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Things to do > Sunset Strip HotelsSunset Strip (sunset Blvd)The Hollywood Downntowner is parallel to Sunset Strip talk
about Location Location Location. The sunset strip is part of Sunset
Boulevard, has always been a top spot for celebrities and tourists
alike. You can find nightclubs, fashion shops, hotels and expensive
restaurants. Los Angeles would not be Los Angeles without this strip Top Bars, Clubs and Restaurants in Hollywood BarsThere are bars, and then there are b-a-r-s. This section is a taste of old L.A., places that have been around for years and won't be gone in a month when the trendy crowd moves to the next hip location. Locals, celebrities, movie executives and everyday people come here for good music, live bands or just to have a few drinks. The Room houses some of L.A.'s best music. The long, narrow,
dark bar features up-and-coming deejays playing to an all-everything
crowd, which includes up-and-coming actors and models. If you like
music, this is a good place to find it. On Tuesdays, it's THE place to
be in Hollywood. Like many great bars, The Room is difficult to find.
It's on Cahuenga between Selma and Hollywood behind a blue building with
an orange awning; go around the back and look for the doorman. It's across the street from The Burgundy Room, another good
bar, cool music with a cool crowd (cash only). A close walk away is Opium Den, a rock bar for young alterna-rockers. The tiny stage area
gets packed and Mondays are especially cranking with local radio station
KROQ's "Zeke's Backyard" night. Goldfingers, one of L.A.'s most interesting haunts, is
unfortunately gone, replaced by a red, posh "new Hollywood" place called
the Red Buddah Lounge. We'll see. Looking for a good bartender? Daddy's has among the best in
town. They are friendly and know how to mix the prefect drink. Daddy's
has a strong reputation as a pick-up bar. The Frolic Room (Hollywood and Vine) is a very local bar that
gets going late, after 11, after the Pantages Theater next door show is
over. Frolic's main architectural feature is a wallpaper mural of
old-time Hollywood stars. On a different scale, the Pig 'N Whistle is a restaurant that
turns into a bar at night. It has different themes on different nights
and is operated by the owners of the celebrity-favorite Sunset Room. For
example, it turns into the Nubar some nights, a cool martini bar
with a mostly younger crowd. Not to be confused with the Pig 'N Whistle
is the Cat 'N Fiddle, reputed to be a Rolling Stones fav. Any
surprise it's a British pub? It has a dart room, a dining room and a
patio. Laid-back locals love the place. To drink, try the Snake Bite.
Not a lot of femms go there, though. Merix (located in nearby West Hollywood, on Santa Monica east
of La Ciegena) is mostly gay, but has a wide variety of fruit margaritas
(kiwi, mango, etc.). It's absolutely impossible to get into on Sundays
after the noon hour, a tribute to its tasty frozen concoctions If it's Monday, check out Les Deuz Cafe, a French bistro which
has a bit of a scene that night. It's also reputed to be a hideaway for
Hollywood stars (Sharon Stone, Jerry Seinfield, Cameron Diaz, Lenny
Kravitz...). Want to see a celebrity? Or at least mingle where they mingle? Hollywood is home to several upscale bars that attract celebrities,directors and producers, movers and shakers, and more "ordinary" folks who like a good drink and a good time. Most mix dancing with comfortable bar seating. One of the best bars in Hollywood for the "average" person is Lucky Strike Lanes. It's not a chore to get in and people actually
talk to someone who's not in their own crowd. It's a beautiful bowling
alley and bar – this is becoming big in L.A. – in the Hollywood &
Highland complex. An upscale choice of the past, the Sunset Room, is being remodeled
and will reopen at Caabana Club. Forty Deuce. At the latter it's
tease without the sleeze, not a strip show but a show. One trend seems to be naming places after the street address. Thus,
welcome to town 1650. This classy dance club and bar is one of
THE places to be in town. Formerly known as Vinyl, it's new and hip. The Beauty Bar is a hair salon converted into a bar. It's
quirky,which is fitting, because so is the crowd. It's more of a
novelty, less than great for mingling with strangers. ClubsThe heartbeat of Hollywood's nightlife are its dance clubs. There are more here than there are stars on the Walk of Fame (or so it seems). And even more are on the way. Vanguard brings it with cool DJs, go-go girls on a catwalk and
enough dance floor space to fit in the relaxed but energetic crowd,
which ranges mainly from 25s-early 30s. There's an outdoor
tropical-style patio in the back for VIP service, but this place is
