Up to Date: an After-Dark Guide to Hollywood, Los Angeles
Century-old cinemas, burlesque shows and restaurants that have starred in movies provide a romantic roll call for a cast of courting couples in LA’s dating hotspot.
While most of the big studios have moved on, and you’re not likely to bump into as many movie stars these days, few places still conjure up an image of glitz and glamour like Hollywood. But like Los Angeles as a whole, it’ll come as little surprise that the dating scene in Tinseltown can be tricky to navigate. So whether it’s an app-enabled first meeting or you’re a few stages along, read on for where to go for the perfect Hollywood date.
1. The Dresden
Restaurant, American
2. La Descarga
Nightclub, American, Pub Grub
3. Griffith Observatory
Building, Museum, Park
4. La Poubelle
Bistro, French
As authentic a slice of Parisian gastronomy as you’ll find in LA, this Hollywood fixture has been delivering oh-la-la to romancing couples since the sixties. From coq au vin to escargots, this cozy French bistro serves all the classics, plus other dishes from around the Mediterranean. It’s all chunky wood tables and vintage posters inside, while sidewalk seating adds to the European cafe-culture feel. If you want to impress your date with your knowledge of French, La Poubelle means “the trash can.” Romantic, non?
5. Vista Theatre
Theatre
6. Gigi’s
Restaurant, French
Swanky without being snooty, Gigi’s quickly established itself as one of the hottest restaurants in town – with its instant star-quality attracting some “hey, isn’t that…” clientele. It’s loosely French, but the tightly produced menu meanders between seafood towers and shrimp cocktails to whole roasted bass and steak tartare. Velvet booths and banquettes provide comfort where it counts, while cocktails are just the right side of experimental.
7. Dream Hollywood
Boutique Hotel
Set just south of Hollywood Boulevard, this uber-swish hotel is part of a complex that includes a range of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Its party-focused vibe feels like a microcosm of 21st-century LA nightlife and is a popular haunt with the see-and-be-seen crowd. From its lofty rooftop pool to its numerous nightspot options, you might struggle to find a reason to leave. Rooms, too, are neutral havens of calm, with floor-to-ceiling views over the city – and the iconic Hollywood sign, if you’re lucky.
8. The Hollywood Roosevelt
Boutique Hotel, Hotel, Luxury
If you’d rather stay in a genuine piece of Hollywood history, the Roosevelt is the place to come. It’s set right on the Walk of Fame, so its location could hardly feel more Hollywood. In its heyday, it was the place where movie legends and their entourages would party. Today, it still attracts a mix of movers, shakers and hopeful next-in-liners, though without losing its whiff of romantic old-school glamour.
Find out more and start planning your trip now by visiting discoverlosangeles.com
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