LAGuide
The Best Bars In Culver City
photo credit: The Canopy Club
Drinking in Culver City may not be your first choice. But it’s frequently a necessity. Whether you’re hitting Happy Hour with people who watch you scribble things on a whiteboard during meetings, grabbing cocktails after a tour of the Sony Pictures lot, or hanging out with your cousin who never drives past La Cienaga, here are the best places to get a beverage in the area.
THE SPOTS
A tiny watering hole right next door to Hatchet Hall, Old Man Bar specializes in one thing: whiskey. They’ve got a fantastic list of hard-to-find (and occasionally very expensive) bottles, and some of the best Old Fashioneds in town. Much like a roadside tavern in Minnesota, the dark space has taxidermied animal heads, a fireplace, and a fun crowd that knows how to wear a leather jacket. Stop by for a nightcap after dinner or with a bourbon-loving friend who wants to dissect the last season of True Detective.
photo credit: Krystal Thompson
Unlike the Santa Monica original, this Father’s Office outpost has lots of space, including a long covered patio that’s perfect for summer nights and multiple rounds of craft beer. And despite what the overwhelming tap list might lead you to believe, this location takes cocktails as seriously as it does beer. On weekdays, the space is filled with nearby studio and/or tech workers drinking negronis and decompressing about the drama of the day. But you can also come alone and occupy yourself with their very good burger.
Want to go on a date somewhere that feels like Silver Lake without running into your ex (the one who lives in Silver Lake)? Go to this candlelit speakeasy, which is tucked behind a barbershop next to a Best Buy. The R&B playlist humming on the speakers is subtle enough that you can whisper something sexy to the person next to you in a red leather booth. And even on busy nights when guest DJs fill the room, you’ll still have enough room for a personal space bubble.
Anybody who’s tried to drive down Venice Boulevard in Culver City at 4pm knows what pain is. So pull over, grab a glass of wine at Stanley’s, and let everybody else rip their hair out. This hybrid spot along Venice is more wine shop than anything else, but the tiny bar right off the entrance is a pleasant place to post up with a glass of Chardonnay and not be bothered. Happy Hour runs from 3-6pm on weekdays (plus all day on Tuesdays) and gets you $7 draft beer, $10 glasses of wine, and a $20 charcuterie board.
photo credit: Matt Gendal
Backstage is a Culver dive bar staple. The 80-year-old tavern across the street from Sony Studios has no cover, no minimum for groups, and one of the most underrated karaoke situations in town. Drinks are cheap, the bar food is better than it needs to be, and there’s even a fire pit in the back. Consider it an all-purpose destination for watching a game, after-hour sing-a-thons, or the final stop on a night of bar-hopping.
POWERED BY
Canopy Club is the all-day rooftop spot at The Shay and, as far as hotel pool bars go, it's not bad. Sure, cocktails start at $18, but for a place with sunset views that doesn't get too crowded, this is the best option in the neighborhood. There's a small indoor lounge with squishy leather couches and fireplace, as well as an outdoor patio where you can lounge near a pool that's just slightly larger than a minivan. You'll need a $50 day pass if you want to jump in, but we're content with hanging out under the pink umbrellas and pretending it's Palm Springs.
Even when it’s 85 degrees out, sometimes you just need to pretend you’re drinking in a ski lodge in Canada for the night. That’s when we go to Bigfoot West. This long-running spot on Venice Blvd. (the Westside offshoot of Atwater Village’s Bigfoot Lodge) fully commits to its woodsy aesthetic, but not in a way that feels like Splash Mountain. The crowd is low-key, there’s a daily Happy Hour from 5-8pm, and they make a solid peanut butter whiskey cocktail topped with a burnt marshmallow.
photo credit: Fried Chicken Sandwich
Sitting atop the Citizen Public Market is Bar Bohemian, a breezy cocktail bar that's great for both after-work drinks with coworkers and first dates—a rare combo. Ask fun, getting-to-know-you questions like “did you lie about being 6’5 on your profile?” while lounging at a high-top bar table under the retractable awning. There’s plenty of space here, a mysterious art-deco décor, and drinks like the “Fire & Rain,” made with mezcal, lavender bitters, and fresh lemon. Also, there's lots of food options if you decide to wander downstairs.
The Westside’s strange affinity for British/Irish pubs is something that’s not talked about enough, and Joxer Daly’s might be the granddaddy of the whole scene. This is where you go if you want to catch the Manchester vs. Chelsea game and drink pints of lager with a guy named Torrey from Leeds. Get an order of Irish nachos and take advantage of the weekday Happy Hour, which runs from 3pm to 7pm.
photo credit: Matt Gendal
If you're looking for a Happy Hour hang with your closest coworkers, go to Alibi Room. This low-key cocktail bar is over on the west end of Washington Blvd, serving two dozen beers on tap and galbi tacos from the Kogi truck onsite. Although Alibi has been a neighborhood staple for over a decade, you can almost always walk in and get a table. Find one in a corner, order lots of beer and tacos, and start venting about how weirdly protective your boss is about the office Nespresso machine.
