Location: middle of Hollywood in a shopping center Parking: valet or street (very sparse and difficult) Atmosphere: dark, dimly lit, woodsy interior, almost midcentury modern walls. Drinks: large and in charge...not a good wine selection Price: Hollywood Staff: Kind, welcoming, and quick Crowd: A different mix, not typical Hollywood. Lots of dudes with facial hair, western shirts, and shaggy hair. I like... Bathroom: small dark with a huge reflection. Door guy: nice to talk to...checks ids. Sidewalk: grey with little stains from wear and tear. Sign: big, bright, and enticing Door guy's stool: wooden with a black cushion Bar: wooden and long seating: comfy and boothlike Floor Plan: long and deep Hope this helps. read more

I think I've been here before but apparently I was about ten sheets to the wind as when I walked in on Tuesday it was nothing but a blurry memory. I vaguely remembered the classy-camping decor, but in any case I'm glad I was able to re-visit in a more lucid state so that I could remember what a neat spot it is. Here's the important stuff: Drinks are cheap! There's a jukebox with some really really good stuff on it! And you can sit on these really heavy little stumpy log stools. What more do you want? read more

So after having dinner at Ronin Izakaya Bistro for my friend Oscar's birthday, we all head out to The Woods to meet everyone else up. I had called two weeks prior to the party to make reservation for some space for the party. The manager was very accommodating and gave us pretty much half of the venue all reserved. All I had to do was guarantee 20+ people which was no problem, no charge at all. The location of this place is kind of odd. I mean, it's in a little plaza type / strip mall joint; between a liquor store and I think a laundry mat. At first sight I thought I got the place wrong but once I entered my opinion changed. Gotta love the decor and mood in this place. It's not the biggest bar in Hollywood but its a decent size bar for its location. Nice place to throw a get together or a Birthday. The drinks are decently priced, not the strongest but not the priciest. I mean after me and the guys bought an army of drinks for Oscar.. the guy still was standing.. Jesus the guy can really handle his liquor. (Never challenge him to a drinking contest, you will get OWNED). I'll definitely be coming back to this place in the future. Too bad I wasn't around to see exactly how trashed Oscar got due to me being kidnapped, the good type of kidnapping (if there is such a thing). read more

Shhh! Be vewy vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbit. It's wabbit season at the Woods. Leave behind the city and you'll be surrounded by petrified wood, antlers, and a howling coyote. Stalk your prey under the twinkling stars overhead. When you get a table, mark your territory and guard it well as there are many natives nearby. Indulge yourself as the natives do by imbibing on a full bar; the drinks are stiff, like my wabbit hunting spear. :-) Fires, including smoking, are only allowed outside of The Woods, just like Smokey would have it. Happy hunting! read more

You're kidding right? This place is really small and crowded. Too young of crowd for me, when people are almost f*cking at the bar it's a little much for me. And there is only 1 bathroom!!! :( You are standing in line for the bathroom half the night. read more

Love the people, love the lack of attitude....and LOVE the stiff drinks! THE ORDER: A myriad of Kettle and Cranberry, Car Bombs, Jack and Cokes, and Jameson. THE SERVICE: The bartenders remember what u order and are pretty nice condsidering how packed this small place gets. The door man is also super chill. THE VIBE: Good! The girls there don't hate! The guys aren't creepy...all around, very enjoyable. OVERALL: A clean bathroom sealed the deal for me! Woo Whoo! I'm a fan! xo- andrea read more

I have been back here a few times but only last night did I realize they have happy hour until 10pm and well drinks are just four measly dolla. A $20 bought me 4 whiskey sours and it's not even in the Valley! And while my last one was too heavy with the sweet and sour, give me cheap drinks in a dark and cozy atmosphere with the twinkly lights up above and I'm sure to be back. But, meh, since when is their little lot valet only with a $4.50 service fee? This is a bar, and not an especially fancy one, I'm not valeting shit. You can use the lot on Sunset and La Brea, a one minute walk away, and move your car every hour to avoid the towing vultures. read more

