This dank corner bar in Huntington Beach is no stranger to the award of Best Punk Rock bar from your favorite infernal rag, but in recent years, the award has grown to mean something different. Before, Johnny's Saloon was punk rock because of its analog jukebox noticeably devoid of Top 40 hits, which can be heard ad nauseam at other bars. Because it sold PBR by the truckload before the brand's hipster resurrection. Because the patrons and booze-slingers who didn't have tattoos, piercings and Crayola-colored hair were the ones who stood out. But now more than a decade old, the saloon has evolved not unlike an aging punk rocker: Its defining punkness has grown from these superficial signs of punk to being all about its DIY attitude. Led by owner Johnny Kresimir's behemoth social-media following and the bar's die-hard regulars, patrons flock to the bar not only to drink from the 100 craft whiskeys and beers offered, but also to donate money, clothes, time and goods to members of the community who need it most. The bartenders drive around the streets with warm socks and toiletries to hand out to the homeless. Toy and canned-food drives aren't just for Christmas and Thanksgiving—these punks are running charity drives on a near-weekly basis. Whether you want to show your support to pets, vets, homeless, women's shelters or small local businesses, Johnny's Saloon has multiple opportunities to help you help them. The fact that you can drink while doing good is just a punk-as-fuck bonus.
