O-Bar arrives among the recent renaissance of Los Angeles dining establishments as a shining beacon, a visually evocative demonstration of the confluence of dining, design, fashion, and entertainment. Set on Santa Monica Boulevard, in the heart of West Hollywood, O-BAR owner/designers Thomas Schoos and Michael Berman have set out to ''create a lifestyle of dining,' a location that would serve as both a neighborhood favorite, as well as a dining destination. Visually, O-BAR ravishes the senses. Schoos and Berman brought together the elements of fabric, stone, water, wood, and fire to create and urban oasis, evocative of ''New York Soho Meets Miami Beach.'' Upon entering, one is immediately struck by the cabana seating, each wrapped in a cocoon of draped fabric, with elongated, elegant chandeliers of agate stone gently descending from above. The dramatic use of stone is further seen in large, calming fountains throughout the space, stone sculptures, stone treatments on the surfaces of the bar, as well as enhancing structural pillars. Quartz stone votive candles are scattered throughout, with the flickering light playing majestically off of the arcs and curves of the veneered wall treatments. All of these dramatic details rest between two peaceful patio areas, with fireplaces, fountains, pools, and foliage providing a sense of serenity and repose. The large bar, the central focal point of the room, is crowned with white cane, in dramatic contrast to the gardens, evoking an aura and atmosphere of unparalleled nightlife possibilities.

In the effort to create a destination for dining, Schoos and Berman's mandate was to create an impeccable dining experience, made available at affordable prices, welcoming of the entire community. The menu, described as ''familiar, with a twist,'' plays on old favorites, as well as traditional classics borrowed from the dining rooms of haute cuisine, focusing these many influences into one successful neighborhood restaurant, one in which patrons will likely extend the term 'neighborhood,' as many will inevitably come to call it 'home.'