The Phoenix

This place is super cute: brunch + board games? Sold! My cuzzo and I were just there this past Sunday (2−5pm); seated right away… surprisingly the place was pretty empty. The food was great: $ 22 for your meal + bottomless mimosas? That’s a steal! I ordered Larry’s Famous Skillet (grilled chicken, eggs, caramelized onions, arugula, pico de gallo, and goat cheese). My cousin ordered Eggs Benedict Arnold (muffins were tiny). Both items were delicious and if you like an extra kick or two, it should be eaten with the Cholula sauce! The Shorty’s Mac + Cheese was mehhh… sweet and cheesy? I don’t know about all that!
While the food was tasty, the service was mediocre… kept having to wait for our mimosas, the check, the mimosas, the food, and the mimosas.
Nonetheless, everybody should check this place out!

For all minorities/​people of color: beware of the door boy with scary acne scars named Tom. I went here for a birthday celebration and Tom greeted me at the door asking me if «I knew where I was» because of my race. This 40 year old door boy then proceeded to make more rude racist innuendos and therefore I will never step foot into this bar again.

I came here last night to celebrate my friend’s birthday. I had been to this establishment before and enjoyed myself. However, this time not so much.
My friends and I arrived separately from the birthday girl so we rushed in to find her. As we all pulled our IDs out, the DOORMAN (knocked up voice) made a racially insensitive comment. Give or take we were pretty much the only minorities in the place, none of that matters. He assumed that none of us knew where we were and proceeded to question us about what we were doing. He then said «Well you know some people don’t know where they are so I just had to ask.» Excuse me? What do you MEAN by that comment? Unacceptable and beyond rude. For that reason alone, I will never be stepping foot in this bar ever again.
Great ambiance and helpful bartenders/​servers. However, the DOORMAN is a jerk. Sorry you’re 40+ asking hot chicks for their IDs but that’s YOUR fault. Not mine. And don’t EVER assume I don’t know where I am.
#DoBetter

Right now this place has taken the title of Best Fries from all the other places I’ve mentioned before. Sorry Belcampo, The Phoenix has outdone you!
This place is very fun. Came here for a Unilocal event but then ended up ordering more food off of the menu anyway. The waitress we had, didn’t catch her name, was AMAZING. Service was definitely above and beyond what I expected and everyone was very nice and extra accommodating.
It’s mostly a bar but they also have a limited selection food. Tried the steak frites, the lamb sliders and the chicken sandwich. Everything that I tasted was delicious but the frites (or fries, for us Americans) were probably the best. They are big and fat and their claim to fame is that they are «triple fried» which leaves them crispy on the outside while still soft on the inside. Very, very good.
We came on a Tuesday so it was trivia night but we did terribly. Either way it was still enjoyable and they also have a bunch of other games on tables that you can play like Connect Four and Jenga. I also saw they have giant Jenga outside on the lawn but we didn’t stay to play that.
The only thing that is strange is that you have to valet at the Citibank next door… they don’t have their own lot so you might end up just driving right past it!
I would come back for trivia and french fries!

The Quick & Easy: Happy hour until 9, Valet is $ 8, Triple fried French fries.
The Down & Dirty: This place is a unicorn amongst bars. I ended up here for Paint Nite, but was able to enjoy their Happy hour until 9pm! Who does that? $ 3 for well and wines, plus their pours were heavy too.
There’s more. Because my buzz came unexpectedly early, I put in an order of their Triple Fried French Fries. These are perfectly seasoned crispy steak fries that comes with a sauce made for the Gods. It’s a house made bell pepper and tomato jam. Sounds weird but it’s absolutely delicious and pairs so well with the fries. Ketchup has now fallen to the bottom rung of all sauces. Stay there ketchup.
The downside is that parking is in high demand where they can get away with an $ 8 valet fee. That’s worth 4 valets in Koreatown, but then again this is Beverly Bills the diamond studded butthole of LA.
The most important thing is that my painting came out better than I expected. That’s a win! I’ll be back for sure, but in an Über.

