When a venerable drinking den loses its way, forget a mere makeover—it’s time to go to rehab. And the semisketchy Yucca Street spot that formerly housed ’70s staple Lemon Twist and quasi-dive Goldfinger’s before a series of short-lived venues came and went from the space just may have found the perfect sponsor in new owner Craig Trager. He revitalized it into The Parlour Room of Hollywood, bringing the neighborhood bar back to basics.
“It’s on a gritty street, off the beaten track,” says Trager—LA’s dean of cozy, slightly out-of-the-way watering holes (The Well, El Bar, No Bar, The Woods, The Fifth)—of putting his stamp on a space that, trying to flashily follow the club-centric Cahuenga scene, strayed too far from its cocktailing roots. “The challenge is to do what I do: give back a neighborhood bar to an area that really wants it,” he says. “You’re expecting a dump when you go in, and—like most of my bars—you’re pretty surprised.”
Indeed, The Parlour Room of Hollywood’s rough-hewn façade belies an elegant interior with touches of classic cachet: green flock wallpaper with a gold reflective backing, sumptuous emerald upholstery, marble tabletops and a seemingly tin-lined ceiling (it’s actually acoustics-friendlier, textured metallic wallpaper). There are vintage late-1970s bourbon decanters above the bar, and the gentlemanly brown-on-brown leather-lined nook leads to the locale’s enduring centerpiece—the brick-and-mirrored patio with a fireplace, now sporting a staggered roof to fend off the most persistent downpours.
Speaking of pouring, the cocktails, too, are timeless with a twist, such as the unblended Blood and Sand and the Maple Julep. Beer enthusiasts will be thrilled with the array of eclectic offerings—from Schlitz in a 16 oz. can to 11 percent alcohol Allagash. All are offered during a conveniently lateskewing happy hour from 8 to 10 PM. It’s a Parlour any barfly would love to step into. 6423 Yucca St., Hollywood; vintagebargroup.com