I came here last Friday to celebrate my birthday with my old childhood friends. Yes, I drank multiple days with different people and got wasted every time! I made them venture out of their comfortable Ktown drinking spots to the Woods. The place was really crowded with no place to sit, but that's expected as it is a small venue. Thank you to the female bartender hooked me up with a free bday shot! She was pretty fast and I never really waited that long to get my drink order in. The crowd was friendly and loud. I saw some D-bags, but then I think they are slowly taking over the world so I'm bound to see them everywhere. Some of my friends felt out of place, but most of them got their drink on and had fun, I think. Overall, it's an alright bar with a great happy hour. read more

Antlers as lights! I love places that incorporate the body parts of animals into their lighting - ala how Abercrombie used to do. Anyway, they did a great job of transforming this joint and you really wouldn't expect what's inside from the strip-mallish appearance on the outside. It has a clean, hip, comfy feel and is a perfect spot for catching a drink before heading to other places. Although the drinks were good, I think $9.50 a bit steep for this level of bar. They have music playing on a juke-box which presents a kind of awkward moment when the songs change. At one point you're talking loud to your friends over the sound of music, then the music abruptly ends and you're still shouting. Also, having a focal point like a flat screen with videos or something playing on it might help since they don't have live music anymore. read more

For my 50th review, I choose The Woods. What else can I say? I knew about this place long before I moved to LA, when my Hollywood-based long distance boytoy was trying to court me when I was living at school in Bloomington, Indiana. He said this was THE place to take me for a good time. He was so right. And he still is. Today, we live together in Hollywood. I like to think that The Woods had a small part in the formation of our relationship.... Good memories at the very least. Today, The Woods has become our place to take out-of-towners to really impress them. It's got a lodge-style ambiance and it's just dark enough to shamelessly flirt with multiple prospects. The music's great, the crowd is ever-changing and the happy hour prices do not disappoint. All of my out-of-town guests remember The Woods as their favorite bar in LA. A bar you can always count on to go to and have a great time. Period. read more

Last night I randomly found myself in Hollyhood! I'm never there as I usually stick to Silverlake/Downtown and the gaygaygay strip in Weho. I texted (because, really, who calls anymore?) a friend around 1AM to find out where they are, and they say... "The Woods." I'm sitting in my car and I'm all WTF? I think, Runyon Canyon? Malibu Hills? Griffith Park? It's so late, why? --- No. Apparently I am dumb. I was directed to head to La Brea and Sunset. I get there and I swear the outside of this place looks like a tranny hostess bar in back alley Manila - I would know, I've seen them! "The Woods" ...I ask myself, is this a gay bar? No way! Awesome! I mean, the name fits... but alas, it is not. So I cautiously go inside this bar (which btw is in a run down LA-esque strip mall, so perfect) and I'm delighted at what I see. THIS PLACE IS SUPER CUTE! - If you've ever wanted to know what it's like to be a Keebler Elf and live inside a tree, this is closest you're gonna get. They even have a fiber optic ceiling with stars glowing as if you're in the forest. Seriously, it was beautifully decorated. 5 stars for ambience. The crowd, FRIENDLY! This is not the Westside (thank god) and it's obvious. There was very little bad denim to be found (I'm talking to you True Religion wearers) I wasn't drinking last night but the drinks are cheappp. So this place can be extra excellent for pregaming or winding down... Oh! And, it's 4.50 to valet your car, (which is dumb, why not just make it 5) If you have money do it to it. If not, park on Sunset! read more

Skip this place unless you just want to enjoy a bottled beer in a cool atmosphere. First, the bartender didn't know how to make a simple Manhattan; she asked me if it was made with dry or sweet vermouth. (Yup!) I asked for it up, and she proceeded to mix the drink IN the cocktail glass without stirring it first with ice. (Um.. what??) When I corrected her, she told me she didn't like my attitude. Likewise, my date complained that her Old Fashioned was the worst that she's ever had. Second, the music. It's loud, it sucks and doesn't fit the atmosphere. This place found a great interior designer but needs a manager who can hire bartenders who know how to tend, who can give this bar a bit more oomph to its liquor selection and who can take that jukebox out of the joint and play music that is more fitting. Again, skip this place unless you just want to enjoy a bottled beer in a cool atmosphere. read more

I guess since I rarely drink a bar probably isn't the best place for me anymore but I went for a birthday so I figured it'd be ok. It's a bit too trendy jenga block looking for my taste with horrible music that I hate blaring. I prefer dive bars with the kind of bad music I enjoy and the nice weirdos at the bar who make interesting conversation with everyone and a rickety little pool table. I guess if you're into expensive Hollywood places this is cool though I'd prefer to just go to crazy girls up the street and watch half naked ladies/drink there or even drink in the parking lot from booze from the adjacent liquor store read more

Sooooo... I valet my car in what looks like a pretty broke down strip mall in Hollywood and look around to make sure I'm in the right spot- my friend wants to celebrate her birthday HERE?!? But when I walk in, all the doubt and confusion washes away. It's a hipster-y dive bar inside complete with "wood" all over the walls, hence the name I suppose? Haha. We were there on a Saturday night, which is the ONLY night you need to visit because DJ Prophet is there on Saturdays playing the best classic hip hop, amazing dance music and just spinning the all-around best records! The bartenders make great drinks that aren't watered down and they have the hot jams- what else could you need?!? I have trekked from the Westside to Hollywood for this place now 2 more times since the birthday within the last few months. SUPER GOOD MUSIC! Awesome! read more

The Woods. Small. Dark. Sparkly lights. Magical. I've only been here once on a weekday, but I enjoyed my experience. Good bartenders. Jukebox in the corner. Not super crowded. Great happy hour spot. read more

I have to say...*sniff sniff* I'll miss you Lava Lounge!! Ok, now that that's out of my system...I welcome The Woods with big ol' open arms!! It's now much more up-scaley and to the late20's/early-30's hipster liking but without the pretense. Yes, the lava is gone but in it's place are these fabulously cedar-scented "Jenga" pieces (as Pauly D. mentioned). The walls are completely adorned with wood and the bar top itself resembles a flowing river...but of gold. They have done an AMAZING job with the place...gone are the bands but now you can go, have a cocktail and actually HEAR the person next to you speak. Hands down fave drink on the menu: Mint Julep!! Oh delightful...I had four. Yes, my head hates me but oh, my taste buds are still having a party!! read more

Walking off the street you might think that you're walking into just another hole in the wall dive bar in some olde school strip mall. But once you get inside, you'll be glad you took the chance. If you've ever been to Bigfoot Lounge (which I do not like), you'll notice a similar hunter's lounge/cubist-take-on-a-forest with tree stumps coming out of the walls, antler chandeliers, and a scenic woods scene illustrating the back of the bar. It has a low key vibe and the crowd is a nice mix of people 20s into 30s without being uber-hip nor a hangout for the well quaffed gentlemen and shiny top wearing ladies that you'd find heading to places further west on Sunset Blvd. The Happy Hour goes until 10pm. The prices were reasonable and some were even low for the quality of this place. I believe there is also food, but I didn't have any that evening. I'm actually going back here again for a birthday celebration and can't wait to meet up with my friends. read more

I love this cozy little spot tucked away off the beaten path of Hollywood. With low lighting and a very 'wood-sy' decor this spot is an itimate locale to meet a date or small group of friends for a drink. The biggest draw to this spot is the unpretentious low-key vibe, friendly bartenders (also unpretentious), and affordable drink options. This spot (according to my BF has not changed in over 6 yrs) is a total Hollywood gem and I will continue to take advantage of their killer happy hour deals and regular(ly affordable) prices. read more

This place is terrible... ...unless you love being packed like cake in a fat kid's mouth. I went on a Saturday night and I wanted to run from the place screaming. I was barely able to squeeze into the place. It was so packed that I was completely unable to order a drink at the bar, too. In fact, there was no way to even get TO the bar! Thank goodness this place is in a strip mall... that left a place to escape when I was able to sausage my way out of the bar. Oh, and bring cash for parking. There's a cash-only valet, or try your luck with street parking. Or better yet, don't bother going to The Woods at all. read more

Love this place! My favorite bartenders are ANDREW & KIETH! Every time I go there I get warm smiles and COLD drinks. This is my go-to place when I wanna grab a drink for a night out. Great spot for 1st time dates.(tinder,bumble and GRINDR for some of y'all) Bottoms up! read more

