El Prado Bar / Wine Bar

Echo Park, Los Angeles –

A well-kept secret shared by east-side residents, El Prado is an inviting neighborhood drinking den popular with low-key hipsters, scruffy Echo Park locals, and beer geeks keen on sampling the rotating menu of international craft beers.

A narrow, minimalistic room that feels like a cross between a 70s ski lodge and NYC East Village hangouts, the cozy venue features a long lacquered-wood bar and marble-topped counter backed by a huge mirror on which the drink selections are scrawled.

Diagonal wood paneling and retro orange globe lights round out the simple décor, while a row of vinyl stools flanking the long wood counter along the brick wall provide a place for the chatty clientele to gather and listen to the classic records spun by the friendly bartenders.

Those in the mood for a quiet rendezvous can slink into one of the tiny booths by the entrance, while groups might be better off at the tall table in the back.

Although occasionally overrun with a more animated crowd that spills in after a Dodgers game or a show at The Echo and Echoplex across the street, the bar’s outgoing crowd and great music are more conducive to conversation than to wild parties.

Combining simple elegance and east side grit, El Prado pulls off the ideal mix of edge and casual hipster vibe to create an unpretentious hangout where patrons can just chill out over a couple of beers.