4. Restaurants

Brennan’s Pub

4089 Lincoln Blvd, Marina Del Rey, CA, 90292
  • (310) 821-6622
  • Store is closed

Brennan’s Pub Menu

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  • Katalina D.

    Loved this place! The salmon pizza is off the hook. I work in one of the marina towers I will definitely be coming here for lunch! The drinks are great and the customer service is on point. Can't go wrong with that view! The renovation definitely worked out.

    (5)

  • Gary G.

    Decent dive bar in Marina Del Rey. If you have overheard any of your westside friends speaking of "turtle races", this is the spot. Unfortunately I can't comment on the races themselves, much like the turtles the organizers are rather slow, hah! It supposed to start at 10 PM, my advice is to show up past 11 as we were waiting there that long. However, we did sit in for a drink and to check out the local band that was churning out old 90's standards. Dig the vibe, but I ended up paying $22 for two drinks, which is a bit expensive for a dive, so that kind of sucks. Not really feeling the Marina clientele, lots of douchey guys dressed in polo shirts, ugly colored shorts and loafers, yuck. Definitely not my crowd. But at this point, I don't know what my crowd is anymore... Anywho, there's not a lot of competition in the area so I understand if you end up here anyway, but me personally I'd rather hit Santa Monica or Sawtelle instead for the westside bar situation. But I suppose you could do worse than this spot. That's my $.02.

    (3)

  • Justin S.

    Turtle races!! Such a unique and fun way to go out and celebrate with friends. I've been here a bunch of times with. Uddies and it's always a great time. This dive bar esque themed bar has a little something for everyone. Dance floor with live music, knowledgeable, experienced and fast bartenders, and of course, turtle races!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth M.

    Chill bar sometimes you have a live band playing but I recommend for anyone to come here & check out their turtle races Thursday nights. It's so much fun, plus u get charged if you point at the turtles so that adds a level of excitement. You can bring your own turtle to be part of the race. I would just drive a few blocks & go grab something to eat at Wurskutche before or after the races are over.

    (3)

  • David D.

    I have been coming to Brennan's since 2005. I have had many a Brennan's burger here, seen many a band, and attended the crazy Thursday Night turtle races. Stopped in here with my buddy last Friday night for the first time since I have been Yelping--so quite a while. I am not a big fan, but every few years I get in the mood to stop in. Place is OK. Low key vibe. Mediocre bands. St. Patrick's Day is mobbed. I do recommend the Thursday Night Turtle Races when the nights are warm outside. They start late so don't have any early Friday plans if you come. Prices? OK Last Friday a Brennan's Burger, fries, and a draft=$20.00 bill with T n T. It's a pretty good burger--not the greatest, but not the worst. Taste much better when you are very hungry. I like that it's flamed, not broiled in grease. It's half-price on Weds. Even after 5 years, Brennans has not changed a bit--same old look--nothing new. I will probably stop in again in 5 years unless my buddy wants to see Turtle Races at some point.

    (3)

  • Jason H.

    Fun bar, live music on weekends. The Turtle races are way too packed for me but I used to go when i was into the whole crowded bumping elbows thing. The staff is usually friendly and theres a great selection of beer. During the day its kinda nice to go there too for lunch and a beer. Sometimes its over run by very young, very drunk people but thats generally tolerable. Fun place overall and usually parking in the log

    (4)

  • Dustin H.

    DO NOT GO HERE!!! I had a party of four and when I went to order after it had been 20 minutes I had one change and the bartender said I do not have time for this and order when you know what you want...just to clarify..one of my party decided to switch one beer to another and they had no patience...I had to wait another 20 minutes to get attention and demanded a manager...finally I had the older gentleman who was one of the owners. He told me and I quote "I would have said the same thing"...are you kidding me??!!! What great service! I have been going here for three years and never treated this way! Don't bother with this place. Horrible live music. Horrible service. No appreciation. Shame on the owner for displaying the poorest service on the west side. No wonder this place has no business being here besides Thursday nights!

    (1)

  • Carrie G.

    Plenty of parking. Menu with a wide variety of appetizers . Friendly and funny staff. The band on Saturday nights ... Is awesome. Plenty of seating.. Good people watching! Indoor or outdoor seating . Very casual ... Great for any age !

    (4)

  • Sarah W.

    Brennan's is a nice neighborhood watering spot. Ask for a folding table outside if you want to play drinking games. This bar serves as the league bar for a number of sports leagues - Mondays and sometimes Wednesdays are kickball nights. Good happy hour prices and they have a great turkey burger! I haven't ever been here for the turtle racing but it is a nice comfy bar where you can relax and feel at home. Free parking in their lot or along Lincoln. Usually there is a nice waitress who will come take your order if you are out on the patio. It is nice to have a bar where you can actually have a conversation and hear the other person.

    (5)

  • Liz S.

    Came here on turtle night (Thursday) for my first time ever. The scene is definitely college-aged (or younger, I swear there were at least 10 kids who looked 16 in the bar.) and trashy. Turtle racing is probably one of the most degrading things I've ever seen. People pay $10+ to race a turtle and then 99% of the time, a female is selected to place the turtle into the starting bin. The guys running it make the women stick their butts out and arch their backs, in turn letting the entire crowd see their butt and boobs. That's degrading in and of itself, but I understand that's part of the experience here, whatever. What made me a little bit angry is that if pretty girl with a good body went up to drop a turtle they make her "redo it" and place the turtle in 2-5 times (the reasoning is that she wasn't arching her back enough, ect.) so she's continually bending over, showing off her goods off to the crowd over and over again. However, when a bigger girl came up to put the turtle in, they only made her put the turtle in once and she passed, even though she clearly wasn't putting it in right. So if you're bigger, you don't get treated the same as the other girls, essentially, which was pretty horrible and not something I would want to take part in, let alone watch, let alone be in the building of again.

    (1)

  • Diana W.

    Thursday night Turtle racing and live music! Causal fun place with music being played inside for a dance off. Its crowded on a Thursday. Turtle racing is just fun. Very Irish pub like, love it!

    (4)

  • Martina W.

    Nice pub, amazing basic American food! I got buffalo shrimp and fish tacos, and both were amazing for what they were. Highly recommend this bar/pub.

    (4)

  • Shane R.

    I was in the area we came in the place is cool I heard it's the home of turtle racing so I'm going to have to come back one night for that. I tried the burger it was pretty tasty, our bartender had a pretty good personality. In general I would suggest this place to my friends it has a good atmosphere

    (4)

  • Lucia R.

    Went for turtle racing. How can this be popular? It is so offensive and degrading. The host is a fat, ugly, old creepy perv who thinks it funny to threaten men with kicking them in the balls really hard and women to "flick their clit". I doubt he even has been allowed to see a clit unless he either paid for it or drugged the woman. Women beware. They want you to PAY to slowly bend over in front of the audience and this perv host while they throw flags if you bend your knees. They pick the girls in order of their perceived beauty, age and attire or lack thereof not the order they signed up. If you are young and cute expect to bend several times, older and heavier how fast can you be done as the hosts put you when they hope everyone is really drunk. If you like being laughed at, diminished, degraded, are desperate for attention, like being thought of as a piece of ass, and stupid enough to pay for it then this is your place. If you want to degrade yourself at least get paid to do it instead of in front of these perverts and creeps.

    (1)

  • Rance C.

    I'm a Colorado native who has been in LA for 7 years and have been a Broncos fan since the days of the three amigos and John Elway's original drive. Found a meetup for Broncos fans. Went for the Seattle Denver game yesterday. Parking was impossible as this bar is on Lincoln in Marina Del Ray / Venice area. Parking lot was full/ poorly laid out and thus didn't hold nearly enough cars for the space. My date was at Brennan's earlier that day watching the Ravens game and had her purple on. Let's just say the classless LA Bronco fans came in and started booing anyone who wore something other than Orange. Heckling them the entire time. This was apparently supported by the barkeeps at this establishment. I of course had the 'correct' colors on but was still disgusted of the treatment I saw of my date and anyone else who walked in with colors other than blaze orange. The bar was grossly overcrowded for this (admittedly large and very interesting matchup) and the bar was grossly understaffed. One, maybe two waitresses for the entire bar plus three bartenders. Everyone was standing around waiting for drinks -- I stood waiting to be acknowledged by one of the bartenders for nearly an entire quarter of this game without being so much as nodded at by any of the help. My date, when she came up to try to get a bartenders attention was verbally accosted by some cowboy hat wearing Giants fan who was apparently a 'regular' with his own TV. Apparently he didn't like the height of my date being in the way of his view of the TV while she was getting a bartender's attention. The guy actually tried to call over a bartender to complain about her but even he couldn't get them to come over. Nobody had a full beer. It was heinous. We ended up leaving after being there 45 minutes because we couldn't get a single drink during the Broncos game. Those facts, coupled with the terrible vibe of the place during the Broncos games which is perpetuated by the help made me embarrassed to be a Broncos fan. We aren't that classless -- this is a POSER BAR with POSER FANS who have no class. The help is slow and lazy and celebrate their patrons rudeness to others. I won't be back. This was without a doubt the **worst** bar going experience for a game I've ever had, and I've been all over this country in all kinds of bars. Definitely find a different scene unless you enjoy no class on display. If you like trailer park shit talk, this is the bar for you.

    (1)

  • Kaliska D.

    Don't know that i can say more than already has been said. Came for the turtle races because who doesn't want to see a turtle race? Degrading to women, offensive officiators, we left after our turtle won because its not really worth it to stay. They have the Lebron James rule "Don't be a duche." Probably because the staff doesn't want competition. But it's not really going to stop people from coming to watch and it's probably why they don't get many repeat customers.

    (2)

  • Rachel Q.

    We come here after our WAKA league Kick ball games every Monday and I gotta say - I love this place. It's pretty spacious - big outdoor area with tables for drinking games, as well as great drink specials - $12 for a pitcher of beer! The waitresses are always super friendly and the greasy but delicious bar food is always on point. I ordered the chips and guacamole last night and tried a friend's mozzarella cheese sticks. But what I saw in the kitchen which I have to try next week is the bacon cheese fries!!!

    (4)

  • Frank F.

    Sweet cover bands, great vibe, and good service.

    (4)

  • carl b.

    Brennan's is the first place that I have ever in my life not left a tip. I've worked in the service industry for over 10 years and I've never seen anything like this place. Thursday night, cool turtle racing, extremely entertaining. We walked out back, paused for less than 5 seconds to get our bearings and were literally shoved aside by a staff member and told to move. On our way back in, I was shoved back through the door by a tiny cocktail waitress screaming at me "I've got drinks here!" The actual bar is literally feeding troff style. No bar tender is assigned to any one of the 4 wells we saw. Instead each of the 6 people meander haplessly around and help... Well really whomever happens to be closest. There is no incentive to sit at the bar, because people looking for drinks will literally saddle up on your stool with you, as happened to us. There's no incentive to go to the well, because there is no one holding down the fort there either. Our first drink, while sitting at the bar, took over 10 minutes to get. Ok cool, it's busy, I understand. However, our tab, took 25 minutes and one person waiting at each well to get. By the way, that's 25 minutes, belly against the bar, at the well. No lines, just us waiting as bar tenders ignored us.

    (2)

  • Daniel S.

    I'm definitely a fan--this place is dive-y without being too much so. What're you looking for in an Irish pub? Beer? Fish n' chips? Kind of dark and a bit rundown but with charm? That's Brennan's. The bartenders are no nonsense, in a good way. Guinness and everything else on tap--if you want some hoity-toity craft microbrew IPA, go somewhere else (trust me, sometimes I want that too). Brennan's is beer, bricks, and dark wood. If you're hungry grab a burger or the obligatory fish n' chips. Both are solid, greasy food. Sometimes there's live music, the game is always on, but 9 times out of 10 it's just the right amount of rowdy. Loud enough, but not too much that you can't have a good conversation. Ample parking, outdoor seating, games--never been there for the turtle races though. Sound good? See you there.

    (4)

  • Dennis C.

    The food here is average at best. Lets be honest, you didnt come here for the food. You didnt come here for their great selection of alcohol either. You came here to see the turtles race, and so did everyone else. Its more hype than anything, and the only good part about the whole race is the part where they make the ladies bend over and place the turtles down in the circle, and the knees are NOT allowed to bend.. otherwise they gotta do it again. *** LIKES: They make women do sexy degrading things DISLIKES: Its pretty divey VERDICT: Only come on turtle racing day. Parking sucks. BBQ joint next door kicks ass.

    (4)

  • Skinny Coach u.

    Ok I admit its gone a little down hill - the crowd is not typical west LA beautiful and one could call it a lesbian bar some days of the week - but almost every night live music, barmen that have been there for decades, good food and great special AND a pool table. Always a fun night

    (4)

  • Hanae K.

    TURTLE RACE!!!!! I had so much fun here on Thursday Turtle racing night! Starts at 9pm and show up early so you have a good spot to watch them. Food was ok, just regular bar food. They also had a band perform cover songs inside the bar before the race started. My friend Steph Y. rented a turtle and named it after me (yes, you get to choose and name the turtle for that night). We had no idea which one was hers during the race but it won 1st place at round 1!!! They gave her a VERY INTERESTING prize (oh and shiny ribbon). Thank god we did the first round because it was late and freezing outside. The game took forever NOT because the turtles were slow (they're pretty fast, and ADORABLE - see my pics), it's because they restarted the race every time someone pointed!! Rule of the game: no pointing! If you point you have to pay up, penalty $$$ goes up if you do it the second time...third time you pay more and get kicked out of the bar (idk if they actually do that). If you don't have cash, they would gladly take your credit card. If you try to flirt your way out of it, everyone will boo you because you're holding up the game. I'm really impressed how they make money off of this. When they call out your turtle for the game and you're a girl, they'll have you place your turtle in the middle...but you're not allowed to bend you knees. Make sure you wear pants. If you don't mind showing off you bootie in skirts then at least wear a cute underwear so you won't gross the audience out. TIP: - show up early for good seats - bring a coat - RENT A TURTLE if its your first time (if you come early and rent one you won't have to wait forever for your turtle to race) - ladies who are renting turtles (or have guy friends who's planning on renting one), don't wear skirts unless you want to show you're bootie (guys won't mind) - cross your arms to avoid pointing!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Tii E.

    Careful with the old man behind the bar! He didn't remember that we had already paid for our first round, and at the end of the night, he charged us for two extra drinks. Live music is great, the acoustics are bad, so it is really loud. The bathrooms need a makeover. And since the bathrooms are kept nasty, I would be scared to even try their food.

    (2)

  • Antonio T.

    Great Place filled with Great employees. Bangin' wings

    (5)

  • Quinn H.

    Alex is a great bar tender very knowledgeable about his beers and whiskey. This is a local gem with a great ambiance and excellent parlor games! Who knew there are darts so close to marina del rey. I will be returning to try the food as the alcohol service has impressed me greatly.

    (5)

  • GianCarlo C.

    Chill place, they have turtle racing on thursdays and a nice service employee discount.

    (3)

  • Celine B.

    Turtle racing is awesome!! This is just a typical bar didn't have high expectations. I just liked the unique turtle races

    (5)

  • Pilar D.

    This is a neighborhood bar. If you want a scene, Abbott Kinney is 15 minutes away (with regular traffic, longer on Thursday during rush hour). Brennan is the kind of bar that you would usually find in a small town, suburbia, or television, a la Cheers. The bartenders and the waitstaff are super friendly and the kind who remembers your drink. The food is your average bar food. It's nothing special but they are tasty, especially with beer or cocktail. If you are expecting or want some sort of kale app or something with a reduction... Abbott Kinney. They have a bunch of different things going on just about every night so check the schedule. For example, back in my kickball days, Tuesday and Wednesdays were kickball nights. So be ready for over 100 kickball players. Planet Social football teams usually head out there after their games on Saturdays. And now that it's fall and football season, you have to know that they are the Denver Broncos bar (yay for me!). On other nights and after the games (like MNF), they have bands or comedy. The bands I've seen were good and pretty fun. And of course, Thursday is Turtle Racing night. Brennan's is a real, solid bar. It's the kind of bar where people talk to you (gasp!) just to shoot the breeze. It's been around for a long time so I think that shows how awesome they are. So there.

    (5)

  • Jack L.

    Good place in area to watch Dodgers game. Friendly service. Good burgers. Tasty ginger beer. Not too loud. Not many Dodgers fans, though.

    (4)

  • Summer B.

    Been coming here for 6 years. This place is just like a "Cheers" where everyone knows your name! Tom is my favorite bartender, Crystal is my favorite waitress. I mostly go during kickball nights (Monday-Wednesday) where burgers and certain apps are half priced and beers are only $3.50. My favorite is getting the turkey burget with grilled onions, so tasty! You can be entertained by their live music almost every night, darts, pool, flip cup, or beer pong in the back area, or Turtle Races on Thursday nights. The races are very entertaining to watch, and something you have to at least try once. It can be a little shovanistic, but as long as you keep a relaxed mentality about it, its lots of fun. Careful not to point at the turtles as you will received a $10 fine.

    (4)

  • Nordy N.

    Went to Brennan's on a Thursday night for Turtle Racing and it was funnish but to many rules. It is an uptight atmosphere of Douche Bags and childish stupidity. A cross between a 3rd street promenade street show and a lame cock fight. 10 seconds of Turtles crawing while the workers are trying to scam money off the crowd and being a-holes the whole time, yelling at people where they can and cannot stand. Drinks were expensive but the venue and service were OK.

    (2)

  • Char L.

    Wanna blatantly check out ass? Then come here on Thursday nights for the turtle races! For $5 you can sign up your friend to race a turtle. For $5 you can watch your friend bend over to put their turtle at the starting line. If they bend their knees or bend too fast, then they can re-do it! Just be warned that in this free society that we live in, you will occasionally see a dude bend over.

    (3)

  • C M.

    Um. Wow. Take a townie bar from some rust belt mill town 5 years after the last mill closed. Air drop into the parking lot a palate of irregular-sized knock off Ed Hardy shirts, a couple of dozen vintage aerosol cans of Aqua Net and enough dollar store make up to put every meth head in the low desert through clown college. Now add piss-warm Bud Light, a complete lack of dignity and, well, turtles... and you've got Brennan's. Granted, it is a neighborhood institution. In the same way that Tito's is a neighborhood institution, even though their tacos taste like a negligent mom used the last five bucks on her SNAP card to buy an Ortega kit and expired ground beef from Food 4 Less. So if historically bad is your thing, Brennan's is the place to be. Do leathery middle-aged divorcees squeezed into their daughter's dresses for a post-Curves girls' night out get your wheels spinning? Brennan's has that. What about butt rock cover bands comprised of haggard old longhairs who were banned from the Rainbow for paying with rubber checks? Brennan's has that, too. Does the sight of a fifty-year-old white dude in a backward ballcap and Volcom t-shirt, whose kids haven't spoken to him in ten years because of "the incident," grinding his junk against some blackout-drunk heifer with a dolphin tattoo on the back of her neck to the tune of "Sweet Child O' Mine" make you think that romance is alive in the heart of the city? Welcome to the Brennan's jungle, my friend! Pull up a stool, order a watered-down drink and feast your eyes and ears on the best that Los Angeles has to offer. Which is not to say that Brennan's is completely without merit. It's the Showgirls of bars: It is awful, and not Ed Wood charmingly awful, but truly, aggressively awful, yet for some weird reason delivers SOMETHING in the way of ironic entertainment to justify its existence. But I still would not advise you to intentionally go there. Some day, some way, you will find yourself at Brennan's completely by accident, and there's a decent chance that you'll have a good time in spite of yourself. But I strongly advise against seeking it out. You don't go to Brennan's, Brennan's goes to you.

    (3)

  • Anthony M.

    Kinda fratty... I was looking to kill an hour and it did the job.

    (3)

  • Judy A.

    Great place with the Noise Junkies youtu.be/brWotgHYCk8 . Good food and bar. The bacon cheese fries were an awesome mountain!!

    (5)

  • Trent R.

    Just want to keep this short! Came into the bar for the first time a few days ago, and it was an excellent experience! Live music and beer, attentive staff! Will be back!

    (4)

  • Bret R.

