Jumbo’s Clown Room

This is overdue. Best bar in LA, best dancers in LA. Period. Sam’s Hofbrau in downtown is great but that joint is the urban, hip hop crowd and that’s the music you’re going to hear all night. JCR is a classic rocker strip joint with classic rocker dancers. And weirdos… which I love. First time I saw Ava she was performing wearing a Jason style hockey mask. Page suffocates herself with plastic wrap around her head. Tiger makes her own lingerie using things like Judas Priest teeshirts. Isa does a Lemmy routine wearing a moustache. The gals are hot, fun to talk to and dance like Hell had to call the NY Fire Department. And every single bartender is awesome. Nancy, Nadja and Michelle rule. All of them.
Go there. Right now. Don’t even waste your time going any place else. Get there after 10 though and be prepared to stand on line forever. Right about then, I’ll be leaving, dead plastered after having been there drinking for 3 hours already, having a blast. Not long after I’ve heard «Car Wash» for the millionth time. Never gets old!
Oh and gents. Don’t be a douchebag. Rolling up dollar bills into little balls and throwing it at the girls is a douche move. Put your money down flat on the stage and don’t be a moron amateur. You aren’t watching moron amateur entertainment. And don’t go in there and order a Moscow Mule because that’s a douchebag drink for douchebags.

The girls are great, but I literally got charged $ 5 for a Shirley Temple here. That’s bullshit

I would not set foot in there again… expected burlesque dancers and there were mostly pole dancers with the exception of one. I can still appreciate the female form and enjoy… especially when it’s not my night but my husband’s as it’s his birthday. What really upset me though is the bouncer… it was not quite 2am (the advertised closing time) and he would not let me have my last sip of wine. I was not drunk, I was very polite with him. just asking if I could finish my wine but he took my glass and pushed me toward the door. Very upset to be treated that way.

As a gay man, I was very unsure of my feeling of being taken to a club that didn’t involve any men at all. Haha! However, these girls are amazing! They’re all very talented and give a great show! I was so impressed with how friendly the staff is and how talented these dancers are!
The drinks were fairly strong and it was a full house. Very fun and glad I went, even if it was a little outside of my usual Sunday night out!

This review is long overdue, as I clearly am a regular at this place.
It’s just one of those places that ends up being a barrel of fun and unforgettable… every time!
I love that the dancers kind of just hang out. And most of them are extremely talented and it is interesting, exciting and exhilarating to watch what they can do.
Jumbo’s is perfect for out-​of-​towners who hate touristy stuff.
My big issue here are the bartenders. They can be sooooo slow. And they seem to pick and choose who they prefer to serve. It can be insulting at times.
Be prepared to wait on a weekend night any time after 8pm.

The show and girls were great, but management was cold and unpleasant. The owner made us feel uncomfortable and was a total a hole. We were there for a girls night and he ruined it by making assumptions of our party. The place was small and uneventful like its management. Don’t recommend you going there.

Fair note: we went on a Wednesday afternoon, didn’t expect the best of the best, but still a bit disappointed.
Before we went, we checked out their website. It states clearly there is no cover, and that the dancers aren’t «cookie cutter» but alternative tattooed and pierced. «That’s right up my alley!» I thought. I’m used to the strip clubs in Portland, and that’s hard to find, so I was STOKED to see a little dash of this in awkward L.A./Hollywood area.
This was awkward: So while there isn’t a cover, they charge $ 7 for parking in a strip-​mall kind of parking lot with plenty of other tenants. And while it’s entirely possible that I’m blind, there isn’t a sign posted stating the price of parking, we didn’t know until the guy at the door told us it’s $ 7 for parking. That’s right, not a parking attendant, not a pay-​box, but the bouncer at the door took our $ 7 for parking. Street parking around there is free or cheap, I could have left but I was already there (and totally ready to see some sexy rocker chicks «strip», so what the heck, have my $ 7.
While their spirits might be stiff, we had beer, and it was expensive, somewhat appropriate for the area, but not appropriate for a dive bar type atmosphere. Beyond that, there is the pressure to tip $ 1-​$ 2 per song, which is definitely an understandable amount at a normal strip club, but only when you’re actually sitting at the dance floor, but there is no nudity. I’m sorry, but with a [sort of] cover & expensive drinks, I would hope they paid their dancers more and considered it more of an entertainment in the background.
Last but not least, none of the dancers were alternative, they were all cookie cutter strippers. They WERE beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but they were all typical looking dancers.
Ultimately — you should absolutely check it out, I would hope most people have a better opinion that I do. But park on the street, and don’t expect sexy tattooed rocker chicks.

