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Categories: American (New), Wine Bars
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"I'm a big Phillippes fan but I've got to say...Cole's beef dip sangwich is better. The bread was nice and crusty and they give you the au…" read more »
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colt 45s in a custom imprinted brown bag. that alone is worth a visit.
food is well above average.
good atmosphere.
nice people.
as good as it gets downtown.
Wah wah wah.
That sums up my first experience at The Must. I've been meaning to check this place out, and my friend's 26th birthday this past week gave me the opportunity to do so. Beforehand I checked out some Yelp reviews of this place and decided to order the black sangria everyone raves about. Unfortunately, I can't say that my experience with the sangria was as positive as everyone elses. I found the sangria to be peculiarly gritty and lumpy-- more like a smoothie than a sangria. I tried some of my friend's red sangria and I actually liked that one the best, although it didn't taste like any sangria I've ever tasted, but rather like an oddly mixed strawberry margarita. If you ask me, this place could use some tips on good sangria construction.
The food was even more disappointing. I had heard that this place has vegan options, but I'm pretty sure they don't. I say "pretty sure" because when I asked the waiter what items on the menu were vegan he mentioned a couple possibilities, one of which I ordered: the portobello sliders. When I ordered them (without cheese), I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but after I ate my first slider I knew I had made a mistake. There is just no way that is vegan, and while I appreciate the waiter's well-meaning attempt to steer me in the right direction, he was dead wrong, and that was upsetting. I only ate 1/3 of my food, and it didn't sit well with me at all. The only good food I had the whole night were the hot pretzel bites, but you can get that for $3 at Wetzel's Pretzels.
Pricier than it should be, bad sangria, and poor food. I'm sorry to report that this place is not a Must.
People thought this was:
I like this place. Got the black sangria per suggestion. It was fabulous. I was debating between that and the Sparkling Wine with Raspberry Sorbet drink but the server told me the sangria was the way to go. Maybe next time I'll try something else.
I ordered the tempura tofu with sweet chili sauce, bok choy, on rice (crispy rice?) which was excellent. Like, really really good. Light but flavorful and filling. Not your typical bar food. My friend ordered the gigantic beast grilled cheese and those truffled fries which were great.
It was game night. We played Jenga. I won. I will be back...
People thought this was:
Cool crowd (no holier-than-thou hipsters or pretentious yuppies), fun staff, great service and excellent beer and wine choices. Food is good bordering on great for this sort of place.
Just what downtown needed.
9-8-09 UPDATE: CHECK OUT THE LA MAG REVIEW
Was back in on Friday night and whatayaknow!...They had a West Coast IPA! And not just a regular-old-West-Coast-IPA, they procured an imperial IPA (or a double IPA if you prefer)...It was great CHEERS TO THE MUST!
People thought this was:
Undoubtedly the most relaxed, unpretentious bar in downtown L.A. The staff/owners are to be… Read more »
My new favorite bar in LA! I'm a big fan of sangria and it's not easy finding a really good one. I absolutely LOVE the Black Sangria at the Must! Marlon and I went here for happy hour to celebrate my birthday and it was fantastic! We tried most of the specialty drinks on the happy hour menu, plus a couple of the appetizers. Everything was delicious, and very reasonably priced too!
The Black Sangria is fantastic because it uses tons of fresh black cherries, blueberries, and huge blackberries- I finally asked for a spoon just to fish them out! The Red Sangria is pretty good, but maybe a little too strawberry-y for me. The Braque Obama is made with white port and lime juice, and it had an interesting taste. Sadly, they had run out of the White Sangria by the time we got there. We were told the owner would be making more later in the night, but I guess we'll just have to try it next time. Lastly, the Schoolhouse Tater Tots and Bacon Mac n' Cheese were yummy, carb-y goodness. I also got a piece of ice cream birthday cake on the house! Mmmm...
I really liked the ambiance and friendly atmosphere of the Must. It has comfy leather seats, and open space for good people watching. Our waitress was very nice and attentive as well. I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu!
