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1160 Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-315-1845
http://www.hollywoodhotel.net/night_bar_lounge.asp Downstairs, low ceilings, full bar. $5, no min. 9 p.m. More >>
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1616 E. 15th St. Los Angeles, CA 90021
213-748-8099
http://www.1616club.com
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1642 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-989-6836
Owner Elizabeth Fischbach recently renovated the longtime Filipinotown/Echo Park joint Lupita's and transformed the narrow, brick-walled room into a hip wine and craft-beer bar. Entertainment ranges from DJs to acoustic buskers. 21 & over More >>
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1739 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-663-1739
http://www.1739publichouse.com Whether or not you're a fan of sports bars, you'll probably feel right at home at 1739 Public House, a bastion of unpretentiousness on the hippest stretch of Los Feliz's Vermont Avenue. Parking is always a challenge in this corner of the world, but once you've stowed your car on one of the surrounding side streets, you can pull up a stool at the sparkly red bar and sample 1739's enormous variety of beers from around the world, an exhaustive range of stouts, golden ales, fruit-flavored beers and other nectars that froth forth from the taps. Whether you're seated pointing north, south, east or west, you're bound to be facing at least one of the numerous TV, screening varsity football, basketball and other cheerleader-friendly fare. The crowd is infinitely more low-key frat house than the sartorially conscious clientele at Le Figaro across the road, with a decor that reflects the bar's vibe -- functional and fun. It's an agreeable place to while away an afternoon, although weekends and late evenings can be hectic. And if you feel like a tequila chaser to complement your artisanal beer, walk behind the bar and into Agave next door, which boasts a large selection of tequilas as well as a menu that offers Mexican dishes. More >>
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11401 Chalon Road Los Angeles, CA 90077
http://www.chivasbrotherhood.com/1801-club
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1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105
626-441-3136
http://www.theraymond.com
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2827 S. Hoover St. Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-746-2929
http://www.thetwonine.com As its name implies, the 2-9 Cafe is located on the corner of 29th Street and Hoover Street in the North University Park neighborhood of the West Adams district, by the USC campus. The bar and restaurant are situated in a grand, old restored Victorian mansion, which was originally built by politician William Davis in 1897. With its logo painted in the Trojans' signature cardinal-and-gold colors and autographed photos of the school's celebrated song girls on the walls, the 2-9 Cafe is clearly a hangout for USC students, but it also attracts regulars from downtown and nearby neighborhoods. Flat-screen TVs tuned to sports are strategically located in the bar and in the adjoining restaurant, not far from USC banners, football mementos and portraits of such venerated Trojan mascots as George Tirebiter (a dog) and Traveler (the horse). The beer-&-wine bar features Harlow Ridge and Napa Ridge wines and such standby beers as Dos Equis, Sierra Nevada and Bud Light alongside draft favorites like Hefeweizen, Fat Tire and Wyder's Pear Cider. The restaurant, which includes a sidewalk patio, serves American and Mexican basics such as buffalo wings, quesadillas, soups, enchiladas, salads, sandwiches and burgers but also branches out with more unusual fare like Greek Lavash wraps. Best of all are the cafe's homemade red-velvet cupcakes, which are airier and fresher than most such confections. What really separates the 2-9 Cafe from other area hangouts, though, is the friendly, welcoming staff, who make even the most homesick students feel like they're part of the family. More >>
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7000 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-785-7244
http://www.25degreesrestaurant.com The latest restaurant project from the O.C.-based team that brought us Dakota, Whist and Meson G is a bordello-style, flocked-wallpaper saloon with a big list of wines by the half-bottle, the chance to have Red Hawk or Crescenza on your cheeseburger instead of ordinary cheddar, and big Chinese takeout containers filled with herb-flecked pommes frites. The soundtrack is probably close to the one you played in your car on the way to the AC/DC concert, if you were into stuff like that, a grinding mix of ’80s guitar rock played with enthusiasm and played loud. More >>
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3110 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-450-5522
