The Woody Harrelson-owned Holy Water brings West Hollywood the cocktail-focused, community bar it’s been waiting for
Designed by Thomas Schoos & Schoos Design, Holy Water sits on Santa Monica Blvd in the heart of West Hollywood. Its concentration on sustainability and cruelty free drinks as well as its high-end cocktail program make it standout along a strip better known for its party atmosphere than its mixology programs–that’s not to say there aren’t any, Holy Water’s is just particularly concentrated. Featuring only six to eight drinks at a time, there’s a community-focused air to the bar, which comes via actor Woody Harrelson.
Holy Water Beverage Director Cameron Dodge-White tells us…
Please describe Holy Water as if you’re explaining the experience of walking through the doors and ordering your first drink.
Holy Water is an incredibly beautiful space, designed by Thomas Schoos & Schoos Design, that feels transportive to a place outside the hustle of LA. As you enter Holy Water, the bar is the heart of the front space, with low counters as you approach from the door for a very European seating feel. It’s a small space so you’ll be greeted by a staff member just about immediately inviting you to sit where you’re comfortable and that there is additional seating in our back lounge.
How would you describe Holy Water in a three-word text to a friend that you’re trying to convince to join you?
Vibey, Cozy, Sustainable
Other than Holy Water, what else is happening in the neighborhood that you’re in?
West Hollywood is known for its nightlife and dining scene, we have a number of restaurants and bars nearby. It’s also an extremely walkable part of LA.
Aside from Happy Hour, when is the best time to get to the bar?
I always suggest getting in a bit before 9pm, finding some prime seats and enjoying the vibe and people watching as the night approaches full swing.
Describe the average drinkers that you serve?
Holy Water is a community-focused, neighborhood bar first and foremost, and we are lucky enough to live in a very diverse city, so I don’t know that there is an “average” to any of our guests at Holy Water. If you want a place where you can get a reasonably priced cocktail, made with high-quality, cruelty-free ingredients sourced to be as sustainable as possible, while enjoying playful wine and beer lists focused on interesting artisans and stories all while enveloped in a gorgeous, comfortable space that isn’t blasting Top 40, EDM, Rock or Hip-Hop – Holy Water is for you and you’ll find like-minded people enjoying what we do.
To give you an example from a recent Sunday, we had a trio of friends show up to celebrate a birthday. They were very stylish, with neck tattoos and amazing jewelry, ready to party. Right next to them at the bar was a couple that are regulars of ours on Sundays, they’re in their late 60’s and love talking about their grandkids. By the end of their visit these two very different groups were laughing and conversing after we had introduced them and they did a little sustainable spirits learning with our rotating flight. THAT is the thing we want to bring to our community at Holy Water, a place that welcomes everyone and that will appeal to a desire for a certain experience.
Please tell us more about your drinks menu.
Holy Water is small space, so storage and production area is at a premium, because of this I’ve kept the list very focused at 6 drinks at any given time, with rotating specials and special cocktails we feature with a Brand partnership in concert with local Charities, so at any given time there may be up to 8 cocktails being offered. I’m a big believer in having a little something for everyone on every list I’ve ever put out, so on the Holy Water menu you will most likely find a couple citrus-forward cocktails, a couple aromatic cocktails and usually one funky something where I’m trying to introduce an ingredient, technique or flavor profile to guests.
Just like in each individual cocktail, lists should feel balanced and accessible, even if someone might not know all the brands or ingredients in something, we can help guide them to something that their palate will enjoy.
What’s your signature drink–or your favorite drink currently on the menu–and why should I order it?
It’s our Glass Half Full. I had this idea a little over a year ago to develop a “Pour Over” cocktail, and have it truly affect the drink, not just be a show piece.
It all really clicked for me when I tasted this super unique gin that Woody Harrelson, one of our owners, was developing with Amy Holmwood, the founder of Holistic Spirits Co. It’s super unique, unlike any gin I had ever tasted, and immediately I wanted to challenge myself to make a drink with it that focused on layering flavors from spirits only, not relying on citrus or sweeteners to tame the flavor, but find its namesake, Harmony, but in the most straightforward and low-intervention way possible. Then the idea to use that as the base of the pour-over drink I had been pondering hit me.
After trial and error we get Glass Half Full, where we pour the cocktail, comprised entirely of spirits, over layered fresh-cut orange and grapefruit that we have lightly torched to release the oils in the skins as well as caramelize some of the natural sugars found in the flesh of the fruit. The experience of drinking the cocktail without the pour-over vs with is really striking, the additional layers of flavor really brought the drink to life.
How much do drinks cost?
Cocktails are $16.
Is there anything to eat? If so – what’s your favorite dish on the menu?
Holy Water does not serve food.
What are the distinguishing features of Holy Water?
I’m not sure your editor will let me take up the space to truly get into everything that makes Holy Water singular! I would say it’s certainly a big mash up of all the things we’ve covered here, and the care and heart given from the entire team, when building drinks, sourcing, making playlists, to just getting it and immediately buying in. There’s a difference between Service and Hospitality, and we want our neighbors (literal neighbors, many of our staff and ownership team live within walking distance) to come to Holy Water and feel welcomed to a Third Space that too few areas of the city have.
What’s that music we hear playing on the Holy Water stereo?
We play a lot of world music, you’ll get some Funk, Afro-Caribbean, Nu-Disco, both retro and new Soul and Blues, really just trying to tap into the energy of the space. We like to keep it vibey and groovy, and we like to adapt to what the guests are bringing and responding to throughout the night as well. Our goal with the music at Holy Water has always been to match the space and then match the beverage program, fun, interesting, sometimes esoteric, and introducing people to amazing artists and sprinkling in a few favorites here and there.
Hours:
Wednesday – Thursday: 5:30pm – 11pm
Friday – Saturday: 5:30pm – 1am
Sunday: 1pm – 9pm
Happy Hour
Wednesday-Friday: 5:30pm – 7pm
Reservations:
Walk-ins only.
Website:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/holywaterweho
Address:
8275 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 9004
