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Sunset Junction nightlife

A walkable assemblage of late-night hip-kid-approved bars

By Amir Kenan

Metromix
August 20, 2008

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(Credit: Kenesha Sneed)

Photos:

Hooray for signage in L.A.! Otherwise, how would we know when we’ve crossed over from Little Armenia to Thai Town, from Beverly Hills to…not Beverly Hills? Silverlake’s epicenter of cool, known as Sunset Junction, has a sign of its own, though you have to crane your neck up high—and be heading east, and be essentially smack dab in the middle of Sunset Junction—to notice it.

Sunset Junction is a loose assemblage of hip bars, gelaterias, designer sneaker shops and places that convert old vans into Captain Planet-approved vegetable-oil-guzzlers. Visit them on foot—though we wouldn’t recommend walking the entire stretch in one go. (It’s eight blocks long—that’s like a marathon in Los Angeles!).

Akbar

4356 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-665-6810

A gay, straight and whatever crowd packs this Moroccan-themed bar near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard, Fountain Avenue and about a half-dozen other streets. If you survive the drive, reward yourself with a stiff drink and check out the quirky celebrity head shots on the wall, which include bona fide Hollywood legends Miss Piggy and Mr. T.

El Cid

4212 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-668-0318

Go down, down, down the winding stairs into this Spanish-themed restaurant, bar and music venue. Wednesdays through Sundays, start off your night of SunJun fun with El Cid's famous flamenco dinner show. But be careful: After a couple pitchers of sangria, the stairs leading back up are going to be a bit more daunting.

4100 Bar

4100 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-666-4460

Giant Buddha statue? Check. Sexy Silverlake singles? Check. Sexy Silverlake singles taking inappropriate photos with giant Buddha statue? Triple-check. Eastern decor sets this unassuming Eastside bar apart from the pack, as does the bottomless supply of locals who can't seem to keep their hands off the revered religious icons.

Good Luck Bar

1514 Hillhurst Ave. - Los Angeles

323-666-3524

If the lit horseshoe sign, red lanterns and ornate carved-dragon ceiling don't help you get lucky at this surprisingly spacious bar at the northwest edge of Sunset Junction, nothing will. Best to just order up a Good Luck or two (the house specialty drink), stare at the ceilings and oval bar, and pretend that no one's talking to you 'cause they all speak Chinese.

El Conquistador

3701 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-666-5136

With blue, yellow and pink textured walls and festive swaths of fabric adorning the ceilings, El Conquistador has been servin' up stronger margaritas than El Cid since 1973. This charming Mexican cocina gets packed during the weekends with Silverlakers thirsty for El Conquistador's award-winning drinks. If you're in the mood for some grub, share the popular Botano combo, an appetizer trio of cheese quesadillas, taquitos and nachos for only $12. Que bueno!

Malo

4326 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-664-1011

Like Cobras & Matadors' adorable little nephew, Malo dishes up muy bueno Spanish tapas (beef-and-pickle tacos, anyone?) and specialty drinks (mojitos). A mammoth selection of over 150 tequilas—longer than most restaurants' wine lists—starts at $6 and goes up to $59 a shot. Ouch! La Lohan's been here, so you know it's legit.

Pazzo Gelato

3827 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-662-1410

If Silverlake were middle school, Pazzo Gelato would be where the cool kids hung out during recess. This Italian ice cream and sorbet shoppe has become the de facto meeting place for Silverlake natives. The concept is simple: ridiculously good gelato, and ridiculously inventive flavor combos—including a to-die-for martini made with rich, Venezuelan chocolate and Grey Goose vodka.

Tiki-Ti

4427 Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-669-9381

Who knew such a cool little place could exist under the shadow of KCET's headquarters? Now that Trader Vic's has been modernized (read: moved to make room for more important projects), Tiki-Ti is L.A.'s reigning heavyweight tropical bar champ. Serving up ginormous, brightly colored Polynesian cocktails to a mixed crowd, the Eastside's favorite tiki bar has a simple design concept: Hang up as much kitsch as possible, in as small a space as possible.

Tantra

3705 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-663-8268

So, so sad that Sting ruined this word for the rest of us. With its sexy red-on-orange interior and modern (read: Americanized) Indian cuisine, Tantra is a local favorite for dinner, dancing and dhal. At night DJs take over, spinning anything and everything from funky Bollywood mixes to American Top-40 hits.

Good Microbrew and Grill

3725 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-660-3645

You might think you've guzzled a lot of beers in your day, but have you ever enjoyed a tall glass of Croatian Karlovacko? Or a Stark-Porter from Sweden? Good's got a decent dining menu, but the real draw is the beer. A wicked selection of international brews is organized by type (pale, amber or dark) as well as by geography. As a weekly promotion, Good hosts Mystery Beer Night on Wednesdays, when drinkers have to guess which beer they've been served. Hooray for games centered around drinking!

Cliff's Edge

3626 W. Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-666-6116

Too cool to bother with obvious signage, Cliff’s Edge is hidden behind the 99 Cent Only store on Sunset Boulevard in Silverlake. Inside, a gargantuan fichus tree spreads its branches over a two-tiered patio in a walled garden. Sea urchin crostini, veal ravioli, linguini vongole, and pecan-crusted rainbow trout head up the Cal-Mediterranean menu. There’s also a mellow after-work bar scene where people can order off the dinner menu at the bar while sipping wine as evening turns to night. Come by during the Sunset Junction festival, where bands are playing on the Bates stage, and the crowd is hopping.

El Chavo

4441 Sunset Blvd. - Los Angeles

323-664-0871

Love Mexican Food . . . and Dolly Parton? El Chavo serves up thin steaks, enchiladas verdes, green-corn tamales, and stiff margaritas beneath a mini-shrine to the well-endowed country queen. Dolly notwithstanding, plenty of santo candles, Mayan murals, sombreros, and dishes like tongue in mole reaffirm that this place is squarely authentic.