The best dog-friendly restaurants and bars in L.A.

This L.A. hot dog stand dates back to 1946—and now sits on the same site in West Hollywood where the Doors recorded "L.A. Woman." Beyond classic hot dogs with every topping under the sun, the old-meets-new Tail o’ the Pup also offers burgers, gluten-free corn dogs and vegan-friendly options that use vegan cheese and plant-based dogs. A pet-friendly, bun-free Doggy Dog and built-in watering trough makes this roadside icon a pet owner's dream, and there's plenty of outdoor seating so your pup has room to roam among fellow four-legged friends. 

Tables in tiny greenhouses and an overall charming patio make this cozy Echo Park neighborhood spot a great fit for discerning dogs and their humans hoping to enjoy moderately priced all-day fare, including Lady Byrd’s delectable lemon poppy seed pancakes. With cold-pressed juices, fresh pastries and a full espresso and tea bar, the café is also a shoo-in for a quaint weekend brunch after a walk with your pup at nearby Elysian Park.

This Tex-Mex breakfast taco spot’s four locations all feature some sort of patio and pet-friendly outdoor seating, but the mini-chain’s Pasadena outpost, in particular, can boast of bright umbrellas and picnic tables where well-trained pooches can hide from the hot sun. HomeState Playa Vista is also only a 12 minute walk away from the Bluff Creek Dog Park, and their charming Highland Park patio is less than a five minute drive from Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, which also allows dogs on trails.

The newer, larger second location of Vivian Ku’s beloved Silver Lake eatery has arrived, with one major menu upgrade: breakfast dishes like purple rice fan tuan and daikon rice cakes from Ku’s pandemic pop-up, Today Starts Here. Luscious thousand-layer pancakes stuffed with basil and cheese, plus a smattering of other dishes from Highland Park’s Joy on York, are available as well. The Downtown outpost’s expansive open-air patio, and relatively central location make this a more convenient dining option for Angelenos with pets in tow. It’s also right next to a smaller, dog-friendly park.

The second location of Highly Likely offers something a little something for everyone, plus a beautiful, expansive patio filled with olive trees, greenery and an outdoor bar. As with the West Adams original, it's a neighborhood coffee shop with delicious grain bowls, salads and other all-day fare, plus a fully loaded espresso, tea, beer and natural wine. During the day, the U-shaped indoor bar is a haven for local remote workers, but it’s over on the patio where you’ll find dog owners hoping to stretch out with their pup and a caffeinated beverage.

This modern Middle Eastern restaurant in Atwater Village has a spacious shaded patio, as well as excellent mezze, kabobs and cocktails inspired by eastern Mediterranean and North African cuisine. Dine on duck shish kebab and Moorish prawns at dinner while your pup chills out on a cool concrete floor, or opt for a less crowded experience at weekday lunch or weekend brunch with khachapuri, shakshuka and a relatively rare Mediterranean breakfast plate that pairs pita bread with labna, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, feta, walnuts, halvah, Medjool dates and jam.

Pups are always welcome at this dog-themed North Hollywood gastropub with a bulldog mascot, upscale bar food and an airy, tree-lined patio perfect for four-legged friends. Citywide favorites like hot wings, cheese boards and grilled street corn round out the Fat Dog’s extensive list of craft brews, $14 “four-legged” quadri beer flights and well-made cocktails with names like Tail Wagger, Off The Leash and A Walk In The Park. Of course, the less beer-inclined can’t go wrong with an (Italian) Greyhound.

Steps from Playa del Rey Beach, Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson and husband Nick Robert’s upscale all-day eatery offers four different concepts in a single expansive beachside space. At the pair’s Californian sitdown-style restaurant, Dockside, pets can rest easy on the patio while humans dine on seafood-centric plates at dinner and well-executed brunch fare on weekend mornings and afternoons.

After a half decade of researching centuries-old fermentation techniques across Europe, Ben Farber and Chelsey Rosetter launched Benny Boy, the city's first combined brewery and cider house, which also happens to have a massive, string-lit outdoor patio that's perfect for bringing your dog. Chow down on some grub from ever-changing food pop-ups and sit by the firepit with a pint of fresh pear-apple cider.

The multiple patio situation is one of the many reasons that this sprawling restaurant, now run by Ray Garcia, remains the all-day Venice café of our dreams, as well as a perennial favorite with area pet lovers. Stop in for breakfast or weekend brunch with your pup and you’ll be treated to fresh pastries, stacked gourmet sandwiches and a killer breakfast burrito, but you’ll also find dogs on both patios well past happy hour on busier nights at this revamped Venice Beach classic. It is the Westside, after all.

If you and your pet are on the road and you’re both feeling a bit peckish, the Lazy Dog boasts five locations across Los Angeles County, with additional restaurants in Thousand Oaks, Orange County, San Diego and beyond. The Lazy Dog obtained its name and concept from owner Chris Simms, who, while vacationing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, saw a dog lying by a fireplace and thought, "I wish everyone could enjoy life as much as that lazy dog by the fire." Playful and relaxing touches inspired by man’s best friend include a 3D paw print on the ceiling plus dog photos and paintings throughout the restaurant. A dog-friendly patio and tasty menu items for your pup include chicken, hamburger and brown rice.