Black Rabbit Rose is a renowned magic theater located in Los Angeles, California. It has garnered numerous positive reviews for its enchanting and mesmerizing performances. Visitors have praised the theater for its intimate and immersive atmosphere, which adds to the overall experience. One of the standout aspects of Black Rabbit Rose is its diverse range of magic shows. The theater hosts a variety of magicians, each with their own unique style and tricks. This ensures that every visit to the theater is a different and captivating experience.

Restaurant Review: Magical Eating at Black Rabbit Rose and Crying Tiger

As a proud native of Los Angeles, I've spent much of my life challenging out-of-towners who declare certain things as being “only in L.A.” However, I admit that the new joint venture by Houston Hospitality and chefs Noree Pla and Fern Kaewtathip of Luv2eat Thai Bistro — Black Rabbit Rose and Crying Tiger — is exactly that.

Where else in the world would someone dip in for a plate of sweet nam tok “waterfall beef” bao bursting with fish sauce, enjoy a burlesque magic cabaret show, sip on the booziest possible rendition of a Thai iced tea, and get a tarot card reading while waiting for the restroom? And where else might you be politely denied all of this Hollywoodness at the door because your snapback violates the dress code?

As is obvious to those of us who've had the privilege of getting faded within the vicinity of Thai Town and subsequently had an epiphany over fried noodles at 3 a.m., Thai food is the official cuisine of Hollywood. After a long night in this part of town, a craving for pad kee mao kicks in like clockwork. While there are numerous late-night options generous enough to stay open past last call to feed us when we're at our worst, Black Rabbit Rose is the first of its kind. That's because Thai food is the headliner of the night, not just something to eat after drinking.

There are two experiences to be had

This establishment actually caters to both needs, and there are two experiences to be had: no-frills takeout from the Crying Tiger window on Hudson Avenue and a leisurely dinner inside Black Rabbit Rose's mysterious, barely lit lounge. Both are rewarding in their own ways, with plenty of diversity in their respective menus to cater to every level of Thai food enthusiast.

Credit: L.A. Weekly

You really should consider Black Rabbit Rose for your next date night, as I don't know a soul who wouldn't be charmed by strong cocktails, tableside magic tricks and esoteric ambiance based on the magic arts. Here you'll find a condensed version of the menu available at Crying Tiger, with some of the takeout window's safe options, but it's enough of a variety to create a great meal. If you're a human who loves food, you will immediately gravitate to the tamarind orange chicken. And, yes, you should order it, because unlike its cloying mainstream cousin it's not too sweet.

The garlicky chicken shui mai may seem out of place outside of a dim sum restaurant, but at nighttime in the middle of Hollywood they will still disappear as soon as the plate lands on your table — because chewy, freshly steamed, juicy dumplings make for perfect drinking food. They may be traditionally Chinese but they adapt well to new surroundings. Unlike the ones you would choose off a cart, these luscious dumplings are filled with ground chicken and water chestnuts instead of the usual pork and shrimp, and topped with fried garlic rather than fish roe. In Thailand, by the way, they are called kanom jeeb and are not always affiliated with dim sum.

If a well-thought-out cocktail with your dinner makes your day as it does mine, you'll have a good time here. Try the Freddy Naff, made with tamarind and whiskey, and the Siamese Twin, which will make you ponder why you've never tried spiking a Thai iced tea with cognac. That said, I would suggest ordering only a single cocktail and washing down the rest of the meal with an ice-cold Singha. Most dishes do swerve to the sweeter side and would benefit from a few big squeezes of lime and generous dashes of fish sauce. Thus, everything goes down easier with a beer.

Those of you with a sweet tooth might have to drive down to Bhan Kanom Thai dessert shop for some pandan buns, because there are no desserts on the menu.

If timing works out, a roaming magician might come to your table and briefly trip you out with a card trick while you're stuffing your face. If your timing is not right, you'll have to settle for the real-life magic that is simply being tended to by the kindest staff I've encountered in Hollywood, complete with a door guy who welcomes you with a smile and may ask how your night is going so far. You will pay for this old-school hospitality, since there's an automatic 20 percent gratuity added to your check.

Black Rabbit Rose interior; Credit: Anne Fishbein

If you don't care for any of this Hollywood magic fancy stuff and just want some good old-fashioned room-temp Thai food out of clamshell containers to pig out on at home, then Crying Tiger may be the takeout window of your dreams. But don't come in a hurry. The wait times can be inconsistent. On a weekday visit at 10 p.m., the scene outside Crying Tiger could have been a deleted scene from Trainspotting. In the unexpectedly long 40 minutes it took to prepare my food, a dude propped up his backpack at a ledge next to the window (intended for brave diners to eat on) and used the surface to dissect his cigarettes and roll the most masterful, fattest spliffs I've seen.

