Getting log cabin-cozy in the city.

Marked only by its unlit address and a small rock garden, and seemingly out of place on Los Feliz Boulevard, Bigfoot Lodge is more than just a bit of rustic charm in the middle of Los Angeles. It’s a bar/log cabin where patrons can pretend they’re in Vermont, rather than southern California.
With its own Smokey the Bear, a sign reading “Welcome to Sasquatch National Forest,” and a gigantic flagstone fireplace, the place is a campy update of the neighborhood hangout. The decor is kitschy ‘60s log cabin cool taken deliberately to the extreme, with logs everywhere, an animatronic raccoon in a stump, decanters shaped like bears and fish, and stuffed forest creatures. The ceiling is beamed redwood, antlers hang over the mantel, and Smokey the Bear guards the restrooms marked BUCKS and DOES. The DJ is hidden in a hutch behind a massive evergreen, and features a different musical theme every night. And there are plenty of bands that play here too.
With one of the wittiest interiors in town, Bigfoot attracts folks who don’t take themselves too seriously (we hope). But would it cause a Stalker-worthy stir?

Stalker #1
So my girl and I are on our way to Bigfoot, dreading it. Theme anything sounds just awful. But I loved this place, right from the start. It was difficult to find at first, but once we did it was worth it. The doorman was super-nice, and set a positive tone for the night. Once past the velvet curtain entrance, we entered a log cabin (it really did look like one) where regulars were laying back on ‘50s-style furniture and chilling in front of a fake fireplace. If it was snowing outside, it would have seemed like a winter Mecca.
The entire staff was accommodating and kind, a nice change from other places in LA. And the drinks were really cool. Even the drink menu fit the mood. There was a flaming drink called the Toasted Marshmallow, but the best cocktail was the Girl Scout Cookie, which tasted just like a real thin mint Girl Scout cookie.
This is one of the best spots in Los Angeles, if only for the unbelievably well thought out decor. The place has a great atmosphere too. It’s small and cozy, like hitting a ski lodge in the middle of the city. The music is great, the staff is friendly and fun, and the drinks are strong. Coupled with the unique surroundings, it’s a winner.

Stalker #2
How refreshing. The Bigfoot Lodge is a great place to go if you want to spend time with your friends and not be crammed in a bar trying to scream your drink order. You can sit back and relax, or go crazy and dance. The decor is authentic, like a real mountain lodge from the ‘60s or something, and you’ll be you’ll be laughing your butt off at the small details that really make this place.
It has a cheeky outdoors theme, with an actual life-size, moving Smokey the Bear and wood paneling. There are animals all over the place, and the drunker you get the more amusing and appropriate they become. I’ve never had such an overwhelming urge to talk to a beaver in my entire life before going to Bigfoot. Yes, there is a fireplace at the Bigfoot (even though it’s gas), and plenty of cozy places that really put you in the mood to pretend you just came in from the slopes. People were totally getting into it too. That’s great for a pretender like me, because I’m deathly afraid of skiing and always wanted to live out that ski bunny fantasy. But don’t expect a quiet drinking experience. The DJ played the whole night, and the chatter didn’t stop. But it fit the mood of the night, and it wasn’t the type of noise that you would expect from other nightspots around here. You could actually hear people, and I didn’t have the usual ringing in the ears. I was hesitant to check this place out – theme bars frighten me – but Bigfoot is now high on my list of places to hit on any given night.