Best bars in Los Angeles

Hung out yesterday at Wurstkuche. Just a few quick tips. I would imagine you guys who've been there already know this so just trying to help-

First, there's a line at the front door for ordering sausages. Get your thoughts together in advance on what you want, and then leave 1-2 persons in line to order for the group. The rest of you head over to the door on the other side of the building and secure yourselves seating in the beer garden. If you don't do it this way, and it's crowded, there's a good chance your food will show up before any seats open up.

Also, for whoever remains standing in line to order sausages, once you've crossed the threshold of the door and are officially "inside" there is usually a guy monitoring the line bringing beers to folks standing. If you don't see him, just lean to the someone behind the counter and ask if you can get a beer while waiting on line. They'll give it to you and you can pay for how ever many you had when you finally reach the cashier to order.

Also, if you want a liter mug of say, Spaten Pils (my beer of choice yesterday), while over on the sausage ordering side, you can ask for someone to go over to the beer garden area to bring back a liter mug- they don't keep the big liter mugs on the ordering side, even tho they have full on beer taps. They'll go get one for you though if you ask.

Oh, and do NOT try to order a liter mug of any of the Belgian brews. That's poor form. Not only would you be picking yourself up off the ground trying to drink one, but most Belgian beers provide a glass you are supposed to imbibe from per their specific brew.

For my part yesterday, I tried two links I haven't had yet- Austin Blues and the Duck/Jalepeno/Bacon sausage. I did the former with sauerkraut and the latter with grilled onions- FREAKIN WIN! Besides the aforementioned big liter of Spaten Pils I motored down, I also enjoyed two glasses of this on tap

http://www.sintbernardus.be/en/beers.html

Made friends with a German exchange student and his hot Asian USC girlfriend while in line and we sat together in beer garden. Fun times! Love this place.

I live in downtown and everything is subjective but here are my highs and lows:

Seven Grand - Great, knowledgeable bartenders, good vibe on weekdays (fridays/sat not so much). Can get pricey. Try the Ross Collins, their spin on the Tom Collins.

La Cita - Very hipster-ish but on certain nights the dance floor can be on fire.

Bar 107 - seedy biker type of bar. Has a dancefloor but everytime I've been there no girl wants to dance because a ring of guys just stare at the girls.

Bottega Louie - Small and not really a bar, but the food is great and the martinis are the best in downtown.

Far bar - Good luck finding it, but when you do it's got a great vibe. Daikokuya noodles afterwards are the best.

Redwood Bar - Pirate themed bar that has all sorts of people. Very local bands play on certain days.

The Varnish, Golden Gopher, Coles and Broadway Bar - All owned by the same guy who owns Seven Grand. They are not bad bars, just not worth seeking out unless you have no other choice. The Varnish especially. I've been there twice and the full bar had two people serving everyone at tables.. our drinks took 20 minutes. He also just opened a tequila bar across the street from Coles, but I have not been.

The Edison - More upscale and expensive. Decent, but has gone downhill. Gone are the glory days of the .35 martini happy hour. The strict dress code here is a turnoff.

Ciudad - Decent. The food makes it worth it and if you get butt drunk you can skinny dip in the Bonaventure's pool across the street. (Not recommended in the winter.)

Yardhouse - The vibe you'd expect, but the beer selection is the best in downtown.

Edit: Just got back from the Spring Street Bar, opened two weeks ago. ~25ish beers on tap, 5-7 per beer. Good selection, good vibe. Small-ish place but will definitely visit again.

Daikokuya absolutely dominates all noodles- east.. west... wherever. Just have to be up for a 45+ minute wait at all times.

I like Yardhouse but the crowds are crazy at LA Live. I prefer the Cork or Bottle Rock outside LA Live. There are others close too if you want booze within walking distance of a show.

Oh, the Edison- yea echo your sentiments. Not sure what they are going for there anymore. Just did a birthday party for a friend there. Ok, but the dress code and crowds were not appealing. Terrific dirty martini tho.

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Originally Posted by sonnyboy11

For my part yesterday, I tried two links I haven't had yet- Austin Blues and the Duck/Jalepeno/Bacon sausage. I did the former with sauerkraut and the latter with grilled onions- FREAKIN WIN!

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funny enough, these two are the only sausages at Wurstkuche that i've tried!

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Originally Posted by sonnyboy11

Daikokuya absolutely dominates all noodles- east.. west... wherever. Just have to be up for a 45+ minute wait at all times.

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their gyoza also gets an A+. i always get my own plate of gyoza, no sharing.

Great analyses, sonnyboy and mmsk. Thanks a bunch

Nice thread! I just moved to LA myself. Koreatown. I've only been here two weeks and I'm already sick of Korean BBQ and karaoke bars. This thread is going to be a great resource for me too. Wurstkuche looks amazing! Totally checking that out asap.

