HomeTop NewsI visited an LA bar inspired by the south of France, and I get why it's a hot spot for celebrities like Drake and Robert Pattinson
I visited an LA bar inspired by the south of France, and I get why it’s a hot spot for celebrities like Drake and Robert Pattinson
I went to Bar Lis, a star-studded rooftop bar in LA that looks straight out of the south of France. Michael Mundy I recently went to Bar Lis, an LA rooftop bar that transports you to the south of France. Bar Lis has become a hit with celebrities including Drake, Diplo, and Robert Pattinson.
There’s an incredible burger on the menu, plus my favorite version of the Dirty Shirley. Bar Lis will transport you to the south of France — no passport required. Bar Lis was inspired by the Cote D’Azur.
Michael MundyInternational ticket prices have skyrocketed and airline travel is more chaotic than ever. Thankfully, a night at Bar Lis won’t feature 16-hour delays or lost luggage. The Los Angeles spot — which opened nearly a year ago on top of the Thompson Hotel — has fast become one of the hottest rooftop bars in a city overflowing with them.
And it’s my latest stop for Insider’s Happy Hour series, where I’m taking you to bars with the coolest stories, wildest drinks, and plenty of celebrities. Located in the heart of Hollywood, the rooftop spot has attracted numerous stars with its Cote D’Azur atmosphere. The bar has the perfect view of the Hollywood sign.
Michael MundyIt’s no easy feat to win over celebrities in LA, where the competition is fierce to become the next star-studded party destination. But Bar Lis is now a place to spot famous faces. Drake, Robert Pattinson, The Weeknd, Diplo, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Rita Ora are just some of the stars to come through its doors since Bar Lis first opened.
@foodinsider Get a taste the French Riviera in Hollywood at Bar Lis 🪩 #happyhour #hollywood #cocktail #glam #foodinsider ♬ Bad Habit – Devin Kennedy From the moment I got off the elevator, it felt like I was in a different era. The entrance of Bar Lis. Anneta Konstantinides/InsiderI was greeted with a blue-and-white pinstriped wall covered in vintage photographs as the elevator opened to the roof of the Thompson Hotel.
There were black-and-white pictures of 1960s starlets like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot, the muses of Bar Lis’ vibe and cocktails. “Bar Lis is designed to be a French Riviera-inspired oasis in the middle of Hollywood,” owner Sebastian Puga told me. “Our walls are adorned with photographs of the stars of the ’60s and ’70s that called the south of France their playground in the region’s heyday.
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tiktok. com/@foodinsider”>@foodinsider Oui oui, Bar Lis can be your next happy hour spot.
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<script async src="https://www. tiktok.
com/embed. js”>As I turned the corner, I walked into the stunning open-air bar. The open-air bar at Bar Lis.
Michael MundyThe fountain standing at the center of the room looked straight out of Europe, while the striped pink-and-white stools added a playful touch to the setting. Straight ahead was a perfect view of the iconic Hollywood sign. After admiring the view, it was time to try some drinks.
And first up was Bar Lis’ most popular cocktail. The $18 Strawberry Fields cocktail. Kristie Hoang/InsiderLike all cocktails on Bar Lis’ menu, Strawberry Fields is $18.
The baby-pink drink features the French liqueur St-Germain, plus vodka, muddled fresh strawberries, lemon, rhubarb bitters, a splash of prosecco, and a sprig of mint. It all makes for a beautiful summer drink. Strawberry Fields is fruity and fresh, while the prosecco helps to balance out the sweetness of the strawberries and St-Germain.
Plus, who doesn’t love some bubbles on a hot day? Next up was the Summer Spritz. The $18 Summer Spritz cocktail. Kristie Hoang/InsiderThe Summer Spritz features the French wine-based aperitif Lillet Blanc, plus tequila, grapefruit, prosecco, and orange blossom water.
While it’s got a similar fun and bubbly vibe as Strawberry Fields, the Summer Spritz is more smooth and less fruity. The citrus notes add a distinct brightness to the flavor — a great choice for those who miss the summer of the Aperol Spritz. But my favorite was the Dirty Shirley.
Bar Lis’ Dirty Shirley. Kristie Hoang/InsiderThe Dirty Shirley has become the drink of the summer, and Bar Lis manager Kariza Ratliff told me she wanted to put her own special spin on the Shirley Temple-inspired cocktail. “I know this is blowing up right now,” Ratliff told me.
“For us, it’s very important to keep it elevated, so we use hibiscus syrup, which we make in-house with fresh hibiscus flowers — which is really fantastic. ” <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www. tiktok.
com/@foodinsider/video/7112518369210961198″ data-video-id=”7112518369210961198″ >
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com/tag/drinks”>#drinks ♬ I Know You – Official Sound Studio
<script async src="https://www.
tiktok. com/embed. js”>In addition to hibiscus syrup — which replaces the usual grenadine — Bar Lis’ Dirty Shirley features vodka, Sprite, mint, and Luxardo’s Original Maraschino Cherries.
The Dirty Shirley looked gorgeous, and tasted so delicious. The Dirty Shirley was my favorite drink. Kristie Hoang/InsiderYou know when a cocktail just looks kind of sexy? That’s Bar Lis’ Dirty Shirley.
I loved the deep-burgundy color from the hibiscus syrup, and the drink has just enough sweetness. It tastes fun, fresh, and different. I was a huge fan — and I usually don’t even like vodka cocktails! Then I sampled some of Bar Lis’ canapés.
Canapés from Bar Lis. Kristie Hoang/InsiderBar Lis’ chef Lincoln Carson set out to create shareable dishes that were quick and approachable, but still looked great on the plate. While it’s a smaller food menu compared to many of the popular rooftop bars in LA, Carson said he wanted to keep it tight and focus more on quality — using ingredients that have been sourced from the local farmers market.
One of my favorite dishes was the smoked salmon dip. The $24 salmon dip includes trout roe. Kristie Hoang/InsiderThe $24 salmon dip — served alongside potato chips — features smoked salmon, dill, and crème fraîche.
It’s topped with a trout roe that comes straight from the farm of legendary Michelin-star chef Thomas Keller. I’d never think to order salmon dip at a bar, so I was surprised by how much I loved this dish. It’s so different from the usual hummus or spinach artichoke you’re used to seeing on bar menus — plus it tasted extremely delicious.
The dip was creamy and savory, and the trout roe on top made it feel like a decadent treat. The dip fit right in with Bar Lis’ vibe — a little bit laid-back, a little luxury. “Wow,” one of my friends said as she dug into the dip.
“I didn’t know bar food could be this good. ” The croquettes were also delicious. The $15 croquettes.
Kristie Hoang/InsiderThese $15 croquettes are made with potatoes and leeks, and are served alongside a buttermilk dressing. While many croquettes I’ve tried tend to be heavy on the cream and cheese, Bar Lis’ spin on the dish was delightfully light and perfectly seasoned. But my favorite dish was definitely the Bar Lis burger.
The $20 Bar Lis burger was a standout. Kristie Hoang/InsiderThe $20 Bar Lis burger looked deceptively simple as it arrived at the table, served solo on its own small plate. But the burger — which features comté cheese, pickles, and a secret sauce — blew me away.
With a perfectly-cooked medium patty that was bursting with juiciness, it didn’t matter that the ingredients were as simple as the presentation. The beef was the star, and it made the whole burger sing. The comté cheese on top was also a delicious twist, and I loved the bright tang of the pickled onions.
Last but not least was the Piña Colada sundae. The $11 Piña Colada sundae. Anneta Konstantinides/InsiderThe $11 Piña Colada sundae was a great way to end my visit.
The pineapple and coconut sorbets were bright and refreshing, while the toasted coconut on top added some texture and crunch. It tasted like a resort in a cup. Fitting for a bar that had whisked me away on a European holiday — at least for a few hours.
This article is part of “Insider Happy Hour,” a series about the best food, cocktail, and experiential offerings at buzzworthy bars and restuarants. Read the original article on Insider.