I want to give this place four and a half stars! The Woods. A cozy little lounge in a La Brea strip mall. It had been years since I had been back. It used to be the Lava Lounge a few years ago, but it has seemed to mature and host a nice crowd of people. There was ample seating, good happy hour rates (from 8pm to 10pm), and bartenders that were down to earth and attentive. The music was provided by a cd jukebox by the front door. The place has decent size booths that can hold upwards of 6 people. And the lighting is just right for everyone to look good. I was drinking beer, so I can't say much about their drinks, but based on the service I received, I would gladly come back to sample their prowess. The bathroom was clean and big enough for two. Parking may be a bit of a problem. It's in a strip mall, and it seemed like the other businesses are still running late into the night. If you're in the area, and you're in the mood to lounge, flirt, and sip some drinks, the Woods will work for you. read more

I came here for a buddy's bday a few weeks ago.. and now that I think about it I can totally see why he chose this place. For one, it goes w/ his personality. He's a pretty low key kind of guy, as was the atmosphere here. My friend also isn't the type to go for extremely hot but stuck up women, and these kinds of people were nowhere to be found at The Woods. I didn't see any crazies walking around, EXCEPT for this one homeless / druggie guy outside who would randomly go from group to group and talk about crazy shit not worth mentioning here. The bouncer made him bounce, so yeah... job well done! Drinks were relatively cheap. Girls were pretty. Overall a very decent place to chill. Few tips: - Happy hour goes till 10pm. Hell yes. - If you have a big party I'd suggest coming a little early as the place isn't very big. If it gets crowded enough this wouldn't be a great place for the claustrophobic. read more

The woods is a nice neighborhood bar that is fairly priced and located in a strip mall type of place. You need to go in and check the vibe it seems as if a lot of couples and dates happen earlier on where people tend to go to a different place after! Still a great place to go and get some quiet time and conversation! The doorman is phenomenal and a bartender Chrissy is a great bartender! She sometimes brought us shots on the house and made us feel very comfortable Recommended place ; go check it out :-) read more

This is a pretty cool bar! At first I looked at the marquee-sign on the outside and thought- seedy dive bar or strip club. But you go inside and it's a whole nother world. Pretty led lights in the ceiling similating a night stars thing.. bathroom is small but smells like flowers... walls have candles inside. Hip looking Antler chandeliers ( that's an oxymoron, isn't it? Antler chandeliers?) Anyway, there's a LOUD jukebox which is quite alright for me! I'd definitely come back here for their happy hour. Plus it's next to a cool ice cream place. ( mashti malone's) read more

Stopped in here Saturday night for a couple of post-dinner, pre-cocktail cocktails and was pleasantly surprised to discover that we had made it just in time for happy hour (8pm-10pm DAILY). Since it was still a touch early for the usual bar crowd, we were able to score a table at a booth along the wall, enjoy our drinks in a chill atmosphere and not-so silently judge everyone around us. Spotted: cougar pack wearing age-inappropriate outfits and monopolizing the juke box while sloppily attempting to flirt with uneasy-looking 20-something year old boys. We left before witnessing anyone completely embarassing herself. Here's hoping the cougar pack left The Woods soon after we did. Parking situation: $3 (I think?) valet in the strip mall or metered street parking on La Brea or Sunset. read more

When you need to escape...escape to the woods. It is small, dark. intimate, cozy, unpretentious, easy to park, and easy to find. I crack up when people call this a shopping center... Fashion Island is a shopping center, the Beverly Center is a shopping center, the Grove is a shopping center but this is by no means a center. And that's what makes it great. If it were just another bar in a shopping center it would cease to be cool. If you want to drink & shop go to the Cheesecake Factory. If you want to relax and get lost for a minute, I highly recommend the Woods. The last 2 times I was here the drinks were noticeably cheaper than the Next Door Lounge and just about a half a dozen other places I could name that were not nearly as charming... and they don't have cute antlers with uber-cute christmas lights. I got there both occasions at 2 completely different times: right when it opened and the second time I was there from about 12-1am and it wasn't too crazy in fact everyone from the theater upstairs was there and it was a great crowd to be around. Personally, I would rather be in a cozy, comfy little den like this especially later in the evening before going home... make it your own private Idaho. read more

