At The Fifth, There's always a Barstool with Your Name on It

In a city like L.A., if you’re looking to whet your whistle with a cocktail or two, there’s certainly no shortage of options.  From trendy nightclubs to supper clubs, and from theme bars to dive bars, this place has it all, day or night.  The real trick is to find a watering hole with something more to offer than just the latest in big screen technology or a drink menu long enough to rival a Tolstoy novel. A bar like The Fifth, which is nestled in the trendy Studio City/Valley Village area along Riverside Drive. It’s an upscale, neighborhood cocktail lounge. A place where locals are equally comfortable popping in for a solo drink or meeting up with friends. Where the bartenders know your name and remember your favorite drink. Where quality, not quantity, is key. And it’s clear to me after sitting down with co-owner Paul O’Neill, that running such a place isn’t just a business, it’s a calling.

Aptly named, The Fifth is the fifth bar opened by Vintage Bar Group, originally started in 1998 by Craig Trager. All of the bars under Vintage Bar Group’s umbrella participate in Rewards Network dining programs. 

Paul O’Neill began as a bar-back in one of the original spots almost 13 years ago, working his way up quickly to bartender and then manager and eventually became an owner. He was in love with the life almost immediately and quickly abandoned his earlier aspirations in the entertainment business to dedicate himself to the bar business as a full-time career. 

“It’s like hosting my own party,” Paul told me, “being behind the bar is like my stage.”  Though he now puts in seven days a week handling day to day ownership and management duties, you can still find Paul behind the bar of one of the group’s establishments several nights a week—doling out drinks, conversation, and even advice. Being a good bartender isn’t just about the cocktails, and Paul’s recognizable bald head is often sporting a number of “hats” from the real deal to the virtual ones of drink slinger, show host, therapist, boucer and yes, even matchmaker. He once famously helped the conversation along during an awkward blind date. The couple returned to the bar a year later to celebrate their anniversary.

But let’s talk about the drinks for a moment, because, hey, that's what you come here for. Paul tells me that mixing drinks is part science and part social, and that he likes to be able to get people to branch out and try something new, including his personal favorite, a shot of whiskey and a Guinness. If you don’t like it, he’ll gladly make you your old favorite—provided it doesn’t come with muddled mint and lime or require a blender.  At all Vintage Bar Groups locales, the focus is on straightforward cocktails and quality liquor. Yes, of course, you can get a beer or a glass of wine. The selection is small, and they do not have beers on tap, but it’s more than adequate if you prefer that over the hard stuff.  However, if you really want the full experience, pull up a barstool and ask Paul or any of the other bartenders for a recommendation. Which is exactly what I did. In a flash, Paul was behind the bar, and true to his Irish heritage, making me his own special creation, the Paddy Cocktail. A tasty twist on a Manhattan, this stirred, not shaken concoction trades the traditional bourbon for Powers Irish whiskey and gets a hint of sweetness from a splash of Grand Marnier. 

The Fifth boasts over 50 whiskeys and an extensive collection of other liquors, as well as beer and wine. They have a small cocktail menu and all the recipes were created by the members of the staff. The bar is open seven days a week from noon till 2 a.m., with “Happy Day” specials from 12-8 p.m. There’s a pool table and some video games if you’re in the mood to play, and you can always pick your own tunes on the jukebox.  There are no promotions, no karaoke nights and the owners work hard to make the place always feel safe and inviting, even to girls out on their own. The crowd is mostly a weekend set, and Paul says Sunday is often the best night. But pretty much any time you go, a good conversation and a good cocktail will be the mainstay of your experience. 

As I swirled the last vestiges of whiskey around the bottom of my glass, I asked Paul where he saw himself in the future. True to form, he smiled his big signature grin and told me that the bar business was his life.  That he could see himself years from now, pushing a broom at closing time across the floor of his own Irish pub. Then he’d shut off the lights and head upstairs to the loft above, a little place to call home just above the place that has his heart. For Paul O’Neill, it’s a labor of love. And that will keep me coming back to his bar for drinks any day of the week, something I’ve been doing for the past twelve years. 

The Fifth

4821 Whitsett Ave.
Valley Village, CA
818.753.8297

Karen is a member of AAdvantage Dining^SM