Bar10

8933 Santa Monica Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

323-332-6445

bar10weho.com

Price: $$

By Michael Aushenker | Contributing Writer

Photos by Rich Schmitt | Staff Photographer

Step into this bar and grill and you enter a veritable man-cave—equal parts upscale-contemporary, unpretentious and “chill,” with exposed brick walls and wooden floors, a comfy lounge over by a big flat-screen, plus pool tables and plenty of sports-viewing opportunities from the fully stocked bar.

Recently, Bar10 decided to beef up its menu options. The one-year-old establishment has kept some old favorites, including oysters and chicken wings, while adding an array of new appetizers, entrees and libations.

Before we get to the new food items, though, the drinks here need to be singled out. Bar Manager Brad Gavit doubles as the resident mixologist and this talented young bartender can really craft a cocktail.

At $14 a pop, be sure to try the Signature Drinks. There’s The Pink Slip, made with Russian Standard vodka, agave, lime, strawberry, cucumber and jalapeño. Even tastier, the gin-infused Is That a Cucumber Gin Your Pocket?, a pun-tacular glass of Bombay Sapphire with lemon simple syrup, cucumber and mint, is both bright and refreshing. The equally pun-tastic Peaching for the Stars offers a sweeter blend of peach Ciroc with peach puree, Triple Sec, lemon, simple syrup and strawberry.

A whole separate set of Happy Hour drinks, called the Specialty Cocktail menu, includes the Punch Drunk, a bubbly, tongue-tickling magic potion of Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, Cointreau, pineapple, cranberry and fresh lime juices. There’s also a three-pepper-packing margarita called El Caballero (“Not for the faint of heart!” the menu warned) and, if you’re in the mood for gin, a basil gin gimlet with bubbles called Tall, Blonde n’ Bubbly features Botanist gin, basil, fresh lime juice and champagne.

You’ll definitely want to investigate this restaurant’s six varieties of $13 Moscow Mules. We tried the Basil Smash Mule (my personal favorite among all of the drinks I tried), a bright yet potent variety of mule. However, there’s also the traditional mule, an Irish Mule with Irishmen whiskey and ginger beer at its core; the tequila-based Mexico City Mule, a Rum Buck Mule with Bacardi Oakheart rum; and Mexcalli Metl Mule, loaded with Xicaru mezcal and Cherry Heering, a Danish liqueur that originated in the 18th century.

In the food department, Chef Felix Jose has devised about as formidable a line-up of comfort food that one can expect to enjoy at a tavern or bar and grill.

Nachos here are a mountainous pile of delicious house-made tortilla chips topped with Bar10’s signature nacho cheese sauce (cheddar-based) with heaps of tomato, jalapeño, diced onions, sour cream and your choice of beef or chicken. We went the beef route—the hearty chunks of ground beef employed here were quality, with flavor and texture.

Another way to go is Bar10’s house-made Hummus, a creamy house blend served with pita chips and vegetables or chicken morsels. As simple as this may sound, this savory dish tastes sublime. We cleaned our plate.

“Goin’ Deep” Frites not only offers French fries and onion rings, but batter-covered pickles, calamari and green beans, the latter of which we tried; our small pile disappeared quickly off of our plate. The old standard Chicken Wings come Buffalo, barbecue and Sriracha style, for an extra wallop. However, we tried the Asian Sesame Chicken Wings and they were delectable and not greasy.

I personally have low resistance when I see gourmet macaroni and cheese on the menu, so I had to sample the Drunken Mac n’ Cheese, a creamy three-cheese Bourbon blend, which we had ordered with chicken bits. It’s not a baked macaroni and cheese but if you’re craving something tasty and big on portions, this will fill you up.

If you’re craving something sushi-grade, order the Japanese-fusion Salmon Crudo, six morsels of lemon-cured salmon perched on house-made tortilla chips with pico de gallo, arugula and a small bed of seaweed salad (always a favorite with this reviewer).

For something completely different, order what’s probably their most distinctive entrée. Called Cactus Leaf, you will receive just that, covered in a three-cheese blend, sliced avocados, pico de gallo, queso fresco and cilantro that, for a few extra bucks, you can add beef, chicken or salmon to. The cooked cactus leaf has a nice texture to it (don’t worry, no pricks here).

As an experience, Bar10 not only has ambiance galore, it has atmosphere and energy. Monday nights are Karaoke Night. On Thursdays, customers come to catch “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” on the restaurant’s ginormous flat-screen. Come Friday and Saturday evenings, Bar10 transforms into a nightclub atmosphere, with a DJ playing contemporary urban fare. During Sunday brunch each week, a DJ spins ’80s pop hits.

In addition to the restaurant’s expansive interior, there’s ample patio action, overlooking the boulevard’s vibrant nightlife. If there’s one downside to this location, it’s the zoned-out street parking. You may want to bring a roll of quarters to feed the meter as there’s little chance of finding any free parking in the area.

There’s a fun time, good vibes and great food to be had here at Bar10. Highly recommended.