Strong drinks, dim lights, and the best new artists! Its been almost 20 years since I first went to a Hotel Cafe, before they had the second stage (which is a great room), when they still had a parking structure in back. It was all a foreign concept to me. Booking three or four or five acts in one night, charging you admission only once based on which act you came in for and most of the time if you came to the first you could stay through the 5th, or as most did, they came to see who they intended to see and maybe saw some of the act that was after and then went out to Hollywood to get some eats with their friends. Hotel Cafe is going away in 2026, but it is not gone, they will just be moving from their iconic Hollywood location, that small room that barely held 150, a small stage in the corner, a few low tables and a bar in the back to a new location in Los Angeles. It is the place where the singer-songwriter movement of the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s hard launched a revival. It's like what the Troubadour was to the Laurel Canyon singers in the 1970s. Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Greg Laswell, Priscilla Ahn, Meiko, Cary Brothers and many others. Adele even played here before her first album released in the US. I saw Sara Bareilles here once and she left everyone in tears after her song and bolted out the back door. I went to the front of the house and her family were blowing out the last of the signed copies her tour posters for only $10 since it was the last show of her tour. I bought a few. I have come here to see a friend like Big Phony sing, and then exit into the back room/lobby and see Hollywood stars entering to see their friend who would be singing next. It's that kind of local spot. The sound was always great and the drinks were well crafted and strong. I recently saw Priscilla Ahn sing here again and it brought back memories of the first time I saw her here, when she only had a 5 track EP CD. When she sang Dream again this year, it felt like everything had come full circle, since that first CD released 20 years ago. I cannot wait to see what the new building looks like, but a huge part of me, like for everyone else that has been here, will miss that little room in the back of the alley, where young dreamers became singers, where singers became stars. read more

We got to go to the SoCal Sound's Women Crush Wednesday concert to benefit the best radio station in the LA area. The tickets were very reasonably at only $36 per person. Glad we got there when they opened so we could snag seats. There were only about 25 seats with standing room behind. There is a bar. It was very dark inside. And the guitars were mixed TOO LOUD! But the concert was fabulous and ran for 3 hours. read more

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It's a cozy venue and you go for the vibes! Sound quality was great, loud and crisp. But not too loud to where the artist couldn't hear the audience, he heard our comments and responded so that was fun. Restrooms were nice and clean too. read more

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Cool, very laid back and chill comedy venue. The second room is very small and if you don't arrive early you will be standing for the whole show. Parking is $20 at a lot next door, or you can look around for street parking. read more

Great place to enjoy live music at a very reasonable cost. I was heartbroken when it closed I'm so glad to see it's been resurrected I will be back. read more

Service was friendly. Valet parking next door is $30. Great spot for musicians to showcase their work, bands, music, talent. Venue was on the smaller side but intimacy was enjoyable. read more

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Cool laid back venue. Security and the man you check in with great friendly people. Bartender that's on Tuesday night attitude wasn't cool. And he made me the worst drink ever that was $16 bucks and I had one sip. Didn't touch it. Other than wasting my money. I enjoyed the show. For it to be an intimate venue, new bartender I would recommend who cares about his craft and customer service. read more

Hotel Café - The worst drink of my life - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I wanted to spark up my right side of my brain last night and since I happened to already be in LA I decided to spontaneously stop by the Hotel Cafe in hopes of listening to a random artist on a random Thursday night. Little did I know... I happened to walk in to Jesse & Friends Mix & Mingle event... At first it was every introvert's nightmare because of the encouraged socializing... but I later realized it was absolutely perfect because I was able to get samples of several artists all within a span of a few minutes. Although I was a bit reluctant to force myself to be social the one girl I met happened to be the musical act that I was most touched by and drawn to. Super happy that I stopped by randomly and also got to fill up my cup of ideas, creativity, and most of all - inspiration. Hotel Cafe will always be one of my favorite gems in LA. read more

Hotel Café - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Soooooo glad that I caught the news that they are closing this location early next year from KTLA last week. I went on their site and found out that Meiko will be playing on Saturday. I immediately canceled my plan and got a ticket to the show. It's been years since I went, last time they still have the parking lot at the back. I used to spend sooooooo many nights here, watching Meiko, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Katy Perry, Lenka, Kate Voegele, Honey Honey, Asa, Anna Nalick, Rachael Yamagata, Butterfly Boucher and soooooooo many more. It is one of my favorite LA live music venue!!! And the sound system is even more amazing now!! It brought back so many memories, and I took so many pictures last night. You will be missed!! read more

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I love this place, bro. This place is great, bro. I like music, and bro, let me tell you bro, it sounds great here, bro. Thanks bro read more

Hotel Café - Yes, bro - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cool spot, will definitely come back. Drinks are good and bartender was fast. It has a speakeasy vibe but also felt like I went back in times. read more

Hotel Café - Ladies night out - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Ambiance: it's a cool music venue for live performances, bars open at night, you can get admission tickets online or at the gate, very limited seats inside and you have to stand for most of the show Service: friendly and welcoming, served drink fairly fast Drink: no menu and they can do standard cocktails Moscow Mule - *** average taste Price: decent price for drinks in the area, each costs about $15 read more

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This small venue is so much fun! Went to see an artist play. Acoustics are great, the sound was good, seems to be they know what they are doing. Bar seemed well staffed to handle the crowd and drinks were tasty! Parking is tough in this area but there is a small velvet next door, they charged us $20 flat rate. Don't forget to walk one block and see the Hollywood stars! read more

My friends and I stopped by the Hotel Cafe because one of their friends were performing. We entered through the side and paid the $10 cover. Entering the Hotel Cafe, it is VERY spacious. There's a bar. There's a stage. It was a good moment. The performers there did SO amazing . read more

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Cute little venue in the heart of Hollywood. I went to go see Joseph Solomon and it was nice and intimate! The drinks weren't that great though but there are so many great bar and lounges around that you can make up for it after an event. Parking sucks as usual in Hollywood so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. Unless you wanna pay about $20 on a weekday for a lot. read more

Hotel Café - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Arrived at 6:15 for a 7:00 show. I was near the front of the line...perhaps in the first 20 persons. When I checked in, was told that the featured artist was not going on until 9:00. All the seats were either reserved or taken. I am not able to stand for over three hours so requested a refund but was told there policy allows no refunds. So we lost the price of the tickets and the disappointment of not seeing the performer. At the very least, I feel Hotel Cafe should be transparent about the wait time between the start time as stated on the tickets and the performance time. read more

I've been going to Hotel Cafe since college and it's consistently delivered great music experiences for its patrons. The staff is always friendly and kind. Back in the day the paninis and salads were the go to's on the menu. I haven't had the food recently. I attended a few fire relief shows recently at Hotel and it continues to be a top notch venue that truly supports its music community. read more

Sexy atmosphere. Staff super nice. Guy at the entrance, awesome. We saw Karina Elena in her 1 st LA concert and in a word, amazing. She is a must see. read more

Amazing ambiance and good vibe. Most musicians are great and performances are amazing on most of the shows I seen here. The only thing that' is not great is the drinks. But overall it's all good. read more

My 3rd time here and it was a pleasant experience! This time I was in the main room and both artists started on time and sounded good acoustically ! Restrooms were clean and the venue was easily accessible via Metro Rail ! read more

Hotel Café - Clean all gender restroom - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cute and cozy to have your Fav singer. I only got beer so not sure sure about their cocktails, but loved the ambiance and lighting and sound system. They have patio for smoking. The only downside might be limited restrooms but still I had a great night . read more

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It was my first time here, & it def won't be the last! I came to see Jeremy Passion & Gabe Bondoc. I loved the lowkey & intimate vibe here, & it wasn't crazy packed like going to bigger venues. There was very little seating, so prepare to stand which is fine since we were busy swaying. The bartenders were friendly & pretty fast with making drinks, & they are definitely stocked to make whatever is your favorite. read more

Hotel Café - Jeremy Passion & Gabe Bondoc 10/19/2024 - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I am a big fan of the Hotel Cafe. The reason for my low review is the sound engineer named Brie. I have played at Hotel Cafe many times, and had her as a sound engineer at least twice. Each time, she has been very rude to everyone is the band, and made the show a bad experience for myself and the people I am working with. I would rather not play a show at all, than play a show with Brie as the sound engineer. I really like the Hotel Cafe, and I have had a great experience there every time I am not working with Brie. I love going to shows there and I hope they remain successful for years to come. I hope to see change for the benefit of the venue! read more

Came to Hotel Cafe Feb 12 for Casey Abrams' birthday concert. The staff here is fantastic. I bought my tix online & didn't receive the confirmation via email so I emailed them and heard back almost immediately from a staff member's personal email because she said something was kicking back emails from the business account to my email but assured me I had tickets. When we arrived, we went to the podium and my name was there, no problem. The door guys were friendly and the ease of the whole place was fantastic. We got there early but not early enough to get closer than about 2/3 of the way back...and snagged a bar-adjacent standing situation. Bartenders were on it all night...never an issue to get their attention and get a new drink. The concert was awesome and the size of the venue is terrifically intimate. The only complaint I have is that for us 5'5" people (and below...and just above...), there's really no seeing the performers except the top of their heads. I'm not a jostler...jostling my way through a crowd to peer through people to see...so for me it's not ideal. I could raise my phone to capture photos, and then I could see them. Although anyone sitting (keyboards) or standing on the floor playing horns, I literally never saw except when they left the stage. 6'1" hubby saw a whole lot more, but still blockage. Can the stage be a little higher? That would help immensely. Anyway, the sound was great, so it was nice to listen to Casey and Haley and everyone else on stage. I'd go back to the Hotel Cafe...but get there earlier to be able to see. Live and learn!! read more

Hotel Café - Raised my phone high to get a shot of Casey Abrams. - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I appreciate what this venue does for artists. I've been here 2x for 2 different singers I enjoy. Both times the staff was kind and the crowd coming here isn't rowdy. Think coffeehouse vibes / jazz night energy lol. They have a main stage and a side stage. Main stage has instruments I think are provided by the venue and some artists bring their own instruments from guitars to electronic keyboards. Some stellar performances to be seen of up and coming musicians read more

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Hotel Cafe is neatly tucked back off of Cahuenga Blvd just south of Hollywood Blvd. To enter you need to walk down the alley then hang a left. Many a bands have played here over the years some who went off to play in venues like the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden in NY. I love this place for the constant support they give to local and out of town artists. It has such a welcoming vibe and allows people from all areas to gather for the love of music! Ticket prices are very affordable for most shows. You can check their website for all upcoming artists and purchase tickets as well. They use a "will call" system which requires no tickets. When you arrive, just check in at the entrance, give your name, show your ID, "proof of vaccination," (which is now required), and they will stamp your wrist to enter. Street parking is available if you are feeling lucky...otherwise, plenty of parking lots. Most shows run about 1 hour. This club has a full service bar but no food. However, you are allowed to bring in take out food. Hotel Cafe has a Main Stage and a smaller Second Stage. You enter both via the back entrance. What a great venue located in the heart of Hollywood to hear live music without feeling overwhelmed by a huge crowd. It is well worth the trip! read more

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How can I have lived in LA my whole life and not have been here? The venue is so cute. There are two stages, a main stage and a second stage. I saw Justin Kawika Young at the main stage. They checked for ID and Covid vaccination card and your hand gets stamped for the evening. There's a bar inside with a few tables and chairs and plenty of standing room. The bathrooms are clean and I would love to come back here again to see some talent. There is parking for $20 for the venue with the entrance on Cahuenga. There are also lots around the area and street parking as well. read more

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Came here for a small performance by The Swayzees. It was absolutely AMAZING!! one of the best experiences of my life. The spot was intimate and not crowded. Drinks were drinks. I definitely would be back for another performance read more

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Such a gret evening at Hotel Cafe enjoying great music! The customer service was excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful. The ambiance was really cool and the music performances were excellent!! read more

I don't know about you but I am quite 'thrown off' by businesses that think it is quirky or charming to chose a name that doesn't reflect their business at all. "The Laundromat" will turn out to be a restaurant, "Mike's Water Hole" is an auto mechanic and "Pizza Blast" is a book store. Okay, I made these silly examples up; but you get the idea. Hotel Café is a Hollywood venue which fits into this misnomer category. It is neither a hotel, café or hotel's café. What is it? Hotel Café is a small, intimate live music venue/event space holding real estate in touristy Hollywood. Let us explore... Hotel Café resides on Cahuenga Blvd between the intersections of Cahuenga/Hollywood and Cahuenga/Selma. You've driven past it a million times since its 2000 inception, I promise you. This area is hopping with tourists and nightlife-lovers due to the countless nearby club/bars/restaurants. Hotel Café began its life cycle as a coffee shop so the 'café' element actually make some sense; and has featured live performances from some of the biggest music stars either early in their careers or if they wanted to play an intimate live set. The venue has a main stage and side stage so expect some evenings to have both booked. Time your arrival at Hotel Café accordingly as this is Hollywood after all so parking is NOT EASY and is pricey (so, keep those wallets stuffed!) such as the $20 valet lot immediately adjacent to the building. The entrance to the venue is situated in the back so ladies in 6-inch heels like I was... be prepared! I was attending a celebrity charity concert at the main stage and made sure to purchase my ticket ahead of time on the Hotel Café website. They send you an email confirmation stating that tickets are held at the "will call counter" and you must present ID and the card used to make the purchase upon arrival. This certainly wasn't the case as the "will call counter" was simply a bouncer-looking dude standing at a podium with a list of names. He never asked me for ID so anyone could have been redeeming my ticket underneath my name. Regardless, this does mean check-in was easy-peasy. Although I can't vouch for the second stage as I didn't see it; allow me to praise the main stage at Hotel Café. Even though the venue is on the smaller side; it is spotless clean, gorgeous with a jazz speakeasy/open mic night vibe of chandeliers, exposed brick, dark colors and a beautifully back-lit bar. Even the ladies room was super tidy which is basically unheard of at a music venue. The main stage is teeny-tiny which is actually great because you can be up-close-and-personal with the performing artist. The floor supports a few circular tables with the rest being standing room only. My event didn't have a very large audience so it wasn't crowded at all - but I'm sure Hotel Café can get tight with larger acts. Admiration must be presented to the sound tech as both the mics/amps/balances and acoustics were perfect the entire evening. This was one of the best-sounding live shows I've experienced I've been to hundreds of venues across the nation as I have a professional resume history in the music industry and been on tour myself. Kudos! Sidenote: Hotel Café pumps the AC and because the crowd was on the smaller side; I was literally shivering and my hands were ice cubes. Brr! Another positive note of Hotel Café's bar/café vibe is that this isn't like a 'regular' live music venue where staff/security is on your butt trying to keep you away from the artist or acting like their venue is made of priceless gold. The ambiance is super chill, relaxed and low-key which genuinely makes the evening that much better. Despite a misleading name; Hotel Café is a beautiful, pleasant and inviting venue that is not douchey at all like which can't be said for the neighboring businesses. Hotel Café is truly a primo venue with top-notch characteristics that even best more famous venues. Well done! read more

I recently went to the Hotel Cafe to see a concert and the place was amazing. It has two stages. The first stage area holds about 200 people and then the second stage area holds about 50 people. Both sreas have full bars. The staff was incredible from Dan who worked the door, Dave the bartender, and even Roe who was working the sound. They were all really friendly and went above and beyond to make sure you had a great time while at the venue. The second smaller stage on a Monday night had local songwriters and musicians playing there own music, so if you live by here go take a listen, you most likely will hear a new star about to breakthrough and take the world on. Lastly I have to mention the manager Gia. What an absolute ROCKSTAR. I had sent her an email earlier in the day asking about the band I was about to see and within one minute she responded with all the details I needed to know for the show. Considering it was going to be my first time at the venue she help sort out all I needed to know about the place and the upcoming show. I can't wait to go back to this place again. I just wish I lived in LA, so I could go back and see the local bands and singers on Monday nights. This place truly is a hidden gem in LA. Definetly give it a try. You won't be dissapointed. read more

Super cute intimate venue with a fully stocked bar. Love the vibe and street parking was relatively easy. I didn't get a chance to try the food but I definitely will be back! Bought tickets online and just needed my ID to get in, pretty easy going staff. read more

Great live performance event center. A friend and I went to see Alex lambert and it was worth the trip and $15. We were able to see 3 live artist and had the best bartending service! They have parking directly to the Right of the building and you walk down an alley way, and to the right you'll see the main doors. They even allowed outdoor food which is convenient! There is only one bathroom, however it is absolutely gorgeous (mostly marble). I can definitely see my self returning! Great place to hang out on a Friday night, that wasn't overly packed! read more

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Still one of my absolute favorite venues in all of LA. Just one suggestion....please refill the hand soap in the bathrooms!!! The bathrooms themselves are beautiful and modern and newly renovated, however last night there was no more hand soap in the dispenser. Coming out of the pandemic and entering flu season, I think washing our hands with soap and water is more crucial now than ever. So please Hotel Cafe....please refill the hand soap dispensers in the bathrooms (specifically the second stage restrooms, as that's where I saw Moonlight Graham and The Last Revel, who BTW were awesome!) *end rant* read more

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I had the pleasure of stopping in for the first time. I've always seen this place and wanted to give it a try. The live bands were more than I expected. Very outstanding. There was one bartender, it was super busy. And all of the drinks were consistent and tasted really good. She was very pleasant!! The live music, and the great customer service, will definitely bring me back. read more

I was so pleasantly surprised at how this hidden gem lives up to what you'd expect! Fun, upbeat, clean, intimate, exciting... one could go on. What a fun night!!! read more

Hotel Café - Stage - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is a really, really solid venue for up and coming artists. They can accommodate a wide variety of talent! My friend and his band performed and I was helping out a load in load out etc. staff were easy to work with and nice. And I got to meet Rachel Platten who went on after and some of her hardcore fans as I guess this was her first show in awhile! Cool experience. I liked the green room as well. read more

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Love the intimate atmosphere here!!! We had the opportunity to see Clark Beckham up close and personal which was an amazing experience! The bar, the lighting, and the sound was all perfect! There aren't a lot of chairs and tables, so many had to stand, but it didn't seem to be a problem. We made it in time to catch two songs by an artist I never heard of before, Anna Dellaria, which was spectacular...we are now fans and followers!!!! I'm hoping Hailey Reinhardt & Casey Abrams return, so I can make it to see them too! Lots of parking options fairly close and tons of dining options surrounding the cafe. read more

Hotel Café - Clark Beckham on stage - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Disclosure: This was my first time visiting a Hollywood club. My brother would say that I live a too-sheltered life in the suburbs. I'm actually okay with that! I do enjoy live music, though. Finding music venues on the fly, without planning ahead to get tickets to a set event can be challenging. We went through an array of possibilities, without much success, in The Valley last Saturday night. We ended up going to Hollywood to this location that my brother knew from a previous visit. Parking nearby is non-existent. We ended up several blocks away in a flat fee lot. There is a well-lit alley leading to the off-street entrance of this club. You almost need to know the way, or be guided, the first time. Cost us a $13 cover to get in. That allows you to access two different rooms inside, plus a small lounge area that joins them both. The side I liked was the smaller, more intimate one. Presenting a showcase for young singer-songwriter artists, many of the crowd seemed to be followers of the acts, and perhaps family and friends, as well. Don't expect to maintain much personal space. Its tight quarters in the dark room. There's some seating. Your best bet to get a table and chairs is to wait for the acts to change over each hour. There's a bar at the side of the room, opposite the stage. Most of the patrons are 20 and 30-somethings. Our group of four definitely skewed the demographics, along with the parental supporters of a band of musicians who didn't look old enough to drink/ barely old enough to drive and vote. They brought a lot of energy and managed to squeeze 7 of themselves on a tiny stage. The other room had a cover band, which was playing at high volume in a crowded space. Passed on that! read more

Hotel Café - Large group crammed onstage. - Music Venues Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Female bartender working 2/9/2023 in the main stage had a POWERTRIP and believed that she had the right to "shush" us. An escalated exchange of words were exchanged between the female bartender and my friend, and then the situation was deescalated. We continued to enjoy the performance the rest of the night however @ approximately 1:30 AM the female bartender decided to throw out the last bit of professionalism that she had out the window and decided to pass by our party and leer at my friend with such intimidation that we didn't feel safe anymore and decided to vacate the venue to avoid any further conflict. This final interaction took place in the lobby bar area right outside of the doors that lead into the main stage bar. Please review surveillance footage and use this opportunity to train this associate. This type of behavior isn't tolerable and honestly leaves a bad taste on Hotel Cafe. Each associate is a representation of the establishment and accountability should definitely be on the agenda. read more