Bigfoot Lodge West (Culver City)

Once I found the place it was pretty awesome. Their sign is a work in progress, and at the moment consists only of a theater marquee with "Bigfoot Lodge West" in tiny black letters. I passed it twice in the car before I found it on foot. I really like this place, just like the other Bigfoot in Los Feliz. They are very similar in decor, only sans animatronic puppets and make it a little smaller. Rustic lodge feeling with cool semi-ghoulish animal displays here and there. The best physical feature of the place is definitely the huge patio opening up onto Venice in Culver City. Ideal for smokers and people who just like to be outside, the patio is a real selling point to this place. Another selling point would be the service. It was pretty busy for a Tuesday and the bartenders were handling business nicely. Our bartender was nice, flirtatious, fast, and gave some good strong pours. Mitch was definitely loving her. We drank our Jamesons and beers (a good selection) and enjoyed the cool night air on the patio. A nice chill evening, and a great way to cap a hard workday. Just like the other Lodge, this one is a little pricey but worth it every now and then for a good night out. Try the Toasted Marshmallow!
Conclusion:
Rating: 4 Stars
Price: $$
Selection: Good all around
Service: Exceptional
Vibe: Low Key, early 30's
Parking: Street
Website: www.bigfootlodge.com
Address: 10939 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Kegs (Redondo Beach)

Way to go Population 8! A great 1st show for a band with a hopefully bright future. I rode down to Redondo with coworker Jesse to catch Mitch's band at this small boardwalk bar. I really like the boardwalk feel, with so many bars together in a small area it feels like a college campus bar section, only without the minors. A variety of bars with live bands on a Saturday night give a vibrant atmosphere set against a backdrop of sailboats and salty ocean breezes. If it didn't take me so long to get down there I would probably spend a lot of time on the boardwalk. Also if we didn't have such a hard time getting there. We parked without really knowing where we were going and ended up walking really far. I recommend springing for the parking garage if you don't want to hike around looking for an entrance to the pier. We did find it eventually, and made it in before the band started their set. Kegs itself seemed typical in size and layout to the rest of the boardwalk. In a word, small. Also loud. Very loud. But since the music was good that was okay. If there was a bad band playing it would be a little harder to hang out there. The bartender was great. She was fast, fun, friendly and she gave me free beer samples. The best feature of this place (besides the great music last night) was the great beer selection. For such a small place they have a lot of taps. (hence the name kegs but you might not have remembered the name until now.) They have a very limited liquor selection though, so if you need the vodka probably head elsewhere. When Population 8 wrapped up their set, Jesse and I hit the road so I could make my long drive back to Koreatown before I fell asleep. Workdays followed by beer drinking not exactly a recipe for alertness. I want to be sure to mention, however, that I did not drive drunk. Google is very clear that blogs must not condone illegal activity such as drunk driving, and I don't. Don't do it. Designate someone, take a cab, or find a good bar you can walk to. That PSA out the way, I'll wrap this post up with the important facts.
Conclusion:
Rating: 3.5 stars (no liquor selection, parking, cramped)
Price: $
Parking: Pay garage, distant street
Vibe: Depends on the band, but beachy/divey/ trashy/laidback when I went
Bonus: Live bands
Service: Good
Selection: Great Beer, poor liquor
Website: http://www.kegs-rb.com
Location: 120 North International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277 USA

Broadway Bar (Downtown)

Happy Birthday Silvana! We went out to Broadway Bar downtown to meet up with the birthday girl. I really like Broadway Bar's atmosphere. It's dark and classy looking, with plush booths and mirrors all over the place. We were partying upstairs, which has a small bar, some mini booths and cocktail tables, and a balcony for smokers and people who are getting overheated. My wife and I, after some enthusiastic greetings, made our way to the bar and ordered a sidecar and a vodka cranberry. For $19. And they were both pretty weak. That was a big downer for me, seeing as I was really feeling the DJ, and loving the people. The people we were with that is. The rest of the crowd looked to be a combination of yuppie happy hour holdovers and Ed Hardy boys. Speaking of boys, the ratio in this place was at least 2-1. And that's guys to girls. It was a total sausage fest. What girls I did see (excluding our group of course) were not particularly good looking. They were also very bad dancers. One poor girl was badly butchering a two-step. How do you get off beat while two-steppin? It was pretty sad...This is definitely one of those places where you want to bring your own group. It had great music, a great atmosphere, and an awesome split level layout which made you feel more exclusive just by being upstairs, but this place is lacking in a few areas. For one, they advertise that the dress code is "strictly enforced". However, even on a Friday night I saw some pretty weak efforts. Most of the guys were just in polo shirts or tees. The should be tougher on that since this is a very nice bar. A hip, cool atmosphere deserves a complimentary style of dress from it's patrons. Also, it costs way too much. It's downtown, not Hollywood. I know it'll cost more than K-Town but $6 for a Pacifico? Oh well. If you're feeling classy and want to go someplace that looks classy (even if the crowd isn't) this might just be the place for you.
Conclusion
Rating: 3.5 stars
Price: $$$
Parking: Street, pay lots
Selection: Good liquor, decent beer (downstairs) limited beer (upstairs)
Service: Good
Bonus: Good DJ
Website: http://www.broadwaybar.la/
Address: 830 Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014

The Alibi Room (Culver City)

I want to begin by saying this bar has amazing potential. It has a great low-key feel, comfortable furniture, and an interesting layout. A great selection of beers and liquor combine with an interesting Kogi BBQ menu to give you almost everything you could want out of a bar. Before I get into what screwed up the night, let me rewind this tale a bit...I did not want to go out on St. Patrick's Day. I wanted to dye some PBR green and play beer pong with it. Unfortunately we couldn't find a venue to play, so Mitch and I went out looking for a bar that wasn't too packed. We passed Brennan's and the line was wrapped around the block. We passed Sports Harbour, line out the door. As we continued down Washington, just into Culver City we happened across The Alibi Room. Seeing no line, we found some street parking and decided this was the place. The night was looking salvageable! Then Mitch couldn't find his lighter. He looked in the car, found it, and dropped his phone into the street. I had to call him so he could find it. We finally make it into the bar and the doorman asks us for ID. I show mine, no problem. Mitch forgot his wallet; no money and no ID. "You're gonna hate me..." he says to me. I slapped him in the face with my wallet and turned to leave the bar when the doorman told us it was okay as long as he brings his ID next time. Another bullet dodged I suppose. We ordered two of the $5 specials, an Irish Red brewed here in California. I immediately noticed our bartender was drunk. He tried to charge me $14, or the regular menu price instead of the specials, and was really slow about it. We took stock of the people around, and watched with amusement as a fat ugly man was roundly ignored by every hot girl he tried to talk to. When he was successful at speaking to them, his game was lame. I mean pathetic. You have to be attractive if you're boring. Otherwise you need to be funny or rich (preferably both). As we sat in the patio area sipping our beers, Mitch said he had to pee. Well, he tried to anyway. Apparently as he stood at the urinal, privates in hand, a drunk man in dreadlocks cut around him and vomited in the urinal. On top of that, the bathroom was already flooded. Bummer. We went up for round 2 and it took even longer to get our drinks as the two drunken bartenders talked to each other, flirted with customers, cleared money from the bar, and basically did everything but take our order. When our friend and coworker Nazish showed up in time for round 3, I decided to time how long it took to get 4 of the same beer. 15 minutes at a bar that was not even 2 deep. Anywhere. She stood next to us and ignored for a solid five of those minutes, flirting with the dread-locked vomit machine. Finally she acknowledged us, and seemed annoyed that we wanted something. Then after she poured the 1st beer she told us she had to change the keg, and made no move to do so. Someone must have done it for her since she never left the bar. The crowd was quickly getting older and less cool, and with the inept bartenders over-spacing our drinks we decided to leave. I've never left a worse tip in my life. Anyway, I'll try this bar again on a night when the bartenders are less likely to be three sheets.
Conclusion:
Rating: 3.5 stars
Price:$$
Parking: Tiny lot, street
Selection: Great
Service: Terrible
Bonus: Kogi Korean BBQ
Website: http://www.alibiroomla.com/home.php
Address:12236 Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066

R Bar (Koreatown)

I want to apologize for the tardiness of this post. I actually went to R Bar on Saturday. I'm ashamed of myself and you, loyal readers, deserve better. I can be better. I will be better. Anyway...R Bar! This is probably the coolest bar in K-Town. It's completely unmarked, you need a password to get in, and it's pirate themed. What else could you want from a bar? Once you find the place (corner of 8th and Irolo) you knock on the door and the very large and intimidating (but extremely nice) bouncer asks you for the password. It's usually a line from a movie and can be obtained by calling the bar or visiting their myspace page. Inside, they have a solid selection of cans and bottles (PBR to Smithwick's) ranging from 4-6 bucks. No taps though. They also have a pricey selection of specialty drinks, and a nightly specials board that is usually cheaper. Once they had Jameson Cider, which was amazing! Not tonight though so I ordered a Damnit Jim off of the board. The waitress described it as "a one and done" drink. It was not. While fairly strong, and tasty, it was served in a rocks glass which even containing straight scotch would not be enough for me to be one and done. Maybe it would be enough for you...My wife and our friend Celest both had Jack and Ginger's, of which the second round were not strong at all, prompting the need for a Jack on the rocks which was a large glass filled to the top. At $8 that is a real bargain so if you can take your liquor straight I would recommend that route. More bang for your buck right? We were sitting at a quiet booth in the back, quietly passing judgment on the tables near us. Seriously, who orders champagne at R Bar? This is not a club where one "pops bottles". Unless your table is celebrating a momentous occasion, drink something other that cheap champagne. And if the menu say Wine: red or white, don't ask for a pinot noir. It's unlikely they have anything besides merlot and chardonnay. A note about seating: if you have a group and want to be left alone, sit in the back. If you want fast service sit at the bar. I server dissappered for a loooong time, and when I went to the bar in search of more booze I found her mixing drinks. They seemed a little understaffed for a Saturday, though it was not too crowded. I've definately seen it more packed in there. Speaking of the crowd, I must warn you all that this is a hipster bar. Big time. They love the irony of a pirate bar in a place where their is no water. (I guess...I don't really know what hipsters want out of a place) It's not such a big deal that I would tell you not to go (I love it), just that you should bring your own group when you do. Sometimes on week nights they play Japanese monster movies like Big Man Japan, so that is totally worth it and might be a hipster draw as well...
Conclusion:
Rating: 4 stars
Price: $$
Parking: Difficult, Street
Vibe: Hipster
Service: Friendly but slow
Bonus: Monster Movies
Selection: No taps, but otherwise very good
Website: http://www.myspace.com/4rbar
Phone #:213-387-7227
Address: 3331 W. 8TH ST., LOS ANGELES, CA. 90005

