Modern Times Dankness Dojo

OUR ARTICLE

Coffee, it does a body good. That’s the old slogan, right? Or was it, Got beer?

The Mad Men copywriting gods of yore are probably looking down, ready to smite us for our sacrilege, but one thing’s for sure: The Dankness Dojo in DTLA has both – and, unlike milk, it actually lives up to the hype.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. One step inside will turn you into a believer. (Or is it beerliever?) With an on-site brewery and over two dozen taps of original beer selections, in addition to guest beer and wine options, growler fills, and beer flights to get your sampling game on, the Dojo is an undisputed beer-lover’s fantasy.

So buckle in and grab a beer flight because the wall art installations are rad, the vibes are good, and maybe – just maybe – the gods of the OG Modern Times will bless you with a little of the free love they were famous for.

Opening their doors in January of 2018, The Dankness Dojo has quickly become a new standout in the South Park neighborhood of downtown LA’s emerging craft beer scene. They hit the ground running as a recent progeny of Modern Times, the San Diego-based brewery established in 2013 – which has since sprouted up a trio of other locations, a stellar reputation in the beer community, and distribution throughout Southern California – much to the delight of Los Angeles brewski-heads.

There are legos and piñatas on the walls, gold swan tchotchkes on the tables, and t-shirts for sale, but the brewpub still maintains an air of retro sophistication… or perhaps that’s the crux of its comfortable, yet cool charm.

Especially quaint given that the Doomsday Clock is currently a super-chill two minutes to midnight is that Modern Times is the namesake of a utopian commune (now-defunct, aren’t they all?) on Long Island in the 1850s and early 60s. As such, most of the Dojo’s home beers are named after real utopian experiments or mythological utopias, like Fortunate Islands, New Atlantis, and Metabaron. These pints make great palate cleansers for the dystopian headlines in your newsfeed!

If you need a jolt of caffeinated pep on your way to and from work, there are also Modern Times branded beans holding it down on the morning front, responsible for some grade A java you’re gonna want to get your hands (and mouth) on ASAP. It’s worth a stop in for the coffee offerings alone.

Food-wise, the Dojo offers pastries for breakfast – to be washed down by a cup of their premium joe, duh – plus a full vegan menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner, all without sacrificing taste (one clueless Yelper didn’t know his Double Burger was meatless until after he’d eaten it, sorry chap!). In our estimation the veg-friendly bill of fare pushes The Dankness Dojo over the edge, making it among the best all-day downtown escapes.

So buckle in and grab a beer flight because the wall art installations are rad, the vibes are good, and maybe – just maybe – the gods of the OG Modern Times will bless you with a little of the free love they were famous for. And if not, there are plenty of ales, lagers, stouts, and cold brews to get off on… which is what you came for in the first place, right? (Right??)