Idle Hour

"Plain and simple, Idle Hour is the best cocktail bar in the Valley right now. After three decades of decay, somebody who knew exactly what they were doing bought this 90-year-old icon and turned it into a complete destination bar. Great drinks, a patio with a giant bulldog statue, and the kind of laid-back crowd you simply can’t get on the other side of the hills. $7 Cocktails; $7 Wines; $2 Off All Beers" - garrett snyder, brant cox, cathy park

"One of the best bars in the whole Valley, Idle Hour nails just about everything. Great space, cool atmosphere, and surprisingly good food. It’s been known to get a little rowdy, though. Deal: $16 bottomless mimosas. Sunday 11am-3pm." - brant cox, nikko duren

"The Valley will never be a beacon of LA nightlife, but when it comes to Idle Hour, your slightly longer drive is worth it. For one, the space itself is amazing. You’re basically drinking inside a massive wooden barrel from the 1920s, and on the back patio there’s a two-story bulldog holding a pipe in its mouth staring back at you. There’s also a great craft beer list, good cocktails, and a crowd that’s always down to party." - brant cox

"If you’ve ever driven down Lankershim in North Hollywood and wondered what’s up with the giant wooden barrel, that’s Idle Hour, one of our favorite places to drink and hang in The Valley. Though you'll usually have to wait a little longer to drink inside the barrel, the good news is there's always ample room on their excellent back patio. Come for their daily Happy Hour or brunch on the weekends." - brant cox

"This iconic bar housed in a larger-than-life wooden barrel is one of LA’s greatest examples of programmatic architecture. And for those who don’t regularly lurk in architecture porn subreddits, it’s also a great thing to stare at whenever you’re tired of heading to your neighborhood restaurant for the 20th time this week. Their excellent back patio has lots of space, a bulldog building smoking a pipe, and dishes like pulled pork sliders and sloppy tots. " - Brant Cox, Nikko Duren, Sylvio Martins