Went here last night for my first time. I’m gonna give this place 2 stars because I did have a fun night here!
However!!! I experienced a nasty attitude with one of the dancers in the ladies’ bathroom. She was a super c u n t. I hope you’re reading this: lose your attitude!!! You can’t work in an establishment and be nasty to customers.
Another thing that was off was the music… Why are strippers dancing to music by A Perfect Circle and Portishead? The crowd isn’t gong be into this!
My next issue for taking off stars is that not just one, but a few of the dancers got pissed off that they didn’t get more money. It’s one thing to vent your frustrations backstage to your fellow performers, but don’t be unprofessional on stage and huff and puff, «It’s a Friday night, you people are being cheap, this is ridiculous,» etc at your customers while you’re still on stage collecting your singles on your hands and knees.
Be grateful. You’re a stripper. Get over it if people in the crowd don’t like your song, your dance, or you.

[NOTE: This is a continuation of my first review. Please check out my 2÷15÷16 review to get my full narrative on Jumbo’s!]
Other dance numbers included a woman dressed up in a lit-​up Iron Man costume dancing to the Black Sabbath song. There was also a Ghostbusters number, where a woman came out in a Stay Puff marshmallow outfit and another as a fluorescent green ghost. There was also a group number where a woman was dressed as the Pope along with a few nuns and school girls on stage. By far, our favorite was when a lady came out just eating a slice of pizza, and then more ladies came out gradually and finally the last one with a big pizza box until the whole stage was just women dancing and eating pizza slices.
After watching about a dozen dances (we even scored seats at the bar!), my friend and I had our three favorites, including that first tiny woman we saw who clearly had once been in the circus. I ran into another favorite dancer in the bathroom and despite being fuzzy on $ 8 well drinks (so well priced here! lots of ice, but heavy on the pour) I had to tell her how talented they were and what a great show they were putting on. I was determined to ask for their stage names. I look forward to seeing Ophelia and Misty again!
I originally figured we would stay for 30 minutes, just to get a flavor of Jumbo’s, but once inside there was no way we were cutting out early. I talked to a bunch of people around us, and all of them were there for their first time as well. Mostly people in their 20s and 30s, maybe some 40s. «How did you hear about this place?» I kept asking. «A friend of a friend told me,» they would say. «I saw it on Anthony Bourdain!» I returned. A young guy walked by and excused himself after he bumped me. «Did you just get here?» I yelled. «No, that’s the funny thing!» he replied.
I’ve never been to a stripper or topless club and have no desire to go to one. I’ve been to burlesque shows where the women strip down to very little and even that’s too much for me. I absolutely enjoyed Jumbo’s and can’t wait to return with different friends who would be open minded enough for this truly unique LA experience.

Great place to wind down & end the night.
We ended up sitting next to the tip rail at the far end of the club. Perfect spot to see most everyone & the amazing women working the stage.
We were under the impression it was a strip joint, but in reality it’s a burlesque show (no nudity) with the ladies in sexy lingerie performing on a mirrored stage with a single pole.
The drinks were strong, the women performing on stage were awesome, and the vibe was fun. My only complaint would be the loud «clack» when the dancers would slam their heels against the stage as they performed. It was a little jarring because we were at the tip rail.
Anyhow, I’d hang out here again in a heartbeat.

And I’m hooked!
Jumbo’s is an LA institution of sorts, and to everyone’s surprise (most of all my own), I went there for the very first time last night and I gotta say it was a damn good time. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait, but it was a Thursday night. Still the place was packed! Just two weeks prior my date and I had come to Jumbo’s on a Saturday night and waited well over half an hour without moving until we gave up and went elsewhere. Not sure if that’s the norm on weekends, but it was kind of a buzz kill.
But I digress!
We eventually got seats in front after grabbing some drinks (strong! great! but basic). I mean, what you see is what you get with the bar. Nothing fancy. Just boozy and gets the job done. The girls that went up to dance were true talents and so all nice! They must have an impeccable screening process for their girls here because I hadn’t seen moves like that anywhere else! So much fun!
I don’t know what else to say. Just go. Throw down some bills. Have a good time with friends. And enjoy the show!

Check out this place if you are in the area. Great performances, some of them quite artistic!
Surprisingly, very chilled out atmosphere inside a small cramped room.

