Your Game-day Cocktail Guide

While Budweiser is an obvious Superbowl beverage staple, that doesn’t mean you can shake things up for the non-beer drinkers out there. This weekend draw up a new game plan with the recipes we’ve rounded up below. We guarantee they’re delicious from beginning to end zone!

Red Snapper

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin 
  • 2 oz tomato juice
  • .75 oz lemon juice
  • 1 oz chilli sauce
  • .5 oz worcestershire sauce 
  • salt and pepper

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a large glass. Add ice and stir to chill. Garnish with a celery stalk, lemon wedge, salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Courtesy of Four Pillars Gin

What/ When 20

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Ingredients: 

  • 2 oz The Botanist Gin 
  • 0.5 oz blood orange puree
  • 0.5 oz lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup 
  • 3 oz prosecco

Instructions:
Combine ingredients in a shaker. Shake and strain into a champagne flute. Garnish with a lemon.

Courtesy of W New York- Times Square

OTT Irish Coffee

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey
  • .25 oz rich Demerara syrup
  • 5 oz hot coffee
  • A pinch of salt
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 5-6 oz heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • Zest from an orange
  • 2 dashes of orange bitters

Instructions:
Muddle the cardamom pods in the bottom of a pre-heated Irish coffee glass. Add whiskey, Demerara syrup, hot coffee, and salt and stir together. Combine the heavy cream, sugar, orange zest, and bitters and whip together until the mixture is thick, but still pourable. Float cream over the top of the drink by pouring gently over the back of a spoon. Add an additional garnish, if you like, of a lightly toasted marshmallow.

Created by Joaquín Simó at Pouring Ribbons

Bright Lights Big City

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Ingredients: 

  • .075 oz Old Overheat 
  • .075 oz Laird’s Apple Brandy
  • 0.5 oz Gifford Rhubarbe
  • 0.5 oz lemon juice
  • 0.25 oz falemum 
  • 0.25 demerara 
  • 1 tonic 
  • 4 dashes of mango bitters
  • 1 mint sprig (garnish)

Instructions: 
Shake ingredients and serve in collins glass with pebble ice. Top with tonic and mango bitters. Garnish with mint sprig.

Created by Kenneth McCoy, available at The Rum House.

The Wild Card

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Ingredients:

  • 3 drops vanilla bean extract 
  • Bar spoon of Maille Mustard
  • 2 oz. El Peloton mezcal
  • .5 oz lemon juice
  • .75 oz agave nectar
  • .75 oz egg white 
  • Peychaud’s Bitters swirl (for garnish) 
  • Star anise

Instructions:
Put ingredients into shaker in this order: vanilla bean extract, bar spoon of mustard, lemon juice, agave, mezcal. Dry shake. Open up shaker and add ice. Double strain into a martini glass. Add a couple dashes of peychaud bitters and place star anise on top. 

Courtesy of Marcio Ramos of The Honeywell

Third And Long

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Ingredients:

  • 1 oz The Bitter Truth Pink Gin
  • 1 oz The Bitter Truth Elderflower Liqueur
  • 1-2 dashes The Bitter Truth Cucumber Bitters

Instructions:
Pour gin, elderflower liqueur and cucumber bitters into a long drink glass filled with ice and stir. Fill up with tonic water and stir again. Garnish with lemon wheel, cucumber slice, and mint sprig.

Courtesy of Alexander Hauck and Stephan Berg at The Bitter Truth

Tommy’s Margarita

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Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Olmeca Altos Blanco tequila
  • .75 oz agave nectar
  • .75 oz lime juice

Instructions:
Combine ingredients in shaker. Shake and strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and black salt.

Courtesy of Sweet Liberty

The Trifecta Punch

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Ingredients:

  • 24 oz Aviation American Gin 
  • 64 oz Maison Marcel Sparkling Rosé Wine
  • 12 oz Aperol

Instructions:
In a pitcher, combine gin and Aperol. Stir. When ready to serve, add chilled sparkling rosé wine, and stir again gently. Garnish with fresh cranberries.

