Wendell

Great place if you need a chill bar to meet up with people downtown. I hate DTLA so I don’t have a ton to say.

Nice spot with cool bartenders. Went on a Monday and it was hardly full, which I like. Not sure if they have a Happy Hour, but I would definitely check it out.
My old fashioned was pretty good. Not prepped quite as fancily (is that a word) as I’m used to, but it was still good.
Stay Cheerful ;)

A friend brought me here to this civilized but not stuffy bar last night.
A two story high interior looks to be about 80 years old with a charming intimacy and character not often seen in LA. Stairs lead to an open second floor balcony.
Two friendly and attentive women tended the solidly carved and well stocked bar. And poured strong whisky sours and flavorful Old Fashioneds. They had a nice selection of craft beers which I didn’t try.
I met a visiting German tourist at the bar. The crowd seems convivial and nice without that usual air of menacing testosterone that plagues some bars. Maybe the absence of TVs and the elegant architecture is unappealing to dudes in sports jerseys.
I’d come back here if I was in the mood for mellow, thoughtful and gracious drinking in downtown LA.

Was looking for a place to drink in DTLA that was just a little off the standard path. Not too uppity but not too divey, a place just right in the middle. With positive reviews I show up to Wendell with little expectations and upon seeing the small group in the patio I was a little worried. But as soon as I walked inside I was pleasantly surprised!
Friendly staff, very reasonable prices for DTLA and a cool and relaxed vibe. Whatever your needs, Ryan and the rest of the staff will happily oblige. They have the usual spirits, a pretty good selection of craft beers on tap and as a bonus Fernet even has a handle! The crowd is mixed but the times I’ve been it has never been too busy. My only complaint about the place is that air circulation can be a bit of a drag as smoke from the front patio often gets blown into the main bar area.

This is a really cool little bar! It’s a weird hybrid of a bar and a little tough to describe… dark and a little divey, but also VERY clean, low key, and not your typical trendy spot. The focus is on classics (the rock & roll memorabilia in addition to the drinks) and on beer over specialty cocktails. I’ve been trying to shy away from the brew, so I ordered a few old fashioneds that ran me $ 8 each. Not bad for a downtown bar!
The bar itself is small and narrow, and there is a secluded balcony (which I didn’t get to check out, sadly) as well. And an outdoor patio in front. You can also order hot dogs! My group went crazy on them but I didn’t try… they seemed to really enjoy the ones topped with Easy Cheese. What isn’t better topped with Easy Cheese?
The bar staff is all very friendly as well, and the bar seems welcoming to people of all walks of life, not just Downtown hipsters. I could see this bar being a cool spot in any decade… it has a timeless, classic appeal. I look forward to going back.

You are a perfect adult who knows all the rules of a Friday night. Wendell… This is the bar that you want to sit and just enjoy your moment. Nothing is fancy, but welcoming. Ryan, the bartender/​owner will provide you a perfectly crafted mixed drink for your moment.
There is a upright piano right next to the bar that makes me want to play Nocturne. When you look up, you will see photos of rock stars. I don’t know most of them, but oh wait. I know John Lennon.
A wonderful thing is that there are Dr. Seuss’ children’s books in the tall shelf.
An unexpected nostalgia…
When I want to chill, I come to this bar.
Really Low key and laid back.
Thanks for the great drinks.
4 Stars.

This is a bar meant for people who enjoy the feel of a dive… MINUS the drunk men falling asleep in corners, that one regular who sings his hearts out to every song playing on the jukebox, and the weird lady telling her heartbreak memoirs to the bartender. This is one of the best low-​key, non-​pretentious, and chill bars in DTLA.
+ The place is clean and well-​maintained
+ I’m a huge sucker for clean restrooms at bars.
+ The service is always amazing.
+ The drink prices are great!
+ It’s never insanely crowded where you’re shoulder-​to-​shoulder with other patrons waiting 10 minutes for a drink.
+ Solid craft beer selection
+ Music is always on point — none of that Top 40’s bullshit
+ Secluded upper decker balcony with romantic seating for you to romance the shit out of your date… in my case, that would be my husband lol
This is a bar just doing the bar things, and not trying to be or do anything else. XO.

Cute little bar in downtown la. I have no complaints for this place. It has fairly fair pricing for a non-​dive bar. They have a pretty decent whiskey selection as well as a good amount of beers on tap! They even had the pineapple beer that I love! I enjoyed a pint of that. If you want to have some beers or whiskey, this place is the place! Especially for cheaper prices on whiskey. There is no food here though, just some chips and beef sticks haha. Good place to just come with friends and chill. It’s didn’t get loud or rowdy when I was here, possibly because it was around 730 on a Friday. I will be back though! I like this bar.