Being tired of $ 15+ drinks we stopped by here as I was just over being fancy for the night.
Turns out this was one of my favorite stops of the night.
Laid back service, the cheapest drinks in the area which was such a nice change, you can get 3 drinks here for the price of one anywhere else.
The place itself is really just a room, not big at all.
They do have quite a bit of bar seating and a few tables, we went at about 10 and there was still seating, I’m sure that changes later at night.
Interesting people watching, worth checking out if you want to get away from all the Hollywood glamour for a few hours.
No pics or videos allowed, shucks.

I personally don’t like this place because it’s not what I expected. The girls don’t even take their tops off. They are fully clothed. I was hoping to see tits and ass and the girls were fully covered and also didn’t have tits or ass to show in the first place. They were all flat chested and lacking in the ass department. My experience here was extremely awkward. I tried to take a picture of my favorite dancer and thought it was ok since I saw pictures of girls doing pole tricks in the Unilocal pictures. I just Unilocal everything i do. I didnt try to take pics with bad intentions. She was being such a bitch about it even after I put my phone away. i understand that it bothered her that i tried to take a picture but i already put my phone away. she didn’t need to respond in such a low class way. The guy next to me, who I didn’t even come with or know, threw dollar bills at her and one of them landed on her face. She got all mad and cussed both of us out and asked us if we came together which we didn’t. She doesn’t have to be such a bitch about it. It was on accident. Also after the innocent, an employee came up to me and said it’s ok it happens. But he never clarified to me that I shouldn’t use my phone even to text or write back to someone on facebook when I’m sitting near the stage even if I’m not recording or taking pictures of the dancers. He approached me again and rudely reprimanded me for writing back to my friend on Facebook and said I should just leave if I’m giving this place a bad review. I wasn’t even giving this place a bad review! I was writing back to someone on facebook. But now i am giving this place a bad review because its well deserved. I find it really unprofessional, rude, and insulting that he had the nerve to ask me to leave if I was writing a bad review when I wasn’t. Who the fuck does that? I wasn’t even doing that. I was responding to my friend on Facebook. I’ve never experienced such unprofessional ism at a place of business. I am never coming back. This place sucks.

Just wow. Wow. Seriously, wow. These women defy the laws of physics. I don’t really understand what I saw here tonight, but I want to see it again.

Do question if you have to pay a door «cover». I have never had to pay a cover at the door there. Been coming to jumbos for many years and this last (Saturday Jan 2, 2016) this white guy tells me it’s $ 20 bucks to get in … Found out later some people paid … Some didn’t … Basically It feels like I got robbed by their staff door person… Did I?!
I had friends from out of town and I have always told them that they should come to Jumbo’s. Telling them what a great place it is … we all ended up having a real bad experience. Thank god for the dancers that no matter how stupid people are they still put out a good show… Pretty sure they didn’t see any part of that «cover «money either. When you pay a cover you usually expect that maybe they got more staff to keep up with the crowd or give u a free well drink … Or something … but instead it was really sad how two out of the 3 bartenders were completed waisted … Chatting away to each other while people were eager to buy drinks … Oh yeah they saw us all holding that cash to get a drink but instead they looked at you like you are interrupting their good time …
Only this one brunette girl behind the bar was helpful.
Unfortunately this experience was so bad and embarrassing to my friends that i will never want to go back nor recommend this place to anyone else:(it truly sucked !!!

I expected this place to be horrible after hearing about it for years…
I was there on a Wednesday and the girls were AMAZING. They all were either contortionists or had been doing pole for a minimum of 5 years.
I think the drinks were slightly pricey and the service was just OK but wow, the girls were great!

Came here for the first time back in September of this year after hearing about its popularity within the Hollywood night life. It’s a small cozy place to hang out while getting some alcoholic drinks and watching burlesque style dancing with only one tiny stage and a pole. The overall décor of this place appears to resemble that of an abandoned Chuckie Cheese from the 1990s (hence Clown theme). Keep in mind, the dancers do not go nude or even topless. They just strip down to their lingerie/​bra & underwear but nonetheless great to see gorgeous women dance sensually.

This place rocks!
Great crowd. Lots of energy!
Girls were the prettiest out there but man did they have skills!!!

My favorite dive bar in LA. This place is really small but a lot of fun. You can valet park and sometimes they make you buy merchandise to get in. I truly enjoy the art of pole dancing. The beautiful and talented dancers are the reason I love this place. They definitely have skills and don’t just walk around the pole. Every dance piece is different with a theme. It’s fun to see what they come up with. The bar-​goers seem like chill people who just want to have a good times. There are girls and it’s not nudity so I highly recommend to bring the ladies.