Courtesy of Meaghan Levy of theLounge at Rose Hill, HGU Hotel

Svedka ShandyGaff

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 parts SVEDKA Colada Vodka
  • 3 parts Corona Light beer (ice cold) 
  • 2 parts lemonade (cold)
  • 1 lemon wedge

Instructions:
Pour SVEDKA Colada, lemonade, and the juice of 1 lemon wedge into a shaker. Add ice and shake briefly. Strain into a pint glass. Top with Corona Light. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Courtesy of SvedkaADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW

The Dark and Stormy

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Gosling’s Rum
  • 4-5 0z ginger beer
  • Gosling’s Black Seal Rum

Instructions:
In a highball glass filled with ice add ginger beer and top with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. Garnish with a lime wheel and candied ginger boat.

Courtesy of Drew Sweeney, beverage director for FISHBOWL at Dream Midtown

Campari With A Kick(off)

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Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Tequila Blanco
  • 1 oz pineapple juice
  • .5 oz lemon juice
  • .5 oz simple syrup

Instructions:
Shake ingredients with ice and pour into a tall tumbler glass. Garnish with a pineapple slice, pineapple leaf, and a wild berry.

Courtesy of Acqua, New York CityADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW

Blood, Sweat & Tears

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Ingredients:

  • 2 oz white rum
  • .5 oz lime juice
  • .75 passionate juice
  • Gosling’s Black Seal rum float

Instructions:
Combine ingredients in shaker. Serve over ice. Top with Gosling’s float and garnish with lime.

Courtesy of Heather McKinney atOphelia’s Electric SoapBox

Rusty Pale

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Ingredients

  • 5 parts local IPA beer 
  • 2 parts Coopers’ Craft Bourbon 
  • .25 part fresh lemon juice 
  • .25 demerara syrup 
  • Dash of Hellfire Habanero Shrub

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients and serve in a pint glass or beer mug. Garnish with lemon.

Courtesy of Michael Ring of Coopers’ Craft Bourbon

Game Day Cider Splash

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Ingredients:

  • 5 oz of beer
  • 3 oz of homemade citrus apple cider
  • 1 oz of Bacardi Black
  • Chopped apples, oranges and lime 

Instructions:
Mix beer, apple cider and Bacardi black in glass. Garnish with fruit.

–Courtesy Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach


OVERTIME

LA RAMS

THE FRONT SEVEN COCKTAIL

For football season, Liquor.com chose a bartender from each NFL team’s hometown to provide the perfect cocktail to represent their team.

“The D line and the linebackers are the strongest group in the Ram’s current lineup,” says John Coltharp, the head bartender at Los Angeles’ Seven Grand. “This stiff cocktail is a tribute to those seven players; it also features the earthy flavors the Rams want the opposing running back to experience when they shove his face into the ground.”

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Slow Hand white whiskey
  • 1 oz Cynar
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 dash Orange bitters
  • 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters 

Garnish: Lemon peel 

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir until cold. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Express the oil from a lemon peel over top of the drink and garnish with the peel on the ice, skin up.

vs.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Flying Elvis

For the New England Patriots, “this cocktail is a little taste of humble pie, with the strength and resolve of some local navy-strength rum providing structure, a little taste of the unexpected from the Amaro di Angostura and egg white, just like the Pats playbook,” says bartender Vikram Hegde at Cambridge, Mass.’s Little Donkey. “Plus, there’s a little something festive and tropical in the Giffard Banane du Brésil liqueur (you know, because Gisele).”

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ oz Privateer Navy Yard rum
  • ½ oz Amaro di Angostura
  • ½ oz Giffard Banane du Brésil liqueur
  • ½ oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
  • 1 Egg white
  • Garnish: Angostura bitters

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker, and shake without ice until emulsified for about a slow 5 count. Add ice and shake vigorously for a slow 10 count or until the shaker frosts over. Fine-strain into a lowball glass without ice, and garnish with a few dots of Angostura bitters in the shape of the Patriots’ Flying Elvis logo (to the best of your artistic ability).

