First & Hope is the kind of ultra swank hotspot that’s begging you to come and play on a night out. A glitzy “supper club” where the hostess wears a pearl colored gown, live jazz filters through the joint, and a purplish flush from the chrome and LED lights illuminates the tables. This new downtown restaurant, across from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, couples flashy ambiance with proto-Southern tavern food, and it’s working.

Inside you’ll find an L-shaped dining room filled with stylish booths and banquettes, large chandeliers, and a well dressed staff. The fully stocked bar is complemented by pearlescent walls and a curved ceiling. And to add to the glam, Mad Men assistant costume designer, Allison Leach, created the hostess gowns along with the shorter versions worn by the waitresses.

On the edible side, menu offerings are nothing short of tantalizing. Cocktails like the “Blackberry Cobbler” and “Champagne Julep” were crafted by Aidan Demarest, former director of spirits at the Edison. And the Southern comfort food comes straight from Memphis native Shelley Cooper, who was primarily stationed in the South until now. Items like the “BBQ Fried Oysters” and the “Crabmeat Justine Pot Pie,” are easy to share. While the creative entrees, like “Nenaw’s Picnic Basket” which comes with deep-fried buttermilk hen, potato salad and collard greens, and the “Moonshine Meatloaf” will leave you all but torn on what to order.

The only downside is the location, which is a bit tough to find, as it happens to be in a strip mall underneath a towering residential complex. However, it’s an impressive spot and even has a club in the back, called Fedora, where you can sit in on live jazz to round out your posh evening.

710 West 1st Street – Los Angeles, CA 90012-2442 – (213) 617-8555