The 12 Best Speakeasies In LA - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"There's something about a Japanese-style cocktail bar with a secret entrance behind a Mexican restaurant that's totally Long Beach, and we're into it. The boozy, complex cocktails at Tokyo Noir aren't made with the same precision as that city's best bars, but they're far from boring—plus you get to watch the besuited owner carve giant ice spheres with a comically large knife behind the bar. Our favorites are the Drunken Tiger with umeshu and red pepper rhubarb, and The Nutorious made smoky with mezcal and hojicha amaro. Bar snacks like tuna temaki and okonomiyaki-style corn dogs are fine for soaking up a round of highballs. Reservations are required, so book ahead and look for a door with a red lantern down the alley from El Barrio Cantina to enter." - sylvio martins, garrett snyder