Entry No. 37 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: speakeasy-bar
Good Times at Davey Wayne's
The entrance is a run-down refrigerator standing inside a garage staged like a permanent yard sale of vintage junk; you pull the fridge door open and step into a 1970s house party. Inside there's shag carpet, a pinball machine (placed because the owners' parents met playing pinball), occasional cover bands in the "living room," and a backyard with a snow-cone-style frozen-drink window run out of a repurposed trailer. It's a tribute by twin brothers Jonnie and Mark Houston to their late father, a blue-collar pool shark named Davey.
The story
Walk down El Centro Avenue and you'll hit what looks like an offbeat garage sale—lawn furniture, vintage clutter, and a neglected off-white refrigerator standing against the back wall. You didn't miss the entrance; that is the entrance. Reach out, pull open the fridge door, and step directly through the cold box into a wood-paneled, shag-carpeted 1970s house party in full swing.
The entire venue is a personal homage created by twin brothers Jonnie and Mark Houston for their late father, Davey—a blue-collar pool shark with a love for 70s rock. The details are absurdly specific: live cover bands perform in a staged living room, retro drinks flow at the main bar, and a pinball machine stands in the corner because that's the game where the brothers' parents originally met. Out back, string lights illuminate a suburban-style patio where boozy frozen slushies are served out of the side window of a repurposed trailer.
What it's like
Lines stretch down El Centro fast on Friday and Saturday nights, so get there right around opening or stick to a weeknight if you don't want to wait on the sidewalk. Once you pull through the fridge, the interior gets tight and loud quickly around the living room stage. If it feels too packed indoors, bypass the crowd and head straight out back to the patio trailer for a frozen drink under the string lights.
The move: Find the garage, open the refrigerator door, and split frozen cocktails from the backyard window under the string lights.
📍 Before you go Gets very busy on weekends; arrive early and expect a line.
- 📍 Hollywood
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1611 N El Centro Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- La Descarga — Another hidden concept by the Houston brothers nearby in East Hollywood, swapping the garage-refrigerator entrance for a dusty armoire that opens into a bi-level Havana nightspot.
- Museum of Death — Located just three blocks away on Hollywood Boulevard, offering a dark contrast of serial killer artifacts before you reset your night inside a 1970s house party.
- Memento Mori — Walk four blocks from this dark oddities shop packed with bones and vintage medical tools straight into Davey Wayne's yard-sale garage.
Good to know
How do you actually get inside Good Times at Davey Wayne's?
You enter through a staged yard sale inside a garage and pull open the door of a retro refrigerator standing against the wall.
What is the story behind the 1970s theme?
Twin hospitality owners Jonnie and Mark Houston designed the bar as a tribute to their late father, Davey, filling it with 1970s decor, nostalgic living room details, and a pinball machine honoring where their parents first met.
What drinks are served outdoors?
The back patio features a converted trailer with a window serving snow-cone-style frozen cocktails.
Do I need tickets or reservations?
No reservations are taken, but peak weekend hours bring long lines at the entrance, so early arrival is strongly advised.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Yelp · Time Out · Official site · pleasethepalate.com · theminty.com
last checked: 2026-06-23