    After a terrible trip to a nearby bar, this place was a joy to be at. Good music, good atmosphere, good drinks, good chips and guacamole, but there service was a little slow. All in all...I'll be going back.

    (4)

  • Jay T.

    I came here with some colleagues after work So I can't comment on the turtle racing. As for after work on a Friday, it's pretty empty, aside from a few regulars, but also pretty cheap. Happy hour from like 4 until 7--cheap beer, half off appetizers. Standard beer selection, maybe a bit limited. The best I can say for the food is that it's edible. We concluded that all of it was purchased frozen from the nearby Costco. They have darts and pool, both of which you have to pay for. And the jukebox? 50 cents to a dollar per song. There's parking in a small lot on the north side of the building, otherwise on the street (which is usually not a problem in this area). Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it: TOTAL DIVE BAR. Which imo is a good thing. But it's not for everyone.

    (3)

  • Maria P.

    I have been here once before at night but went yesterday for Sunday fun day after a kickball game and it was so fun! The Cynthias were behind the bar (Big C and Little C) and were both really friendly and took care of all the Planet Social Sports kickballers. They brought food out to us and made sure we had plastic cups for flip cup, and helped set up tables on the patio for beer pong. We had the whole outdoor area and there were probably about 30-40 people outside. It's where they do turtle racing which I have yet to experience though that might be for the best because I hear it's a bit of a creeper convention. I just ordered french fries (crinkle cut and seasoned) but friends ordered items off the happy hour menu (there's a special menu for PSS people) and the food looked like decent dive bar style. We stayed there all day and got pretty tipsy and my tab was only $34! Will definitely be back even if it's not for a PSS related day because of the awesome service from Big C.

    (4)

  • Heather Z.

    After hearing about the famous turtle racing on Thursday nights, some friend's and I decided to check it out. A little disappointed to learn the turtle racing is really an outdated excuse for sexist booty display of female patrons as the rule is to bend over and not to bend your knees as you place the turtle in position for racing. Didn't see that coming, nor did I see any male participants bending over. The turtles appear to be in good condition and well cared for, but, be aware if you have any sensitivities to animals you might not like that before/during the racing, the turtles are just tossed into a bin and piled on top of each other. A dive bar with a fun cover band played oldies and current music at 2 times the song's tempo to keep people dancing. Was a slow song, not anymore. Expect standard dive bar things like; frozen-fried foods, dank, dirty, bathroom with line ups out the door, draft beer from unclean lines to make you ill and the mixed drinks short poured and over charged. If you like to smoke or enjoy secondhand smoke floating into the pub this place is for you. The turtle racing area is a large patio next to the pub, surrounded by tables/chairs designated for smoking patrons. So, there really isn't anywhere you can go to get away from smoking except to leave. Are turtle's protected as employees by smoking laws? It's not a place I would rush back to but it may be worth at least one experience, if the above description is the kind or experience you're looking for.

    (2)

  • Max G.

    Its alright. Their bartenders are the ones who deserve the 3 stars. Expect to stand at the bar a good 5-10 mins at the bar getting ignored.

    (3)

  • Gillian S.

    THEY RACE TURTLES. do I really need to say anything else to get you to come here? seriously! There are weird rules that if you break, you cough up the cash for AIDS research. The number 1 most important (and only) rule: DO NOT POINT AT THE TURTLES. who knew turtles got freaked out when huge groups of belligerent drunks gathered, yelled and pointed? perhaps they are self conscious? And don't believe what you hear about turtles, they are actually pretty fast! Carson Daly has done his show from Brennan's (yes that show still exists). Rob and Big had a blast with the little green dudes. Do it. Turtles. Thursdays. Turtle race times are very vague. just get there before 10pm. Obviously, the races are outside so dress accordingly. Inside, Brennan's is your neighborhood bar. live music and good times. Parking is street parking, which can be very annoying if you aren't prepared. Think zen-parking. I can't wait to go back. My money's on Leonardo.

    (4)

  • Dee Y.

    Yes, just like what other reviewers said. Great place to take an out of towner, but definitely would not be my regular place to go. I've been here several times but only for the Thursday night turtle racing. It's incredibly fun, but the novelty wears really fast off when you're not going here to show someone from out of town. I would give it a 3.5, but I always round down. A-OK...

    (3)

  • Min T.

    Reading frank L's review last week reminded me how much I hated this place. My friend who has two turtles wanted to enter her turtles in the Thursday turtle races but decided at the last minute, it would be too stressful for them. Yes, they do allow you to bring your own turtles which I guess would be a plus. But really, a minus because picture the worst frat party you've gone to times a thousand. Guys screaming at you to slowly, SLOWLY bend down as you lower your turtle into the ring. And if you do it too fast, they make you do it again. Ah, your ass all over the internet. Yay. Then you scream and holler at the poor dears until one is named a winner. But never, ever point because they will fine you. Some European dudes asked me if this was fun in complete bewilderment. I said no and walked into the bar where I was greeted by the other nightmarish part of frat parties. It's dark and you don't know who the hell you're talking to. We watched people play pool for a while. Tried to dance but the floor was too wet/sticky from spilled drinks and goodness knows what. But I didn't give up because it took us a helluva long time to find parking on Lincoln and damnit, we wanted to have a good time. Bah. Okay, I'm throwing in the towel and going to see turtles that aren't so dazed and confused.

    (1)

  • Amy M.

    I decided to have my birthday party here pretty last minute on a saturday, I'd been here a couple of times and I knew the drink prices were reasonable and the crowd is normally fun. Cynthia reserved tables for me inside, the band gave me a shout out, and sang to me, I got a free bottle of champagne AND we had almost 50 people and Crystal (our waitress) was on it!! That girl can hustle! The food was yummy, the drinks were strong & everyone had a great time...best birthday in a long time!!

    (5)

  • Alfred P.

    There are a few things I've never understood: why bars charge six bucks for draught, why women slap me when I proposition them with a fiver, and what in the hell is the appeal of turtle racing. I mean, all turtles do for me is remind me of pooping. When there are no filthy, half-shelled beasts scuttling around, the patio is perfect after a long day at the beach. I could ask you what beats having a smoke and an icy drink soothing your sunburned skin under a dimming sky, but we all know the answer is sex. How I wish I could verify that. Would I return? If prompted. Or tempted with free drinks. Or lured with the promise of intercourse (free intercourse that is, hold the slap--maybe). Otherwise, no thanks. I'd rather stay home with a bottle of vodka and watch old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoons in the nude like I do every Saturday night. At least this way I'll save myself from the wrath of the cover band's music.

    (3)

  • David M.

    Awesome night! We went on a Thursday night for turtle racing. I really liked it, but found it is more of a ladies sport but it will really appeal to us guys, trust me. In other words, guys, do not rent a turtle. This was something that if you have not done it before, you really should. Drinks and bar service were OK, nothing fabulous. This place really shines though for the turtle racing, trust me. I think they only do it on Thursday nights, be sure to call and check.

    (4)

  • Jessica A.

    AH! ... So.. if you're ever stranded in a "what should we do? or where can we just have some nice drinks but dont want to go to some ugly low weird vibe bar place " Simply just go to Brennan's Pub! I walked in and it just seemed too cool, it had a pool table, outside lounge area, a cute small kitchen that im sure had some food, and of course the pub. Needless to say the place may perhaps need another bartender at night but it was fun. Prices were convenient , people were great, the atmosphere was chill. This is a good place for a group of friends or an ice-breaker between to strangers ;) Oh Freakin Hell i almost forgot, they have live bands that play there as well!

    (4)

  • Rachel F.

    This is just not my scene. Unfortunately, on Halloween last year we were not able to get a taxi so we walked here in an effort to salvage the rest of the night. I was horrified by the type of music that was playing as well as the type of people who are here. Don't get me wrong I think every age is entitled to go out, but this is definitely Cougar Town. The drinks are decently priced but that won't be enough to get me to come back here.

    (1)

  • andrya h.

    So I hear that the turtle racing nights are a good time.... But, I did not go on turtle racing night.... so at the risk of sounding like an asshole, this has been summed up by one quote. The most attractive guy at the bar, was a lesbian.

    (3)

  • Robert R.

    Great for what it is, a funky dive bar with good bands and cheap drinks! Also, if you have never been there for the turtle races on thursday night it is a must!

    (5)

  • Chelsee H.

    Seems like the crowd (of yelpers, that is) is mixed on this one. I've only been once (so far) but I like what I saw & paid. It's a huge space and it's laid back inside. Pool tables, dart boards, and a stage for live bands would keep anyone entertained. Two beers and two ciders for $13 ain't bad, at least compared to some of the bars I've been to nearby (if I recall correctly, one drink at Air Condition just down the way is like $7). The burger was pretty tasty too, and the quesadilla, though I'd have to agree with Rafa C. that the service isn't as tasty. But it's a tavern/pub, right? I never go to these places expecting service out of this stratosphere. I actually go assuming I'll be ignored by the bartender for the hotter blond down the way flashing her boobies. I proceeded to get pretty tipsy, which may have made the place seem that much better. Never trust an intoxicated yelper I suppose. I'll be back though. And chances are not in a sober state.

    (4)

  • Sanaz M.

    Went here to see turtle races....one word: LAME! I was all excited too..but the whole thing was just lame. Its def a fun bar. Good if you have visitors and want to show them something different.

    (3)

  • Ivy K.

    I've been to Brennan's 4 times, all on turtle racing nights. Long lines if you arrive after 10:30pm but never a cover. The turtles are fun and cute and all, but I have developed an unhealthy obsession with SEXY PHOTO HUNT. The game in the corner that's like an X-rated version of Highlights' "find the differences between the two pictures." You will most likely find me bleary-eyed in the corner playing the sexy photo hunt game, drink in one hand, pointing finger ready on the other, jabbing away at third nipples and missing palm trees. Good times.

    (4)

  • Edwin C.

    I go here a lot just because I live within walking distance from it, but I like it too. They're known for their turtle races (rob & big had an episode here), but I've actually never gone when they had them. I've always had a good time every time I've come here though. Sometimes they have live bands which can be good and bad. It's not huge inside, so when there is a band, it gets really loud so it's hard to talk. The service is good and the bartenders are pretty friendly. They have one pool table and lots of seating. Whenever I've come on a Friday or Saturday, it's never been really packed. There's nothing really special about Brennan's besides the turtle races, just like your typical pub - but it's still a good place to go.

    (3)

  • Phil W.

    Everything about Brennan's seems to revolve around their "Turtle Racing". From the giant turtle painted on the side of the building, to the dancing neon turtles above the door, to the big patio in the back with the racing ring painted on the ground... Apparently the races only happen one night a week, though, and I picked the wrong night to go! Showing up at around 10 on a Friday night, the place was pretty slow. While I like the layout of the pub and the large outdoor patio, the crowd was pretty uninteresting. My $6 gin and tonic was pretty small and pretty weak. Overall, I was just not impressed with Brennan's. I feel like the place has potential, but I just wasn't feeling the vibe while I was there. Maybe things are different on Thursdays when they actually do the turtle racing... It's a unique enough gimmick that I just might have to venture back to check it out.

    (2)

  • Christopher S.

    never going back. the only reason we went to this place in the first place is because it was the same place rob and big went to in their turtle racing episode. and if you are actually coming here for the turtle racing.. well, i apologize in advance. way overhyped, completely lame, long, boring, inhumane. they keep a bunch of turtles trapped in a closed, dark cooler, which is retarded. (this coming from a turtle owner.. turtles like light, heat, etc.) then they have all these rules.. you cant really bet or win anything besides some crumby prize they have in a bag. if they catch you "pointing" they reset the race, and that person has to pay $20 or so or leave the facility. (yes, its that stupid.. no, i didnt violate). females have to "drop" the turtle without bending their knees.. all for the sleezebags running the show to get woodies and stare at women they could never get. so of course if you're hot, whatever your deal is, they will flag you once or twice just to see you "drop" the turtle again. and this process lasts for over 2 hours, almost 3. overall this place is a joke. not a fun time imo. pretty much sums up slimey, dirty, gross venice.

    (1)

  • Steven F.

    Definitely a lot of fun for the Thursday turtle races, but, due to the size of the crowd they get, the "authority figures" can become quite the little nuisances. Even pointing at the turtles results in either a fine or your being ejected from the bar.

    (3)

  • Vincent D.

    This place is overpriced for its offerings. If you are looking for an Irish pub, this is what is offered in the area, so you'll have to deal with waiting in line, listening to the bouncers talk about the overly-drunk guy they just kicked out (with assistance from the police) only to get in and pay too much for a small beer. PS If you go on turtle racing night, be careful not to do anything (raising your hand) that might scare or otherwise disrupt the turtle races... otherwise you will end up with a fee on your hands.

    (3)

  • Amy T.

    Out in Marina Del Rey area for work monthly so I'm usually looking for something entertaining to try. THURSDAY NIGHT TURTLE RACES ARE THE BOMB!!!! No cover. Got there early. The waitress was super nice and helpful, giving us the rundown on turtle race etiquette. The Mandrakes were pretty good, from what I heard. At about 9:45PM people were flooding in. Good mix of all types. Turtle races started at 10:15 to a packed house of rabid fans. The emcee was hilarious and the judging hard core. I would totally recommend this to anyone in town for a visit. Only complaint is drinks were pricey but then again, there was no cover and the waitstaff did a good job of keeping everyone socially lubricated despite the sea of people. DON'T POINT AT THE TURTLES!

    (4)

  • Joel M.

    Underwhelming all around. There are better bars in the area. The crowd is always a bit obnoxious and the drinks are nothing special. A reminder of bars from the past (not in a good way). The location on Lincoln makes parking a bit tricky, too.

    (2)

  • Marie R.

    I LOVE THIS BAR. I try to come out for a drink every Wednesday. Unfortunately, there are times when work just becomes a little too insane and the long hours make the drive to Marina del Rey a little difficult. But, on the days that I do make the drive, I am always glad that I did. Bartenders Tom and Cynthia are always friendly, no matter how crowded the bar gets. Cowspace, the Wednesday band is always great. If you're into crowds and picking up on people, you'd be better off heading to Brennan's from Thursday-Friday. But, if you like to unwind and have a few beers and make friendly conversation with the locals, Wednesday nights at Brennan's are always the best place to be.

    (5)

  • Indefatigable O.

    Alright, here's the breakdown. This place is pretty fun to check out on Thursdays. The turtle races are a unique idea, and the cover band that plays inspires ummm....interesting "dancing." The crowd ranges from hipster to frat, which I like, the drinks aren't as cheap as they should be, and the joint is definitely a bit of a meat market. The best part is no pretension in the staff or the crowd. Come check it out (although if it's raining, forget it!).

    (4)

  • Eric R.

    Since I know it's what you're here for: the turtle racing is a lot of fun, and while the kitsch is short-lived, it's a good time to be had. Everything else about this place is mediocre. The service is so-so, the interior is lacking in good hang out space, and when they've got a shitty band in (often) the noise pollution is killer. The outside space is great when the night is accommodating, but if it's cold or windy forget it. Biggest complain: Beer served in plastic cups, not even pint sized.

    (3)

  • Angela O.

    I've never been a sports kinda girl. I mean, I like badmintton and I ran track for a while there in junior high, but I've never won a trophy or anything. So when I won first place in the turtle races (actually technically my turtle Matilda won, ok, fine), and I took home my maxi pads and my blue ribbon, I knew I had found a new home. The drinks are a bit overpriced and the dance floor can be too small when the cover band breaks out some GnR, but otherwise it's a lovely place with fresh salt air to breathe and red-eared sliders to bet on.

    (5)

  • Glen T.

    Well, it's dive bar in the Marina. There are a lot of regulars here and if you're coming here for the first time you might feel out of place because the bartenders know the regulars and call them by their names. The bartenders are friendly, the service is good and the drinks are okay. Oh...Turtle races. I don't know anyplace else that has turtle races. It's here on Thursdays. They have live bands here sometimes and sometimes it's a little too loud but what do you expect from a dive bar?

    (2)

  • Jose A.

    i like this pub they have thurday night turtle races!!! good place to chill and have a drink!!!!

    (4)

  • Kristine V.

    THURSDAYS. Went on a thursday night this summer with a friend and had a great time. Easy to get drinks, also specials. Live music and also the turtle races. The mc's were pretty entertaining and the turtles were mighty impressive. My turtle won the second race :)

    (4)

  • Tim L.

    This place is great. Decenet food and good drinks. Thursdays are especially fun with the turtle racing and some live music. Cheep beer and shot deals make everything that much better.

    (4)

  • Dan Q.

    At home in Boston I would never pay for a Guinness in a plastic cup, and I'd never go back to a place that served it that way. But turtle racing? Brennan's gets a pass on the Guinness foul. Thursdays, 10pm. No words to describe it - it needs to be experienced. Drink quickly and stay for the awful cover band afterward. Don't point at the turtles.

    (5)

  • Niccolo R.

    The type of pub you'd find in Buffalo, Brennan's is a good spot to drink pints of Bass, eat a good burger, and watch Monday Night Football.

    (4)

  • Cher B.

    Turtles races on Thursday is a must see! and for sure Brennan's is an established local bar! But no bells or whistles. Just some good ol turtle racing!

    (3)

  • Damien B.

    An oldie but a goodie. They have started $3 Pabst on turtle racing nights! like the other reviewers have said, its unpretentious, good fun like an irish pub should be!

    (4)

  • Lissa -.

    Words to sum up this place: divey, sports bar, frat boy central, and drunk. I went here for the infamous Thurs. night and was a little disgusted by the way they kept making the women bend over SLOWLY to put their turtles into the ring. If you didn't do it just right, then they make you do it again. Woe is the woman who's wearing a low cut shirt and a short skirt. It felt like a low-class strip club where the guys didn't have to pay to catch a peek. Ugh. Fortunately a few guys did the bendy thing too and of course I had to cheer for them. Other than that, the crowd is pretty good-looking so it might not be a bad place to check out eye candy and talk to some drunk people. Just don't expect to find the man of your dreams here.

    (3)

  • Lisa A.

    Good "dive" bar, reasonably priced drinks, live band that plays a wide variety of music. Mainly a college-aged crowd, but there was a nice mix of patrons, really, of all ages and races. Turtle racing was cute. Had some buffalo chicken strips and wings, it wasn't great but it wasn't bad...solid bar food. Nice selection of beer and ales on tap. Best part: it was busy but not over-crowded, a very kick-back vibe, and NO COVER CHARGE at the door. I'll be back again.

    (4)

  • Scott M.

    Great live music. Great atmosphere. Awesome turtle races.

    (4)

  • Liz P.

    I heard about the turtle racing and just had to go. I read a bunch of reviews on here before we went, so we knew exactly what we were getting into. The races were late to get started, but they did not take forever like other reviews on here said. Plenty of people got fined for pointing. Seriously, don't do it. And yes, they made the chicks bend down (without bending their knees) over and over again to place the turtles at the start. Some people were completely furious about this on this site. But you see, every girl who goes up there knows exactly what they are doing. One girl even took her shirt off in the spirit. While the bending over was a deal breaker for me participating in the race, that doesn't mean I can't laugh and marvel and pick a turtle too root for. Some people were outraged about the turtle treatment. In the back corner of the patio, they readily showcase where their turtles live, which looks quite nice to me. And I saw nothing obscene about the way they were being handled. This place is exactly what it advertises itself as. I love fun 'divey' bars with crazy characteristics, so this place is right up my alley. If you're looking for "sophistication"/"maturity" then don't bring your downer attitude here. This place is of much lighter spirit than you.

    (4)

  • Anna L.

    I love Brennan's. My friends and I go at least one night a week. It has a great dive-y atmosphere that is relaxed fun, and never pretentious. They have live music most nights - the cover band tonight, Pop Vinyl, was the best cover band I have ever heard. The have a pool table and darts and a large patio. The bartenders are the nicest guys - I have never had a problem with being over charged or under-poured. A lot of reviews on this site have mentioned the fact that Brennan's uses plastic cups. The only night that this is done is Thursday, because they don't have enough glassware to serve the crowds that come in for turtle racing. Every other night (at least that I have been there - and that's quite a bit), glassware is used. If you are offended by the turtle racing, don't participate. If you have a female friend who may be offended by having everyone stare at her butt, then she should not agree to place a turtle - warn her accordingly. Most everyone who participates understands exactly what is going on, and those who don't, figure it out quickly. They open at 6 am on St. Patrick's Day, and there is always a line outside starting at around 4:30 in the morning. It's basically a giant party inside, as one might expect of an Irish pub on the holiday. If you are looking for an upscale place, don't go to Brennan's. It's a place to go when you want to have a relaxing evening with some friends, meet some interesting people, and have a good time. I highly recommend the place. It's the best.

