Eastside Brews & Bites

Lincoln Heights has one of the more underrated beer gardens in Los Angeles, and Benny Boy is the reason. Sixteen taps, a rotating kitchen, and a crowd that reflects the neighborhood — which is to say, a genuinely good time. Try the lager; it's better than it has any right to be.

A bar that resists easy description. Part record shop, part neighborhood hangout, The Goldfish in Highland Park has become essential by simply showing up and being itself: unpretentious, well-stocked, and reliably playing something interesting. The kind of place you bring a friend from out of town to prove LA is actually cool.

Glassell Park's contribution to the Eastside music ecosystem. A small room with a serious sound system, Revenge Of books artists before the rest of Los Angeles catches on. The covers are cheap and the sight lines are good. Go on a Tuesday when they take the most chances.