I would have normally rated this place as a 3 but am upgrading it to a 4 because of their Tuesday Trivia night, which was really fun! They had a guy running the game with a mic so it was easy to follow along no matter where you were sitting in the bar. For those of you who are not big on games, don’t stress — you can opt out of playing (although I’m not sure why you would come to this bar if you don’t like games). For those of you who like to mix it up, you & your friends can form your own team or partner up with strangers at your table to form a bigger team. There are prizes for the winning team, so more brainpower is probably a good thing.
Drinks were good but I was here for an event, so I’m not sure if the prices are reasonable. The website says $ 3 drinks during happy hour though so I’m sure I would have been fine with my bar tab =). I also had the lamb sliders, which were very tasty, and the steak fries, which were good but not great (came out hot though). It would have been nice to have more food options on the menu but, hey, you can’t have everything.
Even if you don’t partake in Tuesday Trivia night, each table has some kind of game on it.
This would probably be a great place to hang out and watch football all day. They have lots of TVs and the games add a bit of variety to your normal day /​evening out at a bar.

I went here for my first Unilocal Elite event! It was on a Tuesday night when they have Trivia Night. We came here and got a name tag which was our ticket for drinks and food for the night. We played Jenga (they have games on every table!) which was great for mingling and meeting other people! We also had the paper for the Trivia questions and the DJ called out the questions which were also on various TV screens throughout the bar. The questions ranged from entertainment to history to spelling — and no cheating/​checking your phones! (very much not enforced, though).
I had such a fun night and I definitely want to come back another time. I also look forward to future Unilocal Elite events!

Hidden gem sitting at the south end of all the action on Restaurant Row. Laid back, casual but serious about what they’re doing. And, this place is big ! TVs, and a DJ and then their specialty, Trivia. Play along or don’t — peeps seemed into it, or at least not bothered by it.
Food — bring it on. Lamb sliders are a hit: moist, a mild seasoning, a crunch of a pickle or cuke, all sit on toasted white bread hunks. I liked it. And their steak fries were really great, too. Fresh, hot, good crunch and very satisfying. There’s a sliced beef (maybe skirtsteak) that is smooth and perfectly cooked. A Dijon-​style dressing lightly covers it. Again, I really liked it! Sorry to miss out on the Halibut Sandwiches, but they looked hearty and tasty.
The bar-​tender ably handled the crowd — and there was indeed a crowd on this Monday night. Specialty drinks, Happy Hour, lots of options. I went simple and enjoyed one of a couple available white wines. (Sauv Blanc was refreshing and not too sweet).
I liked coming here — and am glad to have accidentally wound up here. Next time, it won’t be by chance! (Valet parking unless you know the area.)

First of all, this place is hard to spot, and it’s one of the first buildings on the block, so it’s very easy to whiz right past it on the first try. Second, parking around here is a pain, so you most likely have no choice but to valet, which is $ 7. If you do attempt street parking, be mindful that, if there isn’t a parking meter, it’s most likely a permit area.
The venue itself is nice and cozy with 2 fireplaces and 2 bars. I like how it gets lively later on in the evening, but never super crowded. You should have no problem finding somewhere to sit.
The drinks are pretty decent and generously priced considering the location. I also love how the bartenders whip it up lightning fast. I admire a bar that has just the right amount of bartenders-​to-​customer ratio. It feels like too many places try to save money by having 2 bartenders serve 5,000 people. Phoenix gets it just right. Their selections seem somewhat limited, but whether or not that is a plus or minus depends on your preference. I found it refreshing not to look through an encyclopedia of beers.
I tried their pub cheese and pita chips, which pretty much tasted like your garden variety spinach dip. That’s all I have to say about that.
On of the things that is unique about The Phoenix is that have all kinds of board games, but mostly, people play Jenga. You know they play Jenga because you hear the towers collapsing ALL the time. In fact, in the patio, they have a Godzilla sized Jenga set which probably would be hazardous around children or people under 5′ tall. Personally, I found it to be a little annoying to hear all that Jenga’ing through the night, but that’s just me.
Overall, this is a nice place for locals to hang out and grab a drink with friends. If you’re looking for a crazy party, then this probably isn’t the place.

Who knew…
I have driven by this place so many times and wouldn’t have known it was there except that it was the location of a recent event that I attended. Well– that was a great find indeed!
Super cool, not noisy, and enjoyable place.
The food looked good, but I didn’t try it. Drinks were very reasonable.
Not pretentious, cheap valet parking, and well — just a good time.

