Oldfield's Liquor Room — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I was very excited about this place from the get-go. Prohibition-era cocktails in a semi-casual setting in walking distance of Bigfoot West sounds like a recipe for success. I went in with two of my friends on a weeknight. Now, I'll say this: we were effing enthusiastic about this place. We thought it was going to be awesome, so we were all smiles walking into the bar. Unfortunately the tall hipster brunette (who could lie in the shade of a barbed wire fence) checking IDs at the front could barely look up from her novel to acknowledge us. She looked at my ID, then rolled her eyes and sighed. As I best recall, I said, almost reassuringly, "I'm excited for this place." "I'm sure you are," she groaned. Uh, whoa. Yes, I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower in high school and at the time, it was fiercely engrossing to my 15-year-old self, but a hostess's job is to be inviting and warm, and it's the paying customers that provide the means for her paycheck. I worked in hospitality for years before moving up, so I can imagine that maybe she was just having a bad day. Still, having a bad day is no excuse to treat your customers like slime. We got some drinks. They were fine. We walked away disappointed in the service overall.

Fast forward to a few months later, I visit again just because my friend insisted we see the place. Little did I know Queen Bee had decided to up the ante. We slip in right as the bartenders are making last call, sitting down to order one round, avoiding the girl thus far (she was busy doing some sort of janitorial work, which, on second thought, might be her primary responsibility). Then, not unlike a harpy, she intercepts to say,

"We already called last call." "Right, we're ordering our last drinks." "No, we already called last call. That means leave."

With a response that rude, I can only imagine a couple of scenarios. Either she graduated from a women's studies program and could only find work at a place owned by her relatives, or her primary purpose is to balance the gender ratio. Either way, she does a disservice to the entire establishment, not to mention the bartenders, because the drinks were decent and the barkeeps (male, that night) were very professional. They smile, at least.

If you can figure out when she's not working there, then it might be worth checking out. But if Her Hipsterian Majesty is manning the door, you're better off hitting up The Wellesbourne on Pico, which has better drinks and bouncers who are more professional.

On the other hand, maybe she was flirting with me, and I'm just a socially awkward penguin. In any case, no thanks. I'll see her...

They put the "old" in Oldfields, but in a good way! Yes, it's another old-fashioned cocktail bar, but the ambience is relaxed and friendly, not snooty and hipsterish. They have a sizable but not overwhelming cocktail menu, as well as some craft beers on tap (just a few, as this is mostly a cocktail place). I got one of their seasonal cocktails--The Kentucky Cure (Bourbon, Branca Menta, Creme De Mure, Lemon Juice, Muddled Blackberries & Mint), and my friend got one of their signature drinks, the Blonde Comet(Bourbon, Peach Liqueur, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Angostura Bitters). The drinks were interesting, strong, and reasonably priced. It was definitely a nice place to chill out, especially since there was a really cool DJ spinning that night. I forget the guy's name but he put on a nice variety of 60s, 70s and 80s gems. They may have styled themselves after classic 1930s and 40s lounges, but the vibe was all modern LA. Speaking of LA, parking can definitely be a challenge but if you're willing to walk you can usually find a spot down one of the nearby streets. I need to come back and try...

The vibe at Oldfield’s is very classic and cozy. You need to go to Oldfield’s if you’re a cocktail connoisseur.

My favorite house cocktail there is the Secret Stash ($16) made with Beluga Vodka, cucumber, lime, and house salted pistachio orgeat. Who knew that pistachios could taste so good in a cocktail? It was so good, I ordered another! I also had a lot of fun ordering because of the name - I made sure to wink at the bartender.

The Tiny Dancer cocktail is my second favorite at Oldfield’s, and it’s also a deliciously fun time. If you like gin, this is the drink for you - it has Wilder Gin, rosemary, lemon, Green Chartreuse, and house grenadine.

The Blackberry Smash is great if you enjoy super...