The Obscure — Attraction in Los Angeles

First and foremost, the ambience of this place is truly impressive—clean, welcoming, and beautifully decorated. We were excited to be there celebrating a joint bachelorette/bachelor party, expecting a fun and memorable night. Unfortunately, the experience quickly went downhill.

From the moment we arrived, things felt off. Despite arriving before several other parties, we were asked to wait at the entrance while those who came after us were seated first. As first-time visitors, we assumed this might be standard procedure—but it definitely didn’t feel right.

Once seated at a large table, we were told to sit “4 and 2,” with the implication that two strangers would be joining us. Then, without warning, we were asked to switch to “3 and 3” because four people would now be added to our table. A quick glance around the room showed that most large tables only seated 8, not 10. Feeling cramped already, we politely asked if we could keep our table as-is. Unfortunately, our concerns were dismissed. The staff told us, “Well, we sat them and can’t ask them to move.”

To make up for the situation, we were offered a complimentary dessert (beignets) and two rounds of cocktails. The owner even joked, “Free alcohol makes everything better.” Sadly, that promise wasn’t fulfilled. We received just one round—and it wasn’t even a proper cocktail, just a small pour of coffee liqueur. No dessert. No second round.

Throughout the evening, we felt singled out by staff and were on the receiving end of multiple condescending remarks. It left the soon-to-be newlyweds feeling uncomfortable and disappointed—definitely not the experience we had hoped for.

While the storytelling and drink presentation were interesting, the drinks themselves were underwhelming (very small and not particularly tasty), and the entire experience felt overpriced for what we received.

All in all, we wouldn’t recommend this place, especially for a special occasion. The atmosphere may be great, but the customer service and value just didn’t live up to the hype.

P.S. the owner hates negative reviews, and has tried spinning the narrative to paint us, his guests, as the problem. Please note, that despite our treatment, we made every effort to try to enjoy our night, and would never intentionally compromise the experience for the...

I like a creative, well mixed drink. I like artistry backing up distilled spirits. I like cool atmospheres...and I like elevating it all with a curated experience rather than just stopping in a bar to get a drink. All of that was given to me and my wife during our experience at The Obscure during a season 1 seating.

Yes, the drinks were strong, but still delicious. The neat liquor samples served with them also gave a sense that these weren't your grandfather's spirits. Unique takes on classic liquors abound.

The atmosphere and presentation was also really cool with every detail of the visuals carefully created to add to the experience including, when we were there, a live comic artist drawing throughout the night.

Only thing we didn't like was the extra money we paid for the Gallery Duet Reservation. Described as with a view and the distiller as your host...we thought we were getting close up seats with extra curation and explanation from the host...what we ended up getting was the farthest away seats under fans. Yes they were pointed at the from whereas some folks sitting in the main section had their backs to the bar, and are extra "host" perk was Theron at the beginning letting us know to ask him if he had any questions. We were also sitting under fans (which may not be on as the weather gets cooler) and they weren't using a sound system of any kind so it was hard to hear the narration...I mean really hard. (Anytime anyone at an event with a microphone says "I don't want to use the mic." they're basically saying "I don't care if you actually hear me." Amplification is essential to any experience where speaking to a group is happening.)

So go for the fantastic drinks, liquor and overall experience, but don't pay extra for the more expensive Gallery Duet seats as you'll be separated from the larger group, the farthest away from the action, you may not get any extra "hosting," and you may not be able to hear.

I would definitely go back with a regular "Grand Table" reservation to see what they come...

The Obscure. Where to start. I've seen this place build up slowly, first opening their outdoor New Orleans themed window service restaurant The Rising Sun, to the full immersive tasting experience. Evidently, based on our most recent visit. More is to come...

But I will say, this is not your every day distillery or bar. If you're looking for a place to go and put your phone down, have a good conversation, leave reality for a few hours, and learn quite a bit about booze... this is the place. The interior has been constructed and designed with a lot of love. And you can tell that by talking to the staff. They're all friendly, and experts in their field.

The current tasting season is Gin, Brandy, and Rye. I'm telling you, if you don't like any of these spirits, you should still go and try them. We went with a group the other evening, and about half the group said they didn't like brandy or gin and we ended up walking away with three bottles at the end of the night. This team knows their stuff and they're going to great lengths to not only bend rules but break them. In all the best ways, and the spirits are packed with flavor.

In addition to tasting incredible spirits and being guided through the history of not only their own beverages but different alcohol in general, each night you are treated with the personal experience of watching an artist do a live drawing or painting. And they've all come out gorgeous. (Just check their instagram out where they post a lot of the finished works).

Bottom line, i highly recommend The Obscure. You need a reservation a head of time, but it's worth it. It's something special and unique. And in a world that is so dominated by large companies and flash, it's so heart warming and beautiful to see such a unique group of artists building something out of nothing. It shows in all the best...