Perfecting the

* 15 oz. Bulleit Bourbon (25 oz. per bottle) * 30 mint leaves * 1 cup sugar * 1 cup water

* Wash mint leaves, pat dry and put them in a small mixing bowl. Cover with 3 ounces of Bulleit Bourbon and let soak for 15 minutes. * Remove mint, then place them in a clean cotton cloth and wring over bowl, bruising the leaves. Dip back into bourbon and wring again. Repeat several times to create mint extract. Set extract aside for 1 hour. You can also put the leaves back in the extract for a more concentrated mint �avor. * Combine mint extract (leaves included, if pre-ferred) with simple syrup (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water) in a covered glass container or jar and refrigerate overnight. * Fill julep cups (10-12 oz., traditionally silver but glass will do) with crushed ice or shaved ice and insert a fresh mint sprig. Add 1 oz. of Bulleit Bourbon to each cup. Add marinated julep mixture to taste. * Enjoy on a warm afternoon * Makes 12 delicious servings.

Mint Julep

1

Gin Joints & Whiskey Bars

7th

olympic

figuer

oa LEGENDSEVEN GRAND515 w. 7th st.

COLE’S118 E. 6TH ST.

BROADWAY BAR830 BROADWAY

GOLDEN GOPHER417 w. 8th

CASEY’S IRISH PUB613 S. GRAND AVE.

grand

“Broadway Bar has the mysterious aura of a place with a glamorous history”

There’s a Beverage Here Man!A DRINK BEST SERVED NEAT

3-6

9-12

13-14

Perfecting the Perfecting the

* 15 oz. Bulleit Bourbon (25 oz. per bottle) * 30 mint leaves * 1 cup sugar * 1 cup water

* Wash mint leaves, pat dry and put them in a small mixing bowl. Cover with 3 ounces of Bulleit Bourbon and let soak for 15 minutes. * Remove mint, then place them in a clean cotton cloth and wring over bowl, bruising the leaves. Dip back into bourbon and wring again. Repeat several times to create mint extract. Set extract aside for 1 hour. You can also put the leaves back in the extract for a more concentrated mint �avor. * Combine mint extract (leaves included, if pre-ferred) with simple syrup (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water) in a covered glass container or jar and refrigerate overnight. * Fill julep cups (10-12 oz., traditionally silver but glass will do) with crushed ice or shaved ice and insert a fresh mint sprig. Add 1 oz. of Bulleit Bourbon to each cup. Add marinated julep mixture to taste. * Enjoy on a warm afternoon * Makes 12 delicious servings.

Mint Julep

2

What �rst attracts you to a good whiskey bar?

I am drawn to a whiskey bar

by the diversity of products, the

ambiance, and the price... �nding a

good balance is crucial

What keeps you coming back?90% of the time I am drawn back because of the

bartender and patrons. The other 10% is because I am

thirsty.

What is your price range for a drink?A good whiskey should not cost you less that $8 and

no more than $15 in my opinion.

What’s your brand?Makers Mark...

That was a quick response, I guess you’re pretty loyal to a brand.

Well, yeah. I know what I like.

What is it about Makers Mark that

you enjoy?The full �avor and aromas. The

price doesn’t hurt. Everything

about it is just right.

How do you take it?On the rocks... I like ice

Do you have a preference for whiskey or whisky? I actually prefer Glenlivet 15yr. neat.

Can you explain the difference between the two?Generally whiskey refers to Irish or American whiskey

and whisky is for pretty much any other country.

Which country has the best?

Scotland... they have a bit of a head start on us

What do you think of the snobbery in the whiskey scene?I think it’s unavoidable. Every scene has them...

Although I do think it drives up price.

“Broadway Bar has the mysterious aura of a place with a glamorous history”

There’s a Beverage Here Man!

3

What �rst attracts you to a good whiskey bar?

I am drawn to a whiskey bar

by the diversity of products, the

ambiance, and the price... �nding a

good balance is crucial

What keeps you coming back?90% of the time I am drawn back because of the

bartender and patrons. The other 10% is because I am

thirsty.

What is your price range for a drink?A good whiskey should not cost you less that $8 and

no more than $15 in my opinion.

What’s your brand?Makers Mark...

