Before the Date…
The end of the line, the last stop, the final frontier. Almost 100 years ago weary travelers reaching the end of their westerly ride to “the Last of the Great Railway Stations” would pop in to a Harvey House restaurant to grab a meal before wandering into the City of Angels. Now it’s your turn to head East, literally and figuratively, by boarding your own train for Chinatown.
So prep your crew for a night of local beers, slippery shrimp, train rides you never thought you’d take, and one tiny speakeasy.
St0p #1: 7 PM
HIstory in a Pint
at what was once the Harvey House
What to Know
Built in 1939 the Imperial Western space was originally the location of a Harvey House restaurant. A revolutionary chain of restaurants that served railroad stations which also had an all female staff who usually lived on the location.
Their beer is brewed in house with brews like the Fred Harvey Hefe and Union Station Lager. You can check out the entire operation on the right near the bathroom or take a tour on Wednesday afternoons.
Want to get a feel for what the original Harvey House was like? Take a gander at Judy Garland’s 1946 classic The Harvey Girls about working at a Harvey House, complete with showtunes and cowboys.
The spot has two happy hours. Early: Mon-Fri, 4-7pm with $5 pints & $1 oysters. Late: Sun-Thur 9pm-close with $5 pints, $8 bites and pool tables on free play.
Important: Adding to the adventure you need to take the Gold Line to Stop 2. Pay attention to the times to make sure you’re not standing too long on the platform. Ride the train north 1 stop to the Chinatown Metro Station.
St0p #2: 8:30 PM
Chinese Feast
at a family owned classic
What to Know
Opened in 1976 the original 5 Yun brothers named the restaurant after the phonetical pronunciation of their hometown Yangzhou.
The Slippery Shrimp is their famed dish so aptly named after the first time they cooked it. After putting the coating on the shrimp and placing aside on a plate it slipped off. The rest is history.
St0p #3: After Feast
Speakeasy Dance Party
in the back of a coffee shop
What to Know
Hidden behind the Songbird Cafe which actually serves killer coffees from 8am – 1pm.
This little gem is the brain child of Scott Chen owner of the massively entertaining Apt 503 in Koreatown.
If you want to save a few bucks stop in on Tuesday’s for their all night happy hour.
What to order: Second Hand Smoke