Laurel Tavern is Studio City's reliable gastropub on Ventura

Laurel Tavern sits on Ventura Boulevard and does the gastropub thing without making a fuss about it. The room leans woody and comfortable, there are craft beers on tap, burgers on the menu, and a patio out front that fills up when the weather is good, which in Studio City is most of the time.

What makes it useful is the range. You can come here for a proper sit-down dinner, stop in for a drink after work, or order takeout on a night you don't feel like going out. Reservations are accepted, which matters if you're bringing a group. Cocktails and wine round out the beer list, so not everyone has to be a craft beer person.

Nearly a thousand Google reviews at 4.5 stars says the place has been doing something right for a while. It's not trying to be a destination, just a dependable neighborhood bar and kitchen. On Ventura, that's exactly what the strip needs more of.