General Lee's

Awesome weekend nightlife spot. Music is great, bouncers are friendly, speakers are super high quality (strong bass) and not overly-loud, and free self-serve water. The Ringmaster goji berry cocktail is phenomenal. Only downside is it gets very congested and kinda hard to move around.

The atmosphere on Jazz Tuesdays is fantastic, definitely a 10/10. However, the bartender took 20 minutes to serve me, and when I finally ordered a beer, she went to serve other people at the bar. Additionally, she prepared the drinks with her bare hands, handling the fruit after touching her hair and receiving money, which I found unhygienic.

Idk how much anything costs - I don't handle that. What I do know is that the man at the door is a gentleman, the people looked good, the music was great, everyone behaved well, and the drinks were nice They def need more space. It was too packed for me(literally, u can't move in some areas), so I walked in, drank my drink, and went back outside. You can still hear the music out there. If they could get permission to use the outside, too, they would dominate the nightlife scene, and it would be so pretty and lovely <3

Never knew there was nightlife in LA Chinatown until some friends suggested General Lee’s for a night out. Don’t be fooled by the name or the fact it’s in Chinatown though. Most of the patrons and staff were not Asian. It’s a decent space with 2 levels but gets crowded, especially downstairs around the bar and restrooms next to it. Only 1 of the 2 restrooms were functioning the night we went. In the upstairs area, there’s a bit more room to dance, and there are sofas if you want to relax for a minute. Cocktails are unique blends, not really to my liking, but at least they’re more creative than standard club cocktails.

Pretty small place. Everyone who works here is great. Bartenders are friendly and security hands out water bottles when they close and I even saw them helping out this guy who was way too drunk look for his group.

Chic yet casual nightclub with excellent DJs spinning rap and dance hits. Come for the music. Stay for the drinks and the dancing. Outside there is a nice patio to cool off if needed. Security and bartenders were hospitable. Will go again.

Would give them a big fat 0 cause my girl on her bday got assaulted by the security guard. He shoved her into the metal barrier and twisted her ankle, called an ambulance and the owner sided with the douche bag guard saying he did nothing wrong and all she wanted to do was dance. I would not recommend going here unless you want to be treated with disrespect.

The best Club in LA. The music was so great. I love the trap music, hip hop, r&b. It was such a vibe. It's very hard to find places like this in LA.

Awesome weekend nightlife spot. Music is great, bouncers are friendly, speakers are super high quality (strong bass) and not overly-loud, and free self-serve water. The Ringmaster goji berry cocktail is phenomenal. Only downside is it gets very congested and kinda hard to move around.

The atmosphere on Jazz Tuesdays is fantastic, definitely a 10/10. However, the bartender took 20 minutes to serve me, and when I finally ordered a beer, she went to serve other people at the bar. Additionally, she prepared the drinks with her bare hands, handling the fruit after touching her hair and receiving money, which I found unhygienic.

Idk how much anything costs - I don't handle that. What I do know is that the man at the door is a gentleman, the people looked good, the music was great, everyone behaved well, and the drinks were nice They def need more space. It was too packed for me(literally, u can't move in some areas), so I walked in, drank my drink, and went back outside. You can still hear the music out there. If they could get permission to use the outside, too, they would dominate the nightlife scene, and it would be so pretty and lovely <3

Never knew there was nightlife in LA Chinatown until some friends suggested General Lee’s for a night out. Don’t be fooled by the name or the fact it’s in Chinatown though. Most of the patrons and staff were not Asian. It’s a decent space with 2 levels but gets crowded, especially downstairs around the bar and restrooms next to it. Only 1 of the 2 restrooms were functioning the night we went. In the upstairs area, there’s a bit more room to dance, and there are sofas if you want to relax for a minute. Cocktails are unique blends, not really to my liking, but at least they’re more creative than standard club cocktails.

Pretty small place. Everyone who works here is great. Bartenders are friendly and security hands out water bottles when they close and I even saw them helping out this guy who was way too drunk look for his group.

