The Blind Donkey Long Beach

I started working in the service industry as a Cocktail Waitress and quickly transitioned to Bartending. As a Bartender, I have been able to provide my daughter a balanced life as a single mother. I tried to move onto different careers, but never could walk away from slangin’ drinks...I LOVE IT! , I’ve worked in a variety of establishments, but there has NEVER been a place quite like The Blind Donkey. I can honestly, wholeheartedly say that our staff and customers are famil...y. The energy in these walls is phenomenal, unlike no other. There is an infectious vibe you experience as you walk down those stairs knowing you’re home and gonna have a good time. 2020 has been bleak for everyone, especially trying on the industry I have come to know, love and have held membership in for 17+ years. Hopefully we can figure out a way to save the industry/craft we know and love. We miss you! #longbeachbarcoaliton #savelongbeachsmallbusiness #saveourbars #savelongbeachbars

Meet Ryan- I’ve worked in bars for half of my life, almost. I’ve met many of my closest friends and my husband at bars. I’ve celebrated birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and everything else in between at them. I’ve brought my children to them. I started working at the Blind Donkey a few months after it opened. It immediately felt like home. The staff are like an extension of my family. The owners are wonderful as well, and have a level of compassion and kindness for their st...aff that is rare in this industry. The patrons are the kindest I’ve ever served and coming in to have conversations with them make my nights. I know that a lot of people are hurting because of the pandemic, and a lot of people are out of work or have had their pay cut. But I don’t think you can argue that the indoor bar and music venue scene has been hit particularly hard. If they can’t open because of Covid safety concerns, we need some help in the form of legislation to get our service industry through the shutdown, and we need some relief for small business owners so that we even have a place to come back to work at. #longbeachbarcoaliton #savelongbeachsmallbusiness #saveourbars #savelongbeachbars

Meet Dave- I’ve been in the bar industry for nearly two decades, and the Blind Donkey for about 4 years. I can honestly say this is one of the hardest working, most professional groups of individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Along with the staff came some of the best patrons I’ve ever dealt with. Many of whom I’m happy to call friend. The days I get to step behind the bar don’t feel like work, but more like home. These people have become family. It’s... a shame to see these interactions stripped away virtually overnight. This new reality, due to this terrible pandemic, is soul crushing, and so foreign. Beyond this social atrophied limb of my life, comes the financial burden. I am a new father as of a month ago, and bear the responsibilities of that title. Just getting by isn’t good enough for me in this stage of my life. I need to get back to work, and provide the best possible future for my son and significant other, whom also works in the bar industry. I hope we can see an end to this prohibition, and rejoin our friends and families as important, productive members of society. #longbeachbarcoaliton #savelongbeachsmallbusiness #saveourbars #savelongbeachbars

Meet Jamie- I moved to Long Beach and knew almost no one. Over the last few years the Blind Donkey has become my west coast family. Not only do I consider the staff my family & best friends but also the patrons, most of which have also become family to me. For those of you who don’t know, James and I met on Grand Prix weekend there and we also had our sons ‘happy hour’ baby shower there as well. The bar community in the city is unlike any I have ever seen before. For the most part we all know each other and look out for each other, please help us save our local watering holes. They mean so much to so many people, myself and family included. CHEERS #theblinddonkeylbc #longbeachbarcoalition #saveourbars

Meet Jen- The past 5 years I’ve worked at Blind Donkey have been nothing short of amazing. Being in the service industry since I was 18, I’ve worked at a lot of places over the years. This place is truly something special. The staff is awesome & one of a kind. There have been many people that have come in as customers that are now good friends of mine. It’s a great place to be. There’s something about going downstairs to this bar that makes you feel like you’re somewhere else... & not in Long Beach anymore. Yet it still has that friendly LB vibe where you can come in for a drink & have a conversation with a stranger across the bar from you. That’s what I love about the place. It doesn’t judge, it welcomes all shapes & sizes of people, from LB locals to people traveling in town for work. I really hope our city can do something soon to help us open up our doors again, because 6 months is just too long to keep us closed. I love this bar. I love this job. I love & miss all my Donkey people. Stay safe LB #longbeachbarcoaliton #savelongbeachsmallbusiness #saveourbars #savelongbeachbars

