130 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {landmark} the dead’s debut If you’ve wandered through downtown Menlo Park, you may have noticed the plaque commemorating this as the site where a legendary band was thrust into the limelight. On May 5, 1965, a then-unknown band called the Warlocks stepped onto a tiny stage at Magoo’s Pizza Parlor and into music history. Soon to be known as the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia and company jammed out here a handful of times, quickly winning over students from Menlo-Atherton High School. Today, Magoo’s cheesy slices have been replaced by Bar Loretta’s craft cocktails. This swanky lounge—decked out in moody floral wallpaper and burgundy barstools—doesn’t scream psychedelic, but it hasn’t forgotten its roots. The menu pays tribute to these rock legends with drinks named after their songs, including Brokedown Palace (gin, grapefruit and sherry) and Friend of the Devil (bonded rye, peated scotch and amaro). A glowing guitar on the wall bears the Dead’s signature skull, while a back hallway displays album covers and original photos of the band. For the group’s 60th anniversary last year, Loretta brought in a Deadhead cover band, but the establishment’s regular soundtrack ranges from hip-hop and swing to techno and jazz. Taking a page from Magoo’s, the bar intends to champion local musicians through live performances on its lofted mezzanine when the weather warms. Check back in May for updates. photography by ROBB MOST HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: BAR LORETTA
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