Ryan and Joe Dammit are the best. We felt at home here instantly while visiting from Chicago. The bar and tenders have a great story. If you’re lucky they might have a treat for you if you get peckish!

This is a fantastic neighborhood bar.
The day we droppes in they had 14 beers on tap, plus another 5 in cans. On Saturday nights they have a special on one of their beers on tap.
Vibe inside is super chill.

GREAT chill, low key, chill divey like bar in downtown LA amidst all the crazy lines for other bars in the area.
Was able to walk in with no problem into the bar on a Friday night. The staff was incredibly nice and served us quickly and gave us a hefty shot (probably even a double shot) for only $ 8!
Was great to be treated so well at this bar after dealing with the rude people at Ace hotel.
It wasn’t crowded at all when we went and even the people we talked to at the bar who didn’t work there were really nice.
Would definitely come back again and recommend this bar to anybody looking to grab a quick drink at a chill bar.
Also… VERY dark. Good place to set the moves on a girl you’re interested in after a dinner date ;)
Note: They don’t have a cocktail menu but they do have many beers on tap + wine + spirits.
*Edit: Just read the previous reviews for this place for the first time AFTER I posted my review (So I you know my review was unbiased based off older reviews.) I guess I can’t stress or emphasize enough that I agree with everybody else on this place that its truly is a unpretentious and friendly place to get a drink in Downtown.

This is a true casual bar. This is rare in DTLA. The place is rough around the edges, but the drinks are fairly priced. The bartenders are on top of their game. It gets quite crowded and loud. The environment is quite fun though. There are two levels. The second level is very small though. The music comes from an old CD juke box. It has an eclectic mix of 80’s and 90’s music on it.
If you are looking for a laid back place for some drinks with friends this is a good option.

How cool is this little bar?! I was on the way home when it started to drizzle outside, so I called for an Über and came across this swanky spot.
The place isn’t large, but it is two levels, and dimly lit. I snagged a bar seat right at the front and there was no wait from the bartender on getting my drink order. I had the whiskey special for $ 4, I think. Awesome deal!
Although I was only there long enough to chug my whiskey, the bartender was super friendly and attentive. What I loved most about this bar is the relaxed feeling. It doesn’t seem like you’re in LA at all actually. It feels like you’ve stepped back in time to a low key, unpretentious bar in the middle of Texas. I was sad when my über came to get me. I didn’t want to leave. I’ll be back for sure.

What a great casual bar! Happened along this place after snacking around the corner at Hero Shop. The place isn’t large, but it is two levels. Almost all the bar stools were occupied but we snagged a pair of seats right by the piano (which is locked btw).
Had the daily special beers, $ 3 I think — what a good deal! They’re cans but quite tasty. Super friendly bartenders and great vibe — you can talk without having to yell or bump into other people.

It’s super close by my house, +1 point
Stopped by on a Saturday night, no crowds! +1 point
The crowd is an unpretentious, blue collared type that just want to unwind. Strangely comfortable! +1 point
Oh the music… the best of the 80’s jams that are familiar yet new, one of my fav things about this place. +1 point
It’s small and dark but an undeniable cool factor oozes out of this place. Come on down if you’re in the area!

This is a relaxed bar in DTLA without a lot of the preposterous crap. This is a working mans bar. A number of blue collar folks were here when I was. That to me is the sign of a good time. Unless you want to hang out with the pretentious wine sipping crowd judging you for the quality of your clothes, cost or lack thereof of your drink, or lack of being trendy…
I for one couldn’t give 2 chits about that. I like a much more low key joint like this. Pull up a stool have a bit of whiskey or a brewski or two and just enjoy a few hours chatting with friends or strangers. That is the whole point of a bar last time I checked. This one seems to excel at it!
The drinks were nice and not jigger light/​exact pours. This only benefits the patron. Trust me I know. It is nice to be treated the right way. They definitely treated my friends and I the right way here.
They have a lot of rock memorabilia around the joint, but that doesn’t have anything to do with anything. Your either chilling inside or out on the smoking patio. Either way its going to be a good time. There is also an upstairs section, but I don’t recall hardly anyone heading up there or coming down from there. Hell the bathrooms are clean and the toilets are separated from the sinks making it plausible to not tie up the whole bathroom to wash your hands. Great move there.
The bartenders were personable and chill. They would swing by and see how we were doing every so often without being pests. They also shared a joke or two and helped with all of their regular options. This helped as we were a group of 5 and just enjoying our time together.
I will definitely be back for another stop here sometime soon when I am in DTLA and looking for a hit of whiskey. Cheers to Wendell for pulling off the neighborhood bar in DTLA without being a total dive. Definitely rare these days… I for one liked it!

