The Roger Room

OUR ARTICLE

Hollywood has long been a loud and flashy place. Neon lights, giant billboards, and celebrities all come together to make up the bright lights of Hollywood, but contrary to popular belief, not everyone in L.A. wants to be in the spotlight, and not everyone wants to soak in the glitz and the glam of the nightlife scene.

And you don’t have to – not with the Roger Room.

You’ll miss it if you’re not looking. The Roger Room is hidden away on La Cienega in West Hollywood, and the only visible signage are two neon tarot cards.

The Roger Room dims the lights from the flash and pizazz that comes with Los Angeles, and you’ll dig that.

Inside – it’s very dark so it might be a bit hard to see the art deco gems of the décor, like the vintage furniture, maroon leather stools, or the funky artwork on the walls. Plus, the Roger Room is not very big. At only 900 square feet, it’s larger than many one-bedroom apartments in Los Angeles but is somewhat tight on space for a cocktail bar. However, the small area provides an intimate atmosphere between customers and bartenders who make exceptional cocktails.

Their menu is as brightly colored as the names of their pricey drinks. There’s the Thug, a whiskey blend with bitters and lemon juice and the Flim Flam, a gin-based cocktail with artichoke liqeuer and sambuca. The Tijuana Brass is a favorite for tequila drinkers, consisting of Lunazul Blanco, lime juice, agave nectar, and cucumber foam. For something a bit stronger, there are even three absinthe drinks – and one named Death in the Afternoon made with absinthe and Prosecco.

The drinks may be expensive, but you’re not going to find bartenders such as these. They care about the drinks they make and live off the rave reviews of their customers. Some even get as creative as to add a mustache in foam or a couple of colorful plastic monkeys from the Barrel of Monkeys game.

Whether you’re sitting at the bar with a drink or hanging with friends on a couch or in a booth, you’ll be completely relaxed, watching the bartender make a drink for your neighbor. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t put you on edge or make you feel like you must perform, and it’s not often you can find a bar like that in Hollywood.

And that’s what we love about the Roger Room. They focus on the drinks and make it less about the décor or what celebrity arrives or doesn’t arrive that night. The Roger Room dims the lights from the flash and pizazz that comes with Los Angeles, and you’ll dig that.