Charles Bukowski was a Los Angeles author of a bygone era that wrote about the disenfranchised, the lowlifes and the all around scumbags of both his and his father's generation. Barkowski is a Santa Monica bar that pays homage to this rough around the edges poet and author. In a 1960s throwback themed venue, this spot promises all the edginess of a dive bar without the actual rankness. More like a riff on a dive, this spot caters to those with rugged aspirations. Large black and white posters of an angry looking Bukowski line the walls of this dark venue along with framed quotes from the eponymous author. Writers and hipsters crowd around garish bright red leather booths in this darkly lit hole in the wall while they sip on one of the many beers available, or even a “Hella Fine Merlot.” With a central pool table and lacquer black walls, Barkowski does seedy in a perfectly refined way only a Santa Monica joint could pull off. Find your inner intellectual angst with a friend you feel like waxing philosophy with, or just pounding a cold brewski with while you admire the merging of a down and dirty attitude along with a very knowledgeable hipster vibe.