    (5)

  • Ell O.

    The bouncer was really rude to us (almost didn't let me back in, just because I went to my car to get a sweater and then he didn't remember seeing me before). The drinks were in plastic cups. (unnecessary pollution + classless) The people there sucked. Leave the damn turtles alone and go to a real bar.

    (1)

  • MiYong E.

    Turtle Races. Follow the rules. Ladies can add themselves or be added by friends (so beware) to carry the turtles to the center of the ring. Ladies, do NOT bend your legs. You have to take the turtle to the center of the ring and set the turtle down on the ground without bending your legs. Bending of the knees demands a redo. Men, no pointing. Go ahead, make bets on which turtle will win.....but once you start drinking, do you think you can control the needs to point out your winning turtle go-go-go??? If you get caught, you put money in the pot. As for non-turtle-race nights, it's a chill bar to kick it at. Indoor and outdoors. Sometimes live music. Sometimes hysterical live music and entertaining drunk dancers ;-) Go with good company, and you'll have a good time. Crowd is not one for meat market, though. Oh, and watch out for the dart throwers!

    (4)

  • Jake M.

    Sobriety does not really lend itself to an appropriate appreciation of Brennans's. I was lured here with promise of turtle racing, which was further promised would be the zenith of my visit. Now, both on paper and according to anecdotal reputation, turtle racing at a divey faux Irish bar sounds like it would be just the sort of out of left field eccentric entertainment that I would generally appreciate, and further one of that ilk that I've come to so love about LA - eccentric, surreal curiosities that just seem a matter of course here. Alas.... Turtle racing takes place on Thursday nights on an outdoor patio off to the side of the bar. A squared off ring lined with plastic chairs and a stumpy wooden grandstand enclose a sort of miniature wrestling mat with a large white circle drawn on it. The deal is, bar patrons sign up for the various races held during the evening, "rent" out a turtle, and then have the little guys square off in races of four. Placed in the center, the turtles scoot out from the center towards the edge of the circle, first one to breach the line the winner... And let me tell you - these little guys MOVE! Races are generally over in a matter of seconds, and the winner and his/her turtle takes a bow and collects a prize (of dubious value and taste) amid collective cheers, jeers and leers. Leers being, unfortunately, predominant. Turtle racing may indeed have once been the sport of kings, but if Brennan's is any indication, it has suffered a long fall from grace. The races are presided over by a court jester MC, who steers the proceedings quickly into a salacious and beer drenched cross between a frat party and MTV Spring Break. Buxom and/or short skirted girls are plucked out of the crowd to demonstrate their ability to bend over and pick up turtles without bending their knees. Nothing wrong with that, I guess, if that's your thing, except that it's usually coupled with harassing and humiliating some poor unwilling girl who's either overweight, or simply plain looking, or demure, or just nonskanky. I don't know - I know it's all supposed to be in good bawdy fun, but there just seemed to be this malicious undercurrent that soured the whole thing for me. Maybe I was there on an off night - I was told that this particular MC was not the regular one. Or maybe it's just my growing senescence. Or maybe, yes, probably, it had something to do with being stone cold sober. Ah, turtle racing... we hardly knew ye!

    (2)

  • Roland D.

    Turtle Racing. Pure Genius. There are a couple things you must know before you venture out to Brennan's. Firstly, they only have one set of races a night starting around 10pm. I heard they used to run them until 1am but recently had to stop because of the neighbors. Secondly, don't point at the turtles. My friend got charged $10 for pointing, and that was for his first offense. It is a little extreme but all in good fun. Think of it as a kind of drunk barometer. If you get charged, it's time to stop drinking (because they yell "Don't point at the fucking turtles!" every couple minutes). Thirdly, make sure you have a sexy shill and rent a turtle under her name. It's even better if they don't know what's coming. I had no shill last night and didn't realize what was entailed in placing the turtles until it was too late.... Good thing I'm flexible. All in all, it was a fun evening... but drinks could be a little stronger for the price, and they could use some heat towers outside.

    (4)

  • Jill H.

    Brennan's was our go to spot after kickball games. Yes, I played kickball, in a real league. And Brennan's sponsored us, so if we wore our kickball shirt we'd get half price pitchers and appetizers after games. Awesome. They have some table out back and we would always set up flip cup or beer pong. Then there's also turtle racing every Thursday night. I wasn't as impressed with turtle racing as I had hoped to be, but it didn't make me like Brennan's any less. I probably just won't go on Thursday because it's unnecessarily busy.

    (4)

  • Ali W.

    Okay how did I miss the turtle racing? Went last night and had a great time...minus turtles...so its still a great bar regardless. That explains why people kept wandering into some other room I had no clue about that seemed to be barn-esque from afar. Duh! Your typical irish pub but lots of room which is nice. Nice bartenders, and older guy and younger one..both nice. I wouldn't say there were too many cuties in there until about 11 or so...managed to find one handsome gentleman to pass the time with a good conversation. Almost fogot to include the bald, stocky bouncer saying "you look nice tonight" to me as I came in. Discuss. The band playing was priceless, "Dazed & Confused"- they all had crazy wigs and sunglasses/goofy coats on singing hard core classic rock. Slow ride.....da ner ner mmm...take it easy...they were good, even though I think they were a little too drunk because when they sang "Walk this Way" they echoed with another "walk this way" instead of "Talk this way"...it was like listening to "you say potato, I say potato" the same intonation. I'd go again. Especially if "Dazed & Confused" is there playing. Good times.

    (5)

  • Nate L.

    This venue has always been great to it's musicians and crowd. We love playing at Brennan's and appreciate all that they do!

    (5)

  • Charlie B.

    my five stars are based on the AWESOME door man who was so impressed that i actually brought shoes and didnt try to go in on skates that he offered to keep my skates safe for me in the back! yay! apparently he had had enough of people thinking they could go into a crowded bar with wheels on their feet and a dumb look on their face when they were turned away. this place is also fun on st pattys day if you can get there early enough before the lines and the cover so take the day off or quit your job if you plan on spending the green day there... prices are okay, but i do like the big patio where you can escape the crowds (at least on any nite except thursdays for turtle races which i have yet to witness) the crowd is mostly venice/mdr locals with puka shells and tribal tattoos but i generally go to a bar based on other factors and the place is big enough so its easy to avoid being squished up against all the brahs. if you are in the area, its worth a go. parking is kind of scant though, so i do recommend walking, biking or skating but dont forget your shoes!

    (5)

  • Harry H.

    Two words... Turtle Races How much better can a bar get? This is a classic joint where the booze is cheap and the turtles are slow. Hilarious races that only get better the more you drink. Great crowd and just a great time. I can't say I've had a bad time at Brennans before. You have to check out the shenanigans very soon otherwise you're missing out on a world of fun.... GO NOW!

    (5)

  • Jenn T.

    I actually love this place. It's kind of a dive bar, but when they have good live bands it usually draws a nice crowd. Anywhere from mid twenties to fifties I'd say. Some older and some younger of course. I usually like the cover bands that play, but that's just because I like live music. The price is pretty reasonable. The food is your typical bar/pub type food. Greasy, deep fried...ya know...bar food. They have lots of tvs to watch the games on Sunday...GOO BRONCOS!!! I wouldn't go out of my way to drive here if you live more then 15 minutes away, but I live basically next door and can walk...so for me this is a winner :)

    (4)

  • cassina Q.

    Saw this place on Rob & Big..LoL...had to give it a try...my girls and I came on a thursday for turtle racing...actually had a lot of fun! We had no idea what to expect...turtle racing...really? How much of a thrill could it possibly be...turns out...a big one haha. Maybe it was the anticipation mixed with the beer but all I know is this place was going off. Fans yelling for the turtles...just a good time all around. Staff was friendly...crowd was just looking for a good time..no drama....most def will come back for another round of turtle racing.

    (4)

  • Sabrina C.

    This place is not too shabby. By that I mean, the drinks are stiff and decently priced and the people are usually terrible looking. I went here with my boyfriend and sister. They played pool with this creepy looking guy whose friend sounded like a retarded Ray Romano. I want to say more about this place, but I am pretty sure I got so drunk that I ended up being carried out. Oh, WAIT! There was a midget there that night and I got the sort of drunk where you insist on dancing with the midget because you want to feel like, "MOTHER FUCKING SNOW WHITE." That's when I got dragged out of there by my people. Too bad, cause now I'll never get to be snow white.

    (4)

  • King D.

    I wish I could give it negative stars. THIS PLACE IS A SCAM! It is honestly one of the worst, if not worst, bars I've been to. This includes the bar I went to that was all Costa Ricans guys sexually abusing my girlfriend with their eyes. - It's not about turtle races. It's about getting girls to bend over and filming them as they place the turtles down. - They are dicks about the rules. They try to bully people into forking over money saying that they broke the 'no pointing' rules. One worker actually said to one customer, 'you better hold on to your boyfriends cock you cheap tramp, you're not that hot.' He wasn't being funny. She was that hot. I could write a whole essay on how this place is the downfall of our society, but I have to take care of my friend who has food poisoning from Brennan's.

    (1)

  • Logan S.

    The Turtle races were Sick! But don't point at the turtles! The service sucked though. Super hard to get a drink for some reason. I would recommend this place on Thursdays nights. It's something different for sure. Good times.

    (4)

  • Jenna L.

    The 5 Stars is for Thursday Night Turtle Racing!!! Woot!!! The best!!! Definately something one needs to experience AT LEAST once. Even better when you're a little bit tipsy! So my pal and I adopted a turtle for the night and we won our round! Long live Petey Jr! Only one thing you really need to remember, don't point at the turtles! They WILL catch you and they WILL fine you. Yes, you heard me, FINE YOU. I had an amazing time. I will be back in a few weeks.

    (5)

  • Arestia R.

    Two words: TURTLE RACING. That's right, Thursdays are the best reason to come to Brennan's. You can "rent" a turtle to race for 5 bucks as everyone gathers in the back to watch the action. The hilarious staff will spell out the rules and people get flagged left and right for breaking them and pay the fines. I can't explain it, but it's so damn fun. Aside from that, it's a great little pub. Good drinks on tap, good people and they even have some great cover bands. When I lived in LA, I found myself there every week.

    (5)

  • Jason K.

    First off, I must say I've never been to Brennan's on Turtle Racing night. I'm usually there every week on a Tuesday or Wednesday, after kickball. Tom, the bartender, is awesome and their burgers are tasty and cheap. They have an outdoor patio and tons of TVs inside, which are ALWAYS showing local sports, which is surprisingly rare in LA. The live bands are also pretty good, usually playing classic rock covers. Finally, they have photohunt, which is key. If this bar were closer to my house, I'd be there every night. --- Take Big Blue Bus #3.

    (4)

  • Philip J.

    Turtle race anyone ? Bar was unique and had a great cover band the night I went. Just went to sports harbor though and am obsessed!

    (3)

  • Marcus F.

    A dive bar that has a mini stage for live music, turtle races and cheep booze. A lackluster crowd and no cocktails to speak of mean that there still isn't a good reason for me to go back.

    (1)

  • Alison W.

    BE WARNED about the turtle races: You -- females only -- will be forced to place the turtle into the little turtle pen by bending over and sticking your ass out at the crowd, without bending your knees. If you don't do it just right, they throw a little towel in to show that you've "failed" and you have to do it again. As you might guess, super-skanky or super-beautiful females "fail" repeatedly -- even when they do it perfectly without bending at all - because the crowd wants to see them again. I understand that this is all 'in good fun," but three things bothered me about it. ONE: There was no warning that you'd be asked to do that (or disqualified if you'd already paid). I'm sorry, but when I hear "turtle races," I just think "Yay! Adorable animals!" The *last* thing I'm going to think is "Hmm. They might turn it into something sexual." WHO would make that connection!? TWO: It's disgusting that this one perv squats behind the women and shoots a camera shot directly up their vaginas. Like, it would be one thing if he just took a picture from a distance, but no, he gets down low and points it up their skirts. THREE: They are complete dicks if a woman, like me, was caught off guard by all this and isn't comfortable doing it. As people who make their living working at a bar and trying to please a crowd, you'd think they could have found a more amicable way of dealing with the situation than they did. They were total jerks. The first time I failed, they told me not to bend my knees. The second time, they told me "just DO IT!" The third time, they told me "Don't make this take all night." I said "It can take all night if you want, cuz I've got nothing to get up for tomorrow, but I'm not sticking my ass out. Just let me put this little turtle down!" They let me try to put it down "properly" one more time, then disqualified me. At least they gave me my money back, but what's with their attitude??? They work at a bar. They could have handled that MUCH better... Like, y'know, asking my male friends to do it for me, which would have been a funny crowd-pleaser and would have made me and everyone laugh. Or they could have asked a hot female volunteer to do it on my behalf. Or SOMETHING, rather than yelling at me for not being comfortable bending over in front of a crowd while a pervert sticks a camera up between my legs. My male friends and some supportive strangers all agreed that the four guys running it were jerks. And since the drinks weren't all that cheap (a shot of bottom-shelf vodka was four bucks), I don't regret my decision never to return here. There was nothing that made it stand out from other bars (aside from the turtle racing, which they ruined for met). Oh, and also, be warned: If you make any sort of pointing gesture during the turtle races, they force you to give them ten dollars (and 20 if you do it again, and 50 if you do it three times), and then they start the race over. It's almost all for charity (everyone pays $5 to enter the race and you get $10 if you win) but c'mon... It's boring when you cancel three or four races in a row (esp. for the person whose turtle was or WOULD HAVE BEEN the winner) just cuz someone pointed! It made the races take FOREVER. Also, the same little turtle won 3/4 races that were voided due to pointing, then he lost the 4th one that finally counted. Not fair to that poor little turtle :( He was exhausted!

    (3)

  • Eddie S.

    This place is THE SHIT on thursday nights!! Best thursday night spot year round! TURTLE RACES & live bands performing live on stage! All year this place is packed!! and in summertime, there is a line out the door to get in. INTO A BAR!! how often do you see that? it speaks for itself. The girls are hott, and a good blend of all ethnicities and gender. Definately a spot to keep going back to, week after week!

    (5)

  • Nancy T.

    A turtle race is what sets them apart with other pubs. Other than that...it's like any other pub. I have to admit, everyone is friendly though.

    (3)

  • Brenda R.

    This place is OK I guess. Drinks are OK, prices are OK, turtle races are OK. I actually feel a little bad for these poor turtles in a way. The band that was playing was really cool. Other than that JUST OK.

    (3)

  • Ning J.

    I finally found out what happens to the "College Kids Gone Wild" crowd after college: they come to Brennan's. To give credit where credit is due, this bar has an impressive mix of sluttiness, recreation, danger, extortion, and fraud. After hanging around the neighborhood 10-15 minutes looking for parking, you can't wait to down your first drink. After watching a bunch of fat chicks in designer jeans wiggle their ass at you as they put their turtles in the ring (there's some sort of "can't bend the knee rule"), you can't wait to down your second drink. After some guy with a jar comes over to you and tells you that you've just been fined $10 for pointing at a turtle, and points at a sign across the yard with some tiny Sharpie writing on it to prove that you were an idiot, you can't wait to down your third, fourth, and fifth drink. Downing these drinks aren't hard given that they come in those little plastic cups they give you for water at the dentist's. Right by the entrance, there are two dart boards and a line of drunk girls waiting to throw sharp things at great speed. On your way in, you fear greatly for your eye/ear/general livelihood. On your way out, you're just as drunk and would like to throw some sharp things around too.

    (1)

  • Denise G.

    Turtle racing!!!! My turtle won a ribbon. A proudly display the award to this day. I also won a can of spam. I hear you can bring your own turtle. If I had a turtle, I don't know if I would bring him to a bar. Pretty good live bands. I met some interesting characters here. You won't find turtle racing anywhere else, so that's the draw. I will definitely visit again. The racing action only happens on Thursday nights. I wouldn't bother on any other night.

    (4)

  • Tony T.

    I had been curious about going to turtle races on Thursdays for a while, but things never seemed to line up just right. Anyway, we finally managed to get a group of us together and give it a go. It was also a night where the Lakers lost Game 4 to the Celtics (BOO!) so there were a few happy bar patrons, but we were as a whole a little peeved about the loss! Anyway, the bar was pretty packed with a band playing, well more like warming up so I wasn't paying attention to them. Service was a little slow that night and my friend was a little hungry and ordered bacon cheese fries. It was interesting in that we had to walk over to the kitchen to pick up our order and we had to keep our eyes peeled because no one announced when the food was ready. There's a good selection of beers but service can be slow. On to the main point, the turtle races. When I called ahead, they said they start any where from 9-10 pm, but nothing started until about 10:30. You have the option to sponsor a turtle for a minimum of $10 or something like that but the patio was packed and we weren't that into the whole process. We were willing to just watch. There are 4 guys running the races and they typically race 4 turtles at a time, divided into sizes of the turtles or whatever. They do have this whole weird thing about not wanting patrons to point at the turtles during the races. They will literally STOP the races and make any one that they catch pointing, pay a fine for pointing. I don't understand what is wrong with pointing but to me, it really takes the momentum out of the whole experience. We got all excited with the race starting, but they stop SO MANY times because drunk people are pointing. I bet they probably make so much more money off of fining people for pointing which is why they do it. Basically, how can they take advantage of drunk people and see how stupid they can be? LAME! They also have the ladies who sponsor the turtles bend over to put the turtles down on the ground. They repeat the process over and over again and have these unspoken rules on how you're supposed to put the turtle down. When girls put the turtle down provocatively, they still get yelled at and are told to do it again. It gets annoyingly old by these guys. I think they take themselves way too seriously or abuse whatever power they do have over drunk and buzzed people! When the actual races occur, it IS fun. I mean with the repeated re-starts of the races, some turtles who would have won the first race, end up losing after 3-5 repeated attempts which sucks for the person who sponsors them, but again, if you're drunk or buzzed, I guess you don't really care. The actual race is fun to watch because I've never really seen turtles race. The guys taking advantage of people with STUPID rules takes away from some of the experience. A couple of perks that happened during the night? A woman walked out from the crowd topless, probably a dare made by her friends. She was young and not really curvy, more on the small end, but it definitely made the atmosphere a little more fun. A second girl who sponsored one of the turtles also flashed her breasts and her girlfriend pulled her pants down too. Overall, it was amusing to see the turtle races, but the guys and their LAME rules really drag the process out. What would take 30 minutes turned out to take 90 minutes because of the stupidity of the guys running it. Down a couple of beers and get a little buzzed and enjoy the games, just don't point and pay a ridiculous fine. Maybe you'll be lucky and enjoy the free flash of some breasts, it certainly doesn't make the night any worse right? Enjoy!

    (3)

  • Jacquelyn H.

    Worst Experience Ever. I had high hopes for this place at first, they serve StrongBow, they're a pub, good fries, looked like the night was gonna be GREAT. I even liked the cheesy 90's cover band. And then there was the turtle racing. I live on the other side of town and we drove quite a ways just to participate in turtle racing. I was more than eager to rent a turtle and participate in all the fun...and then I saw the crowd. The crowd on Thursdays, apparently their 'best night' is all creepy college aged kids who clearly never get laid. Hence, the turtle racing. They only allow girls to place the turtles in the center of the ring...without bending their knees. So if your ass doesn't stick out far enough and your boobs aren't touching the floor, they'll pick it up and make you replace your turtle in the center of the ring. Besides being horribly degrading to women and the only girls idiotic enough to participate being fairly big and ugly and excited that someone finally wants to see them bend over...the men howl, the m.c.'s are just plain trashy and look like they would love to aspire to being placed among the honorable profession of driving semi-trucks for the rest of their life. Oh, and it took an hour to get through 1 turtle race! It was sooooooo annoying. WHY WOULD ANYONE COME BACK HERE? I get the initial gimmick. Hell, I showed up to race some turtles but essentially the whole night was ruined by the largest gathering of dirty, creepy, college aged guys I've ever met. And I've been to my fair share of frat parties. GROSSEST COLLECTION OF PEOPLE I'VE EVER SEEN. LA is amazing, I don't know how this disgusting place is still in business especially when almost everywhere else in LA I've been to I'd give glowing reviews.

