Beer to the Heart

July 22, 2011 4:01 PM

Where to drink beer in Los Angeles?

Thanks to the glories of the internet, I managed to land a date with a girl that went well enough that she has suggested that we go on a second date. This pleases me, but there is one area where my ignorance might be a problem; she is quite fond of beer, and I don't drink beer.

I need to know what Los Angeles date locations have a good selection of tasty and interesting beers. I live in Santa Monica and she's in Koreatown, so bonus points if the beer pit in question is close to one of those locations. Bonus-bonus points if the beer purveyor also has a selection of tasty cocktails (so that I have something interesting to drink).

posted by Parasite Unseen to food & drink (21 answers total)

Wurstküche for an insane selection of beer and sausages. It's not the datiest restaurant, but it really is paradise.
posted by villanelles at dawn at 4:14 PM on July 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Library Ale House on Main St. in Santa Monica. 29 beers on draught, and you can order a set of 2 oz tasters (i.e. instead of a 16 oz beer, they bring you 8 small glasses of different beers). Good food, too.
posted by ljshapiro at 4:16 PM on July 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yard House (there's one at L.A. Live) has a bazillion beers on tap. I'm not a beer drinker, so I don't know if they're any good. But still: Lots of beer.
posted by The World Famous at 4:23 PM on July 22, 2011

Beer Belly and Biergarten are both in ktown and sound awesome (I haven't been to either yet).
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 4:24 PM on July 22, 2011

Gah now that I have looked at Beer Belly's menu and beer list, I really want to go to there.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 4:28 PM on July 22, 2011

If you want a place with some beer variety that is close to you and more low-key, BJ's Restaurant & Brewery brews a number of their own beers that have won some awards. There is one close to both of you here. Here's more information about their beer on tap. Their pizzas are very good, also.
posted by SpacemanStix at 4:36 PM on July 22, 2011

Some Downtown/Northeast options if you're ever on that side:

Lucky Baldwin's, Pasadena
Spring Street Bar, Downtown
Verdugo, Glassell Park
Red Lion Tavern, Silver Lake
Good, Silverlake
El Prado, Echo Park

Bonus OC entry for after a day at Newport Beach:
Goat Hill Tavern, Costa Mesa (100+ beers on tap)
posted by outlaw of averages at 4:38 PM on July 22, 2011 [5 favorites]

Sorry, here's the closest location to you both.
posted by SpacemanStix at 4:38 PM on July 22, 2011

El Prado or Library Bar are both good date spots - Library Bar gets ridiculously crowded on weekends (and even weeknights) and El Prado is small, so in either case be prepared to wait.
posted by rainydayfilms at 4:42 PM on July 22, 2011

The Other Room in Venice is also a good date spot. It seems to have a lot of beer.
posted by rainydayfilms at 4:43 PM on July 22, 2011

Father's Office
posted by katillathehun at 5:03 PM on July 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Mohawk Bend in Echo Park is supposed to open up on Monday. If it's anything like Tony's Darts Away in Burbank, you should check it out!
posted by queensissy at 5:04 PM on July 22, 2011

Ok so this is probably more Hollywood (location not atmosphere) than you would go for but I can't help but recommend Blue Palms. If she digs comedy it's a great place to go before or after a trip to UCB theatre.
posted by boobjob at 5:18 PM on July 22, 2011

The list provided by outlaw of averages is essentially a "best of" list - each one is fantastic. If you are a true beer lover, be sure to visit all of them - you will not be disappointed.
posted by numinous at 5:39 PM on July 22, 2011

Father's Office is really very nice, with a large beer selection and excellent food. There are locations in SM and in Culver City. It gets crowded on weekends, and there isn't a traditional waitstaff: you order at the bar and someone brings the food to your table. You also kind of need to scramble for a table since their isn't a host/hostess; it's really structured more like a bar. These all might be drawbacks for a date.

The food is exceptional, though, and it definitely meets your beer criterion.
posted by mr_roboto at 6:24 PM on July 22, 2011

+1 to library ale house or red lion.
posted by pazazygeek at 6:39 PM on July 22, 2011

I went to Red Rock Bar & Eatery on Sunset last month with a friend who is fond of beer. Seemed like a nice "date" type place. We parked down the street at a small lot for $8 and walked a couple blocks. Kinda neat 'cause you pass a lot of clubs.
posted by luckynerd at 7:50 PM on July 22, 2011

Broadway Alehouse has a pretty good selection of beer and is next to The Yard which has reasonably good food. The selling point, though, is that you can walk on the beach afterwards.
posted by troublesome at 10:05 PM on July 22, 2011

I used to work a block away from the Library Ale House and would pass on that in favor of Fathers Office. Get a fathers office burger and a Weihenstephaner Korbinian...and you're truly a king.
posted by jnnla at 11:43 PM on July 22, 2011

The Alibi Room fits your exact description.
posted by ruelle at 10:35 AM on July 23, 2011

A recent addition is Steingarten on Pico near Overland. They have pretty good food, and their owner and bartenders are among the most knowledgeable I've run into. I've gotten some wonderful beer recommendations from them.
posted by Gimpson at 10:38 AM on August 2, 2011