Akbar

Silver Lake, Los Angeles –

Booked nightly with an eclectic mix of music, comedy, and various theme parties, Akbar puts an alternative twist on the traditional gay dive bar.

Accents like marble columns, pointed archways, and sultry glowing pendant lamps give a nod to the bar’s regal Indian namesake, though the creative types and music industry folks relaxing at the bar or on the banquettes are usually more interested in their pink cosmos and the ever-present local eye candy.

Those seeking a more intimate nook can slip past the autographed headshots of celebs like Prince, Miss Piggy, and Drew Barrymore and through the beaded curtain, where a second room offers a little ocean of sea-green cafeteria seats for alternative types to shoot the breeze or unwind over after-work cocktails.

The laid-back, conversational atmosphere of the early evening gives way to a flirtatious party vibe later on, when the action moves to an adjacent hall and fun-loving guys and gals alternate between shaking on the dance floor and refreshing their buzzes under draped carpets above the bar.

The crowd can get pretty wild as the evening wears on – even during the weekly craft-making classes on Wednesdays – a sure sign that Akbar is a place where even royalty can feel free to let loose.