Chic yet casual nightclub with excellent DJs spinning rap and dance hits. Come for the music. Stay for the drinks and the dancing. Outside there is a nice patio to cool off if needed. Security and bartenders were hospitable. Will go again.

Would give them a big fat 0 cause my girl on her bday got assaulted by the security guard. He shoved her into the metal barrier and twisted her ankle, called an ambulance and the owner sided with the douche bag guard saying he did nothing wrong and all she wanted to do was dance. I would not recommend going here unless you want to be treated with disrespect.

The best Club in LA. The music was so great. I love the trap music, hip hop, r&b. It was such a vibe. It's very hard to find places like this in LA.

FRIDAY OLD SKOOL HIP HOP R&B NIGHTS This lounge gets crowded fast and there aren't many tables so if you're old like me get there early to snag a table or chair lol. Pros - Friday DJ plays ALL THE JAMS from the 90's 00's - ya can get in with sneakers - bartenders have a heavy pour - everyone's dancing and in a good mood Cons - not a lot of sitting areas - it gets hot so bring a fan like I did lol General Lee's is a fun little spot for anyone who wants to get their boogie on!

Went on a Thursday for Mahjong night. Vibes are immaculate, drinks are INCREDIBLE!! I forgot the name of my drink but it had baijiu and goji berries (I was initially scared by the baijiu but it wasn't that strong at all). Excuse my blurry photo. Bartenders are also very knowledgeable and helpful.

I went on a saturday for my boyfriends 21st birthday and it was so much fun. So busy too. The bartenders were so so nice and all the drinks were so pretty. Upstairs had a bar and a private room w techno that we couldn't get into so we stuck to the r&b downstairs. The line got sooooo long after we got there, get there early cuz it gets packed

I love this place Labor Day at 12pm kind of dead but as always the drinks are a heavy hand enough to get you buzzed with two and also good music you can dance too. Bartenders get busy so be patient worth it.

Came here for the first time to celebrate a friends birthday and had tables reserved, super friendly staff! The place itself is pretty small. There's 2 floors. 1st floor has a bar and a more chill laid back vibe. The 2nd floor is where they have the DJ and dance floor. There's also a bar upstairs and restroom as well. It can and does get pretty crowded. So expect a queue if you are coming later at night Parking: street parking

They made us wait in the rain lol and the bouncer who was just talking to EVERYBODDYYY takin his sweet ass time letting everyone in but he was nice tho lol Pretty small and crowded esp upstairs , bitches were shaking their ass on me all night long. Killed my vibe smh and I would've moved if I HAD ENUFF SPACE WHICH BTW THEre wasn't. So there's that. It was getting stuffy so me and my group moved downstairs which was more roomy and breezy. The music was good but towards the end it was mid then picked up again. It's a good spot to be and I would say worth the try! I wouldn't mind going back again with my friends Ig:madiphoria

The music could've been better but it was still poppin! Security was great. Would def return

We come all the time but this one time our friends were trying to finish their drinks in line and they didn't let us in which was stupid because they were EMPTY. What shitty security guards. We were NOT bringing the drinks inside.

General Lee's is a fun bar to hang out while in Chinatown. It is located in the central plaza where all red pretty lanterns are. I visited General Lee's during the Summer nights of 2023. The whole plaza was crowded and very festive. The bar is surprisingly spacious and had amazing drinks. Look forward to my next visit.

We recently held a private event here for our nonprofit networking group and had such a positive experience! The service was top notch. The security guard was so helpful and even helped man our sign-in table when no one was there. The bartenders were quick to take orders. They cleaned up empty glasses promptly. I don't drink alcohol and their mocktails were some of the best I've had. There's a nearby parking lot with all day parking for $10. If you plan to stay less than 2 hours, there's metered street parking. We'll definitely be hosting our events here regularly!

Never knew there was nightlife in LA Chinatown until some friends suggested General Lee's for a night out. Don't be fooled by the name or the fact it's in Chinatown though. Most of the patrons and staff were not Asian. It's a decent space with 2 levels but gets crowded, especially downstairs around the bar and restrooms next to it. Only 1 of the 2 restrooms were functioning the night we went. In the upstairs area, there's a bit more room to dance, and there are sofas if you want to relax for a minute. Cocktails are unique blends, not really to my liking, but at least they're more creative than standard club cocktails.

4+ a really fun spot in the heart of Chinatown in downtown LA. I like the decor of the place. Also, know that my experience is a tale of two different places. Earlier in the night, it feels more like a cocktail lounge where they have a really good selection. Not a big selection, but they have some hidden gems there from time to time. Later in the night, it feels like it blows up to a full on club with loud music and bigger crowds. So a group of us came here, waiting for a table at a restaurant nearby. We figured that will grab a drink until the restaurant gave us a text. My buddy and I was able to find this rare whiskey at a very reasonable price so that's what we were drinking. The bartenders were super friendly and liked to talk about the whiskey as well. We actually wanted to stop by after dinner for another pour of that particular whiskey. By then the music was really loud, and I felt like I was too old to get in there to get a drink, lol. Although it looked like people were having fun there. Overall, I would say, this place is a fun place to be and great for drinks earlier in the night or day if possible.

I only ever come to General Lee's on Tuesdays. Live jazz players and jam sessions open to whoever wants to play. The musicians are so damn talented and you can't beat the vibe. A chill relaxed atmosphere. Bartender pouring strong drinks and fantastic music.

The vibe was legit- thanks to the music they were playing. Great choice of songs all the way! It was a place where people were dancing and having a good time! Sort of a hidden spot which is cool! Didn't spend as much time as we could but next time will definitely do that!

Bar tenders are really nice, the bouncers are chill. The decor inside is so unique, I love the low lighting! Drinks are what you expect a bit expensive but hey you're out in LA lol. They are strong tho! Only thing, the music was a bit lackluster both down stairs (hip hop) and up (EDM/ House). The DJ at some point asked me and my party what we wanted to hear like isn't that your job? Overall would come back again if the music was a bit better!

yall this place is popping! the bouncers are nice, the people were friendly, and the bartenders were amazing. we got there a little past 10 and there was no line to get in :) there are two floors, each with their own bar area and djs. the music was a little bit of everything, ranging from disco to latin hits. they also had water stations, which were much appreciated. i will definitely be back!

A bar that turns into a club at night. The place can be considered a cocktail bar but around 10pm, it turns into a club with a dance floor. It's a great place to host birthdays or events- they are easy to coordinate with. I worked with Phillip via email to reserve a table for a big party and he was really helpful in doing so. I am pleased with my experience. The drinks are good but it can get hard to get drinks later in the night when it's busy and there can be a line outside if you get here around 11pm. I will definitely go back especially if I want to host something!

Great bar! Good music, not the biggest. However the vibes are good! It's more of a bar for an intimate group of friends or a date!

Frat parties had better DJs. Honestly really disappointed with the music choose the DJ went with. You know that really unsatisfying feeling when you're about to sneeze but the feeling disappears? Yeah, that's going to be your entire night at General Lees. A good song was rarely ever followed up by another good song. 69% of the songs played were just songs trending on TikTok. Nasty Girl was replayed FOUR TIMES!

I have only ever come here at nighttime/after hours post-concerts and I gotta say, General Lee's is SO FREAKIN FUN! Great music, love how it's kind of separated between the upstairs and downstairs. Yes it is VERY small and can get extremely crowded, which adds to the line outside but the wait is worth it! Bartenders are quick, everyone is there to have a fun time and I usually stay until closing. Can't wait to go back!!!

