You know how people use “literally” when they mean “figuratively,” and how it pisses you off? If you also balk at the use of “speakeasy” when the speaker means “bar,” then Sidebar at Covell is the place for you. Because when you enter Covell, you walk to the back and coolly whisper your password to a bartender. He’ll point you to the bookcase, which opens into a speakeasy that actually feels like a speakeasy. Stylish and laid-back, this reservation-only private room is perfect for intimate events. Enjoy the luxury of having your own bartender and, generally, no wait at the bar for the well-curated selection of boutique wines and craft beers. But if by chance someone should be ahead of you, no worries, because this bookcase bar also has a self-serve beer tap. Yes, you read that correctly. It protrudes from a brick-laid doorway as if emerging from Harry Potter’s Platform 9¾ and sits adjacent to a chalkboard that helps you abide by the honor system when tracking your drinks. It might just literally be genius. 4628 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz. (323) 660-4400, barcovell.com. —Eve Weston

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