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Ask the coolest person you know from Los Angeles if they’ve ever been to the Magic Castle, and you’ll get one of two responses: a longing “no” or a “yes” followed by them excitedly detailing the most magical night of their lives. Yes, even though L.A. can come off as jaded, there’s one thing we can’t resist—a mysterious Victorian mansion on a hill, with a strict dress code and a highly exclusive door policy. You see, you can’t buy a ticket to the Magic Castle. The club, opened in 1963, is the headquarters of the Academy of Magical Arts, and to get in for a meal and a show, you either need to be a magician, or to know one. (There are a few workarounds, including booking a stay at the adjoining Magic Castle Hotel or even signing up for a competitive blood drive to good-deed your way in.)
Once you score a reservation, speak the secret phrase to the owl sculpture in the lobby and step through the bookcase to—well, we don’t want to ruin the surprises in store for visitors at this magical institution. There are multiple performance spaces—in addition to the Palace of Mystery, you can also grab a seat at smaller, more intimate theaters—and at the Hat & Hare Lounge, you can catch close-up magic right at the bar, or grab a seat at a round table that’s the equivalent of an open-mic night for budding magicians. On your way upstairs, don’t miss a ghostly homage to the effect behind the ballroom illusion in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.
Upstairs, at the Owl Bar, a taxidermied owl answers yes or no questions with a nod or shake of the head. (Fun fact: The cityscape background of the bar was actually “beautiful downtown Burbank,” which sat behind Johnny Carson for the original Tonight Show.) Other highlights include a visit to Irma, the famed piano-playing ghost who takes song requests, and the Houdini séance room, which hosts theatrical dining experiences led by a medium that re-creates a traditional séance.
All guests are required to dine at the Magic Castle’s restaurant—there’s a $50 minimum per person, but that’s easily met by a single entrée, not to mention magical cocktails including the NPH Refashioned, named after former Academy of Magical Arts president Neil Patrick Harris.