And that sign can be found atop what looks like it was once a gas station shelter, a massive piece of metal I probably wouldn’t recommend standing over for a prolonged period of time currently sheltering nothing from the California weather. The bright yellow building next to the makeshift carport includes a pair of large windows clearly once used as garage bays during the property’s car service days. Out front, this pair of bright yellow icons is certainly eye-catching, but fails to convey the lush California dive bar environment found inside the front door.
The soaring floor plan inside Screaming Sally’s Saloon makes for a pretty grand introduction to the hundreds of stapled dollar bills that paper almost every inch of this first room. As the height increases, the dollar bill density fades a bit, but impressive are the bills affixed to the two-story ceiling and those above the extensive row of televisions near the top of the space. The garage door windows do indeed roll back, making for pleasant day drinking when the weather allows, but these modern touches only serve to complement the non-nonsense vibe suggested by the dollar bill-heavy décor.
California houses its fair share of divey and upscale lounges that feature a fireplace as centerpiece, but few rival the authentic, wood-burning model found in the center of the Screaming Sally’s Saloon main room. The ancient contraption is fenced off for drunken burn protection, the recipient of real wood hand-fed throughout the day by the bartender or server on duty. The fireplace looks a bit like a steam engine’s coal furnace in a movie, another element adding to the general appeal of Screaming Sally’s Saloon.
