LA tour guide and stand-up comedian tells us where to find the best laughs, food and nightlife in West Hollywood.
The best thing about this city is the nightlife culture.
It’s what keeps LA alive. No matter where you live in the city, everyone goes to West Hollywood for the party spots. Some people say it’s known for its gay nightlife, but it’s also known for other nightclubs around the Sunset Strip or Melrose Avenue. The nightlife culture is thriving. It’s also known for its food and, funnily enough, its dogs. There are more dogs than people in West Hollywood. It was a good transition for me, as I moved from Dallas, Texas, which has more guns than people.
Make sure you go to EP and LP.
I’m not a big nightclub guy, but I’m a big bar and lounge guy. I like to sit and talk without raising my voice. I highly recommend going to EP and LP around sunset. The bar is on a rooftop overlooking Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills. It’s beautiful day and night. I’m an actor and I don’t like hangovers, so I always get a tequila and soda. You can’t go wrong with that.
Best place to eat is…
Fresh Corn Grill. It’s my number one spot. I highly recommend getting the chicken corn bowl. It’s amazing, healthy and affordable. It won’t break the bank. And I’ll throw another one in here. Salt and Straw, it’s an ice cream place. I always get the sea salt with caramel ribbon.
The best place for stand-up comedy is…
The Comedy Store on Sunset Strip near the Chateau Marmont. All the comedians, from the new up-and-comers to the biggest names in comedy, do stand-up there. They have the Belly Room, the Main Room and the Original Room. I personally love the Belly Room, it seats 80 people and it’s a small, compact room that’s always packed. It used to be an attic and then it was turned into a comedy room for newer comedians to work out their material and see if it’s funny enough. I also recommend the Hollywood Improv. I sometimes perform there when I’m not travelling for my stand-up gigs.
If you like live music, go to…
The Viper Room and Whiskey-A-GoGo. These are the main venues for live music and I know you can also do some karaoke.
The best time to visit West Hollywood is…
June, July and August because the weather is nice. June is Pride month, so if you’re part of the LGBTIQ+ community or an ally, it’s the perfect time to visit. I did a tour during that time and we went back down Santa Monica Blvd and Robertson Blvd. We saw a big block party and we were able to ride our bikes through it. It was so nice for the tour to experience that.
One tour you should do is Bikes and Hikes LA’s “LA in a Day” tour.
You start and end in West Hollywood, but you get to see all of LA on an e-bike. It’s such a cool lifestyle, I bike or hike in the morning and do my comedy in the evening.
Don’t forget to pack a good attitude.
It depends on what you’re doing, but if you’re into the party scene and nightlife, you’ll need to bring some hydration drinks. I’d also recommend packing a fanny pack so you can keep all your belongings in it.
Make sure you never…
try to drive to West Hollywood at night or at brunch time. It’s better to just get an Uber, because trying to find parking is a huge pain.