Upon entering it seems like just a basic dive-y bar with colorful lights. They had a drink that was…read moretotally my taste which is the strawberry fields. It had calpico and yakult in it. It was pretty good and low alcohol content. I really wanted to do karaoke and at $40 an hour, it was def a deal. Each person does however have to also order a drink which ranges from $13-$15. Service was below average but I would definitely return just for the karaoke. It's nothing fancy and it's booth seating but I had fun nonetheless and would 100% return based on pricing. The downside is that there's only two rooms and I'm not sure if you can reserve in advance.

Stopped by on a Friday night about two hours before closing. The bar had plenty of seating, a dimly…read morelit ambiance, and background music at the perfect volume--loud enough to set the mood but quiet enough for easy conversation. With so many great-looking drinks on the menu, I asked the bartender for a recommendation and went with a drink (I can't remember the name) that was essentially a spicy mezcal margarita. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up ordering three more, never getting around to trying anything else. The bar has more of a lounge-like feel, though I understand there are karaoke rooms in the back. They also offer food, but I wasn't in the mood to eat this time. Maybe next time, I'll try the truffle fries with my cocktail.

Excellent food and experience! The staff was super nice and we felt like it was a true hidden gem…read more They knew it was my friend's birthday so made a special effort to wish her a happy birthday and include a candle on top of one of the pastries. The food is really good and the tea choices are excellent. The mocktail was a nice add to help refresh ourselves on a hot day. Overall a nice place to celebrate any special occasion or gather with friends. The parking lot next to the hotel is super easy to park at. All day parking around $10, self park.

The DTLA Proper Hotel is beautifully designed by Kelly Wearstler, a former athletic faciliity…read more Although I've done several staycations here, tea at Dahlia remained on my bucket list of experiences, since it's only offered on weekends. I finally was able to check it off, thanks to a hotel offer with a dining credit. Dahlia is the gorgeous petite space behind the larger ground floor restaurant space now called Cabrillo (formerly Caldo Verde). Dahlia opened as a bespoke cocktail lounge, then began to offer tea. Now it's just tea. There are five 2-tops and two 4-top tables. All food and beverage venues at the Proper used to be under the auspices of famed chef Suzanne Goin and her business partner/sommelier Caroline Styne. They are no longer affiliated with the Proper, but many of their dishes/contributions remain. The last named vestige of them is on the tea menu, "Suzanne's Deviled-Egg Sandwich". The tea menu has several options: Classic, with a seasonal mocktail, or with different champagnes. I opted for the Classic experience, because the mocktail had mocha, not my fave. Server Lluvia was clearly a Dahlia veteran; she offered a tea-smelling of all the teas that interested me as well as crowd favourites. I ultimately chose one of these faves, Mad Hatter's Tea Party, which had passionfruit and vanilla. I declined milk/cream, but did get lemon. There were rock sugar sticks on the table. It seems the selection of tea sandwiches and sweet treats changes every so often, although the vanilla bean scone, dried currant scone, Devonshire cream and apricot orange jam seem like constants. The sandwich selection at my visit were: cucumber, crab/creme fraiche, beet hummus on pita, smoked salmon and Suzanne's deviled egg. All were delish, the beet, crab and deviled egg especially. The sweet treats were: orange fig butter cookie, spiced apple brown butter crumble, cranberry frangipane hand pie, chocolate mocha macaron, pumpkin madeleine, plus the 2 scones. All were excellent. There were no leftovers. A bit pricey, but a relaxing and lovely experience. The room was not crowded when I visited, adding to the calmness of my visit.