That was a quick response, I guess you’re pretty loyal to a brand.

Well, yeah. I know what I like.

What is it about Makers Mark that

you enjoy?The full �avor and aromas. The

price doesn’t hurt. Everything

about it is just right.

How do you take it?On the rocks... I like ice

Do you have a preference for whiskey or whisky? I actually prefer Glenlivet 15yr. neat.

Can you explain the difference between the two?Generally whiskey refers to Irish or American whiskey

and whisky is for pretty much any other country.

Which country has the best?

Scotland... they have a bit of a head start on us

What do you think of the snobbery in the whiskey scene?I think it’s unavoidable. Every scene has them...

Although I do think it drives up price.

“Broadway Bar has the mysterious aura of a place with a glamorous history”

There’s a Beverage Here Man!

“Broadway Bar has the mysterious aura of a place with a glamorous history”

There’s a Beverage Here Man!

4

What is the most popular drink? Does

it change frequently?Whiskey is always popular because

it's classic. Other than that the old

traditional drinks are always popular: vodka

tonics, Old Fashioneds, martinis, whiskey sours and

the like. Frilly fussy drinks are kinda over.

What makes downtown LA a better place to drink and visit than other cities like NY?It’s soooo much cheaper! I love New York, but the price

of alcohol there is obscene. New York may have more

history, but LA is working on it.

Why should we drink at bars with history instead of new hip places?I don't think you should pick one over the other, but

you just can't beat the ambiance of a restored LA

building. The magic is in the walls: the brick, the gilded

�xtures, and the original wood bars. Maybe it sounds

sentimental but I don't think the fun of the past has

ever left these buildings. Plus, it’s refreshing that in an

industry town where trends rule and newness is king

that history and tradition are having a renaissance.

How long have you been at the bar?

about 8 months

What would you recommend for a �rst timer?

First, and very practical: READ ALL STREET

SIGNS!!! Don't let a good night go sour with your

car being towed or getting a ticket. Second,

Downtown is new again. Embrace that spirit and

visit a few places that you usually wouldn't to see if

you like something new. If you're a punk go to a

hip-hop club. If you're a straight guy, go with your

girlfriend and her gay friends to a gay club.

What is the crowd like? Does it change from day to night and from weekday to weekend?

The crowd always changes. Everyone �ocks to

downtown because they're disillusioned with expensive,

polished and co-opted scenes in LA.

On any given day rich kids, punks, gays, straights, old,

young, they call mingle together. It’s really cool.

What do you think is the best part of the downtown bars?The fact that there's not an established client base is a big plus. You can try new things and be free.

No one expects anything so a new club will pop up in an old club out of nowhere! You can't always

keep up with what's happening so its great!

What needs to change in downtown to create more of a drinking destination?It just takes time. People are just discovering the nightlife aspect of downtown. When I was a

kid Downtown was a dirty place where you could see a good punk show and then pray that

you wouldn't get beat up for being a weirdo on your walk back to the bus. In ten years it's

become so much friendlier, clean and fun.

Is there anything else you want to add about the 213 nightlife? Come on down! Bring all your friends! Poke your nose around and learn about what's

hip before anyone else does. Just think how clever you'll look when you take your

friends out to some old brick building with a rad bar inside.

A DRINK BEST SERVED NEAT

5

What is the most popular drink? Does

it change frequently?Whiskey is always popular because

it's classic. Other than that the old

traditional drinks are always popular: vodka

tonics, Old Fashioneds, martinis, whiskey sours and

the like. Frilly fussy drinks are kinda over.

What makes downtown LA a better place to drink and visit than other cities like NY?It’s soooo much cheaper! I love New York, but the price

of alcohol there is obscene. New York may have more

history, but LA is working on it.

Why should we drink at bars with history instead of new hip places?I don't think you should pick one over the other, but

you just can't beat the ambiance of a restored LA

building. The magic is in the walls: the brick, the gilded

�xtures, and the original wood bars. Maybe it sounds

sentimental but I don't think the fun of the past has

ever left these buildings. Plus, it’s refreshing that in an

industry town where trends rule and newness is king

that history and tradition are having a renaissance.

How long have you been at the bar?

about 8 months

What would you recommend for a �rst timer?

