Bigfoot West Bar

Culver City, Los Angeles –

Between the faux-log cabin walls, the mounted buck heads, and the hipsters wearing flannel, Bigfoot West seems more like an indie hunting lodge than a hip bar serving high-end specialty cocktails.

But that’s just what patrons will find once they step past the smoking patio out front and belly up to the square center bar to savor such concoctions as Smokey’s Moonshine and the Girl Scout Cookie.

An upbeat, outgoing vibe prevails as chatty groups of girls celebrating birthdays flirt with scruffy dudes at the four sided bar ordering Makers before settling in on the banquettes and red leather booths beneath the watchful eye of the taxidermy, while a couple of huge corner booths overflow with raucous young professionals letting off steam.

The place is usually packed to the rough-hewn rafters with creative types and grown-up indie kids by 11pm on weekends, when the booze-driven flirtation reaches its peak.

In fact, whiskey is the spirit of choice here, and while the list doesn't rival its Silver Lake sister bar Thirsty Crow, the Bigfoot West bartenders know their way around a single malt – as do most of the hip patrons.