This is a refreshing place to make a pit stop at among all the bougie-ness of Abbot Kinney. It's divey. It has happy hour every day until 7. It has tvs...it's your average bar. But sometimes that's all you want/need. Stop here for a drink before or after your overpriced meal elsewhere on Abbot Kinney, you'll be happy you did it. read more

I recently hit up The brig this past Sunday 4th of July weekend. & it's definitely good vibes. Our bartender, (Latino guy with short hair) was dope! He was really friendly and gave us good customer service. I definitely plan on going back read more

Don't waste your money. Salty, tasteless, dry & expensive. (omelet & huevous ranchera) Waitress was nice. Oh, the food was cold by yhe time it arrived. read more

Went in this last week with my girl friends and we got litttt all thanks to the Hispanic bartender! We felt taken care of as customers and the drinks were 10/10! Highly recommend this place if you're near the west side sometime Definitely will be coming here again ! read more

One night at the Brig truly lives up to its name! How would you like to be thrown into "The Brig" on a naval ship, surrounded by fellow inmates that don't quite have their sea legs? Cramped quarters, jail birds that may try to get fresh with you, and that stench... Oh, that stench! It's probably vomit on the floor. Well, one Saturday night at The Brig on Abbot Kinney is no different! But instead of being surrounded by moonshine, overly friendly inmates, and the effects of serious sea sickness, it might be a mixture of pervasive body odor, improper Tokyo Subway behavior, and the effects of too many Tokyo Teas! This place is jam packed like the coed car that leaves Shinjuku during rush hour and at first grope, you'll wonder if they'll be splitting the Brig into separate male and female holding cells. However, I couldn't help but notice a few things 1. Fashionable folk in their 20's or 30's 2. DJ spins top 40 mixes 3. A sole, elevated pool table for the scenesters. Reasons to go 1. On most nights, you'll run right into the Kogi BBQ truck like you were the Titanic (it's THAT close) 2. Staff noticeably busts their asses to get you your PBR on the double. (+1 star) Warnings 1. Tokyo subway vibe. Complete with groping. 2. On weekends, there's probably a line to get in. In Venice, folks 3. Accidents involving Tokyo Teas. Watch your step. 4. The cesspool of a bathroom is unisex, ladies. Roll up your pants before you go in, and do not, under any circumstances, stand against the wall Overall, if you go to the Brig, do as I did, and bring along some good friends to take the edge off. You wouldn't want your night to end like in the real brig... http://www.seeqpod.com/search/?plid=6a8ce077f3 read more

I hate to give this place a bad review because deep down inside I want to like it but every single time I've come to The Brig I've left telling myself that I'm not coming back. Maybe I'm drawn to the strange weekend crowd and piss lined toilets, or the fact that its overly crowded and just flat out uncomfortable, because I have found myself here on more Saturday nights than I would like to admit. I'm beginning to think that I should tattoo the word sucker across my forehead because like a battered man I keep coming back in hopes that things will get better...and they never do. Now don't get me wrong because this place isn't all bad. They have a pool table if you're interested in a little eightball, a DJ spinning a cool mix of top 40, hip hop, and rock, plus a beer selection that adds a little street cred to this joint being a marque watering hole, BUT like I mentioned above this place is dirty, crowded, and strangely uncomfortable. Overall it's not really my scene, and I would recommend going to The Other Room, or Beechwood if you're in the Venice area and looking to enjoy a few drinks in a more comfortable environment. If dives are more your thing then Hinano is your best bet, but whatever it is you do save yourself the disappointment that plagues me and skip The Brig. read more

Not sure exactly what The Brig actually is. I guess it is an actual place you can go into and enjoy a drink or what have you. I never even noticed the Boxing Man sign until I saw a picture of it on yelp. To me, The Brig is a spacious parking lot with one long bench and a place where a good amount of my favorite food trucks park and serve up their eats. Since Venice is semi close to the area I hang out it I'm a fan. Of the parking lot that is. Especially when there is a food truck or two. But not a fan when it's filled to capacity on First Friday nights. read more

