Valentine's Day Served Hot At LA Restaurants and Bars

Ah Valentine’s Day… A day of love, wine and roses — not to mention the pressure of coming up with an amazing venue to celebrate your love for that special someone. If you’re in Los Angeles, not to worry — wandermelon’s got your V-day cheat sheet. Any choice from our shortlist of  restaurants and bars that follow is guaranteed to get the heart racing so you come out a winner this Valentine’s Day. More than just great plates and craft cocktails however, our choice spots serve up some magic with inspired special effects: think acrobats, panoramic views and memorable themed menus. Make your reservations now and celebrate this Valentine’s with City of Angels style!

Pour Vous
5574 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 871-8699

As with all the Houston brothers’ bars, your experience in this tiny, vintage French-themed salon has been carefully designed. Bar manager François Vera mixes delicious classic drinks like the elegantly balanced Puff-Puff Pastis and the dark East India Negroni. At intervals throughout the night, the domed ceiling opens and a trapeze artist descends for brief aerial shows over the crowd, à la Moulin Rouge.

The Magic Castle
7001 Franklin Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 851-3313

Nothing says magic like actual magic – some of the world’s most acclaimed magicians perform at this legendary castle in Hollywood while guests feast on classic fare, like roasted chicken breast with a baked potato and apple tart for dessert. In-demand invites to dine at this ornate private club can be obtained by staying at the Magic Castle Hotel or ingratiating yourself to professional magician members.

Upstairs, The Ace Hotel
929 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 623-3233

This rooftop bar, located on Broadway atop the new Ace Hotel in the historic United Artists building, is the latest place to admire grand vistas of downtown Los Angeles. Let the city be your show while you enjoy a craft cocktail, like the spicy Mi Corazon or the musky Jungle Bird. Sip your drink lounging poolside, snuggling by the fireplace, or leaning against the rails to admire views of architectural gems like the Art Deco Eastern Columbian Building. On the ground floor this February 14th, the renovated United Artists theater will launch as The Theater at Ace with a performance by Spiritualized, and rooftop access will be first come first served to lovers who ascend to new heights.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 857-6000

The four restaurants at LACMA often coordinate menus with art exhibits and holidays. This Valentine’s Day, your visit to the city’s renowned art museum is even more romantic with the special event All You Need is Love. After a guided gallery tour of European artworks inspired by romance, a three-course menu inspired by the art will be served at LACMA Café, passion fruit and oysters included.

Opaque
2020 Wilshire Blvd,
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 546-7619

Dining in total darkness takes romantic lighting to the extreme. Blind waiters move with ease in the pitch black to serve you dinner while you fumble for the butter knife and your date’s hand. The fixed price menu offers simple options like vegetable pesto pasta and salmon with broccoli – foods that are easy to recognize in the dark – keeping your sensory adventure center stage.  If the check feels hefty, remind yourself that Opaque regularly donates to blindness research. Whether you believe love is blind is up to you.