LA’s Oldest Irish Bar Tom Bergin’s Will Close on January 21

Nostalgic drinkers will have to find a new place to imbibe this Saint Patrick’s Day, as Los Angeles Irish bar legend Tom Bergin’s will close on Sunday, January 21. The bar has survived through multiple iterations over the years, and currently holds one of the county’s oldest liquor licenses, dating to 1935.

The news of the shutter comes as a surprise to many, particularly given all the back-and-forth the place had undergone in recent years. Seven or so years ago, the longtime husband and wife owners behind Tom Bergin’s sold to a group that included noted local chef Brandon Boudet and property owner Warner Ebbink, who then promptly attempted to rehab the place by bringing in upscaled food and fancy cocktails. That proved short-lived, leaving Boudet and Co. to actually shutter the bar for the first time back in 2012.

Thankfully, a buyer named Derek Schreck stepped in to reopen the property in 2013. He cleaned up the aging shamrocks on the bar ceiling, added more casual food for the back dining area, and more recently even opened an upstairs members-only whiskey lounge called Vestry. But alas, it was not enough.

In a post to Instagram early this morning, Schreck says:

It is with heavy hearts that we reach out to you today to announce that on Sunday, January, 21st, Tom Bergin’s will close its doors. It has been a decision that has proved itself almost impossible to reach, and the culmination of deliberation and grief.

Five years ago we embarked on a beautiful and ambitious journey to carry on the legendary traditions of one of LA’s most iconic establishments; a journey with formidable hurdles and soaring success. We built LA’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration; witnessed LA Rams Football’s controversial return to our city; and cut the ribbon on Vestry, a private speakeasy and lounge. However, we face harsh realities of the demands of both our little Irish cottage here, and also the marketplace at large.

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To all of you who have made Tom Bergin’s the unique and significant institution it is, it has been our pleasure to serve you. We offer you our sincerest and warmest thanks, and many, many, many, many good tidings.

The full notice, including details on remaining hours, final celebrations, and deals on food and beer, can be found here. Tom Bergin’s management says they’ll be dwindling all of their reserves of booze, food, and beer between now and then, so expect a much more limited supply of favorites later in the week. The final day of service is Sunday, January 21.

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