Aging like the leather couch in a Bulgarian hair salon. The clientele might buy you a beer or pickpocket you. There’s probably incriminating photos of the district attorney hidden in the walls. Cold beers and cold hearts. Good luck.

Standout online reviews:

"One very drunk woman tried to stab another very drunk woman in the neck with a pen, and it took 4 other patrons to stop her by pushing her against the wall."

"For the love of all that is holy, please repair the men’s room."

“Out of the 4 times I have been, there literally something going down every time. And not good things."

"Saw a fight happen 5 feet in front of us in the chain linked patio area. Dude got kicked in the face and had a chair smashed on his head. He went back to drinking after the instigator was thrown out."

"Also there's a lock picking club? That's cool."