Some restaurant locations seem damned to eternal turnover. The stretch of Echo Park Avenue just north of Sunset Boulevard has proven to be one of these haunted destinations — new independent restaurants have struggled to take root despite appearing ripe for success, including Red Hill, Allston Yacht Club, Alumette, and the Whisperer, as well as a casual sports bar that closed in 2021 called the Holloway. But now, five years after closing, the Holloway has come back.
The Holloway reopened in its former location after the space was temporarily inhabited by the Lonely Oyster. Its ethos remains the same as before — televisions and bar games inside, a small patio, and an accessible menu of cocktails and bar snacks. But this time around, the space feels warmer and richer (much like the neighborhood itself), all deep green and dark wood, and there’s a more intentional use of the narrow back patio, originally the domain of scruffy hipster-punk smokers (complimentary). Food and drinks come with innovation courtesy of hyper-creative chef Andrew Rodriguez and bar director Nathan Fisher. Regular events include Mario Kart tournaments, bingo, and trivia, in an earnest effort to establish a true hangout for locals.
Anyplace inside — there’s a parklet out front, which seems nice in theory, but Echo Park Avenue is busy and loud, and in the early afternoon and evening the sun blasts directly onto it. Inside is cool and calm, with games and a lot more visible screens.
The Holloway’s pub game programming gets paired with themed food and drink nights, which seem largely driven by alliteration. Mario Kart tournaments are held on Meatloaf Monday, Tiki Tuesday means pandan coladas plus bingo, Wing Wednesday happens alongside high-octane trivia, and Sunday Supper features a rotating chef’s choice prix fixe dinner with specials such as crab risotto or gnocchi carbonara for $25. Like everywhere else these days, the goal is to be a “third space”; it’s hard to say whether that will land this time, but the ingredients seem in place.