6 places to find green beer in Los Angeles

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, it’s important to remember that the celebration is a day of remembrance that honors the foremost patron saint of Ireland, its namesake Saint Patrick. That, and green beer. And if there’s one town that spares no expense for St. Patty’s, it’s Los Angeles. While there are plenty of pubs and restaurants that will be serving the magical green brew, we’ve narrowed it down to the essentials spots for your own holiday pub crawl. And when you’re gathering your green army for the day’s festivities, make sure you request an UberSUV so you and your pack of merry revelers can travel together in style.

Make no mistake, the Tam O’Shanter is Scottish through and through, but for one day every year they are 100 percent Irish when they celebrate St. Patty’s. They’ve busted out the bagpipes in the past, so make this your very first stop. The Tam is the oldest family-run restaurant in all of Los Angeles, and no visit would be complete without trying the haggis or their toad-in-the-hole, a filet mignon with Guinness gravy and Yorkshire pudding.

2. The Oaks Tavern

Not only will you imbibe a few green beers here, but you’ll likely find yourself belting out some Pogues songs because the Oaks Tavern is the place to scratch your karaoke itch. If you’re not trying your hand at some microphone theatrics, you’ll certainly enjoy their fine selection of craft beer and cocktails like the spicy cucumber margarita. It’s admittedly is the least Irish thing you could order, but at least cucumbers are green.

3. Casey’s Irish Pub

Downtown LA has its fair share of Irish pubs, but Casey’s might be the only place that can claim they were originally a Turkish bathhouse. Casey’s will be the place to go downtown as they’ll be holding their annual street fair for St. Patty’s with over 400 kegs of beer, 1,200 bottles of Jameson, and more Irish grub than you can shake a blarney stone at. The festival gets under way at 11am, but the bar will open at 6am.

4. O’Brien’s Irish Pub

Long known for having some of the best fish and chips on the Westside, O’Brien’s Irish Pub is well worth the stop this March 17. Featuring traditional Irish music, this is the perfect spot for a green beer, Magners Irish Cider, or a Smithwick’s. They even serve an Irish breakfast all day with Heinz Baked Beans that have been imported from England. After the holiday, be sure to come back on a Monday night for their competitive trivia night and a chance to win a hundred bucks.

5. Irish Times

You have to have a certain amount of respect for any bar that will commit to properly pouring a Guinness, and Irish Times deserves a medal for their meticulous commitment to do so. Named for the Irish paper of record and on the scene for more that twenty years, you’ll be cozy in this intimate and darkly lit Culver City hang. While the Guinness won’t be green (and how could they?) you won’t be lacking in chartreuse libations as you gorge yourself on their delicious corned beef and cabbage.

6. Jameson’s Irish Pub

Smack dab on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Jameson’s Irish Pub is the perfect haunt for sports fans of all stripes. With more than 30 televisions broadcasting every game imaginable, there’s no better place for a Notre Dame or Celtics fan to down a brew and enjoy a burger. If you can’t make it for this year’s St. Patty’s festivities, plan to drop by on a Wednesday for their ridiculously cheap all-you-can-eat prime rib dinner night.