This review is for happy hour only.
I’m not sure why this place isn’t rated more highly, but I loved it for happy hour! Here’s the deal — $ 3 select beer (pilsner and Firestone pale ale on our night), $ 3 select wine, and $ 3 well drinks. They also have a limited food menu with apps for $ 5. Where else will you see these kinds of deals anywhere in LA, let alone in Beverly Hills???
The place is charming, in a rustic, cabin-​y kind of way. The space is large, with 2 separate bars and plenty of bar seating. There are also a number of tables scattered throughout the space. Bar service was quite friendly, with a soft-​spoken bartender willing to accommodate our beverage wishes.
A very unique and fun part of this bar is that they have a variety of board games on the tables for you to enjoy while sipping on your drinks. The games are a flash from the past, at least from my childhood, and it was quite fun to play some of them again after all these years.
Happy hour is everyday from 5−9PM. When I’m in the neighborhood, I will happily return for some good drinks, good service, and GREAT prices!
parking — valet, metered, or free street parking right on La Cienega after 4PM on Saturdays
tip — this bar is located within walking distance of multiple restaurants such as Scratch Bar, Lawry’s, Stinking Rose, Matsuhisa. So consider getting a drink (or 2) here before dinner!

This is a great neighborhood watering hole. If you live nearby La Cienega and Robertson, this can be your hangout. It also makes a good first date-​spot, if you don’t feel like investing a lot of money, but don’t wanna come across as a cheap-​o.
Pros: Games on the tables like jenga and connect-​four that you can play with your drunken friends. Cool, hunting-​lodge décor inside. Cheap drinks. Decent parking options nearby. A fun, yuppie crowd. Has a fun pub quiz night. Pretty clean, and doesn’t smell too divey.
Cons: Gets crowded, gets a little douchey some times. Not a lot of other bars to walk to from here, since you’re by restaurant row and all the boring 40/​50-​somethings that inhabit that place.

This is the kind of bar that I wish The Hudson was.
Laid back environment, decent crowd (not pretentious — just normal people) and they have fun games at all the tables (my favorite was Jenga with little messages and dares written on each of the blocks).
They have an OK menu. The lamb sliders were DELICIOUS but tiny, the tuna tacos were yummy, the fries were good — but somehow they only had two dipping sauces, neither of which were ketchup or ranch. Strange.
I also found myself wishing they had a larger cocktail menu. My friends and I drank the mojitos all night, but they are pretty sweet when you’re drinking a lot of them… to be fair, they do have a full bar if you know what you want. Personally, I just like a good cocktail menu.
Found it pretty easy to grab a drink at the bar and there’s table service in the early hours of the night.
I’ll be back, mostly because it’s walkable from my place.

Came here on a Friday night. The bar scene is pretty cool. There are a bunch of games available for you to play that reminded me of my childhood i.e. board games, hungry hungry hippo, life-​size Jenga, pool. etc. Really fun and loungey atmosphere with ample seating area.
I would definitely come back here again.

Cool lounge! Not overcrowded on weekends. No asshole door guys and lines — just good chill staff with attentive bar service. Drink were all less than $ 10 which isn’t bad given this part of town.
I love this spot. Great to chill out with spacious rooms and sofas.

This place left much to be desired in the food department. I really wasn’t expecting much because I know it’s a bar, but ick.
I was contemplating on having the ahi tuna sliders, but fortunately steered away from those and went with the lamb sliders. I don’t know if those were really any better, but at least I wasn’t risking the tango with some gnarly fish.
While the burgers were unimpressive (two and unimaginative) what really made me roll my eyes was the ketchup. It was tomato paste. I know, it’s ketchup dip your fries and move on… but I can’t it was tomato paste and it upset me.
The service was also pretty poor, but I can’t blame the waitress for that. That was managment’s fault. Our party of 15 had reserved a table so they really should have made the proper arrangements to have enough servers available. After a while our server got so overwhelmed she just stopped coming around. Poor girl, I pictured her in a corner in the fetal position just rocking back and forth.
They do have a PRO: they set out games like Jenga and they have these huge Jenga blocks on the patio that you can test your dexterity on after you’ve thrown a few back. How fun! But even this won’t entice me to return, I’ll just travel around with my Jenga from now on.

