501 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90013-2310
213-489-7800
Based in the lobby of the Hotel Alexandria, the Down & Out lives up to its name with dozens of celebrity mugshots scattered on the walls throughout the spacious bar. Large arrest photos of Charlie Sheen, James Brown, Lindsay Lohan and other unfortunate stars were even blown up to poster size and mounted behind the bar. Against the front wall, a mockup of a police lineup is ready to go for patrons who'd like to shoot their own mug shots. Despite all this emphasis on bad behavior, the Down & Out's regulars seem undeterred by the risks of partying too much as they line up at the bar. The downtown club has many distractions to keep barflies out of trouble and out of jail, including a row of vintage pinball machines and several pool tables. Barrio Tiger's Jimmy James books weekly hard-rock and underground-music nights, making the Down & Out one of the key places for real rock & roll in the heart of downtown. Ages 21 & over. Street parking. More >>
6510 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-466-6111
http://www.thedragonfly.com This longtime Hollywood bar has always been a rock & roll mainstay, but it also hosts frequent comedy and theatrical revues, including the ongoing "Point Break Live," a comedic parody of the old Keanu Reeves film. Other entertainment ranges from drum-&-bass nights, jello wrestling and "Rebel Fucking Bingo" to burlesque and "Natalie Fabia's Hooker Pageant." The Buzzcocks, the Spazmatics and Abby Travis are among the many performers who've appeared on the Dragonfly's stage. A large painting of a temptress with large dragonfly wings dominates the backdrop of the stage and serves as the club's logo, while a long wooden bar runs along one side of the room. Large mirrors on the walls give the club a sense of Tinseltown elegance and opens up the dark space. In total, the Dragonfly has four full bars operating, especially on busy weekend nights. There's also a brick-walled back patio for those looking for a breath of fresh air and a rare glimpse of a different kind of Hollywood stars. Full bar. Ages 21 & up. More >>
6250 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-962-1111
http://www.draishollywood.com Drais, the super-swank dance palace atop the W Hotel Hollywood is an unmatched extrasensory experience ($15 million worth). Vegas impresario Victor Drai (and partners Cy & Jesse Waits) have created a stunner of a club: go-go gals writh on gilded stripper-pole lamps, plush and roomy booths abound, opulent textures, mirrors and lighting gleam everywhere, and there's an outdoor pool area with cabana furniture to rival any ritzy living room. The kicker is the view, which - if you peek between the curtains that surround the place or go out on the main balcony - is incredible and almost vertigo-inducing (at least after a $15 cocktail). It may have one of the toughest doors in town, but that doesn't mean there's a lack of douchey dudes and lycra-wrapped ladies here like everywhere else. Luckily, the Metro station is right next to the entrance. More >>
1760 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-665-4294
http://www.thedresden.com Open for over 60 years, this Hollywood landmark had its moments in the limelight, with stints in movies such as Swingers and That Thing You Do. Live lounge music plays as you take your seat in one of the round booths in the dining room, checking out the menu for seafood as well as meat dishes such as prime rib and roast rack of lamb. For serious meat eaters, there is the Chateaubriand for two. More >>
This legendary downtown hotel was the center of L.A.'s jazz scene and the African-American community in the 1930s and 1940s, when such luminaries as Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne and Count Basie performed there, and celebrities like Langston Hughes, Redd Foxx, Joe Louis, W.E.B. Du Bois and Jack Johnson were among the hotel's guests. The Central Avenue hotel has been in decline ever since, although occasional events are still held there. More >>