The Evangeline Swamp Room - Review - Chinatown - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Evangeline Swamp Room (easily one of the best bar names in town) is a New-Orleans-themed cocktail spot from the people behind Little Jewel next door. And if you’re a fan of what the Chinatown po’ boy shop does with french bread and fried shrimp, wait until you see Swamp Room’s commitment to boozy Big Easy classics, from Hurricanes to Vieux Carrés to Ramos Gin Fizzes. But while the drinks deserve points for bonafides, their actual execution is hit-and-miss. Cocktail quality varies by bartender, and the syrupy-sweet mix in the daiquiri machine—authentic as it might be—is a recipe for regret the next morning. The echoey, high-ceiling space is an odd mish-mash of French Quarter kitsch, with pressed tin ceilings, faux distressed furniture, and a big neon sign over the bar that reads “FEELIN’ $ LUCKY.” Unless you show up during the late innings of a Dodger game though, the place tends to be pretty sleepy. That said, if you’re in the neighborhood and want to kill time over a Sazerac, take advantage of the full food menu at the bar—the charbroiled oysters are a bit overcooked, but the smoky alligator chili and fried crawfish pies are Cajun drinking food at its finest." - Garrett Snyder