Let's go down the rabbit hole, shall we?
Altered state #1: Anyone can get in
Forget what you know about SBE’s other clubs. Unlike Hyde and Area, you don’t need a tabloid headline on your resume to get past the velvet rope. S Bar is open to all so long as it’s not filled to capacity or booked for a private party. But note: It holds fewer than 100 people, so if you show up late, you can’t whine about not getting in.
Altered state #2: The walls are like an optical illusion
Large-scale canvases depicting visuals from Versailles blanket the walls, creating a trompe l’oeil effect. One wall looks like a concrete construction site while another displays portraits of aristocracy. The work is from "The Museum Project" by award-winning French photographer Patrick Tourneboeuf—I recommend "studying" them before hitting the bar; they’re quite spectacular.
Altered state #3: The lamps hang upside down
You’re not imagining things. There really are dozens of table lamps—square, oval, crystal, ceramic, new, old, kitschy, classy—hung upside from the ceiling. My fave: the bronze pineapple lamp because it's totally random.
Altered state #4: You’ll actually find a place to sit
There are club chairs and couches everywhere and none of them match. There are black leather swivel chairs, red regal armchairs and straight-back dining seats around thin T-style tables. And, for those who make reservations, there are tons of traditional leather Chesterfield sofas to choose from. Your head will spin.
Altered state #5: Celery makes for a spectacular cocktail
Don't even think about ordering a vodka soda. S Bar’s most exciting drinks are concocted of organic ingredients like celery, ginger and bell peppers—seriously! There’s “Bee’s Knees” made of gin, clover honey syrup and fresh-squeezed lemon juice, which will remind you of the sweet tonic mom used to make to soothe sore throats. And there’s a slightly spicy ginger-celery cocktail that’s as refreshing as it is intoxicating. But the most inventive elixir on the menu is the “Pepper Delirious.” It’s a mixture of hand-pressed yellow bell pepper with mint, lime juice and Aviation gin, and it will render your taste buds—and your head—utterly delirious.
Altered state #6: There are TVs on the ceiling…
…in the bathroom.
Altered state #7: Everyone gets spoiled rotten with attention
Sure, celebrities like Jamie Foxx and Nicky Hilton chill out here, but priority treatment isn’t just reserved for them. The doorman seems to remember everyone who’s been here—on my second visit he said, “Welcome back”—and general manager Heather Wolsic hops around the room making sure everyone is having a good time. She’s so sweet, in fact, that you’ll want to come back just to see her. The cocktail servers are just as charming, especially because they get pumped about the cocktail menu.
Altered state #8: Brent Bolthouse is not just a TV star
The myth, the legend, the man himself frequently shows up—with his side-swept brown hair, skinny jeans and black Converse—to work the magic touch that's made him L.A.'s most prolific nightlife force.
...And magical it is.
Click here for S Bar's address, phone number and website.
Alexandra Le Tellier is Bars & Clubs editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
