The Basics: 
Lux Cafe in Van Nuys is San Fernando  Valley's newest hideaway hookah lounge, serving premium hookah tobacco and flavors fired by old fashioned citrus-treated charcoal. The cozy, dim interior features an 80" projection screen and plasma TV showing music videos and a chill, relaxed atmosphere. It's the perfect after-hours hangout and excellent for relaxing and catching up with friends.
If you want to smoke hookah in a really relaxed atmosphere, this is a good place.  Even though it’s quite popular, it’s never too crowded.  There are no tables or booths, it’s all couches, which makes is very cozy.   Dim lighting, candles and music videos help give the Lux Café a nice atmosphere.  The service is great and the prices ridiculously low considering the quality and rich flavor of the hookah they serve. 
 

Hours: Tuesday- Thursday from 8pm-12am, Friday and Saturday from 8pm-3am, Sunday 8pm-12am 

The Basics: If you’re the artistic type or simply feel like relaxing con estilo, definitivamente you need to check out Kitsch Bar en Costa Mesa.  El nombre lo dice todo.  It’s pretty relaxing and very low key, ideal for a drink after work.  
One thing that this place is known for it’s for its music.  Although they have resident Dj’s spinning the best of Top 40, Alternative and Indie during the weekends, it gets more exciting on Mondays and Tuesdays, where amateur and up and coming Dj’s get a chance to practice their grooves.
Don’t be fooled by its location, since Kitsch Bar is tucked away in a strip mall.  Once you’re past the door, you’ll find candlelit tables and black lounge chairs taking most of the room.   Themed art installations like Atari games and accessories are on display in glass cabinets along the black wall. Even though there’s no stage, jazz bands regularly perform in a corner of this chic space.  Music is kept relatively quiet, facilitating non-strained conversation.  In contrast to its name, the bar remains sophisticated without being pretentious.  Definitely a hip place for the twenty and thirty-something crowd. 

Hours: Daily from 8pm til 2am

What to drink: If you’re tired of ordering the same old drink, don’t hesitate to ask the staff, they’re quick in offering drink suggestions. 

Address: 11461 Sunset Blvd.
                 Los Angeles, CA 90049
                 (310)476-6571 or visit www.luxehotelsunsetblvd.com             

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-11pm

What to drink: A definite must is the pomegranate martini.  

Don’t be fooled by its ritzy uptight looks, the Luxe Lounge, part of the Luxe Hotel in Bel-Air, it can be easily mistaken as a frivolous place where rich folks and “hijos-de-papi” hang out and have their daily dose of alcohol. There is some truth to that, however, the Luxe Lounge is anything but frivoulous.  It has its fair share of Hollywood glamour and the people that come along with that package, but seriously, this is true for lots of lounges in the L.A. area. 
It’s a really nice place to start a date, or to just relax with some friends after a hectic day at work.  Also if you’re hungry their snacks are to die for- from pizzas to Kobe beef mini burgers.

The look of the Velvet Margarita Cantina is enough to attract any passerby, its carnival fun house-meets-Tijuana chic with velvet walls, black-lit portraits and a palette consisting almost entirely of deep shades of red makes it hard to resist.   If you happen to drive by this place you’ll be intrigued and sooner than later you’ll find yourself calling a bunch of friends to go with you to check it out. Wherever you look, hipster customers sip on pineapple and coconut margaritas and other well prepared mixed drinks, while energetic alternative music booms. The Velvet Margarita Cantina has to offer more than a cool place and tasty drinks; their menu is composed of many calorie-conscious twists on traditional cantina favorites like ceviche, turkey empanadas and tequila-flavored shrimp bisque.

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 11am-2am, Friday: 11am-4am, Saturday: 6pm-4am, Sunday: 6pm-2am

What to drink: Anything with tequila and obviously their margaritas.

This place’s hip Mexican vibe makes being Hispanic cool in Hollywood, which makes it a great place to start or end the evening.   The food is okay, the drinks are good, but the atmosphere is a MUST. The drinks are on the pricey side, making the Velvet Margarita an expensive place to catch your buzz, but wonderful to get the party started or have that last drink before calling it a night.
Not only that, but also this place is a tequila lover's dream. The bartenders are more than happy to give you a few pointers about what makes a great tequila. The tequila selection is humongous, making it seem like the Velvet Margarita has the best selection of tequila anywhere north of the border.