    (1)

  • Lloyd M.

    At different times over the last 20 years, I've stumbled into Brennan's thinking I'd give this place one more chance. All for not. This bar isn't cool. It isn't fun. It's neither mellow or happening. There's nothing I dig about it at all. I'd rather get six pack and sit in my car and drink.

    (1)

  • lizet s.

    This place was really cool the first time I came here. The turtle races, lots of people, great cover bands, strong drinks, etc etc but then the second time it was like eh whatev, it gets boring... dont know why. The bartenders are not that friendly.. maybe cause they are always super busy but I don't like them . I also don't like the guy at the entrance. It's always the same guy and one time.. I came here with my friend and she looks like really hispanic and when he got her ID he was like.. where did u get this ID done? cause it looks fake to me.. it was not a fake ID so whatever.. Parking is REALLY hard to find. Drinks are like $7.50 Beer Idnt know. If you go on Thur make sure you get there early so you don't have to wait in line. I would go again if I'm bored on a Thur night :)

    (3)

  • jason a.

    FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!! wanna watch footall without all the riff-raff around? wanna watch football wthout a bunch of screaming JACKASSES in your face? then go to brennan's on sundays because there is no one there (and plenty of room, dear god) only because everyone was there the night before seeing the turtle races (yes, we all get it, ok- thanks for the THREE reviews regarding turtle races- but some people need something MORE than watching turtles and drunk people on a thursday night)- ask the bartender to put on your own private game, munch on some wings, some cold beer, and just........CHILL!!!!!!!!!!! so for all you football fans. all you SERIOUS football fans. go hang out and enjoy some quality football time. this place WANTS more people on a sunday morning.........

    (5)

  • Lori K.

    I liked this bar and liked that you had an option on Thursday night to either stay inside and hear a band or be outside with a dj and the TURTLE RACES!!! Definately an interesting event, but can't see myself going back multiple times unless I'm loaded because you can only do the Turtle Races sober once. Oh yeah.. and here's a tip... don't point at the turtles!

    (3)

  • Steve O.

    I hate the turtle races. But that is just my deal. I like it when you can go into a bar and just drink and talk and go potty without elbowing people or waiting. It's fun if you need that big crowd vibe but otherwise.... Having said that, I love Brennans everyother night of the week. For a few months I was going 2-3 times a week. It has brick floors and dark wood and low light. Which in my opinion are gooooood thiiiiings. The bartenders are nice, everytime I go in I get a few drinks on the house, and I am a dude....and they are a dude....dudes...anyway its a great bar for a weekday night when you randomly need to drink and just want to get it done. The live music is at least always interesting :) There is always room for crowds(save Thursday) and I have never ever once scoffed at a bill(Like I have the brig) It's for sure a place I hang out a lot and will contiue too.

    (4)

  • milos d.

    this could be fun... but it isn't. the no pointing rule is a scam and ruins the race. and the race sounds much better in theory than it actually is in reality. i certainly enjoyed watching the girls bend over, but the douchy bar staff brought down my enjoyment of that. so i was left with expensive beer. i've heard the live music can be pretty awesome, so i might try this place again, but i'm not going back any time soon.

    (1)

  • Jeremy S.

    This is a great, local place to chill and listen and/or see some good rock/metal and have a few drinks in a semi-cool atmosphere. It really depends on the night you go, really. I only remember a couple turtle race nights, and agree it's hit-or-miss. The staff is cool, they have great cheesesteaks & fries....sometimes a bit droll though...and I really haven't seen many good-looking girls overall for those looking to hook-up or at least see some female eye-candy.

    (4)

  • Nate B.

    Go on a Thursday and DON'T POINT at the turtles.

    (3)

  • Nick T.

    It's Thursday night and you have absolutely nothing to do. Will you mope around at home, catching up on "My Name is Earl" and "The Office?" No! Call up your buddies and hit the road, Lincoln Blvd. to be precise, and hustle over to Brennan's, a hip little joint unmissable due to the flashing neon turtle signs. Brennan's is comprised of the trendy Westsiders you'll so often run into on Abbot Kinney and Main, so expect heavy drinking and not a great deal of conversation. Loyola students frequent this place (70% women and rated 2nd hottest college in America) so it's a popular pickup spot, but what differentiates it from the rest are the Thursday night turtle races. The races themselves are always a kick, but the novelty wears off after the second or third time. Rather, you go on a Thursday to mingle with the regulars and the tourists, and check out the dance floor that pops around 11 or so. Brennan's draws a crowd on other nights too, but when directly compared to Venice's Main Street and the plethora of other bars out there, it really is a Thursday sort of place. Save your Fridays for other joints and Saturdays for Hollywood. Overally a solid place with free admission and not overly expensive drinks.

    (4)

  • Bernie D.

    Went here for some beer, food and turtle races. Got a mini beer in a tiny plastic cup and our order got screwed up. The turtle race was a trick. These guys tricked drunk girls into bending over for their you-tube camera man, celebrating by chest-bumping and practically making out with each other. They also called "penalties" to make them bend over again so they could make out some more. After about six hours of this the race finally started, then was stopped after two seconds because some people in the audience were violating the ridiculous "no pointing" rule. Then the closeted frat guys went into the crowd to try to get $10 from each of these people, threatening to kick them out of the bar if the didn't pay. They should take some of that pointing penalty money and buy some decent pint glasses and notepads for order taking. Worst bar I've ever been to in my life.

    (1)

  • Matt K.

    It's Ok. Turtle races are overrated, but parking is a BIG plus.

    (3)

  • Kimberly M.

    Green beer (on St. Patty's Day), turtle racing, bagpipers, and a band called the Malarkey Brothers-is this some kind of weird Aesop-like amusement park set in Dublin? No, it's one of the Westside's most traditional Irish bars gearing up for its annual St. Patrick's Day party-a-thon -- remember, the Newcastle tap starts flowing at 6am! This bar features everything from Irish coffee to Irish expatriates chanting Erin Go Bragh! in between bites of corned beef and cabbage (a St. Patty's Day special). But even on a regular "let's-get-drunk-because-it's-laundry-day" kind of day, this 33-year-old landmark spot offers regulars much in the way of darts, a delicious $3 cup of specialty homemade chili, and those ever-so-slow turtles that slink to a finish every Thursday night amidst brew-inspired applause like it's the Indy 500. Calm down PETA-no animals were harmed in this good old Irish bar.

    (4)

  • Kate E.

    It's tradition to wait outside Brennan's on St. Patty's Day morning at 5 a.m., waiting to get in and drink green beer and skip work and be tossed, etc. etc. Thursday nights they race turtles. They have horrendous musical acts. They have an outdoor bar, perfect for anyone not wanting to miss a turtle race. I like Brennan's, it's easy and you can always find someone to talk to. If you're an LMUer or a Marina rat like me, you will always find someone you know. Don't be afraid to dance to a terrible cover band or play some darts. It's a chill spot with little pretense. Side note. Last St. Patty's Day, went at 5 a.m., promptly got wasted and skipped a job interview. Got another interview at another place the next day, got the job, love it. So, you see, early morning drinking IS good for you.

    (4)

  • Char R.

    Brennan's Pub is a fun Irish dive bar. I've only been there on Wednesdays to watch Cowspace and the other fun bands who join them and I've always had a good time. My only complaint is that it can take a while to get a drink when they are busy. Perhaps they should add another bartender. Food is decent and I love the outdoor patio too.

    (4)

  • Sidd S.

    the way people talked about this place, I was expecting like this turtle racing thing to be like the turtle ultimate fighting championships. To give it a fair review though I think they had their b-team turtles running that night. Maybe the a-game turtles were sidelined for injuries or gambling or fighting with the fans or something and they had to bring the turtles up from the minor leagues to run that night. I think its worth another trip.

    (3)

  • Joe L.

    Go on Thursday nights where you can watch turtles race. Yes, turtles. Who knew turtles run that fast? The turtles will definitely beat the rabbit at this place! It's a mini horse racing track, but with Fight Club rules. Do not point at the turtles. 2nd rule of brennan's, do not point at the turtles. The bouncers won't punch you in the ear but they will ask you to put money in the money jar. Maybe they use the money to train the baby racing turtles? Cheers.

    (3)

  • mike s.

    The Turtle Races are hit or miss, and unfortunately the last couple of times it's been a miss. The crowd doesn't really get into it and it takes forever to organize and get started, so that kills the vibe too. And the quality of the girls who place the turtles has declined drastically. One of the times I sat in the bleachers and it was like a GAP ad. The people sitting around us were too busy drinking Amstel Light and smoking to actually have fun. The bar itself is pretty cool and the bartenders are really attentive. They also have live coverbands playing, which is fun too. I don't remember if the drinks were expensive because I don't remember being sober anytime I was here, but I've never had a tab over $50 (which means it's not too expensive or I'm a lightweight). On nights other than Thursdays for Turtle Racing, it's a pretty small crowd full of regulars.

    (3)

  • Liz K.

    The only reason i would ever be caught dead in this place is the great drunken novelty activity of TURTLE RACING! (on Thurs) Ok so, im big on the whole, love the earth and all its creations thing, and im pretty sure that racing turtles while drunken idiots scream at them is not the most humane thing on the planet, but you know what, drunk idiots will be drunk idiots. And before i got drunk and enjoyed the turtle racing i checked out their little terrarium and it seemed pretty legit so then i felt like it was ok to stay and watch. They have good priced drinks, and i would definitely recommend that you get there before like 10-10:30 because after that the races start and they stop letting people in. I gave this place 3 stars because its fun, chill, whatever, but not exactly my like favorite scene in the world, but good to occupy your Thursday night. Also, try not to J-Walk across Lincoln because the cops are laaammme. Now ladies, i wouldnt recommend volunteering to drop a turtle either, because you are going to be subject to a significant amount of taunting and embarrassment by the spectators and the referees of the race, and they'll take pictures of your ass when you bend over and blow a whistle at you if you fuck it up...just save yourself....its definitely better to be the one doing the laughing than the one being laughed at. However, despite the taunting, if your turtle wins, you get to pick a prize from a goody bag, and they buy the prizes at the 99 cent store, so its pretty funny. I saw one girl get a disposable painters jumpsuit and goggles, and she put them on, hilarious. Some other girl's prize was a fresh scent douche....hahahhahaha priceless. Also, dont race a turtle if your squeamish because i saw some girl drop a turtle because she got scared and they kicked her and her party out of the bar because they fucked with the wrong turtle i guess.

    (3)

  • Paige F.

    cheap drinks, good food, tons of patio area, crazy fun turtle races, friendly bartenders... it doesnt get any better. i go there post-kickball on tues & wed's and rock the flipcup tables! so much fun!

    (4)

  • Amy L.

    Perfect place to get drunk on beer and watch whose turtle wins the race! I was at Brennan's Saint Patrick's Day and there were no turtle races(boo) but plenty of green-clad drunk people, that's for sure. We arrived at about 9p.m. and already some kid was being cuffed in escorted into the back of a black and white. I managed to find the fish and chips stand and why is friend food so damn good with beer? Their fries were SO good, topped with seasoning salt. The crowd died down pretty early, just as I was 7 beers deep. Pity. Good little bar.

    (5)

  • Brian A.

    After a show at the Troubadour, I met up with my brother at his local hang-out. I liked the 1980's and just my luck they had a band there who did too. I missed the goddamn "Turtle Races" and made everyone one there pay by listening to me scream "Cowabunga" the rest of the nite. I always preferred Donatello. They didn't have pizza.

    (4)

  • Rafa C.

    I am never going to understand the attraction of this marginal pub, never ever! I have tried Brennan's so many times over the years and every time I have come away with a WTF impression. If you are a complete every night local, maybe you get treated well, but the other wise you are just another butt on a stool. You want to be treated like a non-entity, this is your place.

    (1)

  • Dan P.

    turtle racing in LA? really? that's pretty amazing. if you're going to have an event like this, it would have to be in the marina. this spot is located just north of the Maxella Towers (i'm sure the actual name of the place is fancier) next to the Harley dealership. it was Monday night and i was catching up with an old friend. what a random, refreshing spot this was, and we were lucky enough to actually catch a couple races. the affair involved a very large outdoor patio area, complete with a large, cheaply made scoreboard thing, a small stage, bleachers (really?), about 200 people, and a couple mean-lookin' security dudes. "wow," my friend said, "that guy looks like he's actually killed people." anyhoo, apparently local competitors bring their turtles. most looked to be of the red-eared slider variety; i don't know what the rules are involving turtle species. (but i think it'd be cool to see a snapper take out a lesser terrapin.) apparently, bets are made, the people are riled up by an MC armed with a bullhorn and a flashlight, and several of the reptiles are placed in the center of a large circle and held in place by a plexiglass-type cylinder. then people bellow out some sort of cheer i wasn't made privy to beforehand, and a brief countdown ensues before the turtles are released. the first one to make it to the edge of the circle wins. ***TAKE NOTE: do not point at the turtles. some sort of house rule dictates that no pointing is allowed (really?) and if you're caught, you have to pay a fine. i'm not talking like a Washington, it's like a Hamilton. some poor fucker had to dish out the cash but only had six dollars on him, and the bouncer apparently doesn't take Visa. the last i saw of him, the aforementioned bouncer / assassin was dragging him out back behind a pile of rusty fuel drums.... i'm kidding. it was all very amicable. but i'm glad i didn't point; i only had $2 on me, and i don't like it when people demand money of me unless i've signed something. the bartender was pretty cool. i ordered a Paper Moon with a slice of lemon and he was like, "you mean you don't want the orange?" and i was like, "oh yeah, no, gimme the orange." i mean, he coulda been a dick and just rolled his eyes, right? the crowd was raucous but not obnoxious. there was a small stage inside for bands. the crowd was young and diverse, and apparently full of turtle-lovers.

    (4)

  • Tiffany C.

    This is my Thursday night spot ;-) You can't beat the divey college bar feel that Brennan's has, you're bound to run into old friends here (if you're a born & bred local). The bartender Matt is sooo awesome, the blue moon is great, and the turtle racing is, well....fun if you're realllly drunk. Girls beware, Brennan's is definitely douche bag central, haha...but then again, where is there a bar that is free from douche bags? Its definitely crowded on Thursday night, so find a spot at the bar, and camp on it!

    (4)

  • P B.

    I'm sad that I have to share a neighborhood with this pathetic bar. I know turtle racing is a douchebag sport, but I didn't think they could bring a whole new meaning to the word. The cover band is a joke, and the ladies who turtle drop are typically heinous looking sluts, I guess it's what the job calls for though. They are the only ones ignorant enough to actually drop a turtle. I don't even want to start on the inhumane treatment of the turtles. Picking them up and then holding them upside down and thrashing them around in their hands while the turtles are scared for their lives. The employees have reserved their place in hell.

    (1)

  • Allison G.

    Local run-down bar on Lincoln that is a place to go to for that drink that is cheap, a smoke on a patio that turns into a turtle race on Thursday, a pool table that is always busy, some loud band yelling in the background, and this is that type of place where looks and style do not matter. If I am in the mood to be in sweat pants with a baseball cap just for a drink. This is the place to do it. Oh, the girls bathroom has the worst toliets on the planet. BEWARE!!! Do not over stuff it with t.p. or even dare to throw up. It will come back to haunt you! Dive bar on a busy street. Don't play chicken on Lincoln...you will be hit in a matter of seconds. I've seen two aweful hits of peep's flying in the air or being pushed hard to the street only to be knocked down. One more thing...The bouncer will kick your a$$ if you act out. Kid you not. This is one of those places that will beat the sh*t out of you if you act up in any kind of way.

    (2)

  • Orlando P.

    What A Bar. Great young crowd. Go on Sat's and Thursdays for Turtle Racing. A Loud mouth hosts the show, and puts on a good one while making it clear that the Turtles are the ones that matter, not the drunks. Here are the rules: Don't stand up, don't point, and dear god don't spill your drink!! Great fun with friends, and live bands is what it's all about. Time it right, and you won't miss a thing. Be there early, and catch the happy hour specials, but don't expect a lot of commotion, the party does not start till about 9:00.

    (5)

  • Mike F.

    Need to treat friends that are broke to a drink? Cheap thrills and cheap drinks here but great ambiance. Good times and lots of venice locals are here all the time.

    (3)

  • Meghan F.

    Only been here on thursdays for the turtle races, which are a blast. The whole thing is fairly politically incorrect, but I enjoyed it. The drinks were strong and reasonably priced, and although the band wasn't that great (and was way to loud) it was a great evening!

    (4)

  • Jimmy M.

    Interesting bar - the bar itself is normal but go outside and enjoy the turtle racing! It's interesting...just don't point any fingers at the turtles or you'll get fined...seriously! Also check it out for happy hr menu - food (albeit many fried) are cheap and good.

    (3)

  • Will M.

    Nothing beats Boozing and Turtle racing on Thursday nights at Brennans! Get there early for happy hour and stay there for the races which start around 10pm. Good beers on tap and prices aren't too bad... hmmm, I wonder if turtle racing would be this much fun w/o all the alcohol?

    (4)

  • Sdfg S.

    i used to really like this place. when i was 21. its a beginners bar. its for little kids. it was cool for a while, it was like a high school reunion every thursday night, but after a while it just got LAME. ok, the bartenders are awesome, super sweet....all of them. inside and outside on the patio. the beer is watered down, but cheap, and they have these turtle shots or something, i forget what they're called, but they're only 2 bucks and do the job, kinda.... the turtle racing is basically just a podium for skanks to bend over in mini skirts and no underware. (if youve been there before, you know what im talking about) and yea, basically thats it. a bunch of kids running around like dogs in heat trying to find something to take home and hump. wanna be cholos, rock stars, and tweekers who think they look like models....creepy 45 year old guys trying to find some fresh meat...and there you have it. dont forget to throw in the new wave of valley girls that have washed up on the doorstep, and the bouncers who drool all over them. the bouncers were cool, at one point in time, but since the place got "popular" a couple years back, they have become massive ASSHOLES. i dont know what it is, or who they think they are....but they need to remember that they get paid to sit, on a stool, OUTSIDE of a dive bar. nothing more. nothing less. get the fuck over yourselves (especially you, chubby black dude with the baby face. you are a DICK) and someone please tell the 3 foot tall troll bouncer guy to go to the roman holiday and let one loose. he is waaaaaay too wound up, and gets way too excited at the chance to throw a guy out of the bar. KISSES! :)

    (2)

  • Nancy H.

    thursday's nite is turtle race night! contrary to popular belief, these turtles can run like no other! the rule is you can't point at the turtles or else you pay a fine or get kicked out! if you're the type of girl who likes to bend over and show a little t&a and if you're the type of guy who likes to see girls bend over and show a little t&a then thursday's turtle race is where you should be. beware of females of all ages poppin and lockin as they situate their turtles on the circular track. and make sure you have a little junk in the trunk because trust me the crowd is brutal if you lack some assets. mix crowd, 3 dollar bud or kamikaze shots, entertaining hosts! it's just a place where you get a couple of laughs.

    (4)

  • b w.

    yeah, living in the marina, i've heard about and driven past this place 100 times and i finally got around to going when a buddy from new york dropped in and hated beachwood because it was too 30yo-scenesterific. we walked down to brennan's, did a once around the bar and decided that there were not only no attractive women at the bar, but also a bizarre mix of guys from kentucky and college kids. there was a bad jam-band playing and our bartender lady refused to give us shots in anything except these brandy snifter-looking things... even though we saw and asked for regular shot glasses. also the front of the bar has these brick structures and some sort of figure or something, and this is where we had to sit, which made it super uncomfortable. one of the barbacks was cool because when we caught him eavesdropping on our conversation, he didn't pretend that he hadn't been listening. i'd have loved to see the turtle races and might go back to get a look someday.

