The Kibitz Room

On our lists of the best speakeasies, cocktail bars, live music venues and activities in Los Angeles.

Since 1961, an alcove off the dining room at Canter's Deli on Fairfax has held a full bar and a small stage. The stage gave early sets to Fiona Apple, the Wallflowers and Rick Rubin's band the Vacation, and once drew Joni Mitchell and members of Guns N' Roses through its door to hang around and sometimes play. Chuck E. Weiss, a regular, has his name on a plaque over the booth where he sat and wrote a song about the room. Something runs most nights of the week, often sliding into a jam session by midnight, and the room stays open until 1:40 a.m.