The Stage Is Set : If It’s Drama You Want, the Atlas Bar & Grill Has It

Mario Tamayo has a knack for transforming unpromising L.A. locations into fun-filled dining spots like Cha Cha Cha and Cafe Mambo. Those first ventures were modest in scale and decorated with little more than bright paint. But Atlas Bar & Grill is a big step upward. Working with artist-designer Ron Meyers, he’s turned a cavernous expanse in the Wiltern Center, on Wilshire Boulevard, into a stunning set for Tamayo’s blend of informal eating and live entertainment.

Meyers kept much of the furniture and layout left by the previous restaurant occupant, L. A. Ole. But he has transformed what was an overpowering void into a setting as theatrical as anything you’ve seen on Broadway. The dining area is separated from the entrance facade by a fence of gilded wands. A wrought-iron screen of mythological figures that suggests a pencil sketch suspended in midair separates the dining area from the bar and somewhat open kitchen. The screen defines the dining area, giving it an exuberant, surprisingly intimate feeling, and diners can admire its multiple reflections in a mirror over the bar.

The restaurant’s unusual lights are starburst fixtures of incandescent tubes and zigzag shades that hint at the Wiltern’s flamboyant Art Deco ornamentation. Decorations shaped like lightning bolts draped in crystal add to the eclectic decor. And yellow walls reflect a warm glow reminiscent of candlelight.

A small performance space is flanked by golden sunbursts on doors that conceal stage equipment when it’s not in use. Excessive noise is absorbed by cork floor tiles and acoustic ceiling panels so that diners can actually carry on a conversation at the tables--a rare treat in today’s stylish but noisy restaurants.