Photo courtesy of anonymous

If you haven’t already read on Eater LA and on some L.A. people’s tweets, Jared Meisler (my old friend and owner of Bar Lubitsch in West Hollywood) and partner Sean MacPherson recently opened up The Roger Room, a beautiful, new, lightly circus-themed bar in the space formerly occupied by the dive-y Coronet Pub. Sigh. My favorite bartender Damian Windsor worked with Jared on the cocktail list and, uh, a couple of my favorites are on there. Blah.

OK, I’m begrudgingly writing about The Roger Room because I like it the way it is now. It’s just three weeks old (opened June 1) and I can still go in there and find a place to sit without having to squeeze through a sphincter of people. It’s really tiny! OK, a bit bigger than The Varnish.

Jared and Damian had even asked visiting media to keep this on the DL because they’re still working out the kinks and they, too, don’t want it to get out of control. They have also enforced a no-photography rule of the bar’s interior. The bouncer reminds you before you walk in. Not even photos of their cocktails! Believe me, I asked. So that’s why I used an iPhone-shot pic that I found online for this post. But I guess in this day and age of Twitter, you really can’t expect to keep anything a secret for too long.

In any case, about the drinks. The cocktail menu features three cocktails for every spirit and here are just some of them.

• The Grifter ($16): Damian described this as an absinthe mojito. Mata Hari Absinthe, pressed mint, simple syrup, club soda and crushed ice.
• Old Sport ($13): This was inspired from a cocktail Damian did during his brief stint at Copa d’Oro when it first opened. Cap Rock Gin, black tea-infused Soho lychee liqueur, cucumber juice, lime juice, up.
• The Pash ($13): Jared and Damian came up with this cocktail of passionfruit juice, Aperol and champagne.
• Spiced Mule ($13): This gingery cocktail was imported from the Curio Parlour in Paris. Saylor Jerry Spiced Rum, ginger juice, lime juice, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and club soda on the rocks.
• Spring Street ($13): Damian says this is the cocktail that made his wife fall in love with him, awww. It’s a mojito/Harvey Wallbanger combo, he says. Made with Effen Vodka, mint, orange juice, Galliano and crushed ice.
• Thug ($12): This is my favorite. With a combo of Maker’s and habanero pepper, how could you go wrong? Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Baronjager Honey Liqueur, lemon juice and spicy habanero bitters on the rocks.
• Tijuana Brass ($13): If you went to my blogiversary at Bar Lubitsch last year, you probably enjoyed this cucumber margarita. Tres Reyes Blanco, lime juice, agave syrup and cucumber foam on the rocks.

The menu will change of course, so if you see anything you like here you might want to stop by soonish. BTW, there’s also a decent selection of beer (like $10 Delirium Tremens), wine  and premium spirits (mmm, $13 12-year-old Macallan).

As for the cat being out of the bag now. Jared, who has a very good head on his shoulders, knows that, like anything in L.A., the bar’s popularity will probably rage to a peak and then mellow out. I guessss. Well, at least J & D said they’d save a seat for me.

The Roger Room
370 N La Cienega Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90048 (map)
(310) 854-1300
Hours: 6pm-2am daily