Taking someone out on a date isn’t easy. You have to worry about so many things—what to wear, what to say, where to go. Well, we here at CP can’t pick out your outfit, and we don’t have any tips on how to keep the conversation flowing, but if you’re looking for that perfect romantic destination to seduce that special someone—and let them know how much they mean to you—then you've come to the right place. Here it is, Clubplanet’s list of the best places to impress a date in Los Angeles:
Best Place to Impress a Date in LA: The Penthouse at the Huntley Hotel
1111 Second St | Santa Monica, CA 90403
Take the glass elevator with your date up to the Penthouse Bar on the 18th floor of the Huntley Hotel, and you’ll swear that you’ve passed through the Pearly Gates. The bar and lounge at 1111 Second Street is completely white, with off-white accents. Only a few deep brown chairs and table tops, as well as the rich, wood floor, act as a counterpoint to the bar's total purity. With tasty drinks starting at brunch and lasting until the post-dinner breakdown, the elegance and class of The Penthouse is great for any time, day or night. The sheer curtains around the lounge allow light to seep in, even if they’re drawn closed, and the birds-eye views of the surrounding canyons and Pacific are simply heavenly. If you want to make her feel like an angel in a city full of them, check out The Penthouse Bar at the Huntley Hotel.
Best Place to Impress a Date in LA: Ivan Kane’s Café Was
1521 N Vine St | Hollywood, CA 90028
Ivan Kane’s Café Was is a great hangout with or without scantily-clad showgirls seductively stripping… but, when you add something like that into this already hot mix, then you get the best damn party in LA every Friday night! Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce World Famous Burlesque Show has entertained crowds for seven years on tour around the globe, but now, the show has come home to California—every Friday night exclusively at Ivan Kane’s Café Was. “This kind of striptease is very empowering to women,” Kane explains. “It appeals to both sexes.” Considering the likes of Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton, and Christina Aguilera have all been spotted at the show (not to mention George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio), Mr. Kane may have a point. If you want to have a good time, and you have an open-minded partner as a date, go to Ivan Kane’s Café Was for their Friday night burlesque shows… and don't forget your pen and notepad, just in case you want to jot down some ideas.
Best Place to Impress a Date in LA: The Edison
108 W 2nd St | Los Angeles, CA 90012
As you descend the stairs of The Edison Bar and Lounge, the speakeasy vibe hits you immediately—suddenly you’re snapping your fingers, and fixing the feather in your felt hat as you approach the bar. Be warned: don’t walk into The Edison with your shredded Abercrombie jeans and your Ed Hardey girlfriend—you won’t get in. The Edison has a theme, and a dress code, and if you’re down to try something new and dress to their early 20th century style, then throw on your zoot suit, tell your lady to wear a dress with some “jazz,” or “spunk,” and head to The Edison. The drinks are a little pricey, but strong (we recommend the bar’s namesake, The Edison, or the put-you-on-your-ass Absinthe that is constantly carted about you by a green fairy girl). This place is all about the early 1900s look, so if you want to try dressing up and stepping back in time with your “sugar dumpling,” then The Edison is the dive.
Best Place to Impress a Date in LA: Yamashiro
1999 N Sycamore Ave | Los Angeles, CA 900068
Widely considered to be one of the most romantic restaurants and bars in LA, the Yamashiro Restaurant and Pagoda Bar has been a staple in the California dating scene for some time. Nestled high in the hills behind the Magic Kingdom, Yamashiro boasts one of the best views of Hollywood. Couple that with the majestic and traditional Japanese garden—and throw in an original, 40 year-old-recipe Mai Tai mixed drink for good measure—and you get Yamashiro, the place to bring a date, get some sushi, and admire one of LA’s oldest and most historic hot spots. Caution: this place is pricey, so don’t bring just anybody there, only that special someone you really want to impress.
Best Place to Impress a Date in LA: Bar 1200
1200 Alta Loma Rd | West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tucked behind enormous shrub walls, Bar 1200 has an “I’m-not-trying-too-hard” vibe that actually feels authentic and swanky in a town full of wannabes. This bar is the perfect place to bring a date that is sick of the usual Hollywood madhouse—you know, the too-full dance floors, blaring music, and over-worked bartenders serving up attitude with a side of weak drinks. Bar 1200 is the complete opposite: it’s small, cozy and low-key. The place is so chill, in fact, that you might run into some celebs hoping to escape the noxious Sunset Strip scene while you’re there. Also, the bartenders at Bar 1200 are friendly and helpful, the clientele is relaxed, and the drink menu is expansive (though also expensive)…but, hey, what better way to impress your guy or girl than buy them a tasty, stiff drink, talk softly in their ear, and offer them a seat next to frequent Bar 1200 patron, Tommy Lee? Alright, alright, he might be a little crazy, but anything wild he does would just make you look like Prince Charming, right?
Best Place to Impress a Date in LA: Atlas Supper Club
3760 Wilshire Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90010
Located in the artfully restored Wiltern Theater complex, Atlas Supper Club is the perfect place to get some dinner, grab a drink, and then see a show. However, if you’re not interested in the theater choices next door, then just stick around at Atlas and enjoy the live music that changes nightly. This place is gorgeous, with everything and everyone inside beautifully put together. The large disco ball at the center of the dance floor illuminates the eclectic crowd at random intervals. First, a drag queen is bathed in light—her sequins shimmering—then the spotlight moves, and an upscale Hollywood type can be seen dancing without a care, right alongside. In addition, the cabaret style dine-and-dinner shows are always high quality and high class at Atlas. If you want a little bit of everything on your date—good food, great drinks, and live entertainment—come to Atlas Supper Club, and treat your special someone to a night full of fun!
