Open since 1942, this neighborhood bar has survived Hollywood’s glamor era, its scary phase and its revival. We can’t picture its original regulars Ed Wood and Elizabeth Short, better known as the Black Dahlia, hanging out with the goth and indie kids who inhabit the spot now.

At Boardner's, there's room to eat, dance and lounge. The nondescript street-side entrance gives no hint of the cavernous quality of the space within, which includes a back covered area, with a bar and stage, and an upstairs parlor, where the goth crowd likes to sip absinthe on Saturday nights during the fetish-fest Bar Sinister. Other nights are far more G-rated, especially on Wednesdays when the 18-and-over crowd comes in for indie pop—and a hope of getting their pix taken by Rony of ronysphotobooth.com. Blue Mondays are all about the '80s. When a break is needed from the action, respite is found on the New Orleans-style patio or the late-night menu. We're fans of the classic burger and the seafood risotto, though after enough booze we’re a fan of most every food. —Tara Tyson