Last night, the Theatre at Ace Hotel lit up with LA's best and brightest in the bar industry for Time Out Los Angeles' very first—but certainly not last—Bar Awards. It was packed. It got a little sloppy. But it was also a fucking blast, as evidenced by the hundreds of bartenders, bar managers, liquor reps and bar enthusiasts who knocked back craft cocktails, Peroni and Tito's Handmade Vodka in the theater's gorgeous lobby. After a couple hours of mingling (read: drinking) and snacking on bites from L.A. Chapter, our editor Kate Wertheimer took to the stage—er, balcony—to congratulate the nominees and announce the night's winners, including newcomers like The Walker Inn (Best New Cocktail Bar) and giants like The Varnish (Best LA Mainstay). Big Bar, winner of Best Bar Team, was surprised with a trip to Austin courtesy of Austin Tourism, where they'll be going head-to-head with bar team winners from other Time Out cities.
After all the awards were handed out, everyone ended the night with some dancing (kudos to RedShoe LA for the sweet beats), plenty of shots, and a swag bag featuring goodies like essential bar tools and drink passports from the Passport Program. Now that it's over, we're all experiencing a little bit of a slump. Guess it's time for a drink?
Check out our photos below from last night's festivities!
Photographs: Gil Riego and Jakob N. Layman
