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From the first class destinations of Beverly Hills to the mild-mannered beach grills of Malibu, many of LA's restaurants double as popular nightlife hangouts. Since most restaurants come equipped with a full bar, they often make an ideal starting point for the night, offering an intelligent combination of food and drink. But, if the place is right, as many places in Los Angeles are, the restaurant bar can be just as appealing as any other nightly hotspot. After all, since all restaurants obviously have full kitchens, most that serve as nightlife purlieus offer a late nite menu comprised of everything from specialty appetizers to full blown entrees. As we all know, the munchies often set in after drinking and partying all night, so what could be better than not having to leave your entertaining haven in search of food?
Amagi
6114 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.962.6808
Amagi is a mild mannered Los Angeles Japanese restaurant by day, but at night the ultra cheap booze fuels a rowdy karaoke party with sauced bar patrons belting out renditions of off beat classics. Amagi sports serious Japanese kitsch meeting Los Angeles local bar coolness and nearly every Hollywood denizen takes their turn on the small stage. Those less inclined to hit the boozy amateur signing circuit can grab a stool at the bar and still view the action at this cheap liquor swilling, hard partying Los Angeles karaoke bar. |
Aqua Restaurant and Lounge
424 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, California; Tel. 310.275.8511
Aqua Restaurant and Lounge in Beverly Hills takes swanky Los Angeles bar lounge and dance club trendiness underground for patrons looking for a hip evening of phenomenal seafood dining, dancing and drinking. This blue-hued supper club has two bars serving designer cocktails to well-heeled thirty-somethings sporting LA pomp and Aqua Restaurant and Lounge, with its dance floor commanded by slick downbeat DJs and live music acts, is a one stop shop for Los Angeles scenesters. Drinkers show up fashionably late at LA's Aqua Restaurant and Lounge and the excellent kitchen certainly accommodates with an inspired surf and turf menu served late into the night. |
The Arsenal
12012 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 310.575.5511
This nostalgic bar and restaurant is located on the southwest fringes of West Hollywood, making it a strategic spot, easily accessible from many points of interest around the LA area. Good Euro-American food, great drinks, an awesome burger, a beautiful looking crowd and a hot late night singles scene has been the Arsenal's draw since 1950. From the front, the Arsenal hasn't changed, and it still sports an old and inviting, vertical neon sign. Inside, the Arsenal's decor is dim and cozy with old war relics on the walls. The Arsenal is just a good old, unspoiled gem of a Hollywood bar—and the price is right.
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Atlas Supper Club
3760 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.385.8062
A swank Los Angeles nightclub and restaurant if ever there was one, the Atlas Supper Club exudes the feeling of a posh club from the golden years of the Jazz Age. The restaurant's menu at the Atlas Supper Club has true world influences featuring flavors from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia. The weekends at this hot Los Angeles restaurant and nightclub present live jazz, R&B, reggae and hip-hop artists on stage and during the week the Atlas Supper Club has some slick LA DJs pumping out the tunes. |
Aura
12215 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, California; Tel. 818.487.1488
While the mini-mall setting may seem like an unlikely place for an upscale Los Angeles nightclub, Aura totally pulls it off with its swank appointments and well-dressed clientele. The huge bar and attentive staff whips out pricey drinks for the younger crowd of imbibers that don't want to travel the hill into the LA nightclub scene proper. DJs and occasional live music acts take care of the hip-hop, disco, rock and dance tunes at Aura and, while this Valley nightspot has the rep of a pick-up joint, the crowds and décor make it more like a Hollywood nightclub than a college party. |
Barney's Beanery
8447 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.654.2287
This is NOT Barneys New York. This dive bar, located right in the heart of West Hollywood, has been packing them in since 1920. Back in the day, megastars like Clark Gable, John Barrymore and Errol Flynn would be hanging in, and eventually hanging onto, the bar, Today, Barney's Beanery still caters to the masses of Hollywood's greatest alcoholics. On the weekends, it's standing room only and for what reason? No one knows. The crowd of hamburger-scarfing drunken fools gets rowdy, and those who just walk by Barney's Beanery usually will get hollered at or hit by a flying lime slice hurled by one of those out-of-control patrons who have guzzled 10 too many.
