Once upon a time, before the current crop of bars sprung up all over the city, The Hungry Cat stood alone as the only place one could go in LA to get a craft cocktail. The Hollywood location recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, making it the elder statesmen in the city's cocktail scene, and it's still as strong as ever.
Three things make the Hungry Cat noteworthy even in this newly-competitive cocktail-thirsty city. The first is the food. Chef David Lentz succeeds in transporting the casual cuisine of the Chesapeake Bay, integrating Mediterranean influences, and presenting it all with a polish appropos of its Hollywood location. Simplicity reigns supreme as the raw bar allows ingredients like sea urchin and oysters to shine while items like stone crab claws and king crab legs are paired with the nothing more than the bare necessities of butter and toast. Some items on the food menu are at the center of heated debate: the Pug Burger stacks up as a contender against some of LA's gastropubs for the title of Best Burger, and while no one argues the Lobster Roll's flavor, it does invoke a bit of sticker shock.
sea urchin
Second is the citrus, or rather the audacious amount of it. This is a corollary to the first point, and the Hungry Cat's immediate proximity to the Sunday Hollywood Farmer's Market allows the restaurant to stockpile heirloom varieties of orange and grapefruit. Large buckets of fruit are on proud display on the bar, helping to underpin the notion that the restaurant's commitment to fresh ingredients also extends to the drinks as well.
The third highlight of the Hungry Cat is its slim size. The bottle selection is incredibly small, even by craft cocktail bar standards, which is more in line with the notion that the Hungry Cat is really a high-profile neighborhood bistro. It's hard to think of any Hollywood restaurant as a neighborhood joint, but this aesthetic runs deep through Hungry Cat's menu and drink list. The best description for this bar is that it's very well curated. Both the kitchen and the bar are tiny, but the talent of the staff and the quality of the ingredients allow both to punch well above their weight.
The Hungry Cat is best during the summer when availability of citrus is at its peak and their drinks reach their highest potential. While house cocktails like the Four on the Floor (combining Dewars, Buffalo Trace, Carpano, and Maraska) are in line with my overall flavor profile, Hungry Cat's best drink is their rendition of the classic greyhound.
It isn't all about cocktails here. The wine and beer list are similarly well curated, with the beer taps specifically showcasing beer from Southern California.
After five years, it seems that the rest of the city's bars have finally caught up to the Hungry Cat in terms of creativity and appreciation of fine cocktails. But this cat, ever the wily veteran, can still land on its feet and serve up a drink that will knock you off of yours.
The Hungry Cat
1535 N Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90039