    (1)

  • Sam G.

    i love brennans...to bad the Yikes dont play there anymore

    (5)

  • Jenni C.

    been here twice on thursday nights. i don't remember how it was last time, but let's recount last night's happenings... the bf wanted to play darts with a coworker, so we come here for that. we came here straight from work (6:45pm) cuz we were hungry. the food is decent, i would have enjoyed my burger more if my recent lip ring wasn't hurting. like 7.50 for the normal burger. normal bar prices. it was pretty empty at that time, the sun was still out, but there were people playing pool already. actually it's not that interesting after that for awhile. more people show up, i watch some darts, drink more. around 8:45/9 it really gets crowded because people are here for turtle races. i really don't see what the big deal is, or why making girls bend over is so necessary. not like it's a good view or anything. *shrug* anyway, prices for drinks are decent. i bought 2 rounds. for (scotch on rocks + new castle) it was 12.50 before tip. for (capt and diet + tequila sunrise) it was 12:75 before tip. i got bored of watching darts, so for part of the time, i was playing those video machines. i spent like $7 on those machines, with $2 leftover to let the other girl in our group play. i like trivia games. it's a good way to waste time and drink. then i watched the mandrakes (a cover band that was playing). they sound decent, i think they played the other thursday that i was here too. so i didn't really get to watch the races this time around. but i remember it last time cuz my friend was racing a turtle. all the time outs because people point get annoying. OH OH OH! last time, this b*tch got all up in my face cuz i keep accidentally brushing up on her head with my purse. i swear it was so soft, it's not like i was drunk last time and flailing my purse around. but, seriously, if you're gonna sit in the front row for the races at a place like brennan's, do you really expect to be given red carpet treatment? her bf or whatever initially asked if i could give them some space, and i complied. but guess what, that place gets crowded there to watch the races, so u kinda expect to be somewhat touching other people when you're watching the races. then that b*tch turned around after a little all like "you better not touch my head anymore". mind you, it's not like i was knocking her in the head or anything creepy-like. so i said "or what?". then she turned around and said "i swear, i'll kick your ass." then i said "i'd like to see you try. i'm not doing ANYTHING wrong. what do you expect from a bar like this? i'm not TRYING to accidentally touch your head with my purse." then she turned around and kept bitching about me really loud. i did try to take a step back because i like to be able to follow up my threats, and i really didn't wanna get into a fight because i just got LASIK. anyway... there was always seating available throughout the night inside (spacious bars are nice), drinks were good, music was good. i wanna come back with the bf on a non-thursday night because i hear that they have beer-pong here. as long as i don't have to deal with anymore see-you-next-tuesdays.

    (4)

  • Kimi P.

    Turtle racing. Need I say more? Alcohol and turtles. Awesome. The Races start about 9:30 pm every Thursday night. There are 7 divisions (from midgets to Monsters), and there are 2 rounds, about an hour apart. If you've got one, bring your own, or rent one of theirs. Who knew that watching turtles race could be so much fun! Additionally, they have live bands that come play and a great dance floor. Uh. Did I mention the turtle racing? Rad.

    (5)

  • Brittany K.

    Ew. Skip at all costs. The people here are gross, Its dirty, and I did not feel welcome. It reminds me of a hick high school party. .

    (1)

  • Kat B.

    Bummer...they no longer have a pool table...I have to down grade my rating. Ok...so I stand corrected...they do have a pool table...it is on the stage, behind where the bands play. So on the nights that there are bands, there is no pool table available...usually the weekend nights. I still have to stick with my rating.

    (3)

  • Christina B.

    I've driven by this place many a time fascinated with the turtle racing aspect so I was excited to finally see one. It's outside on their patio and the poor turtles are kept in a cooler while they wait their much-anticipated race. You have to follow the rules and the most difficult one is to not point. Pretty sure I pointed at least three times but luckily so many other people pointed before me, so I didn't have to pay the penalty fees. Sure, the girls who put the turtles down have to bend over and stick their asses out is a very chauvinistic aspect of the race. But I guess it goes along with the ancient art of turtle racing...? It gets pretty old and chilly quick, so inside live music and stiff drinks await for your pleasure.

    (4)

  • B A.

    Classic dive bar, but with good food menu. On Thursday nights, house band is awesome. Everything from Stray Cats, to Smiths, to Dead Kennedys, to Bon Jovi, to A Ha, to everything. You can't help but rocking to beat. Drink prices very fair. If you come earlier in week, specials Mon-Wed are incredible. But Thursday's are where it's at here. And I haven't even mentioned the outdoor live turtle races.

    (5)

  • Yael S.

    We went there on a Thursday night to see the turtle races that were suppose to start any time between 9 and 10 pm. Denver Broncos were playing so the security guard told us that the races would start 30 min later or so. We decided to wait because we had never seen turtle races before and we were pretty excited. Now I understand why this place hosts this kind of events - their employees work at turtle speed as well. After the game it took them at least 1 hour to get everything ready for the races. It was getting late and cold out there, and it was so disappointing to see how something that could be done literally in 10 minutes took them forever. There was a long line of folks, guys and girls, that went up to rent turtles for $5 but they intentionally selected the ladies to race the first few races. At the beginning of each race, the girl needs to place the turtle in the center of the racing circle 'without bending her legs'. However, this part of the turtle race was simply an excuse to have girls bend over and show their 'assets' to the crowd. What could have been a good experience ended up being a completely waste of time.

    (1)

  • Michelle C.

    To me, Brennan's is your cozy neighborhood pub. Yes, it's divey. Yes, it kind of smells. But if you're not posh and just looking to hang out with friends, this Irish pub may be your place. The prices are reasonable, they serve decent food, and Thursday nights include turtle racing. Are the turtles worth watching every week? No. But are they worth seeing a few times? Definitely! After a few drinks, the festivities are wildly entertaining. I have a blue first place ribbon to prove it :) Tip: NO POINTING at the turtles! Or they will indict you $10 for your drunken gesture...

    (4)

  • Kali M.

    The moral of my review is this, if you are... - female - a guy who matured past 15 - someone with alcohol standards higher than a UCLA frat party - an animal-lover or - a turtle You will HATE Brennan's. If you are... - trashy - a guy who never matured past 15 or - an animal-hater You'll LOVE Brennan's! It's a dive bar in every sense of the word. Crappy cover band playing in the front, sticky floors, and a smoke-filled patio (even though it's open-air, somehow it still reeks). You can get a beer for $6, and it'll come in a 2/3-full 6oz. cup. It will also have the distinctly lovely taste of a tap tube that hasn't been cleaned in years. If you're there for the turtle racing, be prepared to be offended. The guys handling the turtles stack them and tuck them under their pits to transport them from the tiny, dirty cooler that they'd been closed up in for who knows how long. If they happen to be holding a turtle in their hands while addressing the crowd, said turtle will be gestured with, waved around. If that doesn't bug you, oh wait - yes, there's more offensive behavior to be found! Men were permitted to "rent" turtles, but if they want them to race they have to find a woman to place them in the starting ring. Why? Because when placing them in the ring, women must bend over with legs straight and boobs out. Move too quickly, bend your legs, or slouch your boobs out of view? Disqualified! Not comfortable displaying your goods for the crowds of whooping trashy frat boys? Disqualified! As if that weren't bad enough, one of the guys working the "race" walks around taking pictures up the girls' asses while they lean over. Neat. As a woman, I was appalled... even though I'm hardly touchy on the subject and have been "one of the guys" my entire life. The single, straight, 20-something guys in my group? So uncomfortable they left of their own accord after the first race. We were expecting "Oh cute, little turtles racing!!" and got "ew, what? why are they - UGH let's get out of here." Please don't stoop so low as to visit Brennan's for any reason, especially the turtle racing.

    (1)

  • Brian P.

    I know they have turtle racing but I only frequent Brennan's on Sunday's to watch football since I live close by. For Sunday football watching I'd give this place 2*s... 4 if you happen to be a Denver fan. Yes they have all of the games on and a full bar but service is barely so so (not because they are unfriendly but because they don;t have enough help) and the food would be unmemorable if it wasn't so bad: think frozen meat patties and the same soggy french fries my elementary school cafeteria use to serve. MDR is pretty blah when it comes to food/drink and Brennans fits right in. I guess the atmosphere is semi interesting but $10 for frozen patties? I guess the beer selection is ok and it is hard to mess that up.

    (2)

  • James S.

    OK, I've been once and it was LOUD and lame -- a lethal combo. Went with a couple friends, and I'll be damned if I could hear what anyone said of the muddy music. Would I return? Sure - maybe to meet a group. The drinks are overpriced, it's rather dank, and so, I'm not in a hurry to return, but I might try it some other night.

    (2)

  • Renee K.

    Haven't been for awhile, but we used to go here quite a bit when the 80's band was playing. Friendly fast service, good food and awesome music. What more can I say?

    (5)

  • Roxanne G.

    What's better than watching football, drinking and eating? Doing all three with a mob of fellow Broncos fans! I've been to this place twice now for Broncos games and have managed to grab some seats in the far back...come early if you want good seats. This is an awesome "down to earth" bar. They pull out temporary tables and chairs for the Broncos games in their main tv area. Unfortunately I'm usually a princess about these things, but it is so fun to have a group of people who are there to cheer on the same team that it doesn't matter! On sundays they serve breakfast (which is okay) and during the week they have a small bar menu. I ordered the bacon cheese fries last night. That was pretty fantastic but I mean who doesn't like bacon, cheese and fries. Parking during the week can suck but was worth the Broncos win! I look forward to visiting for more games in the future.

    (4)

  • Steven M.

    came on a Thrusday for the TURTLE RACE!!! if you dont have a turtle and want to enter a turtle they have a stash of turtles they will rent out; its 5 bucks a turtle. Brennan's is definitely a chill spot to come hang with your friends - chill music plus bar food and beer. The turtle races honestly makes it a unique experience and puts it just above the other dive bars. Remember don't point at the turtles!!

    (4)

  • Kyle O.

    Good food, buffalo chicken sliders and southwest egg rolls with good draft beers and good service. No complaints. Kind of dead on a Friday night so go Thursday with the turtle races.

    (4)

  • James F.

    A-OK. Is this place exceptional? No! Would I recommend it? Yes! It's exactly what you expect from a neighborhood divey bar. It has reasonably priced (for LA) drinks and the people are friendly. If you are Into classic rock, they often have live music. They have a parking lot which is a big plus. I have not been on a turtle race night but it might be worth checking out.

    (3)

  • Lorenzo P.

    Brennan's is probably my favorite pub/bar on the Westside. That's saying a lot since there's quite a few bars on the Westside. What makes Brennan's really great in my opinion is it feels like the bar from that classic TV show Cheers...where everyone knows your name. Brennan's is not pretentious at all, unlike some bars on Washington, Santa Monica or even the Windward section of Venice. Locals just go to have some drinks, watching some games (Go Kings!) and listen to bands (they usually have band playing most nights and some days). Thursdays is definitely the busiest night since that's when the college kids and tourists go to watch the turtle races. But the other 6 days of the week it's pretty low key-ish. I've been going to Brennan's for a while now and are now friends with the staff. They are great! They're very accommodating and pour pretty good drinks. Brennan's highlights -Really fun St. Patty's day party -Awesome outdoor space -Happy Hour till 7 (but the drinks are relatively cheap anyways) -The food is pretty good -Good Staff Negatives -I wish it was a bigger sports bar (especially a Kings bar)...but they're trying.

    (5)

  • Caroline W.

    I heart Turtle Racing! It's funny, it's stupid... and it's a helluva good time! Whatever you do, do NOT point at the turtles. Trust me. Ladies, remember to wear underwear. They have a live band, not sure if it's everyday, but it's after Thursday's turtle racing. They even have a dance floor... so baby work it. Good beers, cheap drinks, fun crowd. This is everything a dive bar should be... and more. Oh, and at the end of the night, the bouncers will walk you across the street to your car if you ask nicely.

    (4)

  • Florence L.

    Been to Brennan's way more times than I need to since its super far from me, but it has been our get together spot on Thursday nights for Turtle Racing night. Prices are fair for drinks and food. The people who work there are super nice. Plenty of places to sit or stand or whatever you want to do while you're there. We hardly watch the races as it gets old very quickly, but its a fun hang out spot. The few times I've seen the live band, I've loved them. Really great bands. The customers there are also very cool and friendly. I know we'll end up there again sometime soon.

    (4)

  • Steven M.

    Burp!

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    Brennan's is not a bar in which to discuss Chaucer, your imminent divorce, Pakistan, the national debt, or a deep desire to have another child. It's a pub. The kind that you drink beer at while hanging out just passing time and shooting the breeze. You'll hear questions like "Does your sister have a boyfriend?", "What color is your underwear?", or "If a turtle does not have his shell, do you call him naked or homeless?" Ya, this is not the classiest of joints. My favorite moment was a guy wondering why it's acceptable for people to point to their wrist when asking time, but totally not cool to point to their crotch when asking where's the bathroom. Besides the turtle races and few bands, there isn't much that really makes Brennan's Pub a "destination." Service is fairly typical, but jaded. The spark left our bartender's eye a few year's ago. Didn't really matter since we basically just wanted to drink. Thursday nights and music nights it can be busy. Other days, it's actually slow, so, you can drink in peace. Either way, Brennan's is an alright local pub.

    (3)

  • Jocelyn M.

    Hmmm, I will just list the pros and cons: Cons 1) Wait time to order - I was standing at the bar for 15 minutes and it was not crowded, but the three guys walking around the bar successfully managed to avoid me. SUPER ANNOYING. 2) Creepers - This seems like a single guys bar 3) No set smoking area - Pretty much smoke anywhere outside versus a specific area. I dont like smoke, and when I go outside, its usually for fresh air, NOT LUNG CANCER, lol. Pros 1) Turtle races - Every Thursday if the weather is good. The races were pretty cool except for the mandatory bending over for chicks. It prevented me from racing a turtle, sad day, but i dont want pictures of my booty on fb and IG. LAME. 2) Cheap drinks - My normal drink was half the price as most bars, so definitely a plus! 3) Close to my house - LOL gauge this for yourself, but it was convenient for me 4) Decent music - I think it is for the 35-45 year old crowd? I knew some of the songs, but not quite. Still a good vibe.

    (4)

  • David K.

    You should know something about me. I'm a bit of a drunk and a dive bar is my one true friend, but I just can't get behind this place. I live only blocks away, and I work only a slight few more blocks further. So, it's not as if I don't come here a fair amount, what with the close proximity and inevitable after-work drinks...but that doesn't mean that I have to enjoy it. Perhaps I'm just too old (certainly not too mature), but the turtle races are just stupid. Sure, I love seeing hot chicks bend over as much (more?) than the next guy, but the build-up, the waiting around, and the blah blah blah...it's just dumb. I came here to get drunk and maybe play some pool, not hang-out at a frat party. What's worse, it takes slightly less than forever to get a drink. Yes, your double-sided bar looks cool...but it sucks if you never venture to the other side of it, single bartender. On the good side, the food is aight, there's a pool table, and you will get drunk...eventually.

    (2)

  • Brian D.

    Dive bar and no turtle races the night we were there. I would go back on another night when they do have races and more people are in the place.

    (2)

  • Rebecca B.

    Really fun Irish pub. Great atmosphere , good bands and those crazy turtle races are a perfect place to meet new friends. Menu is delish with classic pub/bar food: patty melts, sliders, burgers,fish & chips, etc.... and the lady behind the bar has just enough moxie to take on anyone with bad manners. Come for the bar, stay for the turtle races!

    (4)

  • Claudine V.

    Oh Brennnan! You never seem to dissappoint me. From the great Nachos and Fries , to the great service from the Bartender even on a slow night, you seem to draw me back and wanting to visit you more and more everytime I'm in LA. Thank you for the free music from the Jukebox ! Always have a memorable night leaving this place.

    (4)

  • Tammy N.

    Fun little place to go watch turtle races! Thy also have a live band on Thursdays which play great covers---in my opinion more fun than the turtle racing. Drinks are pretty good, of average price. LMU is nearby so lots of college students are there on Thursdays, which is really the only time that I've been there.

    (4)

  • Maria B.

    This is my favorite Thursday night hang out spot. Pros: - Free (no cover charge). That's extremely rare when there's entertainment. - Live Band (Great band that plays cover songs) The Mandrakes play on Thursday. - Live Bands (Tuesday - Sunday) - Turtle Racing (Select a turtle, pay, name it something creative, find a hot girl to place it in the bin for the race, the hotter she is the more they'll have her bend over, get your drink on while you wait for the race to start, double fist your drinks so that you don't point at the turtles) - Dancefloor.. with dancing going on. - Bar food (so you don't drink on an empty stomach) - Always busy - Cool fun crowd - Not prententious (Opposite of Hollywood) - Pool Tables - Jukebox to use before the live band Cons: - Parking is limited (Come early) - Late crowd - Tiny bathroom stalls Overall.. I love it! All that it is missing so that it is a 5-star place for me are some hot friendly bartenders and Cheaper drinks,

    (4)

  • Robin S.

    Stiff drinks, friendly patron and workers, nice pool table, and big outdoor patio enough to fit at least 300 people for their weekly turtle races on Thursday night. I love this local bar.

    (4)

  • Courtney B.

    First and foremost, a whopping shout-out to Cynthia who pretty much single-handedly made sure my Big West Coast Birthday was dynamite. As promised, she carved out a little space for us, provided excellent food and drink service, and arranged for a VIP velvet rope section on the bleachers for my party's turtle race viewing pleasure, haha. AWESOME. Everyone mentioned how pleased they were with their meals (among the orders: roast beef and cheese melt, burgers, chicken parm sliders, fish and chips, veggie burger), several members of the party were tickled to order wine besides the usual beverage offerings. The cover band was fantastic, playing some Violent Femmes and Eels and getting massive applause out of me. And oh my those turtle races, hahaha... QUITE the experience. As one of my friends said, "I'm fairly certain there's a dress code with this. I'm pretty sure these women dress "for the turtles" Alas, the crowd had no fun with the likes of me-- I was swathed in clothing like a Mormon. Sorry folks. Next time I'll wear a mini and my fav thong :)

    (5)

  • Sasha N.

    I adore this place. I come here all of the time - it's my very own "cheers." Brennan's is the host bar for our kickball league - so on any given tues/wed night - this is where I'll be! Drinking beer and flipping some cups outside in the back. I've never been for Turtle racing on Thursday nights. Maybe one day I'll venture in on a Thursday. This a great dive bar. It's not fancy nor does it try to be. Most people are there to get their drink on, maybe play a little pool or throw some darts while listening to one of the many live bands that play there. One of my favorite places to go!

    (5)

  • Sarah R.

    The only bad thing about this bar is it's become trendy over the years.. and it's usually packed.. but go on a weekday and it's not so bad. Reasonably priced drinks, good bands, cool peeps.. and a nice vibe for sure. Thursdays there are turtle races... which are pretty cool. Get there early, it gets packed on Thursday nights! They have a kitchen as well which is a plus. Decent bar food. Bartenders are nice and attentive.. you're never left waiting for a drink. Restrooms are always clean and stocked which is a plus!

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    Eh. It always smells like something or other inside and the patio outside isn't very appealing. Turtle racing is more a gimmick to get ladies to bend over and charge drunk people money for pointing. I only come when I'm dragged.

    (2)

  • Steve M.

    This place is full of creepers and douchebags acting like they are 18 at a frat party. If you want to do the turtle races, *after* you pay to rent a turtle they inform you that only girls are allowed to rent them (so you have to transfer your turtle to someone else) so that they can have the girls walk into the middle of the bar and bend down in each direction showing everyone in the bar their ass while the douchebag race moderators tease them. Wtf? It was like the douchiest/creepiest of any highschool or frat party I've ever been to. The crowd is also super trashy. The girls willing to keep their legs straight, boobs out, and show their asses over and over again to a crowd of leering strange frat boys are not exactly the classy, pretty girls you would probably enjoy looking at. I left before my turtle was even raced because the girl I was with did not want to be forced to bend over twice so the entire crowd could see her ass while the douchebags teased her just so she could participate. The moderators also yelled at the crowd that anyone that broke a rule would get "kicked in the nuts" or "flicked in the clit". Really... I'm way too old for this (i.e., not 14). They also imposed a $10 fine for "pointing" at turtles which usually meant fining drunk people who were waving their hands in excitement (not pointing) and the drunk person arguing for a while before finally (for some idiotic reason) actually paying the fine. The entire scene was obnoxious, creepy, and just plain gross. Now I know why at the beginning when they asked if anyone was new, EVERY SINGLE PERSON raised their hand - because no one would ever come back to this twice.

