Bar crawls are fun, but the logistics can be tricky, especially when you’re looking for craft beer, as the best destinations for beer in the city are often spread wide and thin. So forget about parking or a long chain of Uber rides and explore L.A.’s craft beer scene with the help of public transportation. You can drink responsibly, be more eco-friendly and support your city’s infrastructure. With four major train lines crisscrossing Los Angeles, you can plan a whole afternoon’s worth of cold beers without ever getting in a car.
Metro’s Red Line began service in 1993, and the subway trains cover 17 miles of track between downtown L.A. and North Hollywood. Ten of the 14 stations on the line are within a short stroll of some of L.A.’s notable beer destinations. Whether you’re commuting home after a long day or you’re on a dedicated beer safari, here’s a guide to your best options for grabbing a pint of craft beer near Red Line stations.
Union Station
The Red Line begins the journey north into the San Fernando Valley at downtown’s major transportation hub, and you don’t need to travel far from Union Station to find a beer. Traxx Restaurant inside the station offers a handful of craft beers within the Art Deco bar area — which was formerly the station’s telephone room. After a pint at Traxx, visit another historic L.A. institution now serving craft beer, just a few blocks up Alameda Street: Philippe’s the Original, where you can lay down a hearty base of French dip sandwiches and potato salad. The beer selection is limited, but there’s usually something brewed locally on tap, and really it’s about those double-dipped, perfectly soggy sandwiches. Until the nearby Boomtown Brewery opens its own tasting room for regular hours — on track for a winter 2016 grand opening — your best bet for a deep selection of craft beer in the area is Spring Street Smokehouse. The no-frills BBQ joint offers a tap list loaded with local brews and a lengthy bottle list to pair with ribs, brisket and andouille.