J. Fergus

With the massive sprawl of Los Angeles and its diverse culinary offerings at every price point, it can be tough to find the perfect place to slink into a martini and a Caesar, or a boilermaker and some nachos, after a long day. Some happy hours are for snagging a deal on an otherwise luxurious experience, while others are simply a way to meet up with friends after work without losing that day’s pay.  RECOMMENDED: The best bars in Los Angeles We’ve taken the gas-work out of finding the best happy hour deals around L.A., so all you have to bring is the gossip and a good attitude.  Updated May 2026: The Morrison, The Misfit, and Esters Wine Shop have closed, replaced here by Highland Park’s Hippo and The High Low in Atwater Village. Redbird leaves this list as the Lounge moves to a permanently more budget-friendly menu all night long with $12–14 cocktails, most bar bites under $20, and a Waygyu burger for $22.

While many other cities tend to have a rooftop bar season, Angelenos crave cold drinks with a scenic view year-round. Why settle for a street-level patio when you can take in sea breezes, towering skyscrapers, or a squinting glimpse of the Hollywood sign? L.A. rooftop bars are so beloved that the best ones usually stay here for both a good long time, and their closures are felt for years (we're still mourning Mama Shelter and the DTLA Standard). But don't worry, there are still plenty of poolside cabanas for your day drinking and glittering vistas for your nightcaps. RECOMMENDED: The best bars in Los Angeles We narrowed down the best of the best, focusing on bar-forward establishments because the rooftop restaurants this town has to offer needed their own stage. So pull up a stool or a lounge chair to sip your way through Los Angeles’ best rooftop bars. Updated April 2026: For this seasonal update, we've removed Bar Bohemien and E.P. & L.P., which have closed permanently, and moved up relative newcomer Bar Florentín, in part to reward its consistency and frequently packed dance floor—which we love. To learn more about our process, check out How we review at Time Out.

Los Angeles continues to show off its resilience as bars from Long Beach to Mar Vista bring their A game to its embattled residents. Dimly lit lounges and raucous beer halls alike are bringing communities together over great drinks, showing off their creativity as they attempt to keep prices as approachable as possible. Best Los Angeles bars at a glance: For impeccably made cocktails: Vandell – a buzzy cocktail lounge geared toward local walk-ins with destination-worthy bites and drinks (Los Feliz) For standout martinis with a sunset view: Dante Beverly Hills – the ritzy 90210 outpost of an award-winning NYC cocktail bar (Beverly Hills) For drinks on the Westside before midnight: Accomplice – a standout restaurant bar program with killer non-alcoholic options (Mar Vista) For a classic night out in Koreatown: Dan Sung Sa – a divey, always bustling classic known for its sprawling food menu and soju selection For when you can’t choose between a Negroni and a boilermaker: Shim Sham – a cocktail dive where everyone knows your name (Historic Filipinotown) The happy-hour programming across town remains strong, even at newer bars facing rising rents. The L.A. dive is far from dead—though you’re more likely than ever to find a great martini at one—and a skyline view with a Spritz is always an elevator ride away. In fact, there are so many great options, we knew we had to narrow them down for you to highlight the best bars in Los Angeles.   Updated May 2026: Mírate, Vandell, and Ever

As some of our best bar programs end up inside of restaurants, new bars are becoming far and few between in Los Angeles. Some are still trying to make it on their own while other newcomers embrace the siren call of the bar bite. Some of the bars on this list serve food, but we try to highlight places where you can simply drink without feeling out of place or melting under the glare of staff desperate to turn over your seat in favor of a hungrier customer. We also prefer it when our drinking establishments stay open past 10pm on the weekends, but we make exceptions for the exceptional. Above all else, we aim to show you true hot spots with drinks you'll talk about for months or an ambiance you'll never want to leave, and we love it when a venue nails both. These fledgling bars and lounges have only been on the block for the past nine months—any longer and they're removed from the list. We always visit each bar to ensure they're worth the pricelessness of your time and energy as well as the rising cost of a stiff drink. Updated March 2026: This quarterly update welcomes Sid's Bar in South Pasadena, Vandell in Los Feliz, Yi Cha in Highland Park, and the revamped Bar Franca in Downtown L.A. Most of the list has aged out: Bar Benjamin, Damn, I Miss Paris, Daisy Margarita Bar, Untamed Spirits, Bar Avoja, Force of Nature, and Florentín Rooftop Bar are seasoned veterans now. You can find Florentín in our best rooftop bars list, while Vandell and Bar Benjamin have already made it onto

