Every week, Eater editors offer spots to drink over the weekend
By the time Friday finally comes around, we here at Eater LA start to get pretty darn thirsty. After drinking our way around town, we're here to be your guide to the city's best watering holes, whether it be a craft beer mecca or a hidden speakeasy for cult rums. Yup, we've officially become your favorite drinking companion.
Here now, three bars to try this weekend in Los Angeles:
November 11, 2016:
For the hottest new club in LA: Nightingale Plaza
Some nights you want a chill bar to have audible conversations with friends, but for those other nights you want to pop bottles with LA's finest models, there's Nightingale Plaza. SBE's reimagination of Greystone Manor lives up to the legacy of the club immortalized by Drake lyrics with its LEDs and mirrored panels that move to the high-energy beats. Strap on those red bottomed heels and make sure you get yourself on the list—you're going to be mingling with half of young Hollywood. 643 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles —Crystal Coser [Photo: Facebook]
For a weekend heat escape: Brouwerij West
Need to feel the ocean air for a second, given how hot it's been lately? Make for San Pedro and their massive craft beer behemoth Brouwerij West, where patio seating, picnic tables, and great pints make for a weekend worth traveling to. Already one a top spot just for the beer alone, making it a weekend getaway from this fall heatwave should be a high priority. 110 E 22nd St., San Pedro. — Farley Elliott [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For Japanese whiskey and tiki cocktails in an unlikely West Hollywood spot: Roku
I've generally avoided uber trendy places like Roku, and the other night when I finally dropped by here, I felt like the place was swarming with Instagram influencers and quasi celebrities. If that's your cup of tea, then Roku might be the perfect holiday weekend hangout. What's nice is that you don't have to settle for a vodka soda. Roku features a wide range of Japanese whiskies to sip to go along with the creatively plated raw fish plates. To finish, try a mini scorpion punch bowl in a portion small enough for one (but with enough booze to possibly get two people toasted). 9201 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 —Matthew Kang [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
November 4, 2016:
For Eagle Rock beers from, well, Eagle Rock: Eagle Rock Public House
You can drink well, and relatively cheaply given the vertical integration going on, at Eagle Rock Public House. The Colorado Boulevard option in Eagle Rock proper offers a full array of craft beer on tap, made right down the street and served with very noshable fare. 1627 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock. —Farley Elliott [Photo: Elizabeth Daniels]
For neighborhood wine bar vibes you don't want to miss: Vintage Enoteca
Hollywood's Vintage Enoteca is a true neighborhood wine bar, with low lighting, a quality list that isn't too big, and the sort of sidebar food you want to snack on simply with friends. Get there early (because why not?) as the smallish space fills up fast, then stay all night for sip after perfect sip. 7554 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. —Farley Elliott [Photo: Yelp]
For a secret smoking patio in the Arts District: Westbound
If you've never been to Westbound, you're missing out on what might be the best cocktail bar in the Arts District that isn't Everson Royce Bar. Actually, I've probably had better drinks at Westbound of late than ERB. But what I love most about Westbound, other than its relaxed vibes, is the secret smoking patio out back, where I can enjoy a cigar and sip on excellent drinks under the stars (er...the ordinary L.A. evening sky because we can't see stars). If you ask nicely, they might even bring some warm cookies in a to-go bag to munch on with some cold cinnamon milk. Can you think of a better nightcap? 300 S. Santa Fe Ave. —Matthew Kang [Photo: Dylan + Jeni]
October 28, 2016:
For an education in agave-based spirits: Petty Cash Taqueria
There are few better places in LA to learn about agave-based spirits than Petty Cash Taqueria. Stop in for one of the monthly mezcal tastings to get the inside scoop on a nicely curated list of brands. Take last week, where Salazar's Aaron Melendrez offered a full tasting of Tequila Ocho's vintage liquors with a wealth of knowledge to go along with it. After all, there's no better way to learn about tequila than to drink copious amounts alongside a few stellar tacos, right? 7360 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles —Crystal Coser [Photo: Facebook]
