Guest Room at Estate

I love speakeasies, especially the actual secret ones, like this one. Granted, our plans were to have drinks at the Estate Bar, but they were pretty full on a Friday night, so the hostess suggested we go upstairs to their new «cozy area». So glad we did! The space was pretty empty at 8:30 on a Friday, but we got to chat up the nice bartenders and got the best pick of their sexy nooks and cozy alcoves. Music and vibe was super sexy and as the space filled up, the feel was still classy but fun. There is room to dance, if you try, but its more of a chill lounge.
The cocktails are fun sounding and strong but they have a full bar to make whatever your heart desires. In addition to the drinks, we sampled their hummus and japanese eggplant apps. Both were nice and just enough to keep us satisfied while we sipped our bevvies and people watched.
This place is cozy and sexy, and a lot of fun. Great date spot and fun party spot too!

My boyfriend and I have been really excited to try the Guestroom above the Estate Restaurant because we heard it was very chill and has a cool speakeasy vibe. We went to Estate for Valentine’s Day and were eager to come back. We came back a week later to try out the Guestroom. We opened the door and walked up the stairs to find loud blaring music. The ambiance was nice with the speakeasy vibe people have been talking about. We took a seat for a couple minutes then went up to the bar. A man standing at the bar stopped us and asked if we were part of their private party. He appeared mad at us because he thought we were trying to crash! We were so embarrassed because we had no idea! When we walked downstairs to talk to the front desk staff about what happened, they didn’t even know a party was going on. For future recommendations to the restaurant, please put a sign up or something when a private party is going on to save people this embarrassment. On that note, we would like to come back to try it, but now too worried the same incident will happen again.

Finally a speakeasy in Santa Monica! Don’t get me wrong, I love Blind Barber in nearby Culver City but the Guest Room at Estate is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. To get there, you’ll see a handle on the right side of the mural before you enter the restaurant that will lead you upstairs to this swanky lounge above Estate.
First of all (and most importantly) the cocktail list here is incredible, with drinks handcrafted by the genius mixologists behind the bar. My favorite of the few I tried was the Whiskey Sour – a classic made with bourbon, amaretto, lemon, sugar, and egg white. I’ve had whiskey sours at plenty of bars but this one is truly next level and honestly the best I’ve ever had! The sweetness of the amaretto and the froth from the egg whites make for a delicious and refreshing drink.
I also tried the Devil’s Candy (rye, sherry, sour cherry bitters) and a taste of the Mob Rule (vodka, crème de pech, lemon, pear cider) and Ethel Waters (tequila, pomegranate/​hibiscus/​rose water cordial, lime) and all of them were tasty and presented beautifully. The bartender was very friendly and said his personal favorite is the Eliot Ness-​essity (bourbon, fernet vittone, dry vermouth, yuzu bitters) so I will definitely be back to try that and some of the gin drinks.
As if the drinks alone weren’t enough to bring you in, the ambiance is classy and intimate with plenty of room and decorated to resemble Prohibition-​era bars. I especially loved the lightbulbs lining the ceiling and all the different seating options. We went on a Saturday night and it was pretty empty: I assume this was because it’s new and not well known yet, but I’m sure this will change before too long. Definitely make a visit here sooner rather than later because it is a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy a masterfully crafted drink with a date or group of friends (as long as they’re into the more low key, speakeasy vibes).