The Brig, what a strange cast of characters you hold. So if you've read any of my previous reviews (because I spit hot fire), you'll see that I really like a good happy hour. The Brig has one, but it's different I guess. **Preface: I was told the Brig was a pool bar full of an older/scary-dude crowd, so I put on my fat jeans and headed to the brig with my lady friend for some beer and some pool. That assumption was WAAAYYYY off. There is pool, there is beer, but the crowd leans a little female. And on the night that I went, they were the kind of females that bought other females beers. SOLD! I'm not a lesbian, but lesbians know how to party, so my friend and I saw this as a tremendous plus. ::::Pros:::: There's pool (Yay!) There's dancing after a certain time There's a DJ (Who knew?) Nice beer selection Celebrity sightings (Also, who knew?) Smaller bar, but lots of different areas to explore (nice floor plan) :::Cons:::: One toilet bathroom that has a weird light that comes from the wall.... (?) One pool table Pool sharks Gets *SUPER* crowded after a certain time for dancing on weeknights Overall, cool little place, but bring your game-face for pool because those sharks aren't messing around. Also, go on a weeknight, just as entertaining, not so many creep-os. read more

Not much has changed in the 2-1/2 years since I originally reviewed this place... 'cept the Kogi truck outside and the jazz-funk band on Tuesdays and maybe a $1-2 increase on the drinks. Other than that... the place is still swarming with hot men... can't emphasize that enough. Looks like Venice's finest (men!) come out to play here on Tuesday nights... because the place was jam-packed last night (with hot men!). Yeah... I know... I said "hot men" about 10x... but it's deserved. Hot men. . read more

I really had a great time at this dive bar. We went on a night during the week and it wasn't crazy crowded, so I am not sure how the weekends are. A touch play juke box, a pool table and some cushy seating. It's definitely nothing over the top- it's a dive bar, and exactly that. The bartender was great and recommended Red Stripe- so that is what I stuck to for the night. We had already been trolling at another place, so I already had a pretty good buzz going on. This definitely was a great pick to end the night. The real reason I wanted to go was because I saw an old school boxer image on the sign, and that is what sold me. Someone played a Mariah Carey Christmas song, which led to a weird impromptu karaoke session. So, where I am going with this is that there is a ton of variety of music on their song box. There was only one pool table, but we did teams with other people in the bar. It made people interact with each other. As the drinks continued, so did the fun. I will definitely be making a stop next time I am in Venice. read more

Rumor goes that the DJ on Friday night is super awesome, that is where the stars come in. I arrived at the Brig at about midnight after finishing dinner. The place wasnt super crowded how some dance floors can get but this didnt stop everyone from smacking into each other and spilling drinks everywhere. The majority of the crowd were young travelers. Not travelers like Gypsies but the kind who have rich parents and backpack around during their gap year. I've backpacked and know that it is pretty typical to have hangouts in cities that the hostels suggest, you go, and it is tons of other travelers. The Brig was covered in them. I also always thought it would be cool to hangout with some in my home town. When I found a night club that was mostly travelers, I changed my mind on that theory. I will stick with couch surfers in small doses. Come here if you like a lot of drunk White foreigners who like to grind on people. Also, there is some old lady in daisy dukes and a crop top totally rocking it out. She is amazing. read more

The Brig, looks like it should be a dive bar, the name implies its a dive bar. But it isn't. Pool table, comfy chairs, cool plastic chairs at the bar, which are comfy, and THE WORST BAR TENDERS I HAVE EVER WITNESSED. Drinks are around 10 bucks for say a beam on the rocks, but they have a decent beer list, all bottles. I maintain that any bar is made or broken by their bartenders. Shitty bars are great if the tender is cool, hip, fun, friendly, and knows what they are doing. I spent three hours in the Brig, and only ONCE did the bartender notice that I needed a re-fill, and I never saw a bartender approach and drink-less patron and ask them what they wanted. In that time, I noticed every tender be surprised when someone BEHIND them, (yes they spent most of their time facing away from the customers) needed a drink. I have never witnessed a less attentive group of bartenders. I also have never been ignored, or seen more people ignored by bartenders. Its like they didn't actually want to pour drinks. I don't get it. I find that it is often helpful is to introduce yourself to your bartenders. It starts a rapport, a friendliness that says "hey you're not just here to serve me, you're here to be my friend too"... I did that here and the bartender freaked out, like I was hitting on her. Weird... I'm not a fan. The DJ spun some weird mix of stuff, but no one danced, and it was just okay. Points for the trough style urinal in the bathroom. read more