For those wine bar casual kinda nights: Wilde Wine Bar & Restaurant
La Brea favorite Wilde is part wine bar, part restaurant, part lounge. The place is as cozy as it gets, and sits usually just the right amount of full thanks to locals in the Hancock Park neighborhood who walk over in the evenings. On Saturday nights the place might reach capacity but that's okay too, there are plenty of comfortable corners to sink into, and a straightforward bar menu to leave you snacking all night. 320 S. La Brea Ave., Mid-City West. —Farley Elliott
For relaxing times in a Downtown den: Caña Rum Bar
Caña has managed to kick around despite a major cocktail menu overhaul (let's just say it's beyond safe at this point), but the bar still uses quality ingredients and makes a solid daiquiri. But mainly I'm here to have a cigar on the patio. Sadly they removed the couches nearby the fireplace (which weren't really comfortable to begin with). The patio now has an assortment of stools, which certainly helps to fit more people. During the week they've got a live band playing Latin jazz and other tunes, while a new pool table dons the entrance. Caña's more of a neighborhood bar now, which is kind of a good thing for locals. You still need membership to get in, but it's just $20 a year. 714 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles —Matthew Kang [Photo: Cana Rum Bar]
October 21, 2016:
For drinks that make you forget the food around you: Republique
Years into its run, there is still no stopping Republique, the French-leaning La Brea icon inside the long-running Campanile space. But for as delicious as the roast chicken, pastries, burger, and everything else on the food menu is, you should stop in this weekend for a sip from the bar. Strong fall cocktail creations, long-running bar classics, and top-notch wine will combine to make you and a date forget all about the amazing food whipping past your seat every 90 seconds or so. That is, unless you decide to order a few things ... 624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. — Farley Elliott [Photo: Elizabeth Daniels]
For a wine bar where it is easy to overindulge: Marvin
What, exactly, is Marvin—a wine bar or restaurant with especially great wine list? It is both, which means its exactly the kind of place I want to split a well priced bottle with a friend following the recommendation of an affable server. Follow a few too many of those great recommendations, and wind up especially glad for that beautiful selection of dishes to soak it all up. 8114 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles —Crystal Coser [Photo: Elizabeth Daniels]
For a beautiful paloma under the sun: Salazar
Salazar is a wonderland of tacos, grilled meats, and vegetables, but the drinks are why you should really hang out here late into the night. The play here is stopping by right when the sun sets, order up the paloma, which has the right balance of sweet to sour, plus a strong hit of tequila to get you buzzed. Then snack over the excellent tacos and shareable plates (the pescado zarandeado is a winner). Finish with some fine mezcal while wondering how LA is so lucky to have a place like this. 2490 Fletcher Drive —Matthew Kang
October 7, 2016:
For a go-to Arts District watering hole: Westbound
There are few more tastefully designed bars Downtown than Westbound, the Arts District's sexy train car-inspired watering hole that has just the kind of vibe that fosters conversation with old friends or new suitors. It doesn't hurt that the fall cocktail menu includes a pumpkin spice-inspired toddy that is one of the few examples of the #PSL craze gone right. The new burger on the updated menu of bar bites and those crazy delicious warm cookies aren't a bad way to soak it all up, either. 300 South Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles —Crystal Coser [Photo: Dylan + Jeni]
For a locals-only craft beer party where everyone's invited: Frogtown Brewery
Tucked most of the way down a dead-end street in Frogtown is the namesake Frogtown Brewery, a warehouse space turning out handmade craft beers that come from the tanks directly in the back of the room. The unassuming space doesn't offer much in the way of upscaled ambiance, but that's actually the idea; the steampunk decor plays well against the fixtures and metalwork that already inhabit the space. Stop in for a pint before a night at Salazar and you'll find yourself surrounded by locals and curious folks who heard tell of a new place to drink down by the river. The mystery here is part of the magic. 2931 Gilroy St., Frogtown. —Farley Elliott [Photo: Farley Elliott]
For bustling cocktails before having dinner in WeHo: E.P. + L.P.