Sure, liquor’s been legal since Prohibition’s end, and there’s no practical use for smuggling hooch in basement bars post-1933, but there’s still something sleek about a speakeasy—especially in an age where everything is on full display across social media, removing all the mystery. Fortunately, L.A. keeps a bit of the playful, adventurous, seek-and-ye-shall-find spirit going thanks to the city’s oldest bars and modern-day spots tucked into corners as video stores, hotels, barber shops and anything else you need to explore to find the door. What defines a speakeasy? Some of L.A.’s top examples are shifting and adapting: Even K-town’s beloved pirate-themed speakeasy, R Bar, ditched its passwords a few years ago, and now it’s just a bar—nothing wrong with that, though, let’s be clear. So for the purposes of this list, we whittled the criteria. Every bar on this list has an entrance that’s physically hidden or unmarked, whether it’s a door within a restaurant or in a basement, or the door is actually a bed that flips around to reveal a secret staircase. You’ve got to be in the know to find these top-notch cocktail dens. Once you’ve unlocked these great bars, you’ll usually find burlesque, live jazz, vinyl nights and other secrets waiting to be discovered. Hit the town like it’s 1922 for our city’s top new, old and everything-in-between speakeasies. June 2025: In this seasonal update, I’ve updated information on existing speakeasies and removed Employees Only, which now has regu

When it comes to queer nightlife options in Los Angeles, there’s lots to choose from—and not just in rainbow-dipped West Hollywood, home to countless gay bars. To help you pick the best spots for dancing, boozing, flirting and cruising in Hollywood, Silver Lake and beyond, check out this list of our favorite queer bars and clubs in L.A.—there are even Pasadena, Venice and Valley options, for those sick of the party-hearty WeHo scene. Now get out there, tiger. May 2025: Just in time for WeHo Pride, I’ve updated our guide to the city’s best gay bars. This list removes St. Felix, Stache and Redline, all of which have unfortunately closed, as well as the Ruby Fruit (which has recently been revamped to a neighborhood grill) and Revolver Video Bar. The newest addition is Kiso, a welcome entrant to Downtown’s queer nightlife scene. Time Out has also instituted a sitewide change in review policies. All food and drink venues included in guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good,” and we’ve also standardized how most listings are structured. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out.

Dive bars in Los Angeles are as varied as the city’s neighborhoods. Even the definition of a dive bar varies, from somewhere with low lighting and cheap beers to a place for locals to meet up, week after week, year after year. From tiki drinks in El Segundo to a storied biker bar in Hollywood, we’ve got your guide to the city’s diviest dives, where you can sing your heart out with karaoke, drown your sorrows with a couple stiff drinks and, quite possibly, kick off one of the best nights of your life.  RECOMMENDED: The best bars in Los Angeles

In our eyes, a truly great L.A. wine bar has to have three out of four of these things: A thoughtfully curated bottle list, delicious food to go along with it and a stylishly low-key  ambience that pointedly doesn’t turn into an absolute madhouse on the weekends. (We’re looking at you, Voodoo Vin and El Prado.) Part of the appeal of wine bars is the ability to strike up a conversation with a knowledgeable bartender, so our list excludes fairly crowded wine bars that are better known as places to see and be seen rather than destinations for those who appreciate (or perhaps want to learn more about) wine.  Though the atmosphere at these spots run the gamut from relaxed to slightly pretentious, the complex varietals you’ll sip on will more than make up for whatever’s missing. Whenever you’re not in the mood for yet another upscale cocktail den or a rowdy brewery, these amazing wine bars will be more than happy to pour you a glass. RECOMMENDED: Where to go wine tasting in Los Angeles 

Xuntos has split into two destinations in one: Bar Xuntos for casual pinxtos (lighter bites like butter-soaked brioche topped with melt-in-your-mouth anchovies) and the Xuntos restaurant for the upscale tapas Santa Monica has already grown to know and love. The new Bar Xuntos is walk-in only, offering access to more than 200 natural Spanish wines as well as a collection of Spanish vermouths and sherries. The gin-forward Xuntos cocktail menu is also available in the bar, but otherwise the menus do not crossover. The more casual atmosphere lends itself to winery takeovers and DJs, a place for locals and wine lovers to drop in for a good time. Despite the bodega-style environs, you can still expect knowledgeable guidance from sommeliers and even guest winemakers.

