We all need a good recommendation when traveling to another city, especially one as trendy and uber deep as Los Angeles. We could have dragged out the usual boring “experts,” but why ask shut-ins with no social life when we can skip straight to the those who activate our yummy?
So, get your pencils out, and write this down. It was tough assignment y’all. Here’s what some gays-about-town have to say about their favorite places outside of the Abbey (done that!) or Here (double done that!).
Next time you head out West, you will want to check some of these places out. But we have to warn you, this is Los Angeles, where men are like parking spaces: they are everywhere. Enjoy!
Name:
Kevin Grant Spencer
Neighborhood:
Hollywood
Age:
30
Occupation:
Actor
Why I love L.A.:
I love the urban-suburbuness. I love the diversity and all the great things that come with living in a major metropolitan center. You can hit the grocery store, run your errands, and live an adult existence.
Favorite place to eat:
Little Dom’s 2128 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
It’s one of those stereotypical 1950s Italian restaurants with checkered table cloth and Italian bread that comes in white paper bags.
Red Medicine 8400 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
It’s an LA version of the Vietnamese dive restaurant. Haven’t seen anything like it. It’s cool and the food is amazing.
Favorite places to drink:
The Edison 108 W 2nd St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90012
My favorite spot in downtown LA. The bar has a great mixed crowd. It’s classic art deco, looks like an old power plant with Edison lamps all over the place. A good place to impress someone–cool factor and a chic vibe.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
Roosevelt Hotel 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
This is one of those places where locals go, despite it being a famous hotel. The lounge is chic and fun. The crowd is very sophisticated. It’s right on Hollywood Blvd., it’s super L.A., even though all the tourists and freaks are right outside. There’s also a great club downstairs. I like to take people to one of the three restaurants (fantastic food), and then go dancing.
Favorite place to hike or hide:
Griffith Park 4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
A lot of people like Runyon, but I’m a Griffith Park kind-of-guy. It’s much less ‘scene-y.
Leo Carrillo State Park 35000 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
This place is amazing. It’s far up the Pacific Coast Highway and super quiet.
Favorite place to dance:
Bootie 1154 Glendale Ave Los Angeles, CA 90026
Bootie is in Echo Park. I like to go on Saturday nights. They have a cool mixed crowd and they do these mashups that are awesome and unpredictable. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have in an L.A. club for sure. It’s for people who are not afraid to dance.
Name: Robby Zumaya
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Age: 27
Occupation: bartender/graphic design student/ musician
Why I love L.A.: Of all the places I’ve lived in (SF, NYC, SD, LA), this is the best one. LA is like the prettiest favorite child… You like it the most.
Favorite place to eat:
Gracias Madre
8905 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
It’s a vegan restaurant… I’m not vegan but their margaritas are the best.
Favorite places to drink:
Good Times at Davey Wayne’s
1611 N Centro Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
It’s a super dope dive bar in Hollywood where you have to pass through a refrigerator to get in. It’s very LA.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
Taste on Melrose
8454 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
I love to take people to brunch at Taste. It’s amazing. I love their Quinoa salad. It’s quaint and not as pretentious as other LA places.
Also, comedy Tuesdays at Revolver. Hilarious.
8851 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Favorite place to hike or hide: Runyon Canyon for sure. It’s a hop skip and a jump and I don’t have to fight traffic to get there.
Favorite place to dance:
Eleven Bar
8811 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Definitely check out their Plastic Fantastic Saturdays. Music is amazing!
Name:
Bobby Thorne
Neighborhood:
Echo Park
Age:
29
Occupation:
Interior designer
Why I love L.A.:
Weather is number one. It’s so beautiful out here. Every day. Also, I love how diverse it is. You can go to a different pocket in L.A. and get a whole different experience. Not to mention the guys here are hot too.
Favorite place to eat:
Elf Cafe 2135 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
This is one my favorite places in Echo Park. It’s vegan done well. I’m not vegan myself but I like to eat vegan whenever I can. The place has an interesting take on different dishes without all the soy crap and meat substitutes. Definitely try the brussel sprouts if you go.
Favorite place to drink: Akbar 4356 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90029
It’s one of those Silver Lake institutions. Very East Village, if you like that kind of scene. Every day is Groundhog Day. It’s comfortable and consistent. Same people, same stories, but I love it.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
El Prado 1805 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Bar in the heart of Echo Park where they play vinyl records all night. It’s a really cool place.
Favorite place to hike or hide: Echo Park 751 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026
I like to go with friends to the lake. There’s also a great cafe in the middle which is fantastic. It’s also a good place to go when you want to be alone and read a good book.
