The Fonda Theatre

A gem of a venue! Great acoustics, so many places to hang out– upstairs deck with a big screen to not miss the show was a blast. Comfy seats on the balcony were awesome. And, hanging out on the floor was great, too! Pretty, old school design. Can’t wait to go back!

Awesome spot for a venue. Saw caravan palace here live and it was definitely a awesome joint .
They have a rooftop bar which is extremely awesome and enough room on the stage to enjoy the band and dance.
One of the flaws tho is the parking situation is a little ridiculous. The parking next door can be anywhere from $ 10-​$ 30 a night and yesterday was one of those $ 30 nights which sucked .
Other than that, the venue is extremely awesome and will definitely come back

It was a Saturday night concert with Cymande gracing the stage. I remember being here one other time over fifteen years ago, and it was somewhat of a blur then. Excuse me for forgetting. Fast forward to yesterday and everything is still fresh even after five Jim Beams. It’s a nice sized venue, compact, acoustics close to perfect, the stage was decent, the lights and effects were dated (but that’s to be expected) I actually like the overall feeling of this theater. Yeah, the floors are uneven and sticky. And yeah, the décor has been held hostage since the 1930’s. You need that balance sometimes. «Keep Hollywood classic people». Let’s be real, It was a historic event that took place last night, and the magnitude at least for me was tremendous. I don’t know, it might of been the magic in the air, or the reoccurring memory of «bra» or «dove». One things for sure, it was without a doubt time well spent.

Loved the old style feel of the venue. It’s also great seeing a concert in such an intimate setting.

I really enjoyed this venue. It was small and intimate but it didn’t get so crowded where you are being shoved every five seconds. The security made my friend throw away their water bottles which were unopened which was a bummer. Water bottles were three dollars inside. The décor was cute and more of an older style. There were some scary faces on the wall haha! The sound was good. We were at the floor area for a few of the set and at the balcony as well. All in all, I would definitely go again to see another band.
Parking is also $ 10 across the car dealership. But I think they up it to $ 15 as the time gets closer which is super annoying. They did that to us and when we returned, it said $ 10 again. Wow.

Awesome little spot. Seen Years and Years perform and they were amazing. The general admission space is pretty big. There’s two bars. One downstairs which is pretty decent size. The other is up stairs. Small window type bar but you get what you need. Restrooms are small but clean with a bathroom attendant. Easily accessible to the restroom if you have the balcony seating.
We had balcony seating but I believe it was first come first serve. So we end up standing behind the rails and it still was a great view. It worked to our advantage because as soon as the show started the people sitting stood up. So if I was behind someone tall I would have been unable to see.
The sound was great. It wasn’t too loud and it didn’t sound so far away either. It’s a smaller venue but it makes the performance more imitate.
There seems to be different Spots that you can park at within walking distance. We went on a Monday night and found a garage for $ 10. Overall experience was awesome.

I was here on Friday night to see Noël Fielding. It’s a small venue which is cool, until you have to deal with some BS. Like most places, they don’t allow outside drinks in (including harmless water) and gum. They had me spit out my gum before coming in. That was strike 1.
I got there on time, found my seat, and was ready to enjoy the show. I’m moved from my seat (as well as the girl sitting next to me) because «they belonged to someone else». That was strike 2.
When sorting it out with the box office, it turned out that YES that was indeed my seat and there was re-​sale foul play going on there. I hope the people who took my seat had a horrible time and dropped all their drinks, the bastards.
HOWEVER, the theater handled it very well and gave me a better seat where I got a front view of the show (it was still the balcony but front of the balcony lol) and enjoyed the rest of my night. So jokes on you, you seat stealing jerks.
Kudos to the team, especially the guy at the box office and the woman who kept checking on me to make sure everything was ok. You guys are the real MVP’s of the Fonda theater.
At the end I was really happy and forgot I wanted to buy a shirt from the little merchandise stand. I remembered and turned around to walk back in and then a guard told me «sorry no re-​entries». That was strike 3.
TL;DR ?: A lot of this theater’s rules are kind of stupid but if you really love the artist going there, it’s well worth it.