EP, the sit-down restaurant portion of this West Hollywood restaurant, is currently firing on all cylinders, evidenced by a bustling dining room earlier this week. Chef Louis Tikaram is preparing polished and crave-worthy plates like larb, crispy barbecue pork ribs, and dan dan noodles, all of which go great when preceded by some creative cocktails coming from the bar. Try the charcoal-inflected Black Thai Optional, made with gin, amaro montenegro, and egg white for a grown up shaken sour, while the Spicy Cold Medina mixes tequila and watermelon makes for a colorful sipper that works well before delving into Tikaram's fare. 603 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 —Matthew Kang [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
September 30, 2016:
For breakfast themed-libations at all hours of the day: Nighthawk
Jeremy Fall's relocated Nighthawk, now in Venice on Washington Boulevard, feels right at home on the Westside. With hours that stretch from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on the weekends, it's the perfect place to eat breakfast for dinner and even, well, breakfast for breakfast alongside morning-themed libations like Tang mimosas and that signature cereal milk. Don't forget to order those crazy delicious Benedict fries to soak it all up. 417 Washington Blvd, Venice —Crystal Coser [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For dive bar dominance in K-town: Frank N Hanks
You know how some people are like "a chef's chef" or "a comedian's comedian"? Well, Frank N Hanks is "a dive bar's dive bar". It's the sort of dive bar all your other dive bars like the most. And for good reason — now that Beer Belly's Jimmy Han has taken the place over, it's better than ever and hasn't lost its soul. You can still step in for a cheap beer or well shot without blinking an eye, but come on the right night and noted bartender Karen Grill is behind the stick doing her own damn thing, any way she pleases. It's just that kind of place. 518 S Western Ave, Los Angeles —Farley Elliott [Photo: Yelp]
To experience LA's single best cocktail bar: The Walker Inn
When it first opened, The Walker Inn was a secret speakeasy with an omakase-style menu, rocking cerebral drinks and creatives presentations. While that experience is still available, it's much more relaxed now, with walk-ins welcome and reservations simply recommended for prime times. Walk in and the room is dark and moody, but rocking G-funk beats. While the drinks are $18 a pop, the price is worth it if you expect to hang out for a bit and enjoy the room. As for the cocktails themselves? They're about the best renditions of any classic you could expect, from the best piña colada you've ever had to an airy Ramos gin fizz that seems to disintegrate as you sip it. 3612 W 6th St, Los Angeles —Matthew Kang [Photo: Katie Boink Photography]
September 23, 2016:
For drink out of a back alley speakeasy: Seventy7
Have you ever walked past a neon "Cocktails" sign while walking back to your car after dinner in Downtown Culver City? It'd be pretty understandable if not, as the sign is tucked away in a back alley near a parking structure and a row of dumpsters. But make your way inside to find a little speakeasy where the drinks are smooth and burlesque dancers somehow end up at your table. 3843 Main Street, Culver City —Crystal Coser [Photo: Seventy7]
For a Thai Town newcomer with all the right looks: Tabula Rasa Bar
What happens when a pair of Bestia vets goes neighborhood-casual with a wine bar concept? Good things apparently, judging by the early crowds packing into Tabula Rasa Bar on Hollywood Boulevard. It helps that the menu carries a high-brow/low-brow appeal with drinks all across the spectrum, and that you can get a Cubano sandwich made just about any time of night from behind the bar. It also helps that Tabula Rasa is one of the best looking new drink spots to come along in a minute. 5125 Hollywood Blvd., Thai Town. —Farley Elliott [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For cocktails that taste healthier than they should: P.Y.T.
