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A-Won
913 1/2 S. Vermont Ave.
L.A., CA 90006
(213) 389-6764
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101 Noodle Express
1408 E. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 300-8654
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All'Angelo
7166 Melrose Ave.
L.A., CA 90046
(323) 933-9540
http://www.allangelo.com/
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ANTHILL PUB
4200 Campus Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 824-3050
The UCI grad students who run this place buy a buttload of beer. They buy stouts and ales, pales and darks, apricot this and wheat that. Everything from your Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye to your Lost Coast Downtown Brown to your Brasserie Huyghe-Melle Delirium Tremens, which we believe is illegal, to your North Coast Pranqster 2X Belgian, which we know is illegal.
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Antojitos Denise's
4060 E. Olympic Blvd.
L.A., CA 90023
(323) 264-8199
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Bacaro
2308 S. Union Ave.
L.A., CA 90007
(213) 748-7205
Plush seats and restored barnwood tables line the perimeter of this intimate wine and tapas bar where a the menu is written on a large blackboard including around 20 wine varietals from around the world. Warmly lit and small, Bacaro is a relaxing, conversation promoting atmosphere. The wine, which averages around $8 a glass, and the small, but scrumptious tapas, each around $6, allow visitors to taste different food and wine pairings without emptying their savings. Try the braised beef shanks with a spicy Shiraz or the polenta with roasted eggplant with a crisp Pinot Grigio.
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Back Door Pub at Milner Hotel
813 S. Flower St.
L.A., CA 90017
(213) 627-6981
Wander down the dark ally behind the historic Milner Hotel and you'll see it - a glowing red sign beckoning you to enter through the back door to this speakeasy-reminiscent bar. You'll feel as if you should be greeted by some flirtatious flappers and men in pin-stripped suits. The jukebox is always playing and the atmosphere is relaxed. You'll want to sit down with a stiff one and chat with the bartender for a bit. The crowd is older and bar closes at 10.
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Bar Marmont
8171 Sunset Blvd.
L.A., CA 90046
(323) 650-0575
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Bar Pintxo
109 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
http://www.barpintxo.com/
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Baran
1916 Westwood Blvd.
L.A., CA 90025
(310) 475-4500
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Bastide
8475 Melrose Place
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 651-5950
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Beechwood
822 Washington Blvd.
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 448-8884
Only in the 21st century could you find a restaurant quite so midcentury modern, with sleek love-seat sofas and machine-polished wood and a quantity of prefabricated design that probably would have amused Ray and Charles Eames back in the days when their aesthetic was found more in your kindergarten classroom than in fashionable cafes. Chefs Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts, a kitchen team who have been the Next Big Thing in Los Angeles since their late pubescence, seem to have settled into variations on the theme of bar snacks here, the farmers-market-inflected rib-eye burgers, sticky pork ribs and burrata-tomato salads you may remember from their last venture, Amuse, plus a slightly more formal New American menu for the serene back dining room that includes things like duck confit with dandelion greens and sauteed catfish with collards and black-eyed peas. But the restaurant is open until 1 a.m. And if you are so inclined, the fire pit in the patio may be even cozier than the one at Johnny’s French Dip Pastrami. If you ask nicely, the waitress may even bring you a plate of fried smelt to go with your Amstel Light. Dinner menu Tues.–Sat. 6–11 p.m.; bar menu served late into the evening and also Sun.–Mon. Full bar. Valet parking. New American.
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Bella Cucina Italiana
1708 N. Las Palmas Ave.
L.A., CA 90028
(323) 468-8815
http://bellahollywood.com
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BLD
7450 Beverly Blvd.
L.A., CA 90036
(323) 930-9744
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Blu Monkey Bar & Lounge
5521 Hollywood Blvd.
L.A., CA 90028
(323) 957-9000
Long cushioned benches lined with plush pillows, Morroccan-influenced decorations, and mosque-shaped hanging lights make Blu Monkey Bar & Lounge look as if it is a hookah bar. Despite the lack of hookahs, the vibe is laid-back. Speedy bartenders and good DJs keep customers happy and the dance floor full. Unpretentious, but still crowded, the Blu Monkey is a good place to chill with good friends.
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Blue Velvet
750 S. Garland Ave.
L.A., CA 90017
(213) 239-0061
http://www.bluevelvetrestaurant.com/
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Bluebird Cafe
8572 National Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 841-0939
http://www.bluebirdcafela.com Let Beacon and Ford’s hog the credit: A few blocks from downtown Culver City, in a freshly painted diner that looks as if it has been languishing since the ’50s, Vincent Trevino and Chris Marble’s breakfast-lunch cafe is the real soul of the new Media District, a center of muscular omelets, big salads and thick hamburgers, BLTs with avocado, real iced tea, and a tuna melt for the ages. His pressed sandwiches of cold cuts and cheeses actually taste like their inspirations, the panini served at the Autogrills that dot every superhighway in Italy, more than the fancier uptown versions do, and Trevino’s pretty iced cupcakes are renowned. 8572 National Blvd., Culver City, (310) 841-0939. Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Free lot parking. AE, MC, V. American. (Jonathan Gold)
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Boiling Crab
742 W. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 576-9368
http://www.theboilingcrab.com Mon.-Fri., 3-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-10 p.m. MC, V. Beer. Takeout. Severely limited lot parking. Dinner for two, food only, $30–$40. Recommended dishes: shrimp, crab, crawfish.
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Bollini's Pizzeria
2315 S. Garfield Ave.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(323) 722-7600
http://www.bollinispizzeria.com
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Bona Vista Lounge
404 S. Figueroa St.
L.A., CA 90071
(213) 624-1000
This rotating cocktail lounge located on the 34th floor of the Westin Bonaventure hotel is a great place to get a birds-eye, 360 degree view of downtown. Sleek, curvy booths and dim, modern lights create a romantic ambiance in which visitors are able to enjoy the glistening view of the city at night. Fruity specialty drinks are served in souvenir glasses and light fare is offered.