Renee's Courtyard Cafe
522 wilshire blvd. tel. +1 310-451-9341 this is a great bar. one of the few you can still smoke in, technically. its entrance way is a patio, with tables, so its outside, and ashtrays abound. there are lots of little nooks and cranny's here, each room with its own feel. mellow during the weekend, a total meet market on the weekends!
Library Ale House
On Main st and carries lots of interesting beer on tap. Food is mid-scale pub style.
Britannia Pub
318 santa monica boulevard, near 3rd street promenade. small but very friendly brit style pub, popular with locals and budget travelers. good and cheap snacks and meals.
Etoile
1111 2nd st. top floor of the huntley hotel, 310 393-8080. located in a newly remodeled space on the top floor of the huntly hotel, decent selection of margaritas and martinis, good view of the beach.
Circle Bar
Located on main st at 2926, this is a deep dark space that as you would imagine has a circular bar, popular with the twenty-something i drink too much crowd.
Mor Bar
(http://www.themorbar.com/) located just a few doors down on the other side of main st. mor bar is a larger space than circle bar and is a popular dance spot. according to their website, the mor bar moved to a "bigger and better space" in november 2007. however, it is not indicated what and where is the new venue.
Main on Main
(http://www.mainonmain.com/) is now where mor bar was. self proclaimed "the premier night club in santa monica featuring great music, chill atmosphere and outstanding drinks." located next door to obrien's pub (http://www.obriensonmain.com/) this cozy neighborhood pub has been around since 1995, proudly serving a great range of brews, whiskeys and spirits as well as fine irish and american cuisine.
Ye Olde Kings Head
British style pub. Favorite amongst local Brits to watch football and play pub quiz on Tuesdays.
O'Brien's Irish Pub
2941 main st, santa monica tel. +1 310-396-4725 this is your typical irish pub, but big! it has 4 parts really. the outside patio, the front seating area, the bar, and the back room with the stage. there is almost always live music on the stage, ranging from punk rock bands to acoustic sing-alongs.
Cock N Bull Pub
2947 lincoln blvd, tel. +1 310-399-9696. referred to as "the most og english bar in la" by espn's page 2, the cock and bull serves typical british pub fair, has a wide array of beer on tap, and authentic british bar tenders. although it can be quiet on the week nights this bar rapidly fills up when ever a quality soccer football to the rest of the world match or rugby game is on the tv, regardless of what time it is on, during the world cup lines started forming at 4am.
Hidden on Main
3110 main st tel. +1 310 399-4800 at the location of the old schatzi, this restaurant and lounge opened in the spring of 2008. lots of outdoor seating areas and a crowd which is generally in their late 20s and 30s.
Wakano
Centrally located near Third Street, Wakano offers indoor and outdoors seating in a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Fathers Office
Best Burgers in Santa Monica in this tiny and wildly popular pub. Offers beers from over 20 different micro-breweries, a nice wine selection, but alas no full bar. The other downside is that its a small space and very popular so long lines quickly spring up. Don't try to change any of the items on the burger - it's their way or the highway.
Santa Monica offers over 50 Happy Hour specials (http://www.santamonica.co...) all over town, from dive bars to the high end hotels.
Unfortunately since LA and specifically the west side of LA is famous the world over for its night life going out and drinking in Santa Monica is expensive, normal prices for a domestic beer are $5 and martinis frequently range over $15. To that end the bars listed below are sorted by type and not price: