In the small kitchen behind a Culver City dive bar is Misti Chamkunthod, formerly the chef and owner of la di da, who seems to welcome the freedom her Backstage arrangement provides. On Monday night she dishes out a free treat to anyone who asks for it, but any night of the week she serves what is widely considered to be the city's best bar food.

Our Friday-night visit did not put us in a contrarian mood. The decadent burgers and bacon-ranch chicken sandwiches are messy enough we'd never eat them in front of a haughty hot date we were trying to impress, but Backstage is hardly the place to bring such a person anyway. As we gluttonously gorged, the after-work crowd—a roaring multiracial mixture of blue-collar guys, fun girls, and maybe a few guys who'd been on a stool since lunch—instantly became a rollicking Friday-night crowd thanks to one memorable moment. One of the blue-collar guys got a table of fun girls, all of whom were half his age, to join him for a booty-shake to Beyonce's "Crazy Right Now." Much to the appreciation of the entire place, he worked it. Then the rollicking karaoke began. But back to the food: The large bowl of mac and cheese is an absolute must. —Lonny Pugh