$50 Gift Certificate to The Alibi Room

Stop into Alibi Room on your way home
On an otherwise lonely stretch of Washington Boulevard in Culver City/Mar Vista you'll find Alibi Room, recently transformed into a welcoming neighborhood lounge.

The owners of Beechwood in Venice have created another dark, inviting room, this time evoking a small lakeside cottage. An oversized oak bar, surfaced with side panels from your family's old station wagon, allows for good people watching if not a lot of seating. Choice seats can be found by the fireplace.

The full bar includes an intriguing beer selection, featuring Czechvar on draft and bottled Duvel, Castelain Blonde and Hitachino Nest White Ale. Among the seven wines by the glass, Kung Fu Girl Riesling pairs up best with the Philly cheesesteak (your choice of Cheese Whiz or American). Also on the menu: a big burger with shallot butter and glorified fried bar food (zucchini, mozzarella sticks, Canadian poutine fries with mozzarella cheese curds).

Alibi Room's central location makes it the perfect pit stop: after work (wait out traffic on the 405), a trip to Costco or dinner in Culver City.