Echo Park sports bar reopens with surprising new look and menu

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• What to order
• Best seat in the house
• Insider tip

After a five-year absence, a familiar bar on Echo Park Avenue has reopened, attempting to shift from a transient spot into a stable neighborhood hangout. The Holloway returns with refreshed interiors, a more purposeful patio and a creative kitchen that leans into playful takes on bar food — a change that matters for locals seeking consistently good late‑night food and straightforward, affordable nights out.

The block north of Sunset has seen a rapid turnover of eateries and bars in recent years, and the Holloway is the latest attempt to stick. The reopened location keeps the basic blueprint — lots of screens, arcade-style games and a compact outdoor area — but the feel has softened. Dark green tones and wood accents make the interior quieter and cozier than the street-facing parklet, while the narrow backyard patio has been given more attention than in the past.

Behind the menu is chef Andrew Rodriguez, whose weekly specials routinely stretch beyond conventional pub fare, and bar director Nathan Fisher, who has leaned into cocktail-led programming. Management is pairing those culinary experiments with regular community-focused nights — everything from game tournaments to themed dinners — to encourage repeat visits rather than one-off drinks.

What to order

• Kale “wrap” — don’t expect a typical tortilla roll. Rodriguez turns the salad into a crunchwrap-style handheld that adds texture and a playful twist to the vegetarian option.
• Cocktails over beer — the bottled beer selection skews toward mass-market labels; cocktails show the bartenders’ strengths. Look for tiki-influenced concoctions such as a mezcal-forward tiki drink that balances bitter and sweet elements.
• Weekly special — the rotating dish can surprise. Recent offerings have blended cuisines — imagine crispy chicken katsu served on an omelet over rice with herbaceous oil and a jammy condiment — unannounced but memorable.
• Steak frites — solid value at around $32. Fries are tossed in a spicy-herb seasoning, and a peppery rub helps show off a well-cooked hanger steak sourced from New Zealand.

The menu reads simply at first glance — salads, wings, burgers — but the execution often departs from expectations in small, clever ways. That contrast between familiar formats and inventive treatments is the kitchen’s strongest card.

Best seat in the house

Inside. The parklet looks pleasant but sits alongside busy Echo Park Avenue, which can be loud and sun‑blasted during afternoon and early evening hours. Indoors you’ll find a calmer atmosphere, more screens and pub games, which makes it easier to settle in for longer visits.

Insider tip

The Holloway programs themed nights to build routine: arcade tournaments pair with food specials, tiki-focused drinks show up on Tuesday, and a weekly prix‑fixe Sunday supper highlights rotating chef selections (recent menus included dishes such as crab risotto or gnocchi). These events suggest the team wants the place to serve as a genuine third space for the neighborhood rather than a transient weekend stop.

• Reopened: After a five-year closure
• Address: 1320 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90026
• Price range: Moderate (steak frites roughly $32; rotating $25 prix‑fixe nights)
• Highlights: inventive bar food, cocktail-focused drinks, regular events

Whether the Holloway will finally outlast the string of short-lived concepts along this stretch remains to be seen. For now, it offers a tangible upgrade in atmosphere and a reliable reason for locals to return: good, occasionally surprising food, and a calendar of nights designed to bring people back more often than they used to.