Bar NINETEEN12: $18 cocktails, with a smile

Bar NINETEEN12 might be viewed as the Beverly Hills Hotel's attempt to get face time on "Entourage." If so, mazel tov. This old-Hollywood hotel has struggled for years to embrace the Vincent Chases of the world while catering to producers who have had the same Polo Lounge table since they were creative execs, dammit, and view any change as a direct and personal threat. So the hotel combined a tea lounge and a conference room to create a space that feels savvy, airy and professional all at once. There's even a view into Beverly Hills. It's the sort of stuff that can distract you from the fact that you're paying $18 for a cocktail -- although the target audience isn't likely to look at the tab before signing.

Bar NINETEEN 12, Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd. (310) 276-1912