Bar Benjamin

This reservation-preferred second-floor Melrose Avenue cocktail bar from the same team behind Benjamin, which is located downstairs. The service is great, the interior design is impeccable and drinks here are on par with some of the best bars in Los Angeles. While many Angelenos are still catching onto the excellence going on behind the counter at Bar Benjamin—or merely figuring out that cocktail bars without standing room exist, for starters—locals and hospitality industry insiders have already begun flocking to this dimly lit, cocktail-oriented concept from Ben Shenassafar, the co-founder of The Hundreds, nightlife veteran Jared Meisler (Roger Room, Bar Lubitsch) and marketing and brand strategist Kate Burr. Every guest receives a complimentary welcome drink—for now, a clarified carrot-hazelnut-aquavit milk punch—before diving into a cocktail and bar bite menu that includes the tom kha-inspired Tommy Boy, two of the Benjamin’s signature martinis and one of the best non-alcoholic cocktails I’ve ever tried, anywhere (the strawberry- and gochujang-flavored Aura Farm, which uses a tequila alternative). The food menu is pricey and rather simple—think a way-too-mustard-heavy steak tartare, a shrimp roll and mixed nuts. The bites, however, generally complement the cocktails. My favorite drink is the Dead Heat, which comes with four different chili oil options to spike your drink with, depending on your spice tolerance. (You can also do the same with the Mala Margarita.)