Tag Archives: Cocktail Bar

The Nickel Mine – Not Your Typical Sports Bar

Written by Allison Levine on
Food Cocktails

There is no sign outside. But the deep red panels interspersed with wood panels and large glass windows that are open on a warm day, sitting on the north corner of Santa Monica Blvd, just west of the 405 freeway, will catch your eye. This is The Nickel Mine, West Los Angeles’s newest sports bar.

The long v-shaped bar is surrounded by large flat screen televisions playing a variety of live sports games. But, The Nickel Mine is more than a sports bar. It is a cocktail bar, a whiskey bar, a gastropub and a fun neighborhood spot to hang out with friends.

Unlike your typical sports bar, The Nickel Mine has an impressive whiskey selection with more than 50 choices, two dozen draft beers and one dozen wines. There is also a fun cocktail list that goes beyond typical well-drinks. Read More +

The Fiscal Agent – LA’s Best New Bar Is In Studio City

Written by Allison Levine on
Food Cocktails

The venerable Julian Cox has done it again. Along with his equally talented team, including Kristina Howald, Dave Kupchinsky, Nick Meyer, Eric Costantino and PJ Myers-Chase, they have put together one of the best new bars in Los Angeles, The Fiscal Agent.

The Fiscal Agent Team - David Kupchinsky, Kristina Howald, Julian Cox, Eric Costantino, PJ Myers-Chase

The Fiscal Agent is an intimate bar located above Barrel & Ashes in Studio City. There is no sign out front, but you will see the doorman standing just next to Barrel & Ashes. Despite having a doorman, there is nothing pretentious about The Fiscal Agent. It is warm and inviting with cool music playing. There is limited seating, with a handful of small tables and comfortable lounge chairs in what is like a living room. And the marble bar is like sitting at the kitchen counter, where you can watch the bartenders create drinks while chatting with them. The back bar is beautifully lit with a disco ball adding just the right amount of light. Read More +

Punch House Chicago

Written by Allison Levine on
Food Cocktails

My taxi picked me up in downtown Chicago and I told the driver to take me to the Pilsen neighborhood, just three miles southwest of the Chicago Loop where I was staying. The area was originally inhabited by Czech immigrants who named the neighborhood Pilsen after the Czech Republic city Plzeň. The area then became predominantly Latino.

He argued with me and kept questioning why I wanted to go there. I couldn’t understand why he was so resistant and explained that I knew exactly where I wanted to go…..Punch House, located in the historical Thalia Hall.

Thalia Hall

Thalia Hall, modeled after Prague’s opera house, was built in 1891 by original proprietor John Dusek and the neighborhood’s Eastern European immigrants. The space has been restored and today is a music venue/event space, as well as Dusek’s restaurant and The Tack Room, a bar in the former carriage house. And, downstairs is Punch House. Read More +

About Please the Palate

Please the Palate is a boutique firm specializing in marketing, event planning and writing for the wine and spirits industry.