The Blind Rabbit currently has its Great Gatsby theme in action with 1920's inspired décor and…read morespecial cocktail menu. It's in its final week, so we visited again to check it out. They always do a great job with decorating when they have a new theme in effect, and the Great Gatsby décor is no exception. The room is filled with lots of gold streamers, hanging gold light fixtures, art deco artwork, Roman columns, etc. Reservations are highly recommended. We checked in at the host stand with Emma who was very friendly. She seated us immediately at the bar as requested. We enjoy talking with the bartenders and watching them make drinks. Ruben was our bartender and he was excellent in all aspects. I started out with Between the Sheets from the Gatsby menu (rum, cognac, orange, lemon, $18). Rum and cognac is a great combo. This cocktail is spirit forward and well balanced. She started out with a Bartender's Reserve (you call the spirit and flavor profile, and the bartender crafts something special for you, $20). She gave parameters of no hard liquors like whiskey or cognac, not sweet, and not refreshing (i.e. no cucumber). Ruben made the most amazing gin based cocktail. Some of the ingredients he mentioned were plum, passion fruit, pineapple, lime, and a bit of chartreuse and soda. It was complex and perfectly balanced, with great flavors. We have been here many times, and he even served it in a unique tiki mug that we've never seen here before. Now it was my turn to put Ruben to the test. I also wanted a Bartender's Reserve, and I told him to use any spirit as long as the drink focuses on banana or apricot flavor. He went to work, and after a short time a beautiful frosted glass was served to me. I forget all of the ingredients he mentioned, but it was rye based with banana liqueur, a small foam top, and fresh shaved cinnamon on top. The banana was perfectly present with the rye at a nice level. This was a home run all the way. Of course, she wanted another magical creation, and Ruben went to work yet once again. She was served a beautiful yellow cocktail, and he even hand cut a little lemon fish garnish. It was mezcal based with yuzu, elderflower, mango, and lime. It was perfectly balanced, the smoke was at the perfect level, and again it had a great mix of flavors. There was some left over, and he even gave that to her in a chilled side bottle with its own baby's breath flower garnish. It's so fun to watch their bartenders create something from scratch, grabbing various bottles, mixing, tasting, adjusting, and then garnishing and serving. In addition to Ruben's delicious creations tonight, Adrian and Sergio have also made us delicious custom crafted cocktails on several occasions. We will definitely be returning soon for some of their new upcoming themes.

I'm not sure what The Blind Rabbit is like on any given evening, but if Sergio is taking care of…read moreyou, well then you are in for an extraordinary evening! Not to get your hopes up or anything, but he makes your visit to this speakeasy an elaborate and awesome experience. We came here for a dear friend's birthday, so I had no expectations of the place- we just went to celebrate him! One thing of note: vegans beware! Eat before you come here! Our only option is hummus. Came for the drinks though, not the food. The ambiance is dimly lit to create the intimate vibe and there was a Great Gatsby theme. Not sure how often they change the theme but we'll be back soon to find out. Espresso martini was delicious, Across the Bay was delightful, but the ABSINTHE drinks were INCREDIBLE. Green Beast and Love You Better. Thank you Sergio for making Joe's 43rd birthday an unforgettable one.

Love this spot for drinks in Arts District! It has a dark and romantic ambiance. There's a wide…read moreselection of unique drinks and they have some food too. The bartenders were helpful with explaining the drinks and made some recommendations for us. They accept walk ins, but they usually come with a wait. Make a reservation to secure a spot!

Death & Co has built a reputation as one of the world's leading cocktail bars - with locations in…read moreNew York, Denver, Washington D.C. & Los Angeles. The establishment is known for its innovative & extensive craft cocktail menu as well as creating the Naked & Famous, Oaxaca Old-Fashioned, & The Conference. Having won numerous awards honoring its cocktail menu and talented mixologists - it's a must visit for cocktail enthusiasts. I had been to the New York location many years ago and the L.A. spot has been on my radar. I was excited when I had the opportunity to check it out for a private event featuring Adam Fournier - 2021 World Class U.S Bartender of the year. The gentleman at the front door was very friendly - greeting guests as they walked in. Upon entering, you proceed down the stairs. There are two bars - a larger section straight ahead and a smaller speak easy style lounge to the left. Our party was in the dimly lit lounge, which was quite charming. I was surprised to see the same floor tile that is in my bathroom at home because it has a unique pattern. Adam was mixing up two inventive tequila-based cocktails and one with scotch. The place was packed and watching Adam's skilled precision & grace under pressure was impressive. I tried the Rein Picante - an expertly crafted mixture of Casamigos Reposado, Sherry, Fresh Lime, Passion Fruit, Spices, & Tamarind. It was perfectly balanced, smooth, and delicious. During the event we enjoyed light bites from Death & Co's kitchen, which were also tasty. The magical evening ended with a toast of Don Julio 1942. Cuz that's how we roll. *Street parking or adjacent lots - price varies.

We had a lovely evening at The Green Room. Sofia was awesome in terms of accommodating us every…read morestep of the way. She always came around to see how we were doing and had no issues with guiding first-timers right to our seats. The thematic concepts of each dish and drink were so clever and exquisite. Filet Mignon Sammie and Uncrustables in a lunchbox had so much character. In perfect Castaway fashion, we got a lovely "dinner and a show" when ordering drinks such as Tiffany Prefers Cocktails. And...the view of the cityscape was definitely everything to write home about. This is what we came for. The Green Room highlights the character of LA in so many ways. Loved it!

The Green Room... I am not sure why service gets such a bad rating- never had any issues with that…read more I like their signature cocktails and food options... l am giving them 4 stars only because of the most recent experience that I had... I checked the hours, and it said this place closes at 11. My friend and I came at 9... and guess what... the place was closed. Why? I don't know. We were just told that they'd decided to close early that day. Mind you, Castaway was still open that night. Why would a bar close before its posted hours? ‍

Gumbo Brothers made the night…read more... Stumbled into this portion of level 8, after the vibes were mild near the carousel rooftop bar. Good size crowd, but it was easy enough to get a drink from the bar. Vibes were good and got better when the Gumbo Brothers came on. They are a cover band, but specific to hip hop and RnB, and they killed it. Jay on the sax was amazing, and Apollo on the mic was perfect. We will be back on Friday or Saturday, since I believe that's when the Gumbo Brothers are there.

5* Ambiance 5* Service…read more5* Coctails Level 8 really has done a fantastic job creating a jazz/entertainment bar with great service, drinks, and unpretentious service. The guests, come and go and at each moment, in any corner, be ready to be surprised and entertained by a live DJ, acrobat, burlesque performer, pianist and singer. What a show! Veronica at the bar was fantastic and made us drinks just to our order. Supper knowledgable, helpful and kind. Definitely, this place is a great hangout after a meal... be prepared to be be dazzled and entertained.

Definitely speakeasy vibes. You will need to message ahead of time for the password. There will be…read morea bouncer outside that'll ask for it. Inside is a surprisingly large space. So much seating! I've never seen the venue overcrowded. Large menu so many drinks to try! Great spot whenever I have guests visiting

"The Speakeasy" is located in Old Pasadena. There is a large multi-story parking garage right…read morearound the corner. The place has some intrigue as you need to know a password to gain entry. I was pleasantly surprised when I sent an email to the address on the website and received a reply with the password in a little over thirty minutes. After parking, we didn't have any problems finding the entrance even though it is not marked. Look for the big wood double doors and doorman standing in front. After giving him the password, he opened the doors and we walked in. We were surprised in several ways. The place is way bigger than I would expect for a place named "The Speakeasy". And at 6:30pm on a Sunday, we were the only guests inside. Only one other couple came in during the 30 minutes we were there. I would assume they are a lot busier on Friday and Saturday night. It is dimly lit, and very red inside. The bar is large with many bottles of liquor on display and many seats. The rest of the space is one large area that must have at least 20 tables, and the ceiling is high. It gives off more of a nightclub vibe than a speakeasy vibe. I tried the Naked & Famous cocktail which has two of my favorite spirits (Vida mezcal, aperol, yellow Chartreuse, lime, $18). It was nicely balanced with a good mix of smoke and herbal flavor. She had the Pablo's Poison (Altos reposado tequila, strawberry, lime, jalapeno, elderflower, $17). The jalapeno flavor really stood out with strawberry and elderflower in the background. They have a good cocktail menu with almost twenty cocktails, as well as a food menu with ten items. Walk up to the bar to order your drinks. Jeremy, the manager, and the female bartender whose name who I didn't get were nice. We aren't in Pasadena very often, and while they have a good cocktail menu, I don't know if we would return. We were expecting more.

We've been coming to The Rendition Room for years, whether for work events or date nights, and…read morebecoming members nearly three years ago was one of the easiest decisions we've made. It's become so much more than just one of our favorite bars and every visit reminds us why we keep coming back. The biggest reason, though, is the people. Hospitality is something that's hard to fake, and the team here does it effortlessly. From the moment you walk through the door, you're greeted like an old friend. Over the years, the staff has created an environment that feels welcoming, comfortable, and genuinely personal, and that's something that's become increasingly rare. Matt, Sabrina, and the entire team are all such gems. Scott also deserves special recognition. He's a huge part of what makes The Rendition Room such a special place. Whether he's introducing a new cocktail, sharing the story behind a spirit, or simply taking the time to check in, his passion and care for every guest shine through. It's people like Scott who transform a great bar into a place you truly feel connected to. On our most recent visit, we tried the new Decade & Debauchery cocktail, celebrating The Rendition Room's 10 year anniversary, and it's phenomenal. Balanced, and beautifully executed. In a city full of great bars, they have managed to create something much harder to find, a sense of community. After all these years, it still feels just as special as the first time we walked in.

The food was excellent the best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had the mushroom risotto was very…read morecreamy and if you like mushrooms it's the way to go. The Ambiance was very authentic quite enough to have a conversation. Scott are barkeep was very attentive funny awesome to talk with. he made one hell of a drink. Scott's Service was excellent and there was great crafted alcohol.