Single or committed, West Hollywood has something for the lover in all of us on Valentine’s Day. Below, we list the many bars and restaurants offering deals on Feb. 14.
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Committed Relationships
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In a committed relationship? West Hollywood “It Girl” (so dubbed by a former Andaz hotel manager for her constant presence and knowledge of the area) Maxine Tatlonghari says to dig the romance at Cecconi’s (8764 Melrose Ave. at Robertson, (310) 432-2000, CecconisWestHollywood.com. Serving until 11 p.m.), which has a Valentine’s Day menu for two with shareable plates of Hamachi crudo or turbot at varying prices. The restaurant can get loud, but Tatlonghari jokes “You guys have been together awhile, so you don’t have to hear each other as much.”
London West Hollywood concierge Kirk Figgins also suggests Cecconi’s, especially for group dining, and likes the “fun, but not too crazy fun” atmosphere of BOA Steakhouse (9200 Sunset Blvd., west of Doheny, (310) 278-2050, InnovativeDining.com. Serving until 11:30 p.m.), which has a 16 oz. Chateau Briand for two for $95 and other romantic meal pairings for Valentine’s Day, BOA’s Robata grill-style sister restaurant Katana (8439 W Sunset Blvd. at Olive, (323) 650-8585, InnovativeDining.com. Serving until 12:15 a.m.), which has specialty cocktails and $30 treats-for-two like lobster medallions, and the Mediterranean-influenced restro-lounge SUR (606 N Robertson Blvd. at Melrose, (310) 289-2824, SurRestaurantAndBar.com. Restaurant closes at 10 p.m., lounge open until last guest leaves), which has a set $85-a-person menu on Valentine’s Day.
“[These are] definitely places where you don’t mind spending a little bit more money on your significant other because you know you want to be with that person,” he says.
For something a little different, Figgins likes to give his guests a taste of glamour by sending them to actor David Arquette’s Bootsy Bellows nightclub (9229 W Sunset Blvd., west of Doheny, (310) 274-7500, BootsyBellowsNightclub.net). On Valentine’s Day, the club is bringing out the mystique of Old Hollywood with a “Dinner Theater Extravaganza.” For $60 a person, lovebirds can enjoy a three-course dinner while watching burlesque, singing, dancing and a cupid handing out roses. Festivities begin at 8:30 p.m.
More luxe deals are available at Lucques (8474 Melrose Ave. at La Cienega, (323) 655-6277, Lucques.com. Servings at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.), which has a five-course Valentine’s Day menu that starts with blinis and caviar and ends with chocolate tortas for $125 a person, and Asia de Cuba in the Mondrian Hotel (8440 Sunset Boulevard at Oliver, (323) 848-6000, ChinaGrillMgt.com. Serving until 10 p.m. ), whose set $90-a-person menu features honey-rum glazed pork belly and miso-cured black cod.
Local hotel getaways
To really get away, Tatlonghari says to check into the Petit Ermitage (8822 Cynthia St. at Larrabee, (310) 854-1114, PetitErmitage.com) and book a private rooftop cabana, pull the curtains shut and hide from the world. The boutique hotel has some sexy holiday packages throughout this month, including Menage a Trois, which for $325 gets you Champagne, lollipops, an erotic film and a game of Twister. Oh, and a late checkout.
Other hotels are also cozying up to the holiday with romance-friendly specials for the long weekend. The Chamberlain’s (1000 Westmount Dr. at Holloway, (310) 657-7400, ChamberlainWesthollywood.com) Cupid’s Pied-a-Terre Hideaway Package is $265 a night and comes with a charcuterie plate of cheeses and dried fruits, a bottle of Prosecco, and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Boutique hotel Le Montrose (900 Hammond St. at Cynthia, (310) 855-1115, LeMontrose.com) has the pun-friendly Suite Seduction Package, offering Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries in front of its in-suite fireplaces for $399 a night. The Mondrian’s (8440 Sunset Boulevard at Olive, (323) 650-8999, MondrianHotel.com) True Romance package gets you breakfast in bed and a favor from Agent Provocateur for $269 a night and, if you really want to go big, the Dream Proposal package lets you make it official with a three-night stay in their penthouse, a shopping spree, a private dinner, an engagement ring and your own engagement party for 50 people, all for $105,619.
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New Couples
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For early-in-the relationship dates, West Hollywood and Orange County-based matchmaker and dating coach Julie Ferman likes places where you can order at the counter, like Urth Caffe (8565 Melrose Ave. at Westmount, (310) 659-0628, UrthCaffe.com. Serving until 11:30 p.m.; no special Valentine’s menu), which she says has a “casual, relaxed, low pressure” feeling.
“(This type of place is) kind of a casual way to do a meet up and it can be everything from coffee or a drink or a salad,” she said. “And it kind of takes the pressure off of ‘oh are we going to have a big two-hour meal.’”
But for dates guaranteed to offer people-watching opportunities during conversation lulls, head to the Strip. Ferman likes the “European vibe” of lunchtime dates at Cravings (8653 W Sunset Blvd., east of San Vicente, (310) 652-6104, CravingsRestaurant.com. Serving a three-course Cali-European dinner for $50 a person until 10 p.m. on Valentine’s Day). “It Girl” Tatlonghari likes the Andaz hotel, 8401 Sunset Blvd., east of La Cienega, (323) 656-1234, WestHollywood.Andaz.Hyatt.com).
Plus, Tatlonghari says, the hotel’s vibe is a “mixture in that it’s still happening, but it’s not super loud.”
RH, the Andaz’s restaurant, has a $60-a-person prix fixe menu highlighting sea bass in a blood orange saffron broth or rib eye medallions on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant is serving until 11 p.m.
For those who want to see where the night takes them, Figgins says his London Hotel will have their traditional London After Five cocktail hour in their bar area until 7 p.m., with $5 specialty drinks and appetizers. He recommends sticking around for the hotel restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at the London (1020 N San Vicente Blvd. at Sunset, (866) 282-4560, LondonWestHollywood.com. Serving until 10:30 p.m.). Their $95-a-person Valentine’s Day menu includes West Coast oysters, caramelized scallops and English toffee sticky pudding. Or, he says, walk down the strip to new Italian restaurant Osteria Drago (8741 W Sunset Blvd., east of San Vicente, (310) 657-1182, OsteriaDrago.com. Serving until 11 p.m.), which has a $65-a-person, five-course menu with Prosecco-infused risotto and heart-shaped, or Mirabelle (8768 W Sunset Blvd., east of San Vicente, (310) 659-6022, MirabelleonSunset.com. Serving until 12 a.m.) for its five-course menu for $60 a person, which features grilled Asian pear salad and black sea bass with shaved fennel.
On a budget
Budget-conscious paramours may also consider French restaurant Knoll at Le Parc (733 N. West Knoll Dr., north of Melrose, (310) 855-8888, LeParcSuites.com. Serving until 10 p.m.), which has a $50-a-person set menu that includes seared branzino or Long Island steak with lobster risotto. They can also find romance over suds at beer lovers’ nirvana The Surly Goat (7929 Santa Monica Blvd., at Hayworth, (323) 822-0700, SurlyGoat.com. Open until 2 a.m.), which will have a list of premium craft beers on tap – and free glassware with purchases – as part of their Valentine’s With Ommegang celebration.
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Singles Night in Boystown
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February 14 is known around the world as a day for lovers, but in West Hollywood it’s just as much a day for those looking for love (or lust).
Tatlonghari likes the non-pretentiousness of the Abbey (692 N Robertson Blvd. at Santa Monica, (310) 289-8410, abbeyfoodandbar.com). Plus, she says, the food isn’t that bad either.
Starting at 8 p.m. Valentine’s Day, the Abbey gives a modern spin on the slick “sending drinks to the table” move with its Third Annual Sexting Party. Come in, receive a number and get texts from interested parties. Screens around the building display the messages throughout the night, many of which are probably not suitable for repeating at work on Friday morning.
But the fun doesn’t stop there that night. At the same time, Here Lounge (696 N. Robertson Blvd. at Santa Monica, (310) 360-8455, HereLounge.com.), has a Love Sucks party that features 2-for-1 drinks and $5 shots, plus Djing by Aaron Elvis.
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Finding Love on the Sunset Strip
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For a fun, no-pressure night out away from wine pairings and set menus, concierge Figgins says to go to Rock & Reilly’s (8911 W Sunset Blvd. at San Vicente, (310) 360-1400, RnRpub.com.), which he describes as “probably the most fun Irish place you’ve ever seen.”
