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Traxx Back in Time
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Step into Union Stationon Alameda Street and be immediately transported into the world of Dashiell Hammet or Raymond Chandler: It just smells of old pulp fiction. The train station, which was built in 1939, blends the art deco with Spanish style tilework and evokes a noirish world -- or at least Lifehouse's "You and Me" video (filmed here and at the Roosevelt).
Amid the hustle and bustle of the busy station is an watering hole oasis for travelers waiting for their Surfliner or various forms of public transportation (in LA no less!). The small Traxx bar is located across the main passenger thoroughfare from the restaurant, and on a recent Monday afternoon, LAist passed the time with a few drinks before catching a Northbound 6:30 p.m. train.
Commuters and hipsters in the nabe make up the majority of the bar's clientele. And unlike the blow-the-paycheck drinks at the downtown Standard or even Staples Center, the Traxx libations are nicely poured and reasonably priced -- from a $5 bottle of Corona to a $7 call drink like a Tanqueray and tonic.
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LAist always recommends bar munchies to counter the effects of one (or three too many), and we can wholeheartedly recommend Traxx's bowl of garlic fries with three dipping sauces ($6) or the fried calimari ($8).
The bar's hours are tailored around the commuter hours, from 11:30 AM to 10 PM (Mondays to Fridays), Saturdays from 5 to 10 PM and now it's open Sundays from 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Traxx is definitely not the place to go for a late night, but it's a got a cool enough atmosphere to cap a workday and sleep off a little buzz on a train home. Just be sure to keep an eye on the time -- those trains don't wait for anyone.
Traxx
800 N. Alameda St., Downtown Los Angeles
(213) 625-1999
www.traxxrestaurant.com
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