Broken Shaker to Open in Los Angeles

The Broken Shaker will soon boast a third location. The Miami-based bar, located inside the Freehand Miami, has announced plans to open in the City of Angels.

The Broken Shaker will begin operation at the Freehand L.A., scheduled to open at 416 W. Eighth St. in downtown Los Angeles this fall. The 200-room property is the third Freehand, an upscale hostel and hotel chain owned by the Sydell Group. Rumors had been spreading about the Broken Shaker's joining the Freehand in Los Angeles, but nothing was confirmed. Two days ago, a Twitter account called @BrokenShakerLA surfaced. Yesterday, the LA Times broke the story. In addition to the Shaker setting up shop at the Freehand L.A., Portland, Oregon-based chef Jenn Louis will open an Israeli restaurant there too.

Details about the Broken Shaker's West Coast outpost are still in the works, with partner Gabriel Orta confirming the deal but noting that specifics such as square feet and decor are still in the works. The bar maven did say the Shaker will be located on the property's rooftop. 

Orta said he and partner Elad Zvi are looking forward to expanding their garden-to-glass concept, with Southern California's abundant produce serving as a muse for the duo's innovative cocktails. "We're looking forward to better produce that grows all year-round," he says.

Orta and Zvi opened the Broken Shaker as Miami's first pop-up cocktail lounge at the fading Indian Creek Hotel in January 2012 and became an instant hit with industry professionals who wanted a well-made drink at an affordable price in an unpretentious setting. Six months later, the pop-up closed as intended. 

In December 2012, the Broken Shaker reopened with a face-lift as part of the first Freehand, which transformed the historic Indian Creek Hotel into a funky, urban oasis of cool. 

In June 2015, the Broken Shaker launched its second location, at Freehand Chicago, located at 19 E. Ohio St. in that city's River North neighborhood. The bar closely resembles the Miami original but has subtle changes to match its new home in the Windy City. Cocktails are also tailored to Chicago tastes, with the bar featuring instant classics like a Chicago dog margarita and a Garrett's old-fashioned, named for the city's beloved popcorn maker.

The L.A. Broken Shaker will likely retain its chill vibe, with Orta and Zvi spending time in Los Angeles to recruit and train some of the city's best bartenders before opening. If Miami's Shaker is a second home to celebrity chefs, one can only imagine the A-listers sidling up to the bar at the soon-to-open spot.

The Broken Shaker is a celebrity in its own right, amassing numerous awards and accolades in the past years. In 2015, the Shaker was named Best American Hotel Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, and the Miami location was recently ranked 14th on the World's 50 Best Bars.