The Crying Tiger window is located front and center on Hollywood Boulevard, right across the street from the iconic Dolores Del Río mural, so there are plenty of things to keep you entertained while your food is being prepared, assuming you don't want to cough up $30 to catch the live magic show at Black Rabbit Rose.

Crispy rice salad; Credit: Anne Fishbein

Once you finally get your food, you should do your best not to drive home recklessly (the appetizing smells might tempt you to become a voracious speed demon). Most of the menu items travel well, so you can drive safely. As for the ones that don't, such as the sun-dried fried beef jerky, the staff will cut the corners of the takeout box so that its contents can breathe and stay crispy. The jagged rice in the crispy rice salad is packed separately from the rest of the larb-like composition of salted ground pork and pungent vegetables, so you can mix it all up at home. It definitely hits the spot, but it won't dethrone Night + Market's or Renu Nakorn's flavor-bomb versions. Same with Crying Tiger's jade noodles with BBQ duck, which will flirt with your late-night craving for the L.A. original at Sapp Coffee Shop up the street but will not satisfy it. Both also demanded more lime juice to counter the kitchen's affinity for sweetness. Luckily I had some in the fridge.

The major disappointment was Crying Tiger's much-hyped braised baby squid with ink over rice (it's never fun to chew on a gladius — the plasticlike quill inside the squid that should ideally be cleaned out). But even so, I could still see myself making a pit stop here for some tamarind orange chicken and crispy rice after an Anti-Flag show at the Troubadour.

Following the September departure of restaurant critic Besha Rodell, L.A. Weekly is publishing reviews from a number of voices. Javier Cabral has been writing about food, including for L.A. Weekly, since he was 16. His work has appeared in Saveur, Los Angeles Magazine, the L.A. Times and Vice.

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The Minty

This ensures that every visit to the theater is a different and captivating experience. The performers at Black Rabbit Rose are highly skilled and talented magicians. They have received accolades for their impressive sleight of hand, mind-boggling illusions, and captivating storytelling abilities.

Hollywood: Magic, Asian Eats and Cocktails at Black Rabbit Rose

I checked out Black Rabbit Rose, the Houston brothers’ latest spot in Hollywood a couple of weeks ago. It opened about a month and half ago, taking over the old Butchers and Barbers spot. It’s a magic club with drinks and food from the Crying Tiger window just outside of Black Rabbit Rose.

Currently the cocktail menu is a collaboration between three bar managers at other Houston Brothers spots. Here are some of the drinks I tried.

The first are the Drunken Noodles. Do you love jello shots? Well, what about “noodles” made from tequila and Aperol? We loved the presentation of this “drink” which is served with chopsticks so you can eat and drink this fun concoction.

Drunken Noodles – tequila, Aperol, blood orange, chili salt, luster, Peychaud’s bitters

crispy chicken skin

One of my favorite Thai restaurants is Luv2Eat which serves some of the spiciest food I know. For their Crying Tiger window which has been open for almost a year now, they serve a more pan-Asian menu. When Black Rabbit Rose is closed, you can still order take-out but I rather like eating at the bar.

We ordered a number of snacks including the crispy chicken skin which were so light! It had a great crunch and don’t forget to squeeze on some lime.

For a magic club, there’s the delightfully named Dark Arts. Sadly it’s not made with Bruichladdich Black Arts scotch whisky but instead it’s vodka that’s been infused with lemongrass. It comes garnished with a lovely white rose petal which is so dramatic against the velvety black drink. The activated charcoal is what gives it its dramatic look.

Dark Arts – lemongrass vodka, aloe, lime, activated charcoal

Pola’s egg rolls

We had watched the magic show (check the website for show dates and times) before getting our grub on. I suspect the performers change all the time but I enjoyed the songs from an songstress who comes from one of the original Magic Castle families. Food is only served in the bar so arrive early or stay later to eat!

There are quite a few snackies including these egg rolls. Next time I’d love to try the lettuce cups.

Smoke and Mirrors

I love a good Negroni and Black Rabbit Rose has a smoked version called Smoke and Mirrors. The drinks are served in both the main bar and in the magic club. In the bar, you get your fortune told with this drink. It was so much fun and a great presentation.

Smoke and Mirrors – gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, smoked hickory, orange zest

I liked the shui mai, it’s a hearty snack if you’re keeping to finger foods with drinks.

A friend got the Zig Zag Lady. I liked it a bit more than him. There is a lot going on with the rum, black currant and spices.

