Rock Stop # 9: Barney's Beanery - West Hollywood, CA

It sounds like a coffee shop run by a big dancing purple dinosaur, but it couldn't be further from that. Thank God.

(image courtesy of barneysbeanery.com)

Barney's Beanery is a rocking, kickass bar with a few locations in the LA area. The coolest (and most historic) is the first location, located on Rt 66 in fabulous West Hollywood.

Everyone from rockers to movie stars to vagabonds (and Arbz!) would make Barney's a destination. Opened in 1920 by John "Barney" Anthony, the Beanery has always been a go to spot for an unpretentious good time. Prohibition had nothing on Barney's! They even offered travelers a free pint in exchange for their license plate!

With that being said, the booze list (and menu in general) is extensive! Be prepared to give your beer taste buds a treat. Why drink common domestic beers at Barney's when you have craft brews from all over the world? My first Barney's trip would not have been complete without trying some Strawberry Blonde ale...my hair color may have influenced me to make that purchase, but that's not the point. It was definitely a great choice!

The atmosphere at Barney's in West Hollywood is what makes it truly awesome. It's as if your biker uncle set up a bar in his garage, but eliminated the smell of exhaust. It's comfortable and laid back - but not too laid back that some rowdiness would cause a commotion.

If you find yourself in the Los Angeles area, make a point to stop at one of the Barney's locations. The Santa Monica promenade location has fantastic outdoor seating, but make sure you peek inside for the vintage throwback decor. Take in all the history and atmosphere at the original Route 66 stop - you will not regret making Barney's your choice for a killer night out! Horns up!

Barney's Beanery has several locations in Los Angeles. Stop by the original at 8447 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Rock Stop #2: Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill - Las Vegas, NV

Rockstars + bars = good times!


Located about 20 minutes west of the Las Vegas Strip, Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill is the creation of Motley Crue singer Vince Neil and Custom Chopper Builder, The Count of Count's Kustoms. Most people don't really stray from the Strip or downtown on their Vegas vacations, but this venture is worth it. Unlike The Rainbow, which has been around since the 70's and is seeping with rock history, Feelgoods is essentially brand new. Opened in 2009, the bar offers a full menu, full bar and live entertainment 4 nights a week, including Bike Night on Wednesdays, local bands on Thursday and the occasional national act on weekends.

Feelgoods has ample free parking in their lot (score!), but if you're planning on indulging, take a cab (tip: You can't hail a cab from the street in Vegas; you must call a cab company ahead of time, so be prepared with a list of numbers). The bar layout is pretty cool; the bar part is a bit secluded from the main area/music hall with windows giving a peek out to the stage so you can still see a bit if you're sitting at one of the high top tables in the bar area. The Arbz sat at the same table on each of our trips and had a great view of people watching and the giant TV over the bar that played nonstop rock and metal videos from the 80s, 90s and now.

One of The Arbz's favorite things about Feelgoods is the specialty drink menu. Not only do they have clever, Motley Crue related names, they are delicious.

I enjoyed the Sunset Strip and the Kickstart - absolutely delicious and about half the price of a drink on the Strip. They were sweet, but not too sweet and went great with the cheese pizza we got (yes, we always seem to get pizza).The Sunset Strip (pictured below) combines Absolut Mango, mango puree, a splash of 7-Up and sweet and sour, served over ice. Yes, delicious! The Kickstart is a tasty concoction with Absolut, Peach Schnapps, Midori, Red Bull with a splash of OJ and grenadine served over ice. Also, delicious!

Unlike the Rainbow, Feelgoods is not constantly swarming with rockstars, although Vince does make an appearance at his place every so often. Lucky for the Arbz, we happened to be at Feelgoods for Bike Night with Vince and the Count (and it was our last night in Vegas!). Vince was sneaking off to the VIP area, but The Arbz are a force to be reckoned with! You can't stop us!

Whether you're looking for a low key night, or you're ready to rock out, Feelgoods is a necessary stop on your Vegas itinerary. Leave the Strip for a night, and head out onto West Sahara to rock out with all the pretentiousness and attitude of clubs and bars on the Strip.

Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill is located at 6750 West Sahara, Las Vegas, NV 89146

Rock Stop #1: The Rainbow Bar & Grill - West Hollywood, CA

This is the place that has started it all. Well, not really, but it's smackdab in the middle of the Sunset Strip and sees its fair share of rockstars each and every night (and the frequent Ron Jeremy sightings...).

On The Arbz's first trip to Los Angeles, our host brought us directly to the Rainbow straight from LAX. It was all we had imagined and more. Granted we were too tired to have a beer, we had to settle for some Cokes and an amazing large cheese pizza. The pizza at the Rainbow is a must-have from their menu; I've honestly only had one other food item besides that.

The Rainbow is not about food though; the pizza is awesome, but people go to the Rainbow to see and be seen. B Real of Cypress Hill will be sitting in the outside patio area closest while Ron Jeremy tends to fall asleep at his indoor table (The Arbz have witnessed it!).

If you hate going to bars and clubs that play nothing but top 40 and rap, then you will breathe a sigh of relief at the Rainbow. It's all rock - Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Motorhead. No wonder Lemmy loves the place! The vibe downstairs and cool and low key - there are tables set up for just chilling, talking and drinking. The upstairs portion "Over the Rainbow" is more reserved for those rocking out or for private parties...or for season 1 of "Rock of Love".

If you hang out inside, the photos on a wall tell a story all their own. Pictures of rockstars at The Rainbow, hanging out, getting wasted and living the dream. All the booths are situated so you can see almost everyone in the room (see what I mean about being seen? It is LA after all...).This was the place where Anthony Kiedis hung out as a kid, while his dad partied with Keith Moon and Robert Plant.

(photo from rainbowbarandgrill.com)

There is usually a small cover charge to get in at night (probably $5), but in return you get Rainbow bucks! What's a Rainbow buck? Unlike a Schrute buck, a Rainbow buck is worth $5 towards any menu purchase. Our host had saved up about 6 Rainbow bucks to pay for our pizza that first night.

It's hard to describe how awesome The Rainbow is - some will say it's overrated, but it's the best place to hit on the Strip with great music and great drinks. It's the decadence of Los Angeles and 80's rock combined. Plus you never know who you will see. The Arbz saw Billy Zane at the bar. I wanted to quote Zoolander to his face.


You need to make The Rainbow part of your LA rock adventure. At nearly 40 years old, it is still the place to rock. Otherwise, your trip is pretty lame.

The Rainbow Bar and Grill is located on 9015 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood.