The best speakeasies in Los Angeles

What is it? An underground bar in the Arts District and the L.A. outpost of a famous NYC cocktail bar known for its use of rare spirits and high-quality ingredients.

Why we love it: The chances of you, a mere mortal, walking into Death & Co without a reservation on a weekend are slim to none, but the bar still has some of the best (and until recently most expensive!) drinks in the city. Flavor profiles and vibes are divided into labels such as “light and playful” and “boozy and honest.” Previously known for pricing most of their drinks in the mid-20s, most of the menu has been pulled under $22, with many, like the gimlet-adjacent Fushigiri, coming in at $19. For time-tested techniques and a vast array of unique, hard-to-find spirits, it’s a great price range for the quality. If you’re in search of cheaper drinks, Death & Co. offers a happy hour (Mon–Wed, Sun 6–8pm) that includes $13 cocktails and half off bar snacks like popcorn and chip-and-dip.

Time Out tip: In both spaces, a slightly damp, “old building” smell hangs in the air, and anyone who’s closed their tab at Death & Co. proper will definitely feel pressured by staff to leave.

Address: 810 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Opening hours: Mon, Tue 6pm–midnight; Wed, Thu 6pm–1am; Fri, Sat 6pm–2am; Sun 6pm–midnight

What is it? An intimate speakeasy in Long Beach serving izakaya-inspired fare and stellar cocktails. 

Why we love it: In the muraled alley of Long Beach’s El Barrio Cantina, one can find their way into Tokyo Noir by turning on a neon Godzilla sign. Kevin Lee (formerly of the Wolves in Downtown L.A.) has created an enticing bar program featuring drinks like Juice Theory for the tomato-loving crowd and a Moscow Mule riff for gin lovers called Stay With Me. Classic highballs and a robust selection of Japanese whiskies round out the menu of drinks crafted with Japanese-style flair; the bar food menu features standouts like salmon crudo and wasabi fries. 

Time Out tip: We recommend the kakigori-inspired First Love cocktail. Sure, the price ($22) might leave locals with a little sticker shock, but the shochu-laden shaved ice comes in a supersized cocktail glass, so you can share the delicious brain freeze with your friend or date.

Address: 1731 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90802

Opening hours: Wed, Thu 5pm–midnight; Fri, Sat 5pm–1am; Sun 5pm–midnight

What is it? A bar hidden behind one of the last Victorian-era homes in Hollywood and one of the most difficult bars in the area to get into on weekend evenings.

Why we love it: Mark and Jonnie Houston are the undisputed power duo of hidden bars with dark, brooding atmosphere. In fact, the twins nearly corner the market on it: Between Harvard & Stone, La Descarga, Black Rabbit Rose and Pour Vous, they’ve become the champions of L.A.’s themed bars, dress codes, burlesque shows and colorful classic cocktails. But when it comes to the best of their best, you’ll need to check in. The scene: a Victorian-style Old Hollywood hotel, and you’re looking for room 1902—once you find it, you’ll speak to the woman lounging on the bed and descend into No Vacancy’s refined, charming bar that’s lush with dark wood and old-timey signs espousing lines like “ALL YOUR PLEASURES.” The real gem is the back patio, though, which is where you’ll usually find burlesque acts and live music under the string lights on Friday and Saturday nights. 

Time Out tip: Be warned here that the doormen play favorites—you might be waiting over an hour or more to get into No Vacancy. 

Address: 1727 N Hudson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Opening hours: Thu–Sat 8pm–2am

What is it? A clandestine vinyl bar tucked away from the chaos of Hollywood Boulevard. 

Why we love it: Step inside this enchanting vinyl bar where bartenders are easygoing and drinks are wholly original, and you’ll quickly forget that you’re smack-dab in the heart of Hollywood. They like it dark here—so dark you can hardly see your date—with tunes kept low. That’s because conversation is king inside this windowless, mid-century-inspired space decked out in dark wood and leather; formerly known as Lost Property, LP Vinyl Bar now hosts the record collection of local DJ Raul Campos. To find Lost Property, look for the unmarked space next to the Pineapple Express, though the lines on weekends will probably tip you off.

Time Out tip: Lost Property also has a separate hotel-anchored offshoot in Palm Springs that serves a full food menu.

Address: 1704 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Opening hours: Wed–Sun 8pm–2am

What is it? A magic-themed Hollywood bar by the prolific Houston Hospitality.

Why we love it: And for their next trick, the Houston brothers make magic in the heart of Hollywood. Sure, we’ve already got the Magic Castle, but if you don’t know a member and your taste in bar food skews Thai—Luv2Eat Thai Bistro is behind the delicious menu here—then you’re going to need a trip to Black Rabbit Rose. The bar features tableside sleight of hand and surprises at every turn, as well as an additional magic-leaning variety show in the bar’s own theatre. Think: Victorian splendor (leather booths, red curtains, fancy dress) and Houdini-esque theatrics, even when it comes to the cocktails. Unlike the duo’s other spot on this list, there’s no rotating bed to lead you in; just look for the sign of a rabbit at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Hudson Avenue, walk beneath the nondescript awning and you’re there.