With a team that brought us Thunderbird, Verdugo Bar, and Surly Goat, it’s no surprise that The High Low is a bar of the people. Despite the grand feeling of the main room’s brick arches, there’s a casual approachability to the mid-century modern-styled space. From their spicy borracho chicken tacos to their nods to Thunderbird’s hot dogs, the Tex-Mex menu stays at $18 or less with even better deals during happy hour. Though they have a robust agave-based list, the surprising pillar of their spirits menu is a lengthy, thoughtful mix of whiskies begging to be enjoyed at the pool table. You can take their well-priced cocktails, including a frontrunner for the best Clover Club in town, into the cozy karaoke lounge to belt your heart out on Tuesdays and weekends. The lounge also hosts live music and can be rented out for private events.

From the team behind the Roger Room, Gin Rummy has proudly quenched the Westside’s thirst for tiki classics. The patio evokes both a boat and a beach with bullseye windows above (spotting palm trees instead of sails) and real sand below. The atypically well-lit tropical space allows for multiple large groups to coexist easily, often crowding around dartboards and pinball machines. Racks of leis abound so you can sip the rum-forward menu in style. The drinks lean more “crushable” than complex, but at a price you don’t mind, especially during their happy hour, when you can get $10 frozen daiquiris and wings for the same price. That being said, always approach a scorpion bowl with caution, especially on a Saturday night when a DJ is playing your song. The Little Friend, a team that also had a hand in creating this tropical paradise, has its own bar in the space for any introverts looking for an escape.

Still one of the few late-night spots in Filipinotown, Shim Sham has also become a destination in its own right. Expertly threading the needle of a cocktail dive that still feels like a neighborhood haunt, this bar balances simple wells and beers with consistently well-crafted cocktails and a slush machine that’s tempting even in the “winter” months. Much like the rest of L.A., the drinks have taken a hit from inflation, but still only max out at $15, with their non-alcoholic options coming in under $10. The magic of Shim Sham is how you feel like it’s your local bar, whether you walked a few minutes from home or you’re just killing time before your Rasarumah reservation. Even on a slow night, the bar always feels alive and crackling with the energy of a community well-served.

Mediterranean-inspired Bar Clara has stayed under the radar despite a solid drinks program and an incredible view. As one of the few poolside rooftop bars with public access, it's time it had its moment in the sun. The vibe: Whether you're out of the splash zone in a cushioned bistro chair or lounging by the pool, you'd be hard-pressed to find a view this expansive in a space that still feels intimate. The crowning jewel of Bar Clara is its layout, where you can be as private as you want or make as many friends as you want. This isn't necessarily a place to be seen—price tag notwithstanding— it's a place to relax and have fun. The food: The bar bites are not particularly consistent, though we deeply miss their harissa prawn tacos (you can still add the prawns to any salad). What's more likely to happen is that you will order several rounds of fries while you share a laugh over some cocktails. The drink: Bar Clara has streamlined its drinks menu, now featuring a tight, rotating signature cocktail list that currently includes a tropical espresso martini. A pricey wine list is balanced by a mix of non-alcoholic cocktails and beers. During the summer, however, you can't escape their spritz or frosé game, nor should you want to. Time Out tip: You can reserve lounge chairs and cabanas through Resort Pass, but otherwise, it's walk-ins only.

Many may say that this longstanding dive bar has become the most expensive bar on its stretch of Los Feliz Blvd. To be fair, other than a few appetizers, you can't really get any food for less than $20—whether it's standard fried bar fare or their wonderful Thai menu. Their $19 and up cocktails will only shock you until you realize they come in a pint glass. Despite these naysayers, The Roost remains one of the hottest spots to throw a birthday party. The overall increase in prices was accompanied by a few cosmetic upgrades, so while it may have lost its dive bar stickiness, it's still the "stiffest pour in town." So leave your car at home, but don't forget to bring cash (you can use your card for your drunken noodles order).

Since 1924, Joe Jost's has been serving Long Beach frosty beers and a selection of deli items. There's nothing like having more than a century of roots to keep tavern prices so cheap, you might think you’ve time-traveled. Arguably the most famous item on their menu, their pickled eggs have a cult-like following throughout Southern California. You might get some gruff from the older regulars, but it's an otherwise friendly, local spot. With the largest pour of beer still under $9 and sandwiches under $4, some were worried by the family's announcement to hand over the keys late last year. Luckily, the new owner, former employee Jon Sweeney, doesn't want to change anything.

