Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
272
Red Lion Tavern
A hidden veteran of the S ilver Lake circuit, this kitschy, over-the-
top G erman tav ern—complete with dirndl-clad waitr esses—is wher e neighborhood
hipsters mingle with cranky, working-class German expats. The place serves hearty half-
liters of Warsteiner, Becks, and Bitburger, but braver souls—with bottomless bladders—
can take on a 1.5-liter boot. The astonishingly good food offerings include schnitz el,
bratwurst, and potato pancakes.
2366 Glendale Blvd., Silver Lake.
&
323/662-5337.
www.red
liontavern.net.
Seven Grand
Cedd Moses made a name for himself b y taking downtrodden, his-
toric locations and turning them into cool bars with gr eat design and fantastic cocktails.
The neon sign lights up a r elatively dark block do wntown, and after walking up a fe w
flights of stairs, passing windo ws filled with mannequins as hunters and M aker's Mark
bottles, you enter a low-lit whisky mecca. Everything about Seven Grand is masculine—
animal heads on the walls, pool tables, a gr eat jukebox—save for the bar tendresses in
plaid miniskirts. This is one of the best and largest whisky selections in L.A.—more than
200 kinds of Rye, Irish, Bourbon, and Scotch, all served neat or on the rocks with special
slow-melting cubes. Cocktails made with fresh-squeezed juices and homemade syrups are
worthy.
515 W. 7th St., Downtown.
&
213/614-0737.
www.sevengrand.la.
Skybar
Overrated
Since its opening in hotelier I an Schraeger's refurbished Sunset Strip
hotel, Skybar has been a favorite among L.A.'s most fashionable of the fashionable set. This
place was at one time so hot that ev en the agents to the stars needed agents to get in—
rumor has it that one agent was so desperate to gain entrance that he pr omised one of the
servers a contract—but this is a fickle to wn and the y oung and hot hav e mo ved on to
greener pastur es. Nevertheless, the vie w is still spectacular and y ou may still get to r ub
elbows with some of the faces that regularly appear on the cover of
People
(but please don't
stare).
8440 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.
&
323/848-6025.
www.mondrianhotel.com.
The Standard Downtown
This rooftop bar, located atop the Standard Hotel in
Downtown L.A. (formerly Superior Oil headquarters), is surrounded by high office towers
and helipads, and the vie w is magnificent. The skyscrapers act like strangely glo wing lava
lamps in the night sky as ex otic ladies sip exotic cocktails amid waterbeds and bent-plastic
loungers.
550 S. Flower St., Downtown.
&
213/892-8080.
www.standardhotel.com.
Three Clubs
Finds
In the tradition of H ollywood hipster hangouts tr ying to main-
tain a low profile, Three Clubs (like the playing card) is absent of any signage indicating
where you are. (Look for the bar gain cl own mar t sign on the facade.) I nside this dark
and cavernous lounge, you'll find a youthful, hoping-to-become-a-star-soon set mingling
into the night. Even with two rooms, plenty of cushiony sofas, two long bars, and lots of
spacious tables, this place is always loud and packed.
1123 N. Vine St., Hollywood.
&
323/
462-6441.
www.threeclubs.com.
Trader Vic's Lounge
The Beverly Hilton opened this poolside lounge as an homage
to the original Trader Vic's, which stood adjacent to the hotel for mor e than 40 years (it
closed in 2007). There are tiki remnants from the original, but it's lacking the Polynesian
soul of a bygone era; tables outside are somewhat of a consolation—there's nothing quite
like drinking a Mai Tai with warm breezes and swaying palms around you. Vic's still has
a huge menu of specialty drinks, like the mind-melting Scorpion bo wl and Navy Grog,
and features great appetizers like the B eef Cho Cho, do-it-y ourself skewers of teriyaki
beef roasted over a flaming hibachi. A ne w Trader Vic's opened do wntown at the L.A.
LIVE complex in 2009 (800 W Olympic Blvd.;
&
213/785-3330
).
9876 Wilshire Blvd.,
Beverly Hills.
&
310/285-1300.
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