Little Luck, the newest restaurant by the Hwood Group, opened on Monday, October 19, in West Hollywood. It’s a compelling flip of the former Bootsy Bellows nightclub, now a modern izakaya by chef Erik Idos (Per Se, Jean-Georges, Nobu), who recently moved
back to his native Los Angeles. Little Luck represents a return for the entire team, in fact. Even the concept looks back to a former era in Los Angeles, the early 2000s, when vibey Asian restaurants were the most innovative in the city.
Back then, spots like Koi, Katana, and the influential, shuttered Geisha House demonstrated that Asian food could venture beyond basic sushi rolls and casual fusion fare into specialty rolls, elevated pan-Asian dishes, and creative cocktails. These restaurants leaned into moody lighting, sexy design, and ample music programming. Little Luck will take a more contemporary approach, according to Hwood Group co-founder John Terzian. “A big thing for us is to develop concepts inspired by things we love and fill a void,” says Terzian. “We live and breathe West Hollywood, have been in that space for 13 years, plus clubs and lounges on Sunset and in surrounding areas. Coming up as promoters 30 years ago, the best food was Asian cuisine. It’s the right time to do a new version and homage to what it was back then.”
Terzian and fellow founder Brian Toll recruited Idos, whose menu starts with snacks like egg salad on milk bread, to which caviar can be added upon request. Small plates range from a katsu chicken tender to quail kaarage. A Japanese fruit-tomato salad includes burrata and pickled fennel; corn and snap peas come dressed in chile garlic butter. The raw and cold bar ventures into sashimi, nigiri, and oysters, plus scallops and uni presented on the half shell. The California roll uses blue crab, while other cut rolls include wagyu and lobster with spicy aioli. Garlic lobster noodles look like a standout among the rice and noodle dishes on offer. And large plates run from Santa Barbara spot prawns in a roasted red pepper puree to bone-in short rib ssam slathered in gochujang miso, with lettuce cups for constructing individual bites.
Tokyo Noir barman Kevin Lee created Little Luck’s colorful cocktails. This isn’t the lychee martini from 2005: Lee’s new take balances lychee, Ketel One, bergamot, alpine herbs, Daiyame Shochu, and dry vermouth. Japanese highballs include a Suntory Roku Gin and Japanese white peach cocktail called the Aruarian Dance. The beers are mostly Japanese, the sake list is extensive, and you can order wines from most major regions, including California.
Little Luck’s dining area seats up to 196, with a 10-person bar, two private dining rooms, and a dedicated DJ booth and vinyl wall harboring approximately 4,000 records, all of which will appeal to the late-night crowd, which has been fading in recent years. Expect DJs on Fridays and Saturdays. Terzian designed the restaurant alongside Built Inc.’s John Sofio.
“The era of just great food with a boring ambiance is over,” says Toll. “The places with good lighting, music, and good energy are thriving. People want the balance of good dining and good energy.”
Little Luck is open Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight, though the kitchen closes at 10:30 p.m. at 9229 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
