Originally Posted by
zippy the pinhead
Hate to come across as a beer snob, but before I visit any place to have a pint I usually check it out via
Beermenus or
BeerAdvocate. For example, a local favorite is the
Bottle Room in Whittier, which also happens to be a place you can
earn miles via rewardsnetwork. Not exactly centrally located, but you can't always have everything you want. Sometimes they are slow to update their BeerMenus tap list, so I'll ring them if I need something particular.
Another local (to SoCal) place that I favor is
Beechwood BBQ, with two locations in Seal Beach and Long Beach.
There are many equivalents in SoCal, depending on how far you care to go.
Not snobbish, just reality. I would expect a large metropolitan area like LA to have plenty to choose from. In smaller markets, we are fortunate to have one or two and we cherish them. Either way, as a traveler, I like knowing in advance where I will be drinking my beer the first night.