Justin Bieber:it's Tough Losing A Pal,So The Tab's On Me

Justin Bieber shelled out a few hundred bucks to cover the bar bill of a grieving group of strangers.

The Biebs was a few drinks in at Residuals Tavern in Studio City Tuesday when he noticed customers at a nearby table crying.

Justin asked the bartender what was up, and he heard the saddest story.

One of the regulars at the bar -- a guy named JD who was in his late 20s -- had tragically died earlier that day when he fell from his fire escape.

Bieber was moved so he paid their tab, which came to a few hundred bucks.

And, no, it didn't end up on Instagram