La Cuevita

Daunting list of tequila and mezcal options… and just drinks options in general. I ended up getting a pineapple cider which was a little too sweet for my taste.
Indoor and outdoor seating for 2 totally different vibes:
— Outdoors: chiller, quieter, good for groups and chatting, but really crowded on a Sat night so we couldn’t even get a spot out there
— Indoors: louder and more energetic with 80s/​90s music blasting, making it hard to talk over the music/​other voices

I’ve only been here twice. Both times there was only one bar tender which made it hard to get drinks. Hipsterish bar, that has live music (which I love). One thing I have noticed and do NOT enjoy is that one can smell the smoke of the people smoking in the patio (There’s something that must be done about that).

This place used to be called «The Little Cave.» At some point, it was purchased, and redone, in the manner of a little tequila bar. The bar was very gothic in the past, with little black cutout bats in the translucent plastic over the bar, which was lit from behind in red for a cool effect. There was lots of black. Now, there is lots of aged wood… Despite the renovation, they kept the original sign for the bar (Little Cave) outside, and renovated the façade of the building, to expose the brickwork on the wall. They also kept some of the bat motif inside as well, with bat artwork, and some bats on the wall. It’s still very dark inside. The wall of alcohol is amazing. I don’t know how much of that is actual booze that is served, or if it’s for decoration only. The bottles are interspersed with some small potted cacti and succulents, for a quaint look. When I come here, I almost expect there to be a set of swinging saloon doors, and dusty cowboys and vaqueros drinking mezcal.
There’s bike parking all along Figueroa and the surrounding streets. There are also public lots nearby, and usually, a decent amount of street parking, if you’re driving here (please make sure if you drive, you have a designated driver). Or, you can take the Gold Line (which lets off just around the corner) to get here. Just remember to not miss your train back, or call an Über or Lyft! Bus is an option… the 81 runs up Fig into Eagle Rock, and into Downtown LA.
Last time I checked, on Tuesday nights, they have free tacos (please tip your taco vendor though!). It usually is quite busy for this, naturally, because who doesn’t like free tacos! Some friends I know do a deathrock /​punk /​post-​punk /​new wave /​goth night here, spinning some cool tunes. The music selection, in general, is quite good here, any time you go, whether there’s a DJ or not.
There’s a large outside area that wraps around the building where you can take out your drinks and smoke. I’ve been here when it’s been wall to wall, and I’ve been here when it’s been quiet. It’s cool either way.
The tap beer selection is not huge, but it’s decent. They have more bottled beers. There is a full bar, naturally, with a wide selection of everything, but notably, a huge selection of tequila and mezcal. Speaking of mezcal… if you like that, and you like ginger beer, ask for their signature drink, the «La Cuevita.» It’s interesting to watch them make it, it uses fresh ingredients that they have on-​hand, and it’s pretty strong and tasty. Also, if you’re a smoker, and you don’t have any, ask at the bar. They sell cigarettes. Don’t know how some people have experienced bad service here… at times, it can be a little slow, but I’ve never had a bad experience with either the staff, the patrons, or the door man. But hey, it happens sometimes. It’s my favorite neighborhood bar, and one that I can walk to. That itself is a win!

Headed here after a very busy Highland Park bowl became too much to handle. Was impressed by their cocktails that use really fresh ingredients that are quite pleasing to the pallate. Great music… and atmosphere will definitely return.

Nice place in Highland Park to grab a drink. Lately I’ve been trying new mezcals, and this place has a great selection. I’ve been trying to have a different one each time, but it can become hard to track with as many as they have.
The happy hour specials are pretty good. There’s a good Old Fashioned and a mezcal margarita.
It’s street parking, which can be pretty good, or pretty tough depending on the time of day.

Nice chill bar. The drinks are okay but they have happy hour from 5 – 9 which is cool. I would go again

I went to today and this is the first time.
Usually when happy hour on 5pm to 9pm,
I want to there again.

First time I had a proper Old Fashion with Orange Bitters. Loved it! This place is yet another 1933 Group wonder with the same great happy hour… er, hours!

Great atmosphere. Margaritas (both kinds) are verrrrry weak even on taco Tuesday! :(I’ve had 3 both times, left without even a buzz. Not worth the money.

I love this little but vibrant bar! The vibe is great, they have $ 5 delicious happy hour drinks, the music doesn’t get too loud but it’s still good, there’s an outdoor patio you can chill at in the spring & summer while they serve free donation based tacos on Tuesdays.

I’m giving them only two stars because of the horrendously curt, hostile, condescending and unprofessional bartender they continue to employ there.
I’m talking about the chick with the multi-​coloured hair, who cares not to listen to what the customer wants and can’t make a decent drink to save her attitude riddled, miserable life if it counted on it.
I’m not leaving this review based upon one experience, I’m expressing multiple experiences with this same person. If I ever go back, I have to make sure to wait for someone else even if it takes twice as long. Because she is guaranteed to fuck up your drink order to suit her equally bad attitude each time. Honestly, I would frequent this spot again if they would get rid of that miserable suck stain if an excuse for a bartender. Without her this place is awesome!

La Cuevita has one of the best happy hours around. Their $ 5 cocktails are not throw-​away well drinks, but, rather, seriously boozy works of mixology!
I also really dig the vibe here; it’s dark and rustic, and every evening they have some kind of theme or entertainment. And the bartender was super friendly. I will definitely be back to try their Taco Tuesday.

There are some positive things that gentrification brings to a neighborhood and La Cuevita is one of the few positive examples.
Playing on the misunderstood Mescal, La Cuevita has a tasteful menu demonstrating the versatility and deliciousness Mescal can be. I commend the bartenders here for their creativity.
I am really happy to see a neighborhood bar/​lounge maintain some of their roots and stay true. I just need to ignore the cans of PBR and those who sit there sipping the crap. :)

Favorite spot in for Shrimp cocktails. Everything is good here, and the service is excellent. Always super happy with my orders every time. Not cheap, but what you do pay is worth it.

«Some things will never change. Some things will always be the same.» — Thomas Wolfe
I hope you find this little cave and seek refuge within it because you actually walk in LA; one of the few who like to feel the rough and crunchy gravel below their shoes. I hope you see the beauty in LA grit and revel in the lingering blend of sirens, car exhaust, coffee, and cigarettes as you walk down Figueroa.
La Cuevita has always felt warm and familiar. It’s the kind of place where the managers and bartender’s make it a point to remember your name. After a few visits, you only have to wave hello to get your usual order and sometimes that order comes with a great book, band, or film recommendation. Every bartender has something special to offer; a perfectly blended motley crew; aged to perfection (Trevor, Sol, Danny, Monica, Levi and wacky Matt who is awesome but might take a minute to warm-​up to you). Treat them with respect and they will more than return the favor.
You can dance all night to your favorite jams, eat free tacos on Tuesdays after 10, or just hang outside under the heat lamps and make a few new friends.
Count on Omar (the muscle and eye candy) to toss you the perfect one-​liner that you’ll still laugh about hours later. He also always manages to find an extra seat hiding somewhere for a gal in uncomfortable high-​heels. A real gentleman.
It’s my preferred neighborhood bar and I highly recommend it.

I could have sworn I reviewed this place. I frequented this place a lot about 5 – 6 years ago. It looked really tacky in the inside and the outdoor patio had an awning. It had a really unique vibe to it and was laid back. Highland Park wasn’t such a lovely neighborhood back then, but it was what it was and that never stopped us from enjoying the area.
Flash forward to now, this place has had a major facelift. There’s good beers on draft, more beers in bottles, an island bar with stellar service. They still play the tasty tunes like they used to, that is motown, oldies, and a lot of homegrown bands. There’s no dance floor but that doesn’t stop folks from making their own anywhere they can. Tight.
Having a smoking patio is definitely a plus if not for the convenience but just being a different atmosphere to socialize in. Social smokers know what I’m talking about.
Clientele is diverse and real cool. Definitely a good spot to end your night or rev it up before the after party.

First time visit great décor and atmosphere. Great happy hour drinks. Definitely returning and recommending to others.

As I waited with my friend for his wife to come out the bathroom a «security guard» began pushing us out the door… we politely explained that we were waiting for my friends wife and we would go on our way… he was not having it. The «guard» grabbed a glass and slammed it on the floor and shoved my friend… we stood our ground and said we just want to wait for his wife and them he pulled out a knife on us. This prompted the bar tender to come around the bar to try and diffuse the situation. Much respect to the female bartender. But the security is more of a liability than anything else… I will never come to this place again. I hope management and ownership changes security policies

Great place to get demolished at. Fridays are fun. Kick as$ music and babes. Metro gold line stop s block away so you can hop on it when your way too tanked

I guess LIttle Cave has rebranded? It will always be Little Cave in my heart. It’s the only bar in walking distance from my house… so it holds a special place with the hubs and I. Nice bartenders, good jams, a convivial atmosphere. What more could you ask for in a bar? It’s gotten a little trendy, trying to keep up with the gentrification of the neighborhood… but it’s all good. Gotta move with the tide to keep up right?
I will always gravitate here, cos there are good memories with my true love that all took place in the Cave.

I used to come to this place quite often but after my last two experiences there, I can guarantee that I won’t be returning.
on one occasion, I went to the bar with a couple of friends and after less than an hour, the bartender, who apparently does not like one of my friends who is a regular there, decided to cut us all off after less than three drinks. That included one of our friends that had just gotten there and was stone cold sober. We were stunned at his rude behavior and immediately left.
After that, I decided to give this place one more chance with my boyfriend and a couple of his friends a month or so later. The bartender who made our drinks was visibly intoxicated herself and, when we arrived back at her table, all of our drinks orders were wrong.
This place is become so unprofessional. I will definitely not be giving it another chance.

