Pub Paradis - The Red Lion Tavern, L.A.

On a broad long road between Silver Lake and Echo Park, in the shadow of Dodger Stadium, you will find................

the Red Lion Tavern.

It's not really about the food here.  Though it is solidly German, simple and lean for the most part, and  plentiful.   In any case the beer will make it taste exceedingly delicious.

No it's all about the atmosphere.  A great place to go on a rainy day.  Or after a Dodgers game.  This is one of the few places in L.A. where you will see young and old, Latino and gringo, Hipsters and regular guys mixing it up all together behind tall glasses of pale fizzy beer.  The garden is delightful and sheltered and approximates very successfully a shady-somewhere-off-to-the-side in an old country back water.  Inside is a warren of dark man caves where certain individuals seem to have happily spent several lifetimes, and narrow hallways and stairs that keep you from breaking in on their private (sometimes group?) reveries too readily or successfully.

And yes, too true, there are some who come to admire the only semi-authentic but persuasive nonetheless, "dirndl" scene.  Carried off with knowing humor by "girls" who in another time and other lives might have been spending a lot of their time auditioning for Walt Disney movies.  Since the studio was JUST AROUND THE CORNER.  

Now it's just about the fun of dressing up.  Cause that's L.A. baby! 

The Red Lion Tavern is 50 years old.  That's a long time in America.  With any luck, it will be here forever.