Not to mention that spending $22 on a California roll you could find at Ralph’s isn’t exactly the makings of an exciting night out. Outside of peak hours when groups of dudes in Costco button-downs show up for bottle service, this place is shockingly sleepy. Verdict: Points awarded to Harriett’s for being on a roof-and for sporting lovely views of La Cienega’s traffic-but otherwise, it’s unclear what really goes on here. But unlike surrounding spots that keep things more low-key, Harriett’s is desperately trying to be a club: Bottle service, DJs, and an all-female wait staff wearing uniforms that’d make some adult film stars blush. What It Is: Located on the 9th floor of the 1 Hotel in West Hollywood, Harriett’s is one of several impressive rooftops to open on the Sunset Strip over the last few years. After 10pm, it quickly adopts the feel of one of those lawless Laurel Canyon house parties where everyone gets an invite from someone else, but no one actually knows who lives there. If you arrive at The Nice Guy before 10pm, you’ll actually find a dimly lit, somewhat romantic restaurant. The Italian-leaning menu isn’t redefining the cuisine, but the fact that you’re served pizza that comes out nicely charred and the rigatoni arrives al dente is, in the world of clubstaurants, basically like getting past the door guy in flip flops-a rarity. Verdict: This might be the only spot on the guide where we’d go solely for the food. The tiny, bungalow-like space on La Cienega is constantly filled with eager, well-dressed 25-year-olds whose parents are definitely covering rent as well as the occasional celebrity there to promote a product line. What It Is: The Nice Guy opened in 2014 and is one of the few LA clubstaurants that can rightfully claim to be just as popular now as it was back then. But Barton G is not a club, it’s a Cheesecake Factory for people with more money than sense, and one of the most deeply uncomfortable dining experiences in the city. The most unsettling aspect of the place, however, is the sheer amount of children here, all celebrating birthdays near drunk women in tube tops and other grown adults who think they’re clubbing. Some of this is fun, but as the night progresses, it becomes clear why these props exist: to distract you from the inedible food. Tableside presentations include blaring boomboxes, four-foot-tall busts of Marie Antoinette, and ribs that come out on a lawn mower-all of which are heavy, awkward, and shakily hauled by servers. Verdict: Look, we respect a restaurant that commits to a bit, but when that bit gets to a point that you’re worried for the actual well-being of the waitstaff, it’s time to reconsider. That sentence alone should tell you all you need to know about the place, but it’s also worth noting that Barton G is “famous” for their over-the-top tableside presentations that come with every dish. What It Is: Barton G is a ridiculously expensive restaurant on La Cienega (seriously, entrees start at $42) that was gifted to us by America’s other clubstaurant capital, Miami.

The food isn’t great, but it’s not so bad that it distracts from the pandemonium, which is why you’re here anyway. Servers will dance on tables to ABBA and Cher hits, and you’ll eat overpriced sushi rolls and random finger food like wagyu-stuffed gyoza that kind of taste like Big Macs. You’ll see Vegas-style showgirls, aerial acts, and other performers coming down from the ceiling belting out Adele. It’s complete chaos from the moment you walk in, and yet the place makes you feel like you're at the center of a party. Verdict: A night here is like hanging out on the set of The Voice, if The Voice were filmed inside a spaceship rocketing towards unknown galaxies. There isn’t a theme to MainRo, per se, unless you count over-the-top, unmitigated fun as a theme-which you should.

What It Is: Replacing the old Beso space on Hollywood Blvd., MainRo opened in August 2022, making it not just the newest clubstaurant on this guide, but one of the newest places to dance and get weird in the city.

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