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View Winners → Archive Jan 26, 2016
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Angelenos know what’s up when it comes to food, nightlife, and culture—just ask GQ. There’s a lot to celebrate in the city, but today, we wanted to focus on just the first two.
Transitioning from dinner to drinks can be tricky. In the name of efficiency, we’ve rounded up our favorite PM haunts that take you from dinner time to T-shirt time— seamlessly—cause no one wants to park twice.
Rose Cafe | Venice
And we’re dead. The Venice staple’s foray into dinnertime surpassed our expectations. After a dormant 8 months, the highly-anticipated eatery from chef Jason Neroni and restauranteur Bill Chait finally re-opened its impressive rose-painted doors last week—and the re-boot is both gorgeous representative of the hood (read: fire pit slash beer garden).
Rose’s menu features exquisite dishes like smoked Bucantini Carbonara, oxtail lasagna with ricotta, Castelvetrano olives and tomato butter, yakitori bone marrow with toast, and hands down, the best chicken we’ve ever had. What’s more, the bar bodes a equally impressive roster. Pro tip: try Walnut Sidecar, which contains the 1840 formula Cognac, Nocino, dry curaçao, lemon powder. Oh yeah, and there’s parking.
Perch | Downtown
Take your evening to another level at DTLA’s favorite rooftop bar, Perch. Nestled on the corner of 4th and Hill, the restaurant and bar (occupying the 15th and 16th floors) offers breathtaking 360 degree views of Downtown, French antique furniture, ornate fireplaces, and lush landscaping. It’s another world so plainly in the heart of Downtown, and the juxtaposition in itself is something to be appreciated.
It’s the fanciest experience you can get without feeling pretentious—the comfortable crowd and live music are the perfect mix of relaxed and upscale. The bar offers specialty, Parisian inspired wine and spirits, a cocktail program, and crafted beer selection.
Commissary at The LINE | Koreatown
The second floor of the ultra-hip Line Hotel houses Commissary, the leafy utopia shrouded in lush greenery—a visual theme that plays to the vegetable-focused menu, but fear not, cannibals— Commissary offers steak, schnitzel, and seafood as well. Or, opt for a true Koreatown night at Pot, which celebrates the best of Korea’s cuisine. Hot pots, BBQ, kimchi fried rice, and noodles— the staples of a night on the town in Seoul.
Whichever direction you choose, make sure to end the night at the Pot Lobby Bar, with a happy hour that lasts from 2:30 – 8 pm and live music and DJ sets that’ll have you swaying from when the lights dim (around 6 pm) with your +1. Grab a Long Island Iced Tea, White Russian, or Fuzzy Navel (which are made with soju infused with kimchi or curry. Can you handle the spice?) or a glass of beer on tap if that’s more your speed.
Osso | Arts District
In case you hadn’t heard—our former turn up, The One-Eyed Gypsy, got a makeover. Located right by the Metro Gold Line, Osso offers their famous fried chicken, infused with their even more famous taste of dill pickle tang. Get it with a side of potato salad to complete the meal.
Scratch that—no meal’s complete without a stiff drink. The restaurant’s resident cocktailmologist Darwin Manahan can whip you up a one-of-a-kind Old Fashioned: make sure to ask for the Portola.
Bar Ama | Downtown
Tex-Mex cooking in LA seems to be a hit or miss, but Bar Ama’s got it right n point. Our favorites are the spicy menudo and puffy carnitas tacos – some authentic dishes that, through chef Josef Centeno’s interpretation, have somehow become more delicious. Or, try Nana’s Frito Pie —yep,tastes like it sounds.
The bar is the perfect place to pop in for a drink while strolling the streets of Downtown. A small plate + expertly crafted cocktail = a perfect appetizer or 2nd round (for the perpetually-hungry). Most of the drinks are tequila-based, for you salt and lime lovers.
E.P. & L.P. | West Hollywood
If you wanna jam as much foodie fun into an evening without making too many stops, E.P. and L.P. is the perfect one-stop-shop. The dining room (E.P.) features an open kitchen that prepares a menu full of our Southeast-Asian-inspired favorites, like curries, ceviche, and crackling-skin chicken.
L.P., the rooftop bar right upstairs, takes you right to Taiwan with their boba cocktails. (Yep – alcoholic boba!) Did we mention the breathtaking views of Hollywood Hills?
Otium | Bunker Hill
Otium, a restaurant that opened in partnership with the Broad, is a feast for all senses. With a mouthwatering menu, and an interior that’s all #aestheticgoals, Otium is the perfect place for those interested in the local culinary and design scene.
Toca Madera | West Hollywood
We’ve gotta admit, we’ve slept on this one. But after a recent visit to West 3rd’s Toca Madera— we’re raving about it to anyone who’ll listen. A sexy lounge punctuated by a few high tops and a massive crystal bar, the fancy Mexican haunt is the ideal spot to transition from evening to night. Chef Raymond Alvarez serves up an epic menu of small plates, but don’t forget to pay a visit to the stunning bar after—mezcal for everyone!