Came by on a Friday night. It's an under 30 crowd for the most part. Nice interior design and layout. Separate bars upstairs are slightly more chill so you have a few options on where to hang. 2 issues: 1) Drinks were comically expensive. A Jack + coke double was $30. Even the most exclusive clubs on the west side don't charge that much. Even LAX airport, where everything is overpriced and a bottle of water costs $9, you can still order a double JD for under $20. So we paid $78 for 3 drinks. Come on guys. And remember patrons, you don't have to normalize this by accepting it. You have options. 2) The music started out mildly too loud, then onto conversation-killing, at which point we gave up talking, then continued onto ear damaging. Note I'm over 40, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. The DecibelX app registered an average of 95db. Hearing damage starts around 82db. Yes of course I love a good sound system and feeling the bass. But I'm not stupid nor a masochist. And people go out to socialize as well as dance. No one was dancing yet, so at least let them talk. Don't trade your customer's hearing for the sake of the DJ. Find the right volume that satisfies you both. Use a limiter if needed. Overall, I'd say come (and leave here) early or on an off night, and maybe it'll be chill. Avoid the weekend nights if you value your money and your ear drums. Or if you're super young, maybe you won't care about any of this.

Our absolute favorite place to be. If you vibe with 90s and R&B, this place is sooo good, it is honestly one of our happy place! We especially love Friday nights when they have Sad Boy Drinkers Club. Check out their Instagram to see what they're doing each night. I love how consistent they are on there. This place is two stories with two sets of DJs and bars in both levels. The bathroom upstairs is coed and super cute General Lee's is probably the closest thing I could get to New Orleans vibes where everyone is just so nice and open with the best music to dance to. If you know of another place just like this, dm me lol... the employees are starting to remember us

This was the first bar I had ever visited in Chinatown and before the KCRW event down the way, we wanted to get our drink on and were pleased with what we found. It's to two-floor bar with the feeling of being in southeast Asia with greenery and dark wood all over the place. The music being played was good too, but following them were the drinks that were on point. We knew that this was no regular bar, but one with a boutique feel. Each drink we ordered was made with generosity and not poured without any flare. The guys and gals behind the bar made good drinks all around and more than deserved the tip we left. Lee's doesn't have happy hour, but you probably found that out when you walked in and saw no TVs, no neon signs, and single bathrooms. It's a classy place and very glad to have another place to keep going to during nights out in LA.

Great cocktails, fun crowd, super nice bouncers / staff, clean venue. Went on a Friday night and it was packed. Music was going upstairs, people chilling downstairs. Drinks aren't too expensive. Only struggle with this place is that the music is LOUD. Makes it hard to have a conversation; wouldn't recommend going here for a date.

Great drinks !!! Love this place great vibes and music Definitely will recommend My friend come here every week so that tells you

Got assaulted by the bouncer here a few years ago, haven't been back since. Dont come here, it's trash. Cramped and overpriced. Also did I mention the bouncer assaulted me because he didn't like my "vibe". He tackled me from behind and turned the crowd on me, even after I showed him my ID. Dont come here unless you want to get slammed into the ground. We went down to songbird instead where we had no issues getting in and staying there.

Good vibes & good music. It gets pretty crowded but overall a cool place to hit & have fun with a nice ambiance.

I was very impressed with this place and I'm happy I went with a group who recommended this place to start drinking at! We got there as it started to get poppin' on a Saturday night, and I was extremely happy with the drinks we ordered and the vibe upstairs with the DJ playing some hip hop and r&b oldies and contemporary hits. The crowd was very diverse and lots of people were dancing. I love these types of spaces when you have chill bar and lounge scenes with a dancing space with good music. Having both the downstairs and upstairs really makes this place a great spot to go with friends or a date! I would have never expected this place to exist in the literal plaza that I've always walked by growing up in the LA area, but low and behold there is a bar here I had no idea about! Would definitely recommend!

This review is specific to the guys working security on the floor and at the door. My friend went a little too hard celebrating her birthday and ended up getting sick. The guys immediately responded by bringing us waters and towels, they were also super courteous in assisting us with getting her out okay. We didn't make it far once we got out but they continued to be supportive and helpful, even going back inside to grab us more water and towels - I was blown away by the level of professionalism and compassion. Just know you're in good hands with the folks at General Lee's. We've always had a fun time there but it makes things even better knowing you've got quality staff looking to keep people safe and who ensure everyone can enjoy themselves. When we left, I wasn't able to fully express my gratitude for treating us with decency and respect. Hopefully this message gets to the fellas who were working tonight: THANK YOU.