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6333 W. Third St. Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-549-2156
http://www.farmersmarketbars.com/wine-beer-bar.htm Farmer's Market's old-timey ambiance is made all the better with a beer buzz, and regulars at these two adjacent bars know this only too well. You can fill up on domestic brewskies and wines at 326, and more exotic fare at EB's, but the patio next to both is where you'll want to linger regardless of your poison. A chill sipper's oasis from the tourist-, family- and senior-packed chaos of other outdoor dining areas here at 3rd and Fairfax (not to mention the shopoholic swirl of The Grove), 326 and EB's do get lively during Happy Hour and during its holiday-themed parties, karaoke nights and band showcases. Check website for schedule. More >>
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12 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91105
626-356-9315
http://www.the35er.com The oldest bar in Pasadena, The 35er, or as regulars call it, the "dirty diver," offers the best spot in Pasadena to watch a game, hands down. Brimming with sports memorabilia (mostly Dodger jerseys and plaques), and screening all the games on multiple screens, there's always something to look at and listen to: fans adding colorful commentary to the play by plays and a rockin' jukebox. Nice tap selection and cheap -for Pasadena- drinks, plus free popcorn and a downstairs dance room open on weekends, make this one parade-like all year long. More >>
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100 W. Main St. Alhambra, CA 91801
626-282-2038
http://www.38degreesalhambra.com
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8636 W. Third St. Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-273-3605
A short walk from Cedar Sinai Medical Center, 3rd Stop is a casual restaurant with florescent lighting and bar food. Small bites include tuna tartare on fried wontons and steak salad. Its bar offers a slew of beers on tap, including the Horny Devil. There's a patio for dining, boozing or escaping hospital food. More >>
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2238 Cotner Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90064
310-575-0660
http://www.4playclub.com
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1087 Manzanita St. Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-666-4460
Dark and ornate, but dive-ish in vibe, this crimson-colored spot remains one of the liveliest bars in Silver Lake thanks to its convenient locale, nicely stocked jukebox (warning: they play it loud in here) and drink selection. The somewhat crowded layout of furniture --lots of comfy couches, some booths, and a center bar with stools which can be hard to walk past-- facilitates fairly easy friend-making. Still, some may find 4100 a little claustrophobic at peak hours. Good luck getting a seat at all on weekends. Billowy fabric and Morrocan touches soften things up, as do the strong pours. The parking lot -a regular post for some of LA's best food trucks- is a destination in itself. More >>
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3111 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039
323-662-5556
http://www.55degreewine.com There's a stairway to heaven in Atwater Village, except this staircase goes down, deep down, into the basement of 55 Degree Wine. There you'll find a dimly lit cellar bar with a dozen or so tables where you can sample some of 55 Degrees' many Italian wines -- the shop features grapes from each region -- with four new flights introduced each week. If nothing on the list tickles your fancy, you can purchase a bottle from one of the hundreds in the shop and bring it downstairs with you for a $6 corkage fee. We also encourage you to sample their curated selection of beers, whispered to be among the best in Los Angeles. Perfect for date nights and small oenophile gatherings, the bar features a small but noteworthy selection of nibbles, including a gourmet cheese plate and fresh pizza from Crispy Crust next door. Each Wednesday night, various food trucks post up in the parking lot. More >>
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3710 Verdugo Blvd. Montrose, CA 91020
818-249-7147
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2902 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90007-3709
213-745-7900
http://www.901bar.com Situated a few short blocks from the USC campus, the 901 Bar & Grill is a sports bar with a heavy emphasis on all things Trojan. Nearly a dozen large-screen television sets are perpetually tuned into the day's big games, and the televised action is the focus of attention in this no-frills bar. Framed jerseys of former Trojan football heroes like Troy Polamalu and Matt Leinart decorate the walls alongside one of Magic Johnson's old uniforms. The Nine-O, as it's called by its loyal regulars, serves basic bar food, including burgers, pizza, cheese steaks, chicken wings and Greek salads. The unpretentious bar is a great place to see the game, unless, of course, you're a Bruin. Full bar. Ages 21 & over. More >>