I would come here solely for the s'more martini (yum!), but the place also has awesome decor, and from my experience, the bartenders are prompt and friendly. The Woods also has a much more chill vibe than most of its Hollywood counterparts, but alas, it maintains the Hollywood prices ($12 for my s'more martini). BUT--The Woods also has one of the best happy hours in Hollywood (makes sense, it's owned by the same people who own The Well--the other best happy hour in Hollywood). It goes until 10pm and you get the same deal you get at The Well: $3 beer and well drinks, $4 or $5 selected martinis and shooters. read more

This bar is like a cool, trendy lounge trying to pass incognito as a dive bar. With quality drinks at good prices. Dorothy, I don't think we're in Los Angeles any more. Looking on the map, The Woods is in a prime Hollywood location, right off Sunset and a few blocks from the Chinese Theater. However, when my friends first took me here, I was highly dubious: this place is literally in the seedier strip mall behind an already seedy strip mall. Once you walk inside, though, you're greeted by a really neat modern hunting lodge decor: pretty wooden tables, antler chandeliers (tasteful! I swear!), and a cool wooden textured wall. But by far the best part of this place is the happy hour. 8-10 pm, $4 well drinks, $3 beers, $4 house wine... this is so ridiculously awesome that my head explodes thinking about it too much. Really? For Hollywood? At a reasonable, past-the-time-old-people-go-to-bed time? I'll be there again in the near future, for sure. read more

I miss jukeboxes. I miss getting into a bar or restaurant, putting in some tunes, and then just sittin around until your songs come up. Then you talk about the selection, your friends praise you for the kick ass selections you have made, and all if right with the world. Local neighborhood bar done right. Well.... for Hollywood, okay? No pool tables or dart boards (-1 star) BUT they have a great jukebox (+1 star again)! I really like the interior - all wood, a fake night star above you. The music wasn't too loud, so you could actually bring a group of friends and still be able to hear everyone. All in all, a great chill spot in Hollywood. Like most places, it gets very crowded late on a Friday or Saturday night, so if you have a bunch of people, get there before the rush (which happens around midnight I'd say) to grab a bunch of tables. I don't miss Lava Lounge at all - they had a cover! Hellooooo.... did you not notice you are located in a STRIP MALL on LA BREA?!? The Woods has repaired all ills, though. read more

Might be the worst bar I've ever been to. The bouncer was some kind of loser who had no reason to be there. A sign saying "please wait outside if full" would have sufficed, because he was simply too good to talk to us or physically interact with us. (He was quite involved with a skinny little novella.) Now... on to the bar itself. A lot of people in there who weren't as cool as they thought. Way too crowded. After we edged our way in there, I tried to get a drink. **BIGGEST DOUCHEBAG (and idiot) BARTENDER IN HISTORY** If anyone can explain to me how this makes any sense at all, I will buy you a beer. Me: "I'll have a gin and tonic... tanqueray is fine." Bartender goes off, makes 2 drinks, and comes back. Me: "What's the other drink?" Bartender: "That's the tanqueray and tonic." Me: "Then what's the other one?" Bartender: "That's the gin and tonic." Me: "uhhh ................ I only ordered a tanqueray and tonic" Bartender (VERY CONDESCENDING AT THIS POINT): "Look, you don't have to say 'tanqueray' everyone knows that gin and tonic means you want tanqueray." I left a very small tip and walked away. PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THAT MAKES SENSE. By his logic, he should've brought 2 tanquerays and tonic!!! Since "gin" = "tanqueray" in his book right? Then why did he bring well gin in the other glass? 5-10 minutes later... our group decided the place sucked balls and we shoved off to somewhere else. read more

First, prepare for the smell. It is the first thing you will notice when you walk in. I said to the bartender, "it smells funky in here". He rolled his eyes and was like "that's one word for it". But it's only cedar (or so I'm told), though it smelled to me like the world's most horrific B.O. Eventually, though, I got used to it. Used to the smell, and actually quite fond of the place. I was there early-ish on a Friday night, with a couple good friends, looking for a place to have a couple drinks and talk. And for that purpose, the Woods was ideal. A few of the highlights: --Good, cheap drinks. They have happy hour til ten pm (!), and I managed to get a couple stiff vodka-rockses for $4 per (albeit with "Crystal Palace" vodka instead of Ketel). Even regularly priced drinks remain very cheap by LA standards. --Low-key atmosphere. I was here early, so I don't know how crowded it gets, but it seemed light on people (in a good, locals-only sort of way, not in a sad, "no one wants to be here" way). Also, no velvet rope, no bouncer attitude, no snootiness from the waitstaff. A mellow, friendly vibe. Oh, and you can hear people talk! This is so key for me, because I HATE screaming to make myself heard at a venue. It is annoying and so not fun. Here, there's decent music on the jukebox but it's not cranked so loud that you're deafened by it. --Cool atmosphere. The woods thing kind of weirded me out at first (especially b/c the cedar is a bit overpowering, at least at first), but then I was like, yeah I dig this place. Star-lights on the ceiling (from when it was the Lava Lounge?); antler lighting fixtures; tree-like decoration on the walls. I like. I'm going back. read more

