Akbar stands as a monument to everything that's right and good about the gay-bar scene. Opened on December 31, 1996, by co-owners Scott Craig and Peter Alexander, the jukebox offers everything from Gram Parsons to Vampire Weekend, while the bar attracts a wide variety of hot guys and gals who chill out, drink a few beers and possibly make out in the back. Elitism is not a vibe that runs through Akbar, and its customers seem to know it. The place feels like a neighborhood bar rather than a heavy-duty nighttime scene, which has always been Craig and Alexander's intention for Akbar. Gays and lesbians on the Westside may not know of this treasure, or they've forgotten about it, but Akbar is there, and waiting to be checked out. Once you go, you'll probably become a regular.