Gold Line

"This Tokyo-style listening bar in Highland Park is a tricky place to secure a seat (or more than 2 feet of personal space), but cramped nights at Gold Line are absolutely worth the jostling. There are good drinks, intimate DJ sets that involve a mix of 80s hip-hop and disco, and a stylish crowd that's there to listen (and dance, if space permits) to said music. DJs spin vinyls from the bar's collection of 7,500 records lining the walls, and the bartenders pour whiskey highballs and a lip-smacking guava caipirinha." - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren, kat hong, brett keating

"On a busy night, Gold Line looks like a bar designed for hot people in vintage denim who pose for disposable cameras and smoke Newports on the curb. That’s mostly accurate, but beyond its looks, this Highland Park spot is the best listening bar in LA. Come here to drink whiskey highballs and dance to local DJs spinning anything from indie jazz to obscure Japanese funk from the ‘80s. Sit at the long wooden bar with a date, or pack out a leather couch near the disco ball with friends, and let the groovy Detroit techno mixes do the rest." - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren

"Fueled by local DJs, whiskey highballs, and a wall-to-wall vinyl collection, Gold Line is by far the best listening bar in LA. The music at this dimly-lit Highland Park spot blasts at wild house party volume seven days a week, with genres ranging from indie jazz to obscure Japanese funk from the ‘80s. But even if you aren’t someone who gets giddy about vintage LPs, you can still drop in for a fun night out. Grab a seat at the long wooden bar with a date, or pack out a leather couch near the disco ball with friends, and let the groovy Detroit techno mixes do the rest." - Nikko Duren

"Highland Park’s nightlife consists mostly of casual bars you can stumble into as the night progresses - except for Gold Line. Lines at this Japanese whiskey bar form around 9:30pm and don’t let up until last call. While some people are waiting to drink Highballs and look affected, most are there for the music - the DJs have a hand-picked selection of over 7,500 rare records at their disposal. But since that crowd will be spending the weekend inside the Sahara tent, now’s your chance to skip the lines and actually find a seat inside." - brant cox, brett keating

"Music at Gold Line Bar is an understandable focus, given the place’s connection to Stones Throw Records and founder Peanut Butter Wolf. The record label has sat just upstairs for some 15 years, but now with all the bustle happening in Highland Park the team felt it was time to expand. The new venture focuses on highballs and simple three-ingredient cocktail classics, plus rare whiskey, mezcal, and natural wine, much like a Japanese hifi bar but given a California lens. Gold Line Bar will feature close to 8,000 personal records from Wolf’s private stash, with tons of limited or out-of-print stuff filling custom wood shelves and a vintage Rock-Ola jukebox. On weeknights the bartenders will act as curators of the bar’s tunes as well, while weekend DJ’s and one-off events will also pull exclusively from the in-house pile. There’s room to lounge in the back of the long room, while up front the space feels more airy and open, with a heavy walnut bar and all the vinyl on display. Partner Tyler Bell (L&E Oyster Bar, El Condor), his wife Sara Philpott, and JeffreyKurt Inc. designed the space. Wolf (real name Chris Manak), Bell, and Jason McGuire opened the Gold Line Bar last night, and plan on keeping daily hours from 5p.m. until late. The bar joins the suddenly cocktail-heavy neighborhood alongside the likes of ETA, Hippo, Cafe Birdie, and even casual Tex-Mex spot Homestate next door. Meanwhile, similar hifi bars are cropping up all over town, including at the new In Sheep’s Clothing in the Arts District." - Farley Elliott