Join the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles Sunday, February 19 for no-host cocktails at former Prohibition era Speakeasy, The Blind Donkey bar in Long Beach, located in the historic 1928 Broadlind Hotel. The Blind Donkey specializes in whiskey but has a cocktail menu and full bar, as well as nonalcoholic drinks. See below for details on The Blind Donkey and other points of interest in the area, gathered by our new Long Beach based volunteer Nicole who made arrangements for this event!
This gathering is free, but you are on the hook for food and beverage you wish to consume. Traditionally, the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles members gather once a month in an historic building with a bar, to socialize. We welcome interested persons to join us. This no-host cocktail gathering is open to members and non-members alike, and no reservations are required to attend.
No RSVP necessary, but we do suggest dinner reservations if you plan to eat in the area.
Come along for an excursion to the Art Deco mecca of downtown Long Beach to visit The Blind Donkey, a former speakeasy in the basement of The Broadlind Hotel, built in 1928. The bar also served as a filming location for La La Land in 2016.
PARKING
Street parking is available near the bar. Meters are free on Sundays, but please check parking signs.
There is also a small pay lot at 409 E. 1st Street, at the corner of Linden, and several other parking structures nearby. If you are visiting the Ordinarie or the Carvery (see below), we recommend the structure at 51 E. 3rd Street, which offers 2 free hours of parking.
DINING
You may bring your own food into The Blind Donkey or order in. The closest restaurant is Thai District, around the corner in the same building. If you would like to dine elsewhere before or after cocktails, we recommend the following nearby restaurants:
#1 The Carvery Contemporary American food, .4 miles away from The Blind Donkey in the beautiful Art Deco Rowan/Bradley building.
#2 The Ordinarie American comfort food, .3 miles away from The Blind Donkey in a building with a recently-restored Streamline Moderne façade.
#3 L'Opera Upscale Italian, .4 miles away from The Blind Donkey in an historic building.
#4 Joe Josts A classic Long Beach spot built in 1924, known for its pickled eggs and sausage sandwiches. 2.3 miles away from the Blind Donkey, but worth the trip if you’ve never been! Note: they only serve beer and root beer.
Broadlind Hotel Postcard
HISTORY
Designed and built in 1928 by architecture team Piper & Kahrs, Broadlind Hotel is located in the East Village Arts District in Downtown Long Beach on the corner of Broadlind and Linden. The same year, historical landmarks, The Lafayette Hotel, across from Broadlind, and the Villa Riviera on Ocean were built.
Broadlind Hotel was designed with influences from the Italian Renaissance style with detailed arches that reach from the ground to the top of the second floor and constructed with thin red brick and cream terra cotta. Although the architecture of the Broadlind alludes to the Italian Renaissance with its arches, stone columns and braided concrete ornamentation, the building can also be seen as a collective of American styles, similar to red brick buildings seen in the Midwest. The wrought iron overhang with intricate metalwork that hangs over the entrance exudes classic New Orleans style. The large wood beam doors can be seen as a nod to Spanish mission-style architecture in California. The Broadlind Hotel uniquely blends all the elements together making this an interesting landmark that cannot go unrecognized in Southern California’s favorite beach town. The original hand painted sign, Broadlind Hotel, still sits in tall letters on the side of the building, showing its history and adding wonderful ambiance to the East Village Arts District.
The Broadlind was once a 21-room hotel with a manager’s unit and was said to attract mostly male clientele, many of whom were navel officers docked in Long Beach, who would rent the apartments for short-term while in town. The open floor penthouse has been converted into an open, loft-like room. The downstairs basement, currently The Blind Donkey, was once known as a secretive Elite-Only, VIP gambling and drinking hall during the Prohibition Era. Some say there is a secret tunnel connecting from the Lafayette to the Blind Donkey!
The bar is located at 149 Linden Avenue. While visiting, we highly recommend taking a look at The Lafayette, the sensational Art Deco building directly across the street at 140 Linden:
Tours: The app GPSMycity offers free walking tours of historical buildings in downtown Long Beach. For more information go here or download the app and allow it to use your location once in Long Beach.