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    Backstory 85

    5.0 (1 review)

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    19 days ago

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    The Vandalist

    The Vandalist

    4.3
    (162 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    Had a great time!…read more From the greeter at the door to the bartender, we had an awesome time. Didn't get any food - we were stuffed - but the food sounded inviting. Nice atmosphere for talking and enjoying drinks.

    I'm new to Whittier and still getting a feel for the area, and wow... I'm so glad my friends put me…read moreon to The Vandalist. This place instantly became one of my favorites after just one visit. From the moment you walk in, the whole vibe hits you--the moody, neon-lit ambiance sets the tone perfectly. It feels elevated, a little edgy, and honestly just the kind of spot you want to spend your night at. The music is curated so well. Not too loud, not too mellow--just the right balance where you can vibe, have a conversation, and still feel the energy of the room. You can tell they actually care about the experience, not just throwing a playlist together. Now let's talk about the drinks... because that's really where they shine. Every cocktail feels intentional and crafted with care. You can taste the quality immediately--nothing watered down, nothing basic. They have a really cool mix of classic cocktails and modern twists, and even the familiar drinks feel elevated. It's the kind of place where you want to try something new every round because you trust the bartenders know exactly what they're doing. Service was on point too. Friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. They took the time to explain drinks and made great recommendations, which made the whole experience even better. I came in not knowing what to expect, and left already planning my next visit. If you're in Uptown Whittier and looking for a spot with great energy, amazing cocktails, and a full vibe--The Vandalist is it. Thank me later

    Photos
    Kingston Negroni
    Kingston Negroni
    Kingston Negroni
    Kingston Negroni
    Skilled and Knowledgeable Bartenders

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    Skilled and Knowledgeable Bartenders
    Belly of the Beast

    Belly of the Beast

    4.3
    (156 reviews)
    16.7 mi

    Love this place. Nice service, nice food, very interesting…read moredrinks. But they had not fix the Lorem ipsum text on menu =p

    (Drank/Snacked 06/27/2026 SA @ 10:00pm): This was a monstro feat as we all ended up in a beast of a…read morewhale's belly for drinks! After our party of six chatted over cocktails and preyed on pupus, we moved to a "secret" room tucked in the back of Stowaway and walked into a Belly Of The Beast. The founders and co-owners of Stowaway, Leonard Chan and Dominic Iapello, created this extension to the tiki bar with a wildly interesting Pinocchio theme and the famed encounter with Monstro the whale all the while serving the same offerings in Stowaway but with also an exclusive limited menu just for this adventure. With its proximity to Disneyland and its Enchanted Tiki Room, with the very niche underground-like society of tiki culture they found a consistent customer base and the thrill of island escapism through colorful cocktails, pleasurable pupus, tropical trimmings, and nostalgic know-how. How would my belly handle the beastly drinks concocted here!? PURCHASE(S) Gepetto's Last Words ($16.00): Intrigued by the cocktail's name, this elixir was crafted with Fid Street Gin, tangerine, creme de violette, lemon, and cucumber, it was a citrusy refreshing sweet drink that was decorated with bright yellow petals. It was nice, but for whatever reason it just didn't quite hit the spot. [ONION RINGS/STRAWS/STRINGS ALERT - 4.0 of 5.0 STARS] Onion Rings ($9.00): A decent portion with rings of medium to large sizes, these were hot, dark golden browned, crunchy, and had a slight tendency to crumble when bitten into while the onion ring (sweet Maui!) rarely pulled out at times. They were lightly oily while the catsup wasn't needed but used. SERVICE While in Stowaway, we informed our male server to let us know when we were allowed to enter the belly. Once inside and situated, we had the place and bartender to ourselves. After we all perused the menu, we placed our orders, and everything arrived within ten minutes. The rest of the time was spent chatting, picture taking, and our bartender checked in on us also giving a Dole Whip taster. All was casual, chill, and somewhat on island time - aloha and mahalo! PARKING (FREE): They shared a medium-sized private lot with several other businesses who were closed at this time with plenty of spots - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE "Hidden" inside Stowaway which was located within a strip mall, the entire theme was based on the Pinocchio story, the interlude in time spent inside Monstro, and as we entered it felt like the beginning of the Disneyland "Storybook" ride as you road a canal boat into the mouth and sharp teet of a whale. There were several marionettes (appropriate and non-appropriate) that hung from the ceiling and belly walls, along with other Disneyesque memorabilia, a few sitting booths, and a tiny bar at the end of the roo. No natural lighting whatsoever while an assortment of extremely low-lit electric lights and table candles glowed. There were no TVs while I couldn't recall any background music. ATTIRE Although I was actually dressed appropriately for the occasion in an aloha shirt, linen pants, and flip-flops, this place was totally casual, so a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops would suffice. OVERALL Belly Of The Beast was an adventurous fun evening with friends, it left me feeling childlike with the need to watch "Pinocchio", and I couldn't wait to return to try more of their awesome-soundling elixirs. I generally loved all-things Disneyana, and this new wrinkle, albeit probably not approved by the mouse ears brass, caught my fancy. My one drink was tasty but just didn't hit the right spot, the onion rings were very good, the prices were a tad elevated, the atmosphere was awesome, and the service was friendly and professional. They had an extremely limited menu, and there was some doubt whether or not ordering from the Stowaway menu was an option. Plus, I always preferred to support small local mom & pop businesses. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $27.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

