LA's solo bar culture is built on dive bars, neighborhood joints, and legendary spots where the bartender knows your order by round two. These are the places worth walking into alone.
West Hollywood · 7205 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Jones is the kind of bar that makes you feel cooler just for walking in. It’s dimly lit, a little rock ‘n’ roll, and somehow always buzzing, whether you’re there for a stiff drink, a late-night bite, or just to post up …
Koreatown · 3357 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Some bars put on a show. HMS Bounty just is. A proper old-school watering hole with dim lights, cheap drinks, and just enough nautical kitsch to feel like you might be drinking on a retired cruise ship. The crowd skews …
Echo Park · 2150 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
This dusky, natural wine bar is the kind of place where you swear you’re just having one, but three pét-nats later you’re earnestly pitching an app design you outlined on a napkin. The candles are low, the pours are gen…
Santa Monica · 1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Classic beachside drinking hole where you can get a dangerously stiff drink and a buttered steak while admiring the nautical theme. There are peanut shells on the floor, the jukebox doesn’t play anything newer than musi…
Venice · 15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292
A laid‑back dive bar shrine since the ’60s, right by the beach—sawdust on the floor, pool tables clacking, and a jukebox that kicks in when the surf crowd rolls out. The star here? A char‑grilled “world‑famous” cheesebu…
DTLA · 417 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
A 1905 classic dive with a liquor license old enough to let them sell booze to-go, a loophole from an era when Teddy Roosevelt was rumored to own the place. It’s dark, narrow, and gloriously unfussy. No TVs, no nonsense…
Venice · 2536 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
An old auto shop turned cocktail den, with tin walls, vintage car parts, and a patio that somehow muffles Lincoln Blvd’s chaos. Drinks are strong without being fussy (think mezcal with watermelon shrub or a cold draft) …
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.
DTLA · 605 East 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
DTLA’s tropical escape disguised as a bar/music venue. Think flamingo pink touches, lush patio, and art gallery corners where you might stumble on glass blowing. The drink list swings frozen margs, frozé, craft beers, w…
Fairfax · 419 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA
The deli and the bar in back operate like two different institutions sharing the same address. Out front, Canter’s runs 24 hours without blinking. Pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, potato pancakes, black-and-white cooki…