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katkoupai
Feb 2, 2008 06:25 PM
The beer selection at Lucky Baldwin's is very good. I'm partial to getting a white beer and an order of chips, which they actually serve with HP sauce. I don't see HP sauce very often in LA. I haven't tried other items on their menu, yet, but I always get the chips.
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I couldn't read through every reply, but my rec. is Rainbow Bar & Grill. While it can be a bit rowdy Fri-Mon on the outside patio. The inner dining room by the fireplace is cozy and Dark. Pizza's are awesome as well as the spaghetti & meatballs.
My quintessential Bar food hang when I want to head to the westside is Father's Office.
A few others to look into:
Pig & Whistle, Barney's Beanery, The Standard Diner, & Library Ale House. -
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kelvlam
Jan 31, 2008 10:58 AM
I'm shopping for a good sport bar with big TV to enjoy the 2/17 all-star Sunday also. So I've been scouting the 'super-bowl' crowd to see where they are all heading and waiting for their review.
Links I read so far...
Couple days ago at LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/features%2Ffood%2Fla-fo-superbowl30jan30%2C1%2C3287389.storyToday at LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/news%2Flocal%2...I'm leaning towards The Parlor @ SM. They were editorial pick best sport bar of 2007. And the pictures and reviews so far are pretty up-beat regarding that place.
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Parlor
1519 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403›1 Reply-
re: kelvlam
Xericx
Jan 31, 2008 08:28 PM
Its a GREAT place to watch sports. And it has Hoeegarden on tap! and multiple HDTV signals, NFL ticket, upstairs and downstairs and a good staff. I'll probably see you watching the ASG there.
It'll be insanely busy on Superbowl Sunday....get there very early if you want to sit down.
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I agree with a lot of these recs (Chaya, Abode, Redwood, Robata Bar, The Parlour, Sharkeez) and I'd also like to add one more: Air Conditioned, on Lincoln in Venice. I vaguely remember yummy ahi tuna sliders and potato skins with some sort of salad on them...
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re: 2ndAvenue
MeAndroo
Jan 18, 2008 01:40 PM
Even though I rarely target food at happy hour (it's all about the beer!), I do tend to prefer the food at Weiland's for my downtown Friday afternoons. The garlic fries are great if I don't plan on making out, the hot wings are pretty meaty and they actually have heat, and the chicken quesadilla is...well...just a chicken quesadilla, but that's all I want sometimes. The food goes great with an amber pint or three.
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Will Owen
Jan 15, 2008 10:49 AM
Nobody's mentioned the Redwood B&G? That was the first place I thought of, if only because it has to be the most improved place in town - the new owners took a tired old joint and freshened it up while actually giving it more soul (an amazing feat in itself), and then kicked the menu up from merely adequate to Damned Good. Their cheeseburger is sitting at the top of my current list, and the fish'n'chips is a real treat as well.
We have not yet been to The York - reluctant to go, really, as it does NOT sound like an improvement over the sadly displaced Wild Hare, which had only just become one of our favorites.
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re: Will Owen
Ditto for Redwood. Arrggh. Really good burger and fries, quick, my new go-to bar spot before a Staples event if downtown, though not very close to Staples. I wouldn't say its a destination spot so much, but fab if you're downtown.
Pete's Bar and Grill deserves a mention, too, methinks.
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re: Will Owen
tatertotsrock
Jan 15, 2008 01:49 PM
I LOVE the food and beer and drinks and all kinds of other things at
THE YORK! -
re: Will Owen
rednyellow
Feb 2, 2008 06:09 PM
The burger at Redwood is really one of the best in town. their soups are usually great too.
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Xericx
Jan 15, 2008 09:08 AM
If you're looking to watch spots too, I really like the sandwhiches and the fried chicken skewers over at The Parlor in Santa Monica. Its upscale bar food....their nachos are good too...they use Velveta and have ground beef in them!
http://www.theparlorsm.com/Menu.html
I also like Sharkeez in Manhattan Beach. Lots of good drinks and they have that cal-mex food like shrimp or lobster burritos, burgers, chicken skewerers and awesome nachos.
www.sharkeez.net -
if you are in the Highland Park area - the York on York is great - lots of tasty pub style food - fish and chips, cuban style pork sandwich, a really tasty Warm Beet and Burrata salad...the list goes on. And all of this to mix and match with an extensive crafty beer and wine by the glass selection. Bartenders are really nice and certainly know their coctails.
