Matsumoto's 2nd Street Jazz - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo) (Closed)

Back in April 2008, I met up with my childhood friend for dinner in Little Tokyo. We were planning to eat at Sushi Komasa, but the line was out the door. We were told it was about a 45-minute wait. So we left them one of our cell phone numbers and went across the street to grab drinks while waiting for a table. I like this sign of our times! No waiting around to make sure our buzzer was within range or listening for our names to be called.

Matsumoto's 2nd Street Jazz is located next door to Izakaya Haru Ulala - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo). The bar is owned by my friend's former sensei. She bartended for a while there too so we had a bit of an advantage in terms of service and knowing which drinks were best.

It wasn't even 9 p.m. yet, so the bar was empty. Several hours later as we left Sushi Komasa, there was a line out the door. The far corner in the picture below was the stage. You can just barely see a covered grand piano.



Her sensei was behind the bar.



All of the 2nd Street OG drinks were $8.

I'm totally blanking on what I ordered. But, from the looks of it, this might have been a Dirty Whore, kalua, vodka, horchata, and cinnamon?



Or it could have been the Purple Buddah, vodka, coconut milk, pineapple juice, and grape monster?

The drink on the right looks like It's All Fucked Up, sake, wasabi, tomato juice, bitters, splash pineapple juice, club soda.



I had to order it since the menu declared that this was The World's Best Lychee Martini, iichiko shochu, lychee juice, sweet sour, lychee nut. And you know what? It really was.



I would've ordered more drinks if I could. So many great cocktails.

Green Dragon Martini, shochu, green tea powder, sweet vermouth, squeeze of lemon.

Paradise Tokyo, light and dark rum, sweet sour, triple sec, bitters, Coca-Cola, cinnamon.

The J-Bomb, hot sake, green tea, pineapple shot, dumped into cold Kirin beer.

Little Tokyo Tea, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, lychee juice, sweet sour, club soda.

I know! I wanted to try them all.

September 21, 2013 update:
Matsumoto's 2nd Street Jazz is now closed. :(

Other Little Tokyo posts:
Daikokuya Original Noodle & Rice-Bowl - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)
Fugetsu-Do Sweet Shop - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)
Izakaya Haru Ulala - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)
Mikawaya - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)
Sushi Komasa - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)

Matsumoto's 2nd Street Jazz
366 E 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-680-0047
Mon-Fri 6:30 pm - 1:30 am
Sat-Sun 7 pm - 1:30 am

*****
1 year ago today, Hanh Dam (Vietnamese Vinegared Onions).
2 years ago today, I started Weekend Wokking!
2 years ago today, Bimbimbap (Korean mixed rice).