Cosmos
22 Reviews for Cosmos
If you don't like this bar you are an amateur. I remember one night where I saw this guy in a postal jacket drink whiskey by himself while looking at the mirror across the bar. Every once in a while he would point to his reflection with both hands and say "yeah" quietly but with fortitude.
Damn straight buddy!
The head man at this Bukowski-esque establishment is a cross between a Japanese Don Ho and Elvis. With a shirt more open than Fabio, he overlooks the well appointed bar staff to make sure your service is quick, topped and cheap. There is karaoke in the back, but the bar is indoor smoker friendly.
Nice place to go if you are looking for some late night and have a cab/DD home.
I have run into ex-cons, drunken painting contractors, emotionally wounded artist, a guy on his way to hollywood " bro just give me a ride",
japanese tourist, coked up guy who liked to talk really close, you name it it is there. The bartender is as bad, in a good way, as he should be. A ship like this needs a domineering personality like that dude.
Best guys bathroom ever, everything that is in storage in the bathroom has a freshly washed doily laying ever so gently on it as to make it magically beatiful or more socially acceptable. It is not too strange to have random shit stored in your bathroom, but putting size appropriate dolies on said shit is wonderfully strange.
This place is as random as you want your night to be, and yes you are going to smell like smoke. I have been coming here for years, but not with as much frequency as I would like.
It makes me want to pull a Mickey Rourke ..."a drink for all my friendsss..."
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What a perfect bar!
A tiny little bar tucked into the semi-heart of Little Tokyo. I first came across this place last year with a group of douchebags and had a lousy bartender and got way too drunk on a bunch of acrid shots and ... yeah, it wasn't the best experience ever.
Went back last weekend after a late-night dinner at Daikokuya (right next door) for a nightcap because I was really craving a cigarette and remembered that Cosmo's allows for indoor smoking (despite the huge NO SMOKING sign displayed prominently on the window). And this place is just so much better when one isn't flanked by a bunch of gross drunken azn/assholes. The service was great (both bartenders were smoking cigarettes. One of the women was wearing a bow tie!). A nice, light smattering of regulars, including an old Japanese dude who sat at the bar drinking Bud Light (ew) and chain-smoking Marlboros. very Henry Chinaski. Awful, off-key karaoke in the rear of the bar. And large Sapporos for a mere $5.50 each.
We liked it so much that we went back the very next evening and will probably go again this weekend. Dark, divey, smokey, and utterly idiosyncratic.
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Cheese and crackers.
I've never been to Japan, but if Cosmos is a glimpse of what a local bar in Japan is like, Im booking my ticket tomorrow. Cosmos was the second stop on the date I had a few weekends ago.
Located a few doors down from The Far Bar on 1st street, the place is easy to miss if you're not paying attention. I mean, even when open it looks closed. The front door is like one of those old western bar doors...but not really. I mean, it opens outward and is only 3 feet high, so it's kind of like one. And since there is no spring attached to the door, you better close it...or you'll definitely be reminded.
Cosmos is what you should picture an old school bar to be like. Understated, no loud music, locals, only two choices of beer, smoking allowed. If you like to be pampered and need to listen to the latest Top 40 while you drink, this is the wrong place for you. You come to this bar to drink and maybe sing karaoke in the back.
We walked in and there was plenty of sitting space as it was a Sunday night. Most of the people sitting at the bar were older Japanese men. No one looked up from their drinks as we walked in and sat down and conversations didn't stop. It was a good vibe. Again, only two kinds of beers: Budweiser and Sapporo. Another yelper described the atmosphere as "sullen." Yup, pretty much. A dive bar to say the least. Nothing spectacular and nothing to write home to your alcoholic Mother about. Your company is what'll make the night for you and luckily for me the conversation was flowing.
If you stay long enough, you'll get to see one of the bartenders pull processed cheese slices out of the mini-fridge and start cutting them into quarters and then into diagonals. At this point, the other bartender will come over with a package of Saltine crackers. Together they'll put together a cheese and cracker snack dish onto a sushi platter and take it to the people in the karaoke area. There was no karaoke going on so I don't know if the Cosmo Snack dish was available to everyone or if you had to be a friend...not that I would ever order it.
Cosmos is a throwback to the days before smoking laws were around and when "drinking" was the focal point of a bar. Service was more than decent, friendly and the drinks were "fucking" cheap. If in LT, hit this place up. Word.
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cosmos es fantastico!
pros: small, not pretentious, friendly service with an older woman dressed in a pseudo tux and a yakuza looking bartender, nice selection of songs, averaged priced drinks.
cons: no jumping, do dancing, no gum chewing...yet you can smoke your arse off. and you must abide by those rules. they have no problem telling you to spit your gum out or to refrain from dancing to whitney houston's i wanna dance with somebody...(i still sneak in a shake now and then)
ps
two drink minimum. $1 per song.
I like this bar. It's a good, kinda Golgo 13-y place to go during the weeknights. It's my dream dive bar. Perfect-o. The bartender has a pompadour and you keep expecting things to go all Sci-Fi when you get your drink. Like, he'd shoot you with a laser gun. And you would die while bad karaoke was warbling in the background. Or maybe that's just me.
I get the white Russians there (I'm on a Lebowski bender, I TOLD you!) Designated drivers will not be happy here, the tonic water ain't cheap...
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The LAT review nailed it, citing the bars "sullen atmosphere and oppressively hovering staff." We backed away from the tables -- 2 drink minimum and sidled up to the long bar. There were 8 of us, on midnight Saturday. Yet when two of my friends ordered waters -- not alcohol, the Elvis impersonator bartender barked "you take seat. No drink?" Well, not us, but our six friends did. It's not as if the bar was crowded. But he didn't hassle us after that. The bar also allows smoking, state ordinances be damned. And yet, I'm not giving it a 2 because the weirdness was appealing in a David Lynch, blue velvet kind of way.
This place is weird but I like to drink here sometimes while on my way to or leaving a place to eat in the neighborhood.
Real karaoke on the system with old asian dudes singing out of key, a crappy tv making a mind numbing noise and no one turning it off,
dangling pieces of nothingness in the interior make this the perfect surreal place to stop by. Oh and you can smoke in here! Yes!
Would it be unkind to say you are a little smelly p**sy fart if this is a problem for you.
I only have one problem with the place...annoying heat light bulbs like the ones in bathrooms to help dry you off after a shower OVER THE BAR!!! BYOB....I'm bringing my own bulb
Rachanee and I spent the final 25 minutes of 2007 here with an inebriated, but friendly, mixed crowd of young and old, Japanese and haole. The place is a dive and proud of it.
At 11:58 p.m., the manager eagerly passed around noise makers and led the crowd in a countdown to the new year. There was about 90 seconds of congratulatory kisses, handshakes and hugs. And then with the formalities over, everything was back to normal with one lush after another belting away their favorite karaoke tune.
I love this place.
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Cosmos rocks! This is such a great little dive bar. Kareoke, cheap drinks and great vibe. They have a very EXTENSIVE list of kareoke songs and everyone claps even if you suck.
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This is one of my friend's favorite bars, so we decided to have a drink after dinner here. The six of us were sat in the lounge where there is a two drink minimum, so we obligingly ordered two drinks each. As soon as we stepped in, I could smell the horrible stench of cigarette smoke. I looked around and noticed the signs that stated: "No smoking." "No dancing." and "No gum chewing."
I thought, "why does it smell so bad in here?", and then I noticed that everyone was smoking and that the waitresses and bartenders provided ash trays for customers! Not only is it illegal to smoke in bars in L.A., it's disgusting. I had two cosmos, which were good at $6 each, but went home with my hair smelling like smoke. Way uncool.
On the positive side: they do have an extensive selection of karaoke songs including some favorite Spanish party songs and I like that there are 60 year old Japanese men and women hanging out.
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How on God's green Earth did I end up here on Saturday? Loved the model airplane Zero's hanging from the ceiling. Little Tokyo is fun, but if I want to slum it, I'm gonna stay local.
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This place is spectacular... unless you're one of those dirty gum chewers.
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I knocked back three vodka tonics easily here. But the warnings posted all over the tiny karaoke bar was beginning to disturb me. No dancing! No touching the equipment! Leave the light on! (in the ladies' room). The bartender (owner) didn't like the boy putting his feet up on the stool in front of him.
But they do allow smoking so that's a plus for all those folks who want to kill themselves early.
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Four stars because I like divey places and because they let you smoke indoor. Even though I'll be stinky, its nice to have that option. The crowd is mixed with young and old people. Despite the karaoke its very relaxed. It's not a place to be seen, because it wasn't very crowded on a Friday night but it doesn't feel empty either.
I was told that it is legal to smoke there because the law exempts family owned businesses when all the workers sign an agreement. So don't worry about getting raided or anything.
As other people have stated the older gentleman is a bit anal. He gave us a 2 min. 56 sec. countdown to finish our drinks. He meant it too because he poured out the rest of our sake when time was up.
ALSO if you are a regular there, you can buy a large bottle of sake and they will keep it for you the next time you go. They'll write your name on the bottle to make sure no one else spits in it or takes your magic juice away.
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I've been going to this place for over a year now, it's the best spot to go in downtown if you want a smoke, a drink, and be able to dip out of sight for a while. Great, retro decor, and no they're not trying to be trendy, it just hasn't changed in there since the 50s/60s.
Signs on the door say they prohibit just about everything, "no dancing" "no chewing gum" "no smoking" "no drinking" you get the drift, but obviously no one is adhering to that inside. It's a bit cheeky, and the staff is quirky and comedic, especially when they get up on the mic to kareoke (sp?) in japanese. But seriously, do not piss off the main dude, he looks like he's gonna rip your balls off if you don't carry yourself with grace and etiquette. My friend almost got kicked out when he put his feet up on a chair. Plus if you decide to sit somewhere before he approves, he'll be sure to tell you what he thinks! Love it!
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This is the most random place I've ever been to, but I can't resist coming back! (I'm a sucker for karaoke) I find myself here after a night of sushi and sake at nearby restaurants. (Like Sushi Gen.. since its walking distance to Comos) It's not chic, it's not trendy.. I'd say borderline tacky, but that's all part of the charm!
They have a open karaoke bar there with a decently new lists of English songs. Of course if you can sing Japanese, you should feel at home there.
Aside from the owner, who may seem bit anal at times (he's really not that bad) , the waitresses are a lot of fun. (Especially the older one in the tuxedo apron...ask her to take a shot with you, she never refuses!) And Erika-chan, the karaoke girl, is so sweet. She will clap for you after every song, without fail. (that's always nice..)
The crowd is totally random.. older Japanese couples, "salary men", young couples, smalls groups taking up the tables near the karaoke box..
Definitely a quirky place to check out, if you're into that.
don't get me wrong, i love dive bars, but this place is a shithole.
no dancing at a karaoke... ef that.
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Kareoke, alcohol, smoke-filled room, old japanese guys sittin around lookin mafia-like. what more could you ask for?
oh man, i went here last night and it rocked. maybe it was because i was overly happy and drunk, but dude. it was fun. a malibu w/ pineapple+a cosmo+a rum & coke + butchering random japanese songs at the karaoke bar (specifically "first love" which is way out of my vocal range, and a SMAP song) = the time of my life.
so i don't get the "no dancing" sign...but whatever. kinda quirky, pretty cheap drinks and a pretty diverse crowd. 'twas a fun night.
a dive bar were you can smoke but no cigars!karoake but no dancing!owner joe is one tough bartender re he is ex-convict from hokkaido,japan
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turning japanese, turning japanese, i really think so! man, lemme tell you about this shindig! this is the divebar of divebars in lil' tokyo! they got karaoke to cater to your offtune keys and domestic and international sauce to cater to your sophisticated saucy needs! oh yea! and the karaoke attendant is hot like shay! sean would shay sho without queshtion!
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