L.A. bar scenes

Bartender Jon Jefferson works on making a Westside with muddled cucumber and mint, orgeat syrup, fresh lime and vodka at the Chestnut Club.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Westside, with muddled cucumber and mint, orgeat syrup, fresh lime and vodka, served on crushed ice with Angustura bitters on top, cucumber and mint garnish, for $12.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Shadi Saffarian, left, of Brentwood and Amelia Le of Santa Monica enjoy drinks at the Chestnut Club.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Booths along the walls of the Chestnut Club.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The El Camino, with mescal, rye whiskey, Benedictine, Peychaud’s bitters and orange zest over a hand-cut block of ice for $15 at the Chestnut Club.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A mix of fashions on display at the Chestnut Club.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Bartender Joe Brooke works on making an Eddie, with Auchentoshan 3 Wood scotch and Ancho Reyes chili liqueur, banana syrup and coffee tincture for $14, at Grandpa Johnson’s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Eddie at Grandpa Johnson’s on North Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood.   (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Customers at Grandpa Johnson’s get cozy in a booth.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Two copper-dipped, rectangular lighting fixtures hanging over the bar and wood floors featuring black chevron stripes that run across the floor, up the walls and onto the ceiling inside Grandpa Johnson’s in Hollywood were designed by owner Johnny Zander.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

DJ Osamu Nishimura spins inside Grandpa Johnson’s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Decadente, with Tequila Ocho, Pierde Almas Puritita, guava puree, lime juice and green tea syrup with a lime wheel garnish for $14 at Grandpa Johnson’s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Johnny Zander poses for a portrait beneath a portrait by friend and photographer Amanda Demmefor inside his new bar, Grandpa Johnson’s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Inside Grandpa Johnson’s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Johnny Zander, owner of Grandpa Johnson’s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Outside the West Hollywood bar the Nice Guy.   (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The bar inside the Nice Guy.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Dresses, heels and flats inside the West Hollywood bar the Nice Guy on La Cienega Boulevard.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Capone, for $14, inside the the Nice Guy.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Laura Wiley on the piano entertains guests at the Nice Guy.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Josh Kuyt talks with patrons inside the Nice Guy.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Bar Mateo, behind Cafe Zinc, in the warehouse district of downtown Los Angeles.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The patio outside Bar Mateo, with the adjacent Cafe Zinc’s dining room, in the warehouse district of downtown Los Angeles.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Bartender Peter Ortiz pours a Hewitt, with Elijah Craig 12-year bourbon, Amaro Nonino, East India Solera sherry and cherry wood smoke for $12 at Bar Mateo.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The 4Th Place, with Bummer & Lazarus gin, fresh lemon juice, vanilla cream syrup, orange marmalade and seltzer for $12 at Bar Mateo.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Alexis Rose, left and Olga Nesvetaylov chat with bartender Peter Ortiz at Bar Mateo.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A sign for the Santa Monica bar Brilliantshine on Wilshire Boulevard.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

An oscillating fan works to keep the temperature down inside the Santa Monica bar Brilliantshine on Wilshire Boulevard.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Red Light Special, with gin, lime, plum, pink peppercorn and Barolo Chinato served in a lightbulb for $12 at Brilliantshine.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

It’s a mix of fashion at Brilliantshine.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Co-owner and bartender Julian Cox pours a Brilliantshine Creole at Brilliantshine with co-owner and fellow bartender Josh Goldman making faces behind him.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Brilliantshine Creole, with Michter’s USA 1 bourbon, Benedictine, China-China, orange bitters and lemon twist for $14 at Brilliantshine.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Co-owners Julian Cox, left, and Josh Goldman, center, behind the bar at Brilliantshine.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A sign for the bar Alley, which sits behind the restaurant Fin, on Washington Boulevard in Culver City.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Head mixologist Russell Thomas pours a Betty Boop, with vodka, muddle blackberries, elderflower liqueur and lemon for $12 at Culver City bar Alley.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Owner Ken Whang talks to a table of patrons at the Alley, which sits behind the restaurant Fin, accessed by a door off the alley.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)