First, and very practical: READ ALL STREET

SIGNS!!! Don't let a good night go sour with your

car being towed or getting a ticket. Second,

Downtown is new again. Embrace that spirit and

visit a few places that you usually wouldn't to see if

you like something new. If you're a punk go to a

hip-hop club. If you're a straight guy, go with your

girlfriend and her gay friends to a gay club.

What is the crowd like? Does it change from day to night and from weekday to weekend?

The crowd always changes. Everyone �ocks to

downtown because they're disillusioned with expensive,

polished and co-opted scenes in LA.

On any given day rich kids, punks, gays, straights, old,

young, they call mingle together. It’s really cool.

What do you think is the best part of the downtown bars?The fact that there's not an established client base is a big plus. You can try new things and be free.

No one expects anything so a new club will pop up in an old club out of nowhere! You can't always

keep up with what's happening so its great!

What needs to change in downtown to create more of a drinking destination?It just takes time. People are just discovering the nightlife aspect of downtown. When I was a

kid Downtown was a dirty place where you could see a good punk show and then pray that

you wouldn't get beat up for being a weirdo on your walk back to the bus. In ten years it's

become so much friendlier, clean and fun.

Is there anything else you want to add about the 213 nightlife? Come on down! Bring all your friends! Poke your nose around and learn about what's

hip before anyone else does. Just think how clever you'll look when you take your

friends out to some old brick building with a rad bar inside.

A DRINK BEST SERVED NEAT

What is the most popular drink? Does

it change frequently?Whiskey is always popular because

it's classic. Other than that the old

traditional drinks are always popular: vodka

tonics, Old Fashioneds, martinis, whiskey sours and

the like. Frilly fussy drinks are kinda over.

What makes downtown LA a better place to drink and visit than other cities like NY?It’s soooo much cheaper! I love New York, but the price

of alcohol there is obscene. New York may have more

history, but LA is working on it.

Why should we drink at bars with history instead of new hip places?I don't think you should pick one over the other, but

you just can't beat the ambiance of a restored LA

building. The magic is in the walls: the brick, the gilded

�xtures, and the original wood bars. Maybe it sounds

sentimental but I don't think the fun of the past has

ever left these buildings. Plus, it’s refreshing that in an

industry town where trends rule and newness is king

that history and tradition are having a renaissance.

How long have you been at the bar?

about 8 months

What would you recommend for a �rst timer?

First, and very practical: READ ALL STREET

SIGNS!!! Don't let a good night go sour with your

car being towed or getting a ticket. Second,

Downtown is new again. Embrace that spirit and

visit a few places that you usually wouldn't to see if

you like something new. If you're a punk go to a

hip-hop club. If you're a straight guy, go with your

girlfriend and her gay friends to a gay club.

What is the crowd like? Does it change from day to night and from weekday to weekend?

The crowd always changes. Everyone �ocks to

downtown because they're disillusioned with expensive,

polished and co-opted scenes in LA.

On any given day rich kids, punks, gays, straights, old,

young, they call mingle together. It’s really cool.

What do you think is the best part of the downtown bars?The fact that there's not an established client base is a big plus. You can try new things and be free.

No one expects anything so a new club will pop up in an old club out of nowhere! You can't always

keep up with what's happening so its great!

What needs to change in downtown to create more of a drinking destination?It just takes time. People are just discovering the nightlife aspect of downtown. When I was a

kid Downtown was a dirty place where you could see a good punk show and then pray that

you wouldn't get beat up for being a weirdo on your walk back to the bus. In ten years it's

become so much friendlier, clean and fun.

Is there anything else you want to add about the 213 nightlife? Come on down! Bring all your friends! Poke your nose around and learn about what's

hip before anyone else does. Just think how clever you'll look when you take your

friends out to some old brick building with a rad bar inside.

