KEY2 Pick
Speakeasy • $$$
The Varnish
A hidden back-room cocktail bar behind Cole's, run by some of the city's original craft-cocktail names.
Best for: Date Night
Best bars in Los Angeles
Cocktail rooms, rooftops and unmarked doors — where to start a night and where to end one.
KEY2 Pick
Speakeasy • $$$
The Walker Inn
A reservation-only tasting-menu cocktail bar hidden behind a bookshelf inside Normandie Club.
Best for: Date Night
Cocktail Bar • $$
Harvard & Stone
A sprawling East Hollywood cocktail den with a stage room for live bands most nights.
Best for: Groups
Whiskey Bar • $$
Seven Grand
A wood-paneled whiskey bar above Downtown with one of the deepest bourbon lists in the city.
Best for: Groups
Wine Bar • $$
Tabula Rasa Bar
A tiny natural-wine bar in Historic Filipinotown pouring low-intervention bottles by the glass.
Best for: Casual
Questions, answered
What are the best bars in Los Angeles?+
The KEY2 editors' top picks for bars in Los Angeles are The Varnish, The Walker Inn. Every listing in this guide is individually vetted, with hours, prices and booking links.
Where can I find good-value bars in Los Angeles?+
For $$-level bars in Los Angeles, consider Harvard & Stone, Seven Grand, Tabula Rasa Bar.
What are the best bars in Los Angeles for a special occasion?+
For a splurge, the KEY2 guide recommends The Varnish, The Walker Inn. Reserve ahead — the booking link is on each listing.
Do I need to book bars in Los Angeles in advance?+
The most popular bars in Los Angeles fill up days or weeks ahead. Every KEY2 listing includes a direct reservation or booking link where one is available.
More Los Angeles guides