J. Fergus

Dive bars in Los Angeles are as varied as the city’s neighborhoods. Even the definition of a dive bar varies, from somewhere with low lighting and cheap beers to a place for locals to meet up, week after week, year after year. From tiki drinks in El Segundo to a storied biker bar in Hollywood, we’ve got your guide to the city’s diviest dives, where you can sing your heart out with karaoke, drown your sorrows with a couple stiff drinks and, quite possibly, kick off one of the best nights of your life.  RECOMMENDED: The best bars in Los Angeles

Though we consistently cover new restaurants with killer cocktail offerings, new bars in L.A. are few and far between—but deserve just as much attention. To keep you up to date on the city’s bar scene, we’ve got a quarterly guide to the city’s best new bars, where you can find the city’s freshest places to drink that are actually worth checking out.  Plenty of newer drinking-oriented establishments straddle the line between bar and restaurant, but on this list we prioritize venues where it’s not strange at all to order a single nightcap or aperitivo—without your server trying to upsell you on bar bites when you aren’t hungry. We also strive to include establishments that stay open past 10pm on weekends, though we of course make exceptions for standout spots.  While these fledgling watering holes and lounges might lack the storied reputations of the city’s best bars and cocktail dens, they make up for it with stylish interiors and unique booze offerings. Some even have delicious bar bites perfect for whenever you’re feeling peckish, but this list focuses on destination-worthy venues with excellent drinks or first-rate atmosphere for going out (ideally, a combination of both).  So just how new are these drinking dens? We limit our list to bars, lounges and breweries that have opened in the past nine months. We check out each bar personally to make sure it’s worth your time and hassle—since there’s only so much booze money to spare.Oct 2024: This summer has seen an explosion of

Sure, liquor’s been legal since Prohibition’s end, and there’s no practical use for smuggling hooch in basement bars post-1933, but there’s still something sleek about a speakeasy—especially in an age where everything is on full display across social media, removing all the mystery. Fortunately, L.A. keeps a bit of the playful, adventurous, seek-and-ye-shall-find spirit going thanks to the city’s oldest bars and modern-day spots tucked into corners as video stores, hotels, barber shops and anything else you need to explore to find the door. What defines a speakeasy? Some of L.A.’s top examples are shifting and adapting: Even K-town’s beloved pirate-themed speakeasy, R Bar, ditched its passwords a few years ago, and now it’s just a bar—nothing wrong with that, though, let’s be clear. So for the purposes of this list, we whittled the criteria. Every bar on this list has an entrance that’s physically hidden or unmarked, whether it’s a door within a restaurant or in a basement, or the door is actually a bed that flips around to reveal a secret staircase. You’ve got to be in the know to find these top-notch cocktail dens. Once you’ve unlocked these great bars, you’ll usually find burlesque, live jazz, vinyl nights and other secrets waiting to be discovered. Hit the town like it’s 1922 for our city’s top new, old and everything-in-between speakeasies.

When it comes to queer nightlife options in Los Angeles, there’s lots to choose from—and not just in rainbow-dipped West Hollywood, home to countless gay bars. To help you pick the best spots for dancing, boozing, flirting and cruising in Hollywood, Silver Lake and beyond, check out this list of our favorite queer bars and clubs in L.A.—there are even Pasadena, Venice and Valley options, for those sick of the party-hearty WeHo scene. Now get out there, tiger.  

In our eyes, a truly great L.A. wine bar has to have three out of four of these things: A thoughtfully curated bottle list, delicious food to go along with it and a stylishly low-key  ambience that pointedly doesn’t turn into an absolute madhouse on the weekends. (We’re looking at you, Voodoo Vin and El Prado.) Part of the appeal of wine bars is the ability to strike up a conversation with a knowledgeable bartender, so our list excludes fairly crowded wine bars that are better known as places to see and be seen rather than destinations for those who appreciate (or perhaps want to learn more about) wine.  Though the atmosphere at these spots run the gamut from relaxed to slightly pretentious, the complex varietals you’ll sip on will more than make up for whatever’s missing. Whenever you’re not in the mood for yet another upscale cocktail den or a rowdy brewery, these amazing wine bars will be more than happy to pour you a glass. RECOMMENDED: Where to go wine tasting in Los Angeles 

You could almost miss Sam’s Place in passing, but once this tiny Highland Park wine bar catches your eye, you’ll be hooked. A wood-paneled interior invites you into a few alcoves offering hints of privacy. A passthrough window between the bar and the simple, dog-friendly patio makes you feel more like a houseguest than a patron. A blend of New and Old World bottles along with a diverse skin-contact selection are served by a savvy staff eager to make recommendations. Whether you’re popping in for a snack or steak dinner, the Japanese sweet potatoes steal the spotlight on a small but well-executed food menu. Depending on availability, whether a wine is only served by the bottle is a suggestion rather than a hard rule at this cozy neighborhoood spot.

