From swanky hotel lounges to laid-back beachside beer halls and intimate neighborhood mainstays, the best bars in Los Angeles serve top-notch drinks to toast every occasion.
Sip on a world-famous martini at Hollywood’s oldest restaurant. Enjoy an omakase-style cocktail flight at a glam hotel lounge in Beverly Hills. Or get tropical with a tiki classic at one of LA’s most beloved neighborhood spots in Koreatown.
No matter what vibe you’re after, grab a seat at one of LA’s best bars—guaranteed to stir up a good time.
Skip the wait by reaching for an OpenTable reservation instead.
Read on for a guide to the 13 best bars in Los Angeles right now.
For inventive cocktails at one of the best bars in downtown LA: Redbird – Los Angeles (Downtown)
Located inside a former cathedral in Downtown, Redbird is a showstopping destination for elegant New American cuisine with Los Angeles influences. The restaurant’s modern-meets-classic design—complete with an open-air ceiling—also makes it an ideal setting for enjoying award-winning bar director Tobin Shea’s seasonal cocktails. Sip on innovative, fruit-forward favorites ranging from non-alcoholic spritzes to cantaloupe-infused highballs in the stunning space, and you’ll see why this ranks among the best bars in Los Angeles.
For old-school steakhouse fare and martinis at an LA institution: Musso & Frank Grill (Hollywood)
Century-old Musso & Frank Grill is the king of Hollywood steakhouses. And the restaurant’s bar—decked with swiveling chairs, a vintage mirror backsplash, and a fiery open grill—is one of LA’s best spots for people watching and celebrity spotting. Order a classic appetizer like baked escargot and the world-famous martini, stirred 12 times in ice, then carefully strained into a vintage glass. The liquor comes with a bucket of crushed ice and a small carafe sidecar, because it’s Hollywood, after all.
For small plates and classic cocktails at one of the best bars in Los Angeles: Bar Chelou (Pasadena)
Not only did Bar Chelou open to numerous accolades in 2023—including Eater LA’s Best New Restaurant of the Year—but it also gave Pasadena one of its most gorgeous bars. The sleek, curved wooden bar, accented by a swirly modern chandelier, is the perfect spot to try some of chef Doug Rankin’s small plates like clam toast and asparagus tempura while sipping a cocktail. Choose from well-prepared standards like a negroni spagliato or sazerac that make this one of the best cocktail bars in LA.
For classics with a twist at one of the best LA cocktail bars: Superfine Playa (Playa Vista)
The newest Californian-Italian restaurant by Rossoblu duo Steve and Dina Samson is all about exquisite seasonal pastas and bright drinks that complement the sunny Playa Vista weather. Grab a seat at the horseshoe-shaped bar or in a cozy banquette in the plant-decked room for Ella Zoller’s playful cocktails, like a spicy take on the classic paloma. Bonus points for a kombucha-based non-alcoholic spritz and a stellar wine list focused on small family producers that earned this a spot on our list of the best bars in Los Angeles.
For Spanish tapas, natural wines, and cocktails in a chic space: Xuntos (Santa Monica)
Xuntos brings Spanish pintxos bar vibes to Santa Monica, all in an inviting, bilevel space with Art Deco accents like chandeliers designed like flapper dresses. The restaurant has one of the city’s largest vermouth and sherry collections, along with a concise list of natural California and Spanish wines. If you feel like something stronger, slide into the wrap-around red banquette for one of Kim Stodel’s original cocktails, like a mezcal-forward cobbler.
For award-winning food and one of the best bars in Los Angeles for non-alcoholic cocktails: Kato
One of LA’s most acclaimed restaurants, MICHELIN-starred Kato is a destination for chef Jon Yao’s highly personal, Taiwanese-inspired tasting menus. But it’s also one of LA’s best bars, with a stellar wine selection that pulls from the best regions in the world and an inventive zero-proof beverage program. Sample vintage wine or alcoholic-free flights along with stand-alone cocktails that could include a sake cobbler in the buzzy, industrial-cool space with a large open kitchen.
For a top-notch wine list paired with California-French cuisine: Wally’s Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills)
Celebs and locals alike love Wally’s Beverly Hills, a retail store-meets-restaurant and one of the best wine bars in Los Angeles for its extensive, award-winning list of more than 150 wines by the glass. Settle into a high-top in the cavernous space to sip on food-friendly varietals from Napa Valley to Tuscany paired with gourmet cheeses, charcuterie, and heartier dishes like uni pizza. Or grab a seat on the front patio, perfect for sipping Champagne or one of the restaurant’s refreshing non-alcoholic or low-ABV cocktails.
