Red carpets, celebrity guest lists, mile-long lines—L.A. nightlife has its fair share of spectacles. But lately, flashy clubs on high-traffic boulevards have given way to sophisticated bars in clandestine locales known by a select few. By Katie McCarthy
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Business in front, party in back. No, we’re not talking about your cousin’s mullet. We mean the Culver City speakeasy Blind Barber, the recently opened import from New York City’s East Village. Behind a glass door simply marked “barber shop,” hipsters get haircuts and old-fashioned hot-towel shaves while sipping complimentary cocktails. Come 6 pm, those in the know proceed through a door hidden behind a towel closet and into a chic parlor. Here, mixologists at a patinated-brass bar serve handcrafted cocktails—five house options and five seasonal—created with local produce. For hungry patrons, there’s a menu of gourmet grilled-cheese sandwiches. 10797 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310.841.6679. blindbarber.com