Spotlight on: South

Southern California belles (Credit: South)

As the Kentucky Derby last week doubtless made clear, the one thing L.A. nightlife has been missing is the mint julep, that classic cocktail of bourbon, mint and sugar. The drink's long-standing association with the slow-rocking porch swings, sticky days of endless humidity, and polite manners of the South is something Southern transplant Adam Milstein feels our city is ready to embrace.

Milstein is one of the four co-owners of Santa Monica’s latest nightlife addition, South, a Southern-inspired bar and restaurant that opened in early April. "There was definitely a need for it," he explains, "so we said, 'Let's try to make it work.'"

With its outdoor patio and minimally decorated interior, South is more reminiscent of Southern college bars than the South itself, a subtlety that perhaps only people who know what "War Damn Eagle!" means will appreciate. The brick walls display black-and-white photos of Southern scenes and heroes (e.g., Elvis Presley), and the seating is casually arranged. It's a setup that leaves much of the floor open for dancing, which people seem to do with the enthusiasm of a teenager going muddin' on the banks of the Tennessee River for the first time. "Music is a big factor," Milstein says, and though there's noticeably little country music or Southern rock during our visit, the bar does host Johnny Cash cover bands, such as With a Bible and a Gun. "I have a passion for that culture," he explains.

Mint juleps and Pimm's Cups, served "New Orleans style," are two of the drink menu's most popular offerings, though many of South's patrons are also excited about the presence of Louisiana beers Dixie Lager and Abita Amber. One misstep is the Lynchburg lemonade: Ours tastes like cheap, watered-down wine rather than a combo of Jack Daniels and lemon-lime soda.

"Everybody's really, really happy," Milstein says regarding the crowd South's been attracting, which primarily consists of young professional types and, we notice, groups of girls—a jackpot for all the wannabe Rhett Butlers out there.

Milstein and his partners have a solid tenure in L.A. bars, one that includes stints at Q's Billiards in Brentwood, Barney's Beanery, the Gaslite and Cinch, the former incarnation of neighboring Santa Monica bar the Parlor. But the inspiration for a Southern theme was purely organic: Milstein is one of two Georgia natives among the four owners, and a third is from Florida. The fourth is from New York. "But," Milstein says, "we say it's South New York." As we say in the South, bless his heart.

Standin' room only, y'all: Milstein assures us that South isn't really a reservations kind of place, which turns out to be both charming and frustrating. The night we visit, there simply aren't enough chairs and tables for the packed house.

Come hungry: In addition to the Southern-themed libations, South’s menu includes traditional Southern cuisine, such as fried chicken, fried okra and fried pickles.

All over but the shoutin': Between the DJ spinning your favorite ’80s jams, the TVs blaring the Lakers game and the general cacophony created by people hanging out, South's noise level is as loud as a field of cicadas in rural Alabama on a hot summer night. Hope your lip reading is up to snuff.

Click here for South's address, phone number and website.

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