Since moving to West Hollywood, I have been trying out an array of new bars and not just in the WeHo area. I love going out and trying new places, and bars are one of the easiest places to sample until you find the right fit. The search for the perfect bar is “research” I don’t mind participating in! Los Angeles has more bars/clubs/pubs/lounges than you can really even imagine. Each area of town also seems to cater to a certain genre of bars. West Hollywood with lounges, Hollywood with clubs, Culver City with pubs and Santa Monica with a nice mix of everything. That’s not saying you can’t find a pub in Hollywood because one of my favorite pubs is there, but the area is definitely more concentrated with clubs pumping top 40 remixes. One of my favorite new bars is The Woods. Located just two blocks from my apartment, this loungey bar stands out from the rest with a “starlit” ceiling and deer antler chandeliers. Also it’s located in a semi-sketch looking strip mall similar to a thousand others that liter Los Angeles County. The Woods offers a happy hour that extends later than many bars, which I appreciate since I work until 7 p.m. If you get there before 10, you can enjoy $5 martinis of many different varieties. Another new favorite is Village Idiot on Melrose, which is a gastropub with some delicious specialty drinks. The Texas Mule mixes homemade ginger beer, vodka and a squeeze of lime. It’s similar to summer brew but so much better! A similar drink mixes the same components minus the vodka and adds whiskey. The ale steamed muscles aren’t bad either. This bar gets packed late at night, but still maintains a chill atmosphere.
If you are looking for a classy place to grab a few appetizers and drinks, Blu Jam Café and Lolas are great options. Blu Jam is known for its amazing brunch, but recently made the transformation into a bristro at night. You can choose from a large variety of cold and hot small plates. To bring in the breakfast crowd, the restaurant has been handing out free bottles of wine if you come in after 6 p.m. This is how I ended up here, but will definitely be back for more wine and small plates. If you like martinis, Lolas is your place. Lolas claims it invented the apple martini, which wouldn’t surprise me because it offers around 100 different martinis. I came here for my birthday with some friends, and it was definitely a good time. All the appetizers were delicious, but my martini was fantastic. There were almost too many martinis to choose from but I eventually settled on one with a lychee base.
If you are looking for a crazier atmosphere, head over to the Sunset Strip. Clubs and lounges liter this iconic street, such as Bar Marmont, The Standard and The Saddle Ranch. Be prepared to spend away your paycheck, but it’s definitely fun every once and awhile. Venturing to the Westside, you can find another wide varieties of bars. On a mini bar crawl of Culver City, I discovered City Tavern. Differentiating itself from your typical brewhouse, City Tavern offers a unique experience if you sit at one of the booths. Here you can pour your own pints from three taps along the back of the booth. This could definitely get out of hand fast, so thankfully the waitress puts a cap on the amount of ounces you can pour! Another fun spot in Culver is Seventy 7 Lounge. Entering this speakeasy themed bar, you feel transported back to the 1920s. Well until you hear the 1970s music, you hear jamming from the speakers. I can say this was a fun experience. You had the classiness of a lounge with some awesome “Staying Alive” music that you can dance to. Slightly north of Culver in West LA sits another one of my far bars, The Arsenal. I guess you would classify The Arsenal as a swanky sports bar. Later in the night, people begin to dance around the bar in any space they can find because there isn’t a designated dance floor. This bar definitely reminds me of my good ol’ college days! I’m sure this list will grow over the next year as I enjoy exploring different parts of this city!
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