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______________________________________
THE MUST
118 WEST 5TH STREET
LOS ANGELES, CA 90013
(T) 213-627-1162 (F) 213-627-1171
70 MAUREEN
-------------------------------------------------- ----------
Check: 5702 Guest: 2
Table: 6-1
10/06/2009 05:55PM
-------------------------------------------------- ----------
D I N I N G R O O M
6 BLACK SANGR 24.00
2 MUSTARITA 8.00
1 BRAQUE 4.00
1 TOTS 4.00
1 MAC N CHEESE 5.00
2 OLD MILWAUKEE 6.00
1 BIRTHDAY CAKE 6.00
FRIENDS/FAM -6.00
SUBTOTAL 51.00
Discount -6.00
Tax 4.97
T O T A L D U E $55.97
THANK YOU FOR VISITING
Order Number: 5702
_______________________________________
I'm gonna keep coming back here
People thought this was:
Love the super low-key, neighborhood atmosphere of this downtown bar. Great quirky & nostalgic menu offerings (like tater tots, yay) mixed with grown-up pleasers like sophisticated takes on the good ol' grilled cheese sammich (w/Humboldt Fog goat cheese, manchego, gruyere or cheddar) -- served on fluffy pillows of golden brioche - yum. That same brioche is also used in a terrific, monster dessert called the Fluffernutter (can be shared among 2 or more): A thick smear of smoked almond & roasted peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and warm bananas on grilled brioche with dark chocolate ganache, a fun and delicious take on the classic s'more.
Tried the Cinnamon Toast Crunch bread pudding just because it's one of my fave cereals -- but the vanilla was a bit overpowering. Fluffernutter FTW.
The sangrias are tasty -- not too sweet and packed with lots of fruity goodness: The black sangria is a must, especially if you don't mind all the tiny crunchy berry seeds & the white sangria with fresh white peaches is another refreshing pick.
Oh, I also love the Ciabatta Bread Salad. Big chunks of heirloom tomato tossed with red onions and still-warm/crisp pieces of ciabatta (love the contrast of the warm crispy bread with the silky tomatoes and cheese!!) and a nice blob of gooey burrata in a tangy red wine vinaigrette. I've had it three times -- only once was it a bit off -- (bread wasn't warm, the dressing lacked the right hit of tang) but it's overall a winner.
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Damn, I totally missed the happy hour (I guess between 4-7pm daily). But my posse and I came in for a quick bite and a few black sangrias on late Thursday during Art Walk.
The Must is a must for chicken sliders on brioche. OMFG these little suckers are to die for. The crispy deep fried chicken is offset by the light and airy texture of the brioche. So fabulous, I wanted to eat all 6 of them but I was rationed off to 1 1/2 since my greedy boyfriend didn't want to give me his portion.
Yeah, I just called you out hunny buns. Oh damn those brioche buns... *Salivating*
We also had the beer mussels, but those weren't exactly a favorite of mine. The texture of the mussels were good, but I got this sharp taste in my mouth, much like overcooked spinach. Not the best tit for tat.
Which reminds me I should have gotten some of those tater tots and maybe some mac and cheese.
I must, I must, I must go back during happy hour.
People thought this was:
Finally had the opportunity to try this place out for my friend's birthday event on a humid Thursday night. This place is located in central downtown on 5th and Spring there's plenty of parking lots around the area that are easy to find and this place is a catwalk away.
Reading the reviews before coming here, I definitely knew I wanted to try their white and black Sangrias. Good choice everyone! The black had a lot of berries and red wine that you can tell was soaked for a good amount of time together. The white, I couldn't really tell, it may have been a casual blanc or some sort of chardonnay, but it was still awesome!
The birthday girl was treated a beer float.... almonds, beer, some vanilla ice cream, and something else...It looked disgusting, but once you've tried it out, it would definitely surprise you!
For my entree, I ordered the steak and fries, while the others ordered the chicken sliders and scallops. ALL of these dishes were outstanding; my steak was cooked to an exact medium-rare, the fries were crispy, fat in size, and delicately seasoned to perfection with salt and a little bit of chopped onions and chives. I enjoyed this dish and would safely recommend it to anyone reading this.
Of course, a tasty slice of ice cream cake was on the house for the birthday girl.
The icing on the cake was their reasonable prices. 41 bucks for a 5-star meal and a load of drinks (I ordered a few beers, too); gotta come back here, soon...and order more food next time.
fun, mellow, and not too loud. pretty casual but with a cool crowd that's not pretentious or snotty. menu looked good - sorta like upscale pub food, but i haven't tried it. drinks are great and not too pricey; my only complaint was that the berry sangria was really thick... almost smoothie consistency.... and also, they had last call at around midnight on a saturday, which was weird...
otherwise, i'd definitely go back - it's in a cute 2-block radius of historic downtown. just don't wander too far or you'll be in the ghetto.
I stumbled upon The Must one evening after work and instantly declared it as my favorite Happy Hour spot. Ther'es so much to love about this place from its dark but tasteful decor that makes you forget you're sitting in grimey downtown to its incredible Happy Hour menu offering mac n cheese with bacon, tater tots with a variety of dipping sauces and grilled cheese sandwiches with cheddar & manchego. Located on 5th and Spring Street, it's a great place to gather with friends on Downtown Art Walk nights.
Helpful tips:
1) For those who don't work or live in Downtown, there's plenty of street parking in the area. Just beware the bums, the crazies and other assorted downtown dwellers.
2) Their sangria selection is to die for. The only reason I come to this place! For $4 (Happy Hour) you get to choose between black, white, red or rose sangria. The black sangria is my favorite: a tantalizing blend of blueberries, blackberries and boysen berries.
3) If I haven't made myself clear, let me say it again: AWESOME Happy Hour! 4-7pm daily. Arrive early as the place gets packed pretty quickly.
4) Travel in small groups. The place isn't that big so the larger the group the harder it is to get a table. Unless you arrive early of course.
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Happy Hour at The Must is 7 days a week.
Sunday is Board Game Day.
We showed up a couple weeks ago and hoarded a box of Jenga, then moved swiftly to Deluxe Scrabble -where the board can turn like a lazy susan- what what! During this time, my three cohorts and I got busy with more tater tots...oh Velveeta garlic fondue, how I love you. And the freshly baked pretzel-bites served with mustard are also pretty ridick. Such appetizers helped soak up our cheapo drinking binge:
Pints of white, red or black sangria are $4. A bottle of pinot grigio is $12.
Oh, and beer! Pints of Downtown Brown are also $4.
After several bottles of wine, we ended on Hungry Hungry Hippos. I imagine we were probably loud as shit and yelling, but no one seemed to notice. Yay for The Must!
First time at The Must. Tuesday night. 8pm.
Decent bottle of $29 Pinot Noir.
Not bad cheapo bottle…
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perrrrfect
i like how the food menu is pretty limiting... the brussel sprouts with mustard are excellent... the bbq salmon dish is a little too saucy for my tastes, but they are smart because they put the sauce underneath the mashed potatoes, which makes for a great barrier between the saucy bbq-ness and the salmon.
it's worth checking out. the atmosphere is laid back yet sophisticated.
a much improved look from being "that weird bar/art gallery that's attached to that gross hot dog place"
People thought this was:
the must is pretty cool. the place itself isnt too small but not that large either. there are lots of seatings against the walls and plenty of tables (although i opted for the wall seating cuz the tables seemed tiny to me).
been hearing so much hype about the black sangria and ordered it. it was okay... a little too sweet for my liking. it basically tastes like a fruit juice box to me with a hint of alcohol. i dont know why they serve it with a straw since all the fruits were getting stuck in it. also had the moscato however it was not bubbly at all which made it taste superrrrrrrrrr sweet. the drinks i got.. i wouldve given this place 2.5 stars. however there are lots of other selections, plenty of beers to choose from, and the food looked tasty.
the place is nice the dj was a-okay. i thought her little disco ball thingy was a bit tacky. the staff was definitely helpful and super friendly. i would probably come back again (and order other drinks) since its such a laid back place and the prices are reasonable.
