No pictures, please

BARS • First Round

Sitting in a green leather booth in the velvety Georgian Room, it’s easy to feel like time stopped. There’s a tall, handsome man stationed at the piano, playing Elton John, Carole King, and Amy Winehouse. Bartenders in immaculate white jackets prepare Manhattans and mai tais. Photography is forbidden. 

For decades, time did stop here. The bar, originally opened in 1933, was closed in the middle of last century, and remained so until The Georgian Hotel upstairs re-opened this past spring after a stylish revamp. The return to old Hollywood glamor was worth the wait. 

In addition to the stiff drinks, there’s a full, Italian steakhouse menu — rigatoni alla vodka and dry-aged ribeyes. Dinner is served until 1:30a, outrageously late in LA, but not at the timeless Georgian Room. –Victoire Loup

→ The Georgian Room (Santa Monica) • 1415 Ocean Ave. • For reservations, call (424) 722-6846 or email tgr@thegeorgian.com.