    (1)

  • Eric M.

    I would only come here for their happy hour, which lasts until 7. Outside of that time frame, the drinks are pretty expensive. Their buffalo wings are among the best I've ever had. For half price, it's definitely a bargain. UPDATE. I recently found out this is a Bronco bar. Being a fan, this bumps up the rating to 4 stars!! Cool people on Sundays. They have other games on as well. Other fans come to watch games as well.

    (4)

  • Megan R.

    We went to Brennan's last night for their infamous "turtle racing." It was all that could be expected and more: idiotic, amazing, hilarious, etc. Apparently, they have the races every Thursday night at 10PM. You can rent a turtle for $5 (my boyfriend did this) and then they tell the renters that is is preferable that they have a girl drop the turtle into the "rink." The rules are: you cannot bend your legs and you have to drop the turtle down slowly. Slightly degrading but a good laugh. They have ridiculous prizes as well. A woman who was at least 80 years old + dropped a turtle last night. It was amazing. Oh, and my turtle won last night and I was sent home with a blue first prize ribbon and green satin XXL panties. Winning. NBD.

    (4)

  • Jason L.

    Terrible location, hard to find parking. Turtle races on Thurs are girls dropping turtles on racing mat with pervy host yelling at them to bend over. They have food, it's mehh. Like that they have beer pong tables.

    (2)

  • Food critic J.

    This place is a real Dive Bar!! I never liked the place,and got thrown out for smelling like weed several years back by the owner Red Neck!! And whats up with the turtle racing ? The patrons seem like real Alcoholics. A place to go when hungover.

    (1)

  • Jeanie L.

    Went here on a Thursday night to experience the Turtle Races at 10pm! Amusing as it was watching crawling across the ring late at night, the crowd was quite lively consisting of primarily an older group of people. However, watching girls for the remainder of the night placing turtles into the center of the ring wasn't quite my cup of tea. In fact I had to shield my eyes several times because I didn't want to see what ANY girl was wearing underneath her hiked up dress! There were also men beside me videotaping women bending over. Also, if you're standing in the front, DON'T POINT AT THE TURTLES. They really do emphasize their rules and will make you pay. On Thursdays, they also have a live band perform and yesterday the Mandrakes took the stage, playing some cover songs from Kings of Leon, Rolling Stones, and some other old rock bands. Afterwards, the scene slowly transitioned into a club as they bumped up several clubbing songs like Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, and the like. I loved how they had a small dance floor where everyone could kind of let loose. There was even a small pool table indoors where people could play. The beers themselves weren't too expensive, $4.50 for a Pabst Blue Ribbon and most of their beers weren't too expensive. The bathrooms were kind of gross..but manageable. Outside sits a Korean taco truck where you can get orders of Bulgogi tacos if you're craving a light night dinner after hitting up Brennan's. As for parking, don't park on Denny's because they actually have some workers who stand outside and will call the tow company..they called one on my friend, but luckily he had moved his car in time. Instead, if you go to the back of Denny's, there is plenty of street parking. Only 10 mins from UCLA!!

    (4)

  • Celia C.

    Last night, I revisited this old local hang out of mine. It was a bit of a divey crowd for a Saturday night with a mix of old people and young beachsters and the 80s cover band rocked. Pretty much it's what you'd expect out of a pub. Thursday nights are the best with their turtle races. I competed once and actually won! Prizes are gimmicky. My golden prize was a Mary Kate & Ashley VHS tape....HA. Also St. Patty's Day is another good time to come. Their doors open at 7am if you're looking to party lad.

    (3)

  • C C.

    Okay so I understand this place is a pub and so their ambiance is meant to be like a dive, but this place is just down right disgusting, no wonder they got a "B" rating by the health department. So we decided to come down to Brennan's pub to watch the Broncos game on Sunday and while our visit started good, by the end my husband and I decided we would never recommend or visit this establishment again. For one thing the food here is basically all frozen food, and I get that it's a pub so they aren't a gourmet restaurant, but come on you can spend a little time and money so that your customers don't have to eat half frozen fries. But what took the cake was when my husband ordered a coke and when he started drinking it we noticed there was a hair in it. When we told the waitress about it, rather than apologizing for the unsanitary drink she made a smart ass remark and said "it's okay we don't charge extra." The only thing this place has going for itself is that it's a Broncos bar, other than that the staff is rude, the food is horrible, and the drinks are whatever.

    (1)

  • Cynthia A.

    I've ONLY been to Brennan's on Thursdays for the turtle races...and it's a blast! I recently took an out of town friend because it was something he had never seen and we were in the neighborhood. I do remember the turtles being bigger and not so many would race at one time but I guess the hype has made this race quite popular. They race about 6 turtles at one time. Having the girls bend down over and over to put the turtles down does get redundant...I know most guys enjoy the view though...so I can't blame the staff. The ridiculous rules of not pointing or acting like a douche bag are funny to watch when being enforced. Any rule that is broken will cost anywhere from $10-$50 and if you're not prepared or willing to pay then you get kicked out...and they're very serious about that. Seems like a joke but those are the rules. I say hold a drink in your hand to prevent you from pointing because once that race starts you do get excited and feel the urge to point. The prizes given to the winning turtle owners are funny; lube, vaginal cream, condoms, pregnancy tests lol The bar is a decent size, drinks are about $8 a pop, there are tables and chairs. There is a stage and dance floor...they have live bands that play often. Bathrooms are kept clean which is a plus in any pub. Parking is slim pickings, very small lot so most likely you will park on the street. No cover.

    (4)

  • David M.

    I was in the area with a group and this place was within walking distance, so we went. It was hard for me to put a finger on the crowd here, when one of my buddies said "tourists." Yeah, that's pretty much it. The turtle racing isn't nearly as nail-biting as it sounds, but if you're newly 21 then maybe you'll have a good time here.

    (3)

  • Nick S.

    I started coming here religiously on Sundays the first week I moved to LA in December 2011 as necessary alternative to church - Brennans had a delightful following of Tebowners who felt the same and I snuggled right into the scene. As far as a Bronco bar in the greater LA area, Brennans can't be beat! They cater to the die hards showing up early, occupying 2/3's of the bar and even arrange the stage area to accomodate with special seating, special TV's, Bronco paraphenilia and give us drunks control of the audio! Now that Tebow's gone, we can really start worshipping a true football God come Sunday and believe whole heartidly that Brennans will continue to allow our day of worship to precede in their all too welcoming bar! So you might be asking why I only give them 4 stars...I've attempted to become a regular here and frequented Brennans outside of the football season hoping for some nostalgia but to no avail. I hear the turtle racing is amaze balls so if I make it on a Thursday (but contrary to popular belief I am an adult with a 'real job' so Thursday's a school night), the extra star up there could be checked. As it sits, everytime I go it's dead, the beer tastes the same as it does at the other bars so no kudo's there, and the food is just so so. My recommendation, save your trips to Brennans for the ruckus we Denver fans bring on Sundays during football season!

    (4)

  • Michelle L.

    Overall, I would say that I'm a fan of this place. I've been several times, most notably to see the turtle races, and on St. Patty's Day this year for my birthday..yep, be jealous ;) Anyway, the turtle races are a good time, but they take FOR-E-VER. Girls who "sponsor" the turtles have to go place them down in the circle without bending their knees, which is funny the first few times, but it gets old, especially when they make the same girl do it over 2 or 3 times because they weren't sexy enough the first time. They also stop the race if anyone in the crowd points at the turtles. The guilty party has to pay money for pointing, and they start the race over, again dragging out the ordeal. After like 2 hours of this, we just went and hung out inside. The live bands that they have there are always a lot of fun, a good mix of 80s, guilty pleasures, hip hop adaptations, etc. Everyone is dancing and it's just a good crowd and a good time. St. Patty's Day here was a really fun time. They got people in pretty quickly, which was nice, especially since it was drizzling out. They also covered the back area where the turtle races are with a tent, and had a second bar out there. This added a lot of space, so you didn't feel crammed in there. There was copious amounts of green beer, and a fun band playing. It's a great place to hang out on St. Patrick's Day. In summary, this place is great, but I don't ever go just to see the turtle races, because they're not really my thing. Everything else about it is thumbs up though :)

    (4)

  • Lucy L.

    3.5 Fun place for St. Patrick's day and need to check out their famous turtle races. I was disappointed they didn't have Guinness on nitro. Loved the live music. Mixed crowds.

    (3)

  • Susan H.

    Strong drink!! make sure u race a turtle for 5$

    (5)

  • Jarrod F.

    You have to love a place that has turtle races every Thursday night. I used to come here a lot back in the day and always had a good time. The place never failed to pack it on a Thursday night especially when LMU was in session. Hope to go have a drink soon.

    (4)

  • Christine C.

    I meaaaaannn, what IS this place?! First, I'm greeted by this wooden troll thing that stands right in front of the bar, so I had to maneuver around it to get the bartender's attention. Apparently he was serving at least 10 people before he could get around to little ol' me cus it took forever just to order a beer. He was really not on top of things. I'm pretty sure their beers are overpriced, which is a no-go for me, especially if it's not a place known for its beer or doesn't have a vast selection. Second, the turtle racing. I made it my mission to come out in the freezing cold on a Thursday night to see what this was all about. All I know is you better not point. $10 penalty for the first time and it goes up to $50 if you get caught pointing a third time! It was entertaining for the first round and maybe the second round, but after that, it's just done. People start getting up and leaving, and it's a "been there, done that" kind of vibe. Neat idea though! Third, the cover band...it's cool that there's a live band but I really think they should just invest in a dj. Sooo that was that.

    (2)

  • Tom L.

    Great Bar! Fun place!

    (5)

  • Janice R.

    Turtle racing at Brennan's is no joke. Every 10pm on Thursdays, you can pay $5 to "rent a turtle", name it, and then gently place the turtle in the center of the competition ground for the big race! And the rules are strict - no pointing! If you point, penalty is $10 and then increases by another $10 per point. I'm not proud to say that I got overly excited during one of the races and was caught pointing! Grrrr... Oh, and ladies, expect to bend over at least three times when placing your turtle, the hosts are men... They have live music playing on Thursday nights and on weekends. I'm happy to say that the music is pretty good here, and the dance floor gets pretty filled up as the night goes on. It's a good vibe :) Oh, and lots of beers on tap. So my 4 stars rating is compromised of the following: - Turtle racing uniqueness - good music - good beer - and super convenient as my roommate and I literally live around the corner from it

    (4)

  • Access D.

    I came to Brennan's for my friend's B-day celebration and to listen to the band play. I arrived early to test the beer and pool tables to make sure they are satisfactory. Yup, the Guinness poured out of the keg nice and smooth. Not too cold, not too warm. A meal in a pint. The bartenders are pleasant. It's a slow night at the bar for now. Can't drink too much since I had been eating and drinking during the Super Bowl. The band is warming up. Sounding good as they test the sound system. The pool table is beating me at the game I just started. I need to practice. My friends start to arrive for the party. Time to hang out with them. Hmmm now the bar is full. Good times!

    (4)

  • Deborah B.

    Turtle racing ...dance floor and live band...yay! Brennans Thursdays Is where it's at

    (5)

  • Whitney G.

    How I love an authentic and gently worn watering hole! Brennan's Pub is my local go-to. Their Happy Hour drink and app deals can't get any better and the ambiance is a far cry from being pretentious. To be perfectly honest, I could probably care less about the actual turtle racing and would rather spend the bulk of my evening at the pool tables. (Mind you, There will never come a day that you will find me bending over a lucite contraption to softly and delicately place down some turtles) Nonetheless, I always have a fun time when we go, and I really dig the live music regardless of the genre. Oh, and the women's restroom is usually fairly clean. That's a real luxury in my book (woo-hoo!)

    (3)

  • matt m.

    Best Denver Bronco Bar in town! Cheap drinks and excellent service everyone that works their is priceless and genuine. And its an Irish pub, so if your Irish you have no excuse not to run in for a cold pint.

    (4)

  • Abbi F.

    Reasonably priced drinks, decent bar food. At times it's all you can do (unless you're a total regular) to get noticed by the bartenders. My friend ended up waiting over 10min to even order a beer (and no, it wasn't particularly busy at that point). This, however, is not really a problem if you're a woman, as me showing up remedied the problem immediately. I highly recommend going on a Thursday night for the turtle races. Yes...turtles...RACING. I know, sounds really idiotic. And it is. But then you have to go there to experience it, and you will quickly learn that the actual racing of the turtles is FAR from the point of attending the turtle races. It's the silly women who have to drop the turtles (and I'm not pointing fingers...I like to be one of those silly women every now and again) that are the point of the turtle races. My friendly advice for others who might like to the one of the silly women follows. Don't bend your knees. Go really slow. Ham it up the first time...unless you want to have the foul flags tossed and be made to do the drop AT LEAST 3x! After all, who doesn't love having enough beer on a Thursday night that you end up thinking that racing turtles is a genius idea???

    (4)

  • Janet T.

    I'm not a huge dive bar type of person, I don't care much for the dirty tables, dirty bathrooms, everything smelling like beer type of pubs, but after my coworker had his going away party here recently, it was pretty fun and entertaining, I decided to give it another chance (dive bars that is). In any case, turtle races are held on Thursday evenings at 9pm with live music Beers on tap are very inexpensive - $4 each and they serve both craft beers, domestic and some international beers.1/2 price bar food is served up until 7pm, which is an excellent deal and definitely worth it for the price.

    (3)

  • KaThy T.

    Came on a Thursday. Whoever thought of turtle races is amazing! lol First time here. My girl friend told me about this place and the activity so we decided to see what it was all about and tell the others that couldn't come out what they missed. So the races go from around 10-1030pm til 12am. 3 people go up to the mat's at a time. Each person goes up at a time placing the turtles down on the floor without bending their knees and they have to bend down slow enough for others' to take a pic of their behind lol. This is the best part about this event. Girls, wear something tight or a short skirt to show off your goods. Some ppl think this is gross etc but I think it's hilarious! Anyway, after everyone places their turtles down, they let the turtles out and whichever turtle passes the finish line wins and the person who had that turtle wins a gay prize (ie. Snooky's book, a bikini top, dvd, etc); The event is just for kicks. Also, during the turtle race, if any audience member points at the turtle, they pay a fine of at least $10. People had a bad habit of doing that at the start of the races. If you're lucky, they may not have seen you point if your in back not visible so you don't have to pay. I would say this would be a fun event if you've never experienced it or if you come in a big group who participates, and guys have participated too. This event takes place in the patio. If you get cold easily, bring a jacket. I had to borrow my friend's. Or just keep drinking...

    (5)

  • Wanugee N.

    Irish pub Live music Thursday Turtle races! Unslick, Unsophisticated, Unpretentious hang out in the middle of La La land, where the opposite of all this is everywhere.

    (3)

  • Mae J.

    The music was amazing, epic, unbelievable. And it wasn't too loud. It was spacious so you can walk around comfortably. I accidentally got in the waitress's way a few times and she didn't once sneer or roll her eyes at me, just got her job done around me. The bartenders gave me a free beer because I waited while one of the keg's was replaced despite me not minding at all that I had to wait a few minutes. The bartenders were courteous and did not speak to me like I was annoying them. In fact, they were sweet. "WOW" I know. The bathroom was a little gross but I mean...it's a bar. Basically everyone was professional yet nice, and you can talk to people without getting your ears abused by loud obnoxious music. I mean, it's everything a little local bar should be.

    (4)

  • mauricio o.

    Not a place i would care to come back to.. seems like it would fit better in a small town in the middle of nowhere. the atmosphere suggests that you might pay less for the shitty selection of beer or alcohol.. but no.. consistent with LA pricing. just older and dirtier..

    (2)

  • Katrina M.

    Okay bar but fair warning do not use your card to hold a tab here! I used a card there last Monday night to start a tab and at the end of the night my husband paid the tab on his card. I was standing there and saw the waitress use his card to pay the transaction. The next day there were 2 pending charges on my card for 15.50 and 5.50 wth? My bank credited that back and looked at my account today and there are 2 more charges for the next 2 days and I wasn't even there! Obviously cancelled my card and the bank is sending me a new one. Called management today and left them a voicemail that they have not so honest employees. I will only use cash from here out at this bar that way they can't charge me when I'm not there and I suggest you do the same. Trying to save some of you fellow Yelpers the hassle of cancelling your bank card or the annoyance of dealing with a not so honest staff. Hopefully management will call me back about this or at least talk to their employees about not stealing peoples numbers.

    (3)

  • Matt W.

    So Brennan's is a pretty cool bar, with nothing too special...EXCEPT IT OFFERS TURTLE RACING!!!!!!!!! Oh and it's a pretty cool place to see a band perform too. Growing up in Culver City, Brennan's was one of the first neighborhood places I wanted to go when I turned 21. If you want to go to see the Turtle Racing make sure you get to Brennan's early, because the line forms early. It's well worth the wait though because who doesn't like seeing a bunch of turtles racing to get out of a circle? To be honest though, it's really only cool the first few times--after that Thursday almost become just an excuse to go somewhere else--with less of a line. The bar gets pretty busy, especially on nights with Turtle Racing, but it still doesn't take very long to get drinks. The service is pretty good considering all the people there on busy nights, it's the line to get in that takes forever. The drinks aren't very expensive, and they have a relatively good beer selection. After my first night going, I was surprised by my sort of low tab, especially considering the bar's popularity. Definitely a place to try out--at least for the turtle racing, but overall a pretty fun bar to go to.

    (4)

  • Christine R.

    A friend of mine had heard about turtle racing and convinced a group of us to go. I was hesitant, because it seemed like it would be sort of depressing from a those-poor-turtles point of view. Little did I know that it would be depressing for entirely different reasons. We got there a little after 8, since the website advertised that the turtle racing started between 9 and 10. Pre-turtle racing, Brennan's was fine. They had some good beers on tap, and the prices were reasonable enough. The bar was also not very crowded when we got there, although there was a lot of space but not a lot of seating. Although advertised as starting between 9 and 10, the turtle racing didn't really get started until 10:30. And everything took SO LONG. And, the rules. Girls have to put the turtles into the ring (or at least, no guys did), and they're not allowed to bend their knees. If they do bend their knees, they have to try it again. This made the process take forever. For every 10 second turtle race we saw, we had to watch 7 minutes of girls bending over. And after the first turn or two, people started to get what was going on, and ... well, the girls who were really excited about doing this were all NOT the kind of girls you would want to see doing this (if at all). So. It just ended up being somewhere between boring and offensive/gross. When you add the pointing rules to this (you get charged $10 the first time you point at a turtle, $20 the second time, and $50 the third!), I have no idea why ANYONE goes to this. Even more shocking, when we left halfway into the second round (and headed out to the far superior Roger's Exciting Tattle Tale Room), there was a significant LINE of people waiting to get in! The turtle racing could have been fun, but all the weird let's-watch-unattractive-drunk-girls-shake-their-­asses stuff sort of ruined it.

    (1)

  • Yi Z.

    My friends play kickball and they go to Brennan's every Tuesday or Wednesday after their game to socialize with their "teammates." I've been there a couple of times with them and they usually give me their team shirt to wear so I can get the kickballer discounts. I like inexpensive food and drinks but I'm more about value than just price alone. Sure, my cheeseburger was about $5 - but I think the $6 Burger at Carl's Jr. tastes better than that. The $3.50 beer is pretty nasty. If I want $3.50 beer, I'll go to Bar Food during their HH and get decent beer for that price. I also ordered the "Half & Half" appetizer with Buffalo Shrimp & Potato Poppers. Everything tasted ok but nothing stood out as amazing.

    (3)

  • Sam G.

    Wow, some of the review are harsh! This place is an Irish dive bar - it is what it is. Drink and have fun!!!! This is not a place for high maintenance girls - you know who you are!

    (4)

  • Philip L.

