From the Scorsese-inspired goodfellas behind Hooray Henry’s and Bootsy Bellows comes retro WeHo hideout The Nice Guy.
OK. Now the first thing you gotta know about The Nice Guy is that you ain’t gonna get anywhere near him without a game plan. Think you can just waltz right through the front door and make yourself at home? Forget about it. This dim-lit den from the prolific H.wood Group is strictly by reservation only, and even greasing a few palms won’t guarantee an in – unless your surname is De Niro.
Those who make the effort to book in will be handsomely rewarded, slinking through the wood-slatted facade to find a ‘70s-styled supper club and lounge where you might end up sharing a sofa with an in-character Al Pacino. Given the number of A-list regulars, you very well might!
The living room vibe is layered with glitzy gold sconces, natty vintage furny, a crooner’s stage in the corner, and of course, the bar: a chevron mirror-lined thing of beauty, where bartender Brian Stewart will shake up a stiff Chairman (Gentleman Jack, Aperol, cacao and cola reduction, served in a branded flask of course). Pecky patrons can opt for hearty bar bites like blue crab arancini, spicy meatballs, an oozy eggplant parm sandwich or maple-glazed bacon burger.
For a VIP meal, plonk down at the in-kitchen chef’s table, lined with mobster mug shots and place-setter for chef John-Carlos Kuramoto’s choicest seared sea bass and dry-aged steak; or play it cool with a top-shelf whiskey on the bitty patio. Sounds like an offer you can’t refuse.
The Nice Guy, 401 N La Cienega Blvd, WeHo, Los Angeles, +1 310 360 9500, reservations@theniceguyla.com, theniceguyla.com