Zig Zag Lady – house blended rum, black currant juice, lime, ginger, Szechuan spice rim, mango candy

green papaya salad with grilled shrimp

It’s probably a good thing the food isn’t quite as spicy as it is at Luv2Eat but it’s still very flavorful and this green papaya salad is absolutely delicious. It’s very fresh and the grilled shrimp feel like an extra treat!

When I first got to the bar, I decided to try the Dove Tail which is essentially a whiskey sour with two types of whiskey; Irish and Scottish.

Dove Tail – Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky, cassis, egg white, lemon

tamarind orange chicken

I probably would not have ordered orange chicken on my own. But when in Rome… er, Hollywood. Actually, this Crying Tiger version is very good. The chicken was crispy and had that perfect sweet and sour-ish flavor.

My drinking buds seemed to like the Honey Bunny best. I am allergic to honeydew so I tried a small sip of this. But I do tend to like spicy agave spirit drinks.

Honey Bunny – mezcal, honeydew, lime, habanero chile tincture

The jade (spinach) noodles are a meat lover’s dream. There’s plenty of roasted duck.

crispy rice salad

I surprised myself in liking the crispy rice salad. It’s also not something I would normally order but for some reason I did that night and I’m proud I made that decision. Such intense flavors and textures.

Actually, I take that back. I think the group favorite drink was the Siamese Twin with the tumeric-infused cognac and Thai tea. Who doesn’t love condensed milk?

Siamese Twin – tumeric-infused cognac, Thai iced tea, condensed milk, lavender bitters

Crying Tiger window

I had a great time and I’d hang out at the bar again even if I didn’t go watch a show.

Lounge at Black Rabbit Rose

Come for the food and drinks, return for the experience. This restaurant doesn't only feature a menu of select Thai-Chinese favorites from the neighboring take-out window, Crying Tiger, but an experience into the unexpected world of distinguished sleight of hand and magic. happening at any time, anywhere: at the entrance, at your table, on the bar, in the hall. even your cocktails are not only crafted to satisfy but also to amuse.

These magicians effortlessly engage the audience and leave them in awe with their incredible acts. In addition to the exceptional performances, Black Rabbit Rose also offers a full-service bar. The bar offers an extensive menu of handcrafted cocktails, which have also received rave reviews. The combination of great magic and delicious drinks creates a truly unforgettable evening for visitors. The decor of Black Rabbit Rose is another aspect that leaves a lasting impression on visitors. The theater is adorned with vintage magic posters and artifacts, creating an ambiance reminiscent of the Golden Age of magic. The attention to detail in the design of the theater further enhances the overall experience and transport visitors into a world of wonder. Overall, Black Rabbit Rose has received glowing reviews for its exceptional magic performances, intimate atmosphere, delicious drinks, and stunning decor. It is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in magic or looking for a unique and memorable evening of entertainment..

Reviews for "Black Rabbit Rose Magic Show: Beyond Imagination"

1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to experiencing the magic at Black Rabbit Rose, but I left feeling disappointed. The performers seemed disinterested and lacked charisma. The tricks were predictable and didn't leave me in awe like I expected. The overall atmosphere was lackluster, and I didn't feel like I was transported into a magical world. It's a shame because I had high expectations, but Black Rabbit Rose just didn't deliver.

2. John - 1 star - Black Rabbit Rose was a major letdown. The magic acts felt amateurish and lacked finesse. The performers seemed to be going through the motions without any passion or enthusiasm. There were no mind-blowing illusions that I had hoped for. The venue itself was cramped, and it was difficult to find a good view of the stage. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with my experience and wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a quality magic show.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - I attended a show at Black Rabbit Rose hoping to be entertained by jaw-dropping magic, but I left feeling underwhelmed. The acts were lackluster and didn't have the wow factor I was expecting. The performers lacked stage presence and seemed to rush through their routines. The ambiance was also disappointing, with a dimly lit and cramped space that made it difficult to fully engage with the performances. Unfortunately, Black Rabbit Rose fell short of my expectations.

4. Michael - 2.5 stars - While the concept of Black Rabbit Rose seemed intriguing, the execution left much to be desired. The tricks and illusions were average at best, and I've seen more impressive acts at local magic shows. The performers lacked the charm and charisma that is essential for an engaging magic show. The venue was also cramped, and the seating arrangement made it difficult to see the stage from certain angles. Overall, I was unimpressed by the show and left feeling unsatisfied.

5. Jessica - 1 star - I had high hopes for Black Rabbit Rose, but it turned out to be a complete disappointment. The magic acts were lackluster, predictable, and failed to elicit any sense of wonder or excitement. The performers seemed disinterested and unenthusiastic throughout the show. The venue itself was also cramped, and it was challenging to see the stage from where I was seated. It's safe to say that I won't be returning to Black Rabbit Rose anytime soon.

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