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Duh, I totally forgot. Also, you should try The Village Idiot on Melrose. Theya re so amazing. British style pub food, full bar, lots of cool beers on tap and a great atmosphere.
They are really laid back there too. A party of 2 can sit in a booth that can seat 6+ people and they won't care even if the restaurant is full.
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This is one of my constant quests as well. Here are some of my favorites...
Bodega (Santa Monica) -- wine bar with good food, definitely on the loud side since they have DJs; there's a smaller/quieter one in Pasadena
Ford's Filling Station (Culver City) -- also good for sit-down meals, but they do have a good bar scene
Palomino (Westwood) -- a little on the corporate side, but great food and drink
Tasca (3rd/Crescent Hghts) -- excellent wine/tapas
Falcon (Hollywood) -- chic and pricey, but worth checking out
Nic's Martini Lounge (Bev. Hills)
Lola's (WeHo) -- huge martini menu and good food
The Well (Hollywood) -- mostly drinks, but they have some interesting apps
Minibar (Universal City) -- fun decor & atmosphere, decent menu›2 Replies -
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned 3rd Stop on 3rd across from Cedars Sinai. Great beer selection, wood fired crispy pizzas, frites in a cone, and a very laid back atmosphere...at least so long as your gone by 9 or so. I am a sucker for the Italian Sausage burger. Yes it's a burger made from hot Italian sausage.
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re: westwood
wutzizname
Jan 13, 2008 08:32 AM
I would have mentioned it, but SauceSupreme beat us both to it.
P.S. Love their Craftsman beers from Pasadena. And now psyched to try the Sausage Burger. Thanks.
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Well, I really should not be saying this b/c of my age, but the bar at Luques serves really good food late night. They let me sit there with my stepdad once as long as I didn't drink anything but seltzer, and I had a terrific spaghetti carbonara. The rest of the menu looked delicious too ( Steak frites with bearnaise, grilled cheese with roasted shallots, housemade french fries, etc).
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I'll second Table 8...the bar menu is consistently good and the drinks are solid. Bar at Craft...though I'm not sure that either of these count since they are "upscale." For dive bar St. Nicks on Third makes solid burgers and interesting fries that are sort of like potato sticks...not to mention they only serve doubles and they are $7...
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re: rftc2121
goodhealthgourmet
Jan 12, 2008 06:18 PM
a few more ideas for upscale places:
chaya venice
boa
abode
ford's filing stationor for dive-y, there's always big wangs in hollywood. excellent wings, and surprisingly good salads & salmon.
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re: goodhealthgourmet
kelvlam
Feb 1, 2008 02:39 PM
It's neat that Chaya Venice, BOA steakhouse, Ford's Filling Station as well as Abode are all on dineLA menu right now! ;-)
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re: rftc2121
wutzizname
Jan 15, 2008 05:08 PM
Wonder what impact Govind's appearance on Oprah today will have on Table 8's business? As much as I've always loved the food there, the place has been pretty empty the last year or so. Nice when you're looking for a quiet spot, but I was always afraid they might go under. Perhaps things will swing too far the other way now?
P.S. No, I don't watch Oprah, just EaterLA.
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paulfromla
Jan 11, 2008 09:11 AM
for something more fru-fru ... fraiche in culver city has a bar area that serves food - both the booze and the food are absolutely first rate (great as opposed to good)
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It definitely depends on what kind of atmosphere you are going for. The Shack (Santa Monica) is a great bar and the food is pretty good....though I don't know if it's is consistently good. They do have excellent onion rings! If a chain interests you, I think the Yardhouse has unbelievable food--and clearly a good selection of beer!
