For some Highland Park residents, the popular stretch of Figueroa Street is barely recognizable from eight years ago when Cafe Birdie first opened its doors. In late 2023, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and Mendocino Farms opened a few blocks away, adding some of the first large corporate food additions to the neighborhood. In order to remain viable in a competitive restaurant scene, co-owners Wade McElroy, Russell Malixi, and Andrew Corbett closed Cafe Birdie briefly for a minor renovation in 2023 and reopened it as Arroyo Club in mid-January.

The trio are longtime Highland Park residents who started seeing the signs of change in 2020. It wasn’t just the neighborhood or the pandemic, they also noticed dining behaviors shift. “I don’t speak for every restaurateur, but this is a good model for us,” says McElroy. “Our old one wasn’t working. And for a lot of people, they don’t want to spend as much. The service isn’t as structured and formal, so now we have a lot of friend meet-ups or people on dates.”

Essentially, Arroyo Club is no longer its own standalone restaurant, instead operating as a cocktail lounge with the adjacent the Hotline available for food. Arroyo Club’s 2,200-square-foot room still maintains its brasserie charm but with new paint, indoor plants, furniture, and layout. Customers can get food delivered directly to their tables by scanning a QR code menu and placing an order via Arroyo Club’s app or from bartenders. Hotline’s burger window will serve bar bites like beef or plant-based smash burgers, grilled cheese, and classic tater tots. Good Housekeeping will also be open for drinks directly behind Arroyo.

Stan Lee

Former Cafe Birdie barman Alejandro Santana developed a new line of cocktails for Arroyo Club. Santana’s cocktails include classic options with margaritas and martinis, along with new inventions like the midnight kiss with rice-washed tequila, cinnamon, cold brew, amaro, and chocolate. The natural wine list features rotating reds, whites, or a pet nat. Beers and a non-alcoholic cocktail menu are also available.

If traveling north or south on this busy stretch of Figueroa, other independent operators are trying their best to appeal to local diners. Otoño’s Teresa Montaño teased the idea of a new market in 2023, while Jeff’s Table began offering a weekend breakfast sandwich option. Carla’s Market opened in November 2023 as a small grocer that partners with local vendors. Now that Arroyo Club has settled into a new model, McElroy doesn’t feel the constant pressure to raise prices and turn off customers. “We still love the neighborhood and the block,” says McElroy. “It’s a great pocket of LA and we love the space.”

The Arroyo Club is open Wednesday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to midnight at 5631 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90042.