Fresh from a renovation, one of the (formerly) hottest places for songwriters in LA is stepping it up again.

Now that the singer-songwriter scene in LA is becoming a force to be reckoned with (see Hotel Cafe) it only makes sense that The Mint is back in business and smelling fresh thanks to a remodel. What was once the best place in town to be discovered had become one of the deepest, dankest pay-to-play pits in town—until 2004, when Todd Christiansen took over. It was a good decision: Since reopening, The Mint's become well-known for the right reasons once again. And not just for the music. The food includes gourmet dishes like seared ahi alongside one of the best, unheralded burgers in all of LA. (Yes, we've been to Father's Office. The Mint's is better.) —Jeff Miller