In a relatively quiet corner of the Arts District (for the late-night crowd, anyway), Flamingo Bar fills the area’s need for a cocktail dive. You can get better cocktails down the street at E.R.B., but that’s not why you go to Flamingo Bar. You’re there to watch the game, grab some strong drinks or a good beer, and groove under the dancefloor’s disco ball. By your second drink, the grease-forward menu will quell your drunchies with the likes of thick burgers and gooey, loaded fries. The pink-drenched decor evokes late-’80s, early-’90s Miami Beach, encouraging you to snap pics both in and outside the photo booth. Some prices feel a bit high, but the daily happy hour from 4pm to 7pm is well worth the trip.

Though Spring Street Bar has traded its industrial sports bar decor for a warmer, more refined look, this old-but-new Downtown spot isn’t trying to squeeze out former patrons. A well-rounded, largely sub-$8 beer list is matched with craft cocktails at prices nearby bars would only consider during happy hour. Even the Japanese highball selection offers options starting at just $11. The milk punch elevates and clarifies a banana piña colada while the surprising addition of mango to the white Negroni makes it one the best of its kind east of Hollywood. This marks Bar Flores and Lowboy alums Alex Vaughan-Ruiz and Brandon Richard’s first bar together, and they seem intent on keeping it a locals-first spot. Since they’ve kept the TV screens, you might even still be able to catch a game or two.

Holy Water’s Tulum-core aesthetic fills two small rooms primed for intimate conversations with a friend or date. You can partake in some elevated bar bites or simply order in or bring your own food — a policy often unheard of in a lounge of this caliber. The cocktail menu skews sustainable, offering imaginative and whimsical drinks like a pour-over white negroni riff or a frosty take on adult Dole whip. Teas, cold brew, lemonade and sodas are always $5 or less, but they also offer a nonalcoholic cocktail on their special Sunday School menu. If you can pry yourself away from your third Midwest Summer (see: Dole Whip), you can enjoy The Woods’ jungle-like patio next door for a more lifted evening.

La Fe flips the lighter digs of Ostrich Farm into a wine bar that feels like you’re in an old movie with Vaseline on the lens. It slots in well with its neighbors, threading the needle between an elevated locals’ experience and wanton gentrification. Beyond a well-curated wine selection, bartenders deftly mix up house cocktails as well as classics with a reverence that never feels pretentious. The Dreamy Boy balances gin with florals and earthy sumac while the Dulcinea satisfies a sweet tooth without being cloying. Once the sun sets, a romantic vibe fills the bar, but plush stools and a wall-length booth invite groups to carve out their own spaces. You can snack on Mediterranean bar bites in the evening or swing by for a light Sunday brunch with specialty cocktails to soothe any hangover. 

Shim Sham offers what the mostly residential neighborhood of Filipinotown always needed: a cocktail dive. It’s the kind of bar that takes a pickleback seriously, but has Noilly Prat on the speed rail. More than half the menu rings in under $10, and the rest maxes out at $13. At these prices, the Mayatini may prove legendary among filthy martini lovers while Paige’s Punch offers a tart take on a Jungle Bird. The horseshoe-shaped bar inspires you to make new friends or, at least, do some people watching. If the den-like atmosphere isn’t accommodating your selfie needs, a “mirror” near the bathroom turns your phone into a photo booth shutter — blinding flash and all. Shim Sham’s already robust rotation of DJs set the vibe in the evenings, even on weeknights. The TVs will only distract you from the reverie if they’re playing cult classic films or local sports. Outdoor patio and non-alcoholic options available.

Located below Seven Grand, this Mexico City-inspired cocktail bar from Pouring with Heart (Las Perlas, the Varnish) already has twentysomething Angelenos lining up on Seventh Street on the weekends. Marked only by a neon sign in an alleyway, Bar CDMX features minimalist art prints from Mexican artist Beo Hake, an alcove full of Spanish language arcade games and booths for large groups or making new friends. Floor-to-ceiling concrete nods to the natural stone interiors of bars in this watering hole’s namesake megacity, but they create an acoustic nightmare once the bar is more than half-full (even when the music is low, conversations bounce around the mirror-clad room). Bar CDMX turns up the volume even more with their drinks program: The pineapple caipirinha can convert piña colada haters to the sweet side, the draft mojito is perfectly balanced and the house margaritas will transport you to a poolside lounge chair.

When a bar claims to be inspired by a Parisian brothel, it’s unlikely it’ll live up to the ambience of a den of iniquity. But thanks to designer Adolfo Suaya, Noir manages to nail its mood board. Well-balanced textures and moody Art Deco lighting transport you from a Hollywood side street to a place of decadent elegance. Ryan Sweeney’s bar program dazzles with thoughtful, made-to-order signature drinks, including a saline martini that comes with a chilled sidecar (that’s two drinks in one, for those of you in the modern ’20s). A few popular cocktails, like palomas and old-fashioneds, are available on draft for solo enjoyment or in a four-serving decanter for a group. Noir’s energy lends itself to intimate date nights and catching up with a few friends without needing to yell over the decades-spanning music—the true feat for a Hollywood bar of this caliber.

In an increasingly gentrified city, Baby Gee walks the line between a trendy date night spot and a cozy neighborhood dive bar. It works as both a destination bar and as a pit stop on a 4th street bar crawl. It’s clear that people who really knew Red Room, the bar that once stood in its place, as well as Long Beach drinking overall are at the helm. There’s no shortage of taps, including a hard seltzer, and a tasteful wine menu boasts skin-contact wine. What really elevates the tiny bar is its robust cocktail program complete with non-alcoholic options. Drinks are imaginative and playful (one comes with Bazooka bubblegum), but the final result would still satisfy a wide array of palates. Even on a crowded weekend night, if you can find a seat at Baby Gee, you’ll feel like you’re in your own little world.

This queer bar is only a residency for now, but with a debut like this, Honey’s at Star Love is sure to be around for a long time. Plant parents and disco divas alike will enjoy a spin on the lavish dance floor while semi-wallflowers chill at a passthrough window. There’s an adjacent stage partially illuminated by a projector where you can strut yourself, belt your heart out on karaoke night, or catch a movie or awards show screening. Introverts looking to avoid these high-traffic areas will love the little alcoves expertly strewn throughout. From cocktails to wine and beer to spirit-free options, the bartenders have a deft hand, good taste and an adventurous spirit that complements the bar.

L.A.’s first lesbian-owned queer bar in a decade opened with a bang in Eszett’s old digs. In just a month, the Silver Lake strip mall location was lightly yaasified into an intimate wine bar that’s ready for the crowds. Ideal for small groups and dates looking to grab a quick drink or two, the layout makes it easy to both focus on who you’re with and make friends with those next to you.  Whether you’re able to drop $28 on a few shrimp or you just need some curly fries to soak up all your Miller High Lifes, there’s a price point where anyone can enjoy The Ruby Fruit. A scant, almost nondescript wine menu is contrasted against a surprisingly robust array of bar bites. While the staff, if pressed, is knowledge about the bottle list, those hoping for an extensive wine selection will be sorely disappointed. Early in the evening, expect the local crowd of Silver Lake yuppies, but in the later hours, patronage becomes more diverse as queer people arrive from all over town. Only time will tell if The Ruby Fruit’s event programming will foster this diversity, but as is, it leaves a good first impression.

The Arts District hardly lacks for solid Italian fare, but this neighborhood wine bar manages to carve out a unique space for itself. Featuring digs that suggest a higher price point, Propaganda offers a completely shareable, affordable menu full of cheese plates and Roman pinse, it’s a prime spot to impress dates or a couple of friends. Trading the area’s standard industrial look for a mid-century Mediterranean mash-up, both the main dining room and patio feel cozy and intimate. Wine connoisseurs and novices alike can appreciate the lack of pretension and the gentle guidance of knowledgeable staff. In addition to a strong natural wine program, a few rotating spritzes (currently including the buzzy negroni sbagliato) dot the menu. Depending on your mood, Propaganda could be the main attraction of the night, or you could start your evening with their aperitivo happy hour and then dine elsewhere.