World Dive Bar Tour » Santa Monica

July 30th, 2008: Bay Shore Lanes

admin — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:34:32 +0000

WEDNESDAY, July 30th, 2008

Bay Shore Lanes
234 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405

These are trying times. Gas and food prices record highs, two wars, the economy in shambles, your 401k all but vanished, corruption, lobbyists, poverty, Cancer/AIDS, the beginning of hurricane season, and then that friggin earthquake just now interrupting one Czar’s attempt to write this email. But there does exist a giant, glowing beacon of hope amid all the despair, and I’m not just talking about Shark Week (every night this week on the Discovery Channel). For in this town, at this time, I’m talking about a thing called The World Dive Bar Tour, and remembering the words once uttered by a man with far greater obstacles stacked in his path. Timeless words. The words, "Fuck it dude, let’s go bowling."

Join us at Santa Monica’s Bay Shore Lanes for the 2008 World Dive Bar Tour Bowling Night Spectacular: a celebration of all that is right with the world, where we can collectively forget, if only for a moment, all that is wrong. Order up a white russian or an oat soda from a bartender who’s been there as long as the bar itself, join us on the lanes and watch all your troubles roll away. In the words of another timeless hero, "Wooooooooooo! You got a date Wednesday, baby!"

As usual, the casual debauchery starts around 9PM and gets really interesting by 10:00. Come for one drink, or stay for one too many. Bring anyone and everyone, and join us for a great time in the middle of the week. If you arrive early or late, look for the people having a damn good time (it’ll be us), or start having a damn good time on your own (we’ll find you, if the friendly regulars don’t find you first).

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis - WDBT Co-czars

"I want you to know somthing. You and me, it’s not gonna be a one-way street. ‘Cause I don’t believe in one-way streets. Not between people, and not while I’m driving. So, here’s some advice I wish I woulda got when I was your age: Live every week like it’s Shark Week." - Tracy Jordan

July 16th, 2008: Big Dean’s Muscle In

World Dive Bar Tour — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:49:03 +0000

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16th, 2008

Big Dean’s Muscle In
1615 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA 90401

The World Dive Bar Tour Independence Day celebration is here — albeit a couple weeks late — and what better way to enjoy a cool summer night than by invading the best beach bar on the west side, Big Dean’s. Like last year, the amazing staff at Big Dean’s is staying open extra late for us, so come thirsty, pack an extra liver, and bring lots of friends.

As the beaches south of Wilshire have become more gentrified over the years, there’s something to be said for the one bar that remains true to its roots and refuses to sell lattes and panini sandwiches. It’s burgers and beer at this place, and they’ve been known to kick people out for uttering the word “focaccia.” Order any of the fine selection of draught beers in any of three sizes. Damien suggests a Venti Coors light with the cheeseburger. Yes, the kitchen will be open and provides a host of victuals to satiate everyone from the ravenous surfer to the derelict vagrant.

Aside from the menu, it’s Big Dean’s character that sets the place apart from its neighboring burger stands — the character of over 100 years of devoted business. Little has changed inside since the early days of business, from the ice box (now a converted refrigerator) to the old, empty boxes of Chamblis and Blush, which merely remind us that wine used to come from a spigot.

Finding Big Dean’s can be somewhat challenging, so use your Google Map. It’s located right on the boardwalk (at beach level), behind the carousel as you walk out on the pier. If you can smell hotdogs and buy carnival tickets, you’ve gone too far. Parking is a little tricky unless you roll up on a bike, so we suggest street parking on Ocean or pulling into the parking structure at 2nd and Colorado, which is free for 3 hours. Don’t bother with the beach lots. They close at 6pm.

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis - WDBT Co-czars

July 16th, 2008: Big Dean’s Preview

World Dive Bar Tour — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:07:32 +0000

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16th, 2008

Big Dean’s Muscle In
1615 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA 90401

As you’re already aware, we swapped out Big Dean’s last week for Hyperion Tavern due to scheduling conflicts. But as history will show, the World Dive Bar Tour has never been too strict about adhering to specific dates. Consequently, the Independence Day Dive Bar Extravaganza will, in fact, be held next week on Wednesday, July 16th, at the finest beach bar on the west side, Big Dean’s Muscle Inn.

Last year’s celebration at Big Dean’s was a huge success, and we want to make this year even more special. The management and staff are once again staying open way past closing time just for us, so we want to make it worth it for them. Bring lots of friends. Come hungry and thirsty. If you’re real nice, and you stay late enough, Mary Francis (Bar Tendress a.k.a. "Beer Goddess") might ask you to participate in a special "cup and pitcher" ritual. So mark your calendars now, and start putting together a group. If there’s one dive bar you make it to on the Tour this year, make it Big Dean’s.

