Icon

Icon night lounge is a great place to visit if you’re looking for an upbeat and lively place. Icon offers a wide range of fun for young adults from a dance floor, to an upstairs patio area, and a full stocked bar. The scenery of the upstairs floor is very nice. You can see the Staples Center right across the street and there is a view of Downtown Los Angeles all around. Icon does not offer food entrees so make sure to have dinner before visiting there if you are hungry. After speaking to one of the promoters for Icon, Mina Kwon, she said that most of the crowd ranges from the ages of 21-27. “The most popular nights to come are Fridays where we play hip-hop music for the crowd”, said Mina. Mina said that as a promoter, her job is to advertise Icon and bring in more people. She loves that she can hang out there for fun and technically be on the job as well.

*My Overall Rating= 9

Bar area at Icon. photo credit by: me (Katherine Kim)

View of the Staples Center. photo credit by: me (Katherine Kim)

The Falls

The Falls is a great place to relax, hang out with friends, and unwind. Although they don’t have any food on their menu, they offer drinks at a very reasonable price. Their happy hour is from 6-9 P.M. everyday. The interior of the lounge is very rustic and forest-like, with a lot of oak wood tables and walls. It did not get crowded or crazy, which was nice because there were a lot of seats available. The service was decently friendly. After speaking to a woman named Essie, she stated that she lives right above the lounge and comes often with her friends. She loves the fact that they have a wide screen tv with free popcorn and old trendy 80’s music on the weekends. Essie also stated that The Falls recently opened, which is why some people may have not heard about it yet. *My overall rating=8

interior of The Falls. photo by:Me(Katherine Kim)

interior of The Falls. photo by:Me(Katherine Kim)

'Falls Royale' at The Falls. photo by:Me(Katherine Kim)

happy hour menu at The Falls. photo by:Me(Katherine Kim)

Drago Centro

Drago Centro is a high-end lounge and Italian restaurant. It offers a full bar with happy hour. Drago Centro has a classy and upscale atmosphere. Reservations are easy to make as long as you call a couple of hours before arriving.

The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous, with dim lights and a large space. You can see the servers and manager of the restaurant genuinely try to give the best service. A server there named Jerry stated that Drago Centro trains employees to always have a smile and be courteous/professional to all customers.

Everything is well set up at Drago Centro except for the food entrees. After reading the menu you will notice that all of their plates look and sound delicious. Yet, you might be disappointed for when the dishes actually come out. Most of the food was small in quantity and not well prepared. The tastes of their food seemed generic and not special enough to be called “high-end” cuisine. Although Drago Centro delivered in all the areas that a restaurant should, their food was overpriced and disappointing. My overall rating: 6

How the exterior of the menu looks at Drago Centro. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

seafood pasta dishes. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

appetizer entrees. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

My sisters and I dining for dinner at Drago Centro. photo by Jerry(our server)

Perch Downtown

Perch restaurant and bar is a rooftop lounge in downtown Los Angeles. Most of the people here seemed to be in their early thirties. Once you walk in, you don’t get the vibe of a bar. Instead, it has more of a casual and restaurant-like atmosphere. Perch differs significantly from The Standard, which is another popular rooftop bar and lounge in downtown Los Angeles.

Perch is unique because it is located in the heart of historic downtown while still offering a modern chic environment. People can order from their French food menu and enjoy an amazing view. Although the drinks are a little bit pricey (ranging from $15-$21) if you don’t mind spending the money, then you can expect to have a great time.

The rooftop patio is small, so on the weekends the line to get in can get very long. After speaking to a server named Melissa, she stated that the best nights to go are Thursdays. She also stated that if you do end up going on a Friday or Saturday night, you should arrive before 10 P.M. to avoid waiting in line.

*My overall rating: 8

the view of downtown Los Angeles from the patio at Perch. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

Edison

Edison is named one if the most innovative and unique places to visit in Los Angeles by yelp. It is not too often that LA has old-fashioned and classic areas to visit. Therefore, Edison was a breath of fresh air.

It offers a huge space for customers to find a seat. Once you walk in you are escorted down a spiral stairway that leads to the main area of the lounge. There is a stage to your left where a live jazz performance takes place. Straight ahead you can find the bar where there is a wide range of drinks and food to choose from.

This lounge is fantastically set up. There is an old-fashioned Hollywood theme that you become surrounded with. Servers dress up in 20’s costumes and the seating area is filled with antiques.

This is definitely a glamorous and high-end place to visit with friends. You are literally entering a different world when you enter Edison. People are taken back to about a century ago in a world full of glamour and class.

*My overall rating: 10           

after speaking to one of the servers, Larisa Jones, she said that most of the drinks come in a "lightbulb" glass signifying Thomas Edison, whom the bar is named after. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

my friend and I enjoying the nice atmosphere inside Edison. photo by: Larisa Jones

Far Bar

 Far Bar is a small, hidden, and popular place to visit for young college students. This place offers a cozy, quaint, and upbeat environment. It is a bit hard to locate at first. The entrance is not noticeable and you might walk past it several times before actually finding it.

Once you walk in, the first thing you notice are all the lights on the open ceiling. This simple, yet innovating, decoration creates a pretty scene. There are tables outside and inside. The outside tables offer heaters for when it’s cold.

The menu is small in quantity but high in quality. After speaking with one of the servers there, Maria Scoto, she stated that the most popular dishes include wasabi fries and chicken wings. Far Bar is a small lounging area that most people would not expect much from. However, this bar is a great place to visit with friends if you’re looking for good food, good service, and a cozy environment.

*My overall rating: 9                        

lights located right after the entrance at Far Bar. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

Chocolate martini. priced at around $13.00. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

Cafe Pinot

Café Pinot is a high-quality, French restaurant located in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a great restaurant to visit if you are looking for a quiet and classy environment. The service is great, filled with enthusiastic and friendly servers.

The line for this restaurant was a bit long. After speaking with the manager, Gary, he said that making a reservation in advance would be the best idea to be seated more quickly. Gary also stated that most of the people who visit Café Pinot are middle-aged, businessmen who come after a long day of work in Los Angeles.

The menu items are a little bit more expensive than what you would usually find at a restaurant. However, the prices are completely worth it. The food comes out in a beautiful arrangement and tastes uniquely spectacular. This French cuisine will have your taste buds roaring and you will see why yelp rated this restaurant with four stars.

After speaking with a server named Michael, he stated that he doesn’t doubt the quality and authenticity of the food at Café Pinot. He is also a regular customer there. After dining at Café Pinot you will definitely want to go back for their delicious food, beautiful outdoor scenery, and wonderful service.
*My overall rating: 10

dining in the patio area. surrounded by trees and a great view of beautiful Downtown Los Angeles. photo by: Christine Kim

scallops on creamed cheese with caviar on top, topped with breaded almonds. price: around $17.00. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

special, one-of-a-kind drink made by the bartender. not found on the menu. price: around $13.00. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)

smoked salmon topped with a special vinaigrette sauce with assorted, steamed vegetables on the side. price: around $19.00. photo by: me(Katherine Kim)