A DRINK BEST SERVED NEAT

Irish WhiskeyCanadian Whiskey Bourbon Whiskey Scotch Whisky

Whiskey Varities 6

to the next bar. Cole’s French Dip Restaurant. Cole’s has

been through many incarnations, naturally, as it is Los

Angeles’ oldest bar, dating back to 1908. It had suffered

through prohibition but bounced back with a strong loyal

client base that included hardworking locals, the business

crowd at lunch and a �esty night life. Familiar faces kept a

comfortable home-like atmosphere especially with a

bartender that had worked their for 65 years! After a 1.6

million dollar facelift Cole’s is still lookin’ pretty. The

restoration team was

 

The Broadway Bar is striking! It is legendary as Los Angeles’

premiere stop for traveling entertainers and the old

Hollywood crowd. The 50 foot multi-tiered circular bar is an

elegant study in the most sophisticated art deco. Its décor

includes  charming cherub mini lamps and a smoking patio

enclosed by earthly shrubs. It’s not hard to imagine

Marlene Dietrich or Josephine Baker feeling completely at

ease in this posh atmosphere. The aesthetic is the same but

the crowd has changed. The young hip struggling art type is

the current �avor of the bar. The circular bar and wide

window opened unto Los Angeles’ busy Broadway

Boulevard make for excellent people watching. After a Seven

and Seven that didn’t pack as great a punch I decided to go

Amidst the buzz of afternoon shoppers, honking cars

making their way slowly through narrow streets and

beligerant beggars threatening passerbys, I made my tour of

the Downtown Los Angeles Bar scene. The energy of the

streets, although bustling, was exciting and alive. Historical

buildings  towering above peered down through the stoney

eyes of countless gargoyles, cherubs and eagles all atop the

grecian pillars of lush buildings. One can easily imagine a

Downtown that was populated with three piece suits, derby

hats, high button shoes and parasols. The rows and rows of

theaters under renovation tell a story of a culture in the past

excited by the new: theater, �lm, vaudeville and with all the

renovated bars, a culture excited about drink.

 About twenty feet below street level is the unsinkable

generous enough to keep many of the same charms such as

the orignal bar, some original tiles and the same low-light

atmosphere enclosed in velvet-covered walls. The

sandwhiches are just as lucious. Simple, unpretentious,

cheap and rich in �avor, the sandwiches paired with Au Jus

are irresistible. Spicy pickles and fries paired with an Old

Fashioned made for a good hearty mid-afternoon meal. I was

tipsy enough after one drink to walk merrily out of the

restaurant, leaving a healthy well-deserved tip, and headed

A Drunken History

Gin Joints & Whiskey Bars

for a Mint Julep in celebration of it being such a warm day outside. The

Julep exceeded my expectations. A complex, handcrafted, and down right

beautiful drink; it de�nitely packed a huge wallop! Getting up wasn’t easy

after that one! So struggling to walk to the exit I bid farewell to the

charming doorman and made my way to the next bar.

 

I decided to tread off of the trendy revival circuit and walk aimlessly to

�nd a bar with less elegant fare. And boy howdy did I �nd it! Hank’s is

a narrow dark bar populated by dedicated drunks, an amiable bar

tender with a black eye and a polite old bar maid whose always happy

to ask if you’re feelin’ alright. Hank's is located adjacent to the lobby of

a run down hotel. I could hear a woman arguing for one more free day

in her �op-house room while I made my way through the lobby for the

bathroom. The drinks were cheap, cheap, cheap and delicious! Quite

honestly, I don’t even remember what I drank. By this point I was

feeling pretty good!  A broken out of tune piano was an ample tool for

pounding out a bad, old bar tune. A friend tickled the ivories as best he

could without anyone giving us any grief. Plenty of colorful patrons and

dark corners made for strange lively conversations and interesting stories.

 

When I was �nally done, I walked outside and was

confused that it was still day time! It was de�nitely

time for a nap. The Downtown Los Angeles bar scene

was inviting. I �owed from one bar to the other with

joy and ease, happy that I could now count myself

among a history of people for the past hundred years

getting tipsy in the heart of the City of Angels.

