7.25.2008

Sweet Libertine: Breath Of Fresh Air On The Sunset Strip

Amid the ADD-inducing lights and glitz of the Sunset Strip lies the nondescript lounge Libertine. You won’t find lines of the barely legal, let-it-all-hang-out crowd here. That’s because one, they’re all at Dublin’s or Miyagis down the street and two, there are no lines at Libertine. This is a place that realizes making people wait in lines is not cool.



In fact, Libertine is still a well-kept secret. From the outside, it looks like a historic old house (Charlie Chaplin lived here in the 1920s) and it’s so non-descript there's no sign out front, which can make it a bit challenging to find. But it’s worth the effort.



The best way to spot the place is to look out for Pinche’s Tacos – the cheerily decorated, lip smackingly-good taco place next to Libertine. Open late, Pinche’s provides the perfect 2am snack. In fact, the food’s so darn good (granted, I had a couple of drinks in me at the time) that you might yell ‘Pinche tacos’ when you realize those three tacos you just scarfed are not calorie-free.



Unlike a cavernous club or a cramped dive bar, Libertine is more like a classy house party, with plenty of room to lounge on the couches or bust a move on the small dance floor.



It’s sparsely decorated, except for the occasional flat screen TV adorning the wall. And if you want some air, the cheery back patio is relatively roomy, lit up with lights, and even has a few chairs and tables.



Like most places, the music differs by night. Check the site for details. The Friday we were there was ‘House of Groove’ night, and the drummer accompanying the DJ made the whole set seem like live music. Did I mention Libertine boasts a stripper pole? It doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the place…but then again, Libertine doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the Sunset Strip.

Libertine on Sunset
8210 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(across from Chateau Marmont)
323-656-3005

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