Hill St. Bar - On the Edge Of the Protest

Combining a 1920’s NYC flair with the mysterious allure of Downtown LA, Hill St. Bar + Restaurant is long past the days of the prohibition. Yet, this corner culinary hotspot, known for its intoxicating mix of cocktails and satisfying meals recently played host to its very own modern-day revolution. Located on the corner of 2nd and Hill Street in DTLA, the restaurant stood at the fringe of where the protests initially broke out, leading to some pretty terrifying moments.

Hill St. Bar + Restaurant started thanks to the real estate wits of LA real estate investor, owner and partner, Dan Trapp. Trapp along with a partner and General Manager Paul Treviño, carefully dissected an entire world of upscale American fare as they built their reputation and brand on a strong base of quality and integrity.

Dan Trapp, grew up in Los Angeles, getting into the real estate game early on. He then combined his knowledge of investing with his love for good, hearty comfort food and drink, and got into the restaurant industry. Rather than approaching his culinary ventures from a typical restauranteur’s angle, he initially looks at it from a real estate investor’s perspective.

Alex Barcelo, Trapp’s assistant, shares with us “it’s all about the real estate deal, that’s how he approaches it”. And, with Hill St. Bar + Restaurant, this competitive edge has given him a leg up compared to his competitors. Being joined at the hip with the Kawada Hotel, Trapp opened Hill St. Bar + Restaurant, the latest addition to his collection of hospitality ventures which include the Pattern Bar and Illusion Magic Lounge.

RUMOR HAS IT: Trapp LOVES Mai Tai’s, so he decided to create a Mai Tai mix made from scratch to welcome his customers, because when you go to one of Trapp’s spots, you’re going to hang out with your friends, your family, and it’s going to quickly feel like your home away from home.

You walk in Hill St. Bar + Restaurant and you’re immediately captivated by the venue’s vaulted ceilings, bespoke neon signs, and the subtle Great Gatsby feeling that the place emits.

When Dan came across the property initially, it was completely closed off and so he revamped the design to what it is today, with large sweeping garage doors giving way to the interior.

Thanks to the team’s innovative aesthetics, the venue is now perfect not only for lunch and happy hour but also for a range of special events.

The food is to die for, with each recipe being created, curated and then perfected over time to achieve the consistently premium fare that they are known for. The ribeye steak is always cooked to perfection and with a melting pot of contributors and culinary curators being responsible for such an impeccable dining experience, each menu item deserves its spotlight.

The Miso Salmon Salad, Alex shares is the hotel owner’s personal favorite, as he claims it’s the best in town. If you’re looking for an explosion of flavor, be sure to try their infamous Hill St. Burger, with a combination of gruyère, arugula, bacon, aioli and blue cheese; this was one for the books.

DTLA Cocktails From Home:

For those still sheltering in place, the to-go “margarita classic cocktail”, is a margarita mix that their master mixologists make from scratch. Making up to six margaritas for just $19, this tasty treat will have you thinking you’re sipping away under the Mexican sun.

While we’re still on the topic of margaritas, their Italian Margarita was also a favorite; visually and viscously. When happy hour is all the rage again, if you love a good ole’ fashioned, this is the place to come with many a businessman stopping by to mingle.

For the sommeliers among us, having a well-vetted wine list was top priority for Trapp and the team. According to Alex, “it was REALLY important to the owner that he had a really good wine list”, so when they first opened they met extensively with wine reps, doing tastings (fun job, right?!) to procure the most exquisite collection of wine to cater to demographics across the board.

#SurvivingDTLA

Every business at that location prior to them has failed in a short period of time, making Hill St. Bar + Restaurant the longest lasting, while still surviving mid-pandemic.

In order to survive, the team had to rapidly pivot just to stay afloat. The health crisis has definitely impacted the livelihood of their business, with the staff sharing “We relied on theater crowd and the people who work here, and the people who work here are gone and LAPD are a little preoccupied.”

Alex has played an integral role in the creation of restaurant staples, such as menus, marketing and more. Paul describes her as “priceless” and the dynamic duo has worked tirelessly behind-the-scenes as the team devises new ways and ideas on how to not only survive, but also thrive, during the pandemic. Paul says with a longing melancholy, “we climbed the mountain and had finally made it and then the pandemic hit.” Now with strict social distancing guidelines in place, they now make “sure that everyone gets tested for COVID, we no longer have salt and pepper on tables and everyone has their temperatures taken” before each shift.

So, how does the team plan on embracing the future of the unknown?

With legislations loosening and allowing restaurants to serve alcohol on footpaths, the venue made use of its outdoor bar and in the future is looking to create a retail space on the interior for selling wines, signature dishes and sauces, along with their famous miso salmon sourced straight from Tokyo.

Economic conditions may force restaurants everywhere to go back to basics. Alex informed us, “Grub Hub and Postmates were taking 30% of their cut”, because even though those major platforms provide an incomparable source of marketing, “at what point does the wash become not worth it?”. She goes on to share that one way they plan to counter this, is by taking matters back into their own hands and creating their own delivery platform. This will not only increase profit margins, but also re-empower restaurants with expanded delivery regions and more.

Thanks to the team’s innovative aesthetics, the venue is now perfect not only for lunch and happy hour but also for a range of special events.

DTLA Cocktails from Home:

#SurvivingDTLA

Every business at that location prior to them has failed in a short period of time, making Hill St. Bar + Restaurant the longest lasting, while still surviving mid-pandemic.