    What can I say about Brennen's that hasn't already been said?.. Great atmosphere, great people, turtle races, and cheap drinks. I can't speak much for their menu, as I have only eaten their Philly Cheese steak, but it was decent for a bar. But that isn't what this place is known for.. Turtle races are always a big hit, and a great place to bring your non-yuppie out-of-towners for a good time away from the normal LA stereotype. Live music at this place is always a good time, once you get some drinks in you. "Interesting" selection of bands, to say the least, and the people you observe on the dance floor always leave you with a good story to tell. Be it drunk ladies tripping over everything, or some crazy sweaty guy dancing over the entire dance floor. A food truck will conveniently be waiting outside to cater to your hunger for your drunken departure, which is never a bad thing. I definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a good time, and enjoy a drink or two or ten with some friends. Not a classy place to take your pompous, highfalutin friends, but prefect for those who don't crave that Hollywood-esque version of Los Angeles.

    (4)

  • Jolly M.

    Rating is solely based on the Beatles Tribute Band that plays here. They are very good & I enjoy them staying in character. Just a tad too loud with the volume, but sitting not directly in front of it helps. Though I enjoy seeing their full performance. Sitting elsewhere you don't get a full view. I especially enjoy those who dance to the music who are reliving the Beatles era. The ladies can truly dance.

    (4)

  • Pauline M.

    turtle race? wouldn't that take forever? actually the little things are quite fast. it's the humans that are slow. they make the girls bend over like 5 times when they put the turtles into the ring. then, if you point at the turtles, you get fined and they start the race all over. and with a bunch of drunkens, there are sure to be idiot pointers -$10 fine. no, the race doesn't start at 9 like they say. more like 10, 10:30 after all the gimmicks and prolonging. and stupid rules and stuff. the sliders are dry and disgusting. the chicken strips are pretty delicious and the fries have a good rub on them. (rub on fries? yep.) the quesadilla was actually quite good, and they have pear cider so i was happy enough. if you ask for shots, be sure to ask for them chilled or else they will come out disgustingly room temp. parking is limited unless you get there early.

    (3)

  • Ben W.

    I heard that there were turtle races on Saturday....buzz!! Wrong, but they had a sweet band, That 80's Band, and they rocked. Not as crowded as I would have like to see on a Saturday night. It's like a giant house party vibe. Low key and laid back....totally my style. I'm going back this Thursday to check out the turtle races...it better happen this time :)

    (3)

  • Michael L.

    I haven't done a review on Yelp in awhile. However, after reading Marcos B's review of this place from January 14 of this year, I ABSOLUTELY have to respond to what he had to say about the Broncos fans at Brennan's during the Broncos-Patriots playoff game back on January 14. As a die-hard Broncos fan, I've watched quite a few Broncos games at Brennan's since September 2009, and I was at Brennan's for the Broncos-Patriots playoff game that night. The Patriots fans that he's talking about were EXTREMELY obnoxious, and were totally taunting the Broncos fans, and the Broncos fans were still ignoring them! It wasn't until a couple of those Patriots fans started cussing the Broncos fans out, that 1, or 2 of the Broncos fans threw a couple of harmless little pieces of ice, and a couple of harmless napkins at them, to try to tell them to please knock it off. As far as fans of other teams not being welcome at Brennan's during Broncos games, that's a bunch of bull****! In fact, there were a handful of other Patriots fans that were there that night, that the Broncos fans had no problems with, because they cheered for their Patriots with class, weren't obnoxious, and they weren't asking for trouble, and going out of their way to instigate things, like these girls were. Also, depending on the team the Broncos are playing, there're always a handful of fans for the other team, some of whom are friends and/or family members of some of the Broncos fans, and the only other times that I've ever seen even a little bit of trouble, were a couple of times when the Broncos were playing the Raiders, and, no big surprise of course, considering the type of element the Raiders attract, a few lowlife, thuggish Raiders fans started taunting the Broncos fans, and still a few of the Broncos fans just responded verbally, not physically, even though they GREATLY outnumbered the Raiders fans, and the bartender(s)told the Raider fans to knock it off, or leave, and that put the kibosh on that! Now, as far as Brennan's itself, I've only been here right before, during, and after Broncos games, but there's no better place for die-hard Broncos fans here in LA to watch games, than at Brennan's. The food's pretty good, very reasonable prices, the service is excellent, the bartenders, and the waitress on Sunday, Crystal, are wonderful, and VERY, VERY friendly! The crowd there on Sundays, and not just the Broncos fans, is really cool, except for the occasional obnoxious, lowlife Raider fans, or, in the case of that Saturday night back in January, a few obnoxious and unruly Patriots fans. The one drawback is that the parking lot is pretty small, and with more and more Broncos fans now watching games at Brennan's, it's getting kind of tough to find a spot in the parking lot, unless you get there very early. However, you can usually find a parking spot on Lincoln, although, you may have to walk a little, and I'm almost positive you don't have to feed the meters over there on Sundays.

    (4)

  • Elaine W.

    Turtle races are the only reason to come here, but even the turtles are not enough to redeem the place! They tell you the races begin at 9 pm. LIES! We got there slightly early (I'll admit, we were pretty excited about seeing how exactly turtle races work) and then ended up waiting around for over an hour. There was a fairly big crowd by the time they started calling for people to rent out turtles. We saw some guys who'd even brought out their own turtles to race! I paid the $5 to rent out a turtle and name it for the night ("Lil Frank"). Then the staff take all the turtles back - I guess they have their own way of telling the turtles apart? Or maybe they don't, and they just grab random turtles. Who knows. The way the turtle races work are that the turtles are placed in a small circle in the middle of the ground, and a plastic cylinder is put around them so that they can't get out. The race commences when they lift the cylinder and allow the turtles to stride towards an outer ring about 5 feet away from the inner circle. First turtle to the outer ring is the winner! I'm still curious as to how the turtles know to go in that direction...is there food on the outer ring that they smell'? Sounds pretty simple, right? But they had to drag it ON and ON. For one thing, you have to follow their rules when placing your turtle into the plastic cylinder. It's not as simple as putting your turtle on the ground. You aren't allowed to bend your knees (yes, so you have no choice other than sticking your butt in the air), and the staff have NO hesitation about making turtle racers redo this process several times. I'm pretty sure some of the girls did it perfectly but of course they made them bend over several times, and they had them rotate around the ring. The guys at Brennan's were clearly enjoying the show - some even took photos - but I was very surprised that this was required for the turtle racers and was already second-guessing my decision to rent Lil Frank. The staff claim they care about their turtles but it's clear that the poor little animals are their main source of $$$. There are inane rules like NO POINTING AT THE TURTLES. If they catch you pointing they will make you pay like $10 or more! What a "pointless" rule (hehe). And they restart the race so the first race took more than 15 minutes to complete, from people placing the turtles in to finally awarding the prize for that round, a pair of panties that the winner had to put on before she could walk back to her seat. In the end, the first couple races took way too long and I couldn't stay out any longer. So I was forced to abandon Lil Frank, though in the end, I'm sure I saved him from suffering through a good half hour of noisy drunkenness. Poor Lil Frank! Poor turtles. And poor me for wasting my money and time on a Thursday night...

    (3)

  • Ron N.

    So my co-worker invited me to celebrate his birthday with him at Brennan's pub. I agreed, but I honestly was thinking "Turtle races?? WTF?" in my head at first but decided to go anyway. I'm glad I did! The turtle races were actually entertaining. After a while it was a bit redundant and I was losing interest, but this might be due to the fact that I stopped drinking. Most of the time I was in disbelief at the attendance. It was ridiculously packed! How could so many people enjoy turtle racing? Shows that I need to get out more, haha. Drinks are relatively cheap, the decor was nothing special, but the thing that really makes this place dope are the pretty LADIES! Seriously. Everywhere I looked I saw a potential wife. LOL j/k. But really though, if they had a Brennan's within walking distance of my apartment I'd be there everyday. Very chill and fun environment. My kind of bar! Random: they had a sign at the bar which said that no dancing was allowed. Unfortunately I wasn't able to dance on top of the bar as I usually do. *sigh*

    (4)

  • eric h.

    My review may be slightly partial as I have been a regular at this bar for a few years now and I live less than a block away. The staff is friendly, the drinks are decent, and the food is bar food with a little extra love from the cook Albert. The prices are about average for the area.The bands are mostly local decent cover bands. I dont have a need to drive but there is a decent-sized parking lot and lots of street parking available. I love coming here during football season as they open early, serve breakfast and have almost every game on the many tv's. There is also a friendly rivalry atmosphere among the football fans from different cities who come here to watch. The bar is a Denver Broncos bar and if Denver is playing there will be a rather large contingent of their fans. As far as the turtle races go, I have watched once...it's fun and maybe somewhere you can bring out-of-town guests to have drinks, laugh at some raunchy comments and just hang. Keep in mind the turtle races are only thursday nights and they start about 10pm. Happy hour is weekdays 4:30 to 7. Half price appetizers and drink specials. On wednesdays the Brennans burger is half price.

    (4)

  • Lucas S.

    Been here once. No need to go back. Unfriendliness of bartender was a turn off. Beer selection limited.

    (1)

  • Jennifer N.

    Ive only been here once but I liked it. Unpretentious divey bar with decent pub grub

    (5)

  • Tin N.

    I seriously cannot believe that I am debating between giving this place a four or a five. I say that because this is TOTALLY not my scene, and is the reason why I would probably not go back here, otherwise I would give it five stars. Ok, so the star of this establishment is the infamous turtle races. Turtles and racing? Sounds like you'd only find that in a famous childrens story but here it is at Brennan's. But let me tell you, these guys are a lot faster than you would imagine and you can tell they're sprinting their little hearts out. In addition, the workers do everything in their power to make it as entertaining as possible, and they do a good job. It's definitely something refreshing but novel at 40 minutes best. What else adds to the high stars? The answer... CHICKS... they're all over the place and they're hot. And for those who have no balls or game its actually a very conducive environment for pick-up, so drink up and start burning through those groups of girls, and you'll find someone. Other bonuses, relatively cheap drinks, and there's a live band that I don't really care for but I guess people like.

    (4)

  • Ken V.

    I go to see bands that I like preform - the food is deep fried snack food fair and the drinks are your normal cocktail types. It's divey as you can get in this hood. I have had some good times

    (4)

  • Andre N.

    Been here a couple times before, but this was the first time I had been here recently and able to write a review on it on yelp. So like many people I went to Brennans on a Thursday, as it is well known that you go here for the turtle races taking place between 10-11 at night. Though this past Thursday due to the fact that the travel channel was filming. Anyways without the travel channel being there, there is a usual large crowd there to enjoy the sport of turtle racing. It appears they use the typical red eared turtles for the racing of various sizes. They let people get in onto the turtle racing by adopting a turtle for each race, women are encouraged to do this (guys should not participate in this) for they are ones who get to place the turtle in the turtle racing circle with the encouragement of the turtle racing work staff and the audience. Before the turtle races occur once is taught the rules of turtle racing by the rambuctious and boisterous host, with one very important rule - no pointing!! For if one points at the turtles they will have to pay a hefty fine, which can increase for the participant. The turtle racing can be quite fun, and one should check out once in a life. The drinks at the bar are good, they have fat tire on tap (yay), but im quite dissapointed that drinks are served in plastic cups. No self respecting irish man would drink a beer in a cup. I didnt have food this past time, but in the past I remember it was ok. Theres also a live band that plays on thursday and are usually quite good busting out 80s and classic rock and current.

    (4)

  • Doris T.

    My date took me to Brennan's to watch the turtle race. I've heard about this place before but I didn't know what to expect. I was giddy because my date was so handsome, he could've taken me to a bar in Compton, I would still be all giddy and grinning! I don't think the bar serves cocktails. This is a man's bar, beer and whiskey, and all. Any other watery bullshit was left at the door. So I ordered a boring vodka cranberry - twice, sat outside and watched the turtle race. There were men howling at the ladies who were dressed with boobs hanging, and ass protruding, bending over like a proud momma to place their turtles (rented, or owned) behind the starting line. Some people may view this as degrading to women, but hey, if you have it why not flaunt it. I find it funny that most of the ladies who complain own mostly just nipples, with ass as flat as Mission tortilla! And so ... along with the immature college men, I howled at the ladies as well like a proud Mary! My experience at Brennan's was superb. I had lots of fun. Lots of holding hands, rubbing the back, small kisses, shy gazes, great conversation .... oh and the turtle race was .... it is what it is. A turtle race! Great date! Great experience! Turtle race wasn't bad either. Fast forward 2 weeks later .... I think Brennan's was ok. Turtle race was cute. Go there with a group of friends. Wouldn't advise going there with your date. ESPECIALLY if your date is an attorney. My mom was right .... how can you tell if an attorney is lying? WHEN HIS LIPS ARE MOVING! And ps to esquire - I'VE HAD BETTER!!! Brennan's or otherwise!

    (3)

  • Leila V.

    So a friend of mine found out about this place that does the whole turtle racing thing. A lot of us were excited and thought it would be a good time. When I made mention of it to my boyfriend, he gave me a funny look and asked if we were heading down to Marina Del Rey. I gave him a hesitant yes... He then of course informed me about how the girls can't bend their knees when putting down turtles, etc...and all those other funny, sexist rules they've got going on. Of course, he had gone there before he was with me (or so he claims)... I spent most of yesterday reading the reviews (we went yesterday night), so I knew what I was in for. I got there at around 9:15 or so, and made note of the IHOP I had just parked by (I figured it could be my Plan B should Brennan's be awful). Some of my friends were already seated outside, with drinks that they said were awful (and came in one of those office-size water cups). I got a Blue Moon and stuck to that. We sat there over an hour, slowly waiting for it to start. There were no hoochie-mamas or anyone I would deem as "bend over" worthy, so I wasn't quite sure what the guys would holler at. I had been looking forward to racing a turtle but frankly, I've got my pride you know? And this place was way to seedy for my taste, especially since they weren't serving good enough drinks to make it any better. In any case, the guys were way too young, not attractive at all, and frankly, nothing was going on. Everyone just stood around. I ended up leaving with my friends, and heading to the IHOP across the street for some coffee and some good times. I was expecting this place to be a disappointment, but I didn't know it would be so boring as well. Perhaps I'm just too old for this stuff.

    (1)

  • Jose R.

    I had a good time here.

    (5)

  • Karen C.

    What a sweet little gem this turned out to be. Me and a friend just had a great sushi dinner and were looking for a place to have a drink or two. I don't know the westside that well but I've always driven past this place and it looked cool. So we ended up here and I had a really great time. This place is fun!! They had a great cover band playing beatles tunes. The bartender was friendly and the drinks were strong. Everyone there was having a great time!! I really liked this place and if I'm ever back in the area I'd definitely go back.

    (4)

  • John S.

    It was the sweltering summer of '76 when a bunch of guys brought their pets to the back porch of a local bar and asked if they could race them. The owner obliged, the guys painted a giant racetrack on the ground, and a West L.A. tradition was born. The bar was Brennan's Pub. The pets were turtles. The guys that brought them were geniuses, clearly. Brennan's Pub, located on Lincoln just east of Washington, has hosted these turtle races every Thursday for 34 years, attracting swarms of fans inside its Irish pub-themed brick walls and growing into a staple of West L.A. nightlife. If imagining a bunch of shelled lizards bumbling around at the break-neck speed of an Immigration Reform bill on a salmonella-laden floor sounds more like Third World punishment than a night of rowdy entertainment to you then, well, you simply haven't had the pleasure. Read the rest at thecorsaironline.com/blo…

    (4)

  • P F.

    I go there all the time for happy hour. Surprisingly the only bartender I like is Tom. I have had good experiences when he's there. Bad experiences when he is not. I go because it's both close to work and on my way home. It's kinda like a chill dive bar that just recently got upgraded with flat screens. I enjoy a nice chilled rum n' coke whenever I come in. Also love the 1/2 priced appetizers and 2 for 1 burger Wednesdays. :-) I always, always get the Buffalo popcorn shrimp and now I am feeling the Southwest Egg Rolls :)

    (3)

  • David P.

    It's OK. Turtle races should be gone to once but are overrated. I don't like being yelled at when I'm at the bar. It's the official after-party for Kickball on Tuesdays and Wednesdays which livens things up a little.

    (2)

  • Lindsay A.

    When I lived here, they did turtle races once a week which was always a good time! The drinks are cheap but stout. Brennan's is my kinda "dive."

    (4)

  • victoria b.

    It all started on a lunch date with my girlfriend her: "Hey! lets go out on thursday to Brennans they have turtle races on thursday! me: "WTF?!? turtle race?? I'm so there!" A few days later we found ourselves sitting in front of the turtle races, watching [NOT POINTING] the turtles or should I say ass! There are a few rules for the race and just in case you haven't heard... DO NOT POINT AT THE TURTLES! And two, do not bend your legs when you put the turtle in the middle, oh and do it nice and slow everyone wants a good show! If you feel offended by men being men, then I suggest don't be a prude! Besides the turtle race the place itself is pretty fun and people are chill. Where else can you find turtle races and hear girls singing jizz in my pants in the bathroom?!

    (4)

  • Jason D.

    This is my kind of bar. The drinks are cheap to reasonable and Cynthia and the staff are top notch. Football Sundays are fun there especially when your team beats the Broncos. For those of you who have concerns about the Turtle Races, they are an experience to witness at least once in your life. Just make sure you don't point at the turtles.

    (4)

  • Marlin E.

    I don't get it...! I wasn't really impressed, maybe it was my mood from the crowd, normally I write more and get into details about my experience at a venue, but I don't know I'm just irritated, maybe it was a bad evening, and I'll try again soon.

    (2)

  • Brendon D.

    Turtle Racing! This place is a mad house on the turtle race nights. Get there early so that you can get a good seat. Bring a pocket full of cash. You'll learn why after the races have begun. This is a big LMU hangout...or it appeared to be. I'm not so sure I'd go here on a night when they weren't having the turtle races. Don't half step. Get there early so that you can get a good seat/view.

    (4)

  • marcos b.

    so my friends and i went there for football playoff games (brennan's is a denver bronco bar). i'm not a football fanatic but i enjoy watching a good game. i was hungry and ordered the hamburger. i usually rate a restaurant on how well they make a burger because its a very simple thing to make, so if you screw it up, there isn't much hope for the rest of your food. lets just say i was less than satisfied with it. not only was the burger less than spectacular, but the bottom bun was so toasted that it was like a cracker. when i bit into it, the whole bottom just fell apart like a cheap cracker would. how the hell do you screw up a bun? its a freaking bun! what kind of chef screws up a bun? if that were just it, i would have given more stars, but the broncos played the patriots that night. the place was filled with bronco fan as the place should be, but beware, if you are not a bronco fan, don't bother going in during a game. my friends cheered for the patriots and we got ice thrown at us. mind you, my friends are girls. one of them protested and it was as if we killed a new born and ate its parts right in front of them. people both men and women went nuts even though they were the ones that started it. we had a man in his mid 50's screaming at my friend that is about 5.1 and 98 lbs saying "get the fuck out of our bar you bitch!" i didn't care for the game so i left to another bar before blood was shed. in the end, the broncos didn't just lose, they got they asses handed to them 45-10. that's an embarrassment to the NFL. so the owners and the bronco fans can have their shit hole bar, losers deserve each other.

    (1)

  • J H.

    Everything you expect in a dive bar! Been there for happy hour a few times. I've never seen the turtle races, but what I love about this place...let me count the ways! 1) cheap generous drinks 2) finger lickin' buffalo wings 3) large parking lot, especially for area that's not a typically parking friendly And for a dive bar, the bathrooms are surprisingly nicely decorated and clean! definately a plus in my books. The other appies are your typical bar food and is pretty good too. They offer a pool table, a stage for live bands and other bar games. So this is for sure on my list for HH after work.

    (4)

  • JJ C.

    I am such a fool. I actually thought the turtle racing was about .....turtle racing. It's actually a not so elaborate set up to get young girls in short skirts to bend over in front of the crowd. I feel so dirty that I was a part of this. also, the other yelpers are right, it's a really young crowd. I gave it 2 stars because at least they used real turtles for their so called turtle racing.

    (2)

  • Christine T.

    Came by on a Sunday with my cousin. The back yard was taken over by kickball players playing various drinking games - my first experience with Slurball was terribly amusing. The people I met were friendly and eager to outdrink the next. Can't say what the crowds are like on any other night, but I had a good few hours.

