Anderson .Paak’s New Speakeasy, Andy’s, Is “Like My Home Studio … But With Bomb-A** Food”

Anderson .Paak, the Grammy-winning musician who’s also half of Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars, opens Andy’s on Sept. 25. It’s an intimate throwback live-music venue with a focus on R&B and jazz. His partners are his friends: seasoned L.A. nightlife impresarios Mark and Jonnie Houston, whose other industry-favored ventures include La Descarga, Break Room 86, No Vacancy and Level 8.

“It’s going to be a little like you’re in my home studio, or mom’s basement,” .Paak says of the West Hollywood club at 9077 Santa Monica Blvd., right between the Troubadour and Dan Tana’s. “But with bomb-ass food and a top-notch sound system for the stage.” (.Paak also debuted as a director earlier this month at TIFF with K-Pops.)

The space most recently was known as the Doheny Room and before that The Lounge. In 2002, the property entered into pop-culture legend as the site of a much-reported dance-off between exes Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and their entourages.

Lately, .Paak has been holding auditions for a house band “that can be killing it all across the week” and has filled the space with mementos, from awards and personal photos to the vivid ensemble he wore during his 2022 Super Bowl halftime performance. 

“This idea grew out of a conversation between the three of us,” says Mark. “It was a spit-balling. Some of the best times we’ve spent together are just hanging out during jam sessions. What if we could bring that feeling to a venue? That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Like many of the Houstons’ spots, Andy’s is tucked away, speakeasy-style. Here, the entrance is hidden within a freshly installed, fully functioning newspaper and magazine stand — a decidedly suspicious front. “There’s not many left in town,” says Jonnie, noting the project’s nostalgic nature. “We’ll be selling cigarettes, gum, a really curated blend of publications — everything you expect to find among the racks.”

This story first appeared in the Sept. 11 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.