The Silver Platter, a Latino gay bar that has anchored Westlake since 1963, has secured approval for a conditional use permit to sell alcohol at a new address after facing the loss of its original home to redevelopment. The bar has proposed 1403 W. 3rd St. as its new location, about half a mile from where it operated for more than six decades.
The bar had operated at 2700 W. 7th St. since 1963, according to WhatNow Los Angeles, making it one of Los Angeles' oldest and most enduring gathering places for queer and transgender Latinos, as the Los Angeles Times has reported. The bar faced demolition at its longtime home to make way for a mixed-use development that includes affordable housing, the paper reported in a November 2025 account of the eviction. The proposed project at 2700 West 7th Street was a mixed-use development.
Owners signed a lease on another Westlake location and then sought a conditional use permit from the city to reopen there, the Times reported in its November account. The bar later secured approval for a conditional use permit to sell alcohol there, WhatNow reported. The new site sits inside a 1927 building about half a mile from the original location. The space is planned as the bar's new home.
A Permit Fight Over Noise, Parking and Schools
Getting to this point wasn't simple. The Los Angeles Times reported in August that the proposed relocation drew opposition from the Los Angeles Unified School District and nearby residents, who raised concerns about late-night alcohol service, proximity to schools, parking and noise. Some neighbors pointed to a previous bar that had occupied the same building, telling the Times there had been late-night noise, people drinking or lingering on the front steps of the residential building, and patrons blocking access to the apartment parking entrance.
In response, applicants proposed a set of operating conditions, including opening after the school day ends, installing security cameras and coordinating directly with nearby schools, according to the Times. After a July hearing, the permit case remained under advisement, with no decision yet, the Times reported. WhatNow later reported that the bar secured approval for a conditional use permit to sell alcohol. The permit application sought a conditional use permit for the sale of a full line of alcoholic beverages in conjunction with a bar, along with sign approval. The Times described the proposed sign as a 15-foot neon sign, while WhatNow described it as a 15-square-foot illuminated neon sign on the building's 3rd Street façade.
A Cultural Landmark With Deep Roots
The Silver Platter's significance extends well beyond its liquor license. The bar has served as a safe space for LGBTQ+, immigrant and trans Latina communities in Westlake for over six decades, the Times reported. In 2025, it was named one of the nation's Endangered Latinx Landmarks, the paper also reported.
That recognition underscores the importance of preserving Latinx heritage sites. Forbes noted that the bar had found a nearby new location.
Fundraising Fell Short of Its Goal
The relocation effort hasn't come cheap. Co-owner Martha Vasquez sought $250,000 in donations to support the move, according to L.A. Taco, but as of that outlet's report, the campaign had raised less than $300. WhatNow reported that it reached out to Margarita Xatruch for an opening timeline but had not received a response as of press time, leaving the question of exactly when the doors on West 3rd Street will open still unanswered.
