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L.A. bars celebrating "Repeal Day"
It's OK to be cynical about the new drinking "holiday" Repeal Day. The Scotland-born Dewar's brand of blended Scotch Whiskey (now owned by Bacardi) fully admits to "helping create" the fledgling annual date. Regardless of how Dec. 5 seeped into bar-hoppers' consciousness (it was a blogger who first called for the date to be made into Repeal Day), the bottom line is that you'll be drinking whiskey Friday night--on the cheap. All of the bars listed below feature Dewar's cocktails for just 75 cents a pop to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the repeal of draconian U.S. Prohibition laws of yore.
Even if you didn’t know about Friday’s new-found glory, you can still fight for your right to party. Here’s a bit of history to ponder while you drink. Friday marks the date in 1933 that American liquor regulations reverted to their pre-1920 incarnations, albeit with a few modifications. Make sure to raise your glass to Roosevelt who signed the 21st Amendment into law, and to the state of Utah, which on Dec. 5, 1933, became the 36th state to vote for the amendment’s ratification, thus officially ending Prohibition.
The Los Angeles bars participating in Friday night's Dewar's promotion are listed below. Celebrate the recession in style with drinks, like the Dewar's 12, for under a $1 while supplies last.
Most bars listed will feature Dewar's for just 75 cents until 11 p.m. A few will have $3 or $5 specials after 11 p.m. It’s also worth noting that if you ride the Metro all of Cedd Moses' downtown bars will take $1 off other cocktails to those who show their Metro ticket or card. Finally, Moses' Seven Grand will host an invite-only bash on Friday for Repeal Day, but you’ll need to be on the list...so we advise not meeting friends there that day.
This windowless tavern is chock-full of maritime-inspired design, including dock timbers, fishnets, nautical signs and even a kitschy mermaid. $3 specials after 11 p.m. on Dewar's, and bands such as Ladyfingers play after 10 p.m.
Run by artists for artists and festooned with art, Mandrake is the place to decamp and sip spicy Moscow Mules after nearby gallery openings wind down. Friday, sip some Dewar's 12 on the rocks and leave the beret at home.
When entrepreneur Cedd Moses (of Broadway Bar and Seven Grand fame) opened the Golden Gopher in 2004, it seems he took stock of downtown l.a.'s nightlife scene and decided to up the ante. The Gopher is still a favorite haunt of downtown dwellers, and Friday it should be crowded.
One of downtown's oldest, most revered hangouts has undergone a face-lift. The restaurant opens this week, and you can bet it will be packed Friday. Order a double Dewar's on the rocks so you don't have to hit the bar area twice.
Open since March of 2007, R bar has filled a badly needed void in Koreatown. The dark hang is a beneath-the-radar hipster hideaway (you'll need a password to get into the door that changes frequently...the password for Friday night is "Stay Wet") that regulars adore. Friday should be a safe bet here (check their Myspace page for updates on the password after Friday) for those looking for something a bit more intimate.
A favorite with area hipsters who come for its unpretentious and easy going vibe, strong cocktails and, of course, the live music. Marty and Elayne still rule the roost here nightly, and you can bet Friday will be busier than normal with whiskey at under a buck until 11 p.m.
Three of Clubs is a convenient spot for a drink away from the Hollywood bustle, but within the Hollywood area limits. What better bar than the Three of Clubs to drink three (or more) Dewar's and sodas? Dark, dank and decidedly downmarket, this is where we will be Friday.
While Silverlake residents will tell you otherwise, 4100 is a fine place to meet friends for a drink any night of the week. Weekends are crowded, with a "singles" vibe. Friday, look for a larger than normal crowd.
One of the first bars to give irony-adoring hipsters a reason to cross the Glendale Freeway is still a good place to grab a drink. On the 5th, you can bet that a few extra trucker-hat-wearing Eastsiders will be in the house to take advantage of cheap booze.
This Los Feliz nightspot, made famous in "Swingers," offers live rock and a dance floor. Though the bar may have seen better days, the party will be jumping here Friday with Mezklah and the Foundation both on the bill.
There is probably no better bar in town to celebrate repeal day than at this swanky 2nd street nightspot. Friday, downtown's turn-of-the-century inspired bar will roll out a new Edison-branded batch of Bourbon, Batched Woodford Reserve. The basement hang will honor Repeal Day this year with a midnight toast of the new Bourbon and a reading from Imbiber Dan Dunn. This is on top of the bar's popular "Soup Kitchen Friday" happy hour, which features .35 bourbon cocktails from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Get here early, as there will likely be a line. As always, the dress code in effect, so look sharp (no sneakers or ripped jeans).
Celebrate Repeal Day in style at WeHo's still-hot Comme Ca, where bartenders will pour four classic cocktails (and one more on the cheap for just 75 cents) to mark the occasion. But, there's a catch...to get the cheap drink, one must email Comme Ca for a password. Here is the contact info: info@commecarestaurant.com. One 75 cent cocktail per customer.
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