Los Angeles' Best Bartenders

Blow off steam after work in this old-school Culver City lounge.

Reviews:

• “Happening Spot Everytime”
• “This is where I started to love LA….”
• “So much more than a dive bar!”
• “Who would have thought a "
• “A night well spent!”

Tips: Thursday, Friday and Saturday pack them in with karaoke nights, especially Fridays with a grateful post-work crowd.

Backstage Bar & Grill or email Backstage Bar & Grill

Bigfoot Lodge owner launches swinging ’70s-themed nightclub with early neighborhood/industry bar scene and live, late-night DJs.

Reviews:

• “Fun Birthday Celebration Place”
• “my favorite bar!”
• “The name is cooler than the people”
• “Great bar”
• “Great little find!”

Tips: The bar is small and the DJ scene very popular on weekends—plan to arrive before 11pm to avoid a wait in line.

Saints & Sinners or email Saints & Sinners

Inventive rolls and a fun, cheap happy hour fuel this relaxed WeHo sushi spot.

Reviews:

• “Nice atmosphere, decent food, poor service”
• “Trendy, good food, worth the price”
• “Great for the Under 40 fast crowd – Not as pricey as one would think”
• “everthing was good”
• “worst policies ever”

Tips: Savor $4 sushi rolls, $6 salt-and-pepper prawns and $3 margaritas daily, 5pm-7pm. Or splurge on a creative cocktail like the Tokyo Tonic (green tea, sake, Absolut vanil).

Fat Fish or email Fat Fish

Popular San Diego bar opens its second Westside branch, with boldly styled supper club in Venice’s former El Marquez space.

Reviews:

• “No shorts, no notice, no entry…”
• “Great music, lame crowd”
• “Worst Bartender Ever…”
• “I’ve never been disappointed here”
• “Awesome music, glitchy bartender”

Tips: The bar (and crowd) is best on Thursday and Saturday nights between 11pm and 1am, with rarely a line or any hassles at the door.

AIR CONDITIONED Supper Club

Travel back in time to the swingin’ ’60s for martinis, manicures and DJs spinning dance tracks inside this vintage salon.

Reviews:

• “-LOVE the music-”
• “beauty bar”
• “An Instant Classic!”
• “Totally cute atmosphere”
• “Too trendy….”

Tips: Bring cash—credit card transactions require a minimum of $15. Just in case, there’s an ATM in the hallway.

Beauty Bar

Hybrid martini-and-wine bar livens up subdued Santa Monica neighborhood with stylish drinking enclave.

Reviews:

• “Great DJ and Courteous Doorman”
• “nice atmosphere”
• “It clearly isn’t air conditioned…”
• “bottomless sangria!”
• “Nothing to get all hot & bothered about”

Tips: Most of the surrounding side streets are permit restricted, so guests can park at meters along Pico and the rear parking lot.

AIR CONDITIONED

Where Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl go to quench their mighty thirsts.

Reviews:

• “Give me a break”
• “awesome place, little watery though”
• “Fun decor, very weak drinks”
• “Hipsters High Hipsters Low Hipsters On The Ceiling GO! "
• “Great bar”

Tips: With specialty drinks with names like “Toasted Marshmallow” and “Girl Scout Cookie,” how could you resist?

Bigfoot Lodge or email Bigfoot Lodge

The spot that launched the green apple martini offers a casual retreat from the attention-starved cruisers on the Strip.

Reviews:

• “Martini Madness!”
• “This place has an unbelievably bad reputation and it is well deserved”
• “Nice atmosphere, setting and crowd”
• “Great for dates”
• “manifest destiny”

Tips: A valet awaits those with deep pockets, but the streets nearby abound with metered and even free parking.

Lola’s or email Lola’s

Holiday Inn hotel bar makes its mark with a hip new look, while retaining most of its low-key charm.

Reviews:

• “Ok”
• “Good place for a hangout”
• “Wrong trend in the wrong place”
• “A Good Time”

Tips: Parking is free if you get validated from the bartender. You will be charged to park if you leave your vehicle overnight.

Splash Bar

Authentic Mexican fare and a bordello-like setting give sleepy Sherman Oaks a shot of gusto.

Reviews:

• “Is business so bad they can’t afford air conditioning?”
• “shouldn’t call themselves a mexican restaurant.”
• “bring taco bell sauce packets to add flavor to the food if you go”
• “not impressed”
• “For socializing only”

Tips: In the bar, enjoy discount margaritas weekdays from 3pm to 7pm. On Friday and Saturday, there’s a late-night happy hour from 11pm to 2am.

Senor Fred