First time at the Fonda and from what I was told they revamped & renovated!
I came for the wonderful Jess Glynne.
The great thing about this venue is its intimacy just like many other smaller venues found in Hollywood. We have quite a few of them & they each have their own charm. Plenty of standing room, great acoustics surrounding the lot, & rooftop access for a quick breath of air in case the place gets too tight.
The bar is great as it doubles up as a back to back bar. Convenient. You enter the Fonda with great wall décor of various styled lamps accenting across both sides of the entrance. Restrooms can be easily missed but they are by these walls! Men & women’s rooms are across from one another. Then as you walk a little further you are greeted with a well lit bar. The stage and floor are right beyond this bar but little do you know there is another bar facing the stage. Had a friend working the bar that evening who hooked it up with a triple shot of jack and coke! Sweet perks.
The thing I love about these small music venues is that they are 10x better than stadium concerts. The music, the view of the stage & just the whole experience is better and much more personal.
Jess Glynne was incredible & Conrad Sewell opening was a nice treat. He almost convinced me to stay by the bar when I heard him singing Firestone because it sounded perfect from where I was standing with hardly a crowd. But For Jess Glynne I pulled all my tricks to get as close to front and center as I can & I have to say it was worth the eye rolls.
For that evening, there really was no place I’d rather be. (We’re all entitled to a corny line in our reviews every once in awhile!)
Pro-​tips:
— Parking garage across the street was $ 10
— If you got there early enough & wanted some much cheaper drinks, Davey Wayne is just a block down!
— For tix, I would highly suggest floor instead of balcony. The acoustic of the place may be good enough that top or bottom levels wouldn’t matter but the floor is way more interactive.

At The Drive-​In, 3÷23÷16.
Balcony Seating.
Great Crowd Management for a Will-​Call Only event.
Clean and well lit with excellent acoustics.
Virtually Smokeless thanks to adequate ventilation.
Well cooled, even as the crowd got thick and active.
No Gum due to Carpeting? Really?

I saw the band Silverstein here; it was my first time at this venue. The venue is decent: it’s got kinda cool decoration and the size is pretty good. That’s about where the good things end.
The staff here is absolutely terrible. During the show, we went to the bar and asked for a cup of water (because it’s pretty standard to offer free tap water – I’m pretty sure it’s legally required…) and the bartenders informed us that they do not give out cups of water. Alright, slight inconvenience, so we asked where the drinking fountain was. Turns out there isn’t one. The only way to get drinking water is to pay $ 3 for a bottle, or go drink from the bathroom sink… because this is a totally normal thing for a business to ask of their customers.
Alright, so there was a slight water issue. It wasn’t a huge deal, until we tried to contact a manager or someone in charge to ask about it. The bartenders were no help whatsoever, and all they did was simply argue with us and tell us to leave. So we tried to talk to security, and were sent to the head of security, who gave us the phone number to the venue and told us «she’d pass our complaint along.» Like I trust that. (Thanks, Daniella, for literally nothing!) We were then escorted off the premises.
If a business does everything in their power to prevent you from submitting a simple complaint, there’s obviously something wrong. Get your shit together, Fonda, because I definitely won’t be back. Also, you should fire the bartender named «Mike,» «Johnny,» or «Esteban.» I’d be able to be more specific, but he gave me a different name each time I asked.

Love coming here.
Amazing music
Never crowded
Easy to get to the bar
Easy to get to the bathroom
Thumbs up

I’ve been here multiple times but overall the people they hire such as security are really rude. Major attitude! One of the ladies working security was very aggressive and acted like she was going to fight us. Hopefully they hire a more mature staff and not some losers that think their sh*t don’t stink. It was super uncomfortable overall. Especially to the ghetto girl working the front door as security making everything hard on everyone else was very rude and deserves to lose her job. Even the security inside weren’t exactly the nicest. Parking by the way is 20 dollars now.

Hm, Fonda… you used to be one of my most fave places to see concerts, but after my last experience, maybe not so much. Let’s start with something you may or may not have control over: the parking. There used to be a large $ 10 lot right next door that’s now gone, so immediate options are all $ 20, boo. My bf and I found some free street parking a few blocks away, thank goodness, but what a pain. Then the whole balcony vs floor thing: one used to be able to meander about with freedom, but now you either buy a ticket for the balcony or the floor, double boo. Then also the enter/​exit through specific doors thing, confusing pain in the ass. Combined with high drink prices, the actual experience of interacting with this theater has become less than stellar over the years and now I don’t really look forward to coming here unless there’s someone I must absolutely see. That said, you still sound great, the rooftop patio area is still cool and so are the Hieronymous Bosch wallpaper (peeling in places) and décor, but… the thrill is gone.
STEPH JUDGEMENT: Still a good theater to see live bands but it’s becoming an increasing pain in the ass to come here.

I got the chance to see one of my all time favorite bands. John and Robby of The Doors! And what better place to see them, than here. My boyfriend and I had balcony seats and they were comfy and not too far off from the stage. I love how it is small compared to Forum or Hollywood Bowl. It’s much more intimate.
The lighting and décor is just down right groovy. It really enhances the concert. Also there is a beautiful balcony, that just stunned me. With a fake grass lawn, a bar, little rooms, tables and couches, and twinkle lights. It made me want to stay all night there. Water is $ 3 though. And then there is parking which is $ 25 for a Friday night. The upside is that the parking is literally next to the venue. So no far walking and not a hussle to get out after the concert. I’d definately come back. Also bartenders and the guys checking your tickets for balcony are sweet!