Time Out tip: If you’re hungry, order the drunken noodles with your choice of protein.

Address: 1719 N Hudson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Opening hours: Tue 7pm–1am; Wed 9pm–2am; Thu–Sat 8pm–2am

What is it? A speakeasy-style tiki bar hidden away behind Tail o’ the Pup in West Hollywood.

Why we love it: The level of detail in the design of the space is incredible, the drinks are well-made and the bar food is delicious. Enter the Lucky Tiki by buzzing the intercom within the pickle barrel on the patio. Then, push through the beaded curtain and you’ll find an intimate space decorated with blowfish lanterns, one-of-a-kind tiki mugs and plenty of memorabilia from the original Lucky Tiki, which the 1933 Group (Harlowe, Bigfoot Lodge, Idle Hour) first opened in the San Fernando Valley back in the early aughts. The second-floor space is also where the Doors recorded L.A. Woman in 1970, and the bar pays homage with a drink called the Ghost of Jim Morrison, which pairs Copalli rum with blackberry shrub and burnt rosemary. All of the drinks here are kitschy, strong and delicious—everything we’re looking for in a tiki drink.

Time Out tip: If this popular spot is booked up, you have better chances of getting into its sibling speakeasy hidden in Highland Park Bowl.

Address: 8512 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Opening hours: Wed–Sat 5pm–midnight; Sun 3–9pm

What is it? A Prohibition-inspired bar concept hidden behind working barbershops in Culver City and Highland Park. 

Why we love it: There’s not one but two Blind Barbers here in Los Angeles, both worth making your way past the barbershops to get to. Joshua Boyd, Adam Kirsch and Jeff Laub brought their Prohibition-era–inspired speakeasies to New York City, where vest-bedecked bartenders whip up classics in classy settings behind a fully functioning barber shop. On the West Coast, they first landed in Culver City with a close replica of NYC’s outpost, but for their next trick, they headed east to Highland Park with a midcentury-inspired cocktail den slinging drinks and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches until 2am in a setting that’s more ’70s chic. The cool setting is sleek, it’s low-lit, it’s wood-paneled, and one of the best places to go dancing in Northeast L.A.

Time Out tip: Nightly from 6 to 7pm, both Blind Barber locations host a happy hour with discounted well drinks, cocktails and more.

Address: Culver City: 10797 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232; Highland Park: 5715 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Opening hours: Culver City: Mon–Wed 6pm–midnight; Thu–Sat 6pm–2am; Sun 6pm–midnight; Highland Park: Mon–Sat 6pm–close

What is it? A classy, reservation-only speakeasy nestled behind Vitello’s in Studio City.

Why we love it: The original hat trick from Mark and Jonnie Houston (Good Times at Davey Wayne’s and Breakroom 86), La Descarga hides decadence in a seemingly nondescript Hollywood apartment building. Up a candlelit stairwell, a hostess will guide you through an armoire leading not to Narnia, but old Havana. You descend down a wrought-iron staircase into 1940s Cuba, complete with the warm weather and wear of leather booths and chandeliers. Every night, live musicians wail from the balcony, where you can also find glittering burlesque dancers on Thursdays through Saturdays. In true homage to the island nation, the elegantly seedy space also includes a cigar lounge and one of the most comprehensive rum selections in the city.

Time Out tip: There’s usually a line; make sure to book a reservation ahead of your visit to breeze through. 

Address: 1159 N Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Opening hours: Tue–Sat 8pm–2am

What is it? A Koreatown cocktail lounge with a door-themed secret entrance.

Why we love it: Look for the red door and the red neon sign shaped like a lock with a key, and you’ve reached your destination: Lock & Key, which leads to part club, part patio. I say “door-themed” because there’s not just one door: Enter the first one, then you’ll find yourself at a wall of doorknobs and yes, you’ve got to find the right one. From there, it’s a moody, standing-room bar (unless you want to spring for a table), which is where you’ll find fruity, fresh cocktails with seasonal spins and some that bellow fog thanks to some liquid-nitrogen mixology tricks. Outdoors, the enclosed patio still keeps the secrecy of a speakeasy from the outside world, though the DJ sets, live bands and general crowd noise is obviously enough to alert the rest of K-town to the great time you’re having.

Time Out tip: Lock & Key also serves an extensive bar food menu that includes Chicago-style deep dish pizza, New York-style slices, fried chicken and a decadent, battered and deep-fried PB&J sandwich. 

