North Park Welcomes a New Restaurant with a Pretty Balcony

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

What used to be Urban Solace restaurant on 30th Street near University Avenue is now Bacari, a Los Angeles-based concept specializing in shareable Mediterranean-style plates as well as the availability of 90-minute open-bar options that start at $32.

The new tenant has activated the building’s wrap-around balcony, which was never utilized by Urban Solace because the entire second level was used for offices and storage.

Now, there is a full dining room and bar on the second floor, which opens to a two-sided balcony that allows for catching views of commercial North Park. In addition, the structure’s New Orleans-style wrought-iron railings were kept intact as well as its popular ground-level bar and outdoor patio.

Urban Solace closed in 2019 after a 12-year run. The space sat empty until Bacari’s recent opening. If you’re crawling the neighborhood in search of live music, the restaurant features bands and musicians upstairs in the evenings every Thursday through Saturday.