People thought this was:
I highly recommend this place for the upbeat bar scene! I was intrigued by this place because of good reviews and restaurant week, but let me forewarn you not to have high expectations on the food. Not to say that the food is bad, but dinner options were definitely on the salty side! One taste of the cauliflower soup made me question is the soup base was made from salt. The salmon and the yo mama's chicken was nothing special nor did it look tasty. I heard the steak and fries was tasty- but since i don't eat red meat i can only vouch for the parsley garlic fries which were indeed amazing (you can order a basket of fries for just $5)!!!
My recommendation is go there for the bar scene - if you choose eat, have more of the appetizers and non main course meals. The elbow mac and cheese was a great little dish. The cinnamon toast crunch bread pudding is a MUST at the Must!!! absolutely delicious! the flutternutter was a little too salty and peanut-buttery- you will probably only be able to stomach a few bites!
Plan to make a pit stop at the must and you won't be disappointed! Another plus is the friendly staff and bartenders!
Decided to check this place out based on the reviews on Yelp with my husband for Friday night HH. I was impressed with the regular menu which had more than one vegetarian option (yay!)
My only complaint is that they didn't really have too much food on the happy hour menu. We were hungry so we ended up eating dinner there and the dinner menu is def not cheap. Not excessively priced, but you know. Anyway dinner was good (but not outstanding) and the atmosphere was great. I would recommend making a reservation if you do plan to go on a Friday as we barely found a spot at the bar.
Really cool bar. Dark and lounge-y but unpretentious. The service is great. Really great selection of beers and wines. Haven't tried the Sangria, but I will the next time I go.
This is a great place to take a date or hang-out with friends when you feel like doing something low-key.
I had to fortune of driving 4 of my best girl friends in my car to come here for Happy Hour. As the "chaperone" of the group, it was my responsibility to make sure the girls are safe and have a good time. As I get closer and closer to the bar, the streets gets sketchier and sketchier. Hobos roaming the streets, gang bangers walking around w/ their baseball bats (I'm pretty sure they are not playing baseball)... I was shitting in my dress and told the girls keep their arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times and don't stare!
We got their in one piece and was lucky to find a parking spot right in front. We ordered 3 drinks each, the white sangaria and the port float was very yummy and only $4. The appetizers on the happy hour menu was great too! Oh oh, and the waiter is really HOT! All the girls took turns eyeing him.
People thought this was:
This place has a really cool vibe. They played some old school music., not too loud or too soft. Just enough to enjoy. Great selection of wine with some brews. I tried their sangrias here which were good but a bit sweet for me... Blackberry was good. There was a peach one which was good too. I need to come here again to try some of their dishes..
Totally agree - parking sucks if you come on a weekday between 4 and 6pm. (HAPPY HOUR primetime...) but if you come after 6pm, just park on the next street over
BUT... once you get inside, the black sangria will wash all your parking aggravations away. Now, I've only recently taken up alcohol to complement my supreme love of food, but i loved this black sangria so much, i couldn't even think of sharing. Many of my accompaniments actually drank 2-3 black sangrias. The white sangria can't even compare..
Mac n Cheese oh so creamy
Soup- currylicious
Delicious scallops
Moules - frites one of my FAVORITE dishes, and a great version of it.
we came to celebrate a friends birthday, so we got a slice of their birthday cake. delish! pound cake like
Highly recommended. HAPPY HOUR EVERYDAY- can't beat that. just don't go when i go, so that i can find some street parking. (fyi, there are numerous lots nearby as well)
People thought this was:
Sometimes, it's nice to know rock stars who live the downtown L.A. hood. Okay, maybe my friend isn't a rock star, but if she didn't move to downtown L.A., I would have never discovered this little local gem. Granted, I can only speak for the wine and the appetizers, and both were excellent. Exactly what I needed after a long day! They have tater tots on the menu folks, that's right, you read it correctly and damn if those weren't the best tater tots ever! They fancied them up with sprinkled parsley and a couple of mayo heavy sauces that were worth the calories. On the more refined side we had a lovely mushroom toast that had a variety of mushrooms with goat cheese on toast. It was delightful on the palette. If I recall correctly (after all, I was drinking wine), we had sliders that were tasty as well. I'm just slightly above a novice status when it comes to wine, but from what I saw, their selection was pretty damn good.
Black Sangria! gotta have it here, it's soooo delish. the sliders are bomb as well. our waitress was nice and helpful. the menu is eclectic with things like tater tots and birthday cake. we ordered cheeses too and that would get a 3.75 rating out of 5. it's a nice place with cool booths. the decor is great with art pieces and such. great place to unwind after work and consume nice things.
oh the must. i so wanted to give you a better review because your place is cool and i love drinking downtown and your food is delicious, but when i drop $18 on sangria drinks, i would love to leave with at least a buzz.
my friend angi was so upset watching everyone trip on their way in. watch out, i tripped myself. on some weird bar at the foot of the door. she told the waiter about it, but like i told her, he said there was nothing he could do about it and that the establishment was aware of the problem. so if you go, step over the weird thing at the door or it will trip you too. i think it says a lot about the place. the must will trip you up and leave you wondering why you went in the first place. stupid must.
People thought this was:
I've read rave reviews and complaints about The Must but had to try it out for myself. Not sure what people who complain about the food expected from what is mainly supposed to be a wine/beer bar more than it is a restaurant. I get what this place is trying to do and I think they do it well. The food selection isn't huge but from what they do have, it's skillful. Whoever created the menu did so with the unpretentious thought that there should be something for everyone. As for the wine/beer selection, I loved that there were anywhere from $3 - $15 bottles of beer... same with the wine.
I liked the eclectic sounds from the resident DJ as well as the art, decor, staff. It's a well put together place and I'd not only visit again and again but highly recommend it .
Echoing that parking sux0rs. Plus, it's DTLA, so brace yourself for the smell of piss as you exit your vehicle. Not that it's the establishment's fault.
Also, my friends observed that the DJ looked like he'd rather be balancing his checkbook.
Their wine list was expansive and incomprehensible to me, but the server was patient, and I ended up liking what my friend ordered. Their cheese list includes Tillamook cheddar and Velveeta, which earned my respect by sheer ballsiness. But the intersection of the petty bourgeois with trailer comfort doesn't stop there. It's represented, to great effect, in platters like the exquisite tater tots with Velveeta dip, soft pretzels and mustard, and the bacon mac n'cheese; the last of which I didn't have, but looks very promising.
My honey and I were hungry at about 11 PM on a Saturday night, so we walked on over to The Must since we hadn't tried it yet. I have to say, for a Saturday night, it was nice -- quiet enough to have a conversation yet still lively and with a decent crowd. It's a casual setting for a sophisticated wine bar -- a true dichotomy of high-brow and low-brow for both the bar and menu offerings.
I LOVE the menu -- they have a lot of vegetarian options, including a Hamburger Helper dish with ground soy meat, egg noodles, spring peas and cheddar cheese sauce. See? Told you they were low brow. Funny thing is, the food is really good. And they're not pretentious about it... I never once saw a menu reference to "farm-to-table," "market fresh," "seasonal organic" or any of the other trendy restaurant catch phrases that make me want to go bitch-slap the Daily Candy and Thrillist writers who propagate such silliness. (Just once, I'd like a restaurant to say, "YEP, we cook with a shitload of butter and cheese and meat but goddammit, it's organic!")
ANYWAY... I love that The Must doesn't take itself too seriously. Yes, you can get the Ghetto Cheese Plate with Velveeta, Ritz crackers and salted nuts; but you can also get a killer cheese sandwich made with your choice of two cheeses like goat cheese, double Gloucester cheddar, manchego or Point Reyes Blue on a fancy-pants brioche. So there!
