Los Angeles doesn't have too many establishments that make it past the half-century mark. Ye Rustic Inn is one of the few, and now it's facing landlord issues, along with fears it may not be able to renew its lease.
Ye Rustic Inn is as known for its sexy, dimly lit bar that feels like someone turned a sex dungeon into a sports bar as it is for its surprisingly delicious, balanced, crispy hot wings. The Los Feliz staple is also famous for having great wings, the hottest staff, and unpretentious vibes. It’s one of Los Angeles’ last true dives.
Tucked into a corner of a strip mall shopping center off Hillhurst Avenue since 1971, Ye Rustic has been a family operation since 1997.
When word went out that the bar was calling on its community to show support in the form of a “hope circle” amid a fight with its landlord, it was clear that we had to be there.
We arrived at 6:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, fighting for our lives to find parking. It was easy to see why once we walked inside.
There were easily 100 people packed onto the bar's front patio, looking how you'd expect: There was a man dressed as Bob from Bob's Big Boy among several Jacob Elordi-style haircuts, wolf cuts as far as the eye could see, and everyone in the single puffy winter coat they owned due to the rare L.A. occasion of temperatures below 75.
Alaska Lynch, a local entertainer, stood at the microphone with an accordion and a candle attached to it, addressing the landlord.
“We gather today to share hope. We ask that our voices be heard and our future be considered with passion,” Lynch said while playing the accordion. “We place this situation entirely in your hands, oh landlord; may the landlord leave this to the people, may they understand that the patio is not just extra seating but a part of our essential survival.”
It felt like a funeral mixed with a séance. But also comedic.
The patrons were calling upon the landlord as if he or she was a mighty god to reconsider their plan, keep the patio open, and renew the bar's lease on December 1. There was laughter and tears.
“The landlord had previously asked us to shut down the outdoor seating area,” one staff member tells L.A. TACO. “The owner of the bar and the landlord have been negotiating about that, and we are not sure if the landlord is interested in renewing our lease at the end of the year. There are a lot of unknowns.”
“The landlord had previously asked us to shut down the outdoor seating area,” one staff member tells L.A. TACO. “The owner of the bar and the landlord have been negotiating about that, and we are not sure if the landlord is interested in renewing our lease at the end of the year. There are a lot of unknowns.”
The outdoor patio was added during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, many businesses began relying on the extra seating to keep up with rising food, labor, and rent costs.
Lynch eventually stopped playing and opened the floor to anyone who wanted to speak.
“No one moves to California to not sit outside on a patio at 9 p.m.,” one woman told the crowd.
“I tried to think of the perfect words for this moment,” another man said. “I borrowed some words.”
He began reciting the lyrics to the “Cheers” theme song about making your way in the world and wanting to go somewhere where everyone knows your name.
Some people took the microphone to share stories about finding comfort at Ye Rustic after escaping the fires in 2025. They talked about coming in for a beer and a round of wings when one waitress asked what they needed, took their number, and sent them socks, underwear, clothes, and toys for their dog within 48 hours.
One man took the microphone, getting teary-eyed as he talked about the times he couldn't afford to go home for the holidays.
“People move into this city for whatever, be in the industry, to be away from their fucking families, whatever,” he said. “My early years, like everybody, money has been tight. Some holidays I couldn't go home, so I came here. I couldn't afford a meal. They would tell me, ‘You sit down, you'll have your meal here.’ Then they would get me wasted.”
He thanked the bar for taking care of him.
“The people here love you. I was hungry, and they fed me. Thank you, Ye Rustic, for taking care of me,” he said at the end of his speech.
“It's home,” someone else said.
A man who works at the bar took his turn at the microphone.
“When I started here, I was just a guy who had gotten laid off as a sushi guy,” he said. “A friend had asked if they were hiring. They needed barbacks.”
He thanked the owners and staff for giving him a chance, then turned his attention to the people gathered on the patio.
“I want to thank everyone who comes here, because you guys are this place,” he said.
The current owner, absolute icon Susan Wood, took to the microphone next. She had long white hair, a black-and-white power suit, and an espresso martini in hand.
Wood is beloved and respected by the community as well as the staff; people came up to her to thank her for fighting for the community staple, and she stopped to listen, take photos, and hug each person.
“I prayed and tried to think of every possibility. My only hope was to bring our community together,” she said.
She offered a small prayer, asking the Heavenly Father to show her landlord the way.
Then she threw her arms in the air and yelled, “So let's parrrrrttyyyyyy!”
Right on cue, a man arrived carrying several trays of mini grapefruit-and-vodka shots to hand out to the crowd.
“When I say ‘together,’ you say ‘we hope’!” Lynch calls out.
The crowd followed his lead, holding their shots high while Lynch started lightly singing LMFAO's hit song “Shots” before taking shots in unison.
A few moments passed, and the crowd lingered, telling stories about how much the space meant to them.
Then mayoral candidate Nithya Raman appeared, and the crowd cheered.
“We are losing a lot of institutions in this city,” Raman said. “Susan has kept this place open through a pandemic and rising costs. Across this city, small-business owners put everything they have into their businesses, and they mean so much to the community.”
She spoke about the challenges small businesses face, from difficult landlords to endless red tape, and said she wanted to create a City Hall that fights for local businesses.
Los Angeles has had a rough couple of years of losing beloved local institutions, from The Pantry to Cole's to Taix, even if only temporarily.
While some have managed comebacks, they often do so with major changes that risk taking away the very things that made them special in the first place: soul, history, and that lived-in feeling you can't manufacture.
While some have managed comebacks, they often do so with major changes that risk taking away the very things that made them special in the first place: soul, history, and that lived-in feeling you can't manufacture.
“All the old neighborhood spots are in danger these days,” Zach, a Ye Rustic bartender, says before listing several local staples that have closed or are on the verge of closing in the Los Feliz area.
Judging by the crowd that showed up on Wednesday night, Ye Rustic isn't going down without a fight.
Los Angeles will be damned if it loses the best wings in the city.
To keep up with Ye Rustic Inn, follow them on Instagram or visit them to show your support.
1831 Hillhurst Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
