Culver City is 90% offices. Don’t look that up. OK, fine, we have no idea how much of Culver City is offices. But there are a lot of people who work in this kind-of-isolated part of town, and that means there are a lot of people who probably could use a drink around 5pm. Whether your whole team is trying to bond at Happy Hour or you just need somewhere to catch up with friends, here are all the best places to hang after work in Culver City.
The Spots
Whether you think FO’s burger is the best in the city, or a vile tower of arugula and gruyere, one thing is true - their Culver location is prime for post-work drinking. Unlike its original Santa Monica location, this one has plenty of room and large communal tables for when half the office floor tags along. They don’t do Happy Hour, but their craft beer stock makes up for it. And you’re wrong if you don’t think the burger is great.
Rocco's Tavern
Rocco’s might look like just another generic sports bar, but when it comes to after-work drinks, it’s actually special. From 3-7pm every day, all drinks (including top-shelf liquor) are 2-for-1. With a deal like that, expect to find the rest of downtown Culver’s workforce here too. The food menu is your typical bar appetizers, pizzas, and burgers, but everything’s just a little better than you would think.
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One of Culver’s best bar standbys, Bigfoot West has been around for (the Culver City version of) forever - 2009. It’s one of the rowdier bars in the area, but it’s still laid-back, and its aggressive lodge aesthetic is exactly what you need after four days straight of getting to the office before 8am. Happy Hour runs every day from 5-9pm when every drink is $5.
Public School 310
Located on the main drag in downtown Culver, Public School admittedly feels pretty corporate. But the modern space is big enough for large groups, and their “recess” menu is great: Monday-Friday, 3-7pm you’ll find $5 wine, well drinks, and craft beer, as well as discounted bar snacks.
Steve from finance is jacked up for cheap beer and tonight’s Lakers game, and you could care less. If you’re looking for a cool environment with good cocktails and nobody screaming at sporting events on TVs, the Culver Hotel is where you want to be. The historic spot has a great lobby bar with live music, Wizard of Oz-themed drinks, and a 4-7pm Happy Hour that’ll get you $9 cocktails and discounted bar food.
Doughroom is located in the Culver-adjacent neighborhood of Palms and, for that reason alone, doesn’t get the manic corporate crowd that tends to congregate in downtown Culver. This neighborhood beer bar/pizzeria has above-average bar food (stick with the pizzas), a great craft beer list, and tons of TVs to watch a game. Happy Hour runs weekdays 5-6:30pm with $2 off all pizza and draft beers.
Right on the busiest intersection of Culver Blvd., Akasha is one of the neighborhood’s go-to’s for an easy, sufficient breakfast or lunch. While the food is nothing special, Akasha should be in your Happy Hour rotation. The big warehouse-y space will easily fit your team, the bar area always has some action, and there are lots of plates to share. The Happy Hour is every day from 2:30-7pm and gets you half off their cocktails, beer, and wines.
You and your closest coworkers realize it’s been a while since you actually caught up like humans, so you decide that a proper Happy Hour is necessary. Go to Alibi Room. This dimly-lit spot on Washington has 30+ beers on tap and Kogi BBQ onsite. And while the same place in Silver Lake would have a perpetual wait, in Culver City you can almost always get a table. Find one in a corner, order lots of beer and tacos, and get to venting about how weirdly protective Frank is about the photocopier.
Work is where you hang out with people whose tastes differ wildly from your own. In theory, that makes you more open minded. In practice, it makes choosing Happy Hour locations very difficult. Luckily, the Corner Door has something for everyone. Its steampunk-lite decor comes off as casual and comfortable rather than annoyingly trendy, the gastropub food is all solid, and they have discounted cocktails from 5-7pm every day. Your team should also share a few orders of the sticky toffee pudding, because who doesn’t like dessert? Okay, there’s someone on your team who doesn’t like dessert.
Stanley’s is predominantly a wine shop, but it has a bar off to the right that makes for a great small-group drinks setting. You can also place your trust in the good people of Stanley’s to help you get wine drunk off of a very good red whose name you’ll forget instantly. Happy Hour runs from 5 to 7pm on weekdays and gets you $6 draft beer, $8 glasses of wine, and $5 house cocktails.
