The Tiki Gods Align at Lono, Hollywood’s Latest Drinking Den

Farley Elliott is the Senior Editor at Eater LA and the author of Los Angeles Street Food: A History From Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. He covers restaurants in every form, from breaking news to the culture, people, and history that surrounds LA's dining landscape.

The team behind Melrose Umbrella Company is ready to expand into Hollywood with Lono, a new tiki concept that could become one of the summer’s most popular places to wile away the evening hours. Hidden in plain sight right on Hollywood Boulevard, the cozy candlelit option opens for rum-soaked drinks and dinner on June 9.

Owners Austin Melrose and Zach Patterson have long had an affinity for tiki culture, and with the recent reemergence of the genre around Los Angeles at places like Pacific Seas, the time felt right to bring Lono to life. Stepping in as general manager and beverage director is Mike Lay, formerly of Broken Spanish and Faith & Flower, while chef David Lespron of SBE comes onboard to handle the opening menu.

The space itself is a warm, flickering ode to the relaxed life, with woven chairs and leafy greens throughout. It’s not entirely full of kitsch though, instead trading in walls of mugs and old matchbooks for a refined aesthetic by way of Matt Winter of M. Winter Design (Manuela, The Lincoln) and Austin Melrose. There’s a touch of old Hollywood in the small alcoves that collect in the back, while the tall ceiling and open space offer a bit of breathing room.

On the drinks front, Lay and company will look to keep things classic in most spots. That means drinks pulled largely from the Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic’s playbook, with the addition of shareable punch bowls and tableside preparations meant for big groups.

Lono, named for the Hawaiian god of rainfall, officially opens on Friday, June 9. Hours will be 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily to start, with an earlier lead time of noonstarting up in July.

Lono Hollywood
6611 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA