Mother Lode – gay bar in West Hollywood
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Mother Lode

Google (319) 4.4
Tripadvisor (9) 4.2
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What reviewers say

Visitors often praise Mother Lode for its welcoming atmosphere, good music, and strong, affordable drinks served by friendly staff. However, a recurring complaint highlights instances of rude and unprofessional behavior from some bartenders, including one described as short with bleached blonde hair who allegedly threw a phone and insulted customers.

86
/ 100
GayOut Score
G4.4 🦉4.2
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Address
8944 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood

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20 gay bars, clubs & saunas from our guide Purple outline = where the gay scene is concentrated

About this place Mother Lode

Mother Lode, at 8944 Santa Monica Boulevard, is the old-school gay dive bar on the West Hollywood strip. Drinks are strong and cheap by WeHo standards, the room is small, and the crowd is mostly local men, many of whom have been regulars for years. Go-go dancers work some nights. It's a quieter option than the big clubs on the same stretch, and it's busiest at happy hour and late on weekends. The bar posts its schedule on Instagram (@motherlodebar) rather than a website, so check there for current nights and hours.

Features

Gay Happy Hour Mixed LGBTQ+ Chill / Relaxed Local favorite Dive bar Themed parties Card payments accepted Walk-ins welcome Evening venue Late night (after midnight) Year-round

Insider Tips

Community Reviews

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Google Reviews

Verified by Google
4.4
★★★★★
319 reviews

Based on 319 Google reviews.

Ravid Bitton
Ravid Bitton Jul 2026
★★★★★

After yesterday's flight, I was looking for a place to relax, and I'm so glad I ended up here. It was exactly what I needed after a long day of traveling. The atmosphere was welcoming, the music set the perfect mood, and the staff made me feel right at home. Everything was top-notch, from the service to the overall vibe. I left feeling refreshed and happy. I definitely recommend this place!

jerry hernandez
jerry hernandez Jun 2026
★★★★★
Gerard Arevalo
Gerard Arevalo Jun 2026
★★★★★

The bartenders like Mathew are kind and serve good amount of alcohol!!! mathew is so friendly, best customer service ever!! The music is amazing. There are stools by the bar!! There's a dance floor The staff is actually very friendly and kind with the customers

JRICH
JRICH Jun 2026
★★★★★
Dario Bell
Dario Bell May 2026
★★★★★

Absolutely terrible experience at Mother Lode. The short bartender with bleached blond hair gave our group attitude from the second we walked in, then actually threw our friend’s phone instead of handling the situation professionally. I’ve never been someone who skips a tip, but the behavior was rude, aggressive, and completely unprofessional. Definitely not the welcoming vibe you expect from a gay bar. Won’t be coming back.

Mariana Perez Magnasco
Mariana Perez Magnasco May 2026
★★★★★

Terrible experience with the bartender, his attitude was extremely rude and insult my friend when he left no tip for his nasty attitude.

Daniel Gamarra Parreño
Daniel Gamarra Parreño May 2026
★★★★★

Horrible experience. The short bartender with the buzzed blonde fried hair was incredibly rude and disrespectful to me and my friends all night. I placed my phone on the bar for a second to record us, and instead of asking me to move it, he shoved it and made it fall. His attitude was aggressive and insulting the entire time. Management seriously needs to address this because employees like this ruin the experience completely.

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20 reviews so far — add yours

Last updated on 9 November 2026

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