Dine Here Often?

On a recent Thursday night at AOC, two women in their 30s chatted about books and split a bottle of Fume Blanc. When their small plates -- a prosciutto brioche and assorted cheeses -- arrived, a couple of guys to their right made their move. First, they inquired about the brioche. Then, they introduced themselves. Some lively back and forth followed, along with another round. Thirty minutes later, the women asked for the check, and one guy asked for a phone number.

A lot can happen at a restaurant bar. Elbows nudge, plates get passed and conversations spread like a spilled martini. "You can engage someone sitting next to you and then someone else joins in and suddenly, you're all talking," says Jay Carlile, a regular at Dominick's and AOC. "Or you can say 'hi' to the bartender and not be social at all."

The growing appeal isn't lost on restaurateurs either. The bar area at the Foundry on Melrose just tripled in size, and Fraiche in Culver City now has an in-house DJ. At the two Mozzas, there's a different species of bar dweller for each eatery. The sophisticated Osteria attracts more couples and first dates, while the low-key but plenty noisy pizzeria plays the Clash and caters to singles.

"Restaurants are either expanding their bar seating or creating menus for people who don't want to commit to a full-on meal," sys restaurant publicist Vanessa Kanegaisays. The beauty of sitting at the bar is the fact that your only commitment is to pay the bill. Herewith, the best stools in town:

The Foundry on Melrose

7465 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 651-0915

The setup: Eight seats at the bar, with scattered couches and tables in the brand new adjacent lounge.

Crowd: Young couples with a sitter at home, thirtysomething guys who sleep on beds (not futons) and women catching up on gossip.

Attire: Men can wear blazers or berets -- the crowd is eclectic. Women opt for tunics over skinny jeans and high-heel boots.

Order: The short rib sandwich oozing cheese is the one to beat. Great dirty martinis too.

Best night: Friday and Saturday, when a jazz trio plays.

Mozza, Pizzeria and Osteria

641 N. Highland Ave., L.A.; (323) 297-0100

The setup: A wine bar seats 12 and the pizzeria bar seats eight; a mozzarella bar seats 13 in the Osteria with a back bar for 10.

Crowd: Entertainment industry types, financial players and fashion publicists who ogle each other in between bites at Osteria. Next door, the crowd is almost as powerful, but less inclined to network.