9

to the next bar. Cole’s French Dip Restaurant. Cole’s has

been through many incarnations, naturally, as it is Los

Angeles’ oldest bar, dating back to 1908. It had suffered

through prohibition but bounced back with a strong loyal

client base that included hardworking locals, the business

crowd at lunch and a �esty night life. Familiar faces kept a

comfortable home-like atmosphere especially with a

bartender that had worked their for 65 years! After a 1.6

million dollar facelift Cole’s is still lookin’ pretty. The

restoration team was

 

The Broadway Bar is striking! It is legendary as Los Angeles’

premiere stop for traveling entertainers and the old

Hollywood crowd. The 50 foot multi-tiered circular bar is an

elegant study in the most sophisticated art deco. Its décor

includes  charming cherub mini lamps and a smoking patio

enclosed by earthly shrubs. It’s not hard to imagine

Marlene Dietrich or Josephine Baker feeling completely at

ease in this posh atmosphere. The aesthetic is the same but

the crowd has changed. The young hip struggling art type is

the current �avor of the bar. The circular bar and wide

window opened unto Los Angeles’ busy Broadway

Boulevard make for excellent people watching. After a Seven

and Seven that didn’t pack as great a punch I decided to go

Amidst the buzz of afternoon shoppers, honking cars

making their way slowly through narrow streets and

beligerant beggars threatening passerbys, I made my tour of

the Downtown Los Angeles Bar scene. The energy of the

streets, although bustling, was exciting and alive. Historical

buildings  towering above peered down through the stoney

eyes of countless gargoyles, cherubs and eagles all atop the

grecian pillars of lush buildings. One can easily imagine a

Downtown that was populated with three piece suits, derby

hats, high button shoes and parasols. The rows and rows of

theaters under renovation tell a story of a culture in the past

excited by the new: theater, �lm, vaudeville and with all the

renovated bars, a culture excited about drink.

 About twenty feet below street level is the unsinkable

generous enough to keep many of the same charms such as

the orignal bar, some original tiles and the same low-light

atmosphere enclosed in velvet-covered walls. The

sandwhiches are just as lucious. Simple, unpretentious,

cheap and rich in �avor, the sandwiches paired with Au Jus

are irresistible. Spicy pickles and fries paired with an Old

Fashioned made for a good hearty mid-afternoon meal. I was

tipsy enough after one drink to walk merrily out of the

restaurant, leaving a healthy well-deserved tip, and headed

A Drunken History

Gin Joints & Whiskey Bars

for a Mint Julep in celebration of it being such a warm day outside. The

Julep exceeded my expectations. A complex, handcrafted, and down right

beautiful drink; it de�nitely packed a huge wallop! Getting up wasn’t easy

after that one! So struggling to walk to the exit I bid farewell to the

charming doorman and made my way to the next bar.

 

I decided to tread off of the trendy revival circuit and walk aimlessly to

�nd a bar with less elegant fare. And boy howdy did I �nd it! Hank’s is

a narrow dark bar populated by dedicated drunks, an amiable bar

tender with a black eye and a polite old bar maid whose always happy

to ask if you’re feelin’ alright. Hank's is located adjacent to the lobby of

a run down hotel. I could hear a woman arguing for one more free day

in her �op-house room while I made my way through the lobby for the

bathroom. The drinks were cheap, cheap, cheap and delicious! Quite

honestly, I don’t even remember what I drank. By this point I was

feeling pretty good!  A broken out of tune piano was an ample tool for

pounding out a bad, old bar tune. A friend tickled the ivories as best he

could without anyone giving us any grief. Plenty of colorful patrons and

dark corners made for strange lively conversations and interesting stories.

 

When I was �nally done, I walked outside and was

confused that it was still day time! It was de�nitely

time for a nap. The Downtown Los Angeles bar scene

was inviting. I �owed from one bar to the other with

joy and ease, happy that I could now count myself

among a history of people for the past hundred years

getting tipsy in the heart of the City of Angels.

to the next bar. Cole’s French Dip Restaurant. Cole’s has

been through many incarnations, naturally, as it is Los

Angeles’ oldest bar, dating back to 1908. It had suffered

through prohibition but bounced back with a strong loyal

client base that included hardworking locals, the business

crowd at lunch and a �esty night life. Familiar faces kept a

comfortable home-like atmosphere especially with a

bartender that had worked their for 65 years! After a 1.6

million dollar facelift Cole’s is still lookin’ pretty. The

restoration team was

 

The Broadway Bar is striking! It is legendary as Los Angeles’

premiere stop for traveling entertainers and the old

Hollywood crowd. The 50 foot multi-tiered circular bar is an

elegant study in the most sophisticated art deco. Its décor

includes  charming cherub mini lamps and a smoking patio

enclosed by earthly shrubs. It’s not hard to imagine

Marlene Dietrich or Josephine Baker feeling completely at

ease in this posh atmosphere. The aesthetic is the same but

the crowd has changed. The young hip struggling art type is

the current �avor of the bar. The circular bar and wide

window opened unto Los Angeles’ busy Broadway

Boulevard make for excellent people watching. After a Seven

and Seven that didn’t pack as great a punch I decided to go

Amidst the buzz of afternoon shoppers, honking cars

making their way slowly through narrow streets and

beligerant beggars threatening passerbys, I made my tour of

the Downtown Los Angeles Bar scene. The energy of the

streets, although bustling, was exciting and alive. Historical

buildings  towering above peered down through the stoney

eyes of countless gargoyles, cherubs and eagles all atop the

grecian pillars of lush buildings. One can easily imagine a

Downtown that was populated with three piece suits, derby

hats, high button shoes and parasols. The rows and rows of

theaters under renovation tell a story of a culture in the past

excited by the new: theater, �lm, vaudeville and with all the

renovated bars, a culture excited about drink.

 About twenty feet below street level is the unsinkable

generous enough to keep many of the same charms such as

the orignal bar, some original tiles and the same low-light

atmosphere enclosed in velvet-covered walls. The

sandwhiches are just as lucious. Simple, unpretentious,

cheap and rich in �avor, the sandwiches paired with Au Jus

are irresistible. Spicy pickles and fries paired with an Old

Fashioned made for a good hearty mid-afternoon meal. I was

tipsy enough after one drink to walk merrily out of the

restaurant, leaving a healthy well-deserved tip, and headed

Gin Joints & Whiskey Bars

for a Mint Julep in celebration of it being such a warm day outside. The

Julep exceeded my expectations. A complex, handcrafted, and down right

beautiful drink; it de�nitely packed a huge wallop! Getting up wasn’t easy

after that one! So struggling to walk to the exit I bid farewell to the

charming doorman and made my way to the next bar.

 

I decided to tread off of the trendy revival circuit and walk aimlessly to

�nd a bar with less elegant fare. And boy howdy did I �nd it! Hank’s is

a narrow dark bar populated by dedicated drunks, an amiable bar

tender with a black eye and a polite old bar maid whose always happy

to ask if you’re feelin’ alright. Hank's is located adjacent to the lobby of

a run down hotel. I could hear a woman arguing for one more free day

in her �op-house room while I made my way through the lobby for the

bathroom. The drinks were cheap, cheap, cheap and delicious! Quite

honestly, I don’t even remember what I drank. By this point I was

feeling pretty good!  A broken out of tune piano was an ample tool for

pounding out a bad, old bar tune. A friend tickled the ivories as best he

could without anyone giving us any grief. Plenty of colorful patrons and

dark corners made for strange lively conversations and interesting stories.

 

When I was �nally done, I walked outside and was

confused that it was still day time! It was de�nitely

time for a nap. The Downtown Los Angeles bar scene

was inviting. I �owed from one bar to the other with

joy and ease, happy that I could now count myself

among a history of people for the past hundred years

getting tipsy in the heart of the City of Angels.

10

to the next bar. Cole’s French Dip Restaurant. Cole’s has

been through many incarnations, naturally, as it is Los

Angeles’ oldest bar, dating back to 1908. It had suffered

through prohibition but bounced back with a strong loyal

client base that included hardworking locals, the business

crowd at lunch and a �esty night life. Familiar faces kept a

comfortable home-like atmosphere especially with a

bartender that had worked their for 65 years! After a 1.6

million dollar facelift Cole’s is still lookin’ pretty. The

restoration team was

 

