The Varnish

cocktail·$$$·Downtown LA

Hidden speakeasy behind Cole's French Dip; serious cocktails, jazz, and the bar that sparked LA's cocktail renaissance.

Insider Intel

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Classic cocktails done perfectly - Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Martini. The bartenders are masters of pre-Prohibition technique. Trust their riffs on classics.

Best Time

Live jazz nights for the full experience. Early evening for quieter conversation. Enter through Cole's - the French Dip is also excellent.

Know Before You Go

The bar that launched LA's cocktail renaissance. Sasha Petraske protégé Eric Alperin built something special here. Through Cole's back curtain. Serious cocktails, no pretension, jazz on certain nights. Essential LA.

Location

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118 E 6th Street (through Cole's)
Downtown LA, Los Angeles
speakeasyclassicjazz

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