I got the chance to see one of my all time favorite bands. The Doors! And what better place to see them, than here. My boyfriend and I had balcony seats and they were comfy and not too far off from the stage. I love how it is small compared to Forum or Hollywood Bowl. It’s much more intimate.
The lighting and décor is just down right groovy. It really enhances the concert. Also there is a beautiful balcony, that just stunned me. With a fake grass lawn, a bar, little rooms, tables and couches, and twinkle lights. It made me want to stay all night there. Water is $ 3 though. And then there is parking which is $ 25 for a Friday night. The upside is that the parking is literally next to the venue. So no far walking and not a hussle to get out after the concert. I’d definately come back. Also bartenders and the guys checking your tickets for balcony are sweet!

The most nasty, unfriendly staff I have ever experienced. From the security at the door to the box office clerk, I wanted to leave before I got inside. The place is dirty and ugly. Please teach these people how to be nice to clients.

Saw Twin Shadow here as my first show here. GREAT show! The lighting was awesome, the venue is smaller (perfect) so I could actually see him. The bar is expensive (which is to be expected at any venue like this)…One of my favorite places so far to see a show.

Great sized theater. Not really a bad seat in the house.
I took a pic from behind the very back row in the theater (see my pic) and you’ll see that it’s still quite close to the stage.
The seats on the main floor were folding chairs, but in the balcony, there are actual theater seats. Not much legroom, though. I would still opt for the balcony over being in a folding chair.
The front seats in the balcony section are actually sofa style seating. Nice!
It’s pretty dark in the theater, and even though there is floor lighting, it’s dim and the stairs seem narrow, so take extra caution when walking on the stairs, especially the balcony stairs.
Restrooms on the second floor are not well marked. The balcony is actually on the third floor. The bathroom entrances actually look like they might be the entrances to the balcony. I saw several people mistake the bathroom for the balcony entrance. Not saying I didn’t do that too! Good think I ended up in the men’s room by accident. That’s all I’m sayin’.
It would be pretty simple to have a sign pointing to the stairs leading to the balcony.
No parking lot, but plenty of public parking around. I wouldn’t hesitate to see a show there because it’s a perfectly sized theater to really be able to get a good view, no matter where you are seated.

So far, the Fonda theatre was an okay experience for me. I would give it another chance later on, however, I didn’t feel comfortable there. The workers and security seemed to be racist toward us. They would constantly glare at us and give us dirty looks. We are a minority race and although they are too, we still felt unwelcome.

Been here. Love the spot. I remeber whe it used to be the music box. Just wondering what time does it generally close on a friday?

As a photographer this is probably one of my favorite venues to shoot. Super easy to get in and out. Their green room was amazing. The show was great. Everything was great.

I rarely write a negative review. Actually, this is my first. But I was bummed out after my evening at the Fonda. Last night, going into the Fonda my bag was searched. Fair enough, it happens at all venues. However, I was set off when I was forced by two security personnel to throw out a brand new pack of orbit GUM folks because they have «wall to wall» carpeting. I kid you not. Here is my problem. Not all people carry purses. In fact, most of the time, men don’t carry them at all. So all the women going in are forced to throw out their gum but men can just keep it in their pockets? That’s bizarre and actually discriminatory. And yes, it’s just gum but at the end of the day it bothers me on principle. Also, I am an adult woman, not an animal and will use a garbage can when disposing of it.
Here is the irony. Go into the bathroom and they will sell you mints and mentos and lots of chewy things. So if you PAY for it, it’s cool. They’ll take the chance.
They will also sell you 2 flat Stella Artois for $ 25.
I’ve been to this venue many times but seriously guys? Get your policies together. It’s cool for a bunch of folks to light up inside during every show but my GUM goes in the garbage or I won’t be let it. NOPE. Can’t say I am excited to go back any time soon.

Artist that I like to see they usually perform in small theaters in Los Angeles like El Rey or Fonda theater. That being said, Fonda theatre has unimaginable amount of racist staff and vibe, if you are not white or if your hair is too black or dark skin you will get harassed by the staff and crowd, I’ve been asked to change my location where I’m standing just because some people felt uncomfortable just by my existence, all I was doing is watch the show not interacting with anyone to avoid hate and disgust.
There’s this bartender with huge beard, if you’re not white and order a drink he’ll pull some vodka under the bar never heard or seen $ 5 dollar a bottle probably, if you don’t believe me next time you’re there pay attention. Very racist human trash vibe, I feel bad for the artists performing there.