My take? Hollywood's answer to the Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz/Atwater. This last Thursday, it was definitely full of boys in their upper 20's and older. The out of town friend was enjoying the scenery. I have to say, after getting back from a trip to CT/NYC where I barely even noticed the menfolk (that's weird), it was nice to make eyes at a few lads. Cute, not so cute, whatever. They were into singing along to the dj's erratic, but fun set and dancing as the night continued and that's what matters. Crutch guy was a little much...maybe he should not drink while on painkillers. I've been on a bloody mary kick lately and the bartender did me well on that one. Their drinks are all served tall. TALL. and strong. and typical LA Bar prices. I can't complain. I scored on rockstar street parking, but typically it is tough to find decent parking nearby. If you're with a group in one car, just go for valet. I can't decide if I like this location better as the Woods or as the Lava Lounge. It's still a dark hole in the wall, but it's cleaner and more elegantly decorated. BTW i love how people keep calling places like this dive bars. Really? I don't see the neighborhood drunk slumped in the corner clutching his pool cue while all the hipsters jabber and drink around him. And I'm pretty sure that the natural twig art was not just picked up off the street and placed behind the bar on accident. Plus the seating is way too clean and comfy to be divey. Maybe if we called it a nouveau dive bar I'd be happier. read more

So, a guy walks into a bar, and he orders a Murphys, and before the luscious, Irish stout (my nickname in certain circles, btw) even has time to settle in the glass, there's a young woman right up on this guy. Crissakes - I'm talking' about me. The guy is me. Get it? This girl's drunk, she's got her arm around me, instantly. And - just like that - I'm in love. Like, Tom Cruise jumpin' on Oprah's couch love. This girl's cute, in a tipsy, crinkled nose/furrowed brow-when-she-speaks kinda way. I'm beyond love: we're already walkin' hand in hand across Epcot Center, pushin' one brat in a carriage, with another bun in the oven. Fark that - twins. Twins in the oven. That sounds kinda gross. Whatever - you know what I mean. American. Effin. Dream. The Magic 8 Ball has spoken to me: It is decidedly so - you've just met your future wife. Some people - known as optimists - will tell you, "The only thing that can stop you from achieving your dream, is you." I disagree. I may be slightly pessimistic, but I speak from experience, when I say, "The one thing that consistently prevents you from achieving success... is reality." In this case, the anvil on the coyote came in the form of a short conversation: HER You look bored. ME I haven't been here long enough to be bored. She's hanging onto me... she mumble-slurs something to the effect of, do I mind her touching me. I say no. She kisses me on the cheek. Sure, she's drunk, but it's a sweet gesture. She's right in my face, looking eye to eye, like she's trying to figure something out. She's close enough to kiss me. I feel like she's about to. This sh*t never happens to me - it's kinda nice.... HER What's your name? ME Tim. She purses her lip, looks past me, to a bearish dude, at the end of the bar. HER I was talking to that guy, over there, about you, when you walked in. ME Were you plotting to take me out back and kill me? She shakes her head, 'no.' HER I thought you were Anderson Cooper. Uhhh....huh? WTF... does 'every' guy in a navy blue v-neck sweater look like Anderson Cooper? Yes - but only to one person on earth: her. Sigh. Story of my life: they're either crazy or drunk or they mistake me for a gay guy. This girl hit the trifecta. Needless to say, within nanoseconds, she slid onto the barstool beside me and started talking to the guy on her right. Nothin' to see here, folks - no sparkly blue-eyed pseudolebrity/CNN journalist/CIA asset... just measly old Bim. So, a bit later, I'm ordering a drink... ME That girl thought I was Anderson Cooper. BARTENDER I don't know who that is. I know who Anderson Cooper is, but I don't give a sh*t. This girl doesn't even give a sh*t about him enough to know who he is. How sexy is that? I order a 'Sexx In The Woods' and I make a joke, but I can't gauge her reaction. I can't tell if a) she didn't hear me, b) my amazing John Varvatos Artisan eau de toilette has put her in a blissful-yet-blank-faced tonic state, or c) she's repulsed by me and doesn't give enough of a sh*t about me to care, either way. d) all of the above: the now familiar trifecta. Whatever it is, it's working against her/for me: here I go, falling in love again. It happens a hundred times a day. I could've actually done the Tom Cruise thing - they have couches. It would either end with me banging my head on the ceiling and collapsing, unconscious, or me bein' bum-rushed out the front door, screaming, "You can't treat me like this! I'm Anderson Cooper!" In other words, a win/win. So, anyway, I'm so fond of my initial, unappreciated 'Sexx In The Woods' drink joke, that I repeat it, loudly, over the DJ's music: "I SAID - I'VE DUMPED BODIES IN THE WOODS, BUT I'VE NEVER HAD SEX THERE!" Doesn't actually sound like a 'joke' when you scream it like that, does it? Same reaction from her, same old love/hate story for me: I love the ones that hate me. She pours the drink using well vodka and some liqueur that was not the one listed on the menu. I didn't care about the liqueur, but I'd ordered the drink as listed on the menu - with Absolut. I'm no diva, but I want the drink I ordered, especially since it costs the same. She was graceful and professional - she made me a new drink, with Absolut, and it was tasty. Seemed like kind of a bait and switch with the ingredients, though unintentional. I blame management - not her. I could never stay mad at her... or any woman in black garters, for that matter. Too far? Don't worry, baby... I'm tongue-in-cheek with all the ladies. Humor. Tongue-in-cheek humor. Dirty girl. read more

Our friendly neighborhood bar- not exactly a 'Cheers' vibe, but it's a nice little hole in the wall. We live around the corner and were pissed when we first moved to the neighborhood because at first glance there wasn't a dive bar on the corner where we could easily go from time to time and become regulars and meet new people. All we had on our corner was Bossa Nova, which sell only wine and beer and the food is like a very confused low rate Cheesecake Factory from hell. Oh, plus the Seventh Veil and that's not exactly the neighborhood friendly kind of place, unless you want washed up chicks from 1980 rubbing their saggy boobs on your head. You might be, in that case, check out my Seventh Veil review and enjoy! So, here's where the Woods comes in. First off, don't judge by the outside. The outside strip mall is a run down dump with crappy parking, unless you drive a golf cart. There's a liquor store and an ice cream store and some other shifty run down establishments sharing the space. So, by the outside, you're probably thinking, like we were, what the hell is this? We were expecting a run down dump with peeling vinyl seats and homeless alcoholics and washed up old bar maids. Much to our delight, it was very different. The décor is woody, like wood, as if you were outside in the woods, clever! There's also some heads of some animals adorning the walls, antlers, the whole deal, but not in a red neck, red flannel sort of way, there was definitely an interior designer and it wasn't a cast member from Duck Dynasty either. If you've noticed, The Woods is a part of the Vintage Bar Group, which also own, El Bar, The Well, The Parlour Room, NoBar, and The Fifth, so it's not exactly a bankrupt shit hole. After coming here now a bunch of times, on varying times and nights, I can say it's hit or miss with the crowd, music and bartenders. Some times our bartender will be awesome and fast and friendly, other times it'll be someone with a stick up their ass, but that's pretty much any bar you walk into. The only thing is the bar has no POS system (computers for easily ringing up orders and payment) so they just put credit cards on the bar and write stuff down and manually swipe your credit card, which ultimately is a slow process on a busy night and leaves so much room for confusion and loss of your card, etc. My only complaint. Now for the music, most nights we've come it's up to the crowd to pick the music from the jukebox, which we love, but who knows if the rest of the crowd likes our choices. So, you're usually at the mercy of whoever wants to pay and play the music. One night we came there was a DJ set up, but we didn't stay long. It's not really the type of place for dancing. Maybe a finger dance, a sway or a succession of head nods. The crowd also varies, sometimes it's super busy, other times nobody is there and it's always been a mix of old and young and stylish or frumpy, just all types, which is what I like. So, if you can get past the outside "charm" you should find the Woods to be a nice chill, DARK bar. Be careful heading to the bathrooms, it's like a test of being legally blind inching down the hall feeling the walls as a guide. read more

