A Busy New Hollywood Sports Bar Takes Over Where Birch Left Off

It didn’t take long for the former Birch restaurant in Hollywood to flip into something new. The Cahuenga space has been bumping lately under a different name: Elbow Room, and it already seems to be living up to the label.

Whereas Birch was a thoughtful California restaurant with authentic British touches under chef-owner Brendan Collins (now at Wilshire in Santa Monica), Elbow Room is a tightly-packed mostly standing-room bar with TVs lining the walls and beer at the ready. The restaurant is already deep in March Madness fever, doing happy hour during all games while turning out classic bar food like pepperoni pizza, panini, salad, and wings. The menu can be found on their website.

It’s always been tough for restaurants to make a go of it along the extended Cahuenga Corridor in greater Hollywood, but perhaps Elbow Room will have what it takes by playing to the widest audience possible, though competition from Luchini Pizzeria and Bar across the street can’t help. Brewpub and burger destination Stout is also nearby, but the loss of Hollywood’s Big Wangs sports bar does mean there’s room for TVs and beer in the area.

Elbow Room is open as of last month, keeping hours from 5 p.m. to midnight most nights, with a jump to 3 p.m. or earlier on Saturdays and Sundays when sports are on.

Elbow Room
1634 Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA

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