A streetwear mogul, a nightlife legend and a cocktail whisperer walk into a bar—no, it’s not a joke set-up. It’s the opening of Bar Benjamin, the newest velvet-rope cocktail destination from Ben Shenassafar, co-founder of The Hundreds, perched glamorously above the Benjamin Hollywood on Melrose.
Now open at 7174 Melrose Avenue, the sultry, Art Deco–inspired bar is the sophomore effort from Shenassafar and partners Jared Meisler (who you might know from The Roger Room or Bar Lubitsch) and culinary consultant Kate Burr. The bar takes over the short-lived Moon Room; the space also previously housed Bathtub Gin. Now, the space has been given the same bistro-style interior decor as the Benjamin downstairs. Think: low wood-paneled ceilings, mohair booths, custom carpeting and a balcony bar with front-row views of the Hollywood Hills. You’ll enter under a glowing red neon “BAR” sign before ascending into a moody, cinematic cocktail lounge that’s more old-school elegance than influencer bait—though it’s both, let’s be honest.
But the real scene-stealer here? The drinks. Created by cocktail dream team Jason Lee from n/soto and Baroo, and Chad Austin of Bootlegger Tiki, the menu is packed with technicolor creativity and boundary-pushing spirits. Our L.A. food and drink editor, Patricia Kelly Yeo, also agrees. “To be honest, the only thing that’s worth going out of the way for at the Benjamin are the drinks, so Bar Benjamin makes sense as a booze-first extension of the concept,” she adds.
Guests are greeted with a complimentary sip of the Bad Bunny—a clarified carrot-hazelnut-aquavit milk punch—before diving into concoctions like the Tommy Boy, a clarified milk punch inspired by tom kha gai soup, or the Inherent Vice, which involves a frozen strawberry daiquiri cube and a piña colada sidecar.
There are elevated takes on classics, too, like a Miso Manhattan and the Benjamin’s already-iconic Dirtier Martini served with olives, capers and zero shame. Non-drinkers also won’t miss out—the menu hosts zero-proof options like the Taro Milk Punch (hemp spirit, taro, genmaicha) that are just as detailed and delicious. Small bites keep pace with the bar’s sophistication: steak tartare on bagel chips, golden Osetra caviar with triple-fried chips and a shrimp roll topped with salmon roe are just a few standouts.
Bar Benjamin is now open Tuesday through Saturday, and reservations are available via Resy. Come for the cocktails, stay for the caviar—and maybe the zebra-print wallpaper in the bathroom.