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Back in 2014, a Goodfellas-inspired restaurant and bar called The Nice Guy opened on La Cienega Boulevard, and Beverly Grove was never the same. Owned by nightlife geniuses John Terzian, Adam Koral, Brian Toll, and Markus Molinari of the h.wood Group—the same guys who brought us hot spots like Bootsy Bellows and Blind Dragon—the space became an instant safe place for stars, thanks to its no-photos policy and notoriously strict door.
We recently scored access inside the space on a busy Saturday night, and quickly realized what all the hype is about. Yes, the food and drinks are excellent and feature everything from craft cocktails to indulgences like fried mozzarella to light fare like a kale salad, but for us, the vibe was its greatest draw. We get why Kendall had her 20th birthday there, Kylie had one of her many 18th birthday parties there, and why all the Jenners, Kardashians, Hadids, Baldwins, and Justin Bieber are spotted there just about every weekend; it's super dimly lit (a tribute to The Rat Pack) and feels like you're inside one big private party, even if you aren't invited to the most VIP booth.
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During our visit, the most VIP booth was reserved for John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen, who were chilling with friends while listening to the night's lounge singer perform a The Weeknd-ish ballad. Guests, who were dressed in their very best non-trashy nightlife looks (think skintight leather pants with lace-up heels on the girls and well-tailored suits with rare Jordans on the guys), knew better than to bother the night's most famous patrons. And although everyone had to resist the incredibly strong urge to Instagram, the restaurant's popular photo booth quickly relieved that urge.
You, too, can live like you're in a Kardashian Instagram photo by booking a reservation at The Nice Guy here. (Walk-ins are not welcomed.) And make sure you dress the part, because that door doesn't mess around.