Where can I have a big birthday party on a restaurant patio or rent a day bar? Isn’t it excessively expensive? -Kristen Silva
Here is what we suggest:
Above all, I respect – and deeply identify with – your desire to celebrate your birthday on a budget. It’s hard right now. The good news, however, is that Los Angeles is full of delicious restaurants and aesthetic bars that are kind to the pockets of both you and your guests. And some even let you bring your own birthday cake.
For a casual spot where you and your friends can sit at picnic tables and enjoy juicy pastrami sandwiches, loaded fries, and refreshing cocktails, head to Johnny’s in West Adams. Food editor Danielle Dorsey recommends the spot in a West Adams guidebook, calling the umbrella-studded parking deck a “perfect outdoor setting.” Since Johnny’s has a walk-up service counter, it’s easy for your guests to come and go as they please. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the headache of trying to split the bill at the end of the night. Reservations are only required if you want to rent the space, but a $35 cake fee applies.
If you don’t mind being indoors, my colleague Deborah Vankin suggests Far Bar in Little Tokyo, where she celebrated her birthday on the mezzanine with about 50 friends. “It was a comfortable, yet spacious space that had a festive feel and had the best spectators underneath,” she says. “The price was more than reasonable and afterwards a group of us walked down the street for dessert and karaoke.” If you’re willing to have your party on a slower night (not Friday or Saturday), a manager told me you can avoid the rental fee. (FYI: There’s also a cramped outdoor seating area here, but Vankin says it’s not ideal for parties.)
Music lovers will enjoy Zizou, a lively French-Moroccan restaurant nestled in Lincoln Heights. Owned by two long-time French friends, Zizou has a superb vintage sound system, where DJs can play jazz, French hip-hop, South African rhythms and other global sounds on the weekends. My friend Tori Johnson had her birthday party on the Star Terrace earlier this year. “We were able to invite friends after dinner to come and have wine with us until the restaurant closed,” she tells me. “It was intimate and exactly what I was looking for for my 31st birthday.” For groups of eight or more, there is a minimum of $75 per person for a sit-down meal, but no minimum if you plan to just relax at the bar or near the sound system. You can either bring your own cake at no extra cost or order Zizou’s homemade French apple pie for dessert. And don’t worry, servers won’t look at you with disdain if you ask for separate checks – at least in my experience.
Another interesting option is Everson Royce, which associate editor Betty Hallock calls “one of the best bars in town (with great food),” and I couldn’t agree more. This place is popular because of its happy hour and breezy outdoor patio. “It’s like being in a friend’s backyard, with picnic tables, string lights and a vine-wrapped tree, except you’re in the middle of downtown,” reports Hallock in a guide to Los Angeles’ most picturesque restaurant patios. A staff member at Everson Royce told me that you can book a regular reservation for up to 100 people – yes, you read that right – and that the restaurant doesn’t charge extra fees or require a deposit. The staff will even split checks for each of your guests.
Want to dance? Start your evening with focaccia-style pizza at De La Nonna, then head next door to Let’s Go! Nightclub and cocktail club. I had a wedding here last year and it was a smooth transition, sweating out delicious pizza in the Italian-inspired nightclub where 1970s disco hits (and related genres) make up the soundscape. Reservations are strongly recommended. For 20 guests, De La Nonna requires its prix fixe menu with optional drink packages, but 30 or more guests are considered a “partial redemption,” so both are required. There are also room charges. If you still feel like partying after the cocktail bar closes at 1 a.m., head across the street to EightyTwo, an arcade bar with dozens of pinball machines and classic video games. (Note: De La Nonna charges a $20 cake fee.)
If those places don’t satisfy your needs, some of my culinary colleagues also suggested The Great Outdoor in Santa Monica, Mr. T in Hollywood, Good Neighbor Bar in Altadena, and Benny Boy Brewing in Lincoln Heights, all of which have patios.
As you can see, there are plenty of options depending on the type of food, ambiance, and which part of Los Angeles you prefer. Wherever you go, I hope you have a wonderful time and, more importantly, a happy birthday and a happy new year ahead.