Sports Harbour (Marina Del Rey)

Another weeknight out with the Yummy crew leads to more fun on the westside! We hit up Sports Harbour on a double recommendation and it was a definite success. After some trouble finding the place (It's right on the corner I just can't read signs), and a walk in the chilly wind we found the right door to a great bar. This is a dirty sports bar if there ever was one. Some people have categorized this place as a dive in their online reviews, but it is well above dive. It's just a sports bar, as a traditionally male hangout, is not generally up to the standards of hygiene other places are subject to. Basically, the bathroom was pretty nasty and the decor was nonexistent apart from televisions and gaming tables. Boy, does this place have a lot of gaming tables! Galaga/Ms Pac Man, two pinball machines, several pool tables, air hockey, and shuffleboard. Plenty of fun to be had alone or with a group if you didn't come down to watch a game. Shout out to Ed, a Yummy regular, for buying me a drink. Damn kind of you Ed, you're good people. This place has a great selection of beer on tap, and quite a bit more in bottles. We made good use of the selection as we played shuffleboard and shot pool. Then Mitchell and myself remembered we hadn't had dinner so we ordered some food. My club sandwich was pretty standard and the fries were above average. That need satisfied we went back to the gaming. I kicked Mitch's ass in Pop a Shot. (Twice) I got a couple of good pool tips from this 50 something lady who knew what she was talking about. She told me how to play the back rail on the table we were on, and it lead to me sinking a few balls. I lost both games on the 8 ball but we weren't playing for money so I guess it doesn't matter. I tried to convince Mitch to hit on some tool's hotter girlfriend, but he wouldn't man up to do it. Oh, well. A fun night night, despite the smell left in my car...Mitch.
Conclusion:
Rating: 4.5 stars
Price: $.5
Selection: Great beer, standard liquor
Vibe: Low end sports bar, older townies
Service: Fast and friendly
Parking: Street
Bonus: Gaming Tables of all kinds
Address: 13484 Washington Blvd Marina Del Rey, Ca
Website: www.myspace.com/SPORTSHARBOUR

Bigfoot Lodge (Los Feliz)

I like going out on Tuesdays. The bars tend to be quiet, you get better service, and you can actually have a conversation with the people you go with. The Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz was not rocking last night, but that didn't stop my wife and I from having a great time as we sipped our house specials and listened to the awesome DJ spin amazing covers of classic songs from every era. My wife wanted to buy a cd, but I don't think they had any... The bartender, a very fashionable 40's style hipster, was very nice and handled the crowd very well. Most people seemed to be regulars, standard fair for a weeknight. The place was HUGE, so it's definitely a good spot for a birthday party because you'll be able to fit everyone in without too much trouble. And with faux rustic decor and animatronic forest animals what more could you want. I mean, it's practically a theme park of a corporation I am afraid to publicly mention while comparing to a bar. The drink specials were only so-so, $5 Jager on Tuesdays, $5 bourbon on thurs, etc, (definite loss of points for calling $3 PBR can a special) but the house specialty drinks are really good. My wife had the Toasted Marshmallow and proclaimed it the best drink she'd ever had ( not to get drunk on, only to sip), and I had the Dudley Do Right. I was immediately impressed by the combination of stiffness and sweetness, though it was a little sweet for my tastes. At $10 a piece, these drinks come in generous portions and are well worth the price. We didn't stay long seeing as I had to be up to drop the car off for service at six am and am posting this at 7, but we were there long enough to know that this is a place we would love to go with a big group of our friends. So anyone who wants to get drunk with us in a ski lodge but doesn't want to go to Big Bear or deal with snow, come with us to the BigFoot Lodge in Los Feliz.
Conclusion:
Rating: 4 stars
Parking: Street
Selection: Premium beers, good scotch and liquor
Vibe: Older Hipsters (it's in Los Feliz what do you expect?)
Price: $$
Bonus: Great DJ
Trivia: Jim Carrey movie "Yes Man" filmed here
website: www.bigfootlodge.com
Address: 3172 los feliz blvd Los Angeles, CA 90039