It’s All Cactus and Cocktails at LA’s New Rooftop Desert Pool Oasis

Another day, another big Hollywood opening (including the reveal, just this morning, of Grandmaster Recorders). This time it’s all about going sky-high at Desert 5 Spot, a Western-inspired rooftop bar pitched atop the Tommie hotel — the very same one that now houses Wes Avila’s stunner Ka’teen on the ground floor. Desert 5 Spot isn’t a full restaurant yet, though; expect a more scaled-back but still colorful space meant to serve as a lounge, cocktail bar, and hotel hangout for the bustling Hollywood area. As with all Tommie projects, the Ten Five Hospitality team is behind the build, designed by Studio Collective and styled by Bernadette Blanc.

The group says that they were heavily inspired by the small desert towns that dot the Mojave, including Southern California’s own Pioneertown. That region has been experiencing its own hospitality boom over the past couple of years, with operations like the Red Dog Saloon taking in locals and travelers alike for a meal and a beer.

Similarly, LA’s Desert 5 Spot will lean into the juke joint aesthetic with reclaimed vintage furniture from small vintage stores across the Southwest, in addition to a retro jukebox, some neon signage, desert and sandstone tones, and a few well-placed cacti around the property. This being a Hollywood tool rooftop and all, there’s also a pool, views of the city beyond, and plans for live entertainment and programming, including music shows and an in-house Western band.

This week’s arrival of Desert 5 Spot — named for a flowering desert plant found across the Mojave — marks just the latest hospitality unveiling for white-hot Hollywood, which is undergoing a restaurant and hotel renaissance unlike anything the city has seen for years. Not only is there Ka’teen, Grandmaster Recorders, and Desert 5 Spot to contend with, the region is also gaining projects from Evan Funke (the Roman-inspired Mother Wolf), Lincoln Carson (the French Mes Amis), and a trio of award-winning chefs who are collaborating at the closed Paley space on Sunset.

The new Desert 5 Spot opens this Saturday, December 11 at 6516 Selma Avenue, keeping hours from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Expect a more robust menu that includes food sometime in 2022.

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