Beetlehouse LA
Overview
Beetlehouse LA will make you think you are in a Tim Burton movie. If you love Tim Burton, are spooky, goth, or love Halloween, they made this place for you.
I loved the entertainment. There are various entertainers that will come out. We saw Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz, Sam from Trick ‘r Treat. Raven a magician. And Edward Scissorhands.
We had fun, and some great interactions. Beetlejuice was absolutely amazing. It was my daughter’s birthday, and we loved how much attention she got from him. He gave my daughter a beetle for her birthday, so now she has a beetle from Beetlejuice, and she’ll always remember this birthday.
Bring cash to tip the entertainers. Every so often a Tim Burton character or a horror inspired character will come out and entertain.
The menu is Prix Fixe and is not allergy friendly, which I will address later, but the food is very good. I had the Sweeny Beef as the burgers were spicy and had toppings I could not have, and ate around those and prayed nothing happened. I was not sure if they were ok. Unfortunately, Beetlehouse is not the most accessible place if you have food allergies or intolerances, have a disability that makes going upstairs an issue, or have sensory issues.
Accessibility and Food Allergies
I am neurodivergent and physically disabled. When I walked through the gates and I saw the stairs, and realized there was no elevator or ramp, I did not know what to say or do.
There weren’t a lot of stairs, but there was no way to get around them without prior arrangements was upsetting. I have osteoarthritis of the knees and was so freaked out and did not know what to do. So I said nothing and used the stairs. That was a huge mistake. Stairs are not my friend.
I love this place and I think it’s fun, but I am torn. We honestly had the best time, but knowing they don’t offer allergy friendly items, and if you’re not ambulatory getting into the restaurant or bathroom without planning makes me uncomfortable. If you need accommodations, I recommend you reach out via email info@beetlehousela.com before your visit.
Overall, we had a wonderful experience, but I cannot testify how accommodating they are because I did not ask for accommodations. That is on me. So my recommendation is if you don’t need any accommodations or have any food allergies, go. If you need accommodations, reach out to them via email. My husband made the reservations, and I assumed he made sure there was an elevator or ramp, and he didn’t. And that is on me.
I think this goes without saying if loud noises, music, or lights are an issue that it will not be a safe, quiet space. As there are musical performances with lighting.
Social Responsibility, Other Content Creators and Guilt
The atmosphere alone is worth going for. I am one of those people that feels guilt for enjoying something that is not accessible to everyone. And I feel immensely guilty. However, if I had known in advance, I would've emailed them and I would've been able to experience Beetlehouse as a disabled person who was accommodated.
I don't know how they would've gotten me up the stairs or to the bathroom because there was no elevator. Trust me, I looked. Perhaps it's possible there was an employee restroom on the ground level that was accessible. I don't know, and I won't know because I didn't ask ahead of time, and that's on me. And I am truly sorry for that.
I love Tim Burton movies and this place was really amazing, and I had such a good time. It was my daughter's birthday, so we were having a blast, and I don't think I should feel guilty about that. However, I feel responsibility to the disabled community, and there not being an option to get you up the stairs is something I can't let go of.
Accessibility is very important to me. As a disabled person who sometimes can barely walk, I need accessibility. I need a ramp or elevator. As someone who can't eat certain foods, I need an allergy or menu or something bland that is safe to eat. And felt as if I would be a bad person for publishing this, knowing accessibility is limited. Then I realized after I had spent a lot of time online looking at YouTube videos and Tik Toks not one creator that made content about Beetlehouse mentioned the lack of ramp or elevator or the lack of an allergy menu. A lot of people rely on Social Media creators for information. And because of this, content creators should give accessibility information regardless of whether they personally need it because some of their audience likely will need that information.
Creators have a responsibility to the audience who consumes their content, an audience I'm pretty sure includes the disabled, those with food allergies, or sensory issues.
It’s easy and not time-consuming to check for and include these details. And I know this because I do this everywhere I go. It takes one minute to check for an allergy menu. You just have to look at the menu completely and if there's nothing on there, you ask the server. It takes seconds. And it literally takes a minute to walk around the premises and see if there was an elevator, if the bathroom was up or downstairs. Content creators can include accessibility just by asking a few questions and looking out for ramps and elevators yet no one does it.
Ultimately, I am the only person I feel in the So Cal area who's checking for everything and reporting back. I always look for allergy friendly foods and accessibility for the disabled. I also look for safe spaces for when you're overwhelmed with sensory issues because I suffer from those as well. Ultimately, I decided even though I feel guilty for going and enjoying myself that it was better for me to publish this post and let you know.
If you're going to make content about dining and travel, just add information about accessibility and the allergy menu, please.
With that said, I really loved Beetlehouse. I would go back, and I want to go back asap. However, next time I am emailing them first.
Cost
On a side-note, I will note that it was expensive. This was the most expensive dinner we've had in quite some time. I know some people might not be prepared for that, but the prefixed menu is $60 and there are up charges for certain entrées. This doesn't include your drinks or desserts. So if you're on a budget, make sure you check the menu and the prices beforehand.
I also mentioned tipping. We tipped our server and the actors you should too. So bring cash.
Conclusion
I recommend Beetlehouse LA despite the lack of accessibility because I think knowing beforehand and contacting them you can make it work and have a great time. Plan ahead and advocate for yourself if needed.
If you do not need any accommodations, have fun!
Beetlehouse LA is fun. The actors were fabulous; the food was good, and the drinks were delicious. It’s a unique experience and I recommend you go at least once to give Beetlehouse a try.