The 17 best things to do in West Hollywood

Of all the old-school stand-up rooms, the Comedy Store is the only one that’s managed to keep its lineups consistently fresh and funny while staying true to its seedy Sunset Strip roots (it dates back to 1972, when it took over a space that was once the notorious club Ciro’s). Three separate stages host a monstrous array of stand-ups more or less every night of the week, and its long showcases are known for headline-worthy drop-ins (just maybe cash out your two-drink-minimum tab before the doldrums of the last hour of the show).

Sleeping baskets on the roof, communal kitchens and a revolving-door salon of artists: Nope, we’re not talking about a Burning Man camp—this is the Schindler House, designed by Austrian architect Rudolph M. Schindler, who built it as a dual-family residence in 1922. These days, it’s home to the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, a Vienna-based institute that runs a fantastic program of events in the space (think experimental fashion shows, innovative performance art and concerts of new compositions). From Wednesday to Sunday, you can tour the house ($10 with a reservation) and imagine yourself as part of the freewheeling L.A. bohemia of the 1920s and ’30s.

Time Out tip: Located a 10-minute drive away from the house, the Mackey Apartments—also designed by Schindler and run by the MAK Center—house artists and offer free exhibitions in the back courtyard.

Address: 835 N Kings Road, West Hollywood, CA 90069

This storied club has a rich musical history: Randy Newman got his start here, and Elton John made his U.S. debut on its stage in 1970. It hasn’t lapsed into irrelevance in the time since, and you’ll see on-the-rise bands sell out the intimate space on a weekly basis, as well as once-in-a-while intimate sets from arena-sized bands. The sound is great, and the views are decent from almost anywhere in the room—just stay out from under the balcony.

Time Out tip: Located on the same block, you’ll find classic red-sauce Italian restaurant Dan Tana’s and new entry Andys, a bar and live music club from rapper Anderson .Paak.

Address: 9081 N Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

The eponymous burgers at Hamburger Mary’s aren’t quite destination-worthy, but the entertainment at this West Hollywood mini-chain—its tag line is “Eat, drink and be Mary”—sure is. Swing by on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for charity bingo nights, or all day Sunday for brunch with drag divas and bottomless mimosas, which you drink out of the restaurant’s signature 20-ounce leg glasses.

Time Out tip: Owners Dale Warner and Ruben Lopez recently bought WeHo institution Micky’s, a nightclub that keeps the party going till 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. There’s also a second SoCal Hamburger Mary’s in Long Beach.

Address: 8288 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

This long-standing indie book shop has been a staple for L.A. bookworms since 1975. The variety of stock at Book Soup is huge and diverse (it carries more than 60,000 titles, to be exact)—even if the space itself is a little squeezed. It’s also a regular stop on literary luminaries’ book tours.

Time Out tip: Tucked away next to Book Soup is hidden gem Mystery Pier Books, a bookshop that caters to A-list clientele with its unparalleled selection of first editions and signed copies.

Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Just below the star-studded Hollywood Hills, West Hollywood’s mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard has long been the epicenter of a unique mix of sleaze and glam (it’s also where you’ll find most of the venues on this list). It’s nearly impossible to miss the building-sized billboards, legendary clubs and kitsch—think Mel’s Drive-in, Pink Dot, Carney’s and Saddle Ranch (which has inexplicably become an influencer favorite). 

Time Out tip: Though much of the music scene has moved east, you’ll still find industry types mingling in Sunset Plaza’s high-end restaurants and boutiques. Make a reservation for dinner or weekend brunch at destination-worthy seafood spot Saltie Girl.

Address: Sunset Blvd from Doheny Dr to Crescent Heights Blvd

The Abbey’s unwavering success is also one of its downsides. Not so very long ago, it was the nucleus of gay life in West Hollywood, but as its popularity has grown, increasingly the crowd (particularly at night) seems to be made up of tourists and a hodgepodge of barflies. All that said, make no mistake: The Abbey is the granddaddy of gay bars in Los Angeles, and as such, it still rules the roost. Other bars and clubs come and go, but WeHo locals still worship at the altar of the Abbey from time to time.

Time Out tip: We know more than a few people who’ve had their phones stolen in and around the Abbey, so keep your wits about you during your visit. 

Address: 692 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

West Hollywood might not be the very first city to add a touch of rainbow to the street, but this photogenic crosswalk is certainly the most notable permanent fixture like it in a major city. The city painted two rainbow crosswalks on San Vicente Boulevard (at Santa Monica Boulevard) in late 2012, and ever since it seems nearly impossible to imagine the area without them. In 2022, WeHo added brown and black stripes to the crosswalks for inclusivity, as well as blue, pink and white to represent the transgender flag.

Time Out tip: Every Pride Month, you can find free programming at the intersection as part of WeHo Pride—as well as the entrance to ticketed music festival OUTLOUD.