Had a FANTASTIC time visiting General Lee's Cocktail House last night. The bartender, T, served a great Ube Colada! We also spoke to Phil who was so helpful in answering our questions about reserving tables for a party. The service here is above and beyond, and everyone was so friendly! Highly recommend!

This bar is in the heart of a Chinatown and a bit hidden as they do not have a huge banner... only led brown lights when they open at 8pm ish. We were the first group to enter the bar and it was really clean and nice inside! We ordered two drinks: the howling blood moon and a custom drink the bartender made for me! The bartender was super nice and accommodating. He asked what types of spirits I like and he made a cocktail that tasted like pina colada but in a punch version. It was very good! If you don't like the drinks on the menu, the bartender can make anything as long as they have the ingredients to do so! :) Very nice low key spot to enjoy with friends especially during the pandemic! Definitely a hidden gem in Chinatown. Parking: street parking but it was hard to find parking nearby the bar... I ended up finding g a spot two blocks down after circling around multiple times!

Shoutout to the bartender who made a lychee vodka drink for us even though it wasn't on the menu :) the drink was really good! Drinks can also be really strong depending what you get. Vibes were great. It seemed like the crowd here is somewhere between late 20s to 40s? At the NYE event, there were more older songs played and a few newer ones here and there. Parking can be tricky because it's all street parking around the area. The bar was a lot smaller than I thought, and I thought it was lowkey enough to not have a lot of people, but it does get busy!!

General Lee's is wild! Well, at least it was last night. The bar was completely packed, making it quite difficult to walk around and order a drink. This is probably the busiest bar I've been to since before the pandemic. That said, we had a pretty fun time here. If planning a night out in Chinatown, General Lee's might just be the most popular spot in the area. There was a line to get in when we arrived, and I was shocked to see how long it had grown by the time we left. I can't speak to the cocktails, but I believe that is what they are known for. I enjoyed a beer prior to heading home.

Went last Saturday night, starts cracking around 11. Try the Artic Cooler and Guinea Pig

Great spot to get a drink or 3 with awesome DJ's and a great ambiance! I came here on a Friday night and let me tell you, it was poppin'! Great crowd, good vibes all night long! There are 2 floors here at General Lee's. DJ at the bottom floor was playing hip hop and the top floor was more so edm. Let me tell you! If you like a sweet and strong cocktail, go for their upside down pineapple! This drink crept up on me. Hah. Service at the bar was good! Slow, because it was crowded, but overall amazing! Definitely a good spot to come out to get a drink and for good vibes and music!

I came here years ago and had a blast. Always meant to come back, but never got around to it. On a whim one Saturday evening, when our plans fell through at another bar in the Arts District, we jumped in an Uber to see if this place was as fun as I remembered. Spoiler alert: it was! Possibly even more fun. The staff were so nice and weren't shy with the vodka pours and the DJ was exactly what you hope for when you're looking for a fun night out. He kept us dancing all night long. The only thing I didn't like was that there was one DJ per floor so the sounds would blend in together and just become noise in certain spots of the bar. The downstairs DJ is where we spent most of the time, he seemed to be playing mostly hip hop and the upstairs DJ threw in a little more pop and funk. All the seats and tables on the ground floor were reserved that night, but there were some tables and couches upstairs if you wanted to take a break. We left around 12:30 and there was still a line outside to get in.

