After Years Away, a Legendary Hollywood Dive Bar Turns on the Neon Once More

A Hollywood legend is well on its way to revival, as the iconic Power House Bar at 1714 N. Highland is set to return with new ownership and a new direction next month. The neon-fueled hangout, known for years as a locals haunt just steps from the touristy sections of the neighborhood, will reopen in September thanks to Cedd Moses and the Pouring With Heart team, which collectively holds some of the most important nightlife properties in all of Los Angeles.

Fans will know Moses and Pouring With Heart for their vast array of bars and breweries and restaurants just in this city alone. Some — like All Season Brewing Co. on La Brea, Cole’s and Golden Gopher in Downtown LA, and Homebound Brewhaus at Union Station — are preserved places meant to showcase the beauty of LA architecture. Others, like Arts District Brewing and Seven Grand, are big-business hotspots that draw in large crowds; and still more, like 4100 Bar, Tony’s Saloon, and Las Perlas are meant to be neighborhood classics.

Expect Pouring With Heart’s new Power House Bar to fall firmly into the latter category. Despite an attempt at a glossy European makeover back in 2014 Power House Bar still holds a ton of charm as a dive-y destination, akin to nearby spots like the Frolic Room in Hollywood. Reps for Moses say that the intention is to keep the place as mellow and slightly gritty as it has been for the past 70-odd years, complete with a worn bar and low lighting.

As for the menu, expect the usual lineup of classics from manhattans and margaritas to Moscow mules and whiskey sours, along with lots of cheap beer in cans and bottles. Curtis Woods, a longtime Pouring With Heart employee who previously ran Las Perlas in West Hollywood, is on as general manager to oversee the bar program and the room as a whole. Expect a public opening by the end of September, when locals will once again be allowed (after more than two years) to stop by for a drink at one of Hollywood’s iconic bars.