The Churchill

8384 W. 3rd St.

Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.655.8384
www.the-churchill.com
twitter.com/TheChurchillLA

Parking: Complimentary Valet w/ Validation or Metered Street Parking
Days: Daily
Time: 3-7pm, plus 10pm-close on Sundays & Mondays
Drink Deals: $4 Well Drinks, Select Wine & Craft Beer
Food Deals: $7 & $8 Bar Bites

To close out the year, JB & I decided to check out our last happy hour of the year together. We landed on The Churchill because it was new to both of us, and it looked quite cozy with its outside fireplace and all. Who doesn’t love a fireplace during the holiday season? The daily happy hour was a nice touch too.

A view from the top floor

The drinks prices were pretty spot on. JB & I ordered the select red wine of the day, a cabernet for $4. The pour was good and so was the taste. After seeing the cocktail menu with drinks priced at $12, it would have been nice to at least see one or two specialty cocktails featured for happy hour. JB eventually sprung for the Clementine cocktail, a delish rye cocktail with fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, Dolin Bianco, and Regans orange bitters.

$4 Cabernet

$12 Clementine cocktail

After a glass of wine, we decided to try the food. I ordered the Smoked Chicken Wings ($8). The wings were pretty damn good. It was the perfect balance of saucy and crispy that is hard to come by. I would definitely order them again. Not wanting something as heavy as Mac & Cheese ($8), JB opted for the other vegetarian option, the Churchill Fries ($7). JB asked what made the fries almost the same price as the other Happy Hour fare, and the server told us that they were really tasty, seasoned, and a good size. When they arrived, I thought they were just like fries at any other place, and not worth the $7. They were good, but it could have easily been priced for $4 - $5 max.

6 wings for $8

$7 Churchill Fries

While the food and drink were all right, the scene left something to be desired. The Churchill is owned by the same people that own The Hudson but the scene at The Churchill is a bit… sceney. The crowd at The Hudson is usually pretty diverse, and I’ve always had a good time and often chatted with other bar patrons. However during a Sunday afternoon at The Churchill, many looked like they were aspiring to be on the pages of Us Weekly. We were even subjected to a repeated announcement of a group of guys pimping out an after-party… at 4:30pm. Seriously. And that was after JB opened the bathroom door on one of them because they neglected to lock the easy-to-lock door... or aim properly. I felt like it was one drink away from being a scene out of Entourage. I’m not sure if that’s what the bar is going for, but at least the staff we encountered didn’t give off that vibe.

After this happy hour visit, I’m not completely sure how I feel about The Churchill. I’d return if someone else suggested it… during happy hour, but I don’t think I’d be up for the scensters who likely lurk this place at night. I do hope that the photo booth is fixed soon because anyone who reads this site knows that I’m a sucker for instant photography and may tempt me to return.

-JG

Rating: 3 Martinis