Golden Gopher, Downtown La
11 people recommendvia r/AskLosAngeles14 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Golden Gopher draws downtown recommendations for its older saloon character. One visitor likes the rough-edged glamour, another recommends beer and spirits, and a further commenter mentions a pool table. Opinions differ on its atmosphere: one sees a modern bar rather than a dive, while another finds the crowd too bro-heavy. It suits some neighborhood bar crawls better than a search for an untouched dive.
Address
Golden Gopher, 417 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
At a glance
- Opinions divided
- Yes
- Known for
- Beers, Pool table
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Golden Gopher, Downtown La, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/sunnyintheoffice in r/AskLosAngeles · Oct 2024
Recommends the bar as a fitting downtown option.
- Mixedu/dthbysorrow in r/AskLosAngeles · Oct 2024ambience
Says it is walkable but feels more like a modern bar than a dive.
- Recommendsu/thatkittykatie in r/AskLosAngeles · May 2024ambience
Loves this DTLA spot for its gritty, glamorous, dive-like character.
- Recommendsu/WarmLaugh3608 in r/AskLosAngeles · Dec 2025ambience
Suggests this downtown bar as a smoking option.
- Recommendsu/Ok-Floor2044 in r/AskLosAngeles · Jun 2025value
Calls it a polished dive with strong happy-hour deals.
- Recommendsu/SilverSurfherder in r/AskLosAngeles · Feb 2026
Adds this to a list of tiki or dive spots the thread may be missing.
- Recommendsu/LA-Wonderer in r/AskLosAngeles · Apr 2026
Names it as one of their main downtown go-to spots for a young crowd.
- Recommendsu/kexzmeckz in r/AskLosAngeles · Oct 2024ambience
Recommends beer and spirits in a historic downtown setting.
Show all 14 cited comments
- Mixedu/mmmatthew in r/AskLosAngeles · Oct 2024ambience
Feels it is not a dive and is too bro-ey for them, though others might enjoy it.
- Contextu/Tjstictches in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2026
Notes it has a pool table; gives no other opinion.
- Recommendsu/aquadeltweightroom in r/AskLosAngeles · Oct 2024
Adds it as a recommendation to the existing list.
- Recommendsu/09percent in r/AskLosAngeles · Aug 2024
Fondly recalls going there years ago and says they enjoyed it.
- Recommendsu/mrcassette in r/AskLosAngeles · Aug 2024
Agrees they love it and considers it significant to LA's history.
- Recommendsu/hpepper24 in r/AskLosAngeles · Oct 2024
Agrees it is the answer.
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Freshness
Details last checked 11 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.