El Chucho

Amidst 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 games for Spanish speakers looking to stop somewhere before heading home from work. The new owners have kept the pool table, soccer games, crass posters, and cheap beer. And they’ve also added natural wine and vinyl DJ sets. 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.