The Short Stop

Take a trip back to 1953, hop to '65 then dance the rest of the way to '78. This is where, or when, you're transported on Sunday nights at Short Stop. You wouldn't think it from outside, but this place has everything you need to put a nice cap on your weekend. The lights are dim, the jukebox is stacked with old music and the dance floor is big enough to cut a rug with a few partners so let loose and feel the love. Can you say disco ball? Too hip to be called hipster, the place always delivers a story worth telling. Like that time everyone got caught in a conga line wrapped from the bathroom to the dance floor to the exit. Or that time you made a new friend in the photo booth. Always live, the drinks here are cheap enough to be called generous, but strong enough to knock you on your ass. Play pool or make fun of the bouncer who looks like Ving Rhames, but do it at Short Stop. No night spent is ended better than when Isley Bother's Shout is the last song to spit out the jukebox. A roomful of hands all in air, jumping at the word. Located on the grittier side of Sunset next to Dodger's Stadium, I swear you'll wish the stop was longer.

Located on the fringes of Echo Park, this decadent post-Prohibition pub attracts all of the Dodger fans on any given game night. Loaded with affordable drink prices, including a three dollar PBR deal, it is inevitable to not have a jolly time. The spacious dance floor features Djs on certain nights that cater to the posse of night crawlers. There is a smooth pool table in the upstairs area adjacent to a photo booth where several 20-30-something-odd couples enter. With a smokers lounge just outside, and with bartenders that are jovial and attentive, one is sure to have a spectacular time at The Short Stop. Even if the ball team loses, maybe Lady Luck will strike and send you home satisfied.

The Short Stop pulls in eccentric and people who are down to have a good night. With a variety of music playing you get the best of both worlds. If you bring a date the best time to go would be happy hour which is from 5-10pm. They have free pool and jukebox. Two things that any girls is down to play as long as the atmosphere is right. Plan on spending little as the drinks are lower than average prices than most bars and taste great. If your date wants to dance or you just feel like getting in and mingling around then this stop is for you. If dancing just isn't your thing then a game of pool with friends after a long day of work sounds perfect don't you think? Relaxing after work with a cold one sounds about right for any person. You'll find a variety of people including college students, hipsters, and businessmen alike. All with the sole purpose of having a good time.

The Short Stop has a number of reputations depending on who you talk to. It used to be known for it's good variety of spun sounds that would pour out onto the sidewalk, but lazy top 40-to-old-school cataloging poisons the speakers present day. Or if you talk to someone else, you are treated to tales of its amazing and energetic dance floor. Energy would be one word to adequately describe it; as I've seen everything from guys doing push-ups, to overzealous cigarette reps trying to peddle their wares between song and tempo changes. Perhaps the most longstanding rep of all has been that Short Stop is a great place to find someone to wake up next to (or crawl away from depending). While it is true that there are plenty of hormones rampantly flying around trying to find a home, the crowd is usually the quick cheap and easy type; so even the one night stands aren't that great. I guess the only real saving grace of The Short Stop is the back porch which seems like it was designed specifically for tree burning types that always take a regal position on the back step and fend off puff requests. Hit it once to see what it's all about but don't be silly enough to go back for seconds if you aren't impressed. This girl shouldn't mind if you see other people; she's easy like that.

Curious as to where those residing in Echo Park venture to cut a rug and mingle with other hip restless 20-30 somethings? Look no further than The Short Stop. Whether serving as your one stop destination of the night or your post rock show tradition, The Short Stop is sure to deliver. Guaranteed to have music you can move to any night of the week no matter if the floor is jammed pack with sweaty swaying bodies or left for you and your friends to instigate the dance party. The neighborhood feel that travels throughout the bar allows for a sort of social acceptability to be out on a Tuesday night blowing off steam, or on a Sunday night getting one last chance to bask in the weekend before the work week begins. If dancing isn't your thing perhaps enjoy a game of pool, some old school arcade games or even just some causal conversation as there are plenty of places to chat both inside and out. Something about The Short Stop makes you feel so at home that meeting your neighboring bar goer could turn into you finally casually meeting your next door neighbor, unaware of your similar taste in upholding an active nightlife all along the street of Sunset. No night at The Short Stop would be complete without photobooth documentation, perfect to be blasted across all the social media airwaves. Due to its vast popularity, plan to get to the bar a bit early on a Friday or Saturday night as the line can get long. Sunday nights are known for the DJ taking you back to the 60's, 70's and even some 80's mixing some of your favorite oldies that will keep you glued to the dance floor until last call.

This place has always come up just a little short in my book. Though for some the dance floor is an optimal feature, I find it overwhelmingly chaotic. This place gets packed on the weekends, and is a choice location if you're trying to drink/dance away the work week stress, but it's not an optimal place for conversation or meeting people (other than a casual fling). I do give this place serious points for the arcade games they're got stashed in the back room, and for having a smoking patio (even if its a bit cramped). As a bar the drinks are decently priced, but as a dive it's prices don't compare to The Gold Room further down the road and across the street. Overall I'd say come here during the week for chiller vibes, but come on the weekends if you're trying to have a party you don't want to remember.

The Short Stop place checks all the boxes. Jukebox: check. History: check. Cheap drinks: check. Dark lighting: check. Photobooth: check. Pool table: check. What more do you want? Located near Dodger Stadium in Echo Park, this bar used to be the drinking establishment of choice for LA's finest (it might still be, but I've never seen any suspiciously mustachiod people there). The gun lockers are still there to prove it. I think the cops have been gentrified out by people who wear mustaches ironically. During Happy Hour, PBR will run you a scant two dollars. It goes up a whole dollar afterwards. There's dancing, too, if that's what you're into - but if you're not, beware, it gets really packed in there on weekend nights when they have a DJ spinning whatever the kids are into these days.

I've been to the short stop a few times and for the most part it's a good time with decent priced drinks. The last time I was here the crowd was really going. Although it was pretty crowded and difficult to get the bartender's attention at the bar (since there was a ton of ppl standing around it), the music was actually pretty good. All the songs the DJ played really got the crowd moving, even me. They do have some spots to sit around the dance floor which is always nice when you have your heels on and want to take a 3min. break. There's also a few other sections you can find a spot to sit, there's a separate area that leads to the smoking section and even though you might get a big whiff of all the 2nd hand smoke, you can hang out there for a bit and have a seat. I personally wouldn't come to Short Stop EVERY weekend if I could, but I would definitely visit on a just want to grab a drink and dance in my jeans and sneakers kind of a night.

I've never had a dull moment at the short stop. From the pool tables and arcade games to the dance floor and great DJs the short stop offers a lot in a very little package. Get there early enough and you'll find some free street parking. Get there too late and you'll have a nice walk or you can bar crawl as you work your way to the Short Stop since there's a few bars if you're coming from the east side of the echo park sunset strip. When you first walk in you'll feel like you're at a Dodger museum with all the Dodger related memorabilia hanging on the wall. If you go early enough you'll even have some room to walk around and enjoy it. But once 11pm hits good luck this place gets incredible crowded that walking around feels like bumper to bumper traffic. In fact the only place where you'll probably be able to move around will be the dance floor which is definitely the place to be. Every time that I've gone to the Short Stop the DJ plays a great mix of music from Top 40s, 80s, Hip Hop, Rap (the good ol' stuff like the Notorious BIG), to the latest remixed alternative rock. So make sure you bring your dancing shoes because you'll be dancing even if you didn't plan on it. If you really aren't in the dancing mood though then grab a seat on the long comfortable couch that surrounding the dance floor because the crowd has some funky dance moves at times and is simply a thrill to watch. I've seen some people that don't know how to breakdance try to break dance and I once took part in a conga line, yes a conga line in the very sardine packed Short Stop. Oh and I'm not sure about this but I heard its a completely different experience on a Dodger game day.

I hate to seem like a prude, but I'm probably never going back to the Short Stop again. It always seems full of slutty flith and definitely has a reputation as a prime hook up spot. If that's what you're looking for, or if you're just too drunk to care, the Short Stop is definitely for you. As a matter of fact, neighboring Echo Park bars have a similar vibe. The Little Joy pretty much inspires just that. And what else would you expect at the Gold Room with that ridiculous special? ($4 for a PBR and a shot of tequila, in case you didn't know.) You have to give it a little credit though. It's walking distance to at least two other bars and tons of taco trucks, so it's prime bar crawl territory. And it is a fun place to dance. The dance floor is huge and the DJs plays music as eclectic as the crowd. I've heard it go from Britney Spears right into Iggy Pop. But personally, I'd save it for last, and only go if I was completely gone already. It's a tough crowd to handle any other way.

I've spent many a night at the Short Stop. Usually at the end of a night. Usually after too many drinks in Echo Park or Silver Lake. And usually with a group who wants to get a little wild. When you walk in, there's a no nonsense bar with grizzled bartenders. Walking past that to the right is another room with a pool table, photo booth and other arcade games. But the tour de force of the Short Stop is the large dance area opposite the bar. You walk through an open arched doorway and there's just an open space with a raised DJ booth (is it raised?). Once you hit that dance floor - chances are you won't see much else the rest of the night. The place gets packed with a multi-ethnic crowd of 20 somethings who fill up the dance floor and have to be forced out once 2am rolls around. Fun, wild, but a little unpredictable on a good night - Short Stop has always been a good time when I have a good group to go with.