Caesar Menotti opened Menotti's Bar in 1915 and when Prohibition was enacted in 1920, he put a grocery store in its place and called it Menotti's Buffet. Upstairs, at least. Downstairs, the party rolled on. I use the term 'downstairs' loosely...the way to the bar was through trapdoors with little two-person, rope-operated elevators.
Menotti was a man of 'connections' and had booze boated in from Vancouver. According to bar historian George Czarnecki, the large liquor ships stopped short of the U.S. territorial waters (which at the time was only 3 miles), and sent smaller boats to run the booze beneath the enormous pier that once stood at the end of Windward. A large steam and utilities tunnel which serviced all of downtown Venice ran from the base of the pier through the basement of Menotti's, and that's how the liquor was run into the speakeasy. Once his bar was stocked, he ran surplus over to the hotels that lined the street. It was through this bar that all of Venice Beach was supplied with liquor during Prohibition.
After the repeal of Prohibition, the saloon went through several ownership and name changes, but always remained a bar, making it one of the oldest continuously-running bars in Los Angeles. The bar is now known as Townhouse, with the lower level called The Del Monte Speakeasy. Louie and Netty Ryan took it over in 2007, and have done major renovations to return it to its former prohibition-era glamor and glory. They worked especially hard on the downstairs speakeasy which re-opened this past summer.
To renovate the drinks, they brought mixologist and bourbonmeister Brandon Ristaino on board as general manager and beverage director. Known for helping create and revamp menus at such bars as Thirsty Crow and Bigfoot West, Brandon is bringing a seasonal menu to Townhouse which will be heavily influenced by a combination of classic cocktail ingredients and seasonal offerings from the local Farmer's Market. Their juices and syrups are house made, which speaks volumes for their quality.
Don't head there in your flip-flops and bathing suit expecting a quick drink...these cocktails are a work of art, and require lots of measuring, muddling, and aerobic ability. I couldn't stop thinking of the Shakeweight as I watched the men behind the bar shake with an unparalleled ferocity. These are libations for a leisurely cocktail experience. Our awesome mixologist, Ryan, was nonstop, but we still had to sometimes wait upwards of 15 minutes just because of the work that goes into each drink.
My sister and I diligently worked our way through the entire left side of the menu, which included eight House Specials ($12; Suntory Time and Boardwalk Broad pictured here) and two Seasonal Punches. We liked them all. A few of our favorites included :
Suntory Time - Yamazaki Single Malt, House-Made Honey Syrup, Angostura Bitters, and Orange stirred old-fashioned style
A Gala Affair (based on a cocktail designed by Alicia Walton of Elixir, San Francisco)- Genever, Yellow Chartreuse, Farmer's Market Gala Apple Juice, and Lemon all shaken vigorously
Boardwalk Broad- Bourbon, Kiwi, House-Made Chamomile Syrup, Lemon, and Egg White all shaken with love
Harvest Moon- Reposado Tequila, Cisco, Farmer's Market Red Grapes & Lime, Mint, and Cinnamon prepared Caipirinha style over ice.
To help us remain standing and intelligible through our tasting, the event was catered by Venice Beach Wines. A spectacular array of cheese, freshly-made hummus, and other tasty bites made me want to head back to the westside to visit them and see what else they've got going on.
For our listening pleasure, they brought the eclectic jazz stylings of The Kyle Crane Group to the intimate setting of The Del Monte Speakeasy. The speakeasy is only opened on select nights and entertainment varies, so check their schedule to see what's going on.
Townhouse Bar & The Del Monte Speakeasy
52 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291
(310) 392-4040
Went there. Enjoyed myself recent Monday night Terrific music selections
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