Venice’s New Cocktail Hangout Is a Colorful ‘90s-Era Throwback

Silver Lake’s 90s-era bar has a new buddy out west called The Little Friend, opening tomorrow just behind Venice’s Sunny Spot restaurant. The bar features its own cocktail menu and artsy retro vibe just a mile or two from the beach. Inside, famed street artist and co-owner Andre Saraiva brings a colorful touch to the space, with signature pink flooring and his famous Mr. A graffiti planted throughout. Partners Mickey Madden (of Maroon 5), Marius Markevicius, and Jared Meisler (Roger Room, Bar Lubitsch) even out the ownership.

It’s admittedly a tight space, but it can pack in a decent number of imbibers, with a large open area in the middle and a fishbowl-style display to give the room some depth. The open skylight and the brass hardware gives the space even more of a refurbished Midwest hotel bar vibe, but with pastel colors and a full disco ball.

Drinks are mostly the shaken variety, like The Artist with Jack Daniel’s, apple juice, ginger, lemon, cinnamon and honey on the rocks, or The Traveler with tequila, elderflower liqueur, violet, and club soda. The Contender does their version of a Manhattan, with Smooth Ambler whiskey, Cynar, cherry heering, and a flamed orange peel for a boozier drink. Everything is fairly reasonable on the price range from $12 to 13 max with a small selection of beer and wine on the backside of the menu.

Hours run 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily, with an earlier 4 p.m. start on weekends.

The Little Friend. 822 Washington Boulevard, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Wonho Frank Lee