La Descarga — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I was so thrilled when I found La Descarga all thanks to yelp!!! After exploring a wondrous bar with a hidden door in New York, I figured LA must have something similar as well.

La Descarga is a speakeasy cuban bar/lounge with exceptional cocktail drinks, a cigar lounge, a hostess that'll personally welcome you, salsa dancing, live music, cabaret dancers with fire and a hidden entrance!!! This is by far my favorite bar/lounge in LA that I'd recommend to all my friends (who aren't penny-pinchers)!

I took my friend here for his early birthday present Friday night. He had no idea where I was taking him. I told him it's a hidden gem that's so awesome that it'll feel like he went to narnia :P I rsvp'd for 9:15pm but showed up 20min early because there was no traffic. The bouncer was very hospitable and we chatted for a bit before he let us in :) Upstairs, there was a pretty lady who stood by her desk with a big smile. She welcomed us and gave us a brief description of the bar/lounge. My friend was surprised when she opened the wardrobe for us to enter :D

He seemed super thrilled with the place and he made sure he tried couple of their signature cocktails. Everyone except for the bartender at the cigar lounge were sociable. The place is cozy and it's hard to find a place to sit during busy hours.

Tips: Show up early so you have time to settle down at the bar and the cigar lounge before it gets crowded (around 9:30 on a Friday night). Reservation via phone/website is highly recommended Pay $8 for valet, it's worth it cuz the neighborhood is ghetto-y Try their cigars! I had my very first one and it went well with my cocktail.

LOVE: The cuban themed atmosphere Watching them make their quality cocktails (they look like they were dancing to the music while they shook the drinks!). Live music and a sexy dancer twirling a fire around!

DRINKS: Be patient with the bartenders during busy hours. If you watch them create it with fresh ingredients then you'll understand that it's worth the wait.

My friend had Old Ironsides Shoreleave Wristwatch (his favorite) Ramble on (his least favorite out of the 4 he drank) 2 cocktails with pineapple juice that has a cool name. It came in a large fancy cocktail glass with orange and lemon garnish...ugh can't remember the name!

I had -La Descarga Planters Punch (yum!!!) Mojito (it had the perfect amount of sweetness)

What my friend didn't let me have because I was his dd Caipirinha (heard it's...

Avoid This Organizer’s Events – Disrespectful and Unprofessional

I usually don’t write negative reviews, but after being treated with little to no respect on two separate occasions by Jose, I feel compelled to share my experience to warn others.

On a Tuesday Salsa Night at La Descarga, by 10:45pm the salsa music stopped in the larger room and reggaeton/club music started playing. Several people were asking one another about the music choice at it was very clear that most people there still wanted to listen and dance to salsa music. When i approached this man to ask about the DJ, he started to curse at me by saying “F the DJ and immediately started to talk bad about the DJ”. I was puzzled why he would even say those things so i walked off. When i was leaving for the night, i genuinely went up to him and asked him if every tuesday night is like that in terms of music choice, and he immediately responded by saying “you have a lot to say for someone who is coming to a free event”. He continued to vocalize to the security guard that was near us that i was only here to complain about the music. He continued to act offended and speak negatively to me and people around us so i decided to walk off and leave.

Thinking it was a one time incident, i stumbled upon this guy again at The Canary on a Monday night dance social. After i payed up front, i walk into the venue and he saw me and said “I remember you, you are the guy that complains!”. I immediately asked him if this was going to be a problem between us and he responded by saying “idk is it going to be a problem?”. With that type of response, it was clear that I was not welcomed, so i left the venue and went to a different dance social.

This kind of behavior creates an unwelcoming and uncomfortable environment, which is the opposite of what a dance social should be about. There are plenty of well-organized, respectful events in the dance community, and I’d highly recommend choosing those instead of supporting someone who doesn’t value their attendees.

I hope this review helps others avoid a...

The staff is terrible. Mainly just two individuals in particular. I was unable to get the 2 men's names, but wow. Both people said things to me that were so unprofessional, and not how you treat a guest. I have been healing from a broken foot for almost 8 weeks, and haven't been out much lately, and my friend wanted me to come out for once to join her. I wasn't going to drink (and don't really drink much anyway), but thought it would help me to get out of the house- being that I have been stuck inside for 2 months. Me and my friend politely asked one of the door men if we might be able to not wait in the line since I am on a broken foot, (it was just a question), but the guy rudely replies by saying "Why are you out here to party if you have a broken foot?" That was unprofessional, bc I wasn't there to party, and second who is he to ask me that? A professional/courteous response would have been, "Im sorry ma'am, we cannot grant your request. I do apologize." That would have been okay, not a rude response such as his. Then after waiting in line for over an hour, me and my friend get in, and one of the security guys pushes me, and I look back at him thinking- okay, no regard that you just pushed me, then yells "Maybe you should get a drink that way you won't be such a B**ch." I'm just shocked at this place, because of these two experiences. I am a nice girl, and have had a hard two months being injured, going out and being treated like that was pretty lame. Not going to return to this establishment. Too bad too, because I love dancing, and I am a bartender myself and have been working in nice/upscale restaurants for 14 years- so I know class when I see it. This...