Mi novio and I started with a basket of soft pretzels with spicy mustard. Simple and delicious. He ordered The Must Cobb, which he thought was very good and he's no amateur when it comes to Cobb salads. I had the Roasted Tomato Soup (fabulous -- slightly creamy but not heavy at all) and the Not So Simple Green Salad, which came with Point Reyes Blue and roasted grapes, a really nice twist to a plain ol' salad.
The space is really comfortable and another dichotomy all on it's own. It's industrial, contemporary, cozy and rustic all at the same time. My sweetie thought it was a little too dark but I think that's just 'cause he likes to check me out. ;)
I'm glad I finally got to try this spot -- I've been wanting to go to their Sunday night game night for a while (which I hear is fun and I'll write an update once I check it out). At least now I know that if I lose my ass in Trivial Pursuit I can soothe myself with some yummy grub!
People thought this was:
The Must is a great place with a chill vibe.....I've gone there to enjoy dinner & drinks....Like everyone else, I thought the Black Sangria was fantabulous, however the last time I went, I slurped one down with a completely empty stomach and had ZERO buzz...Hmmm...but it definitely tasted deilicious. For entrees, the steak is great. For sides, I had a goat cheese plate with bread and my boyfriend had the mac n cheese. He even announced that it was the best mac n cheese he'd ever had! So yay for The Must. Been meaning to try the happy hour (which is everyday) but so far, I will definitely return.
Such a cool, dark wine bar downtown and part of the much bigger shaping of a really cool downtown. Even my bus driver noted how much the area has changed in the 8 years she's been driving the 53 route.
Anyway, yes "The Must" has a great happy hour, perfect for people working nearby. A really big variety of wine and great little snacks. Like classy, almost gourmet bar food. Dark, cozy and just the right size. It's not a dive or a tiny little bar, but just big enough to stretch out with a few friends on the comfortable booths at a thick wooden table. Big bathrooms too!
My friend inadvertently "Yelped", when she said this to me: "It is a generous pour at The Must, especially for the price!" She was being droll but also honest.
I haven't had the food, only stopped by for a drink, but I liked the overall vibe of the place. The music is good and they have a great beer selection. If you like sangria they have a good one, but I don't like sangria. I prefer wine- just plain old wine. I love the humor you find in the menu. I will have to agree that the Bitburger is like Stella, but better. That's what it says in the menu. Bitburger is my new favorite beer. They have a deejay playing music in the back. I liked the tiny T.V. that looked like a chandelier. I should have done that with my old T.V.
People thought this was:
What do I have to say about the must..... except ....... everything. This place feels like it was build just for me. Elizabeth ( my favorite tender of bar) serves up one of the best beers I have ever had on tap, Allagash, delicious happy hour appetizers and all while engages me in stimulating conversation. When happy hour ends and dinner beings things some how get better, though more expensive.
The steak, give'n, is good and cheaper then Petes. The chicken pot pie is also amazing and though "pedestrian" in moniker is deconstructed thus allowing my carb obsessed lady friend to ingest the desired amount of bread. What is unexpected is the taste of the vegetarian alternatives on the menu. This soy hamburger helper like concoction rocked my taste buds and convinced me on the spot to stop eating red meat. Really.
Please keep in mind at the time my entree was a chicken pot pie not a steak.
Only bad thing. WHY IS Allagash not on happy hour? I know it is special but any beer on tap is not that expensive. Also I feel the pitchers in general are overpriced.
Wow, what a cool spot I wish I had known about much earlier! Went to go see a show at the Orpheum the other night with friends, and settled on this place because it was closeby (walking distance), and of course--great reviews on Yelp.
Tried the blackberry sangria and "fancy" tater tots, and BOTH were amazing. Also give the open faced chicken pot pie a chance, and it was pretty decent--but my friend who got the grilled cheese probably made the best choice out of all of us (two GC sandwiches with gourmet cheese and side salad for ten bucks!).
Great ambience, friendly servers, and awesome place to get a bite before hitting up downtown bars (walking distance to Edison's, Seven Grand, etc). Only (small) complaint is they don't serve diet coke!! Apparently the owners want to be cool and have diet jolt instead...blech.
