“The Onion” is a notable Los Angeles site due to its role in the 1966 Acid Test series and the Grateful Dead’s performance there, linking it to the psychedelic movement. The event made it into Tom Wolfe’s book, “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test“. Built in 1964 as the sanctuary for the Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society, its round design and shingled, bulb-like exterior earned it the nickname that has endured for decades.
Although primarily known today as an architectural landmark, The Onion’s brief but memorable role in the psychedelic era makes it a worthwhile stop for rock fans exploring Los Angeles. It stands as a reminder that some of the most significant moments in rock history happened not only in famous clubs like the Whisky or the Troubadour, but also in unexpected places where music, art, and social change intersected.
Today the Onion is a Unitarian Church and was nominated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009.
The Onion
9550 Haskell
North Hills CA 91343
It was a Unitarian church then too, as it is today and probably will be until the end of time.