Tony's Darts Away

WhatdaHec

California

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

As a Burbank resident, I've been hoping for, at the very least, a halfway decent beer bar to come to town. Tony's Dart's Away blew any expectations I had clear into the stratosphere. The place is amazing. Not only is the beer selection superb, but Tony only pours California brew, ensuring that what comes out of the kegs is fresh because it's local. The frankfurter I had was also delicious and the fresh chips are great.
I got a chance to talk with Tony on my visit and he's very down to earth. He took time to talk to me about his philosophy and what he's trying to accomplish with this bar and the one about to open in Echo Park. Cool dude for sure.
Back to the bar, it has a pool table, dart board, a few tv's showing sports, and one of my favorite things, the internet jukebox, allowing me to play some of my favorite hip hop tunes as I enjoy my brew. The place is also chock full of brewing/beer books for those wishing to catch up on the latest in beer.
Overall, this place hits the nail on the head, big time. Quickly becoming a go-to beer spot in L.A.

08-23-2010 16:48:36 | More by WhatdaHec

JeanO

California

4.83/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $

Everything about this little bar is perfect.

they must have over 35 taps but have a strict no bottle policy that is a statement about how environmentally friendly they are and how committed they are to fresh beer. They only sell Cali beer which is fine with me cuz there is so much to choose from here.

The beer is very reasonably priced. I had a Pliny the Elder for $6! I had a pint of Sculpin on cask for $6 also. Racer 5 only $4.50. And they serve real full pints.

The owner, Tony, imagine that, is very passionate about craft beer and he is usually at the bar. I talked to him about his all craft, all draft, all California motto and he totally convinced me that this is a great idea whose time has come.

I go to this bar on a regular basis even though I live about 10 miles away. the beer is always top notch with lots of new stuff always available.

Food is great, gotta try those sweet potato fires, they are insanely good.

This is my all time favorite place to drink a beer and relax with friends.

07-23-2010 17:58:54 | More by JeanO

Victoryatbeer

California

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $

Beer bars are a hard to find blessing in the Los Angeles area, but Tony's Darts Away is one of a kind.

Tony's features amazing service, happy customers, helpful and beer-savoy regulars, great food, and most importantly outstanding beer. The bar's beer selection changes daily, some days more drastically then others. As kegs pop the diligent and dedicated staff of Tony's Darts Away quickly replace them with some of the rare gems hidden away in the bars cramped and packed-full cold box.

For being a bar that is less then 3 months old, officially having its grand opening May 10, its astonishing to see such beers as Russian Rivers Damnation, Consecration, and most recently Blind Pig available on draught.

What is equally astonishing is the wide selection of vegan food offed. Regardless whether you are a vegan or not the vegan sausages are to die for. Tony's also offers pork and chicken for those who just can't live with out it, as well as several salads and appetizers, including the tantalizing sweet potato fries.

Tony's offers a relaxed, peaceful, coffee house-esque atmosphere during the day while having a feverish and hip night life. The bartenders are more of beer historians then just people who pour beer, and will gladly explain and assist any need. But if your looking to expand your beer knowledge and palette get there before 5pm. Tony's gets busy fast.

Tony's has great beer, great people, and is always a great experience. If you live in the Los Angeles area there is no excuse not to pay Tony's a visit. If your not in the mood for a surprise check out their website to see an up-to-date beer list.

07-09-2010 06:10:54 | More by Victoryatbeer

whiskeysoda

California

4.78/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $

Of course, AFTER I move out of the Valley, it get's it's very own legit craft beer bar! I shan't complain. No sir...because it's worth the trip back.

This is it, folks. 100% quality selection, service and even bar food. The interior is a refurbished dive bar (that used to be called Darts Away...hmm), and the make-shift wooden paneling of the bar and layout of the place definitely hint back towards it's beginnings, of which the non-pretentious, kick-back attitude still exude from: the dart board and pool table are now joined by boxes of games like chess and connect four; the walls and uncovered air vents decorated in brewery's bumper stickers.

Do not be fooled by the decorum, however. The IPA-centric (like the Golden State, they focus on Cali-made beers and food) beer selection will make any hop-fan's eyes tear up...possibly run like a faucet, as it is constantly rotating a wide variety of California IPA's; some of which - I'm going to say it - I had never heard of before visiting this last time. This is not to say that the other half of their tap menu (as well as their 2 cask engines) don't offer equally rare and interesting craft beers. The selection is all-in-all everything a beer geek would want and the service (esPECIALLY the management) are right there with you. Takes one to serve one.

Food wise, I'm a huge fan. They keep it simple with local, organic sausages and salads and make pains to cater to the ever-increasing vegan/veggie crowd. I am neither of these, but I have many beer loving friends who are...and I very much appreciate that TDA doesn't stop thinking past its (admittedly) excellent focus on beer.

It get's wicked crowded between 8 and 10 almost every night: so get there early, or be prepared to stand around some friendly people while sipping your first beer waiting for a table to clear. Believe me, tho...it's worth the wait!

07-05-2010 00:48:01 | More by whiskeysoda

PicoDeGallos

California

4.63/5  rDev +0.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Tony's Darts Away is the new player on the block in Burbank. There is no other place that can even come close, though. The taps are the best selection around for miles and miles. The idea of stocking only California brewed beers in kegs only is revolutionary and genius. Tony and his crew are some of the nicest and well educated people in the business. Since they opened I have learned so much more about beer and brewing that I consider Tony's Darts Away my home away from home.

If you have not been, you are missing out. It is definitely a pleasure to hear a keg blow out and know that a different beer will be on tap next.

I have had the great pleasure of meeting Lee Chase there and learning about his Blind Lady Ale House in San Diego. That was very cool.

See you at Tony's...

05-30-2010 16:33:23 | More by PicoDeGallos

PretzelCity

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Finally what Burbank has been waiting for, it's very own beer bar. Having been to the original Tony's Darts Away, I can say we didn't lose much but we gained a whole hell of a lot. The focus is on beer, fresh beer from California. At first I was a little disappointed by this concept of "limiting" the selection to CA only, but I soon realized the greater goal: focus on having local beer as fresh as possible. And that for sure is not a bad thing. The atmosphere is good and only getting better. The beer books are an awesome touch for the beer lover and noob alike. It's cool to read and learn about beer while you're doing the field research. Pool table is a bonus but it can be hard to play when the place gets a little crowded and you can still run into the old timers from the original Tony's which is always a fun experience. The food, while limited, is great. Although they don't have the wings the original did, they make up for it with their beer selection. Service is good, most of the staff still seems to be learning but the place is only a couple of months old. My favorite part is the half pint. I love it, every bar should have it and I'm glad Tony's does. I'm excited to see how this place will develop over time.

05-28-2010 23:20:11 | More by PretzelCity

DoubleJ

California

4.36/5  rDev -5.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

So much has been said about this new Burbank bar that I decided to drive from Orange County to see whats up. TDA is well lit from the street at night, so finding was not a problem. There's plenty of parking on the street.

Well lit interior, pale colored wood all around, board games to play with friends, beer books waiting to be read, a pool table, a dart board, and a large bar decorate the interior of TDA. It's very clean, and very inviting. Nearly everyone there was around the age of I (I'm 24).

The foucs, as others have stated, are strickly California beers on-tap and cask. There are two cask engines to go along with the 30-odd rotating taps. Lots of IPA's on the menu, running about 15 total, while the rest are filled with "Not IPA's". There are beers from AleSmith, Stone, Ballast Point, Coronado, Eagel Rock, Bootlegger's, Kern River, Craftsman, Firestone, MateVeza, Anchor, Marin, Sierra Nevada, and Rubicon, including lots of "harder to find" kegs. It's a great concept.

Unlike other places, TDA serves an honest pint. They take an English pint glass (about 20 ounces), fill it to a certain point in the glass, and serve it. Your beer may not be filled all the way to the top, but you're still getting the pint of beer you paid for. Most of the beers are around $5 a pour. Other pieces of glassware are also used, including a half-pint.

The bartenders seemed to have a grasp on beer knowledge, and were quick to keep glasses full of beer. A small selection of food is served as well (sausages, fries, salads, onion straws), but I wasn't hungry. Maybe next time I'll experiment.

TDA is a fun place for the beer drinker. The craft beer bar scene in LA just got another great addition, in an area that's been adding them at a furious pace over the last few years.

05-25-2010 19:04:23 | More by DoubleJ

plarson

California

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $

As a Portland native and long time beer lover, I can without
hesitation, suggest Tony's Darts Away as the top beer bar between San Francisco and San Diego. And I put it up against any SF or SD place too.
Where do I start? How about the beer... They have 39 beers on tap including two beer engines and three nitro taps. All of the beer is on draft. It is all from California and it is all incredible. No concession Bud Light in bottles or Guiness on tap.
The sign prominently reads: All craft, all draught, all California and this place delivers. Honest Pint certified, beautiful large pours, super cheap prices, rotating selection to keep the beer geeks swarming and about 10 resident taps that keep regulars happy.
There is nothing wrong and everything right about this neighborhood pub.
Food is very good and has a ton of vegan stuff. Atmosphere is beer bar
perfect. Simple, easy to relax, comfortable, games, jukebox.
The best thing about this place might be the vibe. Staff is well
trained and passionate about beer without being pretentious or pushy at all.

Mwah - I heart Tony's.

ps. just got a private message from a fan of this bar asking why I had given them $$$$. My mistake, Tony's is very inexpensive.

05-25-2010 00:10:18 | More by plarson

charlzm

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

UPDATE - visited on Thursday night July 1st at 8:00pm; there were no tables and no spots at the bar. Tony's is a victim of its own success. I was in line between people who wanted to know what the best pilsener on tap was. Not really full-on beer geeks, obviously, but I applaud that more and more people are moving into the world of craft beer.

Get a clue, LA entrepreneurs: we need more places to have good beer in the San Fernando Valley, where over ONE MILLION PEOPLE live. That's more than the population of many urban areas with their own thriving craft beer scenes. Besides Tony's, what do we have? A couple of BJ's, a Gordon Biersch, Fox and Hounds, McG's, Laurel Tavern (ack) and Blue Dog. COME ON!

Anyway...
___

Tony's, I love you. This is a beer lovers' place, like Father's Office used to be (BEFORE the Office Burger). It compares favorably with other LA area haunts (I'm looking at you, Verdugo).

I can't fault the place in any way except to suggest more bar staff. The wait for a beer can range up to ten minutes at peak times.

But it's beer worth waiting for. While not a menu full of beer pron, the solid and changing lineup is skewed towards local and regional brews.

To sum it up, Tony's is the ideal neighborhood bar: clean, friendly, a good hang spot, average prices, great craft selection (with no PBR style concessions on draft), awesome staff. The crowd when I visited was actually drinking and interested in beer - surprising in a good way based on the their being youngish studio-type employees.

Ample, free street parking and freeway close location are just the icing on this cake.

My new favorite place in greater LA metro for a brew.

05-16-2010 04:23:11 | More by charlzm

TheJollyHop

California

4.28/5  rDev -7.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $

Its location emphasized by a large TONY'S sign on a stretch of Magnolia Blvd before the 5 freeway. This place is easy to find and the ensuing parking concern is equally remedied by ample residential space.

Once inside of Tonys', the layout is surprisingly uncluttered. Large windows near the front along with a few wooden tables that are adjacent to a large bar that spans nearly half the distance of the rectangle shaped space. Wooden tables line the perimeter, and towards the back of there is a pool table and a couple of televisions for your viewing pleasure. The walls are adorned with craft brewery advertisements; a nice touch.

A big plus is the number of things there are to do at Tony's. There is a rather extensive beer library that you can peruse through while enjoying one of over twenty different tap selections (most being served in 16oz true pints) for a very inexpensive price range of between $4.50- $6. There is billiards, also there are a few additional games (gotta have darts right?) that I can not comment on because I didn't check them out (I brought my own games).

Food is good but not something to go out of your way for. Sausages and fries, not bad, rather keeping it simple, but hey beer doesn't need to be complex all of the time!

The crowd is mainly hipsters in their late twenties to a hodgepodge of people in their early forties. Everyone seemed to be friendly (hey at least there weren't any angry drunks), and as the sun set a few rays illuminated the bar through the windows which was a pleasant surprise.

Tony's is everything a neighborhood beer bar should be in my opinion.

05-13-2010 14:32:59 | More by TheJollyHop