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Cahuenga Corridor nightlife guide

Where Hollywood clubbers, indie kids and punks party in harmony

By Amir Kenan

Special to Metromix
August 9, 2007

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Club kids invade the Corridor (Credit: Jennifer Jacobs)

Looking for a pocket of Hollywood nightlife, sans pesky, wax museum-going tourists and 5-for-$10 T-shirts? Cahuenga Corridor, that stretch of bars and clubs just off the Hollywood Walk of Fame where a diverse crowd of Hollywood club-lovers comes to escape the tourists, Scientologists and Scientologist-tourists, has never been more happening. Sports bars, trendy zen dens, sketchy gay bars, places to get all gussied up whilst getting sloshed—they're all here, as is the smell of bacon-wrapped hot dogs, tantalizing the Urban Outfitted crowds trapped behind neverending velvet ropes.

Beauty Bar

1638 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-464-7676

Retrofitted with mid-'60s salon gear, Beauty Bar is a glittery, mod tribute to all things feminine-offering in-house manicures and specialty cocktails with sassy names like the "Platinum Blonde." Which, given the bar's proximity to the glamorous stars lining the Hollywood Walk of Fame, perfectly suits the hip 20-something clientele.

Shag

1835 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood

323-464-5662

Formerly club Comcorde, this chic, expansive L.A. nightspot features ornate interiors (think Old Hollywood glitz) and an even more ornate clientele. Shag also has a swanky restaurant and a large smoking patio, for those who like to eat and/or kill themselves in style.

Ritual

1743 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-463-0060

This Zen-inspired paradise in the heart of Hollywood lures in power players and socialites for a night of dancing and lounging on arguably one of the best patios in the city. Can’t get past the velvet rope? Eat dinner here first and you’re guaranteed entrance. Click here to read the review of Ritual.

La Velvet Margarita Cantina

1612 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-469-2000

The food’ll do at this Hollywood Cantina, but it’s the margaritas, velvet Elvises and Mexican Day-of-the-Dead-like gothic décor that are the real draw. The menu serves up Mexican standards with California spin for the hip under-30 crowd.

Citizen Smith

1600 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-461-5001

To say that Citizen Smith has a bar scene would be a colossal understatement. This trendier than thou, high-end comfort food haven may boast tasty sliders, chicken and waffles, and frozen hot chocolate (ripped off from Serendipity in NYC), but the true attraction is the beautiful crowd and wild gothic decor.

Hotel Cafe

1623 1/2 N Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-461-2040

An intimate venue for the next big singer-songwriter, Hotel Café has booked acts like Rilo Kiley and John Mayer. The club recently began serving food along with their drinks, so come for Death Cab for Cutie, stay for the quesadillas.

Cabana Club

1429 Ivar Ave., Los Angeles

323-463-0005

Order a drink pool-side or Lohan-side.

Burgundy Room

1621 1/2 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-465-7530

A dark and punkish dive amidst the Hollywood hoo-ha.

The Spotlight

1601 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-467-2425

A dive bar for the Hollywood crowd.

The Room

1626 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles

323-462-7196

The chillaxed Cahuenga Corridor hideaway is still money, baby.

Play

6423 Yucca St., Hollywood

323-962-2913

Play couldn’t be a more appropriate name for this tiny Hollywood club that attracts the just-turned-21 set. The girls look like aspiring Lindsay Lohans and the boys look like they spent way too long on their hair. And we’re pretty sure ninety percent of the crowd spent the day juggling auditions between shifts at the gym. It all makes for a pretty shallow scene, but we have to say: It’s always a fun time.

Amir Kenan is contributing editor for Metromix Los Angeles.