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Birds
5925 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.465.0175
Birds is a great place for dinner and drinks that turns into a hotspot for the nightlife later. In true nouveau Hollywood style, amateur go-go dancers are invited into a cage with a swing after midnight. Many claim Birds has the best chicken in Los Angeles after several of their specialty drinks from the bar. Often used as a starting bar and restaurant to the pub and club crawls of singles speaks to Birds' great Hollywood neighborhood locale. While singles hang out on the outside patio to smoke and watch sports at the bar inside, others enjoy good food and the owner's sense of humor. Birds is a great LA neighborhood bar with plenty of singles and a great night life. |
Britannia Pub
328 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, California; Tel. 310.458.5350
The atmosphere in this Los Angeles bar is lively and friendly much like the English pubs it intends to mimic, but without the taxes. One block away from the 3rd St. Promenade, Britannia Pub invites locals and newcomers alike to have a pint and enjoy the live music or sports on the many TV screens. This English Pub fits into the LA lifestyle with a California flare because it isn't just drinking and rugby on tap at the Britannia Pub, but this popular Santa Monica local bar also has a pool table and a love for music. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner while you enjoy cocktails, listen to live music, karaoke, or the jukebox. It's eclectic enough to have its very own nightlife in LA. |
Cafe Sevilla
140 Pine Ave., Long Beach, California; Tel. 562.495.1111
Known for turtle racing at this Westside LA bar, Brennan's also has everything from pinball machines and pool tables to '80s cover bands and Irish folk songs. The excitement never wanes at this Los Angeles watering hole with so much activity, a testament to the Irish in the pub. The folks are friendly, the beverages are quality, and the food is scrumptious at this LA neighborhood hang out. The loud and raucous atmosphere at Brennan's Irish bar in Los Angeles is half the fun for those looking to have a good time while watching sports, drinking, and playing bar games. |
Chez Jay's
1657 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, California; Tel. 310.395.1741
The celebrities that Chez Jay's has had in their over 40 years of being open have included the likes of Frank Sinatra, Henry Kissinger, Marlon Brando, and in more recent years George Clooney has been added to that prestigious list. Located in Santa Monica, the low-key bar is only a stone's throw away from Los Angeles and draws the beach into its nautical theme. A jukebox plays oldies, sawdust covers the floors, and fish are mounted on the walls above the vinyl booths. Everything about this Santa Monica local bar will make you want to set sail. The bar staff is friendly at Chez Jay's and they offer a full menu. Take a break from the Los Angeles nightlife and enjoy the fresh ocean air at Chez Jay's. |
Dan Tana's
9071 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 310.275.9444
This old school West Hollywood bar and restaurant has been a go-to place for lots of Hollywood's A-list players whenever they're in the mood for a killer steak and/or some good (for LA standards) Italian food. The red leather booths and the red and white checkered table clothes gives Dan Tana's that real-deal feel. But if one is traveling from New York or from Jersey, one better stick to the meat and stay away from the marinara. Dan Tana's is extremely pricey but worth at least one try. Come early and during the week to assure getting a table. It's celebrity heaven from Friday to Sunday. |
DeLacey's 41
41 S. DeLacey, Pasadena, California; Tel. 626.795.4141
A Pasadena staple, DeLacey's 41 has the best apple martini in the whole city, maybe in all of Los Angeles County. They also serve lunch and dinner everyday with a menu that specializes in American cuisine including plenty of steak options. An exquisite wine list is also available though you might not expect fine wines after seeing the game mounted on the walls. The sun shining through stained glass windows highlights the long bar, wooden booths, and an old-time atmosphere. Sitting at the bar will charm you right out of LA and into a friendlier place where the bar staff will take the time to know you. Old Town Pasadena is the perfect home for a bar of this quality. |
El Carmen
8138 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.852.1552
Open seven days until 2am, El Carmen specializes in making a killer margarita. This unique south of the border-like drinking bar, with the mounted bull heads and the black velvet posters of Mexican wrestling on the walls, makes one think of a movie set designed by Twin Peaks director David Lynch—if he were across the border in some weird watering hole. El Carmen has over 420 kinds of tequila and serves fine Mexican food, but with that much tequila, anything would taste good. |
El Coyote Cafe
7312 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.624.2244
