La Poubelle Bistro & Bar

"La Poubelle is a French bistro in Hollywood where the white paint is chipped in all the right places. People who live in the area seem to appreciate its somewhat chaotic presence, and every third person who walks by embraces a staff member like a long-lost sibling. Any dinner at La Poubelle should be long, leisurely, and martini-fueled. The action takes place on the sidewalk, where diners in APC denim feast on buttery escargot, pasta bolognese, and baskets of thyme-covered french fries. Late night (they're open until 1:30am on weekends), you'll find a lot of young people and Europeans shouting their phone numbers to each other over loud music. And it somehow isn't the worst." - brant cox, arden shore, nikko duren, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

"La Poubelle looks like it’s been around forever. This French bistro in Hollywood has orange paint chipped in all the right places, a projector that flickers old black-and-white films, and a bunch of framed faded photographs on the walls. There’s a big bar where you’ll find regulars who have nowhere else to be for the next three hours, and groups of friends out on the sidewalk patio picking at baskets of fries. Happy hour runs Tuesdays to Saturdays (5:30-7:30pm), but the real action starts later, especially on weekends when they’re open until 1am. As for food? It exists, but it’s not the point. You’re not here for the mediocre steak frites—you’re here for a slightly chaotic night of martinis and meeting a stranger at the bar who won’t stop complaining about their boss as if you’ve been friends for years. Food Rundown photo credit: Cathy Park Escargots a la Bourguignonne The escargots arrive floating in a pool of melted butter, which sounds promising, but that’s all they taste like: butter. They could use a heavier hand with seasoning, and the bread they come with tastes like toasted grocery store baguette. photo credit: Cathy Park Prime Filet Mignon The fries are the best part of this dish—they're as crunchy as potato chips, dusted with thyme, and are great dipped in aioli. The eight-ounce filet is cooked properly, but the meat is chewy, which makes for a pretty unremarkable steak." - Cathy Park

"This Hollywood French restaurant offers the closest thing you’ll get to a steak-tartare-and-cigarette-ash dining experience in LA. (The name translates to “garbage can” in French, and its lack of sheen makes Petit Trois look like a poser.) The sidewalk patio is perfect for people-watching and gets rowdier as the night goes on. You’ll see twenty-somethings in A.P.C. denim eating buttery escargot and possibly even a few D-list celebs using the bathroom in pairs. Mind your business and eat your fries. " - Brant Cox, Sylvio Martins, Nikko Duren

"When Mars mingles with Pluto in your native sign on August 14th, expect the emotional floodgates to open, Capricorn. We know that doesn’t happen often for you, but instead of fighting it, just let it happen. Take yourself out on a self-care date, specifically one that involves as much pasta and natural wine as possible. We recommend La Poubelle in Hollywood, a loosely French bistro with a very nice sidewalk patio that’s perfect for clearing your head and people watching. Order the handmade pappardelle with shaved truffles or gnocchi topped with mushrooms. " - kat hong

"After another long week of meetings that could have been emails, we just need a glass of wine, a plate of pasta, and to be left alone. If you ever find yourself in this mood, head to La Poubelle, an easy-to-get-into, loosely French bistro in Hollywood. They’ve got a pleasant sidewalk patio that’s perfect for clearing your head while people-watching and if you stick around till sunset, the whole restaurant flips into a rowdy block party that inches further and further into the street as the night progresses. Their pasta options are pretty limited, but they usually have a couple of handmade options like pappardelle with truffles or gnocchi with mushrooms that will be good enough to help you decompress after that merciless, two-hour slideshow presentation. " - Jess Basser Sanders, Nikko Duren, Kat Hong, Sylvio Martins