Jumbo’s is home to some very talented, sexy women who aren’t afraid to freestyle dance their hearts out on stage. that said, I personally know a lot of the pole dancers here.
PROS:
–drinks made are alright
–friendly staff
CONS:
–parking lot has limited spacing, despite having valet for an affordable price
–street parking is the same; watch for street signs
–there’s really no cover but depending on who’s @ the door, they’ll charge you up to $ 20 & pocket that money for themselves. (note: the owners know this but don’t care since some of the bouncers are their relatives)
–the space is super tiny; can get crowded & ppl can become claustrophobic
–there’s a 2 drink minimum
–if I can recall, there’s 1 – 2 50 mm static brass poles that NEVER get cleaned
–I don’t like the fact that dancers really get upset if you don’t tip them. I get u’all are hustling, but you can’t force the audience to tip you if they really aren’t into your style of dancing, sorry
OVERALL REVIEW:
I don’t really like coming here because of how crowded it can get

Burlesque has maybe made some of these bikini bars hipster destinations, and I’m guessing that’s what happened here, because no one was there for the show. The only people at the tipping rail on a Saturday night were a gay man and his unconscious friend. We joined them for two rounds of drinks and threw handfuls of dollar bills at the ladies. «Ladies» is pushing it. They were picking each other’s noses and eating boogers to Car Wash when we came in. I was like, «Aren’t the clowns supposed to wear red noses and funny wigs?»
Some of the pole work was ok, though the ceiling is low. It kind of reminded me of the Cheetah in Las Vegas or a few spots in NY like The Pussycat Lounge or Billy’s Topless before they closed. I’ve seen some talented dancers in those clubs, but the girls at Jumbo’s are all tatted up and bruised, and I don’t get this stomping their platform heels for tips thing they do. I thought they were maybe hurt, because it sounds like a hooker getting thrown out of a moving car, and then I realized it’s what they do. They also fart in your drink and flip you off onstage. Former dancer Courtney Love left her mark.

Jumbo’s is a place everyone should experience at least once. There really is nowhere in LA like this spot. You really don’t feel like you’re in LA, I don’t even know how to describe this spot. My friend and I went around 9:45, no line we grabbed two seats at the bar to watch the shows.
I would not suggest sitting near the stage unless you’re gonna make it rain with dollar bills. All the girls kinda have their own look and appeal, some were honestly boring but a few were amazing like serious skills. It’s just a fun spot to grab a drink or two and experience something very different to all the other bars and clubs in LA.

Coming from the strip club capitol of America (Portland) I really had no idea what to expect in Jumbo’s. You see, any time someone tries to take me to a racy bar in any other city, including Vegas, my usual reply is «don’t bother, it won’t be as good as Portland» and when I’m forced to go, I’m right 100% of the time. Don’t believe me? Come visit. You’ll see why. However obviously from the stars atop this review, that percentage just dropped.
Jumbo’s is anything but a sad attempt at a seedy strip club. It’s quite the opposite, and I’m downright impressed. Jumbo’s is incredible. First off, the place is small and intimate, which makes for an exciting, communal vibe. The décor is a mix of dive bar, circus showtime, and clown nightmare. The stage is the focus — you can’t escape it. And the ladies? They’re not there to just strip down and act sexy. They put on a damn fine show. It’s not typical throwback burlesque, but I guess you call this burlesque. No actual nudity, but close enough. Themed performances with costumes and music to match. Incredible pole skills (core strength!) and dance moves. Pure performance, with a little bit of skin. Okay, a lot of skin, but still in the realm of PG-​13.
The style. The swagger. The rock-​n-​roll vibe. The classic feel. This place has it all. Instead of skeezy dudes putting dollars in front of them and hoping for a semi-​lap-​dance over the rail, groups of guys, gays, girls and everyone in between was cheering and making it rain. It wasn’t about the 1:1 interaction, but instead seemed to mostly be about hooting, hollering, throwing cash, and a show. It may not be like that on all nights, but the Saturday of my visit it was pretty much perfect.
I don’t do the strip club/​burlesque thing as much as I used to, but this would definitely be a fun place to go with bros, with the wife, or even groups of friends. Beware the line… your best bet is to get there before it starts. And save $ 20 for a hat. The hats are true keepsakes.
Color me impressed. Jumbo’s, I’m a fan.
*Credit to this experience goes to my local LA buddy Dan, former PDX resident, and knower-​better of all things strip club related. I knew I could trust him to do right by us in taking us here.