Like many of its ilk, the Ye Rustic Inn's prices have started ascending outside of dive territory, particularly when it comes to their famous wings. Regardless of price, the buffalo wings remain the star of the show with the option to have them prepared extra crispy. The atmosphere maintains its divey charm, drawing crowds for theme nights or game nights when you're lucky to find a stool. If you need some air, fresh or not, there's a side patio for smoking and a front patio for drinking. If you manage to snag a table, be prepared for some slow but friendly service.

As a neighborhood dive, Power House has found its footing. Technically a cocktail dive, offering up classics for as little as $12 (there's even a $10 margarita during the daily 4–7pm happy hour), the renovated mainstay has erred on the side of classic dive to great results. The cocktails have actually improved since they reopened a few years ago, but sometimes you just need to spin a wheel for a mystery shot or slam down a pickleback while throwing darts on the back patio. Draft and canned beers are at nearly unbelievable prices for the area and the economy, especially during happy hour. There aren't many places left in LA where you can find both a $6 beer and a sub-$15 negroni outside of happy hour, let alone a place with a true "Cheers" energy.

Sid the Cat, a longtime local promoter, finally found a home in a former school's auditorium last year. Sid's Bar is the first to open out of a few businesses aiming to fill the rest of the space (another Villa's Tacos location is close behind). The former classroom has a DJ booth that keeps vibes high on show nights and weekends while slowing the tempo for the more intimate locals nights. A stone's throw away from the most bustling parts of Mission Street, Sid's Bar embodies the best parts of what a local cocktail dive should have: quality, consistency, approachability, and prices that won't make you pull your hair out. Where similar venue bars will end up charging you at least $17 for a simple G&T, Sid's offers a floral take on a Rattlesnake (Spring Break) for the same price. If you are looking for something a bit more luxurious, we were surprised to find four excellent Japanese whiskies and a sub $20 highball. The cocktail menu and the draft beers rotate out seasonally, and the wine list is more interesting than some wine bars. There are also a few zero-proof beers, and their refreshing take on a Dirty Shirley, the Dirty Sid, can be made without alcohol.

Though it quickly became a fixture of Downtown L.A.'s nightlife scene after opening in 2018, Bar Franca was not immune to the stressors of the pandemic, union strikes, and wildfires. When Rolando Alvarez, longtime Midnight Lovers promoter, took over last fall, he kept much of the interior of the decidedly feminine space. The main difference is the new hi-fi system—a Danley that lets you feel the disco, house, funk, or jazz beats in your bones while still being able to hear the person next to you. While effective for guests, the speaker layout mainly fails the bartenders, who sometimes struggle to hear orders over the club-like atmosphere. The seasonal menu from Broken Shaker's Gabriel Orta and Jonny Child stays in neutral to sweet territory while bringing a couple of non-alcoholic cocktails into the fold. You're more likely to see glasses of wine, beer, or martinis on the dancefloor; this is a space for music lovers who want to meet like-minded souls under the glow of a cherry neon sign.

Leave your uncomfortable shoes at home because Vandell is worth the wait. With an all-star roster including Shawn Lickliter and Vay Su (Double Dragon Bar) as well as the team behind Donna’s, Bar Flores, and Lowboy, Los Feliz’s newest bar is handling its superstardom surprisingly well. Once you’re inside, you understand why people don’t want to leave. The vibe: Even with waits of 30–60 minutes on the weekends, you can add yourself to the waitlist for a table in line and return later (to the seething jealousy of those still outside). The bar area accommodates standing-room-only servers, an uncommon luxury that placates line-weary guests while enabling faster turnover.  Striking the balance between a neighborhood bar and a destination spot, dimly lit alcoves with mid-century charm hum with activity. The bar includes a quieter side room (the Red Room), the main dining room seats six at a time into wooden booths, and yet another room off the entrance offers bistro tables for smaller parties/date nights.  The food: Though it’s predictable American fare (pre-open, I prophesied much of the food menu), Vandell doesn’t slouch when it comes to execution. The anchovy toast flies to tables on repeat, pickle haters down the just-messy-enough cheeseburger with no substitutions, and even an oft-boring dish served across the city, hamachi crudo, crackles with new life. The drink: These are the drinks you won’t mind paying 2026 prices for. Somehow, they’ve improved an Old Fashioned, made Scotc