Josef Centeno has successfully split Ledlow into two concepts, with one part retaining the former menu, and the other turn into a vegetable maven's paradise called P.Y.T. The drinks take up much of the same mantra of vegetable and produce as the basis, much like Matthew Biancaniello's beverages at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Library Bar. After cracking open a few boiled peanuts covered with lemon juice and oregano, sip on the spa beverage-like Night Vision, mixing gin, carrot juice, kombucha, and ginger syrup.
Or opt for the bolder Beet It, with beet juice, bourbon, kombucha, and lemon. When you're ready to delve into something heartier, the hand-torn pasta and green piri-piri rice work as excellent mains, unless you're still craving meat, whereupon the shareable pork ribs await. 400 S. Main St., Downtown LA —Matthew Kang
September 16, 2016:
For a Downtown drink from a talented man: Otium
Check out the bar at Otium these days and you'll notice at least one familiar face: Chris Amirault, the former Fiscal Agent lead who has been working alongside chef Timothy Hollingsworth for a bit now. He's there more than a few nights of the week too, overseeing the bar menu and mixing up inventive stuff for the changing season. So the next time you can't score a table at one of the city's best-looking restaurants, don't shrug and grab a sad seat at the bar — it might just be the greatest place to dine. 222 S. Hope St., Los Angeles. — Farley Elliott [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For a night out like the South Bay locals: Ocean Bar
There are few places in the Los Angeles area with a nightlife scene as concentrated as Hermosa Beach. The bars clustered around the pier are littered with twenty somethings doing justice to the neighborhood's nickname "Bromosa." Perhaps the best place to imbibe is Ocean Bar. Sitting right atop Abigaile, the lounge offers DJ-spun tunes and an all-around good time. 1301 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach —Crystal Coser [Photo: Yelp]
Koreatown's fruitiest cocktails: Here's Looking at You
If you love tiki, then look no further than Here's Looking at You in the heart of Koreatown. The bar stacks up most nights, with folks looking for some of the best cocktails in the area, and they're happily slanted toward the realm of fruity. Want a blast of summer despite the mid-September date? Try the Strawberry Solstice, fragrant with pickled strawberry and brisk gin. Or opt for the addictively bitter Psychic Reader, essentially a gussied up Trinidad Sour on crushed ice and some thinly sliced key limes. After you work up an appetite, nibble on chef Jonathan Whitener's forward-thinking fare, from aged gouda laden chicory and tomatoes, or a terrific crispy cornish game hen with a sweet cacao glaze. 3901 W. 6th Street. —Matthew Kang [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
September 9, 2016:
For an Echo Park wine bar without an agenda: Bar Bandini
Sure, there are hipper places to hang out in Echo Park these days, and even hipper still are the drinking dens and craft beer hotspots of places like Highland Park. But try Bandini instead, with its dim, dim lighting and its often loud, loud music. There's something effortless about the place, which — in a way — makes it the coolest place in town. Plus, you know, there's going to be lots of natural wine to share. 2150 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park — Farley Elliott [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For a necessary stop on your K-town bar crawl: Bleu
If you've ever gone out with a crew of K-Town locals, you probably went to Bleu at some point during your night. While the drinks are unremarkable, you're here for bottles of Johnny Walker meant for sharing with a large (or not so large) party before you head out to a karaoke bar for full-on debauchery. 3470 W 6th St Ste 8B, Los Angeles —Crystal Coser
For a speakeasy vibe on the Westside: Oldfield's Liquor Room
The stretch of Venice Blvd in Palms just east of the 405 freeway is one of the better one-two punch bar hops in LA, with Big Foot Lodge and Oldfield's virtually side by side. Start at Big Foot and have a few sweet cocktails before moving onto Oldfield's, a relaxed speakeasy with a tremendous Matt Winter-designed interior that feels perfectly locked in time. The cocktails are also much better than they need to be, with perhaps not that kind of polish you might expect at a place like The Varnish, but darned close, and slightly cheaper. Oldfield's feels like the ideal late evening meeting spot for those on the Westside, though it tends to amp up the vibe on weekends. 10899 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034 —Matthew Kang