Went here for the first stop for my sisters bachelorette party. I notice a valet guy on his phone as I pulled in not worried one bit about me. There was tons of parking right in front so I parked my car. I waited for my sisters party bus to show up, then walked out. The valet came up to me and asked for $ 5. I told him «Why? I parked my own car and you were too busy on the phone to care when I looked at u». He said its $ 5 to park on the lot. Mind you, it’s a Thursday night and not very many cars on the lot. I told him no, and waited for a car to leave. I parked right behind my original
Spot on the street. This is one of the many reason I hate Hollywood/​la. They expect you to pay for parking in the same lot as the establishment. Smh
Anyhow, we went inside and I knew it was going to be interesting. They told us no pictures (um, why not?) since the girls are dancing on a pole but not topless. Tons of other places let u take pics that are topless. Our main concern was that we wanted pics inside with my sister for memories NOT of the girls onstage anyway.
When we walked in the set up was SUPER tiny. Luckily there was one tiny round table open that we got, but it’s normally for 4 people tops and we had like 20. It was so tight in there and I was surprised they kept letting people in. There wasn’t even a walkway for people to walk thru. Can u say FIRE HAZARD?
Now as for the crowd, it was definitely a grungy hipster spot. Lots of white people with grungy, long hair. I low key felt like I was in the 70s. As for the girls that danced, I’m sorry but they did not look like strippers to me. I’m guessing it’s more about the art dancing on the pole/​stage then anything but the girls were not attractive at all. There was even this one old chick dressed up cowboy themed that looked about 45 – 50.
We definitely we not feeling the vibe so we all left and went to Sams Hafbrau off Olympic. MUCH better spot for bachelorette celebration.

Very interesting place, cheap drinks, talented dancers in costumes, I asked the door man if this is a gentlemen’s club, he said sort of, it’s girls work on the poles with clothes on, but they wear skimpy outfits for sure.
It was packed on a Saturday night, we came in late, were able to find two seats at the bar right next to the juke box. I noticed dancers choose songs from the juke box and go up to dance, I like that, feels kind of vintage and classy in some way I guess. Met a few dancers at the bar while they were waiting for their turns, bought them a few drinks and chatted a bit, they all have day time jobs somewhere, one has a lingerie and exotic wear store, I got her card, I might swing by sometime!
A lot of energy and happy ppl at this place, girls can dance, crowd is friendly! The thing is I finally I got to visit this place that I heard a lot from Unilocal talk a few years ago. It was fun and I would like to come back at earlier hours so we can find seats near the stage!
Ps. NO cameras are allowed in there!

This is not a strip club… this is a non-​nude establishment with beautiful talented women and cheap booze!!! If you find yourself near Thai Town /​Hollywood swing by for a drink, sit back and watch the show (don’t be an ass and not tip here and there)!!! These girls work hard, some go over the top and are well worth their tips so choose accordingly as they have a good line up that alternate one song after another. Line up ranges between 5 to 10 girls depending on when you go. The booze is full bar, beer, liquor, and wine. The price for booze is cheap, the liquor is poured stiff so you can get drunk pretty good for the right price.
Parking sucks, so good luck with that, first come first serve spots and valet… you pay the valet fee either way. This place is good for dates as well, so the gal won’t feel awkward with other women’s lady parts flying around exposed. I’d say show up around 7PM and later, very mixed crowd. Or get there early to get a seat, as space and seating is very limited because it’s a small establishment.
For you new kids trying these establishments out, nude or not, don’t sit in the front row if you’re not going to tip regularly!!! You look like a jackass and deserve to get thrown out.

one of my favorite bars.
Cheap drinks, and the bartender Butterfly is sooooo nice and wonderful.
Cute girls dancing in little outfits, can’t complain man.
just tip pls, don’t be the a-​hole who doesn’t tip the ladies.
All of my friends love Zelda.
I own a jumbo’s hoodie and it’s comfy and amazing.
I’m not going to lie I want to work here really bad. Hire me pls, jumbo. It will be the best decision of your life.

What an experience!
Jumbo’s was awesome! The dancers are amazing, so talented, strong, creative, and beautiful.
The energy of the crowd is super positive and although the dancers do utilize a pole for their routine, and things can get a bit heated, he atmosphere is not disrespectful and dirty (that some other establishment might evoke).
Drinks are reasonably priced, but really, come here for the show. You will seriously feel motivated to take up the art of pole dancing after seeing how graceful and strong these ladies are.
Some advice: COME EARLY! like 9 pm early. The space is small, so they reach capacity early. If you’re not in the mood to wait 1+ hour, make sure you get your butt there early in the night.
Also, bring 1 $ bills to tip/​encourage the girls working their booties off on stage (it’s kind of a requirement to tip)