24 Rare Photos of Celebrities Inside L.A.'s Infamous Viper Room

The Viper Room opened on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood in 1993. Johnny Depp was one of the owners (he would give up his stake in 2004). The music venue quickly became a gathering spot for the cool kids in Hollywood and gained notoriety when, on Halloween night in 1993, River Phoenix overdosed on drugs and died at the age of 23. That did not hurt the club's popularity, however. Stars of the time continued to turn up, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, and Keanu Reeves. Adam Duritz, the lead singer of Counting Crows, bartended at the Viper Room while his band was putting out hit singles. During the '90s and early 200os, it was one of those places with an outsized reputation. It was also relatively free of photographers; however, some photos were taken throughout that period, and they offer a glimpse into a wild world.