Hhhmmm... since I was at the Brig on a Friday night as opposed to a Saturday night, I can't really confirm whether the crowd changes drastically from night to night (see Diana D.'s review). Also, I was there early because I wanted to take advantage of eating at the multiple mobile food trucks just a block away from this venue. But I can say that what started off as a remarkably chill vibe that allowed me to actually have a good conversation with one of my friends eventually turned into an extraordinarily packed venue with little chance for meaningful interaction. The people all seemed fine; it was just packed. HOWEVER.... later in the night, as we were ordering from the Kogi truck, a girl in my group was assaulted by a douchebag-creepster that just so happened to think that The Brig was awesome. He wouldn't let it go to the point that I eventually had to shoo him away (which isn't always a fun thing to do, but unfortunately, was necessary in this case). Given his rather intense desire to veer us towards the Brig, I have to say that at least some of the late night party crowd over there might be shady. He seemed like the kind of guy who would mix a rufie-colada. Definitely not cool. I will throw out that the Brig had an interesting Japanese beer that I had never tried (which is quite a feat given that I spent months in the country) and that our service wasn't bad while we were at the bar. Furthermore, the DJ that night was spinning a good mix of tunes. So I'm not going to throw this place under the bus, but one does have to wonder about a couple of people who make this place their bar of choice. It's probably fine earlier in the night before the crowd gets ridiculous... read more

Can I give less than1 star? Precocious, arrogant bartenders ruined my night. After spending $70 for drinks for friends and me in a few rounds, I spilled a drink less than 30 second of ordering it, and they refused to refill it (not the worst, but she acted like I was insane for even asking). I tipped next to nothing for the refilled drink, as I had paid more than $100 that night in a cumulative tab, and I paid and tipped well until then. They promptly threw me out of the bar, citing that I "stole drinks" from others in the bar. Absolutely atrocious, and I am appalled at their behavior after spending so much money there. I called the manager right after, and she said it was because I didn't tip. I asked why they accused me of stealing (what does that even mean? I paid all 3 of my tabs...), and she said it wasn't her problem. I would NEVER recommend a bar like this. A lot of pretense for such little realism. read more

It was full of people, but not as crowded as the other bars.....There was a big group of us and luckily we snagged the couches by door. It could have very well been the lighting, but everyone looked the same. I dont know how I feel about this place. I found myself realizing that the guys have no shame, and that my friends have no problem with it. Some guy actually jumped in our cab as we were closing the door, and no one kicked him out. Then I had to listen to him talk about his fetish with Asian women. How strange....A dude that likes Asians. read more

To me this place was disgusting. A hole for confused 30's crowd who wants to listen to old 90's music in a crowded dirty environment then stumble outside to a food truck. If that's your scene? Good luck and have fun. But for this neighborhood I would think it's a bit of a disgrace. I mean - inside was so packed and the place was FILTHY. No air control at all, and just sweaty horny folks all rubbing up against each other. Didn't hear one song from this decade. It was the worst show of white people dancing anywhere - like rejects who couldn't get in a real club or bar. I just couldn't get over the dirt. read more

Been here a few times and like to start off the night at this bar when I'm Abbot Kinney. It's pretty dark and more like a rectangular shaped bar with a small dance floor. The music is normally 90s and their djs won't be playing any trendy top hits so if you're. It into that I would still come to check it out since they don't have a cover charge. They have a pool table which is kind of cool. People tend to lounge around that area as there are seats there as well. Overall I would suggest going to this place if you want to get the night going but I really don't encourage staying here for the whole night. It tends to be quite over crowded at times and unless you're into old school music then best be moving on. read more

I dropped in here while hanging out at First Fridays. Decent music, although it started and stopped randomly. There's a pool table to keep you entertained, and drinks are cheap. Random observations: It was 80% guys when I went. Also, they have those single-person use bathrooms which are a horrible idea at any bar IMO. What if you really have to pee and some drunk person is throwing up? The worst. Overall, nothing bad nothing great. read more