Address: Intersection of Santa Monica and N San Vicente Blvds

In its half-century as a Sunset Strip stalwart, the Roxy has been both a major player (hosting early Springsteen and Guns N’ Roses shows) and a disappointing has-been (insert name of horrible ’80s hair band here). But following a 2014 deal with promoter Goldenvoice, the Roxy has seen a surge of worthwhile talent stopping by. 

Time Out tip: Before a gig, drop in to the Rainbow Bar & Grill next door for dinner and drinks—Elvis, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon are just some of its former patrons.

Address: 9009 West Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

This art-gallery-like furniture store (formerly known as Restoration Hardware) is great if you’re in the market for luxury midcentury-inspired furnishings. But chances are you don’t need a couch at this exact moment. You do, however, need to visit the space for its semi-secret rooftop garden. Architect James Gillam topped off the retail space with a park of sorts that overlooks the surrounding Hollywood Hills and Pacific Design Center, with plenty of seating courtesy of RH’s outdoor furniture. 

Time Out tip: To be clear, as a privately owned store, RH’s rooftop isn’t quite a public park, so don’t pack a picnic. But if you were to stroll up there with, say, a cup of coffee from Alfred and a magazine to flip through, well it just seems like an ideal place to… research your new patio-furnishing plans.

Address: 8564 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Since its founding in 1952, ONE Archives has built up the biggest collection of LGBTQ+ books, magazines, movies, photos and prints on the planet. You’ll find the organization split into two in-person experiences: The actual library at USC (available online, as well), where you can peruse the impressive archive, and then this WeHo gallery that’s mounted exhibitions on queer nightlife, AIDS activism, women in the leather community and Chicano networks.

Time Out tip: Just a five-minute stroll away, you’ll find another noteworthy gallery: the second L.A. location of renowned contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth, located inside a vintage automobile showroom.  

Address: 626 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Even if you’ve never seen it in person, you’ll undoubtedly recognize the Stahl House (Case Study House #22, for you Modernist fanatics) and its twinkly vista. There’s barely more to it than a roof, floor-to-ceiling windows and a swimming pool, but the Hollywood Hills house emits that magic that so many of us have found—or spend our lives chasing—in Los Angeles. Tours of the house are limited, pricey and popular (particularly the ones around sunset) and are only offered on Wednesdays, Saturdays and two Fridays a month.

Time Out tip: Tour reservations become available (and are immediately snatched up) about three months in advance, so set a calendar alert.

Address: 1635 Woods Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90069

This L.A. County library outpost is startlingly nice, with a ground-floor cafe, views of the Hollywood Hills, an LGBTQ+ collection and a parking garage that bears both Retna and Shepard Fairey murals. It also hosts a respectable slate of cultural activities and speakers, as well as major events at the attached West Hollywood Park.

Time Out tip: Floor-to-ceiling windows look out at the bold, colorful Pacific Design Center across the street. While it no longer houses a branch of MOCA, that space is now occupied by PDC Design Gallery, which sits next to dozens of high-end design showrooms. 

Address: 625 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

The luxe Spanish-style villas of the Sunset Marquis Hotel offer a lush refuge for rock stars (and guests who want to feel like rock stars). It’s fitting then that the hotel—which has hosted artists like Joan Jett, the Who and the Doors—features a lobby gallery (open daily from 11am into the evening) filled with rotating photography exhibitions dedicated to rock & roll royalty. In fact, the gallery is named after the famed cover of the Doors’ album Morrison Hotel. 

Time Out tip: After you check out what’s on display, stick around for dinner on the romantic patio of the hotel’s restaurant, Cavatina.

Address: 1200 Alta Loma Rd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Though just on the outskirts of WeHo, this Sunset Strip staple is where Dave Chappelle and Dane Cook once had a competition to see who could perform the longest. It’s also where an audience member captured Seinfeld’s Michael Richards and his racist rant on video. In a nutshell, the Laugh Factory is where you go if you want to see (sometimes onetime) comedy celebrities, for better or worse.

Maybe you know Circus of Books from its lauded Netflix documentary of the same name. Or maybe you know it as your former go-to spot for gay porn and sex toys. Regardless, this WeHo bookstore was simply an erotica institution until its closure in 2019. Since then, it’s been reborn and given a fresh coat of paint and a more “high-end” feel by drag-diva Chi Chi LaRue—and it’s even expanded with a second “West” location down the street.

Time Out tip: The original location also houses a gallery that spotlights the work of LGBTQ+ artists—pieces that “might be a bit racy still for most galleries.”

Address: 8230 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046 (Circus of Books East) and 8861 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (Circus of Books West)

The Doors were once the house band at the Whisky, until the owner objected to the lyrics of “The End” and banned the group. Its place in Sunset Strip lore can’t be denied, but these days the music comes mostly from classic-rock tribute acts (Led Zepagain, anyone?) and young bands of the punk and metal variety.

Time Out tip: Across the street is another storied spot, the Viper Room (opened by Johnny Depp in the ’90s), which similarly has seen better days but is still a Sunset Strip icon. 

Address: 8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069