"Are you Bob?" you might ask the man working the counter at Bob's Espresso Bar in North Hollywood, and the answer will almost certainly be yes. Bob, who is Robert Romanus (an actor who once starred in Fast Times at Ridgemont High), opened his namesake coffee shop as a place where actors and musicians could network and hang out, all while Bob froths milk and roasts beans in his low-slung Red Sox cap. The space consists of a few tables with quaint lamps sitting on top of each, and a sofa that faces a small stage where open mic nights regularly feature poets, singers, actors and the occasional medium. Just there for the coffee? Order a house specialty using Billy's Brew, like the "Shot in the Dark," or let Bob make you an espresso with two shots. You can use it as a work space, too: WiFi is free and unlimited.