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mollyomormon
Jan 11, 2008 08:00 AM
They aren't as good as they once were, but I like the burgers at SF Saloon. I was there this week and their fries were still excellent. Second the Father's Office rec and a lot of people like the Shack, although I haven't tried it. The fish and chips at King's Head are very good, I've had good shepard's pie at O'Brien's, and I'm embarrassed to admit that I really like the nachos at Cabo Cantina (which seems to slowly be taking over open bar spaces on the westside). Oh, and there's also a very good classic burger at Hinano.
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re: mollyomormon
Servorg
Jan 11, 2008 08:08 AM
We still regularly go to SF Saloon as well and their beef burgers are definitely inferior to a year or so ago when the quality, juiciness and less densely packed nature of the patty was far superior. Luckily their turkey burgers are still as good as they ever were, and if you ever feel like a chicken salad sandwich their Nob Hill is quite nice. Also in total agreement about their fries. Excellent in all respects, including the amount you get (and if you happen to order a side of fries it will easily feed two people).
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re: Servorg
mollyomormon
Jan 11, 2008 08:29 AM
It's a bittersweet experience for me to eat at SF Saloon since their burger used to be one of my favorites in the city. I'll definitely have to try the turkey burger next time I'm there!
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Would be remiss if I didn't mention Philly West. Mostly a dive, a bit of a sports bar. More than a bit Bukowski, but also some westside yuppieness. Arguably the best cheesesteaks in the area, especially since Markie D's was sold. But unexpectedly the best inexpensive burger around -- a half-pound oblong patty, fire-grilled, served with grilled onions and the other accompaniments on a roll rather than a bun. Charred crust, pink within, juicy drippy messy deliciousness. Only around $6 for a cheeseburger.
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JackonCrack
Jan 10, 2008 11:05 PM
Backstage Bar & Grill (near the Sony lot)
www.backstageculvercity.comdrooling thinking about their chicken fingers and garlicky french fries... They have Steak Fingers too!
And although i am not the mac and cheese sort (heresy!) my friends quite dig the mac and cheese (like $5)
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I have to say really it depends on where you live. For decent atmosphere I like Pasadena area bars(many are well stocked with domestic and european beers and ales and I hear some carry housebrews, though not sure which bars specifically do). For silliness all around Hollywood bars are ok. I've heard good things about downtown as well. There are several bars in the Chino area that are cozy but no great food. Katie Jake's Bar Grill in West Covina is decent for atmosphere and food.
For both food and bar and since you could be anywhere, I would recommend BJ's Brewery/Bar/Restaurant, while a chain (on the order of TGI Friday's or Claim Jumpers; though they have decent pizza and some pastas, among other things) their thing is their beers, you can get the seven sampler, which you can try and some of them are brewed on the spot in certain locations(Blonde, dark beers, seven in all, with different alcoholic percentages from light to so strong you can't believe it's beer) among other spirits--or Pizza Port in Orange County.›1 Reply -
SauceSupreme
Jan 10, 2008 06:30 PM
What neighborhood are you in?
On the westside, I enjoy Library Alehouse (beer+burgers) and Lares (tequila+Mexican).
Another great tequila spot is Malo in Silver Lake.
Bar culture is huge in KTown. My current favorite is Toe Bang (soju+Korean).
Staying Asian, you're not going to go wrong at an Izakaya. You can choose something high end like a Bar Hayama or an Orris, or something down and dirty like a FuRaiBo, Musha or Honda-ya. You could also opt to go straight yakitori, also. All these places will have sake and wine on the menu, but the real thing to do is to nosh on the Japanese food with beer.
In Hollywood, there's Bowery (liquor+bistro) and Hungry Cat (cocktails+seafood) and also 25 Degrees (liquor/beer+burgers). Another spot with underrated food is Citizen Smith in the Cahuenga Corridor of Hollywood.
Of course, the best wine bar in town is AOC (Mid-City) followed by RedWhite+Bluezz (Pasadena). Other wine bars include Lou on Vine (Hollywood) and the status-up-in-the-air Bin 8945 (WeHo).
Staying in WeHo, there's Bar Marmont and their upscale gastropub. For something a little bit more blue collar, other gastropubs are at The York (Highland Park) and 3rd Stop (Mid-City).
I don't hang out at all in Downtown, but I've heard great things about Seven Grand and the Edison.
