Speakeasys and Hidden Gems

Blind Barber, image courtesy of Jessica Handy

 
Speakeasys and Hidden Gems

by Sweiskloss
November 5, 2025
Hidden in backrooms and behind concealed doors, Los Angeles boasts speakeasys that serve crafted cocktails in cool settings. With the holiday season upon us, look for cheer in some of the city’s hidden gems.

No Vacancy (https://novacancyla.com/)
Don’t let the name fool you. There’s plenty of room at this vintage lounge that recalls the bygone days of Old Hollywood. The prohibition era-inspired speakeasy is in a restored Victorian residence with a secret entrance. Find room 1902 and “speak to the woman lounging on the bed to descend into No Vacancy’s refined, charming bar” (timeout.com). No Vacancy features various dimly lit rooms, a photo booth within a phone booth, hidden corners, antique bookshelves, and a courtyard for live entertainment showcasing “jazz music, burlesque shows and tightrope walkers alike” (thrilliist.com).

Bar Jackalope (https://www.barjackalope.com/)
Walk into a large noisy Mexican Restaurant, go up the stairs into an Irish pub, then look for an unmarked door on the way to the restroom to enter Seven Grand’s Bar Jackalope. Specializing in Japanese whisky, the dark tiny bar offers rare whiskeys, “has a massive catalogue of every bottle you could want” (theinfutation.com) and an outdoor patio for cigar smoking.

Del Monte Speakeasy at Townhouse (https://www.townhousevenice.com/)
Downstairs in Venice’s oldest bar lies an original speakeasy with prohibition tunnels. During prohibition, a grocery store on the upper level was the front for the basement level speakeasy which was accessed through a trapdoor. Bootlegged liquor was transported through Venice’s underground network of tunnels (savingplaces.org). Today, customers can enjoy hand crafted cocktails in both the upstairs Townhouse bar area and the elegantly restored basement lounge, which is now, thankfully, accessed by a staircase.

The Blind Barber (https://blindbarber.com/)
Get a cut and a cocktail at the Blind Barber with locations in Culver City and Highland Park. A full-service neighborhood barber shop in the front, customers walk through a nondescript backdoor to step into a secret speakeasy. The original Culver City spot is dimly lit with old wood paneling, fading wallpaper and leather booths. The Highland Park location is a “retro den… with mod furniture, chic ‘70s … wallpaper… a separate … mid-century living room area… throwback booths, retro lighting… and a DJ area” (blindbarber.com).

Cold Shoulder (https://www.coldshoulderbar.com/)
Hidden behind a bookcase in Fairfax’s Blue Collar bar, Cold Shoulder is campy and over the top in its décor and drinks. Ask the bartender for the password and access the secret bar through a sliding bookshelf. Pictures hang upside down on the walls, chairs are glued to the ceiling and cocktails are extravagant (and pricey). The cocktail list comes in a colorfully illustrated book. Unique twists on specialty seasonal drinks include a “Bugs Bunny” made from fresh carrot, lemon and celery juice, and the “Bananas Fosters” served with a platter of real bananas, vanilla ice cream, nuts and caramel (wineandspiritsmagazine.com).

The Cellar: Wine Library (https://www.lecellar.com/)

SK past and present team members at The Cellar

The hidden entrance to The Cellar in Pasadena is located between the Vans and Lush stores. Descend below ground in an old-fashioned elevator where a narrow hallway leads to a door cleverly disguised by stacked barrels. Cozy and intimate, The Cellar features comfy couches, lamp-lit tables and a player piano. As the name says, they have an extensive wine list and collection of curated books. Cards, checker and chess games are also available. Arrive at 6PM when they open to avoid the line.

Pacific Seas at Clifton’s Republic (https://www.instagram.com/pacificseasdtla)
Reaching the Pacific Seas is an adventure unto itself. Located on the top floor of Clifton’s Republic, the tiki bar offers “over 100 bottles of rum” (timeout.com). Wander through the kitchy themed bars on the first three levels (an enchanted forest, a Gothic venue) before accessing Pacific Seas through a secret mirror door. Inside, there’s a vintage 1935 Chris-Craft mahogany shipwrecked boat in the middle of the bar and lots of tropical cocktails.

Other secret spots that serve crafted cocktails in surprising spaces:
Hidden above Tail O’ the Pup, buzz the intercom inside the pickle barrel on the patio, walk upstairs and through the beaded curtain to get to Lucky Tiki in West Hollywood (https://www.luckytikibar.com/). Look for a red door and red neon sign shaped like a lock and key to find Lock & Key cocktail lounge in Koreatown. (Living up to its door themed name, you’ll face a wall of doorknobs and will need to find the right one to get into the bar. https://lockandkey.la/). You’ll need to receive a password via text and then squeeze through a tiny phone booth to get into The Exhibition Room, an upscale speakeasy inside in Roxanne’s cocktail bar in Long Beach (https://www.theexhibitionroom.com/).

Bottoms up!
 
Laura McMahon