Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills nightlife, nightclubs and bars party guide
|
Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills nightlife, nightclubs and bars party guide |
 |
|
|
|
|
Hollywood | |
Newsletter | |
Events Calendar | |
Advertise | |
|
L.A. CITY GUIDE:
NO LAST CALL! Text and photos detail nightlife, nightclubs and bars with celebrties, live bands and trendy places.
|
|
Sunset Strip/Beverly Hills Bars & Bands
The sounds from decades past can almost be heard from the street corners. The Sunset Strip is the most famous 10 blocks in all of America. It's where bands from big cities, small towns and all parts in between go to get discovered. If they are good – and lucky – enough, they emerge from the crowd to reach stardom. (Then they party too much, go into rehab, make a comeback and are featured on VH1's "Behind the Music.") Their goal is to play "the circuit," which is the Whiskey, Roxy and the Troubadour. Any given night, people line up to hear the good, the great and and the not-so-great in a musical struggle to make it big in the area of Sunset between Doheny and La Ciegena. The Strip also has L.A's chic celebrity haunts, places where gaining entrance requires at least an Academy Award nomination or a few magazine cover shots. Traditional Live Music Venues MAP
For Rock 'n Roll, though, it's pretty much a punk and heavy metal scene. The Whiskey A Go-Go is where the Doors, Guns 'N Roses, Motley Crue and others emerged from the smoke. It also introduced the Go Go girl back in the 60s when the club's female DJ started dancing to the tunes she was spinning while suspended in a cage above the dance floor. In the 80s, it became the birth of heavy metal. The Roxy may be the most legendary of them all. Most recently, however, it features several different types of bands playing for 45 minutes, much to the frustration of true LA music heads. Next to the Roxy is the Rainbow Bar & Grill (better known as the Rainbow Room), a hard rocker hangout that does not feature live music but does include two free drinks (shots okay) in the $10 cover charge.Because it's acually a restaurant, there are lots of big booths in addition to a bar area. Those seeking good entertainment from the "scene" don't even have to go inside; just stand outside and people-watch. But inside, well, it's got quite a history, as bands and fans flock here after shows. The Troubadour is a haven for heavy metal. Located off The Strip
on Santa Monica in West Hollywood just east of Beverly Hills, it is also
famous for launching folk rockers such as David Crosby at its Monday night
"hootenanny." Mondays still rock to this day. Name acts have a home at the House of Blues. Bands can be either current hot groups or those with fading glory but still with a loyal following. It also hosts several private celebrity functions, VIP parties, etc. If there is a lineup of limos outside, it's a good place to catch a glimpse of somebody famous. The Sunday Gospel brunch is extremely popular. The aforementioned Viper Room is a good 'ol rock 'n roll club
with constant big acts taking the stage (most of the time, it's name rockers
sitting in with other bands). True to its nature, it prefers the casual
crowd. It can be either impossible to get into or remarkably easy. It
features live bands mixed with house/techno and pop/rock and drinks are
expensive. Don't sit in the booths; they are usually reserved for VIPs,
so be prepared to stand all night. Tuesdays have traditionally been its
best night, but rock 'n roll rules on Mondays and now Thursdays has turned
into quite the scene. The Key Club, in what used to be Billboard Live, is being
promoted by one of L.A.'s top nightclub gurus who wants to create a New
York dance club feel on the Strip. It's sure set up for it – a big
stage, large dance area, surrounding balcony and a VIP room. Bands, celebrities
and events are commonplace. For rock fans, go Mondays. It's an 80's heavy-metal
flashback and the place is packed. • House of Blues: 8430 W. Sunset. (323) 848-5100 The Trendy Places – Poser Bars & Celebrity Spots MAP Every few months, a celebrity will either open up a bar or create some
commotion at one – River Phoenix passing out in front of the
Viper Room, for example – that will make it the sudden "in"
spot among the chic crowd. Currently, that hot place is Balboa.
It's where the pretty people of L.A. are hanging. Cominbed with Sky
Bar across the street, it's the hip new place to see and be seen in
town. Oh, it's a steakhouse, too. Take note that once the general public learns about these places, it's hipness factor is over and the celebrities have gone on to another place. Even so, gaining access to these places that may be past their prime requires either going on an off-night just to check out the joint, arriving hours before the "in" crowd or attempting to bribe the picky doorman (he won't even look at your for less than $20 and this only works sometimes). There is one place that continues to be hot, and that's Sky Bar. Cindy Crawford married the owner; that's how difficult it is to get into this place. Okay, it's not not quite that tough, but go early or during the week. Located in a while building next to the House of Blues, Sky Bar is an elegant, outdoor bar. The view is spectacular – sweeping from downtown LA to Century City to Santa Monica and the Wilshire District. It has tables by the overlook, mattresses and lounge chairs scattered around the pool and an upstairs bar with drinks that start at $9. It's nice, expensive, and somewhat of a highbrow pick-up joint. One of the new and trendy clubs is Spanish Kitchen. It is a
restaurant/bar with the look of a Spanish courtyard inside. Unlike many
restaurant/bars, the bar is large with plenty of room to mingle and
move about. This is where the "beautiful people" are going these days
but don't expect a whole lot of conversation.In other words, a Hollywood
crowd. The food is fair, not exceptional. The Standard is another good spot. It's in a hotel where at the check-in desk it has a live naked girl in Plexiglas. Go early, as it's often a difficult place to gain entry. Dolce is a restaurant/bar that pretty much defines L.A. Chic,
trendy, the occasional celebrity, etc. Getting a table is impossible
so go for the bar area IF there's room. It's not the scene of the other places, but history is on the side
of Barney's Beanery. Celebrities and "regular" patrons
come here for the burgers – some 150 of them – and stay for
the bar. Andrew "Dice" Clay used to stand on the tables here
and try out his act before launching his character. Sundays thru Wednesdays
have the best crowds – and Karaoke. • Balboa: 8462 Sunset in the Grafton Hotel. (323) 654-4600 Beverly Hills MAP
You don't need a sign to know you are in Beverly Hills. Traveling west on Sunset Blvd., the congested concrete suddenly turns green and plush. The Beverly Hills Hotel sign passes to the right and on the left is the world's classiest police station, resembling some sort of high-fashion shopping mall. A few blocks to the south is the business district of Wilshire Blvd. There's more money on this street than in some countries. To the west is Rodeo Drive where the shops are far beyond the price range of most of the people walking on the street. To the right is a residential area with homes featured in movies portraying life in this city. There are some classic bars in this area and some newcomers with the potential to become a long-term part of the scene. The Continental (Wilshire and Robertson) is a classy bar with the friendliness of an neighborhood pub. The multicolored lights behind the bar are almost attractive as the patrons. This is a fairly new place.. The Continental hosts special parties from time to time, usually during the week. Crowd arrival time is after 11, but earlier arrivals can take advantage of the sensational restaurant. Just down the street is another new and elegantly casual bar. The Firm (Wilshire and Crescent Heights) has an intimate wooden dance floor, low lights and couches, couches and more couches. The crowd is made up of young movers and shakers who want to put the business world behind them and have fun. Fridays are good and Saturdays are best. Arrive by 10 to avoid a line. The Firm also several social mixers from groups all over L.A., making it one of the city's most popular mingling spots. One of the coolest bars in Los Angeles is at the W Hotel. Walk
up the water fountain steps to an outdoor cabana-style pool area for
the best in classy mingling. After 10, it's inside to an open but cozy
bar area full of the youthful well-dressed. Thursdays-Saturdays are
best, but it's a good spot any night of the week. It's a bit tricky
to find – in a residential neighborhood just east of Westwood
Village – but any mild navigation frustration will be well
forgotten one sip into the first cocktail. Be nice to Jonathan at the
door. Drinking pina coladas at Trader Vic's (Santa Monica and Wilshire) is like being in an upscale Polynesian jungle. Well, it used to be anyway. The bartenders mix potent tropical drinks attired in white jackets that resemble lab coats, making them appear to be mad scientists mixing up science experiments. Well, they used to, anyway. Now this famous rum jungle is a scaled-down poolside bar. Good news for tiki bar fans – no jacket required anymore. Along the same lines of longtime LA haunts is Dan Tana's. An unassuming building, it is a restaurant/bar, mainly for older Hollywood set. Established producers, 40+ actress wanna-bes that never quite made it, that kind of thing. It's small, has been around for 40 years and sells calamari for $11. No place says Beverly Hills better than The Polo Lounge. Located in the Beverly Hills Hotel, it was, is and will be the Power Drinking place of L.A. This is where movie executives, influential businessmen and all the town's "movers and shakers" meet for a drink to close the next big deal, where they still bring the phone to your table. It sits up against a plus garden, which is great for an after-drink stroll. The best place to take a date for a post-dinner nightcap is the bar in the Bel Air Hotel. Just a few blocks off Sunset, it's like being in the country. The entry is via a stone bridge over a creek, and it's even more elegant inside. Trader Vic's and the Polo Lounge each are part of PubClub's Best in L.A. • Bel Air Hotel: 701 Stone Canyon Rd.(310) 472-1211
|
|
