I am headed to LA next week for business, and I'm hoping to find some beers I can't get in Colorado. I'm staying at the JW Marriott Los Angeles. I won't have a car, but I am open to taking a cab. Are there any good bottle shops or liquor stores near the hotel? I'm only there from Wednesday night into Thursday, and my flight doesn't arrive until 8:30, so I have a pretty small window. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Are you talking about the JW Marriott in Downtown LA? It's right next to the Staples Center, in case you need a point of reference. If so, your nearest options are Ramirez Liquor and Ramirez Beverage Center (cab ride away over the bridge to Boyle Heights), Buzz (walkable, but it will take you like 25min), and Sunset Beer Co (maybe a 10-15min cab ride away). Sunset Beer Co would be my pick out of all of those, as you can buy singles there without having to commit to 4/6-packs. They also have a cool vibe in case you want to hang out and grab a beer in their bar or open something up there to drink. Just be warned that I think they close around 10 or 10:30, so your timing could be a little tight.
Just go to Ramirez Beverage Center http://goo.gl/maps/UaNaz Just make sure you go to the one on Olympic, not Soto. That's the only stop you will need to make. Take a taxi, uber, or bus over there. I went there yesterday and dropped $150 without even trying. Sunset Beer Co is great if you're a level 10 self proclaimed hipster.
Agree with both above. If you go to Sunset Beer Co., you may want to trek an extra few blocks down Sunset and hit up Mohawk Bend for great eats and a nice tap list. Stay away from Buzz Beer and Wine in downtown--they're overpriced and have their craft beer sitting up in front in semi-direct sunlight. Also, don't walk to Ramirez. Just don't.
My go-to bottle shop is Ramirez (the old shop, although I also shop at their Olympic and Pico stores), but I went to Sunset Beer Company about 10 days ago to buy some single bottles... they had Cantillon Iris on tap. Nice surprise.
Thanks for all the suggestions! I was going to go to Ramirez after I landed, but the car service from the airport was on a schedule and couldn't take me before going to the hotel. The hotel courtesy shuttle wasn't running when I checked in, either. I had some free time the next morning, so I went after they opened. I was very impressed with their selection and most of the prices. I didn't find out that the courtesy shuttle wouldn't wait or come to pick me up until the guy dropped me off, so I had to wait for a cab at the shop for about 40 minutes. I talked to one of the owners almost the entire time. He was super cool and even helped me find a cab. It made a frustrating experience much more tolerable. I will definitely go back there if I'm ever back in LA. Thanks again for the suggestions!