El Coyote Cafe has been around since the '30s and all of LA's dining crowd has at one time or another pigged out at this great Mexican restaurant. El Coyote Cafe is close to the Beverly Center, which brings in a lot of 20th century foxes for happy-hour, and those celebratory drinks on behalf of a Gucci or Manolo Blahnik purchase. But the real mystique—the point in the El Coyote Cafe's history when things would never be quite the same here again—was on a Friday, August 8, 1969. Jay Sebring made an 8pm dinner reservation for Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Sharon Tate and himself. They sat at the bar for 15 minutes and then moved to a table and ate what they didn't know were going to be their last meals. They left El Coyote Cafe at around 9:45pm and drove back to Cielo Drive. Not to worry—Charles Manson has never eaten here. |
El Dorado
11777 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 310.207.0150
Westside Los Angeles now has a Mexican restaurant to eat, dance, and party at Monday through Sunday. El Dorado has two dance floors for salsa dancing as DJs spin salsa and Latin music late into the night. Thursday nights fill up quick with the added feature of go-go dancers, tarot card readers, and giveaways. Tamale Tuesday at the bar means $1 tacos and $2 tamales with cheap cervezas to quench your thirst. The crowd is a mix of hipsters and generic folk out to dance the night away in Los Angeles. |
El Guapo
7250 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.297.0471
The only things that are Mexican about El Guapo are the name, the food, and the drinks. TV screens adorn every wall playing various sports games and rock songs play in the background. Situated on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, the bar at least provides fierce margaritas to the cheering sports fans. Only 16 kinds of tequila grace the bar, but the combinations are virtually endless in their strong drinks. Los Angeles' El Guapo also offers a huge outside patio with seating and a private bar. The Mexican cantina serves Mexican and American food, but the list of margaritas and "fun shots" are far more important. Just one 42-ounce Monster Margarita at this LA local bar and you'll be ready to go back to El Guapo again and again. |
Finn McCool's
2700 Main St., Santa Monica, California; Tel. 310.452.1734
Owner of Finn McCool's. Gerri Gilliard, has taken the idea behind Irish pubs she grew up with in Ireland and put it into her pub and restaurant in Santa Monica. Authentic Irish food is served alongside Guinness, Scottish malts and Irish whiskey. Like any Los Angeles bar, there is a happy hour Monday through Saturday with various drinks and appetizers for $3 each. Many Santa Monica locals populate the bar while tourists often come to see the beautiful teak bar, Celtic murals, and make friends with the Irish bartenders. The pub has a "tradition of hospitality to strangers" and is a very friendly place to eat and drink in LA. |
Flower St. Cafe
811 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 120, Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.623.4777
Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, this sports bar seems more like a Vegas hotel/casino restaurant. The Flower St. Cafe offers a huge continental menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, served in a spacious dining area, with nine screens to keep the attention of all the sports nuts. But on Thursday and Friday nights, sports are out the window when the Flower St. Cafe transforms into a drunken watering hole for a healthy group of karaoke freaks. Did someone say this was a sports bar? It is—sometimes.
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Forbidden City
1718 Vine St., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.461.2300
Over-the-top Chinese décor up the sleaze factor of the Forbidden City on Hollywood and Vine. Gold accents and red Chinese lanterns top off the black wood bar and statues of dragons. A reasonably priced Chinese restaurant menu would make Buddha happy before the dining area gets turned into a dance floor that vibrates with hip-hop. The lounge on the first floor has a flashy bar with fish tanks on each end to light up the booths around the bar. Upstairs, the Los Angeles elite can spend their time in the VIP area furnished with modern accoutrements. The two open-air patios allow the LA club goers to get closer and enjoy the Los Angeles night air. The Forbidden City has a great singles scene and many details that make it very Hollywood. |
Frankie's
7228 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.937.2801
Frankie's is a dimly lit, old-school Hollywood Italian food joint, which means heavy Italian-like cuisine. It's not NYC, but locals here swear by the place. Frankie's dishes out the pasta and sauce, pours mean cocktails, makes sangria and has a dude in the corner tapping on the piano. Some think Frankie's is really romantic—real New Yorkers think not. |
Froma
7960 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.653.3700
