100-Year-Old Airliner Bar Among Two Prominent Nightlife Closures in LA

The 100-year-old Airliner bar and venue in Lincoln Heights is hosting a “final farewell” on Friday, February 24, adding to the growing list of LA area restaurants and bars that are closing, changing concepts, or otherwise going away so far in 2023. “There [aren’t] enough thank you’s or words to express the extreme gratitude we feel for anyone who sat at our bar, performed on our stage, celebrated an anniversary, birthday, engagement or supported us in any way,” Airliner ownership says in its goodbye announcement. The final night of service for “this iteration” of the bar, says the post, is February 24.

Down in Long Beach, Eater LA contributor Brian Addison of Longbeachize says that the once-busy distillery and restaurant Portuguese Bend has closed its space to the public, possibly due to an ongoing legal battle between owners. Billed as Long Beach’s first distillery when it opened back in 2019, the massive project quickly caught on with a resurgent downtown Long Beach — only to have its plans scuttled less than a year later by the pandemic. Limited service hours were the norm over the past few months, says Addison, and now the company is currently offering online sales only.

Two events to discover

Chef Sam Fore of Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites is taking her show on the road, popping up at Alta in West Adams on Monday, February 13. The multi-course affair runs $85 per ticket and features a Southern and Sri Lankan mashup menu that includes lentil fritters with sweet chili sauce, coconut curry deviled eggs, fried chicken thighs, and more.

Meanwhile, it’s a party up in San Luis Obispo County soon, with the fast-approaching At Her Table Women’s Week festivities kicking off on March 6. The food-focused event highlights some 250 female-owned businesses across the county, with pop-ups, one-off menu items, workshops, discussions, and in-person dining events. Tickets can be found here.

Barbecue options for the big day

Slab on West Third Street is offering a variety of takeout options for the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 12, including a $120 combination of ribs, wings, sliders, and more. Moo’s Craft Barbecue in Lincoln Heights is accepting preorders ahead of Sunday’s madness, as is Zef BBQ up in Simi Valley. San Gabriel Valley pop-up Herc’s Barbecue is selling whole briskets this weekend for $160, while Maple Block Meat Co. in Culver City is offering wings, barbecue platter packages, beer, and more.

Beer and a night market in Culver City

Hawthorne-based LA Ale Works is partnering with Ciclavia on a new West Coast-style IPA beer to help the open streets nonprofit welcome in a new year of walkable, bike-able street events around greater Los Angeles. The beer’s release party happens on February 10 at LA Ale Works’ Culver City taproom at the Ivy Station development and runs in conjunction with the Culver City Arts District Night Market. A portion of beer sales goes to Ciclavia as well.