Get us in your inbox

Search
Sassafras Saloon
Photograph: Jakob N. LaymanSassafras

The best fireplace bars in Los Angeles

There’s nothing like snuggling up at a cozy fireplace bar in the colder months with a stiff drink to keep you toasty and warm.

Edited by
Patricia Kelly Yeo
Contributors
Erin Kuschner
&
Stephanie Breijo
Advertising

Contrary to popular belief, winter does exist in Los Angeles. For a few fleeting months, the Santa Ana winds litter our streets with palm fronds, cravings for ramen and pho are at an all-time high and, yes, even the leaves change colors (you might just have to drive to see them). So when the sun sets early and that Pacific Ocean breeze blows in, it’s time to head for the fire pits and other cozy places around L.A. These fireplace bars are keeping us warm with crackling flames and seasonal cocktails all fall and winter long. Now—let’s get lit!

Get cozy at these fireplace bars

  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Culver City
  • price 3 of 4

Head to the back of Culver City’s Hatchet Hall for a cocktail at this rustic bar, which just so happens to feature plenty of taxidermy and a crackling fireplace. Bar director Duncan Mischo keeps things toasty with drinks like the Doverhill, made with Old Forester rye, vermouth, amaro and Cointreau. 

  • Restaurants
  • Scottish
  • Atwater Village
  • price 3 of 4
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Tam O'Shanter (@tamoshanterla) on

You might feel as though you've been dropped into Mr. Toad’s study, and with good reason: Among the famous patrons of Tam O’Shanter’s 100-year run are none other than the late Walt Disney and his Imagineers. It’s all rustic yet refined in this Scottish pub setting, with mutliple fireplaces surrounded by tartans and other bric-a-brac. There's also a cozy patio with a beautiful outdoor fireplace—the perfect spot for a hot toddy or one of Tam's large-format boozy tea cocktails on cool nights.
Advertising
  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Westwood
  • price 3 of 4

Lined with stocked bookshelves, wood-paneled booths and a roaring fireplace, the Wellesbourne is your booziest library dream come to life. It’s modeled after 18th-century England, specifically Shakespeare’s hometown, so every room is filled with refined touches. To get into the mood, try the Dealer’s Choice and specify “strong and stirred,” letting the experts do the choosing, or opt for seasonal specials such as the Egg Nog Blue Blazer, made with three different rums and house-made nog.

  • Hotels
  • Boutique hotels
  • Rancho Palos Verdes/Rolling Hills Estates
  • price 3 of 4
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Terranea Resort (@terranearesort) on

The fire-pit–studded restaurant in Rancho Palos Verdes is seriously romantic—just sip by the flames with your significant other and try not to shack up at the adjoing resort. Wondering what to order? The Rip Tide mixes Bacardi rum, myer's dark rum, giffard banana liqueur, chambord, pineapple and grenadine.

Advertising
  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Hollywood
  • price 2 of 4
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 1933 Group (@1933group) on

Nursing a cocktail by the fireplace at this New Orleans-themed bar puts us in a notably warm and fuzzy mood, especially when you’re sipping on something like the Who Dat? Settle into one of the couches and enjoy the drink's fiery flavors, which get a bright and juicy infusion when lime and jalapeno join the party. Just a heads up: Sassafras is only open on Saturday nights right now.
  • Bars
  • Wineries
  • Pasadena
  • price 3 of 4

Located inside a former groundskeeper’s cottage, this stunning Pasadena bar (along with its equally cozy restaurant counterpart, the Raymond) boasts a stone fireplace indoors and some of the most well-executed cocktails in L.A. String lights and rustic design flourishes add to the hygge factor, and you can also order the full dinner menu to enjoy at the bar (which is open late Friday and Saturday evenings right now—otherwise it’s still being used as expanded restaurant space). 

Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • Burbank
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Castaway (@castawayburbank) on

Sweeping views of the Valley all the way to the coast? Yes, please. Of course, sitting on a patio to get these views can get pretty cold and windy, especially when perched high in the Verdugo Mountains. Thankfully, Castaway’s recent renovation decked out their famous deck with multiple fire pits to keep you warm. To get the VIP treatment, visit the classy Green Room, Castaway’s reservation-only bar, which features its own outdoor fireplace and lounge area.

  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Pasadena
  • price 2 of 4
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Magnolia House (@maghousepasadena) on

Idle by the fire and nosh on beer queso and Belgian fries over cocktails at this indoor-outdoor hideaway. It’s perfectly charming on the patio or in the lovely brick alleyway of this low-key Pasadena spot, but we recommend waiting for the snug sofa by the fire, housed inside of an old Craftsman-style bungalow.

Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Californian
  • Sherman Oaks
  • price 2 of 4

At the newest location of this vibey local mini-chain, you'll find Bacari's signature Mediterranean-inspired, Italian-leaning dishes inside a stellar new Valley space with a gated-tunnel entrance, a cozy parlor with a fireplace, a sprawling courtyard patio and an airy, window-wrapped dining room and bar. Head to the second bar inside the parlor for a glass of sangria or a stiff drink, where a roaring fireplace keeps guests warm all night long.

 

 

 

  • Restaurants
  • Steakhouse
  • Pacific Palisades

What happens when one of the Westside’s old-guard steakhouses gets a modern rebirth? You get a killer line-up of reimagined dishes—in addition to the classics—all in the same sleek leather booths that defined the original Golden Bull. While the kitchen typically closes at 9 or 10pm (meaning this isn't a late-night food destination), the restaurant's front bar stays open until 2am and features a cozy fireplace that's perfect for chilly winter nights.

Advertising
  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • West Hollywood
  • price 3 of 4

L.P. Rooftop—the upper deck of E.P. & L.P.—has sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills, which makes it all the more enjoyable to huddle around the rooftop fire pit and take in the scenery. The straightforward cocktail menu and full bar here hits the spot for a scenier but still cozy night out, including a delightful bubble tea-laden drink, and a solid menu of bar bites.

  • Restaurants
  • Californian
  • Studio City
  • price 2 of 4
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Front Yard (@thefrontyardla) on

Make the most of our near-perfect weather and enjoy some fire alfresco at the Front Yard, the Garland Hotel's breezy restaurant and bar. The patio features a blaze and plenty of bulb lights, perfect for a chilly evening and made all the more perfect with their heartier fare like a flatbread or the steak platter. Sip on any of their signature cocktails—like the Cranky J, named after the hotel owner James Crank—to really warm up. 
Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising