SOUTH
3001 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Nominated by: Adam Milstein
Adam's submission :My name is Jack, well Jack Daniels if you will, and I am a bottle at America's best sportsbar, SOUTH. Now I know what you're thinking, how does a bottle know what constitutes Americas best sports bar? Well, I'm about to tell you. So hear me out.
SOUTH is an 8,000 sq foot establishment in the heart of Santa Monica, CA. It was started by some guys who both are from the SOUTH and wanted to bring that feeling of southern hospitality to So Cal. It is a place where you walk in and feel welcome, unpretentious… blab la bla…. Lets get to the good stuff
I like that these guys think outside of the box… Sure SOUTH was named best sportsbar of the year by CitySearch, and they are constantly being written up about their authentic cuisine (Chicken and Waffle Sliders and New Orleans favorites), but that's really kind of boring… at least for me a lowly bottle.
On every night of the week these guys are doing something with a twist…. Constantly pushing the envelope and never afraid to give something a shot. Examples? Glad you asked.
Lets start with Wed nights.. a night that has become epic in SoCal. Trivia night. Now, any ol bar can have trivia, but not the way they do it here. 6 rounds every week (2 handouts, 1 audio, 1 movie round where movies are played on every tv in the spot, and 2 surprises)… Pretty cool? Yeah, but whats even cooler is that after every round, the host has 250 people leading a chant that goes, "When I say trivia, you say fun"
Remind me to tell you about the night Cuba Gooding Jr was there
When the recession hit, SOUTH led what became a wave of ways to help out customers. They launched Recession Thursdays, a night where food was 1, 2, and 3 dollars.. and drinks were close to the same (2 shots, etc.)… While some may argue the recession has passed, SOUTH continues to honor Thursday nights and help out as they can.
I guess I should mention, although you probably already realized this, SOUTH has 25 tv's throughout the place (they even have tvs outside on their patio), an HD projection screen, and of course every package to show every game, etc. etc. Once again… not really interesting, you know what is…
The fact that SOUTH has worked with over 50 charities, and organizations since inception, and even had a charity night on Tuesdays, where if you had a charity or fundraiser you wanted to raise money for, you could have it at SOUTH, and they would donate back a percentage. They also are not afraid to sponsor little league teams, hockey teams, etc
Still not convinced? Okay their drink menu (in addition to 18 beers on tap, and 22 in a bottle, and of course a full array of every liquor and bourbon imaginable) has the story simply called: The DIXIE STORY, The story includes Dixies unique history, and the devastation after Katrina knocked the brewery. Thanks to some small breweries, DIXIE has been able to live on, and SOUTH proudly serves Dixie beers from the Joseph Huber Brewery in Monroe, WI….. From one alcohol to another, that's pretty cool.
Oh, I almost forgot some of the other fun things they do/have done: HonkeyTonk Bingo, Live Band Karaoke (Karaoke with a full band behind you), Poker Night, and of course their Monday Night Hot Wing Challenge (15 minutes to eat as many wings as you can; Beat the record and the contest is named after you until it is broken; No napkins, no dipping sauces, no veggies)… I even see folks playing tennis on the Wii in one of their back rooms.
If you look on my label, it reads "Everyday we make it, we'll make it the best we can" In essence, that is SOUTH in a nutshell. The owners and staff lead by example. They help each other out, have eachother's backs, and function as a family. They pride themselves on customer service, quality, and differentiating themselves from the competition. Ultimately it's a sportsbar that gives people the best food, drink, service, and experience imaginable. Each week they raise the bar, and each week they give back. SOUTH is the best sports bar in America.
About the Bar (from official web site) : Where true Southern style meets Southern California. At SOUTH you'll get authentic Southern food and classic cocktails & beers, all served with our friendly hospitality. You're always welcome at SOUTH, no matter if you want a sit down dinner with family and friends or just want a drink while you watch the game. We've also got great music, private rooms, and plenty of outdoor space to soak in the California sun (or moon!). We pride ourselves on bringing you a little Southern comfort in this hectic town. Come down to SOUTH and enjoy yourself!!