Everson Royce Bar, one of L.A.’s best bars for the past decade, is closing at the end of the year

Whether you were ordering a Yo LA Tengo at the bar or devouring their standout cheeseburger on the twinkle-lit patio, Everson Royce Bar—more commonly known as E.R.B.—was just the best hangout in Downtown L.A.’s Arts District. And unfortunately, the past tense here will soon be required.

On Friday, ahead of its 11th anniversary, E.R.B. announced that it’ll be closing on December 20. In a post to its Instagram account, the bar thanked its regulars and staff but noted that Los Angeles has been a “disturbingly difficult place to do business in,” and suggested that there’ll be more details to come.

Situated at the corner of 7th Street and Mateo Street, E.R.B. debuted in 2015 when DTLA and the Arts District in particular were ascendant. It initially opened next to a satellite location of sister shop Silverlake Wine (which co-owner Randy Clement was also behind), but E.R.B. quickly became the main attraction: Its simple “BAR” sign outside barely hinted at the elegant but inviting tavern space hiding inside, and certainly not the patio party waiting in back.

For Time Out, E.R.B. has been a fixture on our best bars list, and one of our go-to happy hour suggestions. And sure, you went there for the beer and cocktails primarily, but chef Matt Molina’s minimalist single burger—a patty with cheese and house sauce—was so good that it too has been glued to our best burgers list for years.

“E.R.B. is a site-specific installation of a never-ending party that in our hearts will go on forever,” the bar shared on its Instagram. “If you are reading this and you know and have felt the pure magic that is E.R.B., we would love to see you as many times as possible between now and December 20.”

If you swing by today, from 4pm to 2am, you’ll find new drinks and an ice luge to celebrate the bar’s 11th birthday. And the bar also notes that you’re welcome to get in touch if you’re interested in hosting a party of your own.

The development follows the news of yet another unfortunate closure from co-owners Randy Clement and April Langford: West Altadena Wine and Spirits, a wine shop and patio along Lincoln Avenue that became a critical community gathering space following 2025’s Eaton Fire, will be closing—and soon, with its final day of service this Sunday, October 25. Good Neighbor Bar, the adjoining indoor cocktail spot, will remain open.

The closure of the wine shop and patio is complicated; the owners credited it to “the constant barrage and the never-ending attacks by some very upset neighbors” and decided that ultimately “it has been too much, enough is enough.” That follows a similar update in the summer when a “for lease” listing appeared online; at the time, Clement and Langford shared that “given the challenging business environment currently in Altadena—coupled with a neighbor who is calling and emailing complaints on a constant basis to the County Planning Department, the Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Health Department, Building and Safety and the Sheriff’s Department—it has become nearly impossible to operate.”