Openings

Little Temple Transforms Into The Virgil, Soft-Open in Hollywood

The Virgil
The Virgil Photo: The Virgil

Little Temple, the all-embracing East Hollywood turntablist lounge that hosted bangers like Sketchbook when it wasn’t soaking up Afro-jazz, vallenato, and dub-step, closed in March to become The Virgil, currently soft-open and grand-opening June 22. The venue is still the property of Temple Bar Concepts, whose owners, Louie and Netty Ryan, also own Townhouse and Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice and once ran Zanzibar. The new look veers towards a noir throwback, with a cocktail lounge on one side of the room, open Tuesdays through Saturdays, featuring vintage barstools, a jukebox, and a rotating selection of cocktails with hand-carved ice and fresh juices.

The other side, open Thursdays through Saturdays with a low cover (when there is one at all), features a stage and dance floor with the promise of “world class DJs” to come (DubLab on Thursdays), as well as a menu of classic cocktails focused on spirits from South and Central America, including pisco punch, palomas, and mojitos.

Brandon Ristaino, formerly of Townhouse and Thristy Crow, is leading The Virgil’s drinks program and has also made sure there’s beer on draft and in cans for non-cocktail types. The new venue plans to run happy hour all night on Tuesdays, with six-dollar drinks, as well as a mescal Wednesdays that put a mescal of the week on discount and highlight drinks made with the spirit every hump day. Check out The Virgil’s classic cocktail menu below.

The Virgil, 4519 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood. 323-660-4540.

MENU

CLASSIC COCKTAILS $12

DAIQUIRI
rum, fresh squeezed lime juice, house prepared demerara syrup

MOJITO
rum, muddle mint, fresh squeezed lime juice, soda

LA PALOMA
reposado tequila, grapefruit soda, fresh squeezed lime juice, salt

AIR MAIL
aged rum, house made honey syrup, fresh squeezed lime juice, champagne

PISCO SOUR
pisco, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice, egg white, amargo chuncho peruvian bitters

DIABLO
silver tequila, creme de cassis, fresh squeezed lime juice, ginger beer

EL PRESIDENTE
rum, orange curacao, house made grenadine, dry vermouth

PISCO PUNCH
pisco, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice, pineapple syrup

CAIPIRINHA
cachaca, muddled lime, house prepared demerara syrup

CANNED BEER
PBR, Anderson Valley Voont Amber Ale, Goldenroad Hefeweizen, Maui Coconut Porter, Dales Pale Ale

Little Temple Transforms Into The Virgil, Soft-Open in Hollywood