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16320 Raymer Ave. Van Nuys, CA 91406
818-994-7437
http://www.94thvannuys.com Perched on the edge of Van Nuys Airport, the 94th Aero Squadron is a restaurant and lounge where patrons can dine, drink, dance and listen to live music while watching planes land on a nearby runway. The dining room, bar and downstairs banquet rooms are a curious combination of elegant decor and kitschy war and aviation memorabilia. The tables and booths are covered with fine white linens and decorated with sumptuous bouquets of fresh flowers, while the walls are mounted with vintage recruitment posters, model planes and flight gear. In an unusual twist, headphones are installed at each booth so diners can listen in to live transmissions from the airport's control tower. Given the lounge's retro feel, the musical entertainment includes jazz and big-band revivalists, as well as more modern pop groups. Although the restaurant is kid friendly, with plenty of toys and artifacts to distract and inspire budding young pilots, the 94th Aero Squadron is above all a popular destination for couples to enjoy a traditional American-style meal and a drink before jetting off to some romantic getaway. The outdoor patio is an excellent place to get even closer to the adjoining runway and watch the wide variety of private aircraft and bigger jets landing and taking off. The restaurant specializes in high-end comfort food and such traditional favorites as burgers, steaks, filet mignon, seafood and pasta, along with house specialties like beer-cheese soup and crab-stuffed mushrooms. Happy hour occurs every Monday through Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m., and the Sunday champagne brunch buffet starts early at 9 a.m. The lavish banquet rooms are also available for private parties and weddings. There's free parking in the front lot. Full bar. All ages. More >>
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3521 Union Pacific Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90023
626-703-4333
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692 N. Robertson Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-289-8410
http://www.abbeyfoodandbar.com Get on your knees and pray at the Abbey, a sprawling 16,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor drinking establishment that attracts a consistently fierce crowd of choirboys (and the clergymen that love them). Named "Best Gay Bar in the World" by the Logo channel, the Abbey is fun whether you're gay, straight or undecided, a regular jumping-off point for epic nights out in WeHo.
Considerably more relaxed during the day, it's one of those rare and treasured L.A. establishments - a place where you can make out in the bathrooms by night, and take your mom for lunch the next day. You'll spot everyone from Perez Hilton to the cast of The L Word in this legendary haunt, and do treat yourself to a martini; the list features every fruit and berry flavor under the LGBTQ rainbow. Owner David Cooley, who founded the Abbey in 1991 as a small coffee shop, frequently hosts star-studded fund-raising galas at the venue, and his Oscar-night party, "The Envelope Please," raises more than $150,000 for AIDS Project L.A. each year. Become a regular, and you might just figure out how to gatecrash.
The food goes beyond typical bar fare, with dishes such as an Ahi burger, Atlantic salmon, New York steak and custom omelets.
Relax in the tastefully faux-goth environment (votive walls inside, gargoyles outside … and some cabanas) and gawk at the impossibly good-looking bar staff, whose sexual orientation may well depend on the size of the tip you choose to leave them, or which producer you work for. More >>
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4305 Degnan Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90008
323-295-0043
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401 E. Amado Road Palm Springs, CA 92262
888-999-1995
http://www.sparesortcasino.com
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625 Lincoln Blvd. Venice, CA 90291
310-230-5343
http://www.airconditionedlounge.com
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2419 N. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90031
323-221-0771
http://www.airlinerla.com This spacious Eastside club takes flight several nights a week, offering gritty ambiance and great sounds. Some might call it a dive - albeit a very big, multilevel one - due to the sometimes sketchy scene outside, but its unfettered charm is well-suited to the raw sounds within. Inside, the vibe is friendly and totally unpretentious, with peeps seemingly more concerned about the musical offerings than with being seen. Rowdy live bands and rappers rouse the outdoor patio stage, and bangin' DJs fill up the big dance floor inside. More >>