    Photos
    A shot of the entire speakeasy.
    A shot of the entire speakeasy.
    Coconut shrimp
    Coconut shrimp
    The entrance is the mouth of the wale

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    The entrance is the mouth of the wale
    The Blind Rabbit

    The Blind Rabbit

    4.5
    (3.5k reviews)
    8.5 mi
    $$$

    This place never ceases to impress! My husband and I came specifically for the summer soirée menu…read morethey have running right now. Everything tasted amazing! The scallops are my favorite thing to order whenever we visit becuase the ingredients are always different. It's currently made with passion fruit rice, Tahiti sauce & scallions and it is to die for! Service is always phenomenal! The bartenders love to talk about their drinks and how they come up with different combinations! They're so knowledgeable and super talented, the bar is always a party! Shoutout to Adrian & Ruben who were our bartenders for the night. Thank you for making it another great dinner. Their summer soirée menu runs through August 24th! Check it out if you can!

    Reservations were super easy to make and they do require a credit card to hold the reservation and…read morethere's a $25 cancellation fee if you don't show up. So make sure you cancel if you can't make it!! Finding the place was pretty easy once you knew where to look, but it definitely has that hidden speakeasy feel, so it can be a little tricky the first time. My friends and I tried entering through the exit!!! The space itself is pretty small but gives the true speakeasy vibes. The bartenders and servers were all super friendly, made great conversation, and were really knowledgeable about the drinks. I ordered the Vodka Sour, my friend ordered a different cocktail, and we both liked our drinks. Overall, it was a really fun experience and I plan to be back!

    Photos
    Make My Millennium: Berry, Anise, Bold
    Make My Millennium: Berry, Anise, Bold
    It's Showtime: Umami, Rich, Floral
    It's Showtime: Umami, Rich, Floral
    Dead Man's Party: Tropical, Funky, Spiced

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    Dead Man's Party: Tropical, Funky, Spiced
    The Speakeasy

    The Speakeasy

    4.1
    (696 reviews)
    17.2 mi
    $$

    I came to this magical little place with my girl friends to celebrate a birthday. Only the three of…read moreus but we wanted a drink to end the night with a vibe. Boy did we win the jackpot! We came in around 6:30. They had just opened but the atmosphere was ready! Dark and moody with candles on the table, it was the perfect spot to grab a drink and catch up. Jeremy was our bartender and he was fantastic. Super chill and friendly and made us some amazing drinks based on a few preferences. Our "bartenders choice" drinks were amazing, so much so that our "drink to end the night" turned into two drinks and some appetizers. We ordered taquitos and mozzarella sticks. Overall all three of us ladies loved this place! We definitely plan to be back! Let Jeremy make you a drink - you won't regret it. He makes them custom for you and he definitely knows what he is doing. *they do ask for a password which you can request on their website... but I would do that 24-48 hours before you plan to visit. We didn't have that days password and simply asked the front door.

    Absolutely loved this spot in Pasadena. It's a hidden a gem. The unique touches like needing a…read morepassword to enter and the no flash photography rule add to the experience. This is a grungy yet atmospheric bar. It definitely has some unique vibes and it's pretty big inside. The cocktail menu has something for everyone. I got Pablo's Poison and the Kitty Killer and both were delicious. Everyone else in our friend group got the Naked & Famous and it was a clear favorite.The customer service is on point, the crowd is friendly. The music is on point. If you want a night out in Pasadena, this is it!

    Photos
    All reds
    All reds
    The bar
    The bar
    Bees knees. Cannot get any cuter!

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    Bees knees. Cannot get any cuter!
    The Exhibition Room

    The Exhibition Room

    4.1
    (493 reviews)
    14.1 mi
    $$$

    The atmosphere is what you are here for and the service and atmosphere was great! We were able to…read moregrab a drink outside at the tiki pop up first and it was altogether just a fun night! Everyone was friendly and cocktails had booze More

    It's a IYKYK kind of place here. We didn't know about it as we were here meeting some friends for…read moredrinks. They made all the reservations. Honestly thought it was the bar that we came inside. First impression, why did we need reservations.... Since we didn't know the hidden entrance. Well, it's a cool concept once we entered. There's a dress code so be advised. What I found out was the entrance of the speakeasy was through a phone booth that next to the pool table of Roxanne's bar. Once reservations is made, you'll received an email with a password to enter. Enter phone booth and to connect to the inside and they'll open the door for you. We had the first reservations I believe they opened at 7pm. We were the first group to arrive. As it was my first time, we had ordered bar food and were waiting for it inside the main bar. So half an hour was used from our time limit. The speakeasy, dark and moody but perfect for the place. Special crafted cocktails by the bartenders which were great. They also have food as well, found out later. We did try the meat pie, which it was just ok. Basically an empanadas, the pickle veggies accompanied it was my favorite. It was good but nothing major to rave about. The drinks were quite nice and tasty. What they offered on the menu did have a load of good choices. Tables scattered throughout as well as bar seating. There's a piano which maybe used for live music. Overall, the moody speakeasy vibe was great. Friendly staff and bartender made some great drinks. What we had to snack on, the meat pie was just ok. They're very strict with the time limits. Once it's reached they'll let you know.

    Photos
    Fried zucchini + yucca chicharones
    Fried zucchini + yucca chicharones
    Smoke and fire!
    Smoke and fire!
    The Exhibition Room

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    Backstory 85 - speakeasies - Updated July 2026

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