My group and I came to celebrate Halloween weekend and it was everyone's first time partying at General Lee's. We were curious to check out the nightlife scene in Chinatown and General Lee's was its hidden gem. Disclaimer: I actually ended up enjoying my time here. The drinks were tasty and flowing, the music was bumping and the vibes were just right. So why the 3 stars? Well judging from some of the reviews here, some customers have had a bad experience with the staff. I get the nature of working in the nightlife industry, you're bound to meet rude, unruly patrons. However, my fiancé is definitely not one of them. We were waiting with some friends to order drinks at the bar and after waiting patiently for some time, my friends left after getting their drinks. It should've been my fiancé's turn to order next but then some random girl swoops in at the last minute and the bartender decides to take her order instead. My fiancé politely tried to explain to the bartender he was actually there first but the bartender starts aggressively asking if there was going to be a problem, acting like my fiancé was the bad guy. Of course, my fiancé, being the bigger person, didn't care to escalate so he said the girl could go first then. I get it, it was probably just a misunderstanding. The bartender could've apologized and tell my fiancé he would get to him next without the major attitude. Absolutely no need to be so confrontational. It doesn't seem like management has addressed any of the other negative reviews regarding their staff so I'm guessing this will probably fall on deaf ears as well.

Good cocktails and great vibe!! This is a really under rated bar in Chinatown. I've been here a few times and it's always been a great time with good music.

Beautiful people and delicious craft cocktails. Bartenders are the best. And the establishment is so pretty with all the greenery and red tones. You can tell they really take pride in their space.

Nightlife: my go-to for a good time just dancing with friends. Some days the upstairs plays house music and the bottom plays hiphop/r&b. Somedays they play different music up top, the days different. Restrooms are fairly clean. Drink prices are right. A drink I enjoyed: General Lees Tea. Moscow mules are always made spot on. -What I didn't like.... that the bartender added a tip of 25% for themself onto my bill of 1 drink..... awkward & not cool. Not sure if he assumed I was tipsy and wouldn't notice.. But pls don't try and take advantage of ppl like this. Parking hack: Park at alpine bark and enjoy the walk there and back. You will stumble on another bar/lounge on the way :)

Music was great, service was great! We went on a wednesday night and really no one was there while we were there which was a nice change. Love the vibes here and it turns up on the weekend

This place is so funnn! The only thing is the female bartender that was there was sooo rude, saying she couldn't serve a AMF ( myself being a bartender i asked her if she had the following items) cut me off and said they do not sell them, my friend had just ordered one and she proceeds to say well that was earlier, just very rude looks like she hates her job, but THANK GOD for IAN !!! He changed my own experience around he made me a bomb AMF!! he really knows how to handle the stress and was so friendly while doing so. If you are there make sure to go to IAN

I've come here on 2 separate occasions. Once when the line was wrapping around the block, it was super packed and not very enjoyable. There wasn't enough room to dance and everyone was pushing. On another occasion there was no wait time, music was great and we had a great time!

First time going to General Lees this past weekend. Got to say, I loved it! The drink prices are a bit expensive but not outrageous. I loved the vibe, the staff. The bartenders are super friendly! Will come again

Drinks were ok but I don't like bijou. The atmosphere, decorations, and vibe were really good. Came for the Holidays. Definitely check out upstairs, very cool rooms and bathroom. Can be packed and parking is hard to find

Everything is great BUT THE DJ FUCKING SUCKS ASS??? There's no reason why you should play the same shit every time. Upgrade or mix that shit, love y'all though. JUST SWITCH DJS

Came here the first Thursday of the month for Sade Night, a night dedicated to the legendary music of Sade. The DJs did not disappoint and neither did the crowd, which was dancing all night long. Service was a little slow, but it was a small crowded bar, so honestly that's to be expected. Highly recommend this place as a spot to grab a drink--especially on the first Thursday of the month if you're a Sade fan.

I've been waiting for them to re-open and finally got to go back. Their new cocktails are tasty. It is a very chill spot. Some people dress all up and others are in jeans, shorts, tees/tanks, sneakers. Come as you are and be comfortable. It's easy to have a conversation and catch up with someone while enjoying their cocktails. However, once the DJ starts, it gets louder and conversation needs to be left with your hips. It goes from chill to 100 pretty quick when the DJ starts. I love the first floor more and hip hop/r&b tends to be played more on the first floor.

Such a good vibe at this place and really good music ! It's dark and it gives it an interesting vibe. I went on a Saturday night and the music was good all night!