The Thirsty Crow

Although easily derided, gentrification can lead to certain inarguable positives: better food, safer streets... more Papyruses. For an inarguably positive gentrification taking place within a bar, check the Thirsty Crow.The Thirsty Crow's a new-yet-Grandfatherly-feeling, bourbon-centric bar located in the former ultra-ironic truck stop drinkery Stinkers', whose owner realized that his more-well-off-than-he-expected customers were ordering above the typical PBR/Jack paygrade, so he gutted the place and re-themed it, stocking the shelves with 40+ small-batch distills and installing antiques like an all-wood, all-vinyl jukebox, ancient lighting fixtures, weathered photographs, and even an old furnace, giving the entire two-room bar a feel he calls "post-war" and "timeless"... so, not post-war? Though there's a fair number of scotches (Lagavulin, Balvenie Single Barrel etc), the booziness's centered on American distilleries, with bottles like the rye-heavy Elijah Craig 12-year, Hirsch corn whiskey, and Van Winkle Special Reserve "Lot B", which doubles as a helpful reminder where you parked. They're also serving up classic mixed drinks, with fresh ingredients provided by the next-door resto Local; options include a mint julep w/ locally-grown mint; a marmalade Manhattan (w/ Makers Mark) and their namesake cocktail -- a blend of citrus, Sazerac rye, whiskey, bitters, and ginger beer, which, for safety reasons, is no longer served in LA-area high schools. The Crow's also got local/organic microbrews on tap (Napa Smith pilsner; Anderson Valley Boont Amber ale), as well as a Sunday night special w/ $4 Buffalo Trace they call "Whiskey Education," which can also lead to certain inarguable positives, you just can't remember any of them.