Best bars in Los Angeles

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Pasadena has a pretty awesome craft beer scene already too. i need to go there more often. There are several really awesome gastropubs all very close to each other.

[SepaGroove]

Pasadena has a pretty awesome craft beer scene already too. i need to go there more often. There are several really awesome gastropubs all very close to each other.

I actually noticed that last time I was over there. Stone is my favorite brewery so I'm really excited that they're coming to Pasadena.

Did you ever try Baco Mercat??

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Got reservations for this saturday. We have a huge group going so we planned it way out in advance.

[bmack86]

I actually noticed that last time I was over there. Stone is my favorite brewery so I'm really excited that they're coming to Pasadena.

Really? I'm not sure I've ever heard anybody claim that. I like a lot of their beers, but to me Stone seems to be consciously trying to become a one-trick pony with all their hopping. That said, the Vanilla barrel-aged smoked porter they do is out of this world, especially when it's on tap from a cask. I highly recommend making it to The Daily Pint in Santa Monica at some point if you can to try that, since they almost always have a cask on hand.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

I know a lot of people that would say about Stone actually. I agree with your sentiment Bryan but I like that they experiment a lot and their collaborations with other breweries are always very interesting, even when they're not that drinkable. They do great stuff with barley wines, stouts, and porters too. Along with the amazing Vanilla, the chipotle smoked porter is fantastic too.

[Sexecutioner]

Are there any good bars in walking distance of the Wiltern?

[bmack86]

Beer Belly is close, and they have beer and weird ass bar food.

[bmack86]

Last night me and a group of friends went to Hangover, the all you can drink bar in K-Town. It's a mile walk from my place, so not too bad at all. They let you drink for four hours but it didn't seem like they were going to regulate that whatsoever. We went with the cheap beer because, lets be honest, after the fourth pitcher it doesn't really matter if it's newcastle or PBR. The place was definitely not crowded for a Saturday night, and we had a blast. Decent food too.

I can't believe I didn't mention the music videos. This one was my favorite:

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Most every bar in K-Town plays non-stop k-Pop videos. They're mesmerizing.

Also around the Wiltern is a super cheap dive call Frank & Hank's on Western or 37sixty which is literally next door to the venue (I haven't been in there but I hear it's good)

[SepaGroove]

My fiance and I and our friends are going to see DJ Shadow and Pretty Lights at the Shrine on Saturday night. The show ends at 11 p.m., so does anyone have any suggestions for something to do in downtown after the show?

[sonnyboy11]

Food/drinks or clubbing?

[Corona89]

I'm new to this thread, someone enlighten me about the craft brew places to go to in Pasadena. I live in Chino so thats doable. I hit up the Back Abbey in Claremont every now and then, they got some good beer there.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Pasadena craft brew/gastro pubs:
http://www.luckybaldwins.com/
http://congregationalehouse.com/
http://www.kingsrowpub.com/
http://www.havengastropub.com/pasadena/draught

These are all basically within walking distance from each other too. Food at Congregation is awesome. Food at king's row is decent but it was insanely crowded when i went so i didn't get to enjoy myself there. Food at Lucky Baldwin's is typical English pub grub. I haven't been to Haven yet. All have excellent craft beer selection.

EDIT: There are several more choices than this too. Pasadena has a lot of bars. Olde Towne Pub actually had really good beer last time I was there too, much better than I had experienced years ago.The above places are specifically craft beer places though.

[mmsk123]

Got to check out The Parish in DT last night. Pretty damn good with a nice variety of grastropub stuff on the menu. Sticky Toffee Pudding was incredible.

[SepaGroove]

Food/drinks or clubbing?

Food/drinks. I've eaten at some great restaurants in DT, but I'm looking for more of a late night place.

[TallGuyCM]

Seven Grand doesn't have food I don't think, but god damn do they make a fantastic old-fashioned.

[SepaGroove]

I'm new to this thread, someone enlighten me about the craft brew places to go to in Pasadena. I live in Chino so thats doable. I hit up the Back Abbey in Claremont every now and then, they got some good beer there.

Claremont has an awesome craft beer scene in general. The Back Abbey is great for Belgians, and their burger and fries are fucking delicious. Eureka! Burger has a really good craft selection with rotating taps. They even get Pliny the Elder pretty often. Most of the restaurants in Old Town serve great beer, and a brewery just opened there called Claremont Brewing Co. Some of my friends are friends with the owners, so I drink there frequently. They make some pretty damn good beer. http://claremontcraftales.com/

[SepaGroove]

Seven Grand doesn't have food I don't think, but god damn do they make a fantastic old-fashioned.

Well I love a good old-fashioned

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

You might find it hard to find kitchens open after 11pm, but try Caseys' it's a big Irish pub with decent food right around the corner form 7 Grand. You're definitely going to find a line outside of 7 grand by then, that place gets fucking PACKED on the weekend.

if you're not looking for food, the Golden Gopher is a great craft beer place that for some reason never gets crowded.

[SepaGroove]

You might find it hard to find kitchens open after 11pm, but try Caseys' it's a big Irish pub with decent food right around the corner form 7 Grand. You're definitely going to find a line outside of 7 grand by then, that place gets fucking PACKED on the weekend.

if you're not looking for food, the Golden Gopher is a great craft beer place that for some reason never gets crowded.

I think we're gonna go to the Golden Gopher. I really liked Broadway Bar and Cana Rum Bar so I trust 213.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Maybe i can convince my crew to go over there after Baco Mercat too

[SepaGroove]

Well if you do look for the most shitfaced group of people in the place and it'll be us. It's not until the 25th, but we're celebrating my 25th birthday on Sat. night so it should get pretty ridiculous. My fiance booked a room at the Standard and everyone bought tix to the show at The Shrine.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Oh awesome, so you guys need to get back to that part of town anyway. Are you taking the expo line to the Shrine? You get on it right by the Standard. you're gonna have a blast.

[SepaGroove]

Oh awesome, so you guys need to get back to that part of town anyway. Are you taking the expo line to the Shrine? You get on it right by the Standard. you're gonna have a blast.

Yup we were planning on doing that on the way to the show for sure. Not sure what mode of transportation we'll take after the show though.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Cab won't cost too too much, but they run the trains until after 2am on the weekends now so that's not an issue

[SepaGroove]

Cab won't cost too too much, but they run the trains until after 2am on the weekends now so that's not an issue

Awesome to know, thanks! We weren't sure how late they ran and haven't looked it up yet.

Saturday should be great. We're checking in at the Standard at around 1 p.m., then going to this event that my friend is helping to throw called the Connected Fashion Festival on Hope and 9th, then to the DJ Shadow/Pretty Lights show, then out drinking.

[SlowMotionApocalypse]

Down And Out.

[sonnyboy11]

Drinkey, how was Baco Mercat? I am going there on Wednesday for lunch.

[nosurprises12]

LA Beer Week details: http://www.labeerweek.com/events_by_day.php

Definitely going to try my best to make it to a Ballast Point night - probably my favorite SD brewery.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Drinkey, how was Baco Mercat? I am going there on Wednesday for lunch.

I've been so busy, but it was amazing!

We had a table of 4 people and we split the brussels sprouts, hamachi, cream of mushroom flatbread, and the butternut squash noodles among the table. i split the toron baco with another person, and for dessert we split the chocolate peanut butter molten cake and the pecan panna cotta. Everything was fucking outstanding. Our waiter recommended two great bottles of wine that we had, one was $46 and one was $57. He was pretty spectacular overall - extremely attentive, funny, and extremely helpful in talking about the food and making suggestions. it was a great experience and i would go again. After all that it ended up being $70/person after tip. And Gordon Ramsay showed up toward the end of the night and really fired up the energy in there.