I've had a silent crush on The Brig for years. I often drive by on my commute to work and gaze over longingly, silently hoping we could one day explore the possibility of a friendship that down the line, could maybe develop into something more... I've always found myself attracted to the strong silent type who exude a cool vibe, have a nonchalant sense of style and a solid build. The Brig fits that bill. However, in addition to admiring the exterior of The Brig I was also left wondering inwardly if The Brig had all the qualities, on the inside, that I look for in a love interest like depth, warmth and a strong character. I've always had a difficult time with letting the objects of my affection know how I feel about them, always waiting for them to make the first move, but my curiosity was driving me bananas and now there was the added allure of finding out that The Brig, much like me was a foodie! Yes, The Brig doesn't cook but there is always an abundance of food trucks so surely our dates would always involve good food! I was finally able to put aside my fear of rejection and walk right up to The Brig wearing my heart on my sleeve! I am a modern woman for F#*&'s sake! I should be able to do this! There does not need to be any shame in my game! You know what? I wish I had been bold enough to do this ages ago! The Brig and I hit it off right off the bat! We clicked like I haven't clicked with anyone in years! I couldn't find one fault with The Brig. I loved everything about The Brig. I have been waiting years to make this announcement ladies and gents.... but it's finally happened...... I AM FINALLY IN LOVE! .... and it all happened over a Czechvar, NFL playoffs, my new favorite Pandora station, free parking in an adjacent parking lot and food off a glorified roach coach! read more

Horribly packed inside here, I think I got groped a few times by drunk ladies and possibly a couple dudes too. Interesting, let's call it eclectic mix of people here. Lots of white dudes fist pumping. Bartender was super nice though and the Kogi truck parked outside didn't hurt either. Bleh. read more

Epic Tuesdays? OMG and WTF. The Brig was a perfect start to Epic Tuesdays, dubbed the "new Friday" by psychomaniacs named Said and Roel Majors. Cheaper drinks, live band playin the hits, cool ocean breezes which blow up skirts to help us get a better look at some Bettiful leggage while we're outside smoking, and a mixed happy crowd contribute to a high rating. read more

Great spot, expensive drinks, limited cocktails. Nice atmosphere. However, outrageously they took $3.60 tip off my card on top of my $18 bill. I didn't tip them at all on card as I left a cash tip. This is illegal so everyone avoid paying on card unless you want to be taken advantage of. read more

Mark b. and I are on the exact same page. The interior: Nice and open. Neat lounge chairs, even a pool table. Cool glowing globe-y lamps hung from the ceiling. The bathrooms were trashed, but kinda funky too. When we first arrived, we enjoyed $6 red stripe bottles, which is not surprising for trendy Venice. Music: Suddenly the music started, and we could hardly hear each other speaking. There was nothing else to do but dance. Luckily we were all in the right mindset, the crazy one, where you don't give a crap about what people are thinking around you. The DJ was not my type of DJ. Changed songs waaaaaaay to quickly. You were just getting into a dance and suddenly, the music either practically stopped, or the song changed to a beat totally opposite. Terrible transitioning. Having said that, at least he played some 80's and rock hits. I was also not planning on dancing when I came here, so I wasn't really expecting it. The crowd: Was...awkward, weird even. It had a very strange vibe. From the cougar doing opera hand gestures, to the psychotic dancing guy named Matt who's friends were trying waaay too hard to get us to smoke with them, everyone was just desperate or weird. Other notes: Anyway they let too many people in, so that I was dancing with my arms smashed into my body. The bouncers inside the club were quite friendly, which was a nice change. When we left at 12:30 there was a line to get into the Brig, and a Kogi truck in the parking lot. I realized I had lost my voice from all the screaming, and was sweating up my own Nile River, so waiting in it (which any true LA Yelper should try once) was not something I was up for. Yes I did have fun, but I can only attribute that to coming here with friends I rarely get to see, and knowing that the only way to have fun, would be to dance and not too seriously either. read more

A group of us walked over after a birthday party at The Other Room. Don't pay to park in their lot. Park in the public lots behind Abbot Kinney & walk your lazy bum over here. It's divey. They had great music for a Tuesday night. A handful of gourmet food trucks posted up out front. Bring cash. It was pretty dead inside, but hey, it was a Tuesday. We did spot Hayden Panettiere there with a group of friends, however. Only reason I know who she is is because I used to watch that show Heroes. Her group included a couple that kept grinding on each other so hard I thought they were going to rub the crotch of the guys pants away. Girl was a hot mess, with her skirt continually climbing above her ass cheeks. Note to chick: Next time you're in the mood to grind in public, wear a skort, not a skirt. My girlfriend thought the DJ was cute, so me, being on my Ms. Hitch stint went over to get his number for her. She got embarrassed, but if they somehow end up getting engaged, the story will make for a good maid of honor speech. read more