People thought this was:
Happy hour every day, even the weekend! It was packed at 6 pm on a Saturday. We had drinks off the happy hour menu, wine and a "braque obama" (a port tonic spritzer.) Another intriguing option we didn't have was the port float, a shot of port over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We ordered the pretzal (chewy freshly baked bits of goodness) with mustard, and burrato (fresh, creamy, light as a cloud.)
They sell bottles of malt liquor -- but with ironic detachment.
I thought this place was OK but didn't quite live up to all the rave reviews. For me, it was way too loud and a terrible place for a large group if you're going there to talk and hang out. The food was good - we all loved the truffled french fries and the mushroom sliders were tasty, as was the grilled cheese. Wasn't crazy about the grilled vegetable salad because the dressing was too sweet and the brussel sprouts were way over salted. And the cheese plate looked pathetic. Two blocks of cheese with an unsliced chunk of bread. No love. The wine list was good - and I really liked that there were many good selections under 8 bucks - can't beat that.... Oh! And there's a $5 parking lot half a block away on 7th St that's open all night.
This place isn't bad but it's not great either. I think if the atmosphere was better, I might be tempted to go back but I don't think I would seek it out and return anytime soon.
Tuesday Happy Hour, yes! Just 1 hour prior via Facebook, my friend alerted me to their fab sangrias, so I already knew what I was getting.
There is a choice of three: black, red, and white. As one who is partial to cab sauv and worshipful of cherries, the description of the black reeled me in easy peasy. Blackberries, blueberries, and cherries are crushed into smithereens, bringing to mind the wine-making process. This mix of juice, seeds, and flesh (pomace for you oenophile nerds) is richly spiked with a nice cabernet sauv to stain your lips that beautiful dark purple color of black bing cherries. What took me by surprise was the size of these HH drinks. Tumblers that most places fill with water were full of this elixir. Thank you, Must!
Then we moved on to the piece de resistance. Why, wine, of course! My expert friend had a wonderful glass of Cote du Rhone. Chosen like an aficionado, it was easy to drink but not without intrigue, a glimmer of seductive grape tantalized the palate.
I asked our bartender for a rec based on my desire of a full-bodied cab sauv and she suggested a cabernet franc (no cab sauvs last night), but offered a tasting first. Holy smokes, the sampling was CRAZY generous. After I told her that I liked it, whoa, she just filler'ed up! And up-up-up. The wine itself is from Uruguay, 100% cabernet franc, not too rich, but smooth with a clean finish. Nice.
Eats:
Mini Portobello Sliders - An ace union of warm, gooey mozzarella, sundried tomato aioli, caramelized onions, and thinly sliced portobello mushrooms on a super soft mini bun of brioche. I could've eaten these all night long.
Elbow Mac and Cheese - Solid mac and cheese with bacon that had me scraping the plate.
Cheese Plate with Fig Almond Cake - I love that delicate, earthy sweetness of figs. And cheese and wine are soulmates.
As for the interior, you step in and you're in Cozyville. Fairly simple layout, mid-sized room with a live DJ (last night, Andrea was grooving nicely), the bar is warm, dim but not dark, and inviting. A really chill atmosphere, one that would be easy to fly by to have a drink before heading home. 'Tis a stark contrast to the exterior where every random passer-by will ask you for a cigarette and change. It's DTLA, though, and last I checked L.A. is categorized as a major city, not suburbia, so whatevers. It's safe, so say "yes" to HH! I'll be back to make my way down that wine list. They've got some good stuff, ginormous pours, and cool bartenders who are totally at your service.
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I stumbled upon this place after taking a little stroll in DT LA. Some good smells were coming out of the restaurant, and the name was interesting...it had me from the start :)
Love the dark, chill interior. A lot of seating with a homey, but open feel to it. The happy hour was going on, so I had a few $5 glasses of red--very good (not adverse to wine so sorry ha). We decided to try the Buffalo Shrimp & Grits (delicious and interesting!), Pan Seared Scallops on some type of cream corn with jalapeno (not spicy at all and too much black pepper but good!), order of burrata (I've had better, was kind of too gloopy without a soft casing and the bread should have been sliced and toasted), side order of almonds, and the Pumpkin bread pudding (SO GOOD!!!!! Like Thanksgiving in your mouth).
