Bar necessities: High Rooftop Lounge

Westwood’s bars, or lack thereof, can easily grow old for thirsty college students in search of a taproom suited to their tastes. Daily Bruin senior staffers Erin Nyren and William Thorne embark on a bar-sampling journey to uncover the best watering holes in Los Angeles. Over the next 10 weeks, they explain which have the bar necessities, those simple bar necessities.

Will suggested we try a hotel bar for our rooftop week, but I was skeptical. I’d been to a rooftop bar in downtown Los Angeles and had a hard time believing that another bar could rival its high-rise-filled views.

I was proven wrong.

The High Rooftop Lounge at the Hotel Erwin was a nearly flawless experience. We hopped out of the Uber and were greeted by brightly colored graffiti that spelled out “Erwin” on the facade of the hotel.

The organization of the rooftop was confusing. The quickest path to the bar involved walking past the kitchen and service stations – where they take all the dirty plates and glasses – so it seemed like we were walking into a prohibited area. I half-expected the bouncer to grab us and tell us we were in the wrong spot, but we found our way to the bar without incident.

Drink prices were typical for Los Angeles at $15 for a cocktail. The specialty drinks featured beach-themed names, such as Point Break, which had bourbon instead of tequila like one I’d had at another bar, and A Day at the Beach.

Erin: “A Point Break? I had one of those at another bar. Is it made of the same – oh, no it’s not.”

Will: “I’m feeling adventurous, I’m getting a Spicy Jagerita.”

Will’s drink was made of Jägermeister, fresh lime, jalapeno and pineapple. I ordered a Smoke on the Water and enjoyed the novelty of ordering a drink named after a rock song. It was a mixture of mezcal, orgeat syrup, mint, fresh lime and grapefruit. In this case, the whole was definitely different than the sum of its parts since I couldn’t taste any of the individual ingredients in either of the drinks.

But I’ll be honest: I detested my Smoke on the Water. To be fair, it was my first time trying mezcal, which is an alcoholic beverage made from the agave plant, so perhaps that type of alcohol just wasn’t my thing. However, it was more the aftertaste that was unpleasant; it tasted almost like actual smoke.

Will, however, gave it a shot and, finding that he liked it, we switched drinks. The Spicy Jagerita was, in fact, not spicy at all; I can’t believe there was jalapeno in it. It seemed sweet to me, almost like Lipton Iced Tea.

[Last week: Bar Necessities: Culver Hotel bar]

Whether all this weirdness was due to the composition of the drinks or some fault of the bartender who mixed them, I can’t say, but it was the one thing that marred an otherwise wholly satisfying evening.

Feeling a bit peckish, we also ordered a plate of guacamole and chips for $12, and some steak tacos for $14. The guacamole was chunky and came with shredded cheese on top, and the tacos packed a nice kick. The steak wasn’t dry, often a pitfall of steak tacos – A+ on the food.

The decor of the bar was very poolside-esque but without the pool. Patio heaters with exposed flames prevented the beachside rooftop from getting too chilly.

The vista was the strongest feature of the bar. To the north, all the lights of Santa Monica were spread out, and I could see taillights from cars on Interstate 405 headed off into the mountains. To the south, the dark waters of the marina lapped against the pier. I decided I’d get there early next time, in time for the sunset.

Erin: “Are they making out yet? Will, check if they’re making out.”

Will: “They’re definitely nuzzling.”

Erin: “God.”

The lack of natural lighting made the bar ideal for an evening with a first date, but also for a larger group to relax and shoot the breeze. However, don’t try to meet new people here: The arrangement of the patio furniture prevents easy interaction with people outside of the cubicle.

If only the drinks had been up to par, it would have been a perfect experience.