Bar-hopping in West Hollywood: Nine bars to hit in one night

People complain that Los Angeles isn’t conducive to barhopping: Everything is spread out, we don’t have a decent transportation system, the 2 a.m. curfew. With the growing number of awesome bars, it’s getting easier to connect the dots and hop between watering holes — and not just in downtown L.A.

If you want to try something brand new and visit a local icon, the 1.3-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard between Sweetzer and Formosa avenue has plenty of options. They’re all within stumbling distance of each other so no need to Uber between them although we recommend you leave the stilettos at home.

La Fête in West Hollywood. (Photo by Umbrella Los Angeles)

La Fête: Ease into the evening with a light pastis aperitif or a spritz at this new French-inspired cocktail bar, which opened up in the elegant space adjacent to Norah and features a bar program by David Kupchinsky (Eveleigh, Freehand Hotel). If you want to come in hot, there’s a martini service with a sidecar of excess cocktail and olives.
8277 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. www.lafetelosangeles.com

The mezcal bar at Laurel Hardware in West Hollywood. (Photo by EDLT PHOTO)

Laurel Hardware’s Mezcal Bar: Cut through the crowd and duck into the elegant mezcal-dedicated bar in the back, past the kitchen. It’s quieter and more sophisticated with plush seating, wood panels and vintage mirrors. Choose from about a hundred mezcals. If sipping them neat is too hardcore for an extended barhop, try one of the seasonal cocktails made with the spirit.
7984 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. www.laurelhardware.com

Snag a seat at Employees Only in West Hollywood. (Photo by Josh Telles)

Employees Only: The award-winning New York bar from bartender Dushan Zaric now has an L.A. outpost with its own pizza oven, so this would be a good place to grab some sustenance. Snag a seat at the room-length bar and settle in with one of the tall drinks, maybe the Rain Dance Cobbler made with gin, madeira, blackberry syrup, ruby port and fresh berries and herbs.
7953 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. www.employeesonlyla.com

Surly Goat: By now, you’re probably ready for a beer break. Fortunately this craft beer bar by L.A.’s first cicerone, Ryan Sweeney, is in the middle of our route. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choices that 26 beers on tap presents, ask the “beertender” for guidance. If you want to continue your barhop, stick to low-ABV options such as a 4 percent lager or Berliner Weisse.
7929 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. surlygoat.com

Chill out and sip a frozen margarita at No More Heroes in West Hollywood. (Photo courtesy of No More Heroes)

No More Heroes: The folks behind Ysabel and Laurel Hardware transformed the Now Boarding space into a rock ‘n roll den with artsy murals of everyone from David Bowie to Biggie Smalls. It’s meant to be the chill neighborhood alternative to the velvet rope scene, offering $14 signature drinks as well as a dedicated roster of frozen cocktails. The slushy house margarita is a good bet.
7746 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. nmh.la

Regroup and recover from barhopping palate fatigue with a clean vodka soda at Bar Lubitsch. (Photo courtesy of Bar Lubitsch)

Bar Lubitsch: This Russian-themed vodka bar has staying power, surviving the craft cocktail trend that killed martini bars like Lola’s. (RIP Appletini.) It’s a good spot to regroup and recover from palate fatigue with a clean vodka soda. They offer vodkas from all over the world, everything from A to V (that’d be Armenia to Vietnam). Want to dance? Duck into the Red Room in back to see which band or DJ is playing.
7702 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. barlubitsch.com

Barbette: Time for a steak frites and champagne break! Fortify yourself with protein and carbs in the form of a brasserie favorite. Opened in May, this French bar and bistro features a cocktail menu by bartender Brittney Olsen, who mixes classic and signature sparkling cocktails. Plus, they have a great selection of wines by the glass. If you don’t feel like cutting into a steak, order those addictive fries.
7511 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. www.barbettebarandbistro.com