Meet Cristina- So They ask you about Long Beach and the community and what it means to you... This photo was taken at our first best bar in Lb celebration for the blind donkey. Yes we were new. Yes we were this weird collective group of people that have or have not come from here, but some how we all fit together at the donkey. I’ve made some of the best friendships from some people I would have never met, if it wasn’t for working for this group in Long Beach. ... I moved here from, not far, Newport, close to 15 years ago. This is the place I call home now. From all the locally owned bars up and down fourth, that I made my crawl from many of nights, shows at Alex’s and meeting best friends here. Our Long Beach ladies nights, seeing friends meet their husbands or wives and having babies stemmed from some of these places that are in jeopardy, breaks my heart. Not only have i established friendships, love and life from all of these places, I’ve established another place I call home..work. The blind donkey has not only introduced me to some of the best friends a person could ask for, but also for the best co workers ( and whiskey) managers and owners, that have led them to their own bars in this city. I’ve loved this city for years. I love my place in this community and the opportunity I was given to work here. I only hope something can be figured out to save it. #longbeachbarcoaliton #savelongbeachsmallbusiness #saveourbars #savelongbeachbars @longbeachbarcoalition

Meet Malcolm- At 22, I was on the hunt for a solid main source of income. I bounced around from job to job until I finally landed at the doorstep of Blind Donkey. With 0 experience behind the bar I didn’t believe I would be brought on the team to help usher in this brand new bar to Long Beach. I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I decided to be a part of the Service Industry over 6 years ago. What I discovered, is that people are crazy, and family is even crazie...r! But that’s the best word to describe the dynamics we have here; it’s a crazy family that I’m glad to be a part of. I’ve made lifelong connections here: from the staff, to the regulars who’ve become friends, down to my favorite brand of whiskey (Buffalo Trace). I started off as a barback in 2014 and slowly climbed my way up the ladder to becoming a bartender, and eventually as one of the bar managers here. I’ve learned so much working here: from how bars operate, to what is good whiskey, operating a business, and how to deal with all sorts of people. I am saddened to see our establishment so quiet and not allowed to open fully. I miss the wild weekends, the lively karaoke and the clink of glasses to signify a cheer. I love this place and i love all of you have supported us through the years. Covid 19 has been a huge pain, and bars are the most affected businesses. We aren’t able to open our doors due to restrictions and the notion that we are the least essential. This has made this year even more difficult for us in the bar industry. Unemployment has helped, but it won’t be able to sustain us long term. Applying for a job at restaurants is competitive now more than ever. I love my job and I would want us to re-open safely with everyone’s health in mind. To completely shut us down with no tentative idea of when we will be able to open again makes our future here pretty bleak. Hopefully one day soon, we can have a toast to better days ahead. #longbeachbarcoaliton #savelongbeachsmallbusiness #saveourbars #savelongbeachbars

We are looking for our Long Beach community’s help in spreading awareness to our legislators and decision makers about the plight of our local bars and venues. As many of you know, the vast majority of us without a kitchen have been forced to close for close to 6 months with no time table to reopen. As the days grow longer it has become apparent that we will be dead last to reopen our doors for business during this pandemic and as such may never be able to reopen due to financial constraints. It would mean a great deal to the Long Beach Bar Coalition if you could show a simple act of solidarity by posting a photo (socially distant of course and in a safe manner) this Thursday September 3rd in front of your favorite local watering hole/s. Please use the hashtags #saveourbars #saveourstages #savelongbeachbusinesses #longbeachbarcoalition

Come see what we’ve been working on! Opening SOON! . From the master minds behind the Blind Donkey, we’ll be bringing you Burger Daddy! . The Lucyhas been a house favorite! Vegan burgers AND shakes available. You won’t regret these burgers.... ... . Check out our post here.. https://lbpost.com/h/addison-burger-daddy-dtlb-blind-donkey . #burgers #vegan #veganshakes #milkshakes #fries #burgerdaddy #downtownlb #longbeach #theblinddonkeylbc #cheeseburgers #hamburgers #yum @ The Blind Donkey Long Beach See more

Hey pussycat, what time should we be expecting your group to get here? We’ll save you a spot! Happy hour until 7, dj @aaronbenherschel at 10! #blinddonkeylbc

Tonight at 10! Start your weekend off right with us by your side and an old fash in your hand! #blinddonkeylbc

It’s thirsty Thursday y’all! After heading to Taste of Long Beach Downtown stop on by and have a drink with us! Happy hour until 8, service industry night at 10! #blinddonkeylbc : @miercoles.viernes

It’s karaoke Wednesday! Come in for happy hour to warm up for your performances 5-7, karaoke at 10! #blinddonkeykaraoke #blinddonkeylbc