September 2, 2016:
For delicious sips to kick off a night with the girls: Norah
With its gorgeous design with feminine accents, Norah is quite the place to begin an evening of debauchery. Start off with a Tongue Twister, a savory and sweet blend of Mezcal, Ancho Reyes, and white peach puree that is given bitter complexity by Punt e Mes. Nibble on that crazy delicious cornbread as your order a second and third, then make your way out with all of West Hollywood at your fingertips. 8279 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood —Crystal Coser [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For a Valley wine bar with all the right moves: Augustine Wine Bar
From vintage pours to modern stuff that's on the bleeding edge of winemaking right now, you'll find it all at Augustine Wine Bar in Sherman Oaks. Owners Matthew Kaner and Dustin Lancaster know what they're doing when they craft drink-focused experiences, and it shows inside the moody Valley favorite. From its stripped-down rustic appeal to food from notable chef Matt Wilson, there's really no way to go wrong here. 13456 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. — Farley Elliott [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
For low key cocktails in West Hollywood: The Roger Room
Damian Windsor (photographed above) has been shaking up cocktails for the better part of a decade in Los Angeles, but the deadpan, sometimes sarcastic bartender is now at The Roger Room three nights a week after helping open the joint on La Cienega years ago. The longtime cocktail lounge hasn't changed a bit, in fact Windsor claims that the menu is virtually the same since the place opened more than seven years ago.
Even the prices seem to be the same, hovering around $13-14, which certainly isn't cheap these days (but again, hasn't changed since 2009). The premium's worth it for the location and ambiance, which feels a bit like a drunken circus clown's after hours hangout. The drinks tend to veer toward the sweet side, though the ingredients and combinations are spot on. It makes The Roger Room the kind of place where you can hang out with friends without being noticed by anyone else. 370 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 —Matthew Kang [Photo: Elizabeth Daniels]
August 26, 2016:
For Downtown drinking with plenty of people-watching: Bar Moruno
There's already a lot to love about Bar Moruno, the casual sit-down space inside Grand Central Market that features clean, brassy lines and an open kitchen. But now that the spot officially snagged their beer and wine license (thus completing the 'Bar' half of the name, whereas the Moruno refers to the restaurant's meat skewer selections), there's even more reason to belly up for a taste. A small, curated wine list provides lots of opportunity to sip around, while the restaurant's signature vermouth options are now rolling as well. 317 S. Broadway, Downtown —Farley Elliott [Photo: Michelle Park]
For the broiest beachside scene: The Bungalow
Even though The Bungalow has been serving Hawaiian t-shirted bros for several years now, the beachy bar is as hot as ever. If you haven't checked out the daytime scene yet, it's worth waiting in the line that can take the better part of an hour to partake in the debauchery the ensures after a few too many #sundayfunday mimosas. 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica —Crystal Coser [Photo: The Bungalow]
For a Blade Runner-style experience in Little Tokyo: Baldoria
I've recommended Baldoria before and every time I go I enjoy my time better. Start with a very well made wood-fired pizza with some creative toppings (the potato-laden au gratin comes with nutty gruyere cheese and a covering of arugula). Then delve into some of the solid craft beers or the liquor collection. Whiskey nerds can geek out over the bourbon and Japanese selection, which tend to be wider than the other offerings. The cocktails are the definition of unfussy: poured straight from a bottle without any behind-the-bar mixology. The room itself is strangely post modern, with a gleaming screen showing sports replays behind the bar for a kind of perfect Blade Runner feel. On a sleepy stretch of San Pedro in Little Tokyo, it somehow feels timeless. 243 South San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 —Matthew Kang [Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
