Outfitted like Seven Grand's little brother, minus the taxidermy, Sonny's Hideaway marks an upgrade in composure and quality for York Boulevard's advancing drinking and eating scene. The small-ish space is bisected into a dining room with booths of leather burgundy and tufted two-tops and a handsome dark wood bar lined with leather stools. While drafts are pounded and numbers exchanged at The Hermosillo down the block, a more laid-back (and dare we say more mature?) crowd of Eastside cool kids soak in Sonny's craft cocktail program. Crackerjack versions of the classics share the roster with more obscure spirits and unexpected ingredients. The Gibson ($12) sports Japanese scallion in place of its famous pearl onion, while barrel aged Genever, sweet vermouth and orange bitters swim together in the Martinez. Cocktails are compelling, steadfast and reasonably priced. Virgin cocktails are also on the list to keep designated drivers in the game while wine and four California drafts keep it local.
LA may have had its fill of coffee-braised pork cheeks during the city's recent gastro-pub explosion, but Sonny's Hideaway features a luscious, full-flavored cut that break the mold, with lighter notes of coconut, natural honeycomb and green apple. Mussels are tossed with white wine, smoked citrus and fennel—and yes, you will definitely want to save room for that saffron flan.
Vitals
Good for: Brooding solo over a solidly composed cocktail, meeting up with a small group of friends for a leisurely tipple at the handsome wood-paneled bar, a pimp-slapping palate shock over excellent eats in a leather booth and happy hour cocktails from 5pm to 7pm when cocktails are offered at $6.
The scene: Supper club-lite. The masculine wood and leather are in place to charm, but with artistic souls in place of I-bankers.
Drink this: It’s hard to miss with this killer cocktail list, from solid renditions of the classics to gracefully expressed proprietary creations. Take a dip into the bourbon-based Machiavelli with sarsparilla and absinthe, go tropical with the ultra-boozy mai tai and cure what ails you with the classic Peniciliin. Non-boozy drinks are there for the teetotalers.