I LOVE VENICE, and the South Bay in general. That being said...I've been to, or peeked my head in most places on Abbot Kinney, or Main Street. The Brig was ok, typical south bay socialites, and those aloof characters from West L.A. come to schmooze, brag, and "floss." The interior is kinda modern, and cool, the bartenders were the pros I expect for Venice, but VERY crowded...standing room only. There wasn't a cover the times I've gone... but most of us know... this can change pretty quick. It's an ok spot, but not one of my favorite haunts. read more

SATURDAY the DJ sucks so hard. the worst mix. the worst music selection. the worst DJ ever. i don't know who you are, but you suck hard. that's the real reason this place got a low score. overall the building is pretty cool. nice big bar with 3 bartenders who were pretty attentive. the pool table platform section is neat, but sort of obtuse once the people start piling in. a small dance floor. the giant table is pretty cool but makes it tight when you first walk in. it's a cozy bar. the bathroom is unisex and not really a problem but i could see it getting bad as the night wears on. the price of drinks is pretty standard for the area. no surprise. so i went this past saturday and it was pretty bad. we got there around 10 so we walked right in. got drinks pretty quick. found a spot right next to the dj booth. the music was just really really horrible. Now i'm a music snob, but i know that going out you have to put up with some pretty banal choices, but this guy takes the cake. it was super loud and it didn't get anybody dancing. it was more annoying than anything else. Hey there dj-guy in the purple rain shirt 2 sizes too small, take your itunes and your dumb hat and get a better playlist. and stop fake scratching. As the night wore on, the place was getting more and more packed, and it seemed like people had nowhere to go. The doormen did their best to push them back. but it was getting like sardines in there. As for the comments of it being k-town away from k-town, i was there for an hour and a half and i was the only asian guy in the club. actually i was the only non-white guy for a long time. maybe it was an off night. but the crowd was pretty standard. mid 20 wannabe hipsters (athletic fit tees), post-college frat guys (collared shirts under v-neck sweaters), and sa-mo anthro/express girls (fashionistas with just a touch of whimsy, but more boobs pushed together). oh yeah, there were 2 or 3 old guys in ed hardy shirts and flared jeans looking for some action. but then the kogi truck was in the parking lot so maybe all the yellow was outside. anyway, the music sucked (did i tell you how much the music sucked?) and i decided to call it a night. all in all this place was weak. in fact i yelled it at the dj a bunch of times because it was his fault. if the music was better it would be a cool place to go to. also if they got rid of the pool table it would free up some much needed space. i'd check it out again if i knew it would be legit and have awesome music. so don't go saturdays if the dj is their regular. i'm really curious about the good reviews and what day they're from. if they changed the music this place would be pretty cool. way back when (9 years ago), i used to go to some place on main st. that jason bentley would mix at, anybody remember the name? read more

This is a great spot with an understated cool vibe to grab a drink. We got there around 10 pm, just before it started to pick up, which surprised me since it was a regular Monday. The bar itself is pretty long, and our bartender was fast, friendly and most importantly gave us some really generous pours! The bar itself is pretty large, open floor plan with minimal furniture and a pool table, and the floor had lots of room for dancing. I had a hard time imagining how crowded it gets on weekends, so my friend showed me pics of how crazy crowded this place can get on the weekends and it gets packed! That underscored to me that the scariest thing about this place is there are only two unisex restrooms - TWO. A word to the wise, if it's wall-to-wall people, I'd drink something other than beer!!! read more

OK so it gets super crowded and you can hardly breathe and the air you do breathe is the stinky cig mouth of a hipster. Despite all this, I still really like this place. I've met some really cool, interesting people and a few, not so much... several men have stalked me and my friends the entire night. "Why are you running away from me?" one leather-vested creepster asked to me after following me for an hour...::chills:: Drinks are pretty strong if you can get the bartender to notice you, the two single bathrooms are pretty crappy and you will probably find yourself making friends in line, but the music is good, the crowd is reasonably fun, and I always have a good time! read more

