Frolic Room

Los Angeles, California

Visitors to Los Angeles quickly find out that the Hollywood Walk of Fame isn’t quite the idealized, glamorous location it may seem. But one gem is the Frolic Room, a slice of what once made its location a hub of old Hollywood activity. Likely founded in 1930 and operated as a speakeasy attached to the historic Pantages Theater next door, Frolic Room went legit in 1934. Bukowski, Sinatra and Garland all drank here, the Frolic Room benefitting as the post-Oscars drinking hub during the Pantages run of Academy Award ceremonies 1949 to 1954.

Real life Black Dahlia Elizabeth Short was last seen at Frolic Room, adding a level of authenticity to the Los Angeles dive bar’s selection as filming location for the movie by the same name. In a part of town that has faded into something entirely different over the years, Frolic Room provides a glimpse of what once was, making it a historic, must-visit destination.

The Basics

Classification:
Downtown Dive

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Further Reading