Los Angeles has its fair share of interesting bars, pubs and dives. Whether you’re into sports, the opposite sex or cheap booze, there’s surely an establishment that will suit your needs.



The Valley

Looking for a fun place to knock back a few in the Valley? Try the Blue Room (916 S. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank). This dive bar is incredibly unassuming from the outside and that lack of pretension follows it indoors. The Blue Room’s crowd is varied; it ranges from older locals to down-to-earth 20-somethings just out for a good time. As the name dictates, the interior is blue – nice and moody for days when you wish to drink away your troubles, and nice and calming for nights when it’s evident that a raging party is about to happen. The drinks are cheap, ranging from about $6-$7. Parking isn’t the best in the area, but there are plenty of side streets if you don’t mind a quick walk.



The East

The East Side of town is renowned throughout the city for its dive bars. After all, hundreds of thousands of hipsters can’t be wrong, right? What’s even better is that in this area, most of the drinking establishments are located within walking distance of each other, making it super easy to try each and every one of them in one fell swoop.

One of the best for meeting new people is Little Joy Cocktail Lounge (1477 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles). The outside may look a little sketchy – hell, the inside is sketchy too, but the people really make this place rock. Little Joy has seen its share of fun, scandal and famous folks (members of the Silversun Pickups have been seen here, as well as members of the Strokes). But the brews flow freely, and sex can be easily found – if you’re looking.

Just across the street is the Short Stop (1455 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles). This baseball-themed bar is anything but glamorous with its wood-paneled walls and sticky floors. But the locals make it worth the trek across town. DJs here spin all the greatest hits of the late ’80s, ’90s and 2000s, from rap to dub to Brit pop. Drinks here are decently priced (in the $8 range). Depending on who is bartending that night will determine how much of the hook-up you get. The crowd is nice and young and everyone is super nice. The Short Stop will always feel like your second home.

The Gold Room (1558 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles) is growing in popularity due to its location, location, location. Good thing for pedestrians and drivers that this place sits smack dab on Sunset Boulevard. I love the vibe at this bar. It’s kind of random with its Latin-flavor juxtaposed against dirty indies and older locals. But the jukebox is cool, and the waitresses are super sweet. It’s a great place to take a date.

Silverlake Lounge (2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles) is a ton of fun for guys and girls who dig live music as much as a Pabst Blue Ribbon tall boy. The music bookers here have brought in a wealth of great talent and show no signs of stopping. The Lounge has even become so popular that it was featured in the Ben Stiller film, Greenberg, and also has a recurring role on the revamped “90210.”



The West

Hands down, my favorite dive bar in Santa Monica is the Daily Pint (2310 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; thedailypint.net). It’s true; I don’t do too much socializing on this part of town. But I used to go here with an ex-boyfriend, and the place really got under my skin (in all the right ways). Bocce ball, foosball and darts are just some of the fun that can be had during happy hour. But it’s those huge foamy glasses of Stella Artois that made me fall in love. There’s a pretty good amount of street parking nearby. And even if you do have to walk a bit, it’s a nice walk through a good, clean area. Drinks are around the $8 range.

Prince O’ Whales (335 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey; princeowhales.com) is a chill dive where everybody’s welcome. They’ve got booze and karaoke and enough beer nuts to make your stomach turn. Also, thanks to their calendar of events, you’ll be able to find a number of activities that really rock your world.



Downtown

Perhaps one of the coolest spots in the newly gentrified downtown area is Bar 107 (107 4th St., Los Angeles). This is downtown’s version of the Short Stop, complete with fun locals and a kick-ass photo booth in the back. The music is amazing and the vibe here is unlike anywhere in the city. I’ve had people just spark up conversations with me at the bar, which NEVER happens to me anywhere else in the city. For that reason, I’m giving this one a gold star for being extra super awesome!

Finally, there’s La Cita (336 S. Hill St., Los Angeles; lacitabar.com). The best way I can think to describe this establishment is that it’s like that guy or girl you’ve been hearing lots of people talk about. When you finally check them out, you realize that mofos weren’t lying – they da bomb! La Cita is super cool. They’ve got excellent music nights and good drinks. I also love that there are still some great places to hang out in this city that aren’t chock-full of contemporary cool and high-gloss decor. Good drinks and a great atmosphere? You can’t beat this one with a stick.