GOOD: AMAZING DJ who can spin like none other; Cheap drinks; Friendly bar staff and bouncers who actually jam with the music. BAD: Can get pretty packed and is hard to manuever around. IFFY: Two stall unisex bathroom that is lit with a black light so you really dont know if you're stepping into somebody else's sh*t. I must give props to the DJ in his glass stall. His eclectic mix ranged from M.I.A. to Jackson Five to Journey to Akon----and it all worked! The crowd is friendly, no boushy club hoppers here. And as a bonus, there was the Kogi taco truck parked right outside that night, perfect for satisfying the late night munchies. read more

Great bar to have a drink!!! DJs plays cool music at night so you can bust a move on the dance floor. Amazing atmosphere and the people who come in are really decent to each other. read more

As I waited in line, I saw the woman with blue eyes at the bar check me out. She beckoned me with her finger as I waited in line....and then.... Friday night, 10PM -- a 5 minute wait. I appreciated this, as it turns out, because the place was busy, but not jam-packed where it was impossible to move. I wouldn't refer to this place as a "dive" so much as "uninspired". But that's just fine, because the vibe was one where comes to drink, to dance to the loud music (in place, not much room, otherwise), and have a good time. The clientele -- we always refer to our peers with respect -- were dressed-down late 20's. Probably a 60-40 male-female ratio, and I saw several clusters of 2 - 4 attractive women dancing alone. Gentlemen, polish your game, because they were there to meet guys, not to dance alone. Note, however, that the music volume will require screaming in order to make conversation. Service was attentive as the bar was properly staffed. I engaged one bartender in snippets of yelled conversation. She was friendly and affable, and poured me a generous shot of Patron ($9), which followed a strong Patron margarita ($12). Overall, I suggest this venue for those seeking a drink, a good time in an unpretentious bar, with single men and women. I approached the woman with the blue eyes and immediately noticed that she was drunk off her ass. She asked, "Are you my cab driver"? "No," I replied, "I'm the mortician". "OH!", she brightened up, jotted down her number, and stumbled out of the bar. I'm taking votes as to whether I should call or not. Thank you for your attention. read more

Stupid scene bar in Venice. $18 for a double vodka tonic? WTF? They make decent screwdrivers here though. And it's an okay place to hang out after the Abott Kinney Festival. I just hope they clean out the place once in a while. This bar is on the verge of becoming a dive bar with the smell. read more

Do you smell that? Of course you don't because you're not here, while I multi-task work, Myspace, Yahoo, Google, Asianthumbs.org, NY Times, AIM, and naturally Yelp. But if you were here, you'd smell the pungent scent of my hangover, all thanks to a completely random UYE last night at The Brig, my new favorite bar in the Westside. People in attendance: Jonathan W., Chris S., Kolbe P., Jeanelle L., and of course the hyphy-est one, me. We drank our esophagus out last night, smoked like Native Americans around the campfire, and we made girls pee-pee in they tee pee. All around, it was a great, uh, (checking calendar) Tuesday night! Tuesday is the new Friday. Wednesday is the new Saturday. Thursday is still Mood day. Friday is the still Friday. Saturday is the new Hyphy Day. The Roman calendar can kiss my ass! read more

I'll keep this short and you can read the rest on my blog or just download my podcast. This place has everything! Man buns, V-necks, music that doesn't exist yet, a bike rack, microbrews, flannels, etc. Well, not everything (I ran out of mustache wax and I had to go across the street) but they make a valiant effort. So put on your favorite PBR shirt, hop on your fixie, and come nod apathetically while someone tells you about their Kickstarter campaign or crossfit progress. It's the real LA. #notoriousBRIG read more

Came here on a Friday night and wow, it's packed! Waited about five minutes to get in at the door. It's dingy, it's noisy, and it has a pool table. This is the place you go to hear nothing and everything. Even though it was extremely crowded, it was pretty easy to get a bartender's attention. Average price for drinks, as expected. I wouldn't come here if you were trying to have an intimate time with friends. I would recommend this place if you want the option to meet new people and then walk away from them when you get bored. If you're trying to play pool, good luck, because they get serious and the wait gets long. read more

