The Wolves DTLA Is Quietly Redefining LA Cocktails
Step off the busy streets of Downtown LA, duck behind a carved wooden door, and you’ll find yourself inside The Wolves @thewolvesdtla — not just a bar, but a cathedral of cocktail craftsmanship. The kind of place where the drinks demand your attention, the bartenders move with purpose, and the room feels alive.
We’ve been to The Wolves before. More than once. But this time, TBDE teamed up with our friends at 1921 Tequila @casa1921usa to take a closer look at one of the most inventive cocktail programs in LA.
The menu is a fever dream curated by Nathan McCullough — aka @supercreativereallyniceguy…yes, that’s his handle, and honestly, it tracks. Part artist, part technician, Nathan’s the kind of bartender who doesn’t just mix drinks—he engineers flavors with precision and a little mischief. The menu reads like a short story collection for the slightly unhinged and the deliciously curious. Here are a few of their Must-Try Cocktails.
Agua Buena
A cocktail that punches you in the tastebuds and kisses you on the way out. Shrimp-infused 1921 Blanco Tequila (yes, you read that right), married with an aguachile base — cucumber, garlic, mint, serrano, lime — it’s a seafood cocktail without the spoon. Nathan doesn’t make drinks. He builds flavor biographies.
1921 Negroni
Classic? Not quite. Reinvented? Most definitely. This is the Negroni gone rogue — 1921 Blanco Tequila, Campari, byrrh quinquina, rhubarb liqueur, and Luciano amaro all topped with a toasted coconut foam that could make a grown man cry. It's bitter, sweet, strange, and beautiful — like most good things in life.
Charleston Brew
Think coffee cocktail, but crank the dial until the glass starts to sweat. 1921 Tequila Cream, cacao, espresso, coffee liqueur, and — wait for it — roasted croissant. It’s breakfast for the morally flexible. The whipped cream is the kiss on the forehead you didn’t know you needed.
1921 Tequila Martini
@kalebad serves this one clean and lethal: 1921 Tequila Blanco, dry vermouth, orange bitters (recommended unless you hate perfection), and your garnish of choice — lemon twist or olive. Elegant. Dangerous. James Bond if he grew up in Jalisco.
The Vibe
Low-lights and high-standards. The Wolves isn’t here to babysit your vodka-soda habit. It’s here to make you feel something. It’s a bar that respects the classics, but isn’t afraid to burn the rulebook and build something better in the ashes.
So go. Order something weird. Tip well. And don’t ask too many questions—just trust experts behind the bar.
About The Wolves
The Wolves isn’t the kind of bar you stumble into by accident—it’s the kind of place you hear whispers about, then seek out like a secret worth keeping. Tucked away in the heart of Downtown LA, it feels more like an old-world apothecary than a modern cocktail bar. Ornate ceilings, vintage glassware, and a bar program that doesn’t follow trends—it sets them. This place doesn’t traffic in watered-down basics.
About 1921 Tequila
1921 Tequila isn’t just another pretty bottle on the back bar. It’s a tequila with roots deep in Mexican soil and a name that tips its hat to the end of the revolution. From the crisp bite of the Blanco to the rich, slow-drinking Añejo and the dangerously smooth Tequila Cream, every pour is a lesson in balance—sweet, earthy, and unapologetically bold. The folks at Casa 1921 don’t make tequila for the masses. They make it for people who give a damn. And when they team up with spots like The Wolves DTLA? That’s when things get interesting.