Gotta Drank (& Eat)!: Louie's of Mar Vista

Celebrating a birthday this past weekend took us to Louie's of Mar Vista, a west side restaurant with a full bar which was good enough for us.  Located across the street from a bowling alley, next to a Floyd's barbershop and a converted Tomato Market turned into an art gallery, Louie's looks pretty non-descript and tiny from the outside but it's quite cozy and has a patio in the back.  Our server and the entire staff was very friendly, explaining their specials and specialties.  Happy Hour has drink and food discounts galore including their signature Bee Sting, a cocktail made from brandy, honey harvested from their own rooftop hive and ginger beer.  The first sip hit me in the throat but quickly smoothed out upon further imbibing so the moniker was quite fitting.  Food wise you gotta try the Kalua Pig Monte Cristo Egg Rolls, a delectable mix of slow roasted pork shoulder, Swiss and cabbage deep fried in a crispy wrapper that was neither greasy nor heavy.  The bacon fries, Brussel sprouts, chicken nuggets and Swagwich were all delicious.

After a few cocktails and feeling no pain, I hit the potty where my opinion of the place really went up as they had flyers showcasing pop culture awesomeness in the forms of Zen Anarchist John Milius, Fight Club and American badass Lee Marvin, who served as a Marine in World War II and received a Purple Heart after being shot in the rear.  As I continue to find my way around the west side, spotting Jean-Claude Van Damme's family, hitting the beach and hanging out at Costco, looks like I've found a new Happy Hour joint.