I don’t think that I’m old, but I’m sure I act like I am. Throughout my college years and those after, I went to my share of house parties and clubs, but after a few years I grew out of it. I don’t know if it’s because my calves weakened from standing in too many lines, if I got sick of the smell of Black & Mild’s in my hair the next day, or if too many sweaty guys gave me the “come here girl” look. Whatever the reason, I keep my distance from the hardcore club scene. Now, I find myself into chill bars or lounges where the aforementioned is nowhere to be found. I recently ran into what I think might be the best place for me to lounge, relax, eat, and not have a guy blow smoke into my hair, it’s Mrs. Fish in Downtown LA.

I’ve seen the sign for Mrs. Fish while I’ve gone upstairs to Perch before, but never thought to look into the basement lounge. However, one day I got the chance to get a tour of the location and a taste of the menu. Walking into the lounge, my eyes widened immediately. Not because there was a trio of women dancing on a counter or because there was a security guard throwing a guy out. Instead, my eyes expanded at the beautifully designed lounge—specifically the fish tanks. You read that right, there are blue-lit fish tanks filled with fish swimming across the ceiling. It’s gorgeous.

With eyes wide open, the restaurant manager, Lisanne, met up with me to take me around the lounge. It’s here where she let me know that they don’t like to refer to Mrs. Fish as a bar or a club. Instead, they call it a music lounge because of the emphasis on various types of live music within their relaxed atmosphere. Walking in at 6:30pm, they already had a band on the main stage playing and setting the mood—so the description was fitting. Lisanne then showed me the different floors and the unique seating areas that either incorporated exposed pipes to the aesthetic or were artfully designed. My favorite section was the cow couch because it was a nice space with a fun backdrop!

After getting the full tour, it was time to take a look over the drink and food menus. Now, I have to give you a small disclaimer and say the drinks and food are a little pricey especially when considering their sizes. However, I can fully say that each drink and dish was absolutely impeccable that they are worth the price–at least one.

Let me break it down for you.

I started with the Vanilla Basil ($12). The cocktail had vanilla vodka, lemon, passion fruit puree, simple syrup, and mint. It was a calm beige color and what made it pop, was the tiny blue mermaid sitting on the rim of the glass. The mixture was froffy, carefree, and easy to drink. The vanilla taste is subtle, but it will creep up on you as it trickles over your tongue. It was a very delicious drink because all the flavors blended together exceptionally well. I wish I had taken that into consideration as I quickly drank it as if it were water. It is strong, so it would set in soon. Would I mind? Of course not. My only thought once I finished it was, “Don’t get another one, don’t get another one!” I sort of listened to myself. I didn’t get another vanilla basil, I got something else instead.

I shouldn’t have gotten another drink since I’m a lightweight, but I liked the first one so much that I had to try a different one. This time I got the Sail Away ($12). This drink had Bacardi rum, agave, lemon juice, kiwi juice, and a kiwi slice resting on top of the ice cubes. It was perfect from the start and all the way to my delayed finish. It was smooth like the Vanilla Basil, except this one had a creaminess to it. I tried to take my time and sip it slowly, and even as the minutes passed and the ice watered it down, it was still good. Kind of like coconut milk, or at least the way you hoped it would taste.

I know I made it look like I drank two cocktails back to back, but I didn’t. In between the drinks I did have food. The music lounge has a menu with items that range from chili dogs to caviar. I asked the waitress, Karolina, to help me decide. She suggested the Tuna Buoy and the Pigs in Zen. It sounded like a strange combination, but after reading the description and letting the liquor set in a bit more I went with her recommendations.

I started with the Pigs in Zen ($10). When I ordered them I wanted to know how the chef would make pork skewers sexy and appetizing. When they arrived at the table, I got it. The chef took four individual pieces of 1-ounce grilled pork belly and brushed them with a sherry-maple soy glaze. To add color and enhance the taste, he garnished the skewers with a slaw of scallions, sweet red bell peppers, and carrots. It was very pretty. They tasted so delectable! The pork was incredibly soft and the maple glaze was like and unbelievably sweet and smooth. The minute I bit into it, I fell in love. It wasn’t just a regular love with a cute guy. More like falling in love with David Beckham, without Posh and his toddler heavy family. In spite of the small size it was a good portion, especially when paired with another dish.

The second dish was the Tuna Buoy ($12), which was kind of expensive. I know the price is based on a variety of things including the ingredients, but this is really something I couldn’t purchase frequently. For me, it would really be something I would get if I were to split it with a friend. Regardless it was delicious. The spicy tuna was mixed with scallions, soy sauce, chili oil, and peanuts. The tuna was then hand rolled in a sesame-soy paper with warm rice, avocado, cucumbers, and served with a ponzu vinaigrette. The small cut rolls aren’t heavy, however the paper and the rice add some weight and density making you think you’re getting full. The tuna within the roll is fresh and a vibrant color and the vegetables combine well with the tuna. But my favorite part is the ponzu sauce that tasted tangy and somewhat sour. It really brings it all together and pairs nicely with the tuna roll.

The last plate to come to the table was dessert. I ordered the Piña Colada Cheesecake ($10). It was a crème fraiche cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. But the part that separates it from a regular cheesecake you could anywhere else, it at Mrs. Fish they serve it with rum flamed pineapple, coconut foam, coconut chips, and caramel sauce. This cheesecake tasted sinfully amazing! It made me so happy that I wanted to give everyone a hug. I’d grab a microphone and shout like Oprah, “You get a hug! You get a hug! You get a hug!”. I loved the circular cheesecake because the cake was creamy and soft, the crust was solid and sweet, the coconut chips added a nice crunch, and the pineapples were fruity and a little boozy. So many different flavors and textures on a fork made it divine!

Mrs. Fish is a sophisticated, beautiful, and confident restaurant with a great menu! You walk inside and you feel like you’re Ariel in the Little Mermaid before she turns into a renegade. You ingest the menu and feel as if you’re Augustus in Willy Wonka—just not as sloppy and with a better hairdo. The music is entertaining and the atmosphere is relaxing and the fact that it’s tucked underneath the city and surrounded by tanks makes you feel like you’re in an underwater oasis. If you order the drinks, sample the food, and go with good company, you’ll never want to go back up to land. And I wouldn’t blame you.

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Address: 448 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: (213) 873-4444
Hours: Wednesday – 5:00pm to 12:00am, Thursday and Friday – 5:00pm to 2:00am, Saturday – 7:00pm to 2:00am, and Closed Sunday and Monday.
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