For fancy cocktail-tasting flights in a glam hotel lounge: The Maybourne Bar (Beverly Hills)
Located inside swanky The Maybourne Beverly Hills, this intimate spot is one the best cocktails bars in LA for its stellar drinks. Choose your own cocktail (or mocktail) adventure with the restaurant’s bespoke tasting menu, a five- or seven-course omakase-style drinks flight served with savory and sweet treats and traditional oshibori (hot towel service). Or go with one of the restaurant’s classics, like Skyfall, a martini riff with heather. Either way, you’ll want to return to this glam destination again and again.
For craft beer and bar bites: The Brews Hall – Hermosa Beach (Hermosa Beach)
Sometimes, a beer by the beach is the only thing that will do. With its extensive craft beer list, featuring pours by Hermosa Beach’s own Buzzrock Brewing Company, The Brews Hall is the perfect place to sip a lager, hazy IPA, or red ale while catching a game or snacking on bites like tacos and crispy calamari. And since this modern pub is located just steps from the Pacific, don’t miss the opportunity to take a sunset stroll while you’re there.
For creative cocktails at one of the city’s best neighborhood restaurants: Here’s Looking at You (Koreatown)
Known as much for its rotating, inventive cocktail menus as its selection of California-inspired and Asian-inflected small plates, Here’s Looking at You always has something new to sip. Try one of the seasonal drinks that could include a bright negroni riff with pork belly-washed gin and fish sauce or one of the always-available signature tropical drinks. Either way, you’ll want to linger in the buzzy dining that makes HLAY one of LA’s best bars—and restaurants.
For clever, Italian-leaning cocktails in a lively setting: Mama’s Boy at Winston House (Venice)
At Winston House, executive chef Wes Whitsell gives Italian classics a Texas twist in an energetic space decked out with red-and-white checkered tablecloths. Beverage director Dave Purcell’s top-notch cocktails also lean into Italian favorites, like a Garibaldi riff with whipped orange juice. The non-alcoholic drinks are equally clever, and with live music and DJs, Mama’s Boy is an all-around good time and one of the best bars in Los Angeles, regardless of what you’re drinking.
For stellar wine and cocktails in a charming historic space: The Raymond Restaurant (Pasadena)
Located in a 19th-century craftsman cottage, this Pasadena restaurant is a local favorite for its historic charm and contemporary American cuisine, like steak frites and dayboat scallops. But it’s also one of the best bars in LA, with an award-winning wine list and stellar craft cocktails. Classics include a Japanese highball and the Allen Pool Party, an easy-sipping, cucumber-infused, tequila-forward drink best enjoyed on the greenery-strewn patio with a striking fireplace.
For classic cocktails and Japanese pours at one of the best bars in Los Angeles for whisky: Bar Jackalope (Downtown)
One of downtown LA’s best bars, this hidden whiskey lounge in the back of Seven Grand bar provides mellow and moody vibes for a memorable night out. The 18-seat bar specializes in more than 120 varieties of Japanese whisky, and there’s even an outdoor cigar lounge. Expect classics on the cocktail menu, including expertly prepared old fashioneds and manhattans. This is the place for an intimate drinking experience and a whiskey crash course—minus the crowds.
From intimate whisky lounges to swanky hotel stunners and lively beer halls, LA’s best bars serve up stellar drinks for every mood and occasion. Whether you’re into MICHELIN-starred, Taiwanese-leaning tasting menus with inventive zero-proof cocktails or classic steakhouse bar vibes with equally classic martinis, these hotspots are sure to fill up quickly.
Snag your seat at one of the best bars in Los Angeles by booking with OpenTable now.
Want to learn more about LA’s amazing restaurant scene? These city guides can help:
- The 12 best restaurants to eat at this summer near LA’s concert venues, beaches, and more
- World’s 50 Best Restaurants names LA superstar Kato 2024’s ‘One to Watch’
- Here’s who made the Los Angeles Times’s 101 Best Restaurants list
Karen Palmer is a pizza- and pasta-obsessed food writer based in Los Angeles. She is the former editorial director of Tasting Table, and her work has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and many other publications. Follow her on Instagram at @karenlpalmer.