This gourmet cafe just opened up, so if the spending munchies start to hit during that Melrose shoe shopping trip, get to Froma for serious relief. It's like a mini-Dean & Deluca for Hollywood types. They even have Charles Chocolates, espresso made from Danesi beans, fresh figs and a killer panini menu including goat cheese and arugula panini. Froma is new and has already become a big hit with Hollywood's movers and shakers—and the bigwig wives of Beverly Hills. |
Hard Rock Cafe
1000 Universal Studio Blvd., Universal City, California; Tel. 818.622.ROCK
This place is a staple destination on most tourists' itineraries. People marvel at this location's entrance, where a 78-foot neon-green Fender Stratocaster guitar looms above. Inside the world-famous Hard Rock Cafe is a killer chandelier made from 32 brass saxophones, one of which was owned and autographed by Bill Clinton. Feast on a huge, mixed menu while a burnt-orange, '57 Cadillac rotates overhead. The Hard Rock Cafe rocks out with live bands and SO much rock-abilla. |
H.M.S. Bounty
3357 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.385.7275
Somewhat of a historic LA landmark in terms of bars, the H.M.S. Bounty is a nautical themed bar in the Gaylord Apartment building. The apartment building was named after the millionaire who developed the area, Gaylord Wilshire, and who lent his namesake to the street the building is on as well, Wilshire Boulevard. The bar now is frequented by business folk and apartment residents during the day while the Los Angeles club hoppers come through at night. The H.M.S. Bounty bar has been in the building since it was erected in 1924 but has gone through several changes over the decades. In he 1950's the bar was the "Secret Harbor," a popular place for parties and the way that the later incarnation, the H.M.S. Bounty, got its nautical decorations. The Bounty still has its original "old Hollywood" décor and attracts various patrons from far and wide for their "food and grog." |
Hollywood Canteen
1006 N. Seward St., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.465.0961
This place is a very cool spot to come to for a drink or a meal or just to come and check out. Hollywood Canteen has been a staple for many good-looking locals who love to hang out on the outside patio sipping drinks and checking each other out, something that's a given at most joints like this. Drink, dance and dine, or get cozy in the "Love Den," the trailer that was once Bette Davis', furnished with velvet couches and a huge plasma screen TV. Hollywood Canteen is better on the weekdays, but to get a feel for the real Canteen deal, come in on Friday and Saturday nights. |
Hollywood & Vine
6263 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.464.2345
Where does one go when standing on the corner of Hollywood and Vine, one of the most famous corners in the world? Well, for a burger and a brew, it's a no-brainer. Hollywood & Vine is on Hollywood and Vine and is filled daily with theatergoers, camera-toting tourists, and the random local in the know. Even an occasional famous face wanders in—or at least wanders by—for a quick pic. Hollywood & Vine turns into a bar/club scene at night and on the weekends, it can become pretty rowdy by night's end. It's really the kind of spot one picks on the spot, not the place to be, unless already standing on Hollywood & Vine. |
The Joint
8771 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 310.275.2619
This is like the Hard Rock Cafe without the bull. The Joint's warm and friendly and has ample seating but still keeps it intimate with a 124 occupancy, which matters because the Joint is the place to catch great unsigned bands. It's not a dive bar at all but keeps it real with the staff and a commitment to showcasing solid acts each week. The Joint has ornate lighting and a diverse setup from the bar to the booths. Music lovers who range from well-dressed to dressed-down and dirty can be found here at this Hard Rock-esque joint with an elephant tusk or two. |
Joseph's Café
1775 Ivar Ave., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.462.8697
Joseph's Café, a blue and white Greek restaurant, becomes a Hollywood hotspot at night. World famous DJs spin the latest hip-hop and R&B to crowds of pretty girls that sometimes include celebrities. Some of the best bartenders in LA serve up expertly mixed cocktails at the bar to club goers before they head out to the dance floor or to the beautiful outside patio. Each evening has a different event going on for those looking to get out at Joseph's Café. The ornate Mediterranean atmosphere provides a getaway from typical Los Angeles nightclubs but Joseph's Café is still only a few blocks from Hollywood and Vine. |
Katsuya
6300 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.871.8777
Renowned designer Phillippe Starck has done it again with this modern, cozy, sit-next-to-me kind of bar/restaurant. Comfortable sofas, bobata skewers and the decadent attached bar attract many of Hollywood's A-list players and famous faces, as does the Starck name by itself. Every night, Katsuya is like the best house party on the upscale block, and with an array of unique cocktails to sip, it's an easy pick. Besides, it's on Hollywood Blvd, and Katsuya isn't a tourist trap, but it is priced accordingly.
