Thanks to a thin strip of red LED lighting along the bar and pleasantly few other light sources, everything inside Drawing Room is bathed in a red glow. The theme is played out in more than one spot here, red cushions on the bar stools pairing with red paint throughout the dive bar’s walls. The Asian heritage of Drawing Room’s ownership is reflected in the gold-painted dragon that extends across two of the bar’s walls and a few accent pieces, including a listing of Chinese zodiac signs based on year of birth as a handy guide to spark conversation.
The Drawing Room bar counter winds through the space, a rustic-looking wooden piece capped off by a circular seating area at one end to squeeze a few more stools around the rail. This isn’t the usual cluttered mess behind the bar kind of a dive bar, though a hand-painted sign depicting the name of the bar found at one of the bar is worth seeking out. The limited beer selection can be found on a peg board above the bar’s liquor bottles, everything affordable by Los Angeles standards. Specials can be found on the illuminated board near the front door, a $10 domestic beer & fireball shot pairing among the more cost-effective options.
Deep brown, almost mahogany-colored padding lines the wall behind the bar where it meets the ceiling, using the same material as the plush booths that run along Drawing Room’s opposite wall. Despite the pretty dive bar-standard setup inside Drawing Room, these booths and their supporting chairs feel downright upscale in comparison, freshly remodeled, well taken care of or both. The stucco-style ceiling is covered in red paint that again pairs well with the abundance of Drawing Room elements similarly decorated.