Unique Bars in Los Angeles: Secret Doors, Cocktails & Old Hollywood
Some Los Angeles bars are worth visiting for the drinks. Others are worth visiting because you get to walk inside a giant whiskey barrel, find a secret door behind a hot dog stand, or watch your cocktail arrive on fire. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, there are Pop Rocks involved.
Since my daughter moved to LA, I’ve devoted a rather impressive amount of time (and money) to exploring the city’s unusual restaurants and memorable places to have a drink. Yes, my life is hard. These are bars I’ve actually visited, from a Hollywood hotel with a bowling alley to a North Hollywood wine shop where I met the owner. If you’re looking for unique bars in Los Angeles, here’s where I’d send you for a little entertainment with your cocktail.
Idle Hour: A Whiskey Barrel Bar in North Hollywood
4824 Vineland Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Idle Hour has been stopping traffic, figuratively speaking, since 1941. The barrel-shaped building is a surviving example of programmatic architecture, when businesses designed eye-catching roadside buildings to attract motorists. Whose attention wouldn’t be caught by a giant whiskey barrel you can actually walk into?
Inside, the atmosphere is cozy and wonderfully vintage. Head out to the patio and you’ll find another bit of LA architectural whimsy: a replica of the old Bulldog Cafe, shaped like an enormous bulldog. Inside the dog’s head is one magnificent round table, practically begging for a birthday gathering or a long gossip session.
There’s pub food, plenty of room to settle in with a drink, and Sunday brunch. The Sunday brunch menu has featured a particularly outrageous creation called The Elvis. Because apparently a giant whiskey barrel wasn’t quite enough personality for one establishment.
THE ELVIS
Crispy bacon on toasted sourdough with bananas,
Reese’s peanut butter sauce and powdered sugar
Four Unique Bars at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
The Hollywood Roosevelt is the sort of hotel where you can stop in for one drink and spend the next hour wandering around admiring the place. Open since 1927, it hosted the first Academy Awards in 1929, and Marilyn Monroe once lived in one of its poolside cabanas. The hotel sits right in the heart of Hollywood, and it wears its history beautifully. During my stay, I checked out four very different places to have a drink. You could easily make an entire evening of it without stepping back onto Hollywood Boulevard.
Tropicana Pool & Café
Cocktails by a pool surrounded by palm trees. What could be more LA glamour? The Tropicana has that Old Hollywood resort feeling, and the swimming pool has a surprise of its own: artist David Hockney painted the design on the bottom. So there’s even a little art history with your afternoon drink. OK, the cocktails come in plastic glasses, because, well, pool. But sitting here knowing that Marilyn Monroe once called the hotel home makes it feel pretty glamorous anyway. The pool and café welcome visitors as well as hotel guests.
The Lobby Bar
This is one of those rooms where you absolutely must look up. The gorgeous painted ceiling dates back to the hotel’s early years, though for a time it was hidden behind a false ceiling. It was painstakingly restored in the 1980s, along with other historic details. There’s also a grand iron chandelier, a fireplace at one end, and a fountain filled with plants in the middle of the room. It’s a beautiful place to linger over a cocktail, with plenty to admire between sips. Food is also served here, from pasta to sandwiches.
The Library Bar
Tucked just off the lobby, the Library Bar is a cozy, intimate room with a particularly entertaining idea: instead of simply ordering a cocktail from a list, you tell the bartender what kinds of drinks and flavors you enjoy, and they create something for you. I said that I like an Old Fashioned. Our bartender returned with a wonderful variation featuring a charred cinnamon stick, cloves, and other warm, Christmassy flavors. It was like an Old Fashioned that had gone home for the holidays. Delicious! Part of the fun is not knowing exactly what you’ll get. Just check the bar’s hours before visiting, since it isn’t open every night.
The Spare Room
A bowling alley inside a historic Hollywood hotel? Of course there is! The Spare Room is a stylish cocktail lounge with two vintage bowling lanes, comfortable booths and sofas, and shelves of board games including chess and checkers. You can reserve a lane or simply settle in with a drink and enjoy the atmosphere. No bowling shoes required, either. If you’re planning to bowl, I’d reserve ahead of time. The venue is for guests 21 and older.
Before you go: The Roosevelt bars keep different schedules, and some are open only on certain nights. Check the Hollywood Roosevelt’s current bar information before making plans.
Lucky Tiki Bar: A Hidden Tiki Bar in West Hollywood
8512 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood
The Lucky Tiki has just about everything I want from a quirky LA night out: a secret entrance, tropical cocktails, vintage Hollywood history, and a connection to The Doors. Yes, that Doors. Even finding the bar is part of the entertainment.
First, find Tail o’ the Pup, the classic hot dog stand with an enormous hot dog right out front. It has a patio and indoor seating, too. We didn’t try the hot dogs on this visit, but we did order fries to go with our tiki drinks. They were hot, crispy, and very much appreciated.
Here’s the extra-cool bit of history: this was once The Doors’ workshop and recording studio, where they recorded L.A. Woman. That makes the building quite a destination for music fans, even before you discover the secret entrance upstairs.
How to find the secret entrance
Make a reservation before you go. The bar is popular, and the indoor tables can fill quickly. Reservations are released up to 30 days ahead, and the bar currently limits reserved visits to 90 minutes. Check the booking terms for any cancellation or no-show charges when you reserve.
On the Tail o’ the Pup patio, look for a red door with a pickle barrel nearby. Open the little door on the side of the barrel and press the button hidden inside. A host will respond, confirm your reservation, and let you in. A secret door operated by a pickle barrel. Naturally.
Up the stairs, you’ll find a lively tiki hideaway with a fun cocktail menu and appetizers. The drinks are theatrical, and some arrive with flaming garnishes. It’s the kind of place where you start watching everyone else’s orders come out, just to see what might happen next.
I ordered The Ghost of Jim Morrison, which arrived with a flaming sprig of rosemary that looked alarmingly like a small forest fire in my glass. Between that and the secret pickle-barrel entrance, I certainly got my evening’s entertainment.
Check current prices for Le Parc at Melrose, within walking distance of the Lucky Tiki Bar
Prices in LA change often depending on season and weekends. I stayed here and wrote about it in my guide to the coolest hotels in Los Angeles.
Haley’s Wines – Sip, Shop, and Support a Dream
5124 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood
Haley’s Wines had me at hello, and not just because bingo and Chardonnay were involved. This cheerful North Hollywood wine bar and bottle shop is the passion project of Haley herself, who wanted to make wine approachable and create a neighborhood place where people actually get to know one another.
We stopped in and met Haley, and she was every bit as welcoming as the space she’d created. The shelves are lined with wines from smaller producers, and local artwork gives you plenty to look at between sips. It feels equal parts tasting room, neighborhood gathering place, and creative hangout.
There’s plenty going on beyond wine tasting, too, including bingo, trivia, and food pop-ups. Check the event schedule before visiting, because what’s happening changes from week to week. I particularly like that it’s the kind of place you could visit on your own, strike up a conversation, and leave knowing a few more people than when you arrived.
If you’re exploring the NoHo Arts District and would rather have a relaxed glass of wine than a nightclub experience, Haley’s is a lovely place to spend an afternoon or evening.
Scum and Villainy Cantina: A Geek-Themed Bar in Hollywood
6377 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
At Scum and Villainy Cantina, Hollywood Boulevard gives way to a galaxy far, far away. The place bills itself as a friendly neighborhood geek bar, and it commits to the idea. Inside are nods to Star Wars, Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, and several fictional worlds I’m not nearly geeky enough to identify. There are tabletop arcade games, themed decor, and cave-like booths that look ready for an intergalactic negotiation.
The cocktails are part of the show: smoking, bubbling, glowing creations, sometimes with Pop Rocks on top. Because why not? When I visited, Sirius Black was mixing drinks while Indiana Jones casually poured shots. I can’t guarantee who’ll be working when you arrive, but the bar’s love of costumes and fandom is definitely part of the fun.
The cantina is near the famous Hollywood & Vine intersection, in a busy stretch of Hollywood Boulevard. There’s no need for a regular table reservation, though it’s worth checking the venue’s event calendar before you go. A special event can change the evening’s plans.
Planning More Fun in Los Angeles?
If unusual cocktails are only one part of your LA plans, I’ve got a few more ideas for you:
- Fun and unusual restaurants in Los Angeles, for a meal that’s an experience in itself.
- Cool places to stay in Los Angeles, including hotels I’ve actually checked out.
- Things to do alone in Los Angeles, because the city is fun to explore on your own, too.
- Unique restaurants in Silicon Valley, if your travels take you north.
Map of the Bars in This Guide
Save Me for Later
Some nights call for a quiet glass of wine. Others call for a cocktail that arrives on fire, a bowling lane in a glamorous old hotel, or a bartender dressed as a wizard. Los Angeles, fortunately, can accommodate all of them. If you visit one of these bars, let me know how it went in the comments. And if your drink catches fire, I definitely want to hear about that.
