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The Varnish

Address
118 E 6th St Los Angeles CA 90014
Phone
(213) 622-9999
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Average Rating
4.5
Total Reviews
(7)
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  5. 5 Stars
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Business Hours

Status: Closed

Sunday
Closed
Monday
6:00pm-2:00am
Tuesday
6:00pm-2:00am
Wednesday
6:00pm-2:00am
Thursday
6:00pm-2:00am
Friday
6:00pm-2:00am
Saturday
6:00pm-2:00am

Additional Info

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What the community has to say about The Varnish

Information about this business (2)

Classic Cocktails

This hot downtown bar is modeled after a speakeasy, with the entrance behind a secret door in Cole's restaurant. Order a cocktail or ask the mixologists at the bar to fix you something with your favorite alcohol or flavors. The bar gets crowded, especially on weekends, so it's best not to come with a large group if you're looking to find a table. Drink prices are somewhat high but so is the...

Reviews of this business (9) view all

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Editorial reviews from the web (4)

The Varnish Restaurant Review

This speakeasy-style bar is tucked away inside Cole’s, the historic downtown restaurant famous for their French dip sandwiches. To find it, walk to the back of Cole’s, where there’s a plain door with a small sign on it listing the bar’s hours. A maître d' will either lead you to a table or place your name on a wait list, since this small bar can get quite crowded. Inside, dim lighting reveals a...

“Service is incredible” at this “beautiful”, “too-cool-for-school” Downtown speakeasy hidden behind a “secret door” at the back of Cole’s restaurant; the bartenders will “let you sample tons of liquor” then “make a drink depending on your poison”, and though the craft cocktails “aren’t cheap”, they’re “worth every penny”, especially because of the “giant ice cubes” – a sure sign you’re in a...

You'll have to search out the Varnish, a speakeasy-style lounge hidden at the back of the L.A. institution Cole's French Dip restaurant. (The clue is the picture of a cocktail glass on its heavy oak door.) Co-owned by Sasha Petraske (of New York's Milk & Honey and Little Branch) and L.A. nightlife guru Cedd Moses, the Varnish's downtown locale and limited seating capacity (no parties larger...

The speakeasy trend may have been repealed in New York, but in LA it's just getting enacted. Notables from NYC's Little Branch, Milk & Honey build a hidden bar in back of Cole's, accessed through back door marked with a cocktail glass. Inside are more cocktail glasses, these expertly filled by congenial staff. Worth a visit even if you don't care for the French dip out front.

Other reviews from the web (9) view all

Average Rating
80

Speakeasy inside Cole's Super dark and intimate Drinks made well, like that you can custom make to your liking Very cool vibe (speakeasy saloon...

Average Rating
100

This was probably the best bar I came to during my visit from San Diego. Cool little speakeasy style bar hidden in the back of Cole's French Dip restaurant....

Average Rating
100

Amazing date spot, Tuesday's there is live jazz very romantic. Really good drinks and service that's a notch above perfect ! Don't hesitate go there ,...

Average Rating
100

This is my favorite bar DT. I can tell already.I'm not overly fond of kitsch, it's kind of a guilty pleasure, but I love this speakeasy. It's still the same French dip sandwich place in the...

Average Rating
100

i love this little speakeasy. bartender's choice always is successful. everything ive ever had is good

Business description (4)

Varnish is located at 118 E 6Th St, Los Angeles, CA. This location is in the Downtown Los Angeles neighborhood. This business specializes in Bars, Pubs, & Clubs, Manufacturing & Industrial Supplies, Pharmacies and Restaurants.

The Varnish is located at 118 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA. This location is in the Downtown Los Angeles neighborhood. This business specializes in Restaurants.

Drinking places, nsk

An intimate, speakeasy-esque bar tucked in the back of Cole's downtown. An unmarked door--save for the cocktail glass illustration--leads to the postage stamp-sized venue that specializes in artisanal cocktails, created by NY's Eric Alperin and Sasha Petraske.

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