Looking for a special spot for drinks? Here are 6 with a vibe

Grabbing a portion with aged friends is simply a cherished vacation play ritual. But you don’t privation to extremity up astatine a dingy dive barroom wherever the cocktail database is an afterthought.

You privation someplace peculiar and now’s a bully clip due to the fact that the Southern California barroom country has ne'er been livelier. Choose from tiki joints, speakeasies, cocktail lounges with vintage decor and more. Ambitious nutrient menus await and there’s a inclination toward accepting reservations truthful you don’t person to discarded clip waiting down a velvet rope. Here are six bars with a vibe to marque the nighttime retired memorable.

Death & Co

Enter from the thoroughfare and locomotion down a dimly lit hallway to the hostess basal with a achromatic velvet curtain down it. Behind the drape this cocktail barroom is sooo acheronian that servers transportation candles connected their trays truthful you tin spot your portion coming. Candles successful faceted solid holders hardly illuminate the paper and “Can you adjacent the curtain please?” is the hostess’s refrain.

It whitethorn beryllium acheronian arsenic a coffin but there’s thing deathly astir this place. Even connected a Wednesday nighttime it’s lively with a bass-heavy soundtrack and each barroom stool occupied by 8 p.m. Date nighttime couples, dudes sharing after-work stories, adjacent tourists: “Are we going to California Adventure tomorrow? That’s wherever I had my archetypal martini!”

Everyone’s present for slayer cocktails. Spirit-forward Gunnister Man ($17), with Compass Box Glasgow Blend Scotch, St. George Spiced Pear, Dow’s Ruby Port, Americano Rosa and orangish bitters, is similar a Manhattan, says the server. But you determine it’s truthful overmuch much arsenic you munch crunchy chips and a creamy dip ($9), contemplating your follow-up drink. The Sour Soul ($16), with rye, calvados, spiced pear, vanilla and a splash of wine, tastes similar a margarita we erstwhile had successful Santa Fe that was topped with a swirl of Sangria. It pairs with tender mussels ($21) successful a savory broth served with grilled bread.

For dessert there’s a affluent olive lipid barroom ($12) garnished with thyme sprigs to person with the Morning Dove ($18), a Paloma-like tequila portion with an intriguing bitterness and a grapefruit garnish. Service is ace affable with nary L.A. attitude. For a bully time, conscionable spot the servers and instrumentality their recommendations.

Open:  6 p.m.-1 a.m. Sunday-Wednesday; 6 p.m – 2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Reserve connected Tock.  818 E. Third St., Los Angeles,  deathandcompany.com.

Jane

If your hip, antique-collecting Aunt Jane died and near you a bar, this would beryllium it. The Bridgerton-meets-speakeasy vibe is mildly bespoke with peacock feathers and brass lamps. A Swarovski crystal chandelier hangs supra the backmost booth and you cheque successful astatine a hostess table from 19th-century France. Cut-glass coupes and carved ivory-colored tiki cups? This barware looks similar it was recovered successful a treasure chest.

You’ll apt beryllium greeted by Dylan Churchill and yes, he’s distantly related to that celebrated Churchill. He tin speech you done the drinks list, which includes formidable stiff ones to suit the seaside location, similar Tiki Royale ($17) with Old Forester 100 impervious bourbon, location Falernum, pineapple, citrus and bitters. But determination are besides heady concoctions similar Girl Grey ($17) with Fords Gin, Gentian Amaro and yuzu served successful a beverage cupful topped with foamy ovum achromatic and garnished with a violet. If you similar your hooch neat, this barroom is stocked with Weller 12-year bourbon, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend bourbon and Bozal Coyote Mezcal and more.

Go bare due to the fact that the comestibles look from the aforesaid room arsenic The Cellar adjacent door. Small bites see shishito peppers and edamame ($12), squash blossom ($12) with manus breaded zucchini flowers filled with jalapeño crema, lime and achromatic oversea brackish pick cheese. For larger appetites there’s Cioppino ($22) and a petite filet mignon ($36).

Opens 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Closed Sunday-Tuesday. Reserve connected Open Table. 158 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, bar-jane.com.

The Whisper House

Do you emotion to time drink? Then The Whisper House would emotion to spot you connected the weekends. This associated has a treble vibe. Inside there’s a Prohibition-era consciousness with a massively stocked barroom arsenic a centerpiece. Black-and-white photos of flappers and G-men adorn the walls and a reclaimed wood level gives disconnected a warehouse feel. Outside during the time it’s agleam and sunny connected the patio and you tin eavesdrop connected the brainy conversations of the profs and students successful this assemblage town.

The barroom serves trade cocktails and “comfort nutrient with a twist.”  During brunch hours, the prima is simply a large two-hand burger dubbed Wake Up Call ($15) with slices of crisp bacon sticking retired the sides, melted cheese, caller arugula and a fried egg. Shareables see fried calamari ($17), buffalo chickenhearted fries ($17) oregon a charcuterie and food enactment ($32).

Like spirit-forward bourbon drinks? The play bartender prides himself connected his Manhattans ($11) served consecutive up with Old Forester overproof bourbon, saccharine vermouth and a treble garnish — an orangish twist and a Luxardo cherry. For thing lighter, the Pinkies Up is mimosa-like and fruity with peach liqueur, Triple Sec, pineapple foodstuff and champagne ($8). The Voodoo Laveau ($14) is refreshing with Pimm’s No. 2, Brokers gin, peach liqueur and lemon; its grey colour comes from charcoal. The Whisper House ($13) has Old Forester Rye, orgeat and unexpected citrus notes with creamy ovum achromatic foam and it’s garnished with baking spices.

Open: 4 p.m.-midnight Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday. Reserve connected Yelp. 502 W. 1st St., Claremont, 909-625-7733, the-whisperhouse.com.

Rendition Room

Although it shares a room with Vitello’s restaurant, Rendition Room has its precise ain speakeasy vibe.

Suddenly you’re astatine a hush-hush location enactment with golden plush upholstered chairs, country rugs, an antique ceramic fireplace and lamps with silky shades cautiously placed astir the room. There are tiny reddish lights moving the magnitude of the barroom which has a chalkboard that reads, “Shhh!” Every truthful often the chalkboard slides unfastened and Italian comfortableness nutrient dishes are passed through.

Move your candle to the borderline of the table, that signals you’re acceptable to order.There are 16 trade cocktails ($16), house-infused spirits ($14), and a peculiar tube aged cocktail ($18). Some person a Hollywood flair. The nighttime we dined the bartender offered a tribute to Don Rickles with aged bourbon, Drambuie and Licor 43.

The Marilyn ($16) matches Monroe’s benignant and property perfectly — vodka and achromatic cranberry for her blonde bombshell looks and fragrant elderflower for her ethereal quality. A azygous strawberry garnish reminds you of her signature reddish lipstick.

There are besides takes connected classics like  Four connected the Floor ($16), a Manhattan with a caller spin, combining Old Overholt Rye, Four Roses bourbon, Carpano Antica vermouth and a Luxardo cherry.

The paper does much than soak up the booze. There’s steak and seafood, but Vitello’s excels successful Italian dishes specified arsenic pizza and pasta. There are adjacent choices for vegans, similar Michael’s Meatless Meatballs ($16) made with Field Roast Italian sausage, carrot and panko crumbs. Vegetarian Bruschetta ($12) gets topped with tomato, garlic, basil, goat food and balsamic glaze. Eggplant Parmesan ($19) is lightly breaded, crowned with Parmesan, mozzarella and served with a broadside of spaghetti.

Even the hospitality is aged fashioned. This barroom answers the telephone connected the archetypal mates rings, accommodates past infinitesimal preservation changes, greets you warmly and leaves you feeling wholly cared for successful a cozy setting.

Open: 5-10 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Monday. Reserve connected Yelp. 4349 Tujunga Ave #2, Studio City, 818-769-0905, therenditionroom.wildapricot.org.

Bamboo Club

If tiki is your jam, caput for the Bamboo Club. The country is acceptable with interior plan by Bamboo Ben Bassham and it’s arsenic immersive arsenic a Disney acheronian thrust with totems, faux lava accent walls, palm-frond trimmed booths, a bamboo barroom and stage.

The drinks are mostly rum-laced and they’re delicious. Dr. Bamboo ($14) is intriguingly spicy with Doctor Bird Jamaican Rum 151, allspice, cinnamon and prickly pear. It’s garnished with effect slices and an orchid, truthful is the Blue Lagoon ($11), a lighter concoction with Cutwater Vodka, lime, pineapple, Crème de Pêche and bluish curaçao.

Lots of  tasty selections connected the nutrient paper with appetizers similar Bamboo Club Glazed Drumettes ($11) successful terikayi oregon habanero — you tin besides bid it arsenic fractional and half. Fries ($5) are caller cut, mac crockery ($4) is loaded with creamy mayo. There are meatless options similar rootlike curry oregon Loco Moco ($12). Sandwiches travel with fries oregon mac salad. The Vegan Unagi Burger ($15) is afloat of umami and topped with a pineapple slice. The Thai Tea Brined Chicken ($14) is cooked crispy and tucked into a brushed bun with crunchy saccharine slaw and spicy aioli.

It you’re looking for a daytime spot this is it, there’s a ample patio extracurricular and a weekday blessed hr from 3-6 p.m.

Open: 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Sunday-Wednesday, room closes astatine 10 p.m.; 11 a.m.–2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday, room closes astatine 1 a.m. Reserve connected Open Table. 3522 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, 562-343-2534, bambooclublb.com.

Presidential Lounge

Portraits of presidents, posh leather seating, bronze eagle reliefs, bluish and golden stained solid skylight — locomotion done the bronze gates and gaffe into the swanky surroundings astatine the Mission Inn’s Presidential Lounge.  It’s named for the 10 U.S. presidents who person visited, among them Taft, Hoover, J.F.K., Reagan, George W. Bush, Teddy Roosevelt and Nixon.

Specialty martinis are crafted successful their grant from a adust Bombay Sapphire Gin mentation ($13), successful grant of Nixon, who was joined astatine the edifice successful 1940, to a Grey Goose Vodka, bluish curaçao martini ($13) successful grant of Reagan who honeymooned determination successful 1952.

There are appetizers to stock similar jumbo shrimp ceviche ($17) oregon chickenhearted empanadas ($14) with chipotle aioli arsenic good arsenic tiny plates similar food tacos ($18), carnitas ($19) and enchiladas ($17).

Open: 4 p.m.-midnight Wednesday-Sunday. Closed Monday-Tuesday. No reservations necessary. 3649 Mission Inn Ave., 951-784-0300, missioninn.com.