The L.A. Cocktail Bars That Need To Be On Your Radar

Photo Credit: Michael Mundy\ 

Check out the best new bars in La La Land.   

THE CIGAR AND WHISKEY BAR

Photo Credit: The Maybourne
Way up high in the Maybourne Beverly Hills is the newly opened Cigar and Whiskey Bar, a spot that toes the line between masculine and feminine with its interior of dark, wood-paneled walls, leather armchairs, Lalique wall sconces and light, airy exterior terrace of soft greens and marbled tables. It’s also one of just three destinations in the city where smoking is permitted, and one of only two where it is allowed without a membership. The bar boasts a curated menu of the world’s best whiskies, including The Yamazaki, Green Spot, and a gamut of vintages from The Macallan. Cigars, all housed in a custom-made humidor, are easily enjoyed at nearby tables that all feature Italian-made Murano glass ashtrays.

Photo Credit: The Maybourne

Photo Credit: The Maybourne

225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, maybournebeverlyhills.com

BAR LIS

Photo Credit: Michael Mundy

 For some true je ne sais quoi, head to Bar Lis, a new watering hole with French Riviera flare atop the newly opened Thompson Hollywood. With views of the Hollywood Hills, this haute spot offers a 360-view experience, from the moment guests walk through Bernadette Blanc’s striking 60-foot entranceway that features 30 full-grown cypress trees to the moment of arrival up high with the centerpiece of a 10-foot antique water fountain overflowing with flowers. Inside, a mix of plush stone-blue velvet banquettes with blush striped settees set the mood as a spinning disco ball catches gallery-style retro photography over a retractable atrium roof. The cocktails here are just as chic as their names. Our sip picks: The French Riviera — Bombay Sapphire gin, Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur, pineapple gomme, and lime — and the Jane Birkin: Sipsmith gin, St. Germain, cucumber, mint, and lime.

Photo Credit: Michael Mundy

Photo Credit: Michael Mundy

1541 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles; barlisla.com

BATHTUB GIN

Photo Credit: Bathtub GinA cool new Prohibition-style bar has opened in Los Angeles with the emergence of Bathtub Gin LA, a New York transplant speakeasy-style cocktail lounge with a Roaring Twenties vibe. Here, patrons knock on a discreet door on the side of Stone Street LA, and offer up a password through a peephole before being led up a “secret” stairway above. Upstairs, discover a space dominated by an elaborate 9-foot bar with a top of perforated brass, as well as ornate wallpapers, painted parquet floors, a myriad one-of-a-kind antiques and Victorian-style couches and tables. There’s also a piano for special guest appearances, dainty powder rooms, Tiffany lamps, crystal chandeliers, and a wrap-around outdoor balcony that offers panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills. The venue’s private Butterfly Room houses a resplendent, copper, and claw-footed take on its name. Also living up to its name are the signature cocktails, many of which do, as expected, contain gin (it even has its own dedicated G&T list) —but not all. Additional highlights include the S’mores Old-Fashion, marrying Glyph Royal, graham crackers, cacao, vanilla, bitters and truffle marshmallow, and the Pandemonium, a twist on the Sazerac.

Photo Credit: Bathtub Gin

Photo Credit: Bathtub Gin

7174 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles; bathtubginnyc.com/location/bathtub-gin-la

THE WOLVES

Photo Credit: The Wolves
Finally, finally, finally The Wolves has reopened! This Downtown L.A. hotspot, named as one of the World’s Top 500 Bars, feels brand new after an extensive 18-month, pandemic-related closure. Luckily, the already gorgeous space with breathtakingly beautiful Steampunk-meets-Art Deco style remains largely untouched. What has changed is that it’s no longer just a bar concept. Lauded French chef Laurent Quenioux, the onetime personal chef of the L.A. Dodgers ownership, is serving up a full menu of his “French home cooking” to complement the gorgeous cocktails, which include a very special offering created in conjunction with Oscar-winning film director Steven Soderbergh’s Bolivian spirit, Singani63, and additional ingredients such as mushroom, lavender, celery, cream sherry, and lemon. A new experiential mixology program concept will soon follow, so watch this space.

Photo Credit: The Wolves

Photo Credit: The Wolves

519 S Spring St, Los Angeles; thewolvesdtla.com