Harlowe: The night is drawing to an end and so are you. Escape the crowded dance floor at the most beautiful of the 1933 Group’s bar by retreating to Harlowe’s patio lounge. Skip the free-flowing Old Fashioned on tap, a potent way to cut any barhop short, for a refreshing Mule made with lime, stomach-soothing ginger beer and a spirit of your choice.
7321 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. harlowebar.com

Jones in West Hollywood. (Photo courtesy of Jones)

Jones: End the night at the Beggars’ Banquet, a late-night happy hour from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring $4.50 beers and $8.50 cocktails, including their Dirty Sue Martini made with vodka or gin and Dirty Sue olive juice. You can also order a pasta, pizza or salad to help stave off a hangover. Save room for their sizzling apple pie.
7205 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. www.joneshollywood.com

Article courtesy of LAist.

The Best Rooftop Bars In Los Angeles

BROKEN SHAKER AT FREEHAND LOS ANGELES

BROKEN SHAKER

DOWNTOWN

At the top of the Freehand Hotel sits Broken Shaker, the type of rooftop spot that LA desperately needs more of. Bright, colorful, and buzzy, Broken Shaker is rocking some of the best DTLA views of any rooftop in the area. The cocktail and bites menus are no joke either — think beachside fish shack vibes. Protip: They’re open during the daytime, too.

ROOFTOP AT THE NOMAD HOTEL

DOWNTOWN

The Nomad Hotel rocked LA as one of 2018’s biggest openings, and between the lobby and mezzanine restaurants, you probably thought that was all they had to offer. Wrong. The newly opened rooftop bar is wonderful, featuring a menu full of Nomad-quality stuff; all the cocktails, beers, wines, and frozen drinks you could ask for are available, as well as tasty bites (shout-out to those scallops), and there’s even a whole section of non-alcoholic cocktails. Fun for the whole family!

ROOFTOP | EATALY LOS ANGELES

TERRA AT EATALY LA

CENTURY CITY

If you’ve been in LA for even one second, you’ve heard somebody rejoicing that we finally got an Eataly. It hasn’t disappointed, despite being located in the Century City Westfield Mall (it’s honestly shocking how much great stuff is in there now), and the new rooftop is no exception. Drinks are a no-brainer, but if you’re hungry there’s also a full-service lunch & dinner restaurant.

SPIRE 73

DOWNTOWN

There are rooftops, and then there’s Spire 73. This open-air hotspot is, you guessed it, 73 stories in the air, and an absolute titan of the DTLA scene. Clocking in at over 1,000ft, the Wilshire Grand Center is the tallest building west of the Mississippi (seriously), and that makes Spire 73 — part of the building’s InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown hotel — the highest place to grab a drink in LA. The views are breathtaking (literally — you’re 73 stories up), and there isn’t a single piece of LA you can’t see.

COURTESY OF PETIT ERMITAGE

PETIT ERMITAGE

WEST HOLLYWOOD

This longtime local favorite rooftop somehow still feels like a hidden treasure: the pool is beautiful, the food at its classic-American restaurant is delicious, the garden calming, and the bars — there are two — thirst quenching. It’s a favorite for parties and weddings too, though, so call ahead to make sure you can get up there before heading over.

COURTESY OF WP24

WP24 BY WOLFGANG PUCK

DOWNTOWN

The prime Downtown rooftop of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant atop the Ritz-Carlton is usually closed to the public — except for this summer, when on Friday and Saturday nights it’ll be open for a revolving door of food concepts, including ramen, American BBQ, Korean BBQ, and an ongoing dessert bar.