The Broadway Bar is striking! It is legendary as Los Angeles’

premiere stop for traveling entertainers and the old

Hollywood crowd. The 50 foot multi-tiered circular bar is an

elegant study in the most sophisticated art deco. Its décor

includes  charming cherub mini lamps and a smoking patio

enclosed by earthly shrubs. It’s not hard to imagine

Marlene Dietrich or Josephine Baker feeling completely at

ease in this posh atmosphere. The aesthetic is the same but

the crowd has changed. The young hip struggling art type is

the current �avor of the bar. The circular bar and wide

window opened unto Los Angeles’ busy Broadway

Boulevard make for excellent people watching. After a Seven

and Seven that didn’t pack as great a punch I decided to go

Amidst the buzz of afternoon shoppers, honking cars

making their way slowly through narrow streets and

beligerant beggars threatening passerbys, I made my tour of

the Downtown Los Angeles Bar scene. The energy of the

streets, although bustling, was exciting and alive. Historical

buildings  towering above peered down through the stoney

eyes of countless gargoyles, cherubs and eagles all atop the

grecian pillars of lush buildings. One can easily imagine a

Downtown that was populated with three piece suits, derby

hats, high button shoes and parasols. The rows and rows of

theaters under renovation tell a story of a culture in the past

excited by the new: theater, �lm, vaudeville and with all the

renovated bars, a culture excited about drink.

 About twenty feet below street level is the unsinkable

generous enough to keep many of the same charms such as

the orignal bar, some original tiles and the same low-light

atmosphere enclosed in velvet-covered walls. The

sandwhiches are just as lucious. Simple, unpretentious,

cheap and rich in �avor, the sandwiches paired with Au Jus

are irresistible. Spicy pickles and fries paired with an Old

Fashioned made for a good hearty mid-afternoon meal. I was

tipsy enough after one drink to walk merrily out of the

restaurant, leaving a healthy well-deserved tip, and headed

for a Mint Julep in celebration of it being such a warm day outside. The

Julep exceeded my expectations. A complex, handcrafted, and down right

beautiful drink; it de�nitely packed a huge wallop! Getting up wasn’t easy

after that one! So struggling to walk to the exit I bid farewell to the

charming doorman and made my way to the next bar.

 

I decided to tread off of the trendy revival circuit and walk aimlessly to

�nd a bar with less elegant fare. And boy howdy did I �nd it! Hank’s is

a narrow dark bar populated by dedicated drunks, an amiable bar

tender with a black eye and a polite old bar maid whose always happy

to ask if you’re feelin’ alright. Hank's is located adjacent to the lobby of

a run down hotel. I could hear a woman arguing for one more free day

in her �op-house room while I made my way through the lobby for the

bathroom. The drinks were cheap, cheap, cheap and delicious! Quite

honestly, I don’t even remember what I drank. By this point I was

feeling pretty good!  A broken out of tune piano was an ample tool for

pounding out a bad, old bar tune. A friend tickled the ivories as best he

could without anyone giving us any grief. Plenty of colorful patrons and

dark corners made for strange lively conversations and interesting stories.

 

When I was �nally done, I walked outside and was

confused that it was still day time! It was de�nitely

time for a nap. The Downtown Los Angeles bar scene

was inviting. I �owed from one bar to the other with

joy and ease, happy that I could now count myself

among a history of people for the past hundred years

getting tipsy in the heart of the City of Angels.

11

to the next bar. Cole’s French Dip Restaurant. Cole’s has

been through many incarnations, naturally, as it is Los

Angeles’ oldest bar, dating back to 1908. It had suffered

through prohibition but bounced back with a strong loyal

client base that included hardworking locals, the business

crowd at lunch and a �esty night life. Familiar faces kept a

comfortable home-like atmosphere especially with a

bartender that had worked their for 65 years! After a 1.6

million dollar facelift Cole’s is still lookin’ pretty. The

restoration team was

 

The Broadway Bar is striking! It is legendary as Los Angeles’

premiere stop for traveling entertainers and the old

Hollywood crowd. The 50 foot multi-tiered circular bar is an

elegant study in the most sophisticated art deco. Its décor

includes  charming cherub mini lamps and a smoking patio

enclosed by earthly shrubs. It’s not hard to imagine

Marlene Dietrich or Josephine Baker feeling completely at

ease in this posh atmosphere. The aesthetic is the same but

the crowd has changed. The young hip struggling art type is

the current �avor of the bar. The circular bar and wide

window opened unto Los Angeles’ busy Broadway

Boulevard make for excellent people watching. After a Seven

and Seven that didn’t pack as great a punch I decided to go

Amidst the buzz of afternoon shoppers, honking cars

making their way slowly through narrow streets and

beligerant beggars threatening passerbys, I made my tour of

the Downtown Los Angeles Bar scene. The energy of the

streets, although bustling, was exciting and alive. Historical

buildings  towering above peered down through the stoney

eyes of countless gargoyles, cherubs and eagles all atop the

grecian pillars of lush buildings. One can easily imagine a

Downtown that was populated with three piece suits, derby

hats, high button shoes and parasols. The rows and rows of

theaters under renovation tell a story of a culture in the past

excited by the new: theater, �lm, vaudeville and with all the

renovated bars, a culture excited about drink.

