Dig Lounge

Sometimes I can’t drag myself out to try every new place. I leave it to my friends to do some of the work and report back to me. So here goes my first guest post by my good friend Mara. She reports in from the new Happy Ending Bar, previously Acapulco. Apparently it ended up being not so happy of an ending…

“So my friends and I have been stalking the old Acapulco building on Sunset and La Brea. We’ve been “secreting” a bar there for months. It’s the perfect location for a new, fun watering hole for us locals. Perhaps even a lounge? Is it too much to ask for an egalitarian door policy…a local crowd…easy parking…glasses of wine under $10…a conspicuous absence of Paris, Britney, Lindsay, or the attending paparazzi? Oh, we’d be so lucky.

After we read a rave about Happy Ending opening via the usually reliable thrillist.com, my girlfriend and I did a drive by to check the scene. Alas, trash bag covered fences weren’t really as inviting as one might think. I was left scratching my head (with my cocktail free-hands) and wondering if I had the address right.

Then, days later, Happy Ending popped up on the radar again — again via a great resource, LA.MyOpeBar.com — delightfully promising drink specials. Free Trump vodka from 8-10pm. Jackpot.

We arrived last night and the door guy had no idea if there was a drink special or not. He did however, shake out hands and welcome us to the bar before even asking for our IDs. Very zen of him. We walked in and did a once over on the place. I was so disappointed. The place looks absolutely like it did when it was still Acapulco (oh, except they did do a nice partial fake brick wall). There are a ton of TVs around the establishment so I suppose it might be a good place to watch sports on the weekends cause there are a million booths…although none of the booths gave a great view of the TV, so I’m not sure I’d even go there for that!

I think they were trying for a St. Nicks/Barney’s Beanery vibe, but really, it still feels like Acapulco. Except, a sadder version of Acapulco because it’s lacking the salsa bar and happy hour margaritas. Seriously, gut out that back room and build a second bar there, and THEN we will talk. We’d be happy with a ping pong table occupying the space. Or a hot tub. Just something.

Back to the bar…I was surprised at how long it took us to order drinks. They were certainly not short-staffed by any means, and there were also certainly NOT a lot of other customers vying for the bartenders attention. Perhaps if we looked like we were having as much fun as the employees, then we would have been served sooner. After a few minutes, I decided that I felt like I was in college again – no, worse actually, high school.

The place looked trashy (after supposedly being remodeled for so long?) and I would only recommend the bar if you wanted to go there and spin the drink wheel (yes, think Wheel Of Fortune) and get $3 blow jobs. Unfortunately, the guest spinners of the evening weren’t showing off their strength and the needle kept landing on $10 pitchers of beer. We stuck to our free Trump vodka drinks, which we received only because we asked specifically for them… not because they were offering up the info, or the booze. (We saw other customers paying full price for their vodka drinks.)

The menu, however, did look impressive. Typical bar food but a good selection - huge selection. We didn’t try anything though. Mixed responses for how late the kitchen stays open – we heard guesses ranging from 11:30pm until 2am — and I am saving that for a late night binge after I score $3 tequila poppers from the Wheel Of Drinks.

Highlight of the night was that Grant Show made an appearance. You might remember him from his Melrose Place days as Jake. These days, however, it looks like he might be involved in this Happy Ending endeavor. He was showing the employees how to work the computers. Melrose Place seemed so much classier back in the day.

Oh yes, there was a cover band performing as well. They wore fake mullets and sang “Our House” and although they certainly worked the room, I couldn’t even hear myself think.

That’s when we left and walked to the Powerhouse.”

Happy Ending
7038 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood (at La Brea)
323.469.7038