Opening in 1973, Griff’s became one of LA’s defining leather bars—direct, unpolished, and rooted in a scene that valued identity and code over trend. It was part of a broader network of leather spaces that took shape in the ’70s, offering something more specific and self-defined than the mainstream gay nightlife of the time.
Griff’s had that classic leather bar feel: dark, steady, and built around a loyal crowd that understood the space without needing it explained. It wasn’t about spectacle—it was about presence, ritual, and community within a subculture carving out its own ground.
By the time it closed in 1984, Griff’s had left its mark as a cornerstone of LA’s leather scene during a formative era.