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La Cantina
1612 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.469.2000
This Hollywood chic, Mexican theme restaurant offers half-priced food and drinks daily. It's in the heart of Hollywood, where anybody could end up eating here, so it's a cool place to come to if you got a Mexican/Tex-Mex craving. It's all about quantity, and with the half- prices being offered from 3 to 7pm and then again from 10 to closing for the late-night crowd with the munchies, La Cantina packs them in. It's recommended to eat here for lunch, since the food seems to be better the earlier it's ordered. Happy hour incentives—what else, a lot of cheap Coronas and shots of tequila. |
Largo
432 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.852.1073
When big name musicians like Aimee Man and Beck play intimate shows at your bar, who wouldn't create strict policies and make it difficult to get reservations? Largo is a Los Angeles bar and restaurant that hosts nightly performances from musicians and comedians. The only way to guarantee that you'll get in is to make dinner reservations far in advance by calling the club and leaving a message in hopes that they will return your phone call. For those who feel lucky, there is limited seating at Largo's bar and standing room that people can get if they show up early the evening of the show and get in line. Make sure to be on your best behavior and don't forget there is a strict no-talking policy during performances from awesome musicians and comedians blowing through LA. |
Library Alehouse
2911 Main St., Santa Monica, California; Tel. 310.314.4855
The Library Alehouse is more of a down-home bar than its Los Angeles neighbors, but that doesn't mean it can't be just as good or better. The bar is like a library of beers with a lengthy and thorough selection of the brew from around the world. They one up other LA restaurants by also offering a respectable menu of wines at the bar to accompany a variety of food. The Library Alehouse has taken bar food and made it gourmet with appetizers such as Papaya Goat Cheese Quesadillas and Chipotle Shrimp Quesadillas. Those interested in watching sports pack the main room but there is also plenty of seating at the bar and on the outside patio. Santa Monica is the perfect place for this great bar. |
Little Pedro's Restaurant and Cantina
901 E. First St., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.687.3766
Little Pedro's claims to be the oldest bar in Los Angeles, but it's not the age of the bar that matters. The atmosphere at Little Pedro's is fun and relaxed, pulling in locals from the art district as well as from all over LA County. Tuesdays seem like one of the most exciting nights of the week when Mickey Champion, a phenomenal LA blues singer, performs weekly while Little Pedro's serves up free fried chicken and cornbread. That's a hard offer to pass up. Fridays are booked by DJs or live bands of various genres but all aiming to please. The bar has an eclectic menu dominated by Mexican and Italian fare for those who need food with their drink. Everyone is welcome at Little Pedro's and people certainly travel to downtown Los Angeles for this bar. |
Lola's
945 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood, California; Tel. 213.736.5652
The chic décor at Lola's make it the perfect West Hollywood bar to go with girlfriends to sip martinis over dinner. Have no fear, though, men are welcome too. The main dining room occasionally displays the works of local artists above candlelit tables with leopard print chairs but the bar in the back has more of the rowdy Los Angeles nightlife scene going on. Service at the feminine LA bar is unbelievably friendly and their martini menu offers over 200 different concoctions. A dinner menu offers gourmet California cuisine and the kitchen stays open until 1:30am, for those that get a hankering after a full night of drinking. Lola's is one of the best Los Angeles bars for martini connoisseurs, date nights, or girl's night out. |
Lounge at Bar Celona
46 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, California; Tel. 626.405.1000
Old Town Pasadena has never really been known for trendy bars and pubs, but this lounge connected to the modern Spanish tapas bar, Bar Celona, has enough character to catapult it right out of the dismal Old Town Pasadena bar category. There is a killer house made sangria that brings you right out f LA and into Spain, especially on nights with live music and flamenco dancing. Later into the night, DJs spin to the crowd in the lounge. You can watch the Los Angeles world fly by outside while you sip a glass of sangria over a plate of tapas. |
M Bar
1253 N. Vine St., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.856.0036
In the heart of West Hollywood, the jelly donut of clubs holds a surprise for you. From the outside, you can't really tell what's inside the M Bar in its strip mall surroundings, but once you bite into it, you'll never want to put it down. Los Angeles has some of the best comedy clubs, restaurants, and bars, but M Bar has taken everything and rolled it into one. Offering a full menu of scrumptious Italian dishes and more cocktails than you can fathom, the Los Angeles club tops off each night with a comedy performance. Classy LA style pervades the inside of the bar with deep red décor and chandeliers. But don't feel obligated to don evening attire; the comics and patrons are more jelly donut than French eclair. |
Malibu Inn
22969 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California; Tel. 310.456.6060
Historical Malibu Inn is right across the street from the Malibu Pier and has been a hopping bar and club for longer than most of the LA patrons can remember. The restaurant offers a full menu of typical beach bar munchies from 7am for the early rising surfers until late at night. Comedy and live music performances are booked most nights of the week at the Malibu Inn, but the old photographs in the bar of the Los Angeles of the past offer an attraction also. Home-style cooking and good drinks from the bar make the Malibu Inn a great hang out any time of the day. |
Martini Lounge at the Dugout Club
1000 Elysian Park Ave. (inside Dodger Stadium) Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.224.1500
Baseball fans are increasingly demanding more amenities at their ball games and Dodger Stadium is willing to please them. Inside the LA Dodger's upscale Dugout Club the bar is serving up baseball themed cocktails alongside gourmet dishes. Don't worry about missing America's favorite sport while at the bar; there are plenty of flat screen televisions showing the game. Dodger dogs are offered, but when you can get quality California cuisine instead, you might as well go for it. The lounge atmosphere will make you forget you're in a baseball stadium with hecklers and Los Angeles fans cracking peanuts. |
Nic's Restaurant & Martini Lounge
453N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, California; Tel. 310.550.5707
A lounge and restaurant with many faces in the heart of Beverly Hills, Nic's Restaurant & Martini Lounge has many features that will keep it from ever getting old in the push and shove LA scene. The martini lounge features a myriad of martinis at the bar with original names and recipes like the "Goose Me" (Grey Goose La Orange, orange Curacao, and Lychee nuts). For those who want more than sitting at the bar or lounge, Nic's Restaurant & Martini Lounge pumps out gourmet dishes inspired by the restaurant's namesake, Chef Larry Nicola. As if that wasn't enough, in January 2006 the lounge opened the "Vodbox," a room chilled to 10 degrees where customers can sample flights of the finest vodka. If you're looking for the perfect place to go on a first date in Los Angeles, the Vobox at Nic's LA posh bar and restaurant should be at the top of the list. |
Pearl
665 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, California; Tel. 310.358.9191
Destined to become one of the hottest spots in Los Angeles, Pearl has already earned the reputation of being the best restaurant in West Hollywood. The venue also excels at its role of LA nightclub and lounge as it hosts a variety of events from dance nights to performances. High-end audio and video technology is used throughout the club and bar to enhance the experience of people dancing or Pearl can act as a recording studio when groups perform live. Multiple plasma screens are scattered throughout the lounge to display the main stage to diners in the restaurant, and two more in the bar area might be giving a live feed of the cabaret show in the VIP room. The Los Angeles ultra lounge has it all from good food to good drinks and dancing. The shadows of girls dance in boxes on nights where a DJ spins hip-hop, house, trance, or rock and some nights have all-ages events. Burlesque shows, comedy, and live bands have also been known to perform at this Los Angeles venue. |
Pete's Café and Bar
400 Main St., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.617.1000
The perfect place to go for lunch, dinner, or any time in between, Pete's Café and Bar is downtown Los Angeles' all-around restaurant and bar. Businesspeople come in for lunch or take clients to talk shop, but they also stop in after work for drinks at the bar. The bar is a friendly LA place that always seems to be open and works for any occasion. Pete's Café and Bar is one of the best designed Los Angeles Restaurants in downtown and is open 7 days a week until 2am. There's no reason not to find out why it's so good. |
Rosen Brewery and Restaurant
400 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 213.388.0061
The ideal place to dine before going just a few blocks to a show at the Wiltern Theatre, Rosen has a prime Koreatown location. The Los Angeles bar and restaurant puts their focus on serving the surrounding Koreatown neighborhood but everyone is welcome to this pleasant eatery. The vats of beer are visible behind glass and dark wood creates accents in the bar. Two large TVs and a patio are offered to Rosen Brewery patrons who don't want to miss a sports game or need a breath of fresh air. Not only is there good beer, Rosen also has a sushi bar, many appetizers, and a full dinner menu to LA patrons. |
Snow White Cafe
6769 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.465.4444
