Post-Grad Trip to LA - Restuarant and bar suggestions?

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So, I’m planning a trip to Los Angeles this summer for me and a few of my friends from college to relax and blow off steam after a pretty stressful year. We graduated a couple of years ago and since all of us now have stable jobs, we’re pretty excited to go on a trip that doesn’t involve cramming extra people into a tiny hotel room on spring break! Our game plan is to spend a few days doing touristy stuff and a few days relaxing, so if anyone has any must-do’s, I’d love to hear them! The whole trip is going to be 9 days long this September, so hopefully, we’ll miss the insane heat and crazy tourist season.

I’ve got most of the activities covered- beach trips, Disneyland, and general sightseeing- but I thought it would be fun one day to go on a bar crawl! I’m looking for some of the best restaurants for drinks. I read that sangria and mojitos are some of the most popular drinks in LA, and I was wondering if anyone had some input on a few places we could go to get the best of the best. I heard the Rhythm Room and Emerson Royce Bar were good options, but it’s tough to narrow down the list. If anyone has been to LA and had a really awesome experience at a bar, I’d love to know where it was! Rhythm Room definitely gave me some inspiration, especially because these drinks are so cool.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjL_dnNBiXE/?taken-at=262104560836210

I’m not just looking for nightclubs either, restaurants work too. I’m thinking we’ll wander around downtown with 5-6 destinations throughout the day, ending at a cool place for the night. So really, I’m looking for a good mimosa (I hear the Blu Jam Cafe is good?), a good restaurant with cocktails for lunch, a good dinner place, and maybe 2-3 more places to give us options.

Also, I know I said we’ll do the touristy stuff, but we’re also looking for fun stuff to do that doesn’t involve the Hollywood sign. Does anyone have recommendations for places in the surrounding area that are worth a visit?

General tips about traveling to the LA area are very much appreciated! Hope you guys can help me out with this!

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nutraxfornerves
nutraxfornerves

For places to eat & drink, I suggest trying to boards at Chowhound.

September, alas, can be a time for insane heat. Santa Ana winds and wildfires can make things a bit less pleasant. On the other hand Santa Anas mean that the beaches will be pretty much fog-free.

I’m thinking we’ll wander around downtown with 5-6 destinations throughout the day,

Are you aware that LA really the Los Angeles area, a vast, sprawling megalopolis, composed of a number of contiguous cities, of which LA is the largest? Places you want to see can easily be an hour's drive apart.

LA does have a downtown, which is becoming more of an entertainment district than it used ot be, but in general, this is not a city where you potter around "downtown." If you want to potter, you need to pick an area that is conducive to walking, say, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Hollywood, or, yes, downtown LA, and get yourself there. Other days, you will be driving from place to place.

Edited by nutraxfornerves
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rpbourne
rpbourne

Yes LA is not really a place to explore on foot alone. You can use the ever expanding Metro system to get around between these interesting nodes of the city.

I'd add Koreatown and maybe Westlake to the Nutrax's list of Santa Monica, Pasadena, Hollywood, and downtown LA as parts of places where you can walk around and where you can get there by train.

Venice, Miracle Mile, Westwood, Beverly Hills are somewhat walkable, but have no rail access.

As for just real downtown LA, it's the largest area. It includes South Park, Historic Core, Bunker Hill, Civic Center, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Arts District, the Fashion District, and Skid Row.

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rpbourne
rpbourne

Bars:
LA has tons of bars. Koreatown, Downtown, and Hollywood have the most innovative, interesting, and best value for drinks.

Restraunts:
LA has tons of restaurants, perhaps the best in the world.

I cant really give specific suggestions unless i know what kind of bars and restaurants / night life you like

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