    (3)

  • Eric B.

    The turtle racing idea seemed really cool... it was actually depressing and pretty awful. There's no 'racetrack' - they're just unleashed in a circle. Pretty dumb.

    (1)

  • Debbie E.

    Brennan's is hit or miss on the crowd. Can be quiet and local or it can be filled with LMU students. It also depends upon the band. Irish bar. Basic domestic beer prices are $4.50 a pint. Stage and dance floor for bands. Also a pay-per-song juke box. Restrooms need a little upgrading. The food, surprisingly, is pretty decent. The burgers are excellent, the fries are always hot and highly seasoned. The chicken sandwich is also good.. Wednesdays are half-priced burgers night. On Thursdays on the back patio there is turtle racing. It is definitely something to check out at least once. Tons of people show up in call kinds of weather. So packed there is bleacher seating. Most do not participate (in fact, those who do are really looking for attention), but it's great people watching and watching the turtles get to the outer circle is great entertainment for an evening. Listen closely to the rules - you do NOT want to ever point your finger while the races are going on.

    (3)

  • Lindsay V.

    This place makes me feel really old... and I'm 26. I've been in a handful of times after work. It's kind of your typical college bar with an Irish theme. I kind of feel bad for the turtles, so I've never actually seen the turtle racing, but my friends who have participated said it was overrated. They serve Guinness, but not in pint form. Mixed drinks here are underwhelming and over-priced. I guess there may have had too many broken glasses, or there's something about broken glass impeding the turtle races because the drinks come in a little plastic cup. Reminds me of going to a college party when it's busy and going to a bar my grandpa used to frequent when it's not... *On a side note, most Irish pubs (even the diviest-dives) have really nice/clean ladies' bathrooms for some reason. This is definitely one of the exceptions.

    (2)

  • Chrissy K.

    This place sucks. Its for old weird people and its kind of dirty... go to the end of Washington blvd for some better bars.

    (2)

  • Greg G.

    I love coming here Thursday nights for the turtle races. Drinks are reasonably priced and the music is fun. The people there are pretty cool too.

    (4)

  • Gloria G.

    I have a love/hate relationship with Brennan's kinda like that ex the friends think is a loser but dated anyways because of some stupid reason like "Oh, his hair smells good!" or "He looks so cute when he's drunk". Yeah, you've all been there, done that.. You know what I'm talking about. Well, I'm borderline anal retentive but somehow I keep coming back here because I always leave having fun times. It's grungy, the toilets overflow, the service is slow and rude at times, and the crowd is let's just say umm...unique. I seem to look past all these flaws since it's chill, there's no cover (except on St. Patrick's which is $10), and there's live bands...and I love turtles. My best advice for the ladies is bring some backup: guys, bigger girls, a bat, a tazer...anything that will keep grimey drunk trolls from sneaking up on you. Disregard this warning if you've got a weird fetish for hobbits and hobos because there's always a market for them here. BTW, the cover band on Thurs. nites, The Mandrakes, are pretty talented given that they can play everything from Black Eyed Peas to Guns N Roses.

    (4)

  • Son V.

    I've been playing at Brennan's for over 7 years now as bassist for Cowspace on Wed. nights. I also set up shows on Sunday nights, mainly featuring jam bands & acoustic acts. My band Mother Jones plays there Friday or Saturday nights every few months with opening bands. This is one of the last live music venues that do not set a cover at the door and guarantee great music. One of the owners, Mike, the booker, is nothing but the coolest & funniest guy around who loves quality music and wants to continue that tradition. It's getting harder for musicians to find great venues to perform at, so Brennan's is really a special place with a great, warm atmosphere. Nothing fancy, just straight up music, drinks and bar food that's actually tasty (thanks Albert!). The staff is awesome - Cynthia (the matriarch) & Tom have been there for years, then there's Matt who's a good guy and now a staple. There's also Melody, a cocktail waittress with an infectious smile & bubbly personality. And a shout out goes to Steve as well, the other owner of Brennan's. He and Mike have been doing this for years and have it down, especially on St. Patrick's Day. They're all smartasses, but hey, it's a bar, an Irish bar. And hey, come down every Wednesday night and check out Cowspace, the badass classic rock jam band (Pink Floyd, Marley, Motown, Petty, Dylan, G. Dead, etc.). We usually have opening acts as well. Music usually starts at 8pm.

    (5)

  • Evan K.

    Brennan's has its ups and downs. If I had the option, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars. Pros: turtle races on Thursdays, live band is actually good, street parking, Photo Hunt (the best part of those touch screen games as far as I'm concerned), its different. Cons: Just like any other bar outside of Thursdays, a tad unsanitary, drinks are too small, sausage party. If you've never been to Brennan's, then you should definitely go one Thursday, if merely for the novelty of it. Just make sure you get there before the races start (9-10ish). Its a good place to take Cali newbies as well. However, I don't see it as the type of place you can go to weekly.

    (3)

  • Lisa Z.

    Haven't been here on Turtle Racing night, but have been on a Friday night and a Saturday night. They do have a cover band here I think after 9 on the weekends. Fairly non-pretentious crowd. Drinks aren't that expensive and they have a pretty good selection. Haven't ordered food here but saw someone getting a salad and also chili cheese fries here and I was jealous and mad, that we wasted our time at another place. If you sit by the doors you'll probably get a bit chilly because the place is right off of Lincoln. A bit dark and depressing 'tho... don't know why, just doesn't seem that fun to me. The outdoor patio where they have the turtle racing seems like it's fun in the summer for lunch and beers. Maybe will check out Turtle night. There is a pool table and I believe, darts.

    (3)

  • Justin S.

    I went to Brennan's for the first time for a birthday party over Memorial Day Weekend after hearing about this place, mainly the for the turtle races. Unfortunately, we went on a Sunday night and Turtle racing is only on Thursday nights, but the place was still a lot of fun. First off, the fact that the place has free parking and no cover is a huge plus from my point of view. I always though the idea of paying for parking and paying for cover to a place I was already going to spend a ton of money at was insulting. I was surprised that the place had a live band playing, but the band played some really good classic rock songs and the band itself was quite good. There was also enough room for a couple of people to dance. The place overall is very roomy, whether you sit at the bar, tables out outside. There is even enough room to play pool inside. At first, I though the bartender was a little rude, asking why I ordered a virgin drink at first and inquiring about my age. I ordered a virgin bloody Mary for the designated driver and really was surprised when I was inquired as to why I ordered a virgin drink. However, when the entire birthday arrived, the bartender not only went and got us tables to play Tip Cup, he bought us two pitchers of beer. So he did make up for being a little rude. Overall, for a little neighborhood bar, this place actually impressed me. You will not find any celebrities or A-list people at this place, but that is sometimes a very nice change for Los Angeles. The drinks were reasonably priced, the entire party had a good time and we were treated really well. I do want to go back sometime for the turtle races.

    (4)

  • Roman T.

    A simple pub(if you don't count the turtle races on Thursdays). Decent priced drinks, very cute waitresses, one pool table(trust me you won't get to play), a few TVs and sometimes even live music. One saturday I think we were the youngest people there. Everyone looked like they were 35+. However thursdays its the young crowd. Mostly there to watch the turtle races, which I don't really get. They try to get random girls from the crowd to place the turtles on the ground without bending their knees, while they run up behind them to take a picture. 90% of the time the girl is not even worth looking at. (sorry if that sounded mean) Not sure if that's worth torturing the poor turtles. Oh well. Was thinking of giving them 4/5 stars, but they didn't have Knob Creek. That's an automatic one star reduction.

    (3)

  • Jason P.

    It was a Thursday and my first night in LA and our host informed us that we were going to turtle racing here. I really had no idea what to expect and we got there a solid 2 hours before. That was probably a mistake as there were about 8 people there. The place is pretty much a dive bar with normal bar prices, maybe due to the turtle races. Once it got closer to race time, people started filing in. The races are pretty entertaining, outside of the creepy aspects of it. They make the sponsors put the turtles in the middle of the circle without bending their knees, while some creeper takes a picture. The best is the guy who flags the people who stake the turtles. They also have some rules that if violated, result in a pretty significant fine paid to charity.

    (3)

  • Chev C.

    This is my spot u can always find me there on Thursday rock the TB hat just ask for chve raceing young money

    (5)

  • Laura D.

    I think the coolest thing I've heard about this place is that they give ladies a free bottle of champagne on their birthdays. My best friend and I plan on going here in June when she turns 23 for the free bottle haha. So I've been here just once and it was really cool! They have turtle racing in the back patio -- which sounds weird -- but is actually hilarious. Girls have to place the turtles on the little race track and the girls can't bend their knees when they're placing the turtles down. It's pretty funny. Now, during the turtle race if you POINT at a turtle, you have to pay ten dollars. Some guy got ALL pissed off when they saw him pointing and asked him to pay up. So funny if you're drunk because all you want to do is point at the turtle you want to win! I've never seen anything like it but it made us laugh for a good hour. I got sloshed at this place and I remember all the drinks being mixed very well and all yummy. We had some sex on the beaches, red headed sluts, jager bombs and of course some beer. We were toasted by the end of the night. Brennan's has a dancefloor, there was a live band playing, a huge outside patio, and lots of available seating. I didn't try the food so I cannot comment. Kind of a drive from where I stay at, but really really fun place to check out at least once if you live in the L.A. area.

    (4)

  • john d.

    What can i say, its a dive bar. Drinks are cheap and generous and easy parking. That's all you need for this kinda place. The service was good and the place to me at the time i went was clean unlike a lot of dive bars where you get sticky and smelly everything. I haven't been to the turtles but i heard its something to see. I'll come back here eventually so we'll see what happens.

    (4)

  • S C.

    Yikes! OK, we are now OLD! We remember the days when this place was booming on any weekend evening. It has been years but we decided to meet tere for a drink with friends before going to a nearby restaurant for dinner. The place has not been touched for 50 years. It was cold, nearly empty for a Saturday night, and felt dirty. the only saving grace is that the female bartender was very friendly. But never again. The beer was pricey and did not taste right. It seemed to us that the owners just could care less.

    (1)

  • Evan B.

    Straight to the points: Turtle races are fun for the first few rounds then it gets a little redundant, but it should be experienced! Inexpensive drinks, $9 doubles, $4 beers Mix of Live music and DJ mixes, all good! Decent amount of room to dance or sit and drink inside. If you've never been you should go, otherwise it's a cool place for a special occasion.

    (4)

  • Jess A.

    I hadn't been here in what seemed like forever, at least 5 years. Went for some football recently, and although this isn't our "usual" bar, we were greeted warmly and given great service. Even when our group got loud and obnoxious and started yelling at the fans across the bar. Even then. Food was decent (for veg bar food) and they have Fat Tire on tap! (something my "usual" no longer has).

    (3)

  • camille l.

    god, i love brennan's. i've been coming here ever since i moved to la 5 years ago. but mostly because of kickball - yes, there's an adult kickball league and if you're not already on it, you should join! i really only come here on tuesdays or wednesdays because of kball so that's what this review is mostly based on. however, i've been on thursdays for turtle racing and on an occasional friday, after which i always think, "damn, why don't i come here more often?!" st pattys day here is also always a must but GET THERE EARLY (like before 6pm). the staff really makes it here. tom, matty, albert, etc are always down for a lil sh*t talk and (i think) enjoy our crazy kickball antics. the flip cup tables are always set up and ready to go and when we get on them tables, you kno it's gonna be a long nite and a rough morning. the beatles cover band is always a hoot altho we're always outside on the patio flippin' them cups. and the food is pretty decent, esp their apps cuz hey, they're all fried!

    (5)

  • Yasmin B.

    Oh my God I never in my life imagined id watch a turtle race but I had so much fun. Pretty big crowd. Everyone was really friendly. Good beer. Laid back hang out place. Music was pretty good too! Definitely coming back for another round of Thursday night turtle racing.

    (5)

  • Sarah F.

    Cougar town extraordinaire. Nice bartenders, not too packed, pool table, lots of old people.

    (3)

  • B S.

    I agree with the review from xtin e. on 8/1/2010. This place is for trash. It's a dive bar, has bad cover bands, the turtle races are degrading towards women, full of frat boys from non-distinguished institutions, and runs rampant with classless girls who carry plastic, fake designer purses accompanying their Wet Seal ill-fitting clothes. Upon announcing the rules of Turtle Racing, the organizer shouted, "Don't point at the turtles, if you do, we'll fine you! If you don't pay the fine, I'll kick you in the balls! If you don't have balls, I'll flick you really hard in the clit!" DISGUSTING! TRASHY! GROSS! Even more disturbing was that one of the workers would use his outdated, flip cell phone to take "up the skirt" shots of the women who wore skirts and bent over to place turtles in the ring. I promptly left after only one race- which took an hour. I only stayed that long to be polite to my date. I wish I had left sooner.

    (1)

  • Katherine N.

    I came here tonight with a few girlfriends, but came too late for the turtle races :( The crowd seems a bit young mixed in with legal drinkers lol. But good vibe going on and plenty of room to stretch your legs.

    (3)

  • Diane L.

    Rules to remember: 1) DO NOT point at them 2) DO NOT scream their names Generally, these are rules that should be applied to all human beings. But at Brennan's, these rules apply to turtles. And if they're broken, you'll be severely punished. Punished as in having to pay a $10 fine. Kinda funny, and yes, kinda ridiculous. Brennan's is home of the famous turtle racing. Some may abhor the idea of animal cruelty, but many who come are here to enjoy the entertainment. Unfortunately, I arrived here too late and missed the turtle race. Note: Races are held between 9 and 10pm every Thursday night. The races are held in the outdoor patio where there's actually a race track. Kinda cute, and yes, kinda weird. The patrons of Brennan's are comprised of mostly college students, from LMU, I think. There's even a small dance floor where drunk people can bust out their dance moves. There are also various big screens so that you can enjoy the Olympics or any sporting event on TV. Drinks are priced decently, about $5-7, depending if you're getting beers or cocktails. Kinda cool, and yes, kinda dive-y.

    (3)

  • Teresa R.

    The first time I came here, I was annoyed by how loud and obnoxious everyone was... apparently it's just not my scene. That said, after a couple car bombs I could rather enjoy the turtle races, and then go inside and enjoy the dance floor!

    (4)

  • Harrison G.

    Thursday turtle racing!! Thursday turtle racing!! Thursday turtle racing!! That's all I've experienced of this place. Other reviewers can give a better account of the whole experience, and it's definitely something you should experience at least once. It's fun for about an hour or so but then gets a little boring unless the volunteer women are actually attractive. All that being said, this is probably only a place I'll come if friends are having a big gathering or if a friend is visiting from out of town and I want to show them something unique. Other than that, there's nothing special to bring me back.

    (3)

  • Patrick O.

    So yes, they race turtles and what not, however my review for this place is going a completely different route. This is, by far, the BEST Denver Sports bar in LA, go on Sundays and it's all Broncos, all the time. This is a GREAT place to watch the games and, with the occasional douchebag shouting "RADIER NATION!!" it's a great alternative to all the "East Coast Happy" bars found all over the city. Kudos brennans.

    (4)

  • Jeanette I.

    I think this would be a solid three-star dive bar, but the Thursday night turtle races bump it up to four for me. Especially fun place to take out-of-towners for some drinks and unique cheap entertainment. Get two beers so you're less likely to get in trouble for pointing at the turtles.

    (4)

  • Brian C.

    The last time I came here may very well be my last, though a lot of my friends drag me out there sometimes (and these are girls, and their not trashy, I guess maybe they like watching the other girls be idiots or something) I met up with everyone and went to the outside bar that is cash only and sells $3 Bud Lights in solo cups. Like most people have said, this place is a total dive combined with a frat house mentality that rubs anyone with any kind of morals the wrong way. You DO NOT come here for good mixed drinks, so if your the" I like pink fruity drinks" kind of girl or guy, stay away, if your the "Somebody pour some cheap liquor and/or beer down my throat cuz I want to get fucked up" kind of girl or guy then, JACKPOT! There are a lot of reviews here that explain how the races work, so I'm not going to get into that. Needless to say the entire point of the races is to stare at chicks asses and take money from drunk idiots who point at the turtles mid race. These are the "highlights" I've seen during my visits: One dude so drunk that he pointed 3 times in one race at a turtle and got fined, first time $10, second time $20, third time $50 -he doesn't want to pay it, they throw him out. One chick who pulled the same stunt but also didn't want to pay, so she agreed to one "clit-flicking" I shit you not (she was wearing the typical "long sweater over stretch pants" outfit so there was maximum contact, I heard that shit from 20 ft away and it looked like it hurt from to the look on her face) and giving the enormous black bouncer dude a kiss on the cheek. Seriously, that guy's a fucking giant. He looks like the kind of guy who rapes dudes in the bathroom in prison movies, or like that show OZ that used to be on HBO. Anyway...I hope that sets the tone for any of you Brennans' virgins who may be reading this and thinking of going. So back to my night, I'm 3 or 4 beers in and the usual shenanigans are going on. Some chick that no one wants to see bend over is getting flagged for bending her knees while putting her turtle down for the third time. Next up is a dude, yep, they let dudes do this too, though most back out and get a chick to stand in for them once they figure out what's going on. Next on the list is this lady who is old as shit heading out there with her turtle. Seriously, I think she's probably in her 70's, and not Sophia Loren 70's, more like Jessica Tandy 70's. Now I've had some more beers during this time and had pre-gamed before I went (I really can't be at this place sober with the nearly toxic levels of douchebagery that surround you) and I hadn't had dinner, in other words, I'm drunk. I figure that I'm going to entertain myself and my friends by making some more comments (which I'd done throughout the evening) So I say to them, not overly loudly, just enough for our group to hear, "If I wanted to watch Murder she wrote, I'd have stayed at home and watched TBS" . Some idiot that works there, let's call him Sir Thugs-a-lot is standing maybe 4 ft away, hears this and comes over to me. He proceeds to ask me if I know the rules, to which I reply, "Yeah don't point at the turtles". He says, "You forgot the other rule, don't be a douchebag. That's my grandmother over there your talking about and if you say anything else your out of here." I think to myself, "Oooh clever, I see what you did there, the other rule is I'm a douchebag, wow, do you do stand up somewhere, can I come to your show, your a regular fucking Seinfeld, I think I just might shit myself due to the comedic fucking bomb you just laid on me. So I say to him "Really? That's your grandmother, then I point to a mid forties lady standing off to the side of the ring, "Is that your mom too?" He says, "Yeah, she's up next so cut that shit out" I think to myself, wait a minute, you work at a place that has chicks bend over in front of drunk assholes, you take a microphone and walk around and make fun of everyone around you, call people idiots, assholes, etc. , take upskirt photos of the girls racing turtles, flick chicks in the clit, and go for the gold by bringing your fucking grandmother and mother in to not only watch, but race the turtles, and I'm the douchebag. Wow. It was so mind fucking blowing that I'm pretty sure something in my brain just misfired and I had nothing to say. I manage a "Sorry, I didn't mean to insult your family" before he limps off (I think it was his attempt at some kind of "pimp-stroll") I'm treated to a view of his underwear because of course his pants are around his ankles, I guess his mother or grandmother didn't t teach him how to dress, he must have learned that in prison. That completes my shimmering tapestry of fuck, I hope you enjoyed the ride. As for my recommendation of this place, if you haven't been, well go and watch the nightmare, if you have been, well you already know what your in for. Stay classy Brennans!

    (1)

  • eli o.

    First Brennan's is a BRONCOS BAR!!! So if you're a broncos fan, definitely head there on Sundays to cheer w/ new found friends. Brennan's is a great neighborhood bar if you want to go for a few drinks and enjoy the company your with. Brittney the bartender is freaking awesome! If you ever run into her, tell her Eli says hi! With regards to turtle racing, hey, if you're a college kid looking to act stupid and get drunk, then this is definitely the place for you. If you're a west-sider over the age of 25 and have graduated from college, stay away from this night. However, they do have other great acts throughout the week so make sure to look them up if you're looking for a fun evening.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :4:00 pm - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Late Night
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Divey
    Noise Level : Loud
    Music : Live
    Good For Dancing : Yes
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Brennan’s Pub

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