Though USC’s most famous for football and film school, its barely-off-campus gastropub, The Lab, pays homage to science. You can only hope for a good-looking lab partner at the large, shiny silver communal-seating lab table, while perusing menus tucked neatly on clipboards and sipping on beverages in beakers. Sure, it’s all about sleek-geek ambience, but the food’s served up non-science-experiment style, leaning toward good, ol’ fashioned comfort fare. The gooey goodness of brie mac and cheese and pita with three styles of hummus (chipotle, black bean and regular) all earn a big red “A;” beer gets high marks, too, with more than 20 craft taps and home-team favorites like Trojan Blonde. 3500 Figueroa St., Los Angeles, thelab.usc.edu

[Photo: Ian Evenstar]