Rage, if you like bowling, your local Shatto 39 Lanes is one of the best bowling alleys in L.A. Best part about it is that even if you have to wait for a lane, they have a HUGE pool hall inside with the bar where you can hang out.

http://shatto39lanes.com/

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Originally Posted by Drinkey McDrinkerstein

Rage, if you like bowling, your local Shatto 39 Lanes is one of the best bowling alleys in L.A. Best part about it is that even if you have to wait for a lane, they have a HUGE pool hall inside with the bar where you can hang out.

http://shatto39lanes.com/

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Drinkey, that's awesome! Thanks, man. I'm having a congrats-on-living-with-the-largest-Korean-population-outside-of-Seol warming in a couple of wks and was looking for something local for us to do after dinner and before hitting up W. Hollywood. This is perfect. Can even walk there. Cheers!

The Townhouse (Venice, right off the boardwalk at Windward Circle)
The Dime (on Fairfax just below Melrose)
Saint's and Sinner's (on Venice Blvd. just east of the 405)
Brennan's (Venice, on Lincoln Blvd. live Turtle racing on Thurs. Nites)

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Originally Posted by gaypalmsprings

The Abbey in WeHo.

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You would like this bar GPS! The only time I go here is when it's Girls night Out with my gay friends! lol!

Quick, what did the abbey used to be called?

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Originally Posted by RageAgainstTheAoki

Nice thread! I just moved to LA myself. Koreatown. I've only been here two weeks and I'm already sick of Korean BBQ and karaoke bars. This thread is going to be a great resource for me too. Wurstkuche looks amazing! Totally checking that out asap.

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Happy to help Rage- welcome! I just recently moved to downtown and love it so far.

Come check out Urth Caffe in downtown on 4th street when you get a chance. They have a crazy freaking good curry chicken salad sandwich. Also, their turkey burger is truly one of the top turkey burgers I have ever tasted. I've also tried their lox/capers/cream cheese/tomatoes/bagel plate and would recommend it. And they have a capucinno that will earn your respect! A caffeine blast of the highest order

http://www.urthcaffe.com/

Also, while your there, look across the street at Barker Block... I live there! :)

Eh, while I am rolling, anyone try this place yet?

http://www.lazyoxcanteen.com/

I am hearing lots of good things.

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Originally Posted by sonnyboy11

Happy to help Rage- welcome! I just recently moved to downtown and love it so far.

Come check out Urth Caffe in downtown on 4th street when you get a chance. They have a crazy freaking good curry chicken salad sandwich. Also, their turkey burger is truly one of the top turkey burgers I have ever tasted. I've also tried their lox/capers/cream cheese/tomatoes/bagel plate and would recommend it. And they have a capucinno that will earn your respect! A caffeine blast of the highest order

http://www.urthcaffe.com/

Also, while your there, look across the street at Barker Block... I live there! :)

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Geeze. You don't know that you live on Hewitt?

Spanish Latte with the egg white and spinich pannini is my favorite.

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Originally Posted by fatbastard

Geeze. You don't know that you live on Hewitt?

Spanish Latte with the egg white and spinich pannini is my favorite.

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I meant Hewitt and 4th. Geez...

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Originally Posted by sonnyboy11

Eh, while I am rolling, anyone try this place yet?

http://www.lazyoxcanteen.com/

I am hearing lots of good things.

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Co-workers were talking about this place today, they went on saturday and said it was excellent. They said they particularly liked the pig ears and rice pudding. I really want to try this place.

Hey, Shatto Lanes! I live about 5 blocks east of there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sonnyboy11

Happy to help Rage- welcome! I just recently moved to downtown and love it so far.

Come check out Urth Caffe in downtown on 4th street when you get a chance. They have a crazy freaking good curry chicken salad sandwich. Also, their turkey burger is truly one of the top turkey burgers I have ever tasted. I've also tried their lox/capers/cream cheese/tomatoes/bagel plate and would recommend it. And they have a capucinno that will earn your respect! A caffeine blast of the highest order

http://www.urthcaffe.com/

Also, while your there, look across the street at Barker Block... I live there! :)

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Urth Caffe sounds nice, sonnyboy. I have a business lunch in downtown this week. I'm going to push for Urth Caffe. Tell my mum I say hi.

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Originally Posted by bmack86

Hey, Shatto Lanes! I live about 5 blocks east of there.

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That would put you in... Westlake? I'm still trying to learn all the LA neighborhoods. I'm just a few blocks west of Shatto Lanes myself.

A bunch of friends of mine were heading out to the Lazy Ox on Friday night...i will need to get reports.

I don't know if it's been mentioned around here yet, but my favorite new watering hole lately is Dillon's Irish Pub on Hollywood and Vine. Cheap beers (decent selection of tap beers for $3/pint or $5/22oz), really tasty pub grub, nice decor, and an insane army of hot waitresses and bartenders dressed up like slutty Catholic school girls.

I have a group that's been making a Friday happy hour out of it, and I just take the Metro down from NoHo. It does get very crowded, which is really the only downside.

http://www.dillonsirishpub.com/

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this already, but the Daily Pint in Santa Monica kicks ass. They have an excellent scotch selection to go with a pretty good beer selection. Additionally, a Philly Cheesesteak truck hangs out outside.

Woah, I've never seen the cheesesteak truck. I love me some daily pint though.

Roger Room

The Well/The Woods in Hollywood. Frolic Room is also good. Musso & Frank's for cheap martinis

Tom fuckin' Bergin's

The patio area at the Chateau Marmont

The Mandrake!

Gold Room in echo park could be aces but they're at the point where they need to have a rope & stop cramming the place full of assholes to the point where it's a fire hazard

RIP THE DUME ROOM IN MALIBU, YOU WERE BY FAR THE BEST BAR IN CALIFORNIA. MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.

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Originally Posted by bballarl

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this already, but the Daily Pint in Santa Monica kicks ass. They have an excellent scotch selection to go with a pretty good beer selection. Additionally, a Philly Cheesesteak truck hangs out outside.

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Hmmm.

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Originally Posted by mmsk123

I live in downtown and everything is subjective but here are my highs and lows:

Seven Grand - Great, knowledgeable bartenders, good vibe on weekdays (fridays/sat not so much). Can get pricey. Try the Ross Collins, their spin on the Tom Collins.

La Cita - Very hipster-ish but on certain nights the dance floor can be on fire.

Bar 107 - seedy biker type of bar. Has a dancefloor but everytime I've been there no girl wants to dance because a ring of guys just stare at the girls.

Bottega Louie - Small and not really a bar, but the food is great and the martinis are the best in downtown.

Far bar - Good luck finding it, but when you do it's got a great vibe. Daikokuya noodles afterwards are the best.

Redwood Bar - Pirate themed bar that has all sorts of people. Very local bands play on certain days.

The Varnish, Golden Gopher, Coles and Broadway Bar - All owned by the same guy who owns Seven Grand. They are not bad bars, just not worth seeking out unless you have no other choice. The Varnish especially. I've been there twice and the full bar had two people serving everyone at tables.. our drinks took 20 minutes. He also just opened a tequila bar across the street from Coles, but I have not been.

The Edison - More upscale and expensive. Decent, but has gone downhill. Gone are the glory days of the .35 martini happy hour. The strict dress code here is a turnoff.

Ciudad - Decent. The food makes it worth it and if you get butt drunk you can skinny dip in the Bonaventure's pool across the street. (Not recommended in the winter.)

Yardhouse - The vibe you'd expect, but the beer selection is the best in downtown.

Edit: Just got back from the Spring Street Bar, opened two weeks ago. ~25ish beers on tap, 5-7 per beer. Good selection, good vibe. Small-ish place but will definitely visit again.

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Great summary although I have seen Bar 107 hopping w/ a great vibe. I would add that the Doheny - now renamed Cana, I think - has a great smoking patio and they have dropped the whole BS membership thing. Library Bar someone else mentioned - and then there is of course the roof of the Standard, which is totally passe but for which I will always have a soft spot.

Broadway Bar and Golden Gopher are really not so bad. The Varnish/Cole's does blow, you're dead on there.

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Originally Posted by Drinkey McDrinkerstein

A bunch of friends of mine were heading out to the Lazy Ox on Friday night...i will need to get reports.

I don't know if it's been mentioned around here yet, but my favorite new watering hole lately is Dillon's Irish Pub on Hollywood and Vine. Cheap beers (decent selection of tap beers for $3/pint or $5/22oz), really tasty pub grub, nice decor, and an insane army of hot waitresses and bartenders dressed up like slutty Catholic school girls.

I have a group that's been making a Friday happy hour out of it, and I just take the Metro down from NoHo. It does get very crowded, which is really the only downside.

http://www.dillonsirishpub.com/

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I love Dillon's for the cheap beer and beautiful servers, but I wish the it wasn't always always congested to hell and I don't really dig the crowd. Not really a good place for singles to mingle either.

I forgot to mention Bar Lubitsch on Santa Monica and Curson-ish. Great dance floor and decent DJ, used to be my favorite spot.

When to a place called The Tar Pit off of Melrose and LaBrea last night and had a mighty fine drink named the "Tennessee Trilogy" and some duck sliders. I was very pleased.

James I think there is a pretty good thread in the misc lounge that gives detailed reviews/pictures of bars in LA that many of us participated in, you should see about digging it up, I tried but my thread searching skills blow.

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Originally Posted by ThomThom

When to a place called The Tar Pit off of Melrose and LaBrea last night and had a mighty fine drink named the "Tennessee Trilogy" and some duck sliders. I was very pleased.

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Duck sliders?? Whoa.