Speakeasy Seventy 7 Opens in Culver City

Down a quiet alley in Culver City the red neon cocktail sign is illuminated.  A door is guarded by a gentleman who asks you for the password of the day to gain entry.  An illicit gambling den? A house of ill repute? No, Seventy 7 is the latest cocktail bar to open in the style of the neo-speakeasy.  The small space is decorated in 1920s style and the waitresses look like they could begin dancing the Charleston at any moment.

You can't recognize the space as the former home of Japanese diner Tokyo 77 as the newly installed decor erases all trace of the past to transport customers back to the dark ages of Prohibition when liquor could not be openly served.  The bar itself has an excellent collection of spirits including Whistle Pig Rye, Yamazaki Whisky from Japan, and Hendrick's, Plymouth and Beefeater gins.

Photo courtesy of Seventy 7

The cocktail menu has eight selections, all on the sweet side.  I recommend asking for a classic like the Sazerac I saw several gentlemen ordering if you do not require a healthy dose of sweetness in your beverage. I wish the management had sufficient confidence in their customers to offer a menu that didn't have to offer a Smortini with vanilla schnapps and godiva chocolate liqueur.  If the clientele has made the effort to dress up (there is dress code, so no jeans, t-shirts, athletic shoes or ball caps) and find there way down the darkened alley to this gin joint, odds are they are willing to try something new.

The space is beautiful and its a cool vibe, so I'd go back and get an Old Fashioned or Manhattan and enjoy the Flapper Era ambiance.  It feels a world away from Culver City.

Seventy 7: 3843 Main Street, Culver City, CA.  Follow them on twitter for the daily password: @seventy7la

Seventy 7 Cocktail Menu:

Peter Piper ($14)
Hendrick's Gin, fresh dill, cucumber, pickle juice and creme fraiche garnished with cucumber and a baby gerkin pickle

East LA Cafe ($13)
Rum Chata, Pearl Coconut Vodka, rhubarb bitters sprinkled with cinnamon

Moulin Rouge ($15)
Lucid Absinthe, Plymouth Gin, muddled strawberries, passion fruit puree, simple syrup

Blind Pig ($12)
Shot of Pig's Nose 5 Year Old Blended Scotch Whiskey and a beer

Velvet Underground ($12)
Champagne, Velvet Falernum, Creme de Violette

Jack and the Beanstalk ($14)
Gentleman Jack, Carpano Antica Vermouth, muddled watermelon, vanilla bean syrup

Smortini ($15)
Wodka Vodka, vanilla schnapps, Godiva chocolate liqueur, graham cracker crust and toasted baby marshmallows

Plaid Bikini ($13)
Michael Collins Irish Whiskey, Pages Elderflower syrup, Yellow Chartreuse, grapefruit juice, old time bitters

Tokyo 7-7 Closing December 18th

After thirty years Tokyo 7-7, one of the last bastions in the core of Culver City that has resisted gentrification, will be closing next week due to rent increases.  The breakfast and lunch spot sits off an alley behind such upscale restaurants as Fraiche and is a relic of a bygone Culver City.  The menu is a mix of traditional American breakfast standards and Japanese items like teriyaki.  For example the Royal section of the breakfast menu is open-faced omelets with onions served over rice or with potatoes with options such as hamburger or Hawaiian.

The prices at Tokyo 7-7 are a bit of a time warp as it is easy to have a complete meal for $5 and at breakfast for $3.  The establishment has had cheap rent for decades, enabling them to offer reasonable prices, but those days have come to an end.  The food is not destination-worthy but if you are in the neighborhood then you should check it out before Saturday December 18th, the last day to get the Tokyo 7-7 Special of Cha-Shu, Sunomono, Tamagoyaki, Miso Soup and Rice, all for $6.10.  These days sleek spots like Libra and Epicerie are opening in the neighborhood; places like Tokyo 7-7 are closing and are not being replaced.

Zach from Midtown Lunch and I had lunch there yesterday and came upon the closing sign.  We ordered a variety of items including the signature Tokyo 7-7 Special, and the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl.  When the doors close for the last time on a week from Saturday it will be the end of an era, not just for the restaurant but for the neighborhood.

Tokyo 7-7 Coffee Shop: 3839 Main Street Culver City.  Located in the alley behind main street and behind the Cardiff Avenue parking structure.  Phone: (310) 204-5728.  Open Monday - Friday from 7 am - 3 pm and Saturday 8:30 am - 2 pm.  Only until December 18th.