Elysian Park 835 Academy Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90012
One of the oldest parks in LA. It’s a little eerie. They found a couple of bodies there once. I like it.
Name: Matthew Lawton
Neighborhood:
Silver Lake
Age:
32
Occupation:
Composer
Why I love L.A.:
I love the diversity here. It’s a city where you can eat Thai food, walk down the street and get a gyro, then walk some more and buy some delicious baklava, and finish the night at as Chinese dive that’s a front for a drug cartel. How can you beat that?
Favorite place to eat: The Kitchen 4348 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
It’s the best place to eat in Silver Lake bar none. It’s fucking bomb.
Favorite place to drink:
Faultline Bar 4216 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029 “Very gay. Will scare the crap out of ya. Every time I go I’m worried I could be gagged or tied up. It’s awesome.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
The Getty Museum 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049
The collection is terrible but the architecture is out of this world. The panoramic views of the city are epic!
Favorite place to hike or hide:
Raw 8951 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 ”
It’s right in the middle of West Hollywood where all the bars are and it’s awesome. Definitely try their kelp pasta.
Favorite place to dance: My living room.
Name:
Matthew Ludwinski
Neighborhood:
Mid-Wilshire Area
Age:
30
Occupation:
Actor
Why I love L.A.:
I love going to Weho. It’s like a big college campus. All the bars are in the same area. It’s better than white-collar prison porn.
Favorite place to eat: Cafe Gratitude 639 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
It’s full of hip sexy people. It’s a very sceney vibe with a flavor of pretension. You definitely want to try their Kombucha.
Favorite place to drink:
Fubar 7994 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
I love their Big Fat Dick Thursdays. It’s a must.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
Spotlight Party Roaming party
This is very L.A. The spotlight party is one of those roaming parties. You have to be on their list to know about it. You get an email two hours before the party telling you where it’s going to be.
Favorite place to hike or hide:
Griffith Observatory 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
It’s where I like to go when I want to be alone. It’s one of my favorite places in L.A.
Name:
Nate Franklin
Neighborhood:
Mid-Wilshire/Fairfax Area
Age:
31
Occupation:
Actor/Writer
Why I love L.A.:
It’s very different from where I’m from, not far from New Orleans. I love that this is an outdoors city. I love that it’s so close to Vegas, San Francisco and Mexico. And, of course, the beach. The weather is fantastic, though I do miss a good thunderstorm.
Favorite place to eat:
Luna Park 627 S La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036
I like its upscale bar. The food is American wit a little bit of French and Italian flavor to it. Oh and the cocktails are great too. I highly recommend getting their Pizza.
Petty Cash Taqueria 7360 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 9003
Just opened. It’s a great upscale Mexican joint. Food is amazing.
Favorite place to drink:
Rosewood Tavern 448 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
It’s a great area and they do the best scotch and bourbons. Try Blanton’s single barrel. It’s addictive.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
SneakPit Alehouse 7529 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 9004
It’s the best dive bar in town. It’s small and near where I live. Mixed crowd but the boys (both gay and straight) are super hot.
Favorite place to hike or hide:
Pan Pacific Park 7600 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
It’s right by the Grove. Nice little open area in the middle of the city. They have a lot of recreational spaces for baseball, basketball, and soccer. Also, the Grove is right there and it’s one of my all time favorite places in the city. Check out the Farmer’s Market there. Lots of fun.
Name:
Remy
Neighborhood:
Echo Park
Age:
4 years-old (or 28 in dog years)
Occupation:
Dog
Why I love L.A.:
It’s very dog friendly. Lots of water bowls everywhere, and even the occasional dog treat. All free! Most importantly, you never have to pee in the cold or rain.
Favorite place to eat:
Urth Caffe 8565 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
“The most dog-friendly place in Los Angeles no ifs ands or bones about it. I give it four paws up!”
Favorite place to drink:
Yogurt Stop 8803 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
They always have a bowl of fresh water for any dog feeling a bit parched while walking their owner on Santa Monica Blvd. Note: they used to serve dog treats, too, but seem to have cut when the economy tanked.
Favorite place to bring out-of-towners:
William S. Hart Dog Park 8341 De Longpre Ave West Hollywood, CA 90069
It’s an off-leash park so I can run around and play. Also, the dogs are hot!
Favorite place to hike or hide: Runyon Canyon Park 2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
It’s the best place for butt sniffing. Watch out for the rattle snakes!
Photo credit: Chad Kawalec (CJKphotography.com)