I love a good dive bar! One with great ambiance and interesting characters, and a real solid bar-keep, Prince O’ Whales has all that and more.
Steven Mayer is the owner, and his fantastic right hand man Rocky, makes a really stiff drink. Rocky moonlights as an actor, what a concept, oh yeah were in Los Angeles, I almost forgot. He has been a very successful commercial actor for a long time. As divey as this bar is on the outside Rocky makes up for it on the inside, with his charm and sweet demeanor, he gives Prince O’ Whales lots of credibility.
When I spoke to Steven Meyer on the phone, he made me laugh. Rocky said that Steven bought the Prince O’ Whales because he got kicked out of every bar in the area.
Here are the wines and drinks that I tried:
Proper Martini, done in a proper Martini glass with 2 olive, nice proportions, good chilled experience.
William Hill Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, both the white and the red were very drinkable and really terrific. Of course the Cabernet paired great with the meaty Whale burger, and the Chardonnay was excellent with the Fish and Chips.
Oh and then there’s the food…
The food I loved:
Whale Burger, you can’t quite describe this burger, it is very simple, but when you bite into it its pretty much in a burger category of its own, truly a delight to behold.
Cobb Salad, I love a good Cobb salad and this one is right up there with the great ones I have tasted throughout the years.
BBQ Chicken Salad, it had lots of tortilla strips with BBQ sauce dripped on top, this salad has loads of chicken and had nice BBQ sauce flavors.
Fish and Chips, how could you go wrong ordering this dish at a bar with a British name, well you can’t! The chips were large and crispy and the fish was battered to perfection with the fish still being moist inside.
Hot Wings, great spicy flavor with plump wings, just basic and good.
Chili, gotta love this chili, with a slight kick it blew my head off.
Club Sandwich, better then your average club, very hearty meat and good bread make this a staple in my Playa Del Rey adventure.
There are lots of nooks and crannies at this joint. An outside patio to play games and watch sports on large flat screen TV’s as well as 2 inside bars, and a small covered patio in the front of the property. One of their modern amenities is a digital/internet juke box, I have never seen anything like it.
My friend Lupe, who lives around the corner, joined me that night and says that Playa Del Rey is a hidden treasure and a sleepy little town, and that most people just drive by and don’t stop to enjoy its charm. Lupe believes in supporting her local businesses here in PDR, so she has quite a few of her favorite spots.
Location, location, location, right down the street is the beach that they call the jungle, complete with a shipwrecked drug boat (as of this writing). Prince O’ Whales is very convenient smack in the middle of everything. So next time you want a drink and a killer burger stop here!!!
Prince O’ Whales
335 Culver Blvd · Playa Del Rey
(310) 823-9826
princeowhales.com