Even on a TUESDAY night the place was a little crowded. Standing room only for the most part. Great beer selection BUT pricey. Crowd sends lovely. Complimentary (tips encouraged) taco stands in the back! Should’ve tried this’d place earlier. Be Advised: DJ is not even remotely MULTICULTURAL. Plays mostly 80s hits, be they good or bad. Gentrification is in effect… :-(

The Cave has quite some history behind it, and is probably the best bar, best bar tenders and best crowd in Highland Park.
It’s dark, dive, cosy, authentic and very safe for both sexes, with covered outside seating for smokers who like to drink, and drinkers who like to smoke.
Inside, the bar itself is one of those works of urban art that only develops over time, and the guys that work that bar are kick-​ass, non-​stop, experts at their game. Amazing signature cocktails that look and smell delicious, plus a great range of beers on tap.
Some nights live music, some nights film screenings.
It’s a happening place at the weekends, so get in early. A home from home Highland Park icon.

Laid back, hipster and super long happy hour (5PM– 9PM). Levy (bartender) is amazing (an artist)!

There have been few bars that shocked me as soon as I entered, but La Cuevita accomplished that and more! Charming ambience, reasonable, distinct, drinks, and a calendar of daily events will keep me coming back again and again.
My friend and I enjoyed the La Cuevita, the Jalapeño Margarita, and the Smoky Margarita. The Jalapeño was super spicy, the Smoky was great, but the La Cuevita was by far the best!

Gem of a bar. Drinks are absolutely delightful. I must say that the girl that works there is always so sweet and makes amazing drinks. The guys there are usually nice except that on Halloween night one of the bartenders was a first class jerk (shorter guy of the two) hence the 4 stars. Upbeat music, positive vibe and fabulous venue.

Dark divey bar thats a gem of Highland Park. Taco tuesdays in the back patio are usually what draws me here. Nice mixed crowd and mixed drinks– particulary the mezcal moscow mule. It’s a great spin on the traditional vodka version. Great music here and perfect for dates since its so dark.

This used to be one of my favorite bars in the area if you asked me a year ago. It’s tucked away in Highland Park and they did a great job on the interior design — it’s dark and gothic/​hipster themed with wrought iron chandeliers, edison lightbulbs, and mason jars with tealight candles. The outdoor patio area is charming. None of that has changed.
However, in the last 6 months, the service has gotten increasingly bad (3 times out of the last 4 times I went, the bartender forgot to give me my credit card back with the check, which has never happened to me at any other bar). They have a DJ on certain nights, which is great but it’s way too loud to converse with anyone. They have free tacos on Tuesday nights at 10pm which used to be one of the better tasting tacos in town, but they have someone new running it and the tacos are so mediocre that it makes me say no to free tacos! On top of that, the last mixed drink I ordered (the Jalapeño margarita) was made so poorly that I left an almost full $ 10 drink on the table. I switched to the tequilla special which was the worst tasting tequilla I ever had.
I’m sad to say I won’t be coming back here again.

I liked the interior and they have a cool patio. The wifey and I went there on a Saturday and they have a happy hour from 5−9pm. We had the Cool Gin drink with cucumber, like and thyme. It was good! 3 stars for the service. Bartender with pink hair was great and made a good drinks. There was another bartender who made my 2^nd drink and it was bad. My wife had to go ask the other bartender to make he drink again. Plus he wasn’t attentive — he practically ignored the person before me and then I had to stand there for few minutes before he helped me. A couple of customers had to alert him that I was at the bar. When we left, he was at the front of the bar as the bouncer/​greeter. Why the hell was he making drinks? It would be a cool place if the service was better. First bartender was cool but there was an air of apathy there.

Such a great find in Highland Park. An amazing array of Tequilas… and my passion Bourbon! Yes BOUURRRBBONNNN. The bartendar is a doll, so helpful and friendly.
This is a our new, now not so secret, cocktail go to. No food is a boo, but you can order/​bring food in.
Really charming décor.

This bar was awesome!
We came in at 5:00 opening time this past Sunday with my boyfriend and his buddy. We had a couple of beers, I had a Michelada as well.
The bartender was really sweet and nice. Great service, great drinks!

Nice little hidden bar. My friend invited me here and since I’m never around this area I had no idea where I was going.
The streets around there are a bit sketchy but once you get to the bar you are good. They have a live band in one room and music in the other. It’s really small so there’s only a small area to dance if you want to dance, but that place is a good spot to meet up with friends to have a drink or two.

I came here with my friend at midnight on a Saturday. We were both wearing shorts and tshirts and were worried that we might be underdressed, but nope! Super casual laid back spot with really beautiful décor. It really does feel like you’re in a stylish colorful cave that happens to serve a wide variety of mescal and tequila drinks.
I ordered the ‘Malditos Secretos’ which contained Mezcal, ancho Reyes, Jamaica flower, and lime. I was originally put off by the $ 12 price tag, until I tasted it-​delicious! My friend was on a diet so he got a simple Mezcal soda drink with lime. $ 20 for two tiny cocktails, which got each of us solidly buzzed-​VERY strong! I feel the drinks were worth the price but am very interested in coming back for happy hour, where similar Mezcal beverages are only $ 5.
Nice outdoor area, tons of seating, good music, chill crowd, friendly bartenders. I can’t wait to come back.