This legendary Los Feliz dive could close after 50 years—here’s the latest on its lease situation

A week after Everson Royce announced it was closing after a decade in business, an even older local haunt has spoken out about its seemingly imminent closure.

Los Feliz institution Ye Rustic Inn faces an uncertain future, with its lease up in the air and its outdoor patio reportedly set to be removed. The neighborhood dive bar is asking locals to rally around the business before another piece of old-school Los Angeles disappears.

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The bar, located at 1831 Hillhurst Avenue, has been serving drinks and chicken wings since the 1970s. Owner Susan Wood, who has run the establishment since 1999, is now trying to keep the longtime neighborhood hangout alive as negotiations with the landlord appear to have stalled. According to a New York Post report, the lease expires within weeks, and Wood says she has struggled to get a response to her renewal requests.

The immediate concern is the patio, one of Ye Rustic Inn's defining features. The landlord's insurance company reportedly wants it removed on November 2. Losing the patio would be a significant blow to a bar whose appeal lies in its casual, no-frills atmosphere.

In an October 27 Instagram post, the bar appealed directly to its customers and the broader Los Feliz community for support, warning that its future is uncertain. Wood has also expressed concern about potential staff layoffs before Christmas if the situation doesn't improve. Because nothing says Dickensian holiday cheer more than a neighborhood institution being squeezed by a lease dispute.

The bar has not officially announced it is closing, and removing the patio does not necessarily mean the indoor space will shut down. For now, Ye Rustic Inn's fate hinges on whether the landlord and Wood can reach an agreement that lets the business keep operating.

Supporters gathered outside the bar on Wednesday, October 28, for what Wood described as a “circle of hope and unity,” a peaceful show of community support meant to show how much the establishment means to its regulars and employees.

Ye Rustic Inn has survived decades of changes to Los Feliz, remaining a dependable destination for cold drinks, late-night wings and a lived-in atmosphere that can't be manufactured by a restaurant group with a distressed-wood budget. In a neighborhood defined by trendy restaurants and ever-more-expensive real estate, losing it would be more than another bar closing: It would mean one less place where Los Angeles still feels like itself.

For now, the doors remain open. If you've been meaning to stop by for a plate of wings and a drink, now's a good time to show your support—and keep an eye on the bar's social media for updates on the lease and next steps.