Address: 239 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Opening hours: Thu– Sat 7pm–2am; Sun 3:30–9:30pm

What is it? A classy, reservation-only speakeasy nestled behind Vitello’s in Studio City.

Why we love it: This Valley speakeasy aims to transport you back to the golden age of Hollywood. Listen to tunes by Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra and other classics as you sip on an old-fashioned and nosh on a full dinner menu that includes arancini, fettuccine alfredo and other Italian American classics. Other drink highlights include the Nightingale (pure passionfruit purée, grapefruit-infused seltzer and your choice of spirit) and the That’s Mr Hemingway (rum, lime, grapefruit and maraschino cherry liqueur). The Rendition Room also enforces a business casual dress code, so be sure to dress to impress and leave the shorts, jeans, baseball caps, flip-flops and athleisure at home. 

Time Out tip: Don’t try to come here with more than three other people; to preserve the intimate atmosphere, parties are only allowed to be four or fewer, at least for non-members.

Address: 4349 Tujunga Ave #2, Studio City, CA 91604

Opening hours: Tue–Thu 5–9pm; Fri, Sat 5–9pm; Sun 5–10pm

What is it? An intimate speakeasy along Fairfax with over-the-top drinks and upside-down decor that literally upends expectations.

Why we love it:. Unlike the menu-free Blue Collar next door, Cold Shoulder offers a hefty booklet of craft cocktails ($20–50) accessible through a sliding library shelf from its more casual sibling. On weekend nights, ask the Blue Collar host for the password, or simply walk right in on more relaxed weekday evenings. The house menu here runs a tad sweet in our opinion, particularly the “top shelf” creations, but study the menu for a few minutes and you’re likely to find something to your liking.

Time Out tip: If all else fails, order something classic: Cold Shoulder’s experienced bartenders know how to put essentially any drink together.

Address: 359 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Opening hours: Mon–Wed 7pm–midnight; Thu 7pm–1am; Fri, Sat 7pm–2am; Sun 7pm–midnight

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What is it? A small speakeasy with craft cocktails underneath The 35er.

Why we love it: When you walk down the stairs in one of Pasadena’s longstanding dives, The 35er, you will think you’re in the wrong place. Surely, you are intruding on crates meant only for employees’ eyes. But you’ll find an out-of-place phone booth where, if you simply say how many people are in your party, you’ll be buzzed into a little cove of a bar. Slivers of tables line the walls, perfect for dates, with coveted four-tops centered under monkey-themed Edison bulbs. Most speakeasies that serve up traditional gin martinis (complete with orange bitters) and niche classics like Queen’s Park Swizzles have a dress code, but 10 ¼ welcomes you as you are. The energy gets raucous as those there for the speakeasy and 35er regulars commingle in a space that feels like a locals’ bar. The high energy feels more like a rollicking hideaway in the 1920s than some of its contemporaries, even in a sea of New Balances.

Time Out tip: On Fridays and Saturdays, there’s also a tiki speakeasy if you’re looking for a more rum-forward selection.

Address: 12 E Colorado Blvd, Old Town Pasadena, CA, 91105

Opening hours: Wed 6pm–midnight; Thu-Sat 8pm–2am; Sun 7pm–midnight

What is it? An actual century-old speakeasy underneath Venice’s Townhouse. 

Why we love it: Townhouse is one of the busiest bars in Venice Beach and while the crowds and the energy might convince you that this is where the party is, what you’re looking for is downstairs. Housed in the basement, the Del Monte is a modern speakeasy that really was an actual speakeasy roughly 100 years ago—how’s that for authenticity? These days, it’s home to classic-leaning cocktails and most of the live entertainment in the building, eschewing DJ sets for burlesque, jazz and other shows that might just keep the Del Monte going for another 100 years to come.

Time Out tip: Check Townhouse’s Instagram to find out who’s performing downstairs at the Del Monte.

Address: 52 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 5pm–2am; Sat 6pm–2am; Sun noon–2am

What is it? A rock-inspired Downtown speakeasy hidden behind Bar Clacson with live music. 

Why we love it: As if Bar Clacson weren’t enough—and honestly, how can French and Italian aperitif cocktails not be enough?—the stylish, comfortable and popular Downtown bar gave us a second annex that’s all about neon and fun. These days, the Slipper Clutch hosts live music most nights of the week. Follow the lit-up arrow sign that screams “HIGHBALLS” at the back of Bar Clacson, hang a right and find yourself in the Slipper Clutch, where you can find basic cocktails, highballs and tall boys. After you’ve ordered, take some time with the vintage arcade games and the pool table or just wait for the show to begin.

Time Out tip: To find out in advance who’s playing at the Slipper Clutch, check out the weekly live music schedule on the bar’s Instagram. 

Address: 351 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Opening hours: Daily 8pm–2am