El Chucho

"Amid the protected bike lanes, baby strollers, and other telltale signs of gentrification on the stretch of Venice Blvd between Mar Vista and Venice, El Chucho stands out as being pretty cool. The space (formerly La Potranca) had been a neighborhood dive for years, serving cheap beer and screening soccer for Spanish speakers stopping somewhere before heading home from work. The new owners have kept the pool table, soccer, crass posters, and cheap beer. And they’ve also added natural wine, vinyl DJ sets, and given the bathroom a deep clean. El Chucho is a total scene on weekends (in case you need to wait in a line to feel something). On weeknights, it’s a tame spot for a catch-up."