A brand new cannabis concept called Antidote is making its way to West Hollywood, located at 9091 Santa Monica Blvd.
The new lounge, situated near the famous Troubadour music venue, will feature a massive 6,000-square-foot non-cannabis restaurant as well as a retail space, an attached consumption lounge space, private rooms, and a drinking area called Pure Bar, according to Eater LA. All of this comes from the co-owner of Gaucho Grill, Kirk Cartozian, along with partners Edgar Khalatian and Richard Lichtenstein. Construction of the 99-year-old building is expected to begin later this year, with a planned opening in late-2022.
This new development comes on the heels of the increasing cannabis consumption lounges in Los Angeles County. This concept aims to create a cannabis-positive area where guests can enjoy an upscale environment without being conflicted with the smell of cannabis. Antidote was initially approved as an edibles-only consumption lounge, but license changes have forced the company to add non-consumption areas. An example of how cannabis will be consumed on the premises involves a water-soluble dehydrated cannabis powder with mocktails.
The majority of the restaurant is non-smoking, as California recently capped the smoking lounge to no more than 1,500 square feet. Those who want to consume cannabis on-site will have to in the specific smoking lounge area or private rooms. These private rooms can be bought out for group gatherings. Once dinner is finished, guests will be able to one of the other areas of the building to continue to enjoy the consumption and culture of cannabis.