Hello Caroline!
I hope this email finds you doing well. I met you during the Wine Tasting Tour and ever since I’ve had the fortune of getting your newsletter.
Now, I need your help; my sister is planning her birthday party for Friday and she’s looking for a place, around downtown, with a patio where she could host this. Do you know of any place that would fit this description? We want to dance and drink, of course.
Thank you in advance for your attention.
~ Downtown & Dirty
Hi D&D,
Hmm, a patio? I think the Broadway Bar has a patio but I’m not as crazy about the bar itself as I am about Golden Gopher and Seven Grand. But it’s bigger than the smoking patios of those places. As for dancing on a Friday night in downtown? I’m not too sure since I don’t really go dancing.
Places that I think would be cool for throwing a bday party downtown are Seven Grand (obviously) and Golden Gopher. The Edison is fabulous and so beautiful but it doesn’t have a patio. But it is huge and I think they have dancing there since there’s a stage and a place for a dj. But I’d suggest getting there before 9 if you have a large party. Even at 8pm so you can take over a bunch of seats.
If you’re flexible about places outside of downtown:
The Abbey (West Hollywood) — They have an awesome patio, strong cocktails and of course lots of dancing. The only catch is that you have to love the gay boys. I like it cuz it’s always so festive and fun and those boys can dance.
Bar Lubitsch (West Hollywood) — This has a patio out front as well a dj on weekend nights and fabulously unique cocktails, like the Molotov Cocktail. The dark back room is where they have the dj and dancing.
Hope this helps.
Caroline
Dancing combined with patio is a little tough downtown. For patio though, there’s always the Standard rooftop.
For a more chill patio, consider Hotel Figuroa, on Fig just south of 9th. Their veranda is pretty good.
Yeah, the Standard can be crazy on a Friday night, plus there’s that $20 cover. Fuggedit.
I love the Veranda Bar in the Hotel Figueroa but have never been on a Friday night so I’ve always seen it chill.
I think you want J. Note: no sneakers. http://www.jloungela.com/
Bar 107 has dancing, albeit an eclectic selection of songs from the DJ. I’ve heard everything from The Smiths and Michael Jackson to Metallica and Sinatra.
This Friday is http://www.myspace.com/frankleopold who has a great song by Mr Hudson and the Library on his myspace.
Pete’s has a decent patio, and is a more than reasonable place to have some food and drinks. The other advantage of Pete’s is that it’s across from Bar 107, which sometimes draws an actual scene for Friday night dancing.
J Lounge is definitely what you’re looking for. I had my birthday there and it had exactly what you stipulated: 1) downtown, 2) outdoor patio that includes a fire pit, cabanas and its own bar, and 3) dancing.
There is a no sneaker policy, but you’ll get that anywhere where there is a “clubby” atmosphere. If you have a decent amount of people, I recommend you get bottle service (starting at $300+), which will reserve you a seating area. Plus you won’t have to but the bartenders for drinks, which is a pain in the butt. The music is a good mix of top 40ish stuff.
Tell your sis Happy Birthday!
Aww, you guys are all so helpful. I think her sister picked Edison. Hopefully it was an awesome bday.