Figgins likes the pub’s karaoke nights where musicians like Fred Durst and Usher have picked up the mics, but on Valentine’s Day they have a different form of cathartic release. Bring a photo to destroy at their Shred Your Ex party from 11:30 a.m. to close on Valentine’s Day. As you send it through their shredder, they’ll pour you a free drink.
Outside of drinking, work out some pent-up aggression with trendy spin studio SoulCycle (8570 W Sunset Blvd., west of La Cienega, (310) 657-7685, soul-cycle.com). They’re offering a singles-themed event at 7:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day; cost is $15 to $25.
Also …
At 7 p.m. the West Hollywood Library (625 N San Vicente Blvd. at Melrose, (310) 652-5340, Colapublib.org.) is offering free-of-charge Antiepithalamia: & Other Poems of Regret and Resentment, an evening of readings from “mean-spirited love poems.” And, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., more mature West Hollywood denizens are invited to attend the Valentine’s Day Dessert & Tea Dance for seniors in Fiesta Hall in Plummer Park (7377 Santa Monica Blvd. at Vista, (323) 848-6530, WEHO.org).
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Gift-Giving Guide
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Everyone loves a little treat on Valentine’s Day. Here are some places to pick up something special, whether it’s for your sweetheart or for yourself.
Flowers
Christopher Rogers Florist is flush with red and pink roses, tulips and lily combinations, like the love-squared box of two dozen white roses from $150. 464 N Doheny Dr. at Melrose, (310) 276-6956, CRFlorist.com. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Empty Vase is in the red this month (which, for once, is a good thing). Their floral arrangements include “True Love Tulips” for $149 and a “February Fantasy” of red and pink flowers for $199. 9033 Santa Monica Blvd. at Doheny, (310) 278-1988, EmptyVase.com. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Leo’s Flowers’ rosy deals include the “Always On My Mind” long-stemmed roses assortment from $89.95 and the “Lavish Love Bouquet” of roses and lilies from $79.95.
8505 Santa Monica Blvd. No. 1, at La Cienega, (323) 655-6222, LeosFlowers.com. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Treats
So cute you just want to eat them. Bristol Farms has tasty, personable Moonstruck Chocolates that run from $2.19 a piece for the regular assortment to $3.99 a piece for Valentine’s Day-themed designs like love bugs. 9039 Beverly Blvd. at Doheny, (310) 248-2804, bristolfarms.com. 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Break out the bubbly: Du Vin Wine & Spirits is offering champagne from lesser-known producer A Robert for $39.99 and pink and sparkling wine Bouillot Rose Cremant DeBourgogne for $16.99. 540 N San Vicente Blvd. at Melrose, (310) 855-1161, Du-Vin.net. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Monday to Saturday.
While they do have a set prix fixe menu for those dining in, there’s nothing fishy about wrapping up Petrossian’s caviar and vodka special from their market. Take home two crystal flutes embossed with the shop’s name and two inlaid blue mother of pearl caviar spoons. Prices start at $115.
321 N. Robertson Blvd. at Rosewood, (310) 271-6300, Petrossian.com. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Spa and Beauty
Want to pamper yourself before your night out? Drybar is giving free styling products to everyone who books a hair appointment for February 13, 14 or 15.
8595 W Sunset Blvd., west of La Cienega, (310) 442-6084, Drybar.com. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Relax together with an 80-minute couples massage or facials at Burke Williams, where prices start at $279.
8000 Sunset Blvd. at Laurel, (323) 822-9007, burkewilliams.com. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Kinara Spa, home of the famous “Red Carpet Facial,” is celebrating Valentine’s Day all month, offering 20 percent off services through February.
656 N Robertson Blvd. at Santa Monica, (310) 657-9188, kinaraspa.com. 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Gifting your significant other should be its own reward, but it’s always nice to get something for yourself too. Give the gift of a massage, facial or lash extension and you get a free lip balm at Marc Edwards.
7985 Santa Monica Blvd. #206, at Laurel, (213) 488-3425, MarcEdwardsSkinCare.com. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Voda Spa helps you both unwind with a honey citrus scrub and couples massage with sandalwood oil. The $400 package also includes lunch and a Russian tea and blintzes dessert.
7700 Santa Monica Blvd. at Stanley, (323) 654-4411, VodaSpa.com. 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
