One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Cocktail Quickies: Next Door Tapas Lounge
Photo of Next Door Tapas interior by Zach Behrens for LAist
Next Door Tapas is a swanky and intimate little lounge in Studio City, perfect for a weekend or late evening bite -- just don't plan on being there before 6pm. Despite the 5pm opening that's advertised on most review websites, we showed up at 5:30 only to find half-dressed tables and an unready staff. The wine menu was quick to arrive once we were seated, however, and we found the lounge to be a relaxing environment for a romantic rendezvous (well, up until the large party of cougars showed up, but whatevs).
Located "next door" to La Loggia on Ventura Boulevard, Next Door purports to offer a laid-back space for pre- or post-dinner cocktails and small bites, with a sorta-Spanish tapas menu that includes cheese platters, charcuterie, salad cups, various croquettes and ham-and-cheese pockets, and sundry other pricey munchies. There's also an extensive wine list, and our waiter was more than happy to sit down and explain some of the subtler differences of various Spanish wines. Our service was sluggish to start -- blame the early hour, I guess? -- but we did enjoy a leisurely meal with prompt delivery of each dish.
Our wine was fantastic -- a tasty Grenache, at a reasonable price, that went down very smoothly. The tapas, while delicious, were not so reasonably priced for the portion size. $8 for two button-sized beef sliders? How about $11 for two frittura di langoustines -- each piece of shellfish literally a single bite? The jamon paquetitos, little triangles of deeply flavored ham and cheese, were a more satisfying dish for a mere $7, but the food was overall far too pricey.
The final verdict? Next Door Tapas is a nice place to pop in for a few nibbles and a great glass of wine on your way to somewhere else in the neighborhood, but for an early evening meal, it's probably not the biggest bang for your buck.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
