despite the glut of coffee bars and upscale eateries on this stretch of california drive, antonio's is a prime example of a neighborhood bar -- high on the basic requirements of beer, burgers and pool. That said, it's a favorite of the party-hardy college crowd.

doors open at 9am, when patrons can enjoy full proprietorship of the lone jukebox, billiards table or dartboard, but saturday night is all about elbow-to-elbow group imbibing. Antonio's nut house is a place to drink -- and drink some more. Sure, you can get actual peanuts from a mechanical gorilla; but even the seen-it- all bartender admits, "it gets a little wild sometimes." expect frequent spillage.

azteca taqueria, a full-sized grill making mexican specialties as well as burgers and grilled sandwiches, shares the large space with antonio's, and is open late into the evening.