Nestled beneath a blanket of leafy shade provided by the boughs of mature trees, a historic home-turned-restaurant sits with its doors and brick patio spread wide open, ready to welcome members of the community to its tables. The handsome 5,600 square-foot Dutch revival style building began as a single-family residence in 1896, and now functions as not only home for eight students living in its upstairs studios, but a delicious pub-style restaurant on its first floor called Study Hall. It’s also your place while you’re there.

Just like the dual purpose of the historical building housing their business, restaurant owners Ray Lee and Harry Kim aim to provide not just food, but a community hang out to the neighborhood around USC. 

“We want to be a place where when you walk in, everyone knows your name and what you like to eat or drink.  Not only for students, but for the whole neighborhood,” Kim says. 

A short walk from USC, located just beyond the borders of the under-construction University Village, on Hoover and 29th street, Study Hall boats a little bit of the L.A. foodie and beer culture the area locals may not be willing to pursue on a regular basis. But it’s right here at “home.”

“We wanted to be here for that crowd that doesn’t want to get into their cars and drive to L.A. or We.Ho. We want to be like our favorite places in those areas, but local,” Kim explained.

It is precisely because of these reasons that I discovered Study Hall at all. On my first visit, I walked into the space formerly inhabited by 2-9 Café praying I would find a beer selection that extended beyond the typical brews found in college towns. Before Study Hall my foodie and brew fix was about 20-40 minutes away between walking to the station and waiting for the train.

Study Hall boasts a decent selection of beers that includes local breweries like the Fullerton-based Bootleggers Brewery, and House Beer created in the garage of a current USC student. I ordered a crisp-tasting Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA, and a Green Flash Brewing Co. Hop Head Red that leaves a pleasant lingering after taste on the surface of your tongue between sips. 

Weeks later, I returned to hang at Study Hall with my mom. Lee had one look at me and when I glanced at the menu trying to remember what I had drunk, he told me off the top of his head what I’d ordered a month before. I knew instantly he was right. I also knew I’d found my new favorite spot. This was my place.

But as any foodie knows, it isn’t just the food or drink of an establishment that makes it special.

“A beer is just a beer,” Kim said. “It’s the vibe, the people, the interaction with staff that really make an experience.”

Indeed the ambiance of Study Hall is notable. The tabletops match the hardwood floors. Their black iron bases are nostalgic of old country-style metal headboards giving a nod to yesterday, while shiny black retro-style chairs acknowledge today. Light fixtures with antique-looking filaments visually take center stage while modern recessed lighting on a dimmer sets the mood. A well-used shuffleboard table sits near the bar, begging for more memories to be made on it. Even the new patio tables have a story—Lee and Kim built them from scratch.

Soon those tables will be lined up family-style when Study Hall rolls out what it will call Sunday Suppers. These community meals will serve off-menu items at a fixed cost until the dish is gone; the goal being to connect the neighborhood, encouraging interaction.

The legitimate desire to connect is tangible here, and that’s what sets Study Hall apart from many of the local businesses. With each visit I’m informed of a new or coming change and my feedback is eagerly awaited. My second visit, Lee and Kim told me they’d started curing and cutting their own meat. The result of fresh meat brined and ground in-house is The Union—the best-tasting and most beautifully balanced bacon and bleu cheese burger I’ve ever tasted. The roquefort was in perfect harmony with the garlic aioli and neither flavor overpowered the meat, which itself was juicy and tender.

Though the meat may be tender, Lee and Kim certainly are not. They not only welcome feedback and ideas, but thrive on and highly encourage them. They want to know what makes their customers taste buds happy. That’s why come January they’re adding two highly-requested menu items from the old 2-9 Café—the Greek salad and the tuna melt—in addition to more vegetarian and gluten free items. 

Monday is the start of the restaurant’s Happy Hour, so stop in, make yourself comfortable and see what these guys are all about. While you’re at it, talk about your experience with the staff. Study Hall offers a unique opportunity to be a part of a restaurant’s history. By giving feedback, customers increase a small business’s chances of sticking around and becoming a community fixture in an area packed with chains and lacking individuality.

With moderate pricing, good portions, and delicious takes on "pub grub", the situation is all win. It isn’t every day that a restaurant is looking to be what you want and need, truly there to serve you. But that is what is present at Study Hall. 

Contact Contributor Marisa Zocco here; follow her on Twitter here.

This story is part of Culture For Change, a month-long Arts and Culture exploration of cultural activism in L.A. For the other stories in the collection, click here.