The Best Bars in North Downtown
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Rank 1. Maple Block Meat Co
Barbecue
The awards
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The awards
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Rank 3. The Varnish
Cocktail Bar
An unmarked door at the back of Cole's opens into a dimly lit cocktail bar where jazz plays low and Victorian oil lamps glow against wood-panelled walls. The late Sasha Petraske was a part owner, and the room feels exactly like something he'd have built: serious about its classic cocktails, quiet enough to hear the ice hit the glass, and a little too good at making you lose track of the hour.
The awards
- Difford's Guide Difford's Guide: 4.5 stars · Difford's Guide
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Rank 4. Las Perlas
Mexican
Every bottle behind the bar at Las Perlas comes from south of the border, which means no vodka, no whiskey, and no gin to tempt you off the path. It's a cantina-style mezcal and tequila bar on Sixth Street, candlelit and maximalist, with Del Maguey mezcals and rare 100% agave pours listed by region and paired for the curious. The kind of place that makes an argument without ever saying a word.
The awards
- Difford's Guide Difford's Guide: 4 stars · Difford's Guide
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Rank 4. Seven Grand
Beer Bar
Three antique pool tables on tartan carpet greet you at the top of the stairs, which sets the tone for this whiskey bar doing a convincing impression of a Scottish gentleman's club in downtown L.A. The black walnut bar runs nearly the full length of the room, with shelves so tall the bartenders use a rolling ladder to reach the rarer Scotch, Japanese, Irish, and bourbon bottles, several hundred in all, including single-cask and collectible pours.
The awards
- Difford's Guide Difford's Guide: 4 stars · Difford's Guide