Sherman Oaks, off Van Nuys Blvd
First post, first in my heart. Here are the myriad reasons I like this bar.
Close to my place of residence.
Engaging staff. They remember you, they chat with you, you exist.
Strange but endearing interior. Wood paneled pub with pineapple motif that crashed into a Western saloon at 80mph.
Ample parking-Strip mall location is a home run.
Many sports on many televisions
Popcorn. It is free and freshly popped in the popcorn cart.
Great bar food, an unexpected surpise as great bar food should be. If you Yelp'd the bar for good food you didn't go to drink, you were going out to eat, with no element of surprise. Less impressive. We live in a world with few surprises, and frankly finding out your fav bar has some sleeper superchef in back is all I have left besides getting notified that I owe child support or got a parking ticket. If you Yelp it and then exclaim, "Holy moly this reuben is awesome!" with a string of saurkraut hanging out of your face, I feel like you are insincere before God and Country.
Ample seating, and never feels crowded.
I have not worked out my judging framework yet so this review is incomplete. But for the bar, it is what a neighborhood bar should be.
