Certified cicerone (beer sommelier) Ryan Sweeney carefully selected the Phoenix’s impressive lineup of craft beers, and the cocktail specialties include recognizable classics such as the Sidecar and Old Fashioned. The food menu is stripped down to one reasonably priced crowd-pleaser—steak frites. Pool tables, darts, shuffleboard tables and a stage set for live music or impromptu karaoke encourage conviviality, with fireplaces and industrial stools amping up the cozy, casual feel. The bar’s name may conjure a bird taking flight from the ashes, but we see the Phoenix as decidedly, and refreshingly, down-to-earth. 14 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., 310.289.5925. thephoenixla.com