There’s no bar in Koreatown that led the neighborhood’s cocktail revolution like the Normandie Club. This dark and sexy saloon collab from booze giants Proprietors and 213 Hospitality, nestled on the ground floor of the rehabbed Hotel Normandie, is a testament to K-town’s growing beverage scene. The drinks are beautifully built, but it’s the Carrie Rand Heller–led team that makes this spot a shaken, stirred and straight-up temple to hospitality and versatility. You could order from the brief list of classics-inspired cocktails, but don’t let the bartenders’ skill go to waste: Give them a few parameters, then let them run wild. For the best time, make sure to get in early and keep an eye out for open banquettes; booths take up most of the room, but if you don’t snag one, you’re stuck huddled in a stiff crowd around the bar. Best to plant your flag at the start of the night.
K-town is one of the few L.A. neighborhoods that never sleeps. Flooded with humble dive bars and beer bars sitting right alongside swanky speakeasies and other hidden gems, Koreatown keeps the drinks flowing and the party going. (We suggest pacing yourself and bar hopping by foot in this walkable locale.) And when you’re in need of some late-night fuel to soak up all that soju, look no further than the 24-hour dumpling shops and other wallet-friendly food finds. Just remember: Always pour for your friends.
RECOMMENDED: Find more of the area’s best spots in our Koreatown neighborhood guide