As you may have noticed,
we're totally obsessed with the "The Hills." So, when we saw MTV's darlings chilling at
The Boulevard Lounge in WeHo, we had to get in on the action and finally figure this place out: Is it a bar or a restaurant?
Hidden in plain sight on the corner of Crescent Heights and Santa Monica boulevards, the lounge has the feel of a tree house—the floor is made of wooden planks; there are two oak trees that grow through the porch-style lounge; and the exterior is painted bright red and blue. We almost expected a "No Girls Allowed" sign. But once inside, it's actually welcoming and beyond casual. (Read: Jeans, flip-flops.)
On the menu: beyond mom's cookies and lemonade. Designer hamburger and hot dog sliders can be ordered Chicago, French or Italian style. Go with the latter—made with tapenade, greens, sun-dried tomato, basil, aioli, country mustard and mozzarella—and you might never taste a burger that compares.
Co-owner Christopher Hunt Lawrence, who has been singled out by The New York Times for his inventive libations, has come up with some killer cocktails here. There's the peach pear martini, which is sweet as candy and the perfect sauce for a girls’ night out, and the (ahem) Velvet Orgasm, a take on the classic white Russian. But the best drink is the the Dirty Boulevard. It’s made with Absolut Citron vodka, Sprite, fresh lemon juice, a splash of Chambord and a dusting of nutmeg. It sounds gross, right? It's actually one of the most exciting cocktails I've tasted in a long time—and it has a kick.
On any given night, chef Michael Paris Bourseau works the room in a red chef's jacket adorned with a Cubs patch—he's such a Chicago fan that he hung up a Cubs flag outside and started the Chicago Cubby Club, with a $6 membership that gives fans deals on food and drinks during all Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls games.
On Sundays, the bar opens early for the best hangover cure ever: A retro-themed "Brady Brunch," an all-day brunch with screenings of classic TV shows and commercials served alongside specials like Fonzie's brioche French toast. And on Sundays Dave Schulz, of Goo Goo Dolls fame, gathers his friends for an evening of rock-and-roll around the keyboard. True, the reference to the Goo Goo Dolls is cringe-worthy, but this is just a fun, chilled-out way to end the week.
As for the question we posed in the beginning: The Boulevard Lounge is both a bar
and a restaurant. Ultimately, though, it’s a different breed altogether. It’s the ultimate neighborhood lounge … in a tree house.
Click here for The Boulevard Lounge's address, phone number and website.
Alexandra Le Tellier is Bars & Clubs editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
