Salaryman: Workin' For the Weekend
The story goes like this: In Japan, it’s customary for a salaryman, slang for a “working stiff,” to head straight to the izakaya (a bar that also serves grub) after a long day. Once there, he grabs a bite, schmoozes business contacts and works towards complete beer-induced inebriation -- only to pass out under a nearby tree for the night and repeat the whole process the very next day.
And now L.A.’s East Siders can properly incorporate this depressing (yet sorta bad-ass?) corporate ritual into their own routines.
Salaryman, a new Japanese beer bar owned by Umami Burger, has launched on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Feliz, adjacent to the high-end burger joint. Its quiet arrival bolsters the swanky beer scene taking shape in the ‘hood, courtesy of new brew-friendly spots Barbrix and Barbarella.
Here’s the skinny on the new Japanese-themed outpost.
The buzz: Umami Burger, which is co-owned by restauranteurs Adam Fleischman and Steven Arroyo, has garnered major love in the local food community -- and there’s no denying the beefy goodness of its creative menu.
But Salaryman, a no-frills sidecar to the cavernous restaurant (it’s connected to Umami, but also has its own entrance) is brilliant because you can order off the eatery’s menu at the bar without committing to settling down for a major restaurant meal. Locals will recognize both spaces as the previous home to Arroyo’s tapas restaurant, Cobras and Matadors.
The scene: The bar’s theme is cool, but you won't see any harried businessmen here – mostly thirty-something East Siders shoehorning a quick food-fest in between buying leggings at American Apparel and catching a flick at the Vista down the block.
The visuals: No lounge-y sofas here. Belly up to the bar, order a scary sounding Japanese ale and get to know your neighbor. The vibe is very Good Morning Vietnam. Huge industrial caged windows divide the bar from the restaurant. A long copper-topped bar dominates the small space, flanked by a chorus line of leather-ette red stools. Dimly lit by hanging Edison lightbulbs, the bar’s walls are covered in white subway tile and red textured wallpaper. Exposed wooden beams angle toward the ceiling, while a panel emblazoned with Japanese characters covers the front wall, in the style of a chalkboard special (and who knows, maybe it is?).
The drink: Asahi is for amateurs. I started with Coedo Beniaka, a crimson-colored sweet-ish beer made from Kintoki sweet potatoes—which confirmed by theory that the orange spuds make everything better, from fries to pies. Next up was Salaryman's best selling beer, Hitachino Nest White Ale (“It sells out like water,” said the bartender.) The ale had a citrusy sweetness to it that reminded me of really good Hefeweizen.
The dress code: Fundamentally, this is a bar located inside a burger joint -- but we’re still in L.A. -- so stylish casual wear reigns. Guys were clad in nice jeans, clunky boots and cardigans, while the ladies were slightly more dressed-up, in tights, mini-skirts and chunky heels – toting slouchy leather bags of the Gryson variety. And it seemed like everyone was wearing nerdy-cool glasses, which felt less like an affectation and more like the mark of an aging neighborhood.
The sightings: This is definitely a neighborhood bar – and it feels like it’s on its way to being the “Cheers” of Los Feliz. I ran into a drummer I used to play with, while my wife chatted up an old work friend.
The hot seat: The only place to sit in this den of brew is at the bar. Which will give you front-row access to bartenders giving crash-courses in Japanese Beer 101.
The eavesdrop: “I’ll take the beer with the cartoon owl on the label.”
Salaryman, 4655 Hollywood Blvd., 323-669-3922. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.-ish (they close earlier on weeknights if it’s slow, so if it’s after 10 p.m. on any night, I'd advise heading elsewhere.)