I went here for a Fordham alumni event if you can call it that last night.
It’s a game on the table (Sorry, Jenga etc) kind of place with a younger crowd.
There were several parties going on in the side rooms with signs on each table.
There is valet parking for $ 5.50 out front or street parking if you’re lucky.
Happy hour Sauvignon Blanc was my drink of choice and I was starving so I got the fried chicken sandwich. The fries were too thick, accompanied by a house made tomato jam (in lieu of ketchup) which was lacking flavor and zest.
The fried chicken patty wasn’t as foamy and fake as a fast food restaurant’s would be, but something was missing-​even with the pickles and slaw on top. Overall really blah despite being ravenous I only ate half and a few fries.
Amanda was our server and was pretty busy at first. She helped me right away when I first arrived which I was grateful for but at the end of the night it took over 7 minutes to get more drinks and our check and it had cleared out by then.
I won’t be going back. The traffic from Culver is annoying during the week and the patrons seemed pretty douchey (Fordham alum included).

This place is darker than it looks in pictures. Unfortunately, they had to close in the patio about six weeks ago, so the indoor-​outdoor feel has been lost. That was unfortunate but the vibe is still the same. It has a laid-​back vibe lots of wood and rick and stone that sucks you in and makes you stay for much longer than you originally planned.
There’s Connect 4 and Jenga and other board games — an excellent pace for a group. This is a place that you bring your friends to, and have a good time as a group. The busy times are very busy, but it’s a great chill spot when its not packed.
The loss of the patio makes it a little less fun than it used to be, but still a great spot to lose some time.

I ended up working very close to this bar, and venture here often with coworkers.
This place is great. Honestly, you can’t beat the happy hour prices here. Too good to pass up. The vibe is cozy and laid-​back, and many times I arrived at 5p and left… much much later.
Also, at $ 5, the fries are worth every penny. Delicious! Unfortunately, unless you’re willing to fork over $ 15+ for something to nibble on while sipping your cocktail, your food options are limited. That’s my one complaint: expand the menu! We need some nibbles to go with my Irish Mule (Get it. TRUST ME.)

Having heard that this new, cool spot in the 90 211 features NFL Sunday Football… I decided to give it a try yesterday, as I happened to have an early morning meeting in the area. Even though I was more than an hour late for the morning games, I still had the place all to myself. Wow, what a beautiful place, and a sweet and nice bartender! Micah was very helpful as I asked a million, typical, questions about the place (aka the « Unilocal Inquisition»). As the minutes and touchdowns continued, one by one, singles, couples, and small groups arrived. By 1pm, it was nicely filled up.
Danielle, dressed in a black sweater, black skirt, and black thigh-​highs, kept the customers entertained and served with cocktails, while I sat at the bar watching the sad STL Rams get pummeled by the NY Jets. Fortunately, Micah, my new pal, kept filling up my other new friend named «bottomless mimosa» ($ 10, unlimited until 3pm) and this made up greatly for the losing effort. (Rams, what Rams? Did they even play today?)
A very limited menu for Sunday brunch: Steak hash & eggs (okay, 1 fried egg) with potatoes and an Arugula salad atop ($ 13.95,
), and a Breakfast Burrito with turkey sausage.
. Not the standard fare or drink specials for NFL Sunday football. No beer specials. No burgers. No sliders. No wings. No beer/​draft specials! After 3pm, they have a Steak and frites, and a Fried Chicken Sandwich. None of your typical Sunday football fans will come, or at least, twice.
However, if you’re looking for an awesome place to chill in a beautiful, rustic and chic spot in the area, this is a good place to bring a date (it’s a little hoity-​toity), or meet some new friends (shout out to John and Caroline), or definitely solo sportin’ your new ultra-​vneck and Old Spice… this just could be your new hangout spot. It’s only a couple of months old, so hopefully some of the food items will be expanded upon. They have a few board games on the tables, and a beautiful pool table (photo courtesy of Lonnie M.,
), and 2 shuffeboard tables.
Now, as I’ve come to understand, this place is literally night and day comparing my experience during Sunday football, and how this place becomes at night — especially on Friday and Saturday’s. To give you an example, when I was leaving… an attractive group of women said to me «Show us your t*ts». I can only imagine how this place becomes into the evening (rowdy? loud?), because I left at 4pm!
Happy Hour, M-​F, 5−9pm — that rocks. Draft brews:
Gorgeous place: