NightSpot Review – Patrick Molloy’s (Hermosa Beach)

Reviewed by Jeff Walker

My Bar Standard – Busby’s West (Santa Monica)

Visited: Friday night – April 11, 2008. Have also been here a half dozen times over the past year.

Location: 50A Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 (on Hermosa pier)(map)(link)
Phone: 310-798-9762

Patrick Molloy’s offers a solid mix (patio, dancing, drink specials) and good value for the Hermosa pier, even if it is overly cramped at times and lacks a unique or must-see quality.

Deeper Insights:

With an array of choices near the Hermosa pier, Patrick Molloy’s is a good in-between place. It is larger than Blue 32 and The Shore, cheaper than Sangria and Dragon, and a livelier nightspot than Lighthouse or Hennessey’s. There’s nothing in particular that stands out about Molloy’s, but they do offer good drink specials and dancing amidst the laid-back atmosphere you come to expect in Hermosa.

If anything, the remodel done last year could have been more extensive. Some cosmetic changes were made, but the dance floor is still small and the bar area gets crammed with people on Fridays and Saturdays. There usually is room to sit in the table section, but most prefer to stand where space is limited and the walkway moves at a snail’s pace . Even the patio is subject to capacity issues as bouncers will often force those standing to find a seat or go inside.

Patrick Molloy’s attracts a young, attractive crowd of personable people. There is a good mix of ethnicities, lifestyle, and attitude, even if the age tends to stay below 30 on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition, the vibe is laid-back as many come in shorts and the dress code is lax. Molloy’s doesn’t try to be a club or ultra lounge, which is nice, considering it is the Hermosa Beach pier after all.

Although there is nothing distinctive about Patrick Molloy’s, it is a solid spot to go if you can’t decide where to go and don’t want to wait in lines, but are still seeking a fun night out.

Breakdown:

Attire: Varies widely between T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops to casual collared shirts and jeans. Dress any better than that and you’ll likely feel overdressed. Casual for girls.

Attitude: Casual Irish bar that likes to let loose with great drink specials and dancing.

Bar/Bartenders: 1 bar with 3 to 4 bartenders. The area around the bar jams with people, so it can be an effort just to get up to the bar. Expect an average of 5 minutes for a drink.

Bathrooms: Back left side down the hall past the bar. Men’s room has one stall and two urinals.

Bathroom Attendant: No attendant

Bottle Service: Starts at $150 per bottle, with most bottles $175-225 each. Tax and 20% gratuity added. Includes two mixers (energy drinks not included).

Cover: $5 after 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Crowd: Local beach bums looking to converse, dance, and have fun without having to dress up and spend a lot of money. Tends to get very packed on Friday and Saturday nights around 11 pm. 60/40 guy-to-girl ratio.

Dance floor: Small rectangular area raised up from the rest of the place. It can fit maybe two dozen and tends to spill out into the surrounding area.

Tip: Make sure you feel comfortable having people see you dance, as the dance floor is right by the front windows, thus people on the patio can easily watch.

Décor: Lots of dark wood, exposed brick, and dim lights. At times, the dozen or so plasma TVs seem to be the only source of light. Patio in the front, dance floor to the right when entering, long bar with a divider in the middle, separating the walkway from the seated section.

Drinks:
Beer: 14 different beers on draft, 19 different bottled beers. $4 for cheaper domestics (Bud, Coors, Miller), $4.50 for other beer.
Liquor: $4.50 for well, $5.50 for call (Absolut, Bacardi, Jack), $6.50 for premium (Crown Royal, Ketel One), $8 for super-premium (Grey Goose, Patron), $8.50 for energy drink bombs.
Wine: $6-8 per glass

Drink Specials: Monday, 9 pm – close: Beer Pong and $6 pitchers
Tuesday, all day: 2 for 1 on well/call tequila, $2 tacos, $2 burgers,
$2 domestic pints
Wednesday, all day: 2 for 1 on well/call whiskey
Thursday, 9 pm – close: $3 Pyramid, $3 domestic drafts, $4 well
drinks, $5 martinis
Friday, all day: Any 4 well/call shots for $20
Saturday, 4 pm – 9 pm: $4 pizza, $15 bucket of domestic beer, $20
bucket of imported beer, $15 Stop Light Shots (Scooby Snack,
Kamikaze, Washington Apple)
Sunday, 4 pm – 9 pm: $4 pizza, $15 bucket of domestic beer, $20
bucket of imported beer. 9 pm – close: ½ price on all bombs
Saturday & Sunday, until 2 pm: $2 mimosas, $12 champagne bottles.
Until 4 pm: $4 Bloody Mary & Screwdriver pitchers

Happy Hour: Monday: 3 pm – close; Tuesday through Friday: 3 pm – 7 pm
Food Specials and 2 for 1 drinks (must be same drink and does not include
top shelf, bottled beer, pitchers, martinis, frozen drinks).

Hours: 12 pm – 1:30 am

Line: On Friday and Saturday nights, it can be up to 10 minutes, depending on capacity. Expect 5 minutes normally, but often you get in immediately.

Music: DJs spin the usual mix of hip-hop and Top 40. DJs on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Live bands on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Parking: Free parking (after meters stop) along Pier or Hermosa. Paid lot on Hermosa (usually $6-8 on Fridays and Saturdays).

Payment: Cash and all major credit cards.

Patio: Outdoor patio with tables and chairs in the front. At times, they restrict the number of people on the patio, so if you don’t have a chair, you have to go back into the bar.

People Watching: If you’re looking for tanned, possibly out of work surfer-types, you’re in luck. People here tend to be unpretentious, but still look good, especially on the female front.

Seating: Patio, bar stools, several stools along the middle divider between the bar area and the seated section, about a dozen tables with chairs.

Smoking: On the patio.

TVs: A dozen or so flat-screen TVs scattered throughout the bar. Usually have sports on, but often will have surfing or random designs later on in the night.

Water (free): Yes.

Related Links (Check the Categories in the Right Column for More):

NightSpot Review – The Garter
NightSpot Review - Busby's West
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