It’s such an LA institution. The first time I went there, my friend Beck Bennett got tickets to Shrek the Musical at Pantages for my birthday and was like, ‘Let’s go check [Musso] beforehand.’ And I immediately fell in love. My very specific order is the Welsh rarebit, creamed spinach, and the filet. Famously, they pour a mean martini, so I like to slam a few of those before going over to the El Capitan to watch Inside Out or something.

I love old-school Mexican restaurants. I’m from San Diego, so Mexican food is something that’s very meaningful to me. When I moved to the Eagle Rock area, I was trying to find a place that spoke to me and we learned about Mijares in Pasadena. They have everything I want: a decent margarita, chips and salsa, and a tableside guac that really hits. I also always get the flautitas with ground beef. It’s fried almost like chimichanga and you throw some sour cream in there—delicious.

First of all, it’s the bomb. I take the train a lot to San Diego. I love the Pacific Surfliner—I think it’s such a perfect way to move about Southern California. And I think Union Station itself is awesome, so distinctly LA and aesthetically wonderful. And Traxxx Bar is one of the first things you see as you enter the place. It’s just a classic, divey spot and there’s just something so incredibly romantic about having a drink at the train station.

Since I moved to this area, I’ve spent a lot more time [at Hermosillo]. The outside area is essentially a daycare. There are so many families. And we have a one-year old, so it’s sort of perfect. Mom and dad get to chill out and I think their cheeseburger is great. And I really think their fried pickles are some of the best fried pickles I’ve ever had.

I’m not trying to sound like an alcoholic here, but another great pour of a cocktail. I’m a martini person, but I love their manhattan as well. It’s a place where once you figure out your order, you’re good to go. Their fried mozzarella is really good, I love the sausage dish, and I’ve only recently ventured into the steaks, but I love them, too. Oh, and the [complementary] garlic bread is great. You gotta appreciate the free thing.

I’ve been going here since college. Maybe it’s obvious, but I’m attracted to older spots and places that have been around for awhile. What I love is there’s this Disneyland vibe. I love the sausage platter and the cheese platter. They also have the Stroh, which is a shot of liquor that’s probably 150 proof and will rock your world. I don’t recommend doing it.

This is a wine shop here in Eagle Rock. We love natural wine and so we pick it up there, but they also have a bar and snacks—very small, intimate. Awesome people who are very kind, play good music, and have a cool vibe. If you want a quiet place to go to, it’s a good spot to check out.

This is sad, but I love the Disney parks. Mendocino Terrace has become our first stop. My wife will get some dry sauvignon blanc, and if it’s a special occasion, I might get some sparkling wine. There’s typically not a big line and the music is sick. The only thing I can compare it to is like when you go to a gift shop at Yosemite and they have CDs called Guitars In The Forest. It’s fully that, always.

I’ve only been there once, but it’s really beautiful. Great selection of natural wine, and the food is really, really amazing. I’m not good at articulating an aesthetic, but it has everything I want. It feels cool, but not in a way that’s pretentious. I would want to take anyone here, and I think they’d enjoy it and be impressed.

Another great Eagle Rock spot. My favorite drink there is called the In-A-Gadda, which has mezcal in it. They have a great karaoke night. They have stand-up. I like a place where people are nice to you, and this was the first spot I went to with my wife after we got married, so it’ll always have a nice spot inside my soul.

I had to put in one spot that is classic foodie. Just no notes—everything is amazing. If you want to introduce somebody to elevated food culture, you can be like, ‘This is what good food is.’