EP & LP

MID-WILSHIRE

It’s confusing which half of this two-story restaurant/bar is EP and which is LP, but it doesn’t matter: everyone calls it by both names, and everyone’s happy when they end up on whichever one is actually the rooftop, which has great views, fire pits, amazing cocktails, and small-bite Asian food from EP downstairs. Er, LP downstairs. Er, from the downstairs kitchen.

SPENCER LOWELL

UPSTAIRS, AKA ACE HOTEL BAR

DOWNTOWN

Since the hotel’s opening in 2014, the Upstairs bar at Ace has become an unquestionable classic in the rooftop game, thanks to a roaring fireplace, a killer view of that iconic “Jesus Saves” sign, amazing drinks, a pool (albeit a weirdly small one), and DJs and performances nearly nightly. It’s also a perfect place to stop before a show (and after a show) at Ace’s Theater.

MAMA SHELTER

HOLLYWOOD

This right-in-the-heart-of-Hollywood hotel opened its rooftop just in time for summer 2016, and it’s completely open to the public, with great panoramic views of the city, a full-on yoga studio with daily classes, a Mediterranean restaurant, and evening programming that includes DJs, film screenings, and acoustic sets from local songwriters.

PEARL’S ROOFTOP

WEST HOLLYWOOD

This airy patio on Sunset is right in the heart of tourist-central, but still delivers great drinks and food — a rarity to find on the Strip, and an even bigger rarity overlooking the Strip.

PALIHOUSE

PALIHOUSE

WEST HOLLYWOOD

You’d never know this rooftop bar was here if you didn’t, uh, know this rooftop bar was here, which is just one of the many reasons it’s great: carefully-curated, fresh ingredient-filled drinks are another.

THE RED LION TAVERN

SILVER LAKE

Anyone can das boot on the lower level, but grab a drink upstairs at the Red Lion to feel like you’re really in the middle of Berlin (and grab one of the monster-size pretzels for extra authenticity). Oh and just because it’s not that high off the ground doesn’t mean it’s not a rooftop.

THE FONDA THEATRE

HOLLYWOOD

You know what’s better than seeing a show inside the Fonda? Watching the live feed of the show from ON TOP OF THE FONDA while drinking a cold drink. Boom. We said it.

HOTEL SHANGRI-LA

ONYX ROOFTOP AT SHANGRI-LA

SANTA MONICA

Yellowtail ceviche. Korean BBQ sliders. Chili/garlic/furikake wings. A view of the ocean. Wait, sorry, what were we talking about?

SKYBAR AT MONDRIAN

SKYBAR

WEST HOLLYWOOD

Okay, this one stretches the rooftop definition a little, but its top-of-the-mountain view of the city + great pool + model-y ambience is probably what people from the Midwest think of when they picture LA. Grab some of the house-made harissa hummus or some seafood flatbread, and think about all the poor unfortunate souls who aren’t you.

PERCH

PERCH

DOWNTOWN

Yeah, this Downtown restaurant’s got one of the best views in the city, but did you know one floor above is a bar with EVEN BETTER-ER VIEWS IN THE CITY? And the drinks are so good, you guys. Try a Spicy Concombre w/ Greenalls gin, St. Germain, lime juice, cucumber, and jalapeño. Alternatively, you can grab yourself a $6 Scrimshaw, or a $7 Stone IPA. And psst, they’ve even got a late-night menu, including ahi tuna tartar and burgers.

BO-BEAU KITCHEN + ROOF TAP

BO-BEAU KITCHEN AND ROOF TAP

LONG BEACH

Oysters, Sriracha butter chicken wings, 50 craft beers on tap, ping pong, board games, picnic tables, and live music. Any questions?

TAKAMI SUSHI & ROBATA

DOWNTOWN

The sushi here is kinda, sorta, a little bit, pretty good — and the 21st-floor view is next level. Add the club Elevate next door for post-dinner drinks, and, yeah, winner. Winner.

THE STANDARD

DOWNTOWN

Waterbeds. DJs. A biergarten. Actually good food. Bikinis. You. Yes.

THE ROOF AT HOTEL WILSHIRE

THE ROOF AT THE HOTEL WILSHIRE

MID-WILSHIRE

It looks like a nondescript office building on the outside, but the Hotel Wilshire is actually a great boutique hotel on an otherwise non-hotel-y part of, uh, Wilshire that’s equipped with a fantastic rooftop bar and a killer view of the Hollywood Hills.

HIGH AT HOTEL ERWIN

HIGH ROOFTOP LOUNGE AT HOTEL ERWIN

VENICE

Take the less than 10min walk from Abbot Kinney and peep Hotel Erwin’s rooftop bar (assuming you haven’t already while you were completing the LA bucket list). The sea breeze goes great with one of the craft cocktails or some mahi-mahi tacos. Easy street parking and nutso sunsets are also a major plus.

WEST HOLLYWOOD TENNIS COURTS

WEST HOLLYWOOD

Eating and drinking don’t have to be your only rooftop activities this summer (but they could be!). If you’re done unleashing your inner Jeremy Piven and want to unleash your inner Serena Williams instead, head over to the West Hollywood Tennis courts and check out the beautifully-maintained courts on the roof of the parking structure.

AROMA SPA AND SPORTS

KOREATOWN

Eating and drinking and playing tennis also don’t have to be your only rooftop activities this summer (but again, they could be!). Once you’re done unleashing your inner Serena, unleash your inner Tiger Woods (minus, you know, the cheating) at this rooftop driving range, which has an automated ball-teeing system and is open ’til 10pm.

THE LIBRARY AT THE REDBURY

HOLLYWOOD

Of all LA’s rooftops, The Library at the Redbury seems to be the one everybody forgets about… so, you know, stop forgetting about it. As its name suggests, the place has a library-meets-lounge-meets-rooftop-meets-Hollywood vibe, and the Mediterranean food menu comes courtesy of Cleo Hollywood downstairs. Oh, and of course it’s got views for days. See ya there.

WHITE OAK COMMUNICATIONS

FILIFERA

HOLLYWOOD

A brand-new, elite-level day-drinking option on the rooftop of the Hollywood Proper, Filifera is here to combat the woeful lack of great rooftops in LA. Grab some upscale cocktails, upscale snacks, and bask in the glorious sunshine that brought you there in the first place. By the way, if you’re wondering what a filifera is, you’d know it better as the desert fan palm tree.

Story by Thrillist.

Great Craft Coffee Bars In Los Angeles

BLACKTOP COFFEE

CIVIL COFFEE

 

COGNOSCENTI COFFEE

 

 

 

 

EIGHTFOLD COFFEE

 

 

ENDORFFEINE

ESPRESSO CIELO

G&B COFFEE

MENOTTI’S COFFEE STOP

GO GET EM TIGER

 

INTELLIGENTSIA

PARAMOUNT COFFEE PROJECT

 

RUBIES + DIAMONDS

VERVE COFFEE ROASTERS

WOODCAT COFFEE BAR

 

 

BAR NINE

COFFEE COLAB

 

DEMITASSE

FOUND COFFEE

BALCONI COFFEE COMPANY

 

BLUE BOTTLE

L.A. Restaurants and Bar Openings of July 2017

Sushi Bar
ENCINO

SUSHI|BAR

CULVER CITY
VESPERTINE

 

The Highlight Room
HOLLYWOOD

THE HIGHLIGHT ROOM

MID-WILSHIRE

VESTRY

Gusto 2.0

GUSTO 2.0

DOWNTOWN

18 SOCIAL

Hayden
CULVER CITY

HAYDEN

WEST HOLLYWOOD

WILD BEAST

 

The San Fernando
GLENDALE

THE SAN FERNANDO

LAX AREA

THE PROUD BIRD

Barbara Jean Hush Puppies
WEST HOLLYWOOD

BARBARA JEAN

MALIBU

MALIBU BURGER CO.

SANTA MONICA

MEAT ON OCEAN