This area offers the full gamut of watering holes from pretentious to dives.
Father's Office: 1018 Montana. Excellent selection of import beers, microbrews, and wines. Also check out the award winning burger, the tapas and the sweet potato fries served in toy shopping carts (http://www.fathersoffice.com)
Library Alehouse: another place with a good beer selection, (http://www.libraryalehous...)
Toppers: top floor of the Santa Monica Radisson, decent selection of margaritas, decent view of the beach, good Mexican seafood