Happy Hour in July

Harlowe Lounge

For all those who are working in West Hollywood- Bar Harlowe, once the coveted Crown Bar offers a great Gatsby atmosphere and great mixed drinks created by mixologist Dushan Zaric from downtown NYC’s Employees Only and Macao Trading Company.  Housemade Non Alcoholic beverages- developed in house, such as, homemade tonic, Absinthe rinse, pineapple fizzy water, and other bottled pick me ups. Home- made sodas are offered at $5 dollars a pop, with flavors such as Ginger Beer, Cola, Minty Fresh, and Cream Soda. Specialty cocktails such as Moscow Mules and Negronis are served at $12.00, but worth the size and taste. Although not much a happy hour price- we sipped on the Housemade Libations that were $14 dollars. The Clementine (Pictured) was by far the best. We nibbled on Market Oysters, Cheese Puffs, Blistered Shishito Peppers, and Brussel Sprouts. The Oysters were Fanny Bay, and not to my liking. They were too large and tough. The Cheese Puff reminded me of a cheddar cheese biscuit with a creamy Ricotta filling- made with caramelized onions and chives. The Shishito peppers were average, but the Brussel sprouts were prepared perfectly. I would return to Harlowe for a birthday or some networking event, but that may be it. The happy hour was worth a try, but not the best on its’ block. We vote try it- as a July experience. The décor definitely reflects that high time of Hollywood. The décor is probably my favorite part. Vintage furniture, floral wall paper, wrought iron benches, antique wall fixtures, and even a 120’s fountain in the center of what was once Crowns Bar’s dance floor. Crown Bar was coveted by many; it did not need a happy hour or menu to keep its regulars coming back. Harlowe is beautiful, the cocktails are fun, but it has some tough shoes to fill.

http://harlowebar.com/

Happy Hour- 5-7pm Daily

Faith and Flower

Downtown is commanding a social crave with newly developed corner stores, celebrity chef restaurants, list required lounges, and high rises with new residents. There is a definite buzz going around about DTLA. It is weekly I hear that a new spot is opening or expanding into the heart of Los Angeles. Many who fancy Happy Hour must stop by Faith & Flower. They have social hour Sunday – Thursday from 5:00pm – 6:30pm at the bar only.  Offerings include $1.00 oysters & selections of $8.00 specialty cocktails. Faith & Flower Downtown took over Towne Restaurant using the again over done rendition of 1920’s, but done really well with an art décor feel. Green goblets, mirrors upon mirrors, bright yellow banquets, hints of gold décor everywhere, and even glass jeweled boxes that bring your bill at the end of your experience. Michael Hung, executive chef comes from a San Francisco Michelin starred restaurant. The food at Faith & Flower is legit. We had not just one order, but two of the Duck Liver Mousse tarts, Confit Duck Leg,  Ceviche from their Raw Bar, and broccolini. The meal was magical and each dish represented flavor, chef skill, and excellence.  Faith & Flower is a Downtown success.

http://www.faithandflowerla.com/contact/

Happy Hour 5pm-630pm

Rustic Canyon

Beachside for Happy Hour, stop into Rustic Canyon for a glass of wine. Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen was founded by Josh Loeb, known on the west side of Los Angeles as the best wine & tapas spot. Rustic Canyon offers a regularly changing menu of Farmers’ Market-inspired dishes with ingredients that come from local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen who practice sustainable agriculture. Executive Chef Jeremy Fox, who garnered a Michelin star and great acclaim during his time as Executive Chef at Ubuntu in Napa, brings his own vision of seasonality, simplicity, and quality to Rustic Canyon’s kitchen.  Their beverage program consists of hand-crafted cocktails, artisanal beers, and an extensive wine list focusing on boutique wineries from around the world with over twenty options by the glass that rotate on a regular basis for the Rustic Canyon patron. Our waiter recommended all of our fabulous wines from Pinot Noir to Rose. We enjoyed the clam pozole verde made with rancho gordo, hominy, poblano, scallion, radish, tortilla- this was spectacular and a staple to their changing menu. It is a must.

http://rusticcanyonwinebar.com/menus.html

Sunday- Thursday- 5:30-10:00pm

Friday & Saturday – 5:30pm-11:00pm

3 Twenty Wine Lounge

Right off La Brea Ave- those east of La Brea in Los Angeles looking for a quick glass of wine after work can make a pit stop into 3 Twenty Wine Bar. I like to think of this neighborhood gem as a mini wine tasting experience with great tapas. Sommelier, and General Manager, Edgar Poureshagh chooses each individual wine to comprise his list of more than 200 wines. They hold true to their concept, which is continuing family tradition and integrating sustainable produced wines in their venue. For reasonable prices one can try many wines at 3 Twenty’s Enomatic wine-serving system stations with a mix of red, white, sparkling, rose, and dessert wines. I have tasted some of the best Napa & Bordeaux wines at 3 Twenty Wine bar. Edgar and his family also offer small tapa plates. We had the chicken liver, burrata with olive spread, skillet steak with Roquefort butter, and the tiger prawns, bacon, arugula, and paprika oil. The dishes are enough to share between two. As LA Weekly put it, you can tell that the dishes are carefully prepared perfectly with the wines Edgar chooses, and the menu is perfect.  If that is not enough to have you return, 3 Twenty wine bar also offered wine events, food & wine pairing , and have a fun artistic atmosphere where they display LA based artist exhibits on their walls. Each month, a different artist takes over the restaurant, adorning the walls with their work.

http://www.320southwine.com/

Monday- Sunday 6:00- 10pm