Besides the Snow White caricatures that look down from the second floor bathroom area, this small bar and sidewalk beer-drinking cafe has not much to do with any fairy-tale. Snow White Cafe is just an awesome spot to drink two for one pitchers of tasty micro-brewed blond ales and stouts, while watching all walks of life go by on Hollywood Boulevard, right near the corner of Highland, down from the famous Chinese Theater. Snow White serves one of the only brew and burger combos left in town, and it's a tasty burger at that. The bathroom, upstairs, is divided into two with the toilet and sink separated, and two doors that lock for privacy, something that is unusual for this kind of place, considering some of the rifr-raff that can wonder in off the street. But that's what's so cool about the Snow White Cafe, and what's so hot are the Russian barmaids—so very hot. |
Social Hollywood
6525 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.462.5222
Housed in the former Hollywood Athletic Club, this Moroccan-themed restaurant/bar—with its main dining room, "The Moroccan Room"—is the area of labyrinthine social Hollywood. A Jeffrey Chodorow venture (he brought us Asia de Cuba), Social Hollywood envelopes its patrons with plush pillows, flickering lanterns and furniture from the Hotel Continental in Tangier. The food and drink are what's expected at a place so beautiful, so come and feel the real Social Hollywood deal and bring plenty of cash. This is, after all, Tinseltown. |
The Bungalow Club
7174 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.964.9494
This Moroccan style night spot is known for romantic dinners and private partys. Candlelit bungalows nestled outside on the back patio make The Bungalow Club also great for just kicking back, having a smoke and sipping or sucking down a favorite beverage. The Bungalow Club is a club too, with DJs spinning lounge Euro-house in the late evening and they serve everything from hummus to sushi well into the night. Though The Bungalow Club is on Melrose, don't be so trendy as to order the sushi. There are no fish in the desert. |
The Grill on Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.856.5530
This place shares space on Hollywood and Highland with the Kodak Theater at one of the busiest intersections in California. The Grill on Hollywood's dark cherrywood interior, high-backed booths and the uniformed staff evoke a classic old Hollywood vibe, even though it's packed with diners dressed in jeans, sneakers and fannypacks. The menu is huge and offers everything from sushi to Italian food. A suggestion for customers (and it's just an opinion): they should stick to the chicken and steak. There are no Japanese or Italian chefs here. |
The Red Pearl Kitchen
6703 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California; Tel. 323.525.1415
The interior of this contemporary fusion feasting place glows in a warm red haze from a chandelier made of authentic kimonos. Asian waitresses sweep across the gold floor in their silky cerulean blouses, serving up incredible dishes like strawberry cinnamon ribs, duck banana lettuce wraps and wok-roasted edamame. Reservations are best on the weekends, weeknights are less crowded and if there's a wait, just sit at the bar and drink one of the sakes on The Red Pearl Kitchen's lengthy sake list. This place could break a pocket book, even for the drinks, so there's always the Tuesday night AA meeting across the street. |
The Veranda Bar at Casa del Mar
1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, California; Tel. 310.581.5533
One of the best and most elegant seaside hotels in Santa Monica, situated right on the sand, also has a matching elegant bar and lounge right off the lobby of the hotel. The Veranda Bar inside the Casa del Mar Hotel is nothing short of luxurious indulgence in Los Angeles style. The bar and restaurant overlook the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Pier down the way. The hotel and lounge have a swanky 1920s theme giving homage to the 1926 opening of the beach club and hotel. LA's elite and Hollywood VIPs called the hotel home when it opened, but over the years it converted into other types of housing from military to serving as a drug therapy program center. Finally, in 1999 the Los Angeles hotel had a $50 million makeover and reopened to Hollywood and LA elite. The Veranda bar has nightly live entertainment and a menu that changes with the acts. 20-foot tall windows look onto the beach as people wine, dine, and share laughs in the historic hotel. |
Tiger Lilly
1745 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz, California; Tel. 323.661.5900
Tiger Lilly restaurant and bar makes happy hour in the afternoon no longer the only hour to get happy. The bar offers a 10pm to midnight happy hour with $3 margaritas and $3 draft beers. Tiger Lilly is located in the heart of trendy Los Feliz, which is really like east Hollywood and these days, it's reminiscent of Greenwich Village, Soho and Venice Beach. The food served in this cool amber-lit lounge is French-inspired. Next door, doors open up to a nightclub that rocks with all sorts of groovy Hollywood people. The appetizer menu, served late, is GI-normous, and it welcomes patrons to order many different items without ordering an entree. Very cool. |
Tiny's KO