Review just on TUESDAY nights only: Legit 5 stars for Tuesday nights. I assume not as awesome every night, so it's probably a 3-4 otherwise. I just went there last night and it was AMAZING. I'm sure other people have detailed this but here's the recap/my thoughts: -they have an awesome dj who played some really awesome jams (1998 word reference).. i have a feeling he's there every night. -around 1030ish they have this awesome jazz band come in. they start playing, and then the dj starts mixing in some tunes. the result is very very awesome. -gets pretty packed, and there's a lot of guys..so for the gentlemen, it's a better place to bring a group of peeps than a place to try to lay the mackdown -around 1130 or so, the Kogi KBBQ Taco truck is out there, and that's just awesome in itself. DECOR: looks like a fancier place than it is. nice. bathrooms are singles, which is nice. but, they have that shady dark lighting, which makes them a little sketch in terms cleanliness. it sucks how no bar can have a nice bathroom. that'd be cool. PRICES: average to good. all we had were beers, and they were $5-6 DRESS: average to fancy- at least on a tuesday, you can dress up or down however much you want check this place out. it's money. read more

I started writing this maybe a year ago, but never posted SO... After venturing to The Brig on a random Tuesday where the place was busy but not packed, I was met not only with a yummy whisky and diet coke but a unique dj/ band combo. Not a bad mix of Venice hipsters, tourists that don't want people to know they are, and the regulars. Always packed and fun on the weekends, even with a line sometimes so get there early or wait your turn :) When First Fridays comes around, the food trucks pack the parking lot and it can get really busy. If you have to use the restroom, get in that line because before you know it you're doing "the dance" because they only have two bathrooms. read more

Super crowded. It takes you thirty minutes to get from the bar to the bathroom. Super dirty. The bathroom was unisex and there was vomit in the sink. read more

Ick. Everything that makes me want to run out of a bar screaming, all in one place! Line out the door. Seems like always. I see a line and I bolt. So crowded in there. Weekends are a nightmare. Takes you twenty minutes to squeeze through the crowd to get to the bar, another twenty to get your drink, and during the twenty it takes you to get back to your friends, someone knocks your drink over. Yay the brig is awesome! It always smells like vomit. Because frat boys are vomiting! Omg yea! Let's go to the brig tonight! There are so few places to sit. And as soon as you start dancing, you're attacked by all of the balding male vultures that are just hovering around. I usually find refuge near the pool table in the back, where there are occasionally chill people hanging out. But don't hold me to it! OCCASIONALLY. What keeps me going back to the brig? Funk/soul night on Tuesday. It's pretty amazing. Everyone's getting down, and having a great time. Saved this review from a 1 star for sure. Funk night gets 5 stars. No, still the brig. 3 stars. The food trucks are next door- usually l Kogi, border grill, nomnom, so at least there's that. But you've got all of abbot Kinney to explore, please don't settle on the brig because you're too full to walk after five short rib tacos! Venice is your oyster. The brig is the oyster that gives you food poisoning. read more

I would like the brig to be my house. I like the way it looks. I like the vibe by the front door, but beyond that.... It's loud, it's crowded. The pool table is surrounded on all sides by people seemingly unaware there is a pool table near them. And usually there is some meathead in a striped button up shirt playing "tough guy" at the table. The bartenders were cool at first.....I was strapped for cash, I was drinking beer. My buddy, unbeknownst to me, ran up my tab to $140. ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY DOLLARS for roughly 4 beers, 2 mixed drinks and a 4(?) shots....I tipped 10 dollars....The bartenders not only gave me sh*t, they were aggressive. I know it wasn't the best tip. I was willing to and aware I would get some grief.....but seriously, get off my sh*t. I've tipped them great there before. I don't think 10 dollars is an adequate tip ...but it was all I could do......plus they changed the tip amount when I left anyway. I never have a problem tipping. I am not a bad tipper. My circumstances were not appropriate for a good tip....If I would have been paying in cash, a 1-3 tip per drink order would be appropriate...I had 4 beers.....that's 4 dollars, my friend ordered his drinks in that's 3 dollars, and the shots are another 3 dollars. Magically that equals 10....and no one is keeping a score... No one would bat an eye at that. But since I put it on my card I should have to pay "Food service" percentages. Screw that. I had to wade through the d-bags and muscle my way to the bar and stand on my toes and get your attention.... I'm bitter, but still it's a ok/good bar for when you are tanked and less aware of your surroundings(douchebags) and don't mind shouting to talk. Stay by the door, the bouncers are cool and the douchies tend to settle near the bathrooms and pool tables. read more