Great little bar kind off off the beaten path on Main.
It’s within walking distance from all the other bars but it’s far enough to be low key. Dropped by on a Saturday night after waiting in line for 30 minutes with no movement at Mrs. Fish. There was no wait here and the bartender was friendly and fast. I also loved the 80s music they had blasting.
I really like this bar. I’ll probably be back soon.

It’s Saturday night — It’s Sat-​Ur-​Day night! Answering to the call of the pack, after a few txt backs and fb messengers – Wendell it is!
I got there before my friends did, so I ordered my self a vodka tonic to get the night started, looked around to get a feel of this spot which I have to say was an eccentric mix and feel of an Old Saloon, stirred with a dash of Rock & Roll, then shaken with a tad of modern flair!
The music is quite cool, from the old school Beatles era, GnR, and the old time classics in which hearing them can either make you belt out a tune or simply make involuntary movements even if it is as simple as bobbing your head.
Back to the drinks… the Moscow Mule… to simply describe it — «Stiff & Refreshing» not uberly sweet with just the right amount of ginger syrup! Wine selection for tonight was down to the bare minimum — Pinot Grigio, that’s it pretty much lol, a total contrast the beer selection which ranges from Ale’s, a varied selection of IPA’s and Stout!
Bartenders are pretty chill and friendly, drinks turnaround is quite fast provided that you get the barman’s attention. People come in waves I noticed, being like a neighborhood watering hole I guess people just stop-​by, have a sip, then move on to do other exciting midnight adventures– I’ll leave that to your imagination :) Parking is up to your discretion, pay at least $ 5-​$ 10 for a lot parking nearby or try your luck finding that elusive DTLA curbside parking, just make sure you read the signs, those parking enforcers have vampires for their evening shifts — they just won’t quit, I saw a few of them roaming around last night… anyway…
I’m sure glad we tried Wendell, good drinks! cool spot! Nice and friendly people… I’m definitely coming back!

Wendell was «my new favorite bar» before we even walked in, and expectations were only exceeded once I finally did venture inside. I had a car that I loved for many years that I had named Wendell, so when I found out his namesake also had a bar downtown I was ecstatic! I’ve been here twice and will continue to visit as the service is fantastic, ambiance is right on par, and drink specials are right up my alley.
On my first visit, my best friend and I walked in a little after 8 (opening) on a Monday. The place was pretty empty for the few hours we spent here, but some regulars stopped by, had a drink and chatted with David, my new favorite bartender. The dark and cozy walls are lined with books and nicknacks reminiscent of a 70s or 80s basement. Previously a bit of a dive called Craby Joe’s, the place is now spotless while still maintaining a very comfortable, welcoming vibe. David let us in on the story behind Wendell: it’s namesake was a big-​time investor in Sunset Strip bars and clubs and (I think) a founding investor in Château Marmont. But while Wendell loved working and opening the big, flashy, expensive bars, when it came time for him to indulge he preferred a quieter, back-​room type feel. When he passed away a couple of years ago, his loyal crew/​friends/​employees/​customers banded together to create a space he would have loved to be a patron at.
On my second visit (a Monday, also around opening), I walked in to the welcoming bellow of «Welcome baaaack!» from David (hence the new fav bartender). It was another exceptional experience and I will surely be back again and spread the word of how great this hole in the wall is.

Who names their kid Wendell? Not a common name these days especially for a bar. Not sure what to call this bar, a dive, lounge, cocktail bar. It’s too clean and neat looking inside to be a dive. Whatever it is, it’s a chill spot to hang. Ladies beware, this neighborhood headed south on Main Street isn’t the best.
If your in DTLA and sick of the hassle climbing over bodies just to get a drink, this is the place to go. It’s chill and not as crowded. The mid shelf spirits and craft beer selection are decent here and reasonably priced. The good thing here is that it’s not hella loud like most places. You can have a conversation at the bar.
The interior is a vaulted ceiling with chandeliers and plastered walls. Paintings of classic bands cover some of the walls. The upper stairs with wrought iron railings lead you up to an open walkway leading to a loft area lounge. Bar is vintage Western with dark grain wood that reminds me of the old Bonanza television shows.
The only gripe I had was they should monitor their communal restroom sinks from time to time. Entering this place, I used the restroom and found barf in one sink and upon leaving saw it wasn’t cleaned up.
Other than that, this place is chill.