6377 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.464.3026
Too young to be a dive, too worn in to be a typical Los Angeles bar, Tiny's KO is in a league of their own in terms of Hollywood joints. As an all-ages venue and diner during the day, at night the bar shifts to 21 and over. Plenty of naked lady pictures adorn the walls of the somewhat grungy—in a good way—bar and grill. The owners are punks-of-the-past guys from Ten Foot Pole, Bad Religion and Circle Jerks, with producer Steven Kravac being the third in the equation. Inked up rockers travel to the Los Angeles location to sit at the bar and listen to a live set or the jukebox screaming. Although Tiny's KO is surrounded by swanky LA nightclubs with lines outside, you won't find anything like that at this bar favoring naked women and rock. |
Towne
1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, California; Tel. 310.545.5405
Manhattan Beach is a welcomed alternative to those who don't want to fight traffic in order to get into LA then wait in lines at nightclubs. However, on weekends Towne has their own dose of notorious Los Angeles lines and waiting outside the bar. Classy single women come to the bar for conversations over candle light while couples cuddle in booths. Dark wood and shades of green create a calm ambiance for singles to mingle even if they aren't in LA. On weeknights the Towne bar is easier to get into, as after work drinkers are more common than the lovely older ladies. |
Trader Vic's
9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Tel. 310.274.7777
Clamshells and candlelight make the Beverly Hilton's pseudo historic restaurant, Trader Vic's, a romantic Beverly Hills hot spot. The tropical drinks are liable to put anyone at ease in the Polynesian themed restaurant and bar. The menu for the restaurant is a combination of Pacifica Island, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai flavors, one of the only places in Los Angeles County that can offer so many exciting flavors on one menu. The hotel bar has been open since 1955 and often is visited by Hollywood celebrities looking to go to a classic place. The tropical cocktails make Trader Vic's known throughout LA as a one of a kind tiki bar. |
Twist
1755 N. Highland Blvd., Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.497.1000
Located at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, this family-style restaurant offers a full sushi bar, good drinks, happy hour specials and California cuisine. Twist has sort of a mid-century modern look and is on the mezzanine level. The best thing about this place is the unique menu that's structured so patrons can order lots of different items, sampling them all without ordering any one particular entree. |
Union Cattle Company
1301 Manhattan Ave., Hermosa Beach, California; Tel.310.798.8227
There's enough giddy-up at the Union Cattle Company to go around. If you're looking for a Los Angeles bar where you can ride the mechanical bull—after the precursory several drinks—then you've stumbled upon the right bar. The Union Cattle Company is a restaurant and bar in Los Angeles County that's a little bit o' country and a little bit rock n' roll, if you will. They brew their own beer, they have fantastic steaks, and they attract a handsome crowd of younger drinkers. Thursday nights are a staple at the bar for the bull-riding contest. The crowd gets rowdy and the beer flows like a golden river. Plus, there's no line at the door but you can be assured there are people inside. |
Upstairs at Cinch
1519 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, California; Tel. 310.395.4139
Forget the velvet rope. You can even forget the long lines at the door in an attempt to make a bar look more popular. This Los Angeles watering hole provides excellent service and a great place to dance. Those who dine at the downstairs restaurant before heading upstairs to the club get in free of charge. The Upstairs at Cinch lounge is filled with Red Bull vodka sipping hipsters and people who just want to dance. On the Westside of Los Angeles, in Santa Monica, the Upstairs at Cinch does well with all its Franco-Japanese fusion. There is a VIP patio for those willing to pay for the bottle service, but the club is fun without having to brush shoulders with the real or imagined LA VIPs. |
House of Blues Hollywood
8430 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, California; Tel. 323.848.5100
The House of Blues in Los Angeles rocks with more than just the blues. That's right, this LA live music club isn't pigeonholing itself into just one musical genre. Everything gets equal play on the House of Blues stage from soul and funk, to punk and ska, to the namesake blues and rock. Also, the House of Blues Hollywood serves up down home bar grub in a quasi-southern tradition and on Sundays the House of Blues does a famous gospel brunch complete with a choir backing up your breakfast dining. For a Los Angeles bar and live music club, the House of Blues gets packed for shows and often the best seats are taken long before the opening band takes the stage. |
—Los Angeles bar and club reviews by Alanna Lee, Ryan Osterbeck and Buddy Seigel
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