
5

"The former Montage Hotel’s upscale Ten Pound bar in Beverly Hills was probably the best kept cocktail secret in Los Angeles before it was forced to close due to the pandemic. The high-end spot hidden above the hotel’s restaurant (which was Scarpetta, then Georgie, and is now the Terrace at Maybourne) was an ideal place for a quiet postprandial drink and cigar, and featured some of the city’s rarest booze. Now the space is back thanks to the hotel’s new owners, who have done a fantastic job of revamping the dim room under the new (somewhat milquetoast) name Cigar and Whiskey Bar which opened last month. The decor has a cleaner, more modern aesthetic, but retains its very exclusive feel with an outdoor mezzanine patio overlooking the park. In addition, ownership built out a much more substantial cigar humidor that instantly makes it one of the best places in Los Angeles to have a smoke and sip on excellent cocktails." - Matthew Kang