Gym Sportsbar in West Hollywood opened Friday night to a packed house: When the doors opened to the general public at 9pm, the bar was already at capacity. The bar itself has a very different feel from the New York establishment: It’s newer and sleaker; Instead of the brick of New York, it features a really cool basketball-covered wall; Blues and greys replace New York’s reds and browns. The space itself is a little on the small side, but a large patio gives them a lot more room. The crowd was very similar to the New York bar’s crowd: Racially mixed, skewing slightly older than the usual West Hollywood crowd. Cheer Los Angeles even came out to show their support!
When I went back Sunday night to watch the Chargers-Steelers game, the bar was again crowded. Lots of Chargers (and a couple Steelers) jerseys adorned the crowd. I even saw our very own Maddog, whom I hadn’t met before, in his blue-and-gold. One of the owners told me they had a great weekend, which was encouraging to hear: I don’t want my new favorite bar to anywhere anytime soon!
A couple more pics after the jump.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Hmmm! Will need to start heading there on some Sats & Suns.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 2:36 PM
It was nice meeting you too, Cyd. You may not have known it but BoltsBoy1980 was sitting next to you in the powder blue jersey. I’m guessing 1980 was the year he was born.
I think Gym had a nice start. I would like them to get rid of the pool table to increase capacity. Have them trade it in for a shuffleboard or something they could put against a wall that would allow more seating. There are probably 30 pool tables on the strip but I don’t think there is a shuffleboard anywhere.
Secondly, I would love to have the Sunday Night and Monday Night games with sound. The music was turned down low but it would be nice to hear the game. It was great that they turned the music off and the game on in the third quarter last night.
All in all and fun weekend. Welcome to LA!
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 2:36 PM
a fun weekend!
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 2:51 PM
haha I had a blast even though the score of my game wasn’t what I’d hope for! nice meeting you guys and it’s fun getting pumped up for my team and talking football with people who are passionate and smart about it too. The door dude said they only turn on the sound for Superbowl or something, but I think he was denying me cuz he’s a Bronc-hoes fan! haha but I’ll def be there for Monday night football in 2 weeks for Bolts-Broncs. Yep, I was born in 1980…year of the Monkey, bitches!
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 3:44 PM
BoltsBoy, I had no idea that was you! Glad to watch the game with you! Well Antonio Gates got me 25 fantasy points, so I was thrilled! And Norv Turner is still a crappy head coach
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Cyd, why wasn’t an announcement/invitation made here on OS about the opening on Friday?
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Yeah, Cyd, I didnt know that was you either until Maddog told me, then it made sense haha. And I said I’d gladly be down for a different head coach and I don’t think it was the right hire…BUT…that doesn’t mean I am not stoked beyond belief that we’ve won playoff games the last 2 years against the Colts
and I still believe that trading Brees and keeping Rivers was a great decision even though it differed with the professional medical opinion of your buddy, Dr. Steeler! haha…hope to see you guys around on Sundays!
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 4:34 PM
SCTrojan, we did announce it:
http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2009/09/20/gym-sportsbar-opening-in-los-angeles/
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 5:29 PM
Ahhh! I missed it. Thanks Cyd for the clarification.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 5:34 PM
There’s a sports bar here in Saskatoon that has portable speakers. They have a bunch of TVs, all turned to different games so when you and your buddies want to watch one of them – they give you a portable speaker that you put on your table and you can hear the game.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Cyd,
Like you, I was ecstatic to see GYM open in NYC and was a regular there for the first year it was open. But slowly the atmosphere has changed from “a bar for gay men who like sports” to “a gay bar with cute sporty decorations” as the men who enjoy sports are crowded out by men who don’t like sports but like men who like sports.
I’m no snob… everyone is welcome everywhere, but I was sad to see GYM lose it’s true sports lovers. In the end, I’ve ended up back at my old mixed-crowd sports bars hashing out games with straights and gays alike. And to be honest, I find I actually prefer it.
Of course, I reserve the right to visit GYM for non-sporting purposes.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 8:19 PM
Hey Scott, I also live in NYC and would be curious to find out where you now watch games with your, ” . . . mixed-crowd sports bars hashing out games with straights and gays alike . . . “.
I’m not aware of any sports bars in NYC other than GYM where one can find an open/obvious gay crowd – whether mixed or exclusively gay.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Is there such a thing as Outsports chasers???
Wow.
on Oct 9th, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Well I guess the weho types are going to “Act” like they are into sports now fr the simple fact to find a jock to hook up with. I hope they keep the music off and TV volume up so you can actually hear the games. If only they opened this in a different neighborhood.
on Oct 11th, 2009 at 3:02 PM
I was there for one of the 2nd game of the Dodger – St Louis game. There was approximately 10 people in the bar (3:00 PM game) at least 8 were Dodger fans and they wouldn’t put the sound of the game on – When you run a bar, cater to the majority of the patrons.
On Friday night, I happened to catch the Angel game at Metro Q in Huntington Beach, same type of bar as Gym. We requested they put the sound of the game on, Gym Sports Bar are you ready…..THEY DID-Shocker they cater to the majority of their customers…..
Note: the Staff at both bars was friendly with the exception of the sound of the game.
on Dec 9th, 2009 at 3:56 PM
I can’t take any sports bar seriously that opens after noon on Sundays during football season. (For those of you not in LA, kick-off is 10AM and every real sports bar is already packed by then.)
GYM is a fetish bar for guys looking for guys who are into sports.
(Or maybe I’m just bitter because my Saints typically play the first game.)