When I travel to Los Angeles, there is only one dining place that is a must stop. Father’s Office (F.O.) in Santa Monica. This pub is not that big and the bar is simple; draft beer. What F.O. delivers is great food and a beer for anybody.
The “Office Burger” is not your typical all American burger, and if you need to have ketchup on the burger this is not your place. The burger is served just one way. There is no substitution, there are no changes, do not try asking. The burger is awesome, but comes with a side of attitude. The Office Burger made from dry aged beef and contains, caramelized onions, applewood bacon compote, gruyere, matag blue cheese, and arugula. They meld all of the additional ingredients together before placing them in the bun. Not a cheap burger around $12.
The sweet potato French fries are worth the trip to the West Side. The Sweet Potato French Fries are seasoned with roasted garlic, herbs, and served with a blue cheese aioli. Their regular fries are also great, but these offer a nice complement to the burger.
F.O. has 36 Beers on Tap most are staples but they do rotate part of the stock. This is a beer drinkers paradise. Plus Santa Monica is not a bad place to hang out while visiting SoCal.
Go early! F.O. opens at 5 PM most nights, 4 PM on Fridays and Noon on the weekend. If you go on the weekend, go before the 20-somethings awake from a night of clubbing. The Santa Monica place is small, and gets packed very quickly. Also when its crowded expect dealing with the door-man, positioning yourself for a table and waiting. When I mean staking out a table I literally mean boxing other people out for a table. To snag a table you pretty much just have to hang out over someone's table till they clear.
If you don’t like the crowd, phone your order in and head down to the beach.
F.O. has just opened a second location in Culver City, in the new trendy redeveloped area. Same hours, same menu, slightly larger place to serve the hungry and thirsty.
Santa Monica
1018 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403
TEL: 310 393 BEER (2337)
http://www.fathersoffice.com/
