Where can I host a big birthday party on a restaurant patio or rent a bar for the day? Isn't that outrageously expensive? —Kristen Silva
This is what we suggest:
First, I respect (and deeply identify with) your desire to celebrate your birthday on a budget. It's difficult right now. The good news, however, is that Los Angeles is packed with delicious, aesthetic restaurants and bars that are easy on the wallet for both you and your guests. And some even allow you to bring your own birthday cake.
If you're looking for a quiet place where you and your friends can sit at picnic tables and enjoy juicy pastrami sandwiches, loaded fries, and refreshing cocktails, visit Johnny's in West Adams. Senior food editor Danielle Dorsey recommends the spot in a West Adams guide, calling the umbrella-lined parking lot patio “the perfect outdoor setting.” Because Johnny's has a walk-up counter, it's easy for your guests to come and go as they please. Plus, you won't have to worry about the headache of trying to split the bill at the end of the night. Reservations are only necessary if you want to rent the space, but there is a $35 pie fee.
If you don't mind being indoors, my colleague Deborah Vankin suggests Far Bar in Little Tokyo, where she celebrated her birthday on the mezzanine with about 50 friends. “It was a cozy but still spacious space that felt festive and offered the best people watching from below,” he says. “The price was more than reasonable, and afterward a group of us walked down the street for dessert and karaoke.” If you're willing to host your party on a quieter night (not Friday or Saturday), a manager told me you can avoid the rental fees. (FYI: There's also a narrow outdoor seating area here, but Vankin says it's not ideal for parties.)
Music lovers will appreciate Zizou, a vibrant French-Moroccan restaurant located in Lincoln Heights. Owned by two long-time French friends, Zizou boasts an impressive vintage sound system, where DJs can be found spinning jazz, French hip-hop, South African rhythms and other global sounds on the weekends. My friend Tori Johnson hosted her birthday party on the starlit patio earlier this year. “We were able to invite friends after dinner to come and drink wine with us until the restaurant closed,” he tells me. “It felt intimate and was just what I was looking for for my 31st birthday.” For groups of eight or more, there's a $75 per person minimum for seated dining, but there's no minimum if you plan to just relax at the bar or near the sound system. You can bring your own pie at no additional cost or order Zizou's homemade French apple pie for dessert. And don't worry, servers won't look down on you if you ask for separate checks, at least in my experience.
Another worthy option is Everson Royce, which associate food editor Betty Hallock calls “one of the best bars in town (with great food),” and I couldn't agree more. This spot is popular for its happy hour and breezy outdoor patio. “It's like being in a friend's backyard, with picnic tables, string lights, and a vine-wrapped tree, except you're in the middle of downtown,” Hallock reports in a guide to Los Angeles' most picturesque restaurant patios. An Everson Royce employee told me that you can make a regular reservation for up to 100 people (yes, you read that correctly) and that the restaurant doesn't charge additional fees or require any deposits. The staff will even split the checks for each of your guests.
Do you feel like dancing? Start your night with focaccia-style pizzas at De La Nonna, then head next door to Let's Go! Disco and cocktail club. I DJ'd at a wedding here last year and it was a perfect transition, sweating out the delicious pizza in the Italian-inspired nightclub where '70s disco hits (and related genres) are the soundscape. Reservations are strongly recommended. For 20 guests, De La Nonna requires their prix fixe menu with optional drink packages, but 30 or more guests are considered a “partial purchase,” so both are required. There is also a room rate. If you're still in the mood to party once the cocktail lounge closes at 1 a.m., walk across the street to EightyTwo, an arcade bar with dozens of pinball machines and classic video games. (Note: De La Nonna charges a $20 cake fee.)
If these places don't meet your needs, some of my foodie colleagues also suggested Le Great Outdoor in Santa Monica, Mr. T in Hollywood, Good Neighbor Bar in Altadena, and Benny Boy Brewing in Lincoln Heights, all of which have patios.
As you can see, there are many options depending on the type of food, atmosphere, and part of Los Angeles you prefer. Wherever you end up, I hope you have a great time and, most importantly, have a great birthday and a great year ahead.
