Nestled in downtown Los Angeles‘ Arts District, Villains Tavern is a new low-key place to hang out.

One of the Outside Patios at Villains Tavern

The decor by restaurateur and interior designer Dana Hollister is decidedly steampunk influenced. Think church pews on the outside patios, an antique bar that used to reside in an 1880s-era New York City tavern and a gothic church window behind the bar.

Grab a seat outside, where the bar only serves beer and shots to partake of the live entertainment. Head indoors to the other bar area for an atmosphere more conducive to cocktails and mingling.

Popular drinks are the beer and shot combo. For $8, pick from one of 20 beers, ales, lagers and ciders on tap and match it with your choice of hard liquor. The duo arrives as a mason jar (like the kind used by your gramma for canning) of beer and a test tube shot glass on the side.

Having a Beer and Shot at Villains Tavern in Los Angeles

In addition to the general list of mixed drinks, Villains has a menu of named concoctions like the Bella Donna (Makers Mark, mint, citrus and muddled blackberries), Poison Apple (Ketel One vodka, green apple schnapps and bitters on a bed of shaved ice) and Stan Lee (a gin-infused hibiscus sour). Prices for these are in the $11-$13 range.

Villains also serves an upscale pub-style menu. Try the Cherry Bacon Marmalade Burger (a 1/2lb Kobe burger with a balsamic vinegar/cherry spread and a bacon marmalade on top) or a grilled cheese made with cave-aged cheddar and tamarind chili.

This sophisticated and sexy bar is a welcome addition to what is a growing nightlife scene in this part of downtown Los Angeles, about two miles east of California Plaza.

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Villains Tavern
1356 Palmetto St (at Santa Fe Ave)
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: 213-613-0766
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[Photos courtesy Villains Tavern]

When looking for nightlife at Walt Disney World, the House of Blues (HOB) is a great place to hang out. With the demise of the nightclubs at Pleasure Island, the HOB is one of the few places at Walt Disney World to go for late night drinks and entertainment.

Two things put this venue at the top of my list for Walt Disney World nightlife.

House of Blues Downtown Disney West Side at Walt Disney World

First are all of the live music options. There is a moderately-sized general admission concert hall where you can catch everyone from national touring acts to local band nights. Tickets are generally pretty affordable (usually in the $20 range). Often with the local band showcases, the bands even have free tickets to give out – just check their websites. Sunday nights the concert hall turns into a dance club for the weekly “SIN” (service industry night) promotion.

The restaurant also has a stage area where live blues acts play on select nights. A third music area is outside on the front porch bar area between the restaurant and the concert hall, where local singer-songwriters perform for free.

The second reason is that this HOB  has two daily happy hours. One runs from 3pm to 5pm and the other from 10pm until close. During these happy hours, there are drink specials like $2 draft beer, and almost all appetizers are half-price, making it a great place to either start or end the evening with cheap drinks and munchies.

The House of Blues Orlando is located in the area known as Downtown Disney West Side. It’s tucked away behind DisneyQuest and Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba (visually-speaking that’s the big white tent-looking building and the big blue building). If the parking lot closest to the main road is full, there is a large lot behind Cirque, as well. Parking at Downtown Disney is free.

Hours are Sunday through Thursday 11:30am until midnight, and Friday and Saturday 11:30am until 1am.

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House of Blues Orlando
Downtown Disney West Side
1482 E. Buena Vista Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-934-2583
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[Photo courtesy of  Michelle Snow]

For those who truly do buy it for the articles, the upcoming issue of iconic men’s magazine Playboy contains its picks for the “Best Bars” in America. Writer Steve Garbarino, along with Playboy‘s staff, have gone coast-to-coast with their choices.

Of course what works for one person may not be of interest to another – I personally have not visited any of the eighteen bars on the list, though I’m familiar with a few. But should you find yourself in any of these cities, lists like these are generally a good starting point.

The Continental Club in Austin, TX

Here are Playboy‘s picks for Best Bar (alphabetical by city):

• Austin: The Continental Club
• Chicago: The Map Room
• Dallas: The French Room and Rodeo Bar & Grill at the Hotel Adolphus
• Detroit: Cliff Bell’s
• Kansas City: The Mutual Musicians Foundation
• Las Vegas: The Bootlegger Bistro
• Los Angeles: Dan Tana’s
• Los Angeles: The Roger Room
• Miami Beach: Mac’s Club Deuce
• Miami Beach: The Raleigh Martini Bar
• New Orleans: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar
• New Orleans: The Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel
• New York City: King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel
• New York City: Jane Ballroom at the Jane Hotel
• Palm Springs: Starlite Lounge at the Riviera Resort & Spa
• San Francisco: Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Hotel
• Savannah: Planters Tavern in the Olde Pink House
• Seattle: King’s Hardware

For good measure, Garbarino and crew also list their picks for the nation’s Best Dive Bars:

• Austin: Mean-Eyed Cat
• Boston: Lucky’s Lounge
• Chicago: Cal’s
• Dallas: Lee Harvey’s
• Lompoc, California: Jasper’s
• Memphis: Ernestine and Hazel’s
• Miami/South Beach: Ted’s Hideaway
• Nashville: Springwater Supper Club
• New Orleans: The Saint
• New Orleans: Snake and Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge
• New York City: Milano’s
• New York City: Subway Inn
• San Francisco: Specs
• Washington, D.C.: The Big Hunt
• Wichita: Kirby’s Beer Store

Explanations for why it’s worth taking a seat at a bar stool in these must-see establishments can be found in the August 2010 issue of Playboy, on newsstands Friday, July 16.

Have you visited any of these bars or clubs?

[Photo courtesy of The Continental Club]

Raglan Road at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World

Though nightlife options at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World are not as plentiful as they once were, there are still a few locations where one can have a few drinks after a day at the parks. One of these is Raglan Road.

During the day, Raglan Road is an Irish restaurant that serves up a tasty menu of both Irish and American pub fare. At night, you can still dine out in a casual upscale atmosphere, but you can also enjoy a lively nightcap.

Nightly entertainment comes courtesy of a band that plays a mixture of originals and covers of Celtic songs, and there is also an Irish dancer who takes to a small stage in the middle of the dining floor several times nightly.

The Draft Selection at Raglan Road

The bar area has a good selection of American, Irish and British beers on draft, as well the usual liquors and spirits. They even offer Guinness in both an American (cold) and a proper Irish (room temperature) pour. If you’ve never had an Irish pour, it definitely brings out more of the rich malt flavor of the drink.

You’ll find Raglan Road on Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island, where it meets up with the Marketplace. The music generally starts at about 6pm and runs to about midnight and there’s no cover charge, though if not eating, space at the bar is limited.

I should also mention if you need an evening sugar rush, the counter service eatery Cooke’s of Dublin, which you’ll find around the side of Raglan Road, does sell deep-fried candy bars. Artery-clogging, but surprisingly tasty.

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Raglan Road
Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney
1640 E. Buena Vista Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-938-0300
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[Photos by Michelle Snow]