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis - WDBT Co-czars

May 21st, 2008, The Joker

damien — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:19:31 +0000

WEDNESDAY, May 21st, 2008

The Joker
2827 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Don’t let the name fool you. There is nothing funny about this bar and it makes no attempt at humor, inside and out. The crumbling painting of a jester overlooking the street and the faded production still next to the bar of a Jack Nicolson in "Batman" are the only allusions to the name donning the back door. Inside is a joyful yet somber ambiance enjoyed by regulars who take their drinking seriously and yearn for the indoor smoking ban to be repealed.

More than a just place to relax, Joker is an escape from the rigmarole and anxiety of life. Situated on an inconspicuous corner of a suburban stretch of Pico, it stands secluded from the traditional westside nightlife that attracts d-bags and hipsters who conflate bar-going and clubbing. The people here are friendly and engaging but respectful of those needing merely a stiff drink and time alone at the end of the bar.

Joker is arguably one of the finest bars on the west side, and it epitomizes everything the Tour celebrates. This is a dive’s dive, and if you make it to only one of them on the tour this year or you’re merely curious as to why we take this dive bar stuff so seriously, stop by this Wednesday.

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis - WDBT Co-czars

"It is now time for me to relieve you, the little people, of your sad and useless lives. But, as my plastic surgeon always said, ‘If you gotta go, go with a smile.’"

- The Joker, Batman

July 25th, 2007: Big Dean’s Muscle Inn

admin — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:37:06 +0000

WEDNESDAY, July 25th, 2007

Big Dean’s Muscle Inn
1615 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Summer’s here, and WDBT is hittin’ the beach with a visit to a legendary Santa Monica establishment that’s diligently been serving the public since 1902. From the days when the Pier was merely a sewer scaffold to the days when you didn’t venture south of Wilshire unless you wanted to get shot, Big Dean’s remains true to its heritage as a classic beach getaway for beers and burgers, and only its name and ownership have changed over the past century.

The inside is adorned with the compulsory neon signs and surfing paraphernalia in addition to more eclectic oddities, all with their own unique stories, like a fake toucan and a Roman breastplate from the film "Ben Hur." WDBT does not promote the distribution or proliferation of anything that draws unnecessary attention to the mentally disabled or intellectually inferior, so we apologize ahead of time for the Longhorn decal stuck to the mirror.

The menu features the standard "burger and fries" fare and a respectable collection of both bottle and draught beer, available in small, medium, and large plastic cups. While wine is now available from a bottle, the dispenser boxes behind the bar marked "Blush" and "Chamblis" indicate it once came from a spigot. Enjoy your drink either of the two outdoor patios.

An extra-special nod goes out to TJ and Mary Francis for staying open a later than usual for the Tour. Show your thanks by bringing lots of friends and tipping well. Also, parking is a little tricky beach-side. Be sure to utilize the Google Map and park in the lot at the corner of Seaside Terrace and Appian Way, or on the streets further inland.

As usual, the casual debauchery starts around 9PM an gets really interesting by 10:00. Come for one drink, or stay for one too many. Bring anyone and everyone, and join us for a great time in the middle of the week. If you arrive early or late, look for the people having a damn good time (it’ll be us), or start having a damn good time on your own (we’ll find you).

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis, WDBT Co-Czars

"You hear about Ice?"

- Top Gun

May 9th, 2007: Chez Jay

admin — Wed, 09 May 2007 00:46:10 +0000

WEDNESDAY, May 9th, 2007

Chez Jay
1657 Ocean Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Some look at the WDBT Extension as an escalation in our already full-blown dive bar occupation. Some prefer to see it as a new strategy, a "surge" if you will, that allows our Co-Czars in the field the best chance for success. Others just think we are compensating for something. Whatever the case, we never prepare an exit strategy.

In the spirit of ill-conceived quagmires, we will be invading a little Santa Monica joint called Chez Jay. This bar earned its place in history back in ‘71 when Daniel Ellsberg began passing top-secret documents to a New York Times reporter in a back booth. These documents later became known as the infamous Pentagon Papers which exposed US involvement in Indochina from 1945 to 1969. Who knows what kind of nefarious cloak and dagger exchanges we will witness on Wednesday night.

We weren’t able to get this dive on WDBT: Classic this year so we are flexing Extension muscle to bring you this bar. As always, we rely on the infinite wisdom of Citysearch users to show was right from wrong: Chez Jay boasts "Awful, Just Awful Customer Service" and elicits "Conflicted feelings" from its patrons who are a "mix of hollywood wannabes, old men with younger women and alcoholics." Perfect.

As usual, the casual debauchery starts around 9PM and gets really interesting by 10:00. Come for one free drink, or stay for one too many. Bring anyone and everyone, and join us for a great time in the middle of the week. If you arrive early or late, look for the people having a damn good time (it’ll be us), or start having a damn good time on your own (we’ll find you).

Carpe Drink’em,

Nate
Auxiliary Captain

"I hate these cocktail parties. John, I’m in hell. I’ll be mentally dead in two years and physically dead in four."