really just a pure dance club with few distractions. In the heartbeat of Hollywood Blvd., are two so-called "hotspots," Mood and Geisha House. Mood's mood is Indonesian has go-go dancers in panties and t-shirts and theme nights put on my various promotors. A-list parties are on Wednesdays, Asians are attracted to Thursdays, Top 40 on Fridays,, celeb and VIP-seeking Saturadys and R&B on Sundays. (6623 Hollywood Blvd,, 323- 464-6663) Geisha House is a sushi-and-more restaurant with a lively bar scene. It has two bars surrounded by a cool dining atmosphere. Go upstairs to that bar, which often features PubClub friend Jennifer mixing up some master house drinks. (6633 Hollywood Blvd, 323-460-6300). Garden of Eden (LaBrea and Hollywood) is one of the trendy
dance clubs. Owned by the Mood creator, has a very picky doorman; girls
will usually get in within 15-20 minutes while it guys can wait more
than hour. If they are admitted at all. Wear black and be patient! Once
inside, it's a young crowd, mainly 21-25, each of whom paid $15-25 for
entrance. The Ivar is a restaurant/bar/club with an industrial look and
feel and a hot-looking crowd. Most of the peo;e are standing outside but
o get in, get there by 9 or at least 9:30. If you get stuck, the pizza place next door has pretty good social action. CineSpace is an upscale restaurant, bar and screening
room showing movie classics. The front bar is for the scene, the
screening room for couples and diners. Movies – think dinner and a flick
– start at 7:30 with the DJ coming on at about 10. CineSpace is located
upstairs in the same building as Ivar. The Highlands is a fairly new club that gained immediate
success. Located on the fourth and fifth floor of Hollywood & Highland,
it has four decks and has hosted movie premier parties and other VIP
events. Those curious about the "get down and dirty" Crush Bar – a local
legend with 70s and 80s music – will be disappointed to learn it is
closed. In its place now is White Lotus, an Asian-themed bar and
restaurant brought to Hollywood by the Sunset Room and Pig 'N Whistle
owner.It has two dance floors, a patio and VIP area (of course). In
grand Hollywood tradition, it opened to celebrity-filled fanfare.Like
many places here, go for dinner to avoid the huge lines that form later. Celebrities are flying into LAX, an airplane-themed club with three bars and two outdoor smoking patios. It hosts many private events for celebrities an on "regular" nights, it's advisable to go early. (1714 N Las Palmas, 323-464-017). The Palace has re-opened as Avalon and is open for now
only on Fridays for a New York-style disco (starts 10 p.m.).It's huge
buildingis full of history for theater, TV shows (Jerry Lewis, Merv
Griffin among others) and bands. On the top of Avalon is Spider Club, which has a smokin' good-looking crowd. It's almost twin VIP rooms, each
with a DJ and dance floor and bar; one is more intimate and the other is
larger. For the trendy-seeking, Xes (sex spelled backward and
pronounced "excess") has go-go dancers on poles and shows videos of
girls in bikinis smashing bugs and such which, for some reason we're not
quite capable of comprehending, is all the rage for some folks. Tuesdays
are hosted by an adult film company, Wednesdays are 80s, Thursdays are
Top 40 dance and weekends are for it all (call ahead). Dining and RestaurantsOne of the best-kept local secrets in all of Los Angeles is Yamashio Restaurant (1999 N. Sycamore). It's a Japanese restaurant on the top of a lush hill. The food is excellent and is equally good for just drinks and appetizers. And just try and top this city view. The El Adobe on Beverly (one mile east of LaBrea off Hollywood Blvd., on the right) has sensational Mexican fare and tasty margaritas. It's been around 50+ years, so it must be doing something right. One of the more interesting places is The Raffalas (Hollywood Blvd. at La Brea). It might have LA's best pizza and certainly the coldest beers in the area. Sit by the window to watch the interesting characters on Hollywood Blvd. For real, old-fashioned Italian in an authentic atmosphere, Machelli's (Las Palmas and Hollywood Blvd.) is the place to go. Here, the waiters sing, wine bottles hang from the ceiling and it's like walking into Italy. The food is good and the prices more than reasonable, about $15 an entree. For traditional Hollywood, Musso & Frank Grill (Hollywood Blvd. @ Cherokee), is a classic. It has been around since 1909 and it seems the waiters have been there since the opening. They know the menu like the Fredrick's people know lace. The dishes are bathes in sauces. It's not cheap – up to $50 a person – but is as classical in Hollywood as Casablanca.
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