Witzend, Venice

Witzend, like the music industry itself, has seen a lot of changes over the years. The building that now houses owner Jeb Milne's restaurant and entertainment venue (as well as his animation company and holiday rentals) was known in the 1960s as the 4H Club, a bar frequented by Jim Morrison and The Doors and Gregory Hines. As the '60s gave way to the '70s, the space became Mad Dog Studios, then briefly a giant moth that terrorized the city, and then once again a studio, this time named Stanley Recordings. In 2005, Jeb turned the building into nerve center of his media operations, and after years of work in the neighborhood, opened Witzend in the same location. Today, bands from near and far perform for Witzend's lively audiences, while cooks prepare crowd-pleasing dishes, such as barbecue-chicken sandwiches and gourmet pizzas.