Despite not being 100% perfect, the place had good vibes, great music, attentive staff, and a cool interior. Love the non-pretentiousness and interesting array of flavors, etc. Will def be there again!
I have been hell bent on going to new places I have never been before, and my friend suggested The Must. Sure, why not?
Downtown is up and coming, but it has not yet supplanted Hollyweird altogether. Regardless, its a great alternative. One poster wrote "High Brow meets Low Brow" and that's appropo! The servers are friendly and helpful, while being low on attitude - a huge plus for me! I would say the same for the bartenders. Pricing is reasonable and the food offers a new take on LA Cuisine.
As a Tomato Gorganzola-type soup connoiseur, I tried their version. Hearty and creamy with actual fine chunks of tomato. While Gypsy Cafe, Westwood ranks #1, this is a great take on a classic. I would also highly recommend the Mussels which come in the shell, with an amazing Broth (a tad on the salty side) alongside a wonderful dipping bread. The high point however, is the Fluffer Nutter dessert. Cooked Brioche with Roasted Almond, Peanut Butter, Marshmallow Fluff and a rich Chocolate Dipping Sauce. I overheard our server describing it as "orgasmic" to a neighboring table, and ordered it to put her to the test. While there were no screams of passion at our table, FlufferNutter hits the spot, and it wins for being highly unique!
The Must is great. Has a decent bar scene that's less stressful than Hollywood, and the strong "Black Sangria" makes for great drinking. Haven't tried the White Sangria, but the Bartender herself stick with the black, hint hint. On a Friday night, seating can be at a premium for dinner. Bare that in mind.
This is one of those places you find on yelp but are embarrassed to immediately jump on the bandwagon. Then word of mouth via your friends hits you, and you finally relent, then realize the reviews are right on the money. What comes to mind: downtown spots Wurstkuche, Bottega Louie, and now The Must.
This is now one of my favorite places for happy hour. The quality of the beer/wine and prices can't be beat...I first opted for a pinot grigio that I was surprised to find out was $3 (say what?!) and was surprisingly good. Beers are also solid, and the fruit-filled sangrias (x3) absolutely delicious.
Regular menu is inventive and tempting to say the least...damn those quirky descriptions! We did try the brussel sprouts with bacon which were probably some of the best we've had (and trust me, we know and love our brussel sprouts!) Happy hour menu has cute food selections: tater tots w/ velveeta and pepper ranch dips, mac n cheese w/ bacon, soft pretzel bites with mustard, etc. All are excellent comfort-munchies.
Worth mentioning: great service. On our 1st visit there 2 Thursdays ago, I couldn't believe how calm and friendly the bartender was especially given the busy aftermath of happy hour. Later when we migrated to our table, my boyfriend joked I had a crush on our server (Maureen, according to our check,) because I kept paying her compliments but seriously, it was such near-perfect service that I had to give her serious kudos. We were there with a big work party and she was pleasant and on top of it as our group grew and her section filled up, somehow juggling speedy drink/food orders, accurate separate tabs, random requests, etc., all with a smile.
Also worth mentioning: great crowd. Then again, if this place was anywhere else but downtown, it would not have the same charm, from the crowd, to the establishment itself. Not to draw on a pun that I'm sure is completely overused here but what can I say...it's definitely a must.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Los Angeles Magazine's latest issue name the Top 10 New Restaurants in LA ... The Must is #2!!!!
You guys are the best!!!
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The Must is one of my favorite discoveries since I moved downtown!
The staff is super friendly,…
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Moved down the street from the MUST a few months ago.
They have a great happy hour.
Good crowd.
There are always a few good looking people :) which helps.
Have not tried the food.
Bartenders are cool and fast.
Come Unwind - One Olive at a…
Neighborhood: Downtown
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Neighborhood: South Los Angeles
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Bars
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