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(213) 627-1162
118 W. 5th St.
Los Angeles,
CA
90013
34.047086
-118.249107
Neighborhoods: Historic Core, Downtown, Central LA
Hours:
Mon-Fri 4pm-12am
Sat-Sun 5pm-2am
Last updated 8.05.11
Category:
What People Are Saying About The Must Wine Bar
Featured Review
Brandi Fowler
Contributor
Scrapping the snobby impression left by traditional wine bars, this gastropub-wine bar-restaurant trio infuses a laidback attitude and casual dining experience into the culture of wine tasting. The old-school pub pairs Edison bulbs with black and gold metal lamps and a retro cuckoo's clock hanging on exposed brick walls. Basket-weaved objects are strewn along the walls and a floor-to-ceiling wine rack reveals a huge variety of blushes, reds and whites. Downtown businesspeople fresh from lunch breaks relax in cushy leather booths and brown wooden chairs, pairing glasses of wine from all over…
Editor's Tips
- Save Money:
- Happy Hour is Monday-Saturday from 4 pm to 7 pm. White wines are as low as $3 and $4 a glass, red wines are $4 and $5, and sangria is $4. Snacks like ranch popcorn and mac & cheese with bacon are $3 and $6, respectively.
- When to Go:
- The second Sunday of every month, the bar features a wine class from 11am-3pm. Learn about wine pairing while tasting wines and sampling items from the kitchen. Tickets are $40/person or $30/person for groups of 2 or more people.
- The Extras:
- Not into wine? The bar has 8 beers on tap, many brewed locally in SoCal.
| ambiance | 100.0% positive |
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|---|---|---|
| drinks | 100.0% positive |
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| food quality | 100.0% positive |
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| menu variety | 100.0% positive |
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| service | 100.0% positive |
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11/01/09
Great Wine Bar in Historic Core
by Michael Fran
Great wine bar across the street from the new Down and Out where Charlie O's used to be. The beer menu is stellar including Malt Liquor. The wines are great too. Food wise, the one item I'd recommend is the Chicken Pot Pie. Not overly heavy and delicious. Only complaint may be the temperature from time to time -- can get hot. If you're downtown checking out the emerging restaurant scene, add this to your list.
- Pros: Drinks
10/15/09
The Must is a must
by courtls77
As a west side resident, it’s a special occasion for me to make the trek downtown. I heard about the Must Wine Bar through a friend, so I decided to check out the menu online. They had me at buffalo shrimp and grits, vegetarian “hamburger” helper and fluffernutter.
The bar scene was an eclectic mix of downtown artists, after work financial types and probably a few west siders looking for a good bar without pretense. As soon as I walked in I knew this was a place where I could get in a lot of trouble. The inviting bar and attractive wait staff was a good start, but I was truly sold when the owner and sommelier started us off with two of her favorite beers. Yes, you heard me right. The owner actually knows a thing or two about good wine and beer. She’s not just buying what the local wine rep tells her is in season. In fact, she made a point to omit any beers one might recognize in order to encourage patrons to step outside of their comfort zone. Based on the headache I have this morning, I believe I stepped out of my comfort zone one too many times at Must. Needless to say, I will be online today trying to track down the Duchess de Bourgone.
The food is the perfect mix of comfort and refinement. The mushroom sliders are a MUST. I make brussel sprouts every week in my own home, and I still found their stone ground mustard version innovative and worth a restaurant price tag. I went sans bacon on our sprouts, but I imagine that would have made the dish a home run. If you are looking to relive a childhood memory, the vegetarian “hamburger” helper is a lot of fun and perfect with a Belgian dark ale.
There are a lot of new restaurants popping up around downtown, but I think this one has staying power. If you are lucky enough to call it your local bar, the Must will definitely be a staple in your dining repertoire. For west siders like me, I have a new reason to make my way downtown.
Oh, the wallpaper is the bathroom is nice too!
- Pros: beer selection, food, atmosphere and wallpaper
- Cons: not within walking distance of my home
08/03/09
white trash cuisine meets fancy pants LA
by DanielleMBond
The menu made me laugh and then made me very, very happy.
The fact that I could order The Must Meaty (soy) Hamburger Helper and a Colt 45 in a paper bag intrigued me. So I went with the Hamburger Helper and wine (I'm not that hipster). The dish was some of the best comfort food I've had- more like a vegetarian version of beef stroganoff.
If that wasn't enough to make me a fan, the wall paper in the bathroom gave this review one of it's own stars. Pin up girls flying through the air on hotdogs, sipping wine. Now that's my kind of loo.
The service was friendly, the atmosphere was relaxed and fun. And street parking was easy (found a spot on the same block), which really means a lot to me in LA.
Go, eat, drink, enjoy, powder your nose!
- Pros: fun menu & atmosphere
- Cons: risky menu options like fluffernutter (but some loved it)
05/13/09
Fantastic Wine & Beer Selection along with FOOD
by IACYOO
The wine list descriptions are like the " for dummies" book series. They use words to describe wines perfectly down to the tee.
The 2 must grilled cheese, tomato soup and glass of the house cab would make any bad day seem better.
I also fancied the fact that they have gourmet dishes, yet they can perfectly incoporate velveta. They even have Schlitz BEER!
You can feel the meticulous attention to detail the owner invests into this establishment.
- Pros: Wine selection, above average food, and great ambiance
- Cons: Service can be slow when busy
The Details on The Must Wine Bar
Place Categories:
- great wine
- favorite beer
- friendly service
- nice bathroom
- order must meaty
- good start
- good bar
- very happy menu
- order colt
- best comfort food
- inviting wait staff
@themustbar |