My Favorite Cocktails in Los Angeles
A boozy send-off to my hometown.
Quick little Zach’s Tech Blog life update: I haven’t been writing as much, because I’ve been on the job search. Well, now I have a new job, and I’m officially moving away from LA, my hometown, and to New York City! Given that, I wanted to go a bit off-brand for a week and write a little bit about my favorite cocktails in Los Angeles, as a send-off to the city I’ve spent most of my life in.
There are a lot of good bars and restaurants in LA, but it’s rare to find one that has a really unique cocktail menu. So many “fancy” places just take a classic drink, add a random liqueur, and call it a “signature cocktail”. But some rare places have incredible bartenders who can put together some truly amazing drinks, and I wanted to highlight some of my favorites.
Also, if you’re in LA and want to find time to meet before I leave, or if you’re in NYC and want to say hi once I arrive, reach out to me at @blip_tm on twitter!
Before we get to the list, a couple quick notes. I tried to focus mostly on signature cocktails here, by which I mean a drink developed by a bar or restaurant, for that bar or restaurant. Some bars are so good that they get on this list regardless, but “which bar makes the best classic old fashioned” feels like a more boring list. Also, a bit of a heads up on what I personally like: I’m the kind of person who drinks bourbon neat. I like cocktails that are strong and liquor-forward. If you’re not, this may not be the list for you.
4. Sazerac from 10¼
In Pasadena, there’s a sports bar called the 35er. It’s a fine bar, but there’s nothing special there, so I don’t particularly recommend going unless you enjoy playing pool. But for some reason, underneath the 35er is a fantastic speakeasy called 10¼. I first found it by accident -- I saw a group of people going down a conspicuous stairwell and I had to follow. After going through a phone booth with a false back wall, I found myself in a small, dimly lit room with a small bar and an amazing array of high-quality whiskies.
One of my favorite things about 10¼ is their discounted whiskey tasting flights on Wednesdays. But also, because they have such a great whisky selection, they can make incredible whisky-forward cocktails like old fashioneds, boulevardiers, and Manhattans with whichever whisky you personally prefer.
My favorite drink of them all, though, is their Sazerac. It’s a classic cocktail, but it’s hard to do well because of the absinthe. Not enough absinthe makes the drink taste flat, but too much easily overpowers all the other flavors. Plus, not all bars keep both good absinthe and good rye on hand, but 10¼ does, and that makes their Sazerac stand out. And for those of you who prefer your Sazeracs with cognac, they have some good cognacs as well. If you’re in Pasadena and enjoy absinthe and whisky, I’d recommend stopping by.
3. Johnny the Giant from Checker Hall
As a bit of a whisky snob, I have a confession for you all: I actually quite like Screwball. I know, I know, I’m sorry! Yes, it’s sickly sweet on its own, and the color is fake, but peanut butter cocktails are just such a great idea. If you want the experience of a peanut butter cocktail without having to stoop to the level of buying a bottle of Screwball, Checker Hall in Highland Park has you covered with their Johnny the Giant cocktail.
Unlike a lot of flavored whisky cocktails, the Johnny the Giant isn’t too sweet, and the whisky shines through. They use honey, rather than simple syrup, as a sweetener, which adds an interesting extra level of complexity. It’s salty enough to really feel peanut-flavored, while not being overpowering. Overall, it’s a great example of how to make a whisky-forward cocktail that’s unique, and it’s definitely worth a try.
Also, the best part is that it comes garnished with a chunk of a Payday candy bar. It’s a far better snack than the olives or cherries that usually get used as cocktail garnishes!
2. Cashew Old Fashioned from F&bar
F&bar is such an amazing experience that it’s hard to pick one cocktail as my favorite. They offer a 12-course tasting menu of savory cocktails with food pairings. Their repertoire includes items like kimchi bao with soju, an oyster with a mint gin cocktail, and ahi tuna with sake. They’re all amazing, but my favorite is actually one of their dessert cocktails, which you can add on at the end of the experience.
F&bar makes their old fashioned in a unique way. They take a shot of bourbon, add in some candied orange, and some cashews that have been infused with Angostura bitters. After a minute or so of waiting, you have a strong, sweet, and uniquely nutty old fashioned. And the best part comes at the end -- once you’ve finished the drink, you get to snack on the old fashioned flavored cashews.
If you’re in LA and can afford it, F&bar is an incredible experience that I’d absolutely recommend. One heads up though -- even though they’re not all full-size cocktails, it is 12 courses. I’d suggest Ubering rather than driving to this one.
1. Butter-washed truffle Old Fashioned from the Wolves Bar in DTLA
Milk-washing is one of my favorite cocktail techniques. When you add milk to a cocktail with a low enough pH that the milk curdles, hash flavor compounds in the drink bind to the milk proteins. Then, with a few passes through a coffee filter, you end up with a crystal clear, incredibly smooth cocktail.
Wolves is a really innovative little bar in a historic Art Nouveau building in downtown LA, and even if you don’t drink, it’s worth a visit for the vibes alone. They have a menu jam-packed with innovative cocktails with ingredients like salmon skin and yogurt, and have weekly cocktails based on seasonal produce from local farmers markets. Wolves actually offers two clarified cocktails on their menu; one is a spicy Mezcal punch called Tiger’s Milk, and the other is their butter-washed old fashioned. I’ve heard amazing things about both, but frankly I can’t stand Mezcal, so the butter washed old fashioned is taking the top spot on this list.
Also, they make a surprising departure from traditional old fashioned flavors; instead of adding an orange twist or a cherry, their old fashioned is flavored and garnished with truffle. It’s a bit strange at first, but the richness of the truffle compliments the smoothness of the butter-washed cocktail to make a beverage that tastes incredibly indulgent and refined at the same time. It’s the best cocktail I’ve had in LA, and if you’re an old fashioned fan, go get one!