Agreed. I'm not sure what this "culture" talk is. I've been in the bay area for a decade now and have worked at a small YC startup with a modest exit, a big-ish

Agreed. I'm not sure what this "culture" talk is. I've been in the bay area for a decade now and have worked at a small YC startup with a modest exit, a big-ish company that got acquired, and a bigger company that's gone public. In all cases each company talks up it's "culture" - to me it's just a phrase that elicits an eye-roll. Another commenter suggested you look for a "typical 9-to-5", but even there I'm sure they'd talk up their amazing culture.