August 19, 2016:
For Downtown cocktails before Adele (or any time): Broken Spanish
You might have noticed quite the increase in foot traffic at Broken Spanish lately. Adele has been to thank for that, as her run of sold-out Staples Center shows brings in the drinking crowds early. Maybe it's the melancholy lyrics that gets people in the mood to drink, or maybe it's Mike Lay's awesome bar program, which brings boozy, refreshing, and mellow cocktails out to play in equal measure. Adele doesn't have to be playing nearby for you to make a stop in soon — but it always helps. 1050 S. Flower St., Downtown. — Farley Elliott
For neighborhood-themed libations sipped above the clouds: 71Above
Is there a more stunning bar in all of LA than 71Above? Of course there's that gorgeous design that feels like a mash up of Great Gatsby and Star Trek, but the view itself is worth the trip up the 71 stories. Thankfully the thoughtful cocktail menu stands up to that view, with drinks inspired by the diverse neighborhoods of LA that you can see right through the windows. Think libations like the refreshing Beverly Hills with Sancerre and honeydew, and the Downtown with toasted hazelnut-infused bourbon. 633 W 5th St Fl 71, Los Angeles —Crystal Coser
For relaxing times...in a Korean bar: Heu Fusion Sports Bar
There's something about drinking at a Korean bar that's exponentially more fun than an American one. Take Heu Fusion Sports Bar in the heart of Koreatown, perched on the second story of a largest Wilshire Blvd strip mall. It's tacky. There are televisions playing endless Olympics replays and the latest edition of Sportscenter. The music blaring cheesy Korean pop ballads, which you probably won't understand (I barely do too). But order up some reasonably priced large format bottles of Korean beer (try Kloud, a sort of quasi-German beer that's malty as hell) and a few bottles of soju to help wash it down. If you're bored of the standard green bottle, sip your watermelon or pineapple soju in the proper fruit vessel.
Koreans aren't necessarily concerned about drink quality. It's more about vibe and who you're with. You're talking about life, passing the time, catching up. You won't even care about your lame Facebook notifications. And to nibble? The popcorn chicken with honey mustard sauce will not fail you. 3959 Wilshire Blvd. —Matthew Kang [Photo: Yelp]
August 12, 2016:
For housemade vermouth and boozy pre-dinner libations: Kettle Black
[Photo: Wonho Frank Lee]
Silver Lake's hottest new restaurant has some serious names behind it. There's Sydney Hunter (Petit Trois, Superba Snack Bar) manning the wood-fired oven, and in front of the glistening golden back bar is cocktail maven Damien Windsor along with Jordan Young. The tight cocktail list with drinks named by their title liquor are just as exceptional as you would expect them to be, with a housemade vermouth program that truly speaks to the wizardry taking place at that gorgeous marble bar. 3705 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA —Crystal Coser
For a Redondo Beach newcomer with bartending flair: Suburbia
The open and impressive Suburbia just debuted a couple of weeks ago in the heart of Redondo Beach, but it's already crowded with locals looking to chef Tin Vuong and the Blackhouse Hospitality team for some serious menu guidance. They're also loving the bar, which offers a variety of strong cocktail contenders like the Rye Thai, a rye whiskey and Thai basil creation backed with orange blossom water that is as refreshing as the ocean air outside. 247 Avenida Del Norte, Redondo Beach —Farley Elliott
For the ideal late night neighborhood hang: All'Acqua
[Photo: Elizabeth Daniels]
Atwater Village has little in the way of late night offerings. The town just seems to fall asleep at 9 p.m. every night, which is a bummer because it would make for a nice place to walk around in the evenings. Sure, there's Club Tee Gee with its How I Met Your Mother vibe, and Village Tavern has its charm, but All'Acqua might have the best balance of tasty dishes with quality cocktails on the block. Try the late night pizza, which run a mere $10 and can be easily split with two people. There's a $6 old fashioned on the late night bar menu, though even the standard $12 cocktails are more than respectable. It still sort of feels like Acapulco inside All'Acqua though, which makes me wonder how much better chips and guac would be for a midnight snack. 3280 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles —Matthew Kang