The Shutter: Republic Restaurant + Lounge

Yesterday's post about the closed Tea Room and Prana Cafe in Studio City led us to this information: Republic, the restaurant and lounge on the corner of La Cienega and Melrose Place, is also closed. From what a few tipsters told us, last night was its last night. A call confirms: It will be closed "for a month or so" for renovations, a name change and then emerge even more nightclubby than before. When Mikayel Israyelyan opened Republic in 2006, it was one of those places that was supposed to have decent food in a stylish setting, and it attracted the scenesters in droves, but over time the already mediocre food dwindled as did the crowds. Any time we heard pumping music from the space (for instance, when trying to wrap up a thoroughly lovely dinner on the Bastide patio across the way), it was almost always for a private event. Whether the restaurant had any legs to stand on any more, we don't know, but we hear there's been some financial strain. *UPDATE* While we remembered that this is the second Israyelan redo for this spot (anyone remember Bliss?), The Guide says the name for the new nightclub is Ta 2.

As for Israyelyan's other spots---the Studio City Prana Cafe only opened in January this year, and with this recent closure, rumor is several vendors and employees haven't been paid. The original one on Melrose, next to Republic, is still open. And then there's Romanov, which, for reasons we will never understand, is still open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
· EaterWire: Studio City Tea Room Shuttered [~ELA~]
· Plywood Cafe Edition: Urth, More Prana [~ELA~]
· Romanov: Now More Russion, Banquet Only [~ELA~]