A Night Out In Los Angeles' West Hollywood
Affectionately known as WeHo, West Hollywood is recognized globally for its incomparable nightlife and what goes on when the sun goes down. With exclusive hideouts, comedy clubs, chic lounges and gastropubs within walking distance of each other, anyone with a rhythmic strut can navigate through it all. On any given night of the week, you'll be met by enthusiastic groups of some of L.A.'s trendiest ready to burn the midnight oil. Here are a few select bars you may want to visit to get a hardy taste of WeHo's social life.
Laurel Hardware
7984 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 656-6070
www.laurelhardware.com
If you're looking for one of the cooler spots to hang out in West Hollywood, look no further than Laurel Hardware. Not long ago, Laurel Hardware actually was a hardware store where one could get anything from hammers to socket wrenches to nails. Today, the only thing left over from those days is the original sign that adorns the outside of the building. As you walk in, one might think that its the tiniest bar they've ever been to, but around the left corner, the bar opens to a spacious setting with plenty of space for LA's trendiest to hang out. In the back, a magical patio is one of the highlights of the bar where locals dine and drink. Laurel Hardware has its own specialty cocktail menu including highlights such as 'LH Boilermaker', 'Highlands', 'Gangster' and more. Make sure to get here early as a line starts to really get heavy around 10pm.
The Churchill
8384 W 3rd St
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(323) 655-8384
www.the-churchill.com
Along the ever growing popularity of Third Street Boulevard in West Hollywood lies The Churchill. From breakfast till the wee hours of the morning, this gastropub is constantly serving up some of the best drinks around. Cocktail standouts include the 'Tiki-Tiki Tembo', the 'Churchill Manhattan', and the 'Caipeira' which comes with cachaca, pear brandy, lime segments, and bitters. The bar/restaurant also serves up some of the best food in its woodsy dining room and garden patio. The American menu focuses on local meats, wood-fired pizzas and fresh pastas.
The Phoenix
14 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 289-5925
http://www.thephoenixla.com
One of the newer bars in the neighborhood is actually located right on the border of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. Night-life impresario and restauranteur Adolfo Suaya's new bar, The Phoenix, claims itself as a 'no bottle service, no big DJ's, just great beer and strong drinks' kind of place and it is just that. Reviews of the bar point to its great staff and fun atmosphere as well as its great drinks. Inside you'll find a shabby chic type interior with a mixture of flea market decorations and furniture as well as a pool table, and shuffle board.
Open Air Kitchen and Bar
829 N La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90069
310-854-0756
www.openairkb.com
Located on the famed La Cienega Boulevard between Melrose and Santa Monica, Open Air Kitchen and Bar, or formerly known as Fatty's Public House is the old home to legendary actor Fatty Arbuckle (or the mentor to Charlie Chaplin and Bob Hope). Offering a beautiful interior with Edison bulbs, a retractable open roof (hence the name) and refurbished wood, the ambience is unique and contemporary. In addition, this contemporary American bar and restaurant offers eats such as chicken and waffles, chicken and pork pot pie as well as steak frites and more.
The Den of Hollywood
8226 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 656-0336
www.denofhollywood.com
Located on the Sunset Strip nearly right across the street from the infamous Chateau Marmont Hotel, The Den of Hollywood is technically considered a dive bar but its far from it. The fireplace in the inside of the bar creates a cozy atmosphere and there is a patio that is surely always full with patrons sipping on the great drinks. For a trendy crowd, The Den features nightly specials each day of the week including happy hours, drink specials and more.
The Hudson
1114 N Crescent Heights Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-6686
www.thehudsonla.com
Located right on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Crescent Heights, The Hudson is a favorite of locals in the neighborhood as well as for those who dont live in walking distance. Opened in 2009, the bar recently received a facelift in appearance and in the cocktail menu. Favorite new drinks include 'The Huddy' as well as 'One Way Out' which comes with rhubarb bitters, George Dickel Rye and carpano antica. Other standouts include their Pimm's Cup as well as the Moscow Mule and Old Fashioned. The Hudson is also sister restaurants to The Churchill.
Sixty-Six
7746 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-0105
www.sixtysixla.com
Say goodbye to hot spot Winstons. Say hello to Sixty-Six, which took Winstons place to become a modern micro-club designed to cater to a select crowd of 100 of LA's finest. The bar was created as a modern interpretation of a sixty's lounge with hints of Stanley Kubrick's 2001 Space Odyssey. Only open 2 nights a week, the bar features a DJ booth right in the middle of the place ensuring that anyone lucky enough to get in will have a great time.
Related: Best Lounge Bars In Los Angeles
The Roger Room
370 N La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 854-1300
www.therogerroom.com
Walk by the Largo and you would probably also walk by The Roger Room without knowing it. From the outside, this tiny bar is barely noticeable even with the doors wide open. But, if you are lucky enough to know about it, you'll experience what it felt like during Prohibition. The bartenders are adorned in clothing reminiscent of the times when speakeasies were the norm. With some of the best cocktails anywhere in L.A., you will most likely find the bar crowded so make sure to get here early.
Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.