Oh man. I'm reviewing this even though I went there in May of 2008. I think I was there for about a half an hour but hilarity ensued. My two guy friends went outside to grab a smoke and I was left alone. I was "approached" by a man in this early thirties. By approached I mean he sat right next to me while talking on his cell phone. Drunkenly I thought, "This is so Hollywood!". He ended his call and asked the standard questions. This was followed with an offer to join him back at his place to enjoy a little white powder. Cue to me excusing myself from the table politely, grabbing my friends, jetting down the Walk of Fame sans shoes back to my hotel, and stopping only to have my picture taken while straddling Herbie Hancock's star. I could have just said no, but it's Hollywood and I had to make it a little dramatic. Anyways, The Wood was fun for a tourist like myself. I had my "I was offered drugs in Hollywood" moment and will live to tell the tale. read more

I went here on a first date. It was a cool little spot, kind of dark and intimate. The drinks were kind of strong, and the music wasnt as loud so I can still hear my date talking. I noticed a lot of people there were on dates too. I liked the whole set up: tables with a candle in the middle. I guess a lot of people go on dates here. It wasnt as packed when we went. I guess that's because it was on a Wednesday night. As for the parking, it's valet only. You can always try to find parking on the streets but since it is Hollywood, it'll probably be hard to find parking. So I just valet it. It's only $5 anyway. I would recommend this place for a date or just to hang out. :) read more

This is one of the better bars in Hollywood. It's owned by the Vintage Bar Group, who also own The Parlour Room of Hollywood, Noh Bar, The Well, etc. It also, has a great jukebox. Drinks - average prices for the area, but the $12 specialty cocktails are worth the money because of the natural ingredients and overall taste. Decor - nice, ski lodge feel, plus it's in a strip mall, which is totally L.A. Service - solid, except there is a male bartender who works there who is pretty rude, that's why I didn't give the bar 5 stars. Crowd- good L.A. crowd, not too many Five (I-5) & Dimers (I-10); it can get crowded on the weekends. read more

So the shopping center they are in is la-ghetto. But the inside is pretty snazzy. Much nicer than a dive bar, even though this is a dive bar. A vast improvement of the old tiki concept that used to occupy the space. Good riddance. Almost witnessed a fight about to go down between a group of drunken dudes behind our table. I kept looking back to make sure I didn't get caught up in the mix if punches started getting thrown. Disaster averted, however, because the only body contact that happened was a hug fest between men who clearly can't hold their liquor. Amateurs. My visit was late on a Sunday night back in December and I had one of the best conversations of 2010 in here. So they get 3 stars for actually staying open for such an occasion. Still, I was surprised to see so many people out in a bar at such a late hour a night before work/school. Hmm.. Just like its pretty sister, The Falls..The Woods is perfect for a pit stop if you find yourself thirsty and within arms reach of it's location..in this case, on or near La Brea. read more

This place looks like a complete hole-in-the-wall from the outside but the decor is suprisingly nice on the inside. Like others have stated it looks similar to a ski lodge with antlers on the walls and that sort ambiance prevailing. I went here on a tuesday night and there was a decent amount of people inside especially for a tuesday evening. The bartenders were extremely nice, and had a good attitude even with the drunk antics that my friends and I were pulling :) I have not been there for happy hour though which will definately be my next conquest.. read more

The Woods--where to begin--nice drinks when the bartenders finally deem you worthy of their attention, very cool atmosphere--pass the hatchet, I think I'm goodkind (yo la tengo reference # 3) and the unassuming location. I had a southside--which was quite spiffy, while my friends had their respective rounds of vodka. The woods was packed with a lot of dudes and it came with a ton of hipster pretense. While I peered through the woods to see its inhabitants I could not help feeling a little like I was in the 80's watching a re-run of a Cory Haim/ Corey Feldman movie. Aside from my hating of the woods people, the drinks were great and at a reasonable price. I will come back but not soon. read more