 About twenty feet below street level is the unsinkable

generous enough to keep many of the same charms such as

the orignal bar, some original tiles and the same low-light

atmosphere enclosed in velvet-covered walls. The

sandwhiches are just as lucious. Simple, unpretentious,

cheap and rich in �avor, the sandwiches paired with Au Jus

are irresistible. Spicy pickles and fries paired with an Old

Fashioned made for a good hearty mid-afternoon meal. I was

tipsy enough after one drink to walk merrily out of the

restaurant, leaving a healthy well-deserved tip, and headed

for a Mint Julep in celebration of it being such a warm day outside. The

Julep exceeded my expectations. A complex, handcrafted, and down right

beautiful drink; it de�nitely packed a huge wallop! Getting up wasn’t easy

after that one! So struggling to walk to the exit I bid farewell to the

charming doorman and made my way to the next bar.

 

I decided to tread off of the trendy revival circuit and walk aimlessly to

�nd a bar with less elegant fare. And boy howdy did I �nd it! Hank’s is

a narrow dark bar populated by dedicated drunks, an amiable bar

tender with a black eye and a polite old bar maid whose always happy

to ask if you’re feelin’ alright. Hank's is located adjacent to the lobby of

a run down hotel. I could hear a woman arguing for one more free day

in her �op-house room while I made my way through the lobby for the

bathroom. The drinks were cheap, cheap, cheap and delicious! Quite

honestly, I don’t even remember what I drank. By this point I was

feeling pretty good!  A broken out of tune piano was an ample tool for

pounding out a bad, old bar tune. A friend tickled the ivories as best he

could without anyone giving us any grief. Plenty of colorful patrons and

dark corners made for strange lively conversations and interesting stories.

 

When I was �nally done, I walked outside and was

confused that it was still day time! It was de�nitely

time for a nap. The Downtown Los Angeles bar scene

was inviting. I �owed from one bar to the other with

joy and ease, happy that I could now count myself

among a history of people for the past hundred years

getting tipsy in the heart of the City of Angels.

When I was �nally done, I walked outside and was

confused that it was still day time! It was de�nitely

time for a nap. The Downtown Los Angeles bar scene

was inviting. I �owed from one bar to the other with

joy and ease, happy that I could now count myself

among a history of people for the past hundred years

getting tipsy in the heart of the City of Angels.

A Little History Lesson1908

Jack Garlinghouse, Cole’s house chef, dips bread in Aus

Jus to soften it for a customer with bad gums. Thus, he

originates the French Dip sandwich, a universally

beloved Los Angeles Culinary invention.

1933

Cole’s sells a record �fty-eight 38-gallon kegs; or 19,000

gallons of beer the �rst day California lifted the ban on

beer, signaling the beginning of the end of Prohibition.

1974

Cole’s is designated by the City of Los Angeles as

Historical Landmark Site #104 and a State Point of

Historical Interest not only for its location, but also for

recognizing Cole’s to be the true Originator of the

French Dip sandwich.

2008

213, a driving force in Los Angeles urban revival,

reopens Cole’s after a $1.6 million year long restoration.

2009

Cole’s is named a 2009 recipient of the Los Angeles

Conservancy’s coveted Preservation Award recognizing

outstanding achievement in the �eld of historic

preservation.

12

7th

olympic

figuer

oa

grand

13

LEGENDSEVEN GRAND515 w. 7th st.

COLE’S118 E. 6TH ST.

BROADWAY BAR830 BROADWAY

GOLDEN GOPHER417 w. 8th

CASEY’S IRISH PUB613 S. GRAND AVE.

14