- Richard M. Nixon, Nixon

April 18th, 2007: The Daily Pint

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:48:05 +0000

WEDNESDAY, April 18th, 2007

The Daily Pint
2310 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Oddly enough, the famous Food Pyramid lacks a cell for beer and liquor. While theoretically these could be categorized under the "grains" section at the bottom, WDBT holds libations in far higher esteem than to lump them in with another food group. This week we return to a bar that acknowledges the need for the regular inclusion of barley and mash in your diet, The Daily Pint.

Like all the bars on the "Pico Prowl," the Pint is a relaxed, warm, and welcoming place due mainly to its proximity to the ocean and distance from neighborhood gunfire. Inside, you’ll find a circular bar in the middle, making access to the bartender but steps away from your pool table or dart game. Wednesdays typically see a sizable group of locals and college students later in the evening. A fine selection of beers is available on tap. Cash and Credit accepted. Street parking is ample.

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis, WDBT Co-Czars

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

- Benjamin Franklin

March 7th, 2007: Sonny McLean’s

admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:53:15 +0000

WEDNESDAY, March 7th, 2007

Sonny McLean’s
2615 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403

St. Patrick’s Day holds a special significance on the World Dive Bar Tour, as it’s the time of year when we pay homage to our Irish ancestors and the unique drinking establishments they’ve brought to this country. As the holiday itself will rarely fall on a Dive Bar Wednesday, we’ll celebrate it during the nearest prior week. Plus, WDBT has no desire to commingle with the insufferable crowd that comes out of the woodwork to get sloshed once a year on March 17th.

Alas, we head to Santa Monica to visit Sonny McLean’s, a place unlike any we’ve yet seen on the tour, fusing together the character of the dive with the fraternal warmth of the Irish pub. Step in the door and you’re bound to see a glasses of Guinness lined down the bar and two fellas yammering about all the guys named "Patrick" in their family.

Sonny’s has two..count’em…TWO Golden Tee games as well as pool, darts, and the naked-chick bar video game. They serve a respectable variety of the finest draught beer from Bud Light to Smithwick’s, and a pint of Guinness is under five bucks.

Carpe Drink’em,

Alex, Damien, & Travis, WDBT Co-Czars

"The Irish ignore anything they can’t drink or punch."

- Irish Proverb

June 7th, 2006: Gas Lite

admin — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 01:10:53 +0000

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7th, 2006

Gas Lite
2030 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403

To the West Side Dive Bar goer, Gas Lite is a shimmering beacon of hope in the midst of the modern shops and trendy lounges of Wilshire Boulevard. It’s reminiscent of a simpler time when sleeping bums were illuminated by the gentle glow of a street lamp’s flame and the city wasn’t run by Bolsheviks — a time when drinking at 6AM wasn’t stigmatized, but understood as something some people just did.

As one of the few places in L.A. serving breakfast in a bottle, Gas Lite is home to an assortment of elderly regulars who take advantage of its 6AM Early Bird Special then remain on their stools, exercising their livers and catheters until closing time. The walls are adorned with tchotchkes reminiscent of your Great Uncle Grover’s den, giving the Gas Lite a feeling of familial warmth — a sense of family togetherness that’s heightened further by the drunken shouting and sexually suggestive passes by older men. Enjoy a classic dive jukebox during the day, but cover your ears in the later hours when the karaoke menace that has invaded even the purest of L.A. dives takes over. Nevertheless, if you’ve never seen Travis sing Elvis Costello, you’re in for something…different.

Carpe Drink’em

Alex, Damien, & Travis, WDBT Co-Czars

"I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day."

- Frank Sinatra

May 10th, 2006: The Joker

admin — Wed, 10 May 2006 01:11:10 +0000

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10th, 2006

The Joker
2827 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

In the days of yore, was the Joker or Jester’s job to entertain royalty with feats of splendor and quips about the chamber maids’ chastity. At The Joker in Santa Monica, the splendorous feat is the $3 beers; and, wisecracks about the patrons’ chastity will only get you punched.

Nevertheless, of all the WDBT spots on the Pico prowl, The Joker boasts the cheapest beer and finest character. Situated with the bar in the center, its easy to seat many at the counter and serve many on the floor. However, the bar’s cupboard has felt the effects of the last beer juggling contest, so the barkeeps aren’t joking when they asks you to reuse your pint glass.

As usual, the casual debauchery starts around 9pm and gets really interesting by 10:00. Come for one drink, or stay for one too many, bring anyone and everyone, and join us for a great time in the middle of the week. If you arrive early or late, look for the people having a damn good time (it’ll be us), or start having a damn good time on your own (we’ll find you).

Carpe Drinkem,

Alex, Damien & Travis, WDBT Co-Czars

"Haven’t you ever heard of the healing power of laughter?"

- The Joker - Batman