OK, this isn’t fair of me to make this judgment especially since no one has ever taken me on a date here and, rather, my friend told me about when it happened to her, but I just can’t believe that it even came up as an option for a first date. Not that I have anything against going to the turtle races, in fact, I even considered checking it out to write it up. But, come on. For a first date?

You’ve got your bar food, your beer, sports on TV, and drunken men yelling at turtles. Fun place to go with your buddies, yes. A fine place to impress your date? No.

In any case, Brennan’s, around since 1972, is a spirited Irish sports bar whose claim to fame is the turtle races. Every Thursday night from 9pm to close, bar patrons gather around the backyard area to witness this Westside spectacle. The turtles are classified into one of seven divisions ranging from “Midget” to “Monster.” And even though the event is said to run til close, there are only two rounds of racing held about an hour apart…well, those mofos are slowwww. Participants are encouraged to either bring their own turtle to race or to rent one at the bar for $3 (proceeds go to Heal the Bay).

From AOL City Guide:

A genius strategy to get a group all fired up and wasted is to have them watch a competition that has no end. People here get more excited about turtle racing than a Laker game.

Let me reiterate one more time: Fun for buddies, not fine for a date.

4089 Lincoln Boulevard
Marina Del Rey, California 90292
(310) 821-6622