Happy Hours
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Friday, October 10, 2008
CiudadChefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s Downtown restaurant serves up Latin recipes from Spain and South America. The modern space also hosts a thriving happy hour with live music on the outdoor patio several nights a week. Don’t miss the mojitos. |
Weiland BreweryThis Brewery with two Downtown outposts hosts one of the friendliest happy hours in town. |
McCormick & Schmick’sWith a bar, adjoining dining rooms and patio where patrons can take in the dazzling skyline, this is a longtime Downtown happy hour scene, and one of its most festive. The drinks come quick, and the food specials are unbeatable — formidable burgers and appetizers for mere dollars. |
Golden GopherThis stylish, dimly lit space with exposed brick walls, chandeliers and golden gopher lamps has a rockin’ jukebox, cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon and an outdoor lounge for smokers. Best of all, it also has Ms. Pac Man and Galaga. The bar also has a rare take-out liquor counter. |
Genji BarThe Genji Bar offers a hip, private karaoke room that you and a dozen or so of your friends can rent for about $10 apiece. It’s got new songs, old songs, odd songs and songs that you wish no one would sing. It also means you can warble “Sweet Home Alabama” all you want without the agonizing wait. |
Grand Star Jazz ClubFirecracker club heats things up every other Friday atop the Kwon Brothers’ Grand Star. Start the evening at the latter, where the lapu lapus are wicked strong. There’s usually alternating karaoke and a good jazz trio. Upstairs you’ll find the hip hop haven known as Firecracker, a longtime dance club with good music and an eclectic, lively crowd. |
Hop LouieThis is old school Chinatown, on the ground floor of the Hop Louie Restaurant, with slightly indifferent bartenders and décor — it’s actually a relief. |
Moody’s Bar and GrilleLocated on the lobby of the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown, Moody’s is a traditional sports bar, serving pub grub from steaks to sandwiches. |
Library BarThis dimly lit bar is more upscale than your typical pub, which means you won’t find a boisterous USC crowd here (yet). A very busy happy hour draws associates from the law firm across the street, as well as bankers, secretaries and other professionals for the grown-up beer and wine selections. There’s a full bar, but the main attractions are the seven craft beers on tap. |
Royal Clayton’s PubThis stylish Gothic-Industrial restaurant on the ground floor of the Toy Factory Lofts has a laidback vibe and no Hollywood scene in sight. Drinks are strong, the lighting is soft and the short ribs are insane. There’s a tavern menu after 10 p.m. to keep you going as you play pool or listen to the nightly DJs spin everything from Euro grooves to ’80s anthems. |
SaborThis margarita lounge also offers karaoke and dancing. |
Seven GrandA neon stag head near Seventh Street and Grand Avenue marks the entrance to this high-end whiskey lounge. At the top of a staircase you'll find a diorama with a gun-toting hunter, one of several quirky elements that also include bejeweled crows in the ladies room, plaid fabric, and plenty of stag and elk imagery. More than 120 whiskeys are displayed behind the stunning backlit bar, and the expert mixologists whip up some truly amazing cocktails (happy hour prices apply all day Monday). A cigar and cigarette boutique is onsite as is a smoker’s patio. The action around the pool table is always lively and there's a nice lineup of live music that includes jazz on Monday and Tuesday. |
RoyaleSet in the historic Wilshire Royale Hotel on Downtown's western fringe, Royale restaurant has created a Roaring ’20s cocktail lounge with a modern twist. During the week, check out Happy Hour Remixed (5-8 p.m.), where a bar menu features items from $4-$9 including crispy pork spareribs, sea bass carpaccio and a beefy Royale burger. There’s also $4 well drinks and draft beer, and delicious $5 martinis to enjoy while you listen to the DJ music or lounge in a 35-seat booth. |
Standard HotelDespite only a few short years in operation, you can pretty much consider the Standard hotel’s rooftop bar a local nightlife veteran. From buttoned-up office workers who flock to the space for happy hour drinks to the swanked-out late-night crowd, the place is always buzzing. Floating amid the surreal skyline, the mod lounge features pod-shaped cabanas, vibrating waterbeds, super hot bartenders and lots of beautiful people. |
Takami and Elevate LoungeThis former 1960s office suite is split between the 130-seat restaurant on the east and a stylish lounge on the west. The modern Japanese aesthetic with warm wood tables, leather floors, low lounge seating and striking sculptural pieces makes an immediate impression, though not nearly as much as the wall-to-wall windows and endless views. The stylish lounge features VIP seating, a dance floor, two bars and DJs spinning nightly. Valet available after 6 p.m. nightly (Wilshire/Lebanon). |
J Restaurant & LoungeOnce the site of the historic Little J’s, this South Park lounge a stone’s throw from Staples Center now offers signature cocktails, cigars, beer and about 20 wines by the glass. The sprawling space is highlighted by a 10,000-square-foot outdoor patio featuring cozy cabanas, a glowing fire pit and a 30-foot granite bar. “Salsa in the City” features complimentary dance lessons and the sounds of Latin musicians on Wednesdays. |
O Bar & KitchenO Bar offers irresistible specials throughout the week. Indulge in specially priced tapas Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. Every Tuesday from 4-7 p.m., enjoy homemade sangria for 99 cents. Ladies Night on Wednesday offers $15 tapas mixers and more. |
Charlie O’sUnder new management by the people who brought you Bar 107, Charlie O’s is hidden on the corner of Fifth and Spring streets in the Alexandria. At Charlie O’s, you’ll find old school basics and old school attitude, beers from around the world, pinball machines, pool tables, a stage for live bands and a dance floor with DJs spinning everything but house and techno. It’s a clubhouse in Downtown for musicians on the rise and also part of the Downtown “Barmuda Triangle.” Ask your bartenders for info, then get lost in it. |