I’ve been to this theater 3 times now and have had an unpleasant experience each time. The staff is incredibly rude and frankly, insulting. What really broke the last straw for me was when I asked the bar for a cup of tap water and was refused. Really?! You can’t give me water from the tap in a plastic 99 cent cup?! Sorry to put you guys out. I’ve never heard of a bar refusing tap water. I will never return to this venue unless I am on the guest list. And even then I will never give them a dime.

Classic intimate venue to catch a show in Hollywood.
Got to see Chvrches there on comp’d tickets.
There is a great restaurant next door with very good food and HUGE selection of very limited beers, Russian River varieties, etc.

Yes! One of my favorite venues in Los Angeles.
In my opinion the size of this venue is perfect!
The bar is right behind the dance floor, so it doesn’t take long for you to buy a drink and getting back. I like the fact that the floor is only one level, so you can be anywhere and be able to get a good view of the stage. It can get crowded, but that will probably depend on the type of shows you go to.
The line up of artist they get is all over the place. What I mean by that is that they get genre of all kind to perform. In the past I’ve seen Franz Ferdinand (Alternative Rock), Sun Kil Moon (Folk), Joey Bada$$(Hip Hop), Punch Brothers (Bluegrass) and Tchami (Future House). All of those shows set different tones, and have different sounds but this venue did so well with all of them. The environment is really classy and very vibrant. It definitely want to make you come back.
This venue is located in Hollywood, so it’s hard to find street parking. It will be a lot easier to park at the parking lot across the street. Carpool with your friends and split that $ 10 fee. It’s not so bad.
Also remember that this venue is no re entry.
If I was you, I’ll be checking their calendar right now to plan for the next upcoming show!

So yeah… last night was my first time here and I must say that for my first show at the Fonda, I was left stoked!
Located right nearby the Pantages Theatre and the Museum of Death, the Fonda Theatre has been the venue for so many musicians, comedians and such over the years. It has a small standing area that can get difficult to walk through during sold out shows. They also do have a balcony area with seats, which I believe often is the better choice, in case the show itself gets pretty wild. Last night’s show did get like that!!!
I came to watch El Dusty, MLKMN, Enjambre and the headliners for the night, Kinky, which was sponsored by Bud Light and Goldenvoice. It was a packed sold out show. They do have 2 fully stocked bars with one facing the stage. For a Goose island IPA, I paid $ 12 and that was for a large cup! They do have parking outdoors. My suggestion is to take the Metro, considering the Red Line station is 2 blocks away from the venue, which I did! Saved on parking prices and not having to drive while inebriated.
I prefer smaller venues, such as this one. Makes for a more intimate setting. Next time, I think I’ll try the balcony seats, just to stay away from the constant pits that break out!!! Getting kinda old for that!!!

This is a really great venue! It is small and quaint enough to really experience the band up close but big enough that you have some elbow room. The décor is really nice and classical and parking in the area is easy and reasonably priced. My only complaint is the stadium priced beers ($ 9 for a plastic cup) though the selection is pretty good.
Just saw P.I.L. and sat in the balcony. View was great but what previous reviewers wrote is true, get there early if you want a seat. They oversell the balcony and it is standing at the back rail if you can’t get a seat.

Here tonight waiting to see People Under the Stairs. The venue looks like it used to be a theater from the 20s. Very cool place. If you come day of show to buy tickets make sure you bring cash. Bar inside is also cash only. Wear comfortable shoes as there is no where to sit.

I had an iconic time at The Fonda while seeing Leon Bridges live! The theater is intimate and cosy. The perfect setting for a show like this. Yes, the place could use a little bit of a face lift here and there, but I love the vintage setting. Specifically the white and black checkerboard dance floor. I wish more people had felt like movin’ and groovin’ to the sweet tunes of mr. Bridges. I propose a new rule for all his shows, people must dance like its a 1950’s sock hop! I had a blast and wouldn’t change a thing!

+1 star for the venue and great sound. Don’t bother to go upstairs though if the show is oversold or sold out — you won’t be able to see the stage unless you get there early and lucky enough to be standing against the rail to look down.
–2 stars for the asshole with an attitude at the door who assumed I was chewing gum. It was a mint, you idiot. Doormen at most other concert venues in the area are cool. Not at this place.
–2 stars for the the bartender who intentionally ignored me on the first floor.

I’ve been here quite a few times! It’s a great venue and it plays great punk/​alternative bands.
There’s a pit and a balcony. I’m not much into acoustics and all that kind of stuff so I won’t get into that. I’m just happy that they play my kind of music.
Last show I saw here was Jesus and Mary Chain with A Place To Bury Strangers! It was a dream concert to be sure!
There’s a huge lot next to this venue but you have to pay. If you are willing to drive around, free street parking is possible. I should know — the last time I went I found it!
What can I do without here?
No complaints!
What makes The Fonda Theatre stand out?
The great punk/​alternative bands that play here!
Five stars! This place is really, really ridiculously good!