THE PUBLIC HOUSE 
THE PUBLIC HOUSE 
In a city that is almost literally as famous for its ability to party, New Orleans has a lot of bars in a lot of varieties to choose from. Today we will be talking about one of my favorite hotel bars, the Sazerac Bar.
Located in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (which is gorgeous), the Sazerac is a beautiful, art deco bar that is straight out of a movie, and a welcome alternative to the drunken madness that is to be found on Bourbon and other streets in the Quarter.
This is a classy bar in a classy hotel, and most of the people here are also well-dressed. The drinks are old school and the one to get is of course the Sazerac.
In a city where over the top and manic excess are the daily norm, there is The Chandelier. Located in the Cosmopolitan Hotel/Casino, this three story bar, which really is three separate stacked bars depending on your point of view, is built inside of a giant chandelier.
If you are looking for a quiet drink with friends, this isn’t that bar. If on the other hand you are looking to kick your Vegas weekend off right with a mood setting bar with some incredible cocktails and shiny crystals. This is where you go.
To this day, my wife who does like craft cocktails but who does not like bourbon swears the best drink she has ever had was a blueberry bourbon cocktail at the Chandelier.
While Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans is famous for its drunken ribald revelry, there aren’t actually that many classy, or even quality bars on Bourbon Street. Arnaud’s French 75 Bar is not only an exception, but an oasis that beckons to anyone wanting to enjoy a refined bar that is famous for its refined and famous cocktail,… The French 75.
Esquire named the The French 75 Bar as one of the 15 places that every man should drink before he dies. Although originally a “Gentlemen Only” establishment, fortunately Arnaud’s French 75 has joined the rest of the world in welcoming women , and while we do not dispute Esquires statement, everyman should drink here at least once, we also are not so sexist and would avidly encourage women (and everyone else) to give it a try as well.
The French 75 cocktail, which is named for a French 75 millimeter artillery canon, is made here with Courvoisier VS cognac, champagne, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a lemon twist, chilled and served in a frosted champagne tulip glass.
A hidden (we’d never have found it without the doorman) wine bar/speakeasy in the heart of Old Pasadena that is beautifully appointed and very cool little palce to sit and share a bottle of wine with someone.
While there are more than a few bars in Pasadena, given the exclusivity of the neighborhood there are surprisingly few that have an upscale vibe to them outside of a restaurant. The Speakeasy is one such bar. The first of a few in fact that have begun to pop up in recent years.
Located off of Exchange Alley, like the speakeasies of old, the Speakeasy requires a password for admission. While this at first may seem to be taking the theme a tad too far, it is more than just a gimmick. In order to obtain the password you need to call or email ahead of time and the password is a kind of reservation. This allows The Speakeasy a measure of discriminating crowd control that lends to the atmosphere of the place.
Knowing that password admits you into a room bathed in deep red light with a vintage bar and a well appointed room, that is the Speakeasy.
The craft cocktails are good, and cost about what you’d expect to pay for a craft cocktail. We have been to the Speakeasy a few times, always on the weekend, and while there was a healthy crowd, it was not overly crowded. We were able to get our drinks fairly quickly and were even able to find a table on both occasions. Conversation was also possible, as this is a place for drinking, not local live music. The bathroom is clean but not large and there are only 1 or 2.
While there is no dispute that the French Dip sandwich was invented in Los Angeles in the early 1900’s, there are two places that claim to be its originator. Phillippes and Cole’s. Both establishments opened in 1908 and both have been, and are still open to this day and serving their version of the original.
Between the two, we chose Cole’s for several reasons.
Nuff said Cole’s wins hands down and the sandwich is just better.
Onto the bar. The main bar at Cole’s is beautiful and walking in the door, you can feel the history of the place. Imagine your classic, classy LA bar. The kind that politicians, actors, mobsters, the good, the bad, the ugly, and everybody comes to sooner or later to sit down and have that drink. This is that place, and those things you’re imagining, well they really happened here.
Then just when you think you’ve found the quintessential classic LA bar, you head to the bathroom, make a wrong turn, go through a wall, and find yourself in a speakeasy called the Varnish.
That’s right, a bar inside a bar. Talk about doubling down.
The drinks are excellent at both bars, the french dips are exactly what you want to eat when you’re drinking, and in terms of vibe pick any decade except the 70’s or 80’s and you’ve got it.
The Tonga Hut is the oldest (surviving) Tiki Bar in the LA area (1958). I was first introduced to the Tonga Hut about 20 years ago when several of my coworkers in the animation industry took me along for Friday night drinks. A couple of the guys in particular were very much into the Tiki culture and were even members of the Loyal Order of Drooling Bastards. More on that later.
I of course was “aware” Tiki culture, but hadn’t really explored it much outside of trips to the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland (which does not serve booze) and a trip to the legendary Bahooka’s in Rosemead with parents when I was kid (before I could drink booze) prior to it closing down in 2013.
The way my coworkers talked it up I think I was expecting something that was a cross between the Enchanted Tiki Room and Bahooka’s, which was huge and an experience unto itself even as a kid.
Instead, I walked into a very small bar with an equally small lounge area with a few coveted booths.
If you happen to have a navy grandfather or great-grand who served in the pacific, think about how his living room, den or garage (depending on the tolerance of your grandmother) looked. Kind of like that long forgotten local museum memorabilia exhibit. Lots of Polynesian influence. Lava rock, 50’60 furniture. Some indoor tropical plants, used plank and bamboo paneling, and maybe a tiki head.
I didn’t quite get the appeal. Then I got me some grog.
If Rum (or Rhum) is your booze of choice, or you like your cocktails floral and fruity, then you have arrived in a small corner of the delirium heavens.
If you like them a lot and decide you are up to the challenge, then you can run the Grog Gauntlet and attempt to be worthy of the Loyal Order of Drooling Bastards. A challenge in which you are given 1 yr from the date of your first drink to consume all 78 listed libations on the Grog Log.
For the sake of posterity, I will be honest and say that while I enjoy rum and the taste of rum, the after effects of rum on me discourage too much.
However, those of my compatriots who are rum aficionados, more than a few of whom are full-fledged, card-carrying members (there is a card) of the Loyal Order of Drooling Bastards concur. When it comes to tiki drinks and grog, this place is the real deal.
The first power plant in Los Angeles was located in the basement of the Higgins Building in DTLA. The site was derelict and apparently even flooded for years, before being reclaiming and restored and turned into a Steampunk themed nightclub and bar.
With its entrance located down an alley off 2nd st. between Main and Spring, the Edison is one of the longer lasting cool bars and nightclubs in LA. Known for craft cocktails, elaborate popup shows, a rooftop fish tank, and just all around cool decor the Edison is easily one of the better places to host a party.
The Edison does have a full menu and the food is alright, but it’s really the vibe and the cocktails that you come here for. In terms of atmosphere its the best themed venue in town and on those occasions where they are hosting a show, a great night out.
Perched (see what I did there) on top of the Pershing Square Building, directly caddy corner from Pershing Square itself is,… Perch.
This is a place whose greatest asset is its location. The drinks are good, the food alright, the service,… depends on who and the day, the view.. One of the best rooftop restaurants in LA.
Nominally a French bistro, while the decor does give off a French circa 1920’s vibe, it’s not like any French bistro I’ve ever been too.
The Drinks are genuinely good, although nothing really stands out as special. The Brunch is their best meal of the day and theoretically one of the better brunches in LA, but it’s hard to screw up breakfast and here again I think the view has a lot to do with the experience.
Still on a sunny LA late afternoon headed into Sunset, it’d be hard to do much better.
The Seven Grand is very specifically a Whiskey Bar. Located in a very unassuming part of DTLA, we almost walked past it the first time. There is, or rather was, a restaurant on the ground floor street front, but that has since closed. Which kind of adds to the challenge of finding the bar, because as you walk up you see what is obviously an out of business restaurant and wonder if this is just the restaurant or the bar is closed too.
To answer that question. The restaurant is closed. The bar is open.
Walking upstairs and into the bar you will find yourself in what feels and looks a whole like a Scottish Gentlemen’s Hunting club with mounted stag heads and plaid.
Provided what you want is whiskey you are in the right place. The bartenders are knowledgeable, the drinks are excellent, the prices are high-end DTLA bar, and because they are all pretty much craft cocktails, they take a minute to make. Which is by far are biggest gripe about this otherwise spectacular bar. The lines to get a beverage are long because they take more than a few minutes to make each one.
Adding to the gentleman’s club vibe are a one to a couple of pool tables (each time I’ve been there has been a different number of them) and outdoor balconies for the smoking of cigars.
In the 10+ years since it open The Seven Grand has gained acclaim and notoriety and has expanded its operations to San Diego, Austin, and Denver. While all are well rated, this review specific to the one in DTLA which the only one we have been too.