On Wednesday, August 16, 2023, celebrity hotspot Yamashiro Hollywood hosted the afterparty for the Back on the Strip screening. Although cast members and writers were unfortunately unable to attend due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, other distinguished guests celebrated the comedy’s launch with Yamashiro’s delectable menu options and iconic views.
While Yamashiro is traditionally mentioned in contexts of iconic Los Angeles landmarks and lavish culinary experiences, the Hollywood powerhouse has spent much of this summer proving its success as an event venue. The Back on the Strip afterparty is only the most recent in Yamashiro’s string of high profile entertainment industry events this year. Just this summer, the restaurant has also hosted an afterparty for Charlie Day’s directorial debut, Fool’s Paradise; a charity gala for the Miss Filipina International Pageant and Save the Children; and weekly star-studded comedy nights. It’s quickly becoming impossible to talk about the Los Angeles comedy scene without mentioning Yamashiro.
The restaurant has various event spaces suitable for different occasions, including the Sunset Dining Room for more intimate celebrations or the Garden Courtyard for a more spacious social scene. Guests can also work with Yamashiro’s courteous staff to customize details such as menu options, live music setups, eye-catching displays, photobooths, and games. The Back on the Strip afterparty truly took advantage of these options, boasting a DJ booth, mouth-watering sushi and dessert displays, perfectly crispy spring rolls, flaky veggie empanadas, tender beef wagyu, rich coconut shrimp, and a classic spicy tuna crispy rice.
Directed by Chris Spencer, Back on the Strip tells the comedic tale of aspiring magician Merlin (Spence Moore II), who ventures to Las Vegas to pursue his dreams, but winds up as a male stripper instead. The film stars Girls Trip (2017) and Night School’s (2018) Tiffany Haddish, Clue (1985) and Police Academy’s (1984) Colleen Camp, SpiderMan: Far from Home (2019) and SNL’s J.B. Smoove, and The Blade Trinity’s (1998) Wesley Snipes; it also features an iconic cameo from Get Hard (2015) star Kevin Hart.
