Dim lights, great wine, and the kind of atmosphere where you actually want to put your phone away. These are the spots that make a night feel special.
West Hollywood · 7702 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
A dimly lit vodka haven that somehow pulls off dive-bar energy with a side of special events (think DJs, comedy nights, and surprise performances). Strong pours and no pretense—just the way we like it.
Silver Lake · 3932 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Serious cocktails, unserious people-watching. Behind Café Stella, this moody hideaway has bartenders in lab coats—because molecular precision is required for your style="overflow-x:hidden;width:100%;max-width:100%"8 mezcal negroni. The dimly lit space hums with soft j…
DTLA · 438 Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
A jewel box of a bar on Main where wallpaper blooms, neon cherries glow, and the cocktails are as moody as the lighting. The list leans playful—one sip might taste like candy, the next like a long confession—and late ni…
Echo Park · 1542 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
A dreamy upstairs bar with a lush back patio that smells incredible (no one knows why, but we’re not questioning it). The sangria is dangerously good—so much so that it deserves a medal, or at least a warning label.
Silver Lake · 2442 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
A former 1940s bungalow turned neighborhood wine den, Barbrix nails that Silver Lake sweet spot between low-key and quietly fancy. Inside, it’s all polished wood, wraparound bar, and an open kitchen that hums like a din…
Santa Monica · 1449 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Low-lit and luxe, this Hotel Carmel speakeasy feels like a vintage parlor—plush booths, dark wood arches, and chandeliers guiding your mid‑week date night. The cocktails lean classic: think mezcal‑tinged “Ultima” or a t…
Hollywood · 7174 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Perched up a discreet staircase off Melrose, this Art Deco hideout conjures ’30s cinematic glam without the velvet rope ego. Rich wood paneling, mohair booths, and wedding‑cake pendants set the mood while bartenders sli…
East Hollywood · 5140 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Chic little wine bar with limited seating and an excellent menu including house-made pastas and market-fresh vegetables. They also operate a wine shop (pickup only), including 6-bottle and 12-bottle variety packs for th…
Studio City · 13456 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
A wine bar with serious range—one night you’re sipping something bottled last year, the next you’re eyeing a vintage from the 1800s behind glass. The room is sultry but not stiff: marble bar, chalkboard wine lists, low …
Beverly Hills · The Maybourne, 225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
The rooftop version of its iconic NYC sibling, Dante BH pours picture-perfect negronis in a seafoam-and-brass daydream. It’s all spritzes and oysters until the sun goes down and the piano kicks in. Expensive? Yes. But w…