Recently, I was sitting in the latest destination for drinking in El Segundo — the ornately named G’s Il Capo dei Bar (225 Richmond St. El Segundo; 310-648-8033, www.gsilcapodeibar.com) — which the bartender informed me translated as “The king of bars” (or, if you wish, “The boss of bars”). I was mulling over a brew just how G’s fits into what I’ve long considered the South Bay’s best city in which to bend an elbow.
This is a city of bars that are beach-adjacent. Which means they’re not the beach hangs of Pier Avenue in Hermosa. But they’re also blessed with that sea-and-surf looseness that makes drinking close enough for the morning fog to chill the air such a retro noir experience.
Within that context, G’s isn’t so much a bar as it is a lounge. It’s got a curved couch that faces Richmond Avenue, heavily padded bar seats, mirrors on the walls. The menu includes a “gourmet” hot dog, jackfruit enchiladas, ahi sashimi and both salmon “pops” and pork belly “pops.” There’s a Taco Tuesday. And there are big screens.
It feels more Downtown Big City than South Bay Board Short. And, in El Segundo, it’s got a lot of competition for the drinking dollar. Just down the street, there’s Richmond Bar & Grill (145 Richmond St., El Segundo; 310-322-7397, www.richmondbarandgrill.com), where you can happily sip on some suds, and chew the sort of food that makes nutritionists grow apoplectic with rage. This isn’t just a fine hang, it’s a classic with more than a little history under its belt; there’s a photograph on the menu of a saloon, dated 1914. It has all the proper elements of a clean, well-lighted place — or, at least as clean and well-lighted as a neighborhood saloon ever gets.
The walls are thickly decorated with several decades of signs and advertisements that variously offer messages and advice like “Next time, bring your wife,” “Jimmy Buffet for president” and “Call for Phillip Morris.”
The tables are decorated with a Route 66 motif. There’s sawdust on the floor. And the waitresses have the proper sassy edge — ’tude that isn’t attitudinous. This is “Cheers” with better food; two visits, and you’re a regular.
This is, as a fellow of my acquaintance observed, a beer bar of the old school. Beer bars do not, necessarily, offer much in the way of food. But at Richmond, a concerted effort has been made to offer real food — and real food that’s quite good.
This is the home of very tasty burgers and dogs and sandwiches. And some great potato chips. They’re called Richmond Famous Chips. They’re medium-thick slices of potatoes, deep-fried into crispy slices that have to be eaten quickly because they start to soften if they sit around for more than a few minutes. They’re hard to resist, hard or soft.
Around the corner, there’s the Tavern on Main (123 Main St., El Segundo; 310-322-3645, www.thetavernonmain.com), which refers to itself as “Mayberry’s friendly neighborhood tavern” — a heavily dated reference to the old “Andy Griffith Show,” understood by some, incomprehensible to others. Not that it matters; the Tavern on Main (which really is a tavern in the classic tradition, and really is on Main in El Segundo) is a “friendly neighborhood” destination — the sort of fine place in which to bend an elbow that every neighborhood should have, and sadly very few neighborhoods do have.
The Tavern sits directly next to the original Rock & Brews (143 Main St., El Segundo; 310-615-9890, www.rockandbrews.com). Or, to be more precise, in the shadow of the original Rock & Brews.
I love Rock & Brews; there are old rock videos showing on the screens that bring tears to my eyes, the beer list is encyclopedic, the chow is tasty — and so is the crowd. But there’s a certain element of going to an arena concert when it comes to Rock & Brews because it’s a Big Show. The Tavern is a far smaller show, the aesthetic equivalent of an acoustic guitarist played without an amp. If it were a TV show, it would be “Gilligan’s Island.” It’s a place we love, just because it is what it is.
If you want peace and quiet, there’s a fine outdoor patio where you can sit with your dog; there’s even an assortment of dog bowls for water placed here and there.
If you want to be in the midst of it all, head inside, and hope that there’s a seat available at the bar — a classic polished wood bar, with the requisite bunch of big screens (though not that big) overhead, along with a phalanx of barkeeps who know what they’re doing, and more beers than you might expect to find at a saloon in Mayberry.
Should you feel a tad peckish, there is a lot to chew on. Chow that goes very well seated at the bar, watching the game, and talkin’ trash.
This is the time when it’s good to have an order of thick-cut fries, topped with seasoning salt — or those same fries, layered with a mix of chili, jack and cheddar. The Tavern Nachos come pretty much the same way, along with jalapeño, black beans, black olives, guac and sour cream; and you can replace it with chili, chicken or pulled pork — whatever you want.
There are Irish Nachos as well, with the tortilla chips replaced with (natch!) potato slices, and the chili with bacon. This is bar food at its finest: sloppy, greasy, salty and good enough.
Diagonally across the street, there’s the Brewport Taphouse & Kitchen (204 Main St., El Segundo; 310-648-8972, www.brewporttaphouse.com) where you pour your own beers from an exhaustive assortment of craft brews (there were 48 taps, last I checked). This is a hang for those with a love of beer that far transcends Pabst Blue Ribbon. With some very good food as well.
Kurobuta pork chops with purple cabbage, apple compote, and onion rings; seafood brodo (a soup with halibut, scallops and prawns served in fish bone sauce) and a toasted baguette. This is grazing food, good for sharing while beering.
There are wings and fries, too. Though the fries aren’t so much fries, as they are smashed fingerling spuds, cooked till crisp, topped with parmesan, with a gorgonzola and tarragon sauce. Ketchup? Who needs it?
And then, around the corner there’s The Slice & Pint (130 W. Grand Ave., El Segundo; 310-648-8479, www.thesliceandpint.com), where half the beer menu is taken up with draft El Segundos, ranging from Citra Pale and Porto Pils, to Broken Skull and Hyperion.
To go with the suds, there’s the other half of the name — The Slice — which refers to a bunch of pizzas, offered by the pie, and by the slice, available with a New York style crust, or as a Chicago pan pizza, and gluten-free if you insist, plus cauliflower crust if you must.
The pies range from a basic cheese pie — red sauce and mozzarella — up to exotica that includes Rob’s in Maui, made with charred Spam and pineapple, and Grand Ave with spinach and leeks.
There’s more: appetizers like baked garlic knots, meatballs in a marinara sauce, roasted broccolini and chicken wings. There’s a good Italian chopped salad, along with a Caesar and an arugula salad. You sit at long tables after ordering at the counter, and getting a number of your position. The pies are good, but could be crispier, crunchier, though that may be me.
I do admire the fact that The Slice & Pint offers pizza by the slice, which is how I grew up with the critter. Sometimes, a slice is all you want, and all you need. At least, when you’ve got a cold Ballpark Blonde in hand it is. Beer smooths out all of life’s wrinkles. Pizza helps.