Tranquility Base Restaurant and LoungeDistinctive in that it changes its menu and décor with the seasons, Tranquility Base is the latest restaurant from David Tardif. Located on the ground floor of the Sky Lofts at Eighth and Grand and within walking distance of the Nokia Theatre and Staples Center, Tranquility Base serves up small plates and high-end spirits until 2 a.m. for late-night concertgoers. A VIP lounge and patio with fire pit add to the ambiance. P.S. – It was named for the first words Neil Armstrong uttered whe the Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Every other Saturday from 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m., there's a new gay lounge night called The Hideout, with house and dance music, drink specials and an awesome outdoor lounge with cabanas and a fire pit. |
Redwood Bar & GrillThis maritime-inspired tavern is decked out in nautical gear, including fishing nets and floats, weathered wooden planks and the stumps of dock timbers. A rusty anchor and reproductions of pirate flags adorn the ceiling of the entryway. DJs spin in a backroom while a high-tech jukebox churns out everything from the Clash to Frank Sinatra. |
626 ReserveThis small but stylish wine bar welcomes with warm lighting, burgundy-colored walls and a curvy bar where you can sip from more than two-dozen wines by the glass. There’s a decent selection of international beers and nearly 70 varietals by the bottle. |
OiwakeThe first karaoke restaurant and bar Downtown boasts a monster songbook. |
BanquetteThis petite cafe and wine bar with its red and white striped awning has become a popular hangout for casual evenings of drinking wine and meeting up with friends. During monthly Art Walks on the second Thursday of the month, Banquette buzzes with almost every kind of Downtown denizen you could imagine. They have a small but lovely selection of wines by the glass as well as beers. |
e3rdThis Asian-style steakhouse with an artsy flavor features a sleek lounge with low, circular tables and a long psychedelic bar that changes colors like a mood ring. There’s a full bar, inventive cocktails (including soju) and a reasonable wine list. DJs spin. |
Eastside LuvA stone’s throw from Mariachi Plaza and all that Metro Line construction, this tucked-away spot features Mexican movie posters on the wall, good beer on tap, regular sangria, live bands, and different from anything to its west, no attitude. |
Casey’s Irish Bar & GrilleWith its worn brick staircase, tin ceilings and dark wood decor, it’s easy to see how this neighborhood bar and grill still works its Irish charm. Regulars cozy up to the 60-foot mahogany bar with a pint of Guinness and a plate of bangers and mash. Casey’s has a full menu with six beers on tap and a selection of Belgian ales and microbrews. |
Club 740This 1920s theater has been transformed into a three-level party playground sprawling over 40,000 square feet. Club 740 is a spectacle with ornate gold balconies, go-go dancers and private skybox lounges. Music includes hip-hop, Latin vibe, Top 40 and even indie rock. |
EdisonDowntown history has come full circle in this former power plant turned cocktail bar. The Edison is perhaps Downtown’s hottest hotspot and draws an eclectic crowd, including jaded Hollywood types who can’t help but gawk at the preserved bits of machinery, the huge generator and the coal box that now houses the jukebox. |
Figueroa HotelThe Moroccan-inspired Figueroa Hotel just a block north of Staples Center manages the unique feat of making you feel like you’re in the heart of the city, and removed from it at the same time. The light-filled Veranda Bar is just steps from the clear, glittery pool, and it’s common to see suit-clad Downtowners a few feet from swimsuit-wearing Euro-tourists. |
Far BarTucked behind the Chop Suey Café is the Far Bar, where intimacy and a sense of noir L.A. collide. If you can find the place, which you enter through the back of the café or via a skinny alley a few doors down, you can throw them back in the same spot author Raymond Chandler is rumored to have done the same. |
Gallery BarThis elegant lounge in the Millennium Biltmore Hotel is known for its martinis, wines and vintage ports. |
Zita TrattoriaLocated within steps of the Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, this skylight-lit trattoria and bar offers many wines by the glass. |
TatouThe dance club is pure indulgence, with multiple VIP nooks (some with PlayStation3 systems), a bit of Cocoanut Grove glam in the form of four 15-foot palm trees and vintage circular booths. The 40-foot stage jumps with DJs and go-go girls, while a large bar stretches across the opposite end of the wall. |
MayanA multi-level nightclub in the refurbished Mayan Theatre features Latin dance, Spanish rock, house and tropical music on the main floor. Upstairs, its ’80s music, KROQ selections, disco, hip-hop and R&B. |
Mountain BarThere’s something to be said for a spot that’s a bit tricky to find. No matter, your hard work will be rewarded with an extra strong drink at this artsy Chinatown haven decked out with stunning light fixtures, red bleeding walls and post-modern decor. The second floor features a dance floor. There’s usually an art show every month, and weekly DJs. |
La CitaThough it was bought by the owners of Echo Park’s Short Stop, little has changed. Everything in this former Mexican Ranchero bar oozes red, from the vinyl booths lining the wall to the glowing light fixtures. Hipsters, Latino regulars and artists mingle as DJs get their groove on during the weekdays. Saturday and Sunday bring Hacienda Nights with traditional Ranchero music. |
Point MooreaStep into the South Pacific at this casual drinking bar that was voted the area’s best place to meet singles by this newspaper. The gathering spot features a grand bar, a martini bar, the Harem Room and a daily happy hour from 5-7 p.m. |
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