Saints and Sinners (Culver City)

Go there. Do it as soon as the place opens. I hope Colleen is behind the bar. If she is ask her for her special. It blew my face off with pure deliciousness. Mitch and I met there on Thursday to grab a few drinks and stumbled in to Karaoke! Nothing better than two white boys singing "Forgot About Dre" or a woman screeching "Let's Hear it For the Boys" Kept us entertained while we sipped on the house amber ale and took in the dark, cozy ambiance. Some back areas for a little more privacy were available, but we prefer to stay right in the thick of things so the singers could walk right up and serenade us. This place has a lot going for it. Great bartenders, a cool atmosphere, and a laid back crowd combine with a great selection of liquor (though a pedestrian selection of beer) to make this place a quick favorite of mine. They sell Colt 45 in tall cans so that's a good thing. Plus, there's a Fatburger open late just down Venice so you can take care of your drunk munchies like we did.
Facts:
Rating: 4.5 stars
Price: $$ ($5 for house 6.5 for other beers on tap)
Parking: Valet/Street (I found street with little effort)
Service: Perfection
Selection: Good all around
Vibe: Laid back fun
Bonus: Karaoke Thursdays
Website:http://www.saintsnsinnersbar.com/
Address: 10899 Venice Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034

Sheddy's (Mid-City West/Fairfax)

I was at Sheddy's last week for a going away party for a friend moving to London. This place scores excellent marks for atmosphere! Reproductions of classical paintings of greek mythology line the walls of this tiny, dark, red-hued hole in the wall. An excellent place to kick back and have a beer, of which they have many. The selection tends toward the obscure, which I love. They even have Delirium Nocturnum, the darker and stronger cousin to my all time favorite, Delirium Tremens. Upon ordering, however, so problems started cropping up. First of all, the bartender was nowhere to be found. After a few minutes she appeared and took our order. I ordered, then ordered something else for my wife. They were out of the second beer so I asked her for another of the first. The keg blew while they were pouring the second so then they were out of that too. A beer bar should not be running out of tap beer! I was forced (oh darn) to order a Delirium Tremens in a bottle. I was informed that it was $11. That's almost $1 per ounce kids, and not a fair price at all. IO West has it for $8! This price gouging cut my night a little short, but I was glad to go and send Justin off to London. The word on Sheddy's: a great place to hang out if you can afford it.
The Stats:
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Price:$$
Selection: Obscure (aka awesome) as long as it's in stock
Service: Good when it was there
Parking: Street, but watch for permit zones!
Vibe: Eclectic and hip, 20's to 30's
Bonus: Quote board of things overheard at the bar
Address: 361 S Fairfax Ave
Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sheddys-los-angeles-2