Japanese Highballs and Vintage Vinyl Collide at Highland Park’s Newest Bar

A new Japanese-style HiFi bar is making its way to Highland Park soon. The project is called Gold Line, and it’s a collaboration between a well-known Los Angeles bar owner and one of the city’s most iconic record labels.

Gold Line lands along Figueroa in Highland Park, right next door to the recently-opened HomeState. The property is long but narrow, with room for a wide bar up front and some 5,000 records in the back, each available to play on a nightly basis. Much of the music comes directly from the library of DJ Peanut Butter Wolf, the famed owner and founder of Stones Throw Records. The independent record label is famous for breaking many hip hop acts like Madvillain, J Dilla, and Jonwayne, among others.

Running the bar alongside Wolf and Stones Throw general manager Jason McGuire is Tyler Bell, a restaurateur who co-owns places like El Condor and L&E Oyster Bar. Bell will bring his bar knowledge to bear, offering classic Japanese highballs and other cocktails alongside a natural wine and craft beer list. There will also be plenty of room for straight whiskey, mezcal, and brandy.

The Los Angeles HiFi bar scene is picking up of late, with places like Tabula Rasa and Apotheke in Chinatown spinning rare stuff or offering a small space for live music acts. The incoming Arts District bar In Sheep’s Clothing will follow a similar Japanese-focused model to Gold Line, while Travis Lett’s Japanese restaurant MTN in Venice already contains some of the best sound equipment and record collection of any restaurant in the city.

Expect Gold Line to open sometime later